Q&A: CRAZIES Nominee "Best Chef of the Year" Ashley Flagg of Millwright's Features Interview Chef Talk Chef CT Chef Interview Awards Christopher Hodson October 23, 2021 Each year, the CT Restaurant Association recognizes the exceptional ability and talent of Connecticut’s restaurant community in the prestigious CRAzies awards. Restaurant owners, operators, chefs, and vendors come together to celebrate the success of the industry at Foxwoods Resort Casino on Monday, December 6. While a panel of more than 25 food writers, critics, bloggers, and social media influencers created a list of nominees, YOU VOTE for the winners.We are excited to showcase the nominees for BEST CHEF OF THE YEAR in our new series. All the candidates worked incredibly hard to receive this nomination, and while many of you may know some of them, you probably don’t know all of them. We sat down with each of these talented chefs to learn a little bit more about what makes them do what they do. We begin with Chef Ashley Flagg of Millwrights, in Simsbury CT. Read More
Hindsight BBQ: Must Eat BBQ in Waterbury Features Interview Restaurant Waterbury BBQ Hindsight BBQ Homepage Lunch Catering Comfort Food Opening Andrew Dominick October 17, 2021 When you pull up to Hindsight BBQ, it looks like a barbecue joint. Forget the fact that you can smell the smoke off the wood for miles or the sight of a packed patio area of carnivorous customers smacking their lips on ribs, wings, and definitely the brisket. You might even forget you’re in Waterbury. The setup of picnic tables, greenery and flowers, fire pits, an outdoor bar, and massive smokers all make you feel like you’re about to eat BBQ in a setting reminiscent of the south.The man behind Hindsight is Jeff Schmidt. And he wants you to feel like you’re at a BBQ restaurant.Schmidt is a self-proclaimed “restaurant baby.” His mom, Jayne Lamphear along with stepfather Red, own At The Corner in Litchfield and Black Rock Tavern in Thomaston. Schmidt has general managed at both, including a decade long stint after his family opened At The Corner.Schmidt first got into the BBQ game as a hobby, but it quickly progressed into a pop-up. “I started doing it at Black Rock Tavern some weekends and,” he says. “COVID happened and I wanted to do new, so I did BBQ every weekend and that turned into every day. I even did pop-ups for brewery owners at Kent Falls, Tribus, Counter Weight, and Fox Farm. As the pandemic became more manageable, I said to myself, ‘I don’t want to stop doing this.’”So he didn’t.The pandemic, Schmidt told us, was a good opportunity to take the leap to do something that was solely his restaurant baby, so he found a space. “This place maybe would not have been available if not for the pandemic,” he says as he begins to laugh. “It was a diner years ago, then it was a place where you could come and have a drink with hot models! It wasn’t a strip joint, but it basically was! It was painted hot pink inside with black ceilings.”Of course, like any BBQ enthusiast, and believe this, Schmidt is uber nerdy about the ‘cue craft, he continued his education with a trip down south. He spent time in Texas (one being LeRoy & Lewis BBQ in Austin), Georgia, and other states expanding his knowledge and learning from guys ingrained in the BBQ scene so he could bring elements back to Waterbury with him.So, what’s Schmidt’s BBQ style at Hindsight? There isn’t one. Read More
Baldanza Moves to Wilton & Takes Over The Schoolhouse Features Interview Restaurant Wilton Farm Fresh Italian lunch Homepage Brunch Andrew Dominick September 20, 2021 School is officially back in session in the Cannondale neighborhood of Wilton. We’re not talking education but rather The Schoolhouse’s new “teachers,” Angela and Sandy Baldanza and their son, Alex.Before the family’s move to the historic Cannondale School, they were restaurantless. No, you aren’t crazy to imagine that they had a few restaurants at one point. They owned and operated Baldanza Cafe for 8 ½ years in New Canaan with six of those spent where SE The Back End is now. They even ran Baldanza Bistro in Darien behind Ten Twenty Post.“When COVID hit, we closed that space (Darien) because it was too small for outdoor seating,” Angela says. “We took a lease at 21 Forest (in New Canaan). A few months in, we received complaints from the condo board there. We cut our losses there and our Darien lease ended. And we only left 17 Elm because of the place in Darien, so we were left with no restaurants at all.”Cue the 1872 building we’ve all known as The Schoolhouse at Cannondale under Tim LaBant and most recently the home of Hugh Mangum’s popular Rise Doughnut pop-up who subleased from LaBant for a year. LaBant, who had a 14-year run at The Schoolhouse decided not to renew for a few reasons. “I left to focus on Parlor Wilton and the new Parlor Darien,” he says. “My lease was up and in these crazy times, I decided not to renew.”All of the moving, and the closings, led to a coincidence.“Ironically, Tim has our old spot in Darien where he opened Parlor and we took over The Schoolhouse on July 1,” Angela says. “Here we are, and we love being here. Sandy and I used to come here for dinner when we had a break from our restaurant. We love Tim.”At this iteration of Baldanza, diners can anticipate a local, organic, and homemade approach. Brioche and Tuscan bread are sourced from Balthazar Bakery, while the naturally leavened, freshly milled sourdough comes from 123Dough Bakery in Pound Ridge. They also get seasonal produce from Connecticut farms, citing Wilton’s own Ambler Farm as a primary supplier and seafood is by way of New Wave Seafood in Stamford.The approach to “local and fresh” applies in the kitchen where Baldanza’s longtime chef, Rodrigo Pacheco executes a menu mostly curated by Angela and Sandy. Pasta, as you’ll see in a hearty pappardelle Bolognese, is made in-house, as is the fluffy ricotta gnocchi tossed in roasted tomato vodka sauce, the cheese ravioli, and the tagliatelle caprese with buffala mozzarella and cherry tomato sauce. Read More
The Quartiere Debuts in Downtown Stamford Interview Features Restaurant Italian Stamford Pasta Pizza Homepage Opening Andrew Dominick September 05, 2021 If you’ve cruised down Bank Street in Downtown Stamford, you may have noticed there’s a new Italian restaurant located in the former Cotto Wine Bar space.The Quartiere—roughly translated is Italian for neighborhood, area, or district—aims to be a go-to spot for pizza, pasta, and the like, in an elevated, casual setting with affordable prices.“The Q” is owned by Martin Bates, a 30-year industry vet from the United Kingdom where he ran an umbrella of 400 pubs, bars, and restaurants before taking on the role of president at a well-known sandwich and coffee franchise.“I worked for a brewery in the U.K. that owned all these pubs; I was all over the country driving 60,000 miles a year, living out of a suitcase, I never saw my kids, and they kept buying all these businesses while I was burning myself out,” Bates says. “I took a sabbatical for a year, traveled, went to Spain. I eventually met the founder of Pret A Manger who offered me a job where I ran a chunk of the businesses. I came to NYC in 2007 to run Pret.”Post Pret, Bates started his own private restaurant consulting firm, Ellis Rowan, and continued to open restaurant all over.Three years ago, Bates decided he’d eventually like to open up something of his own. “I was looking for my thing,” he says. “I started looking into neighborhood Italian because I love this style of pizza and pasta. I’m a carb freak. I love it.” Read More
Rosina’s Opens in Greenwich with Elevated Old School Italian Features Interview Restaurant Italian Greenwich Cocktails Pizza Pasta Homepage Andrew Dominick August 29, 2021 There’s a rejuvenated buzz in Byram’s business district at the old digs once housed Mill Street Bar & Table and before it, Lolita Cucina.The sounds of chatter and laughter, forks clanking and squealing against bowls, and hungry patrons slurping peppery, parm covered cacio e pepe are all coming from Rosina’s, a new Italian restaurant brought to you by a couple of young industry veterans you should recognize.Rosina’s is the creation of Jared Falco and Coby Blount, who met at Fortina’s Armonk location in 2014. Falco helped run the show in the kitchen, while Blount managed front-of-house operations. “We’ve been trying to do something together for five years,” Falco says. “When we met, we clicked and always had mutual respect for each other. Even if we had it out, we could still be cool.”The pair had a dream to work together, they just needed it to come together. Separately, they kept honing their crafts in the restaurant industry. After his first stint at Fortina, Falco took up executive chef duties at Washington Prime, Amore, Speedy Romeo, and he’d return to Fortina to express his creativity as a co-culinary director. And there’s a chance you’ve come across Blount at SE Uncorked or East End to name a few.Their friendship kept them in touch, and they’d occasionally entertain meetings with possible investors.“They didn’t have what we wanted,” Falco says. They wanted Sophia Loren on the walls eating spaghetti and that’s not us.” Blount chimes in, “Some of them wanted to use other people’s ideas or rip them off completely,” he says. “It didn’t feel like what we wanted to do. Or they wanted to do something corny that we weren’t into.”What they wanted to do was classic but refined Italian food. And although it took a few years to come up with the concept, it’s the food Falco has been cooking for over a decade. Think along the lines of riffs on traditional pasta dishes, big salads, thin and crispy pizzas, and seasonal vegetable small plates. They also knew they wanted to be a neighborhood spot with affordable prices but with a handful of indulgent offerings if the mood should strike you. Read More
The Home Cook: ‘Heat & Eat’ Meal Delivery Service Features Ingredients Home Delivery Dining At Home Delivery Service Catering Caterer Meal Delivery Homepage Stephanie Webster June 23, 2021 I’ve got to be honest. I really don’t like to cook. I LOVE to eat, but like many parents, the daily dinner drama is, well, just that…a ground hogs day “oh lord not again” situation. For this reason, I have spent a good deal of time, sampling and reviewing the local meal delivery services/caterers who can provide me with a dinner experience that feels “home cooked” but only involves my heating things up in and around my oven. #lazyandlovingitOne might think that identifying this type of local ‘heat & eat’ meal delivery service would be an easy task, but the requirements involved in successfully prepping large quantities of food that fares well in transit, and then is to be re-heated by an “at home cook,” is trickier than you might think. Meal prep like this requires determining the proper balance of par-cooking dishes, heating instructions for dummies, and developing meal plans that work for any and all family dynamics. Read More
Jackie’s Empanadas On The Go: Artisanal Argentine Food Delivered Ingredients Features Empanadas Home Delivery Cottage Bakers Latin American Bakery Argentine Comfort Food Caterer Camille Vynerib May 26, 2021 Due to the pandemic, many families have primarily been eating at home for the past year. Home-cooked meals are great but can get monotonous, and let’s be real -- sometimes you just don’t want all the work. Jackie’s Empanadas On The Go is a great solution for tired parents, young adults craving a quick delicious meal, and anyone looking for a unique alternative to the meal-time grind. They can be purchased frozen or baked, picked up or delivered… how easy is that?!Jackie Mendive, the founder of Empanadas On The Go, said her journey began by preparing empanadas for her family and friends. Mendiv grew up in Argentina, and she wanted to keep her upbringing and culture alive. Jackie says she would often think to herself, “I wish I could just order them online” since the actual preparation was extremely time-consuming. In January of 2017, she decided to begin selling her empanadas to local families. Since then, Empanadas On The Go has expanded to all of Fairfield County, Westchester County, as well as delivering to Manhattan and Brooklyn. Read More
The Westport Farmers' Market Is Back for the 2021 Summer Season with 50+ Vendors Features Ingredients Farmers Market Westport Healthy Eats Farm To Table Farm Fresh Ingredients Farm Stand Local Artisan Bread Bakery Food Truck CTbites Team May 25, 2021 The need to eat strikes in many different forms. Craving something healthy? At The Westport Farmers’ Market, you can grab some freshly grown produce to satisfy that yearning. Want something refreshing? Stop by the handmade popsicle stand to cool down. How about something sweet? Head to the various artisan bakers selling freshly baked pastries and bread.After a brief intermission from the end of their winter season back in March, the Westport Farmers Market has reopened to serve the community fresh produce, baked goods and everything in between. Open Thursdays from 10-2 on Imperial Avenue in Westport, the market is something you will not want to miss.With over 50 vendors determined to provide market-goers with healthy and fresh products, Westport residents can look forward to grabbing organic, local ingredients to prepare a healthy meal, or even a pre-made breakfast or lunch… after visiting all the other vendors…of course.Visit the Westport Farmers Market to enjoy goods from any of their over 50 vendors or check out a few of our favorites below! Read More
The Food Crate Delivers Ultimate New England Seafood Experience To Your Doorstep (sponsored post) Features Ingredients Home Delivery Seafood Delivery Service Lobster Lobster Roll Lobster Bake Catering CTbites Team May 05, 2021 Is there anything more perfect than hosting a dinner party for 6-8 people, where the meal is delivered to your doorstep, arrives in a single pre-made pot, and you don’t have to do ANY of the work? I think not. It is for this reason that I sing ALL the praises for THE FOOD CRATE’s customizable ATLANTIC STEAMPOT. This quintessential New England seafood experience comes ready to cook in its own container, complete with Snow Crab, Peeled White Shrimp, Atlantic Clams, Mussels, Smoked Sausage (optional), Potatoes and Corn….and the best part is…everything has been done for you. This dinner party in a box arrives perfectly layered. No muss. No fuss, All you need to do is pour wine or beer and cook as per the directions on the label. Bonus: Want more yum? Add up to 2.5LBS of mixed King Crab, Lobster, Shrimp and more Snow Crab a la carte and invite a few more guests.BONUS!! CTbites Readers Get 10% OFF with Code FC10 Read More
It’s A Woman’s World: Sara Oberhammer of Soulber Health + Healing Features Interview It's A Woman's World Interview Vegan Gluten-Free Healthy Eats Andrew Dominick May 04, 2021 Connecticut is full of trailblazing women, particularly in the culinary world. Our ongoing column, “It’s A Woman’s World” is devoted to CT female influencers who’ve forged their own paths, often in food-related fields long dominated by men.Whether farming the land, bringing healthy food to the masses, feeding an entrepreneurial spirit, or injecting feminism with food, these groundbreaking ladies have set a new definition of women’s work, creating new paths, and setting examples for those who follow.Sara Oberhammer is someone I’ve personally wanted to feature for a while. Many of you might know her as a bartender at various restaurants around Fairfield County—and if you’ve had several of those mango margaritas with the spicy, salty rim at either location of The Blind Rhino, that was Sara’s award-winning creation.While you still might catch her mixing cocktails at your favorite haunt, Sara has paved her own path in wellness, offering health coaching, personal training, and meal prepping colorful, nutritious bowls that are vegan, gluten-free, and even the dressings are homemade. Read More
Smoking Again: Pitmaster Leland Avellino Opens Takeout-Only Avellino Family BBQ Features Interview BBQ Pitmaster Norwalk Homepage Comfort Food Catering Andrew Dominick April 22, 2021 Leland Avellino is a name that might be familiar to local BBQ enthusiasts. Even if you can’t recall, there’s a good chance you ate at the Stamford branch of Dinosaur Bar-B-Que at least once. Avellino, who was a partner, didn’t only open that location in 2012, he went on to become the company’s corporate executive chef before he transitioned away from that role to return to the BBQ pits in Stamford because as he puts it, “I met my wife, had two kids, and life on the road wasn’t good for that, so I came back.”When Dinosaur Bar-B-Que Stamford decided to pull the plug in June 2020 due to COVID-19, Avellino got antsy. He wanted to feed people clamoring for his smoked meats and he needed to get back to work to feed his family.“I was sitting home, I was bored, and I wanted to feed my people,” he says. “I bought this 500-gallon converted propane tank smoker on a whim. I looked at tanks in Texas, Kansas, I talked to pit bosses all over to find a good one. I bought this one (built in Austin) locally from a guy who was going to do something in Greenwich, and he didn’t because of COVID. I bought it without telling my wife! I pulled the trigger, and boom! Here we are!”The “here” is in the Glenbrook section of Stamford, at 47 Larkin Street, past Lock City Brewing and Marcia Selden Catering, at ONTHEMARC Events where Avellino uses a commercial kitchen space and parks his smoker by the front door.At Avellino Family BBQ, he’s not doing the same ‘cue he did at Dino. Read More
Celebrate National Beer Day: It's What You Make It Ingredients Features Beer CT Beer James Gribbon April 07, 2021 Today is National Beer Day and, like all "Day" Days, it is both a transparent marketing ploy, and an outstanding excuse. Tacos for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Point at "October 4" on the calendar with the hand not currently shoving one in your mouth. Crave adrenaline, passive exercise, and possible vertigo? August 16th is National Roller Coaster Day, for all who observe. The point is, no one's revoking your wedding invite for not sending a National Donut Day card, but your coworker karma will get a boost if you take the opportunity to bring a box to work.Today, let's all be a little more Beer. Read More
Nick Martschenko Opens Mexican-Inspired SE The Back End in New Canaan Features Restaurant Interview New Canaan Mexican Lunch Cocktails Homepage Opening Andrew Dominick March 20, 2021 Nick Martschenko is every so closer to his monopoly on New Canaan’s restaurant scene. Even if that’s not the goal, he’s inching towards it with what’s now a downtown dining trifecta.His latest venture, The Back End, is different. You can’t compare it to his flagship fine dining South End. And it’s not reminiscent of the laid-back but chatty speakeasy-meets-pub atmosphere of SE Uncorked, that stars “snacks + taps” (and cocktails and one damn fine burger).“I wanted it (The Back End) to have Miami vibes, at least I want it to have that feel,” Martschenko says. “I envision it with the bar windows wide open, a super casual setting with lots of colors, lots of pink. Ruth (Stiefel) helped a lot with the design.”The Back End is Mexican. Well, sort of. A more accurate description is Mexican inspired with a fine dining twist, and a little fast casual tossed into the mix.“It’s elevated Mexican food,” Martschenko says. “I’m not gonna say we’re traditional, but we bear the traditional values of what we do. It’s different. I don’t know how to do it any other way.” Read More
Berkshires Direct: Farm-to-Consumer Delivery To Your Doorstep Features Ingredients Subscription Box Farm to Table Farm Fresh Farm To Table Delivery Service Stephanie Webster March 17, 2021 Chefs realized a long time ago that “farm to table” was more than a phrase, it was a healthier way to eat, tasted better and improved the diversity of local economies by helping make farming economically viable. In addition, this growing trend has another major benefit, increasing access to a wide range of different food options across our community.We, in Connecticut, are incredibly lucky with access to a large and growing number of farms and farmers’ markets, but sometimes a visit to that local farm stand during its business hours is difficult. For people who are not members of a CSA (community supported agriculture) program and would still like to incorporate ultra-fresh products into their everyday lives, CT based Berkshires Direct now gives customers greater access to the resources of farm-fresh products delivered to your home. They are based in Connecticut and currently making deliveries in Connecticut and NYC (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens).CTBites Readers USE CODE CTFriends10 for 10% off your first order! Read More
Connecticut Cottage Bakers & Makers: Small Food Businesses You'll Wanna Know Features Ingredients Bakery Bagels Cookies Custom Cakes Cakes Pastry Chef Dessert Cottage Bakers Made To Order Homepage April Guilbault March 10, 2021 You drive through your town and notice bakeries and specialty food shops here and there. One on this corner, another on that one. Now we’d like to introduce you to a plethora of cottage bakers and makers who are flying right below our radar, creating delicious delights, yet they aren’t in plain sight because they are baking out of their homes or commercial kitchens. Have you heard of many of them? How do you find out about them? Word of mouth, usually. Consider us your word-of-mouth and then please, spread the word about these delightful, delicious, de-groovy custom cottage bakers and makers. Everything starts small, after all…If you know of a cottage food business that is not on this list, please contact us such that we can add them to the directory. Read More
Marcia Selden Catering & Pop-Up Bagels Team Up For Epic Weekend Bagel Brunch Features Ingredients Pop-Up Bagels Caterers Stamford Westport Breakfast Brunch Homepage Stephanie Webster February 11, 2021 We love it when two of our favorite food brands team up for a pop-up that involves delicious carb-loaded brunch fare. You may have heard me sing some praise for Adam Goldberg and his ridiculously tasty Pop-Up Bagels. Well, he has found a new regular Stamford pop-up location and dedicated cooking team with Marcia Selden Catering. Last weekend, CTbites got the chance to tag along for some bagel making fun. And, don’t worry…if you missed this past week’s pop-up event, mark your calendars for March 6th, and follow @popupbagels for notifications because these bagels sell out QUICKLY!So, here’s how this bagel making and baking went down. Read More
Wise Guys Marinara Sauce: Locally Made and Distinctively Delicious Features Ingredients Local Artisan Ingredients Specialty Products Stephanie Webster January 22, 2021 Ah, red sauce…most Italian families have their own recipe, and they generally keep that recipe close to their hearts, fiercely guarded. It’s part of the ancestral family lineage, and while there are shared characteristics based on region, each recipe is unique.We first met the folks from Wise Guys Sauce close to 7 years ago during their stint at The Sono Marketplace. They debuted the Wise Guys Sauce product line for use in their retail pizza shop, called, not surprisingly, Wise Guys Pizza. Sadly the Sono Marketplace/food court was slightly ahead if its time, and they closed the complex, but Co-Owner, Chris Polidoro, decided to keep the sauce alive. Guests were such fans of the tomato sauce, they made the decision to keep on making it. They grabbed some mason jars, slapped a label on, and started selling…and boy did they. Manufactured out of New Haven, Wise Guys Sauce can now be found in local grocery shops both large (Shop Rite) and small (see list below) as well as specialty food stores throughout the state of CT. They even made it onto the TODAY Show with Kathy Lee.P.S. CTbites readers get $10 OFF with Code: ctbites through January 30th. Read More
Donny Raus of Raus Coffee: Expert Coffee Roaster Now Hosting Barista 101 Virtual Classes Ingredients Features Coffee Specialty Products Espresso Local Artisan Shop Local Interview Homepage Stephanie Webster December 23, 2020 Donny Raus of Raus Coffee has been intimately involved with coffee for most of his life. As coffee roasters go, Donny is at the top of his game in the fair state of Connecticut. He also claims responsibility for inventing a drink that every coffee enthusiast should get involved with, a cold brew based delicacy called the Cold Roman, served at farmers’ markets around CT. This blend of hand crafted fresh brewed espresso, a touch of raw sugar, his own “cuore di caffe” natural flavor infusion, served over ice with a splash of cold foam, might be the ONLY way a person should be asked to wake up in the morning. No…seriously. But Donny’s passion goes far beyond the perfect brew or roast. His mission is to “change the way the world drinks, connects, and interacts over coffee, creating a sense of excitement around their daily cup, while also having it serve as a reminder to reconnect not only with those around us, but with ourselves.”Donny Raus is a true artisan, fastidious and supremely knowledgeable when it comes to his craft and product. Now, you can benefit from his years of training, research and experience with the launch of his new “virtual espresso training workshops.” Home-users and aspiring amatuer baristas can learn how to make proper espresso from their home machines, pull the perfect shot, and get the right grind, via his new private zoom classes. Umm…Holiday gift idea? I think yes. Read More
Ideal Fish: Delivering Sustainably Raised Fish Through Unique Recirculating Aquaculture Features Ingredients Seafood Fish Fish Market Online Store Healthy Eats Delivery Local Farm Stephanie Webster December 11, 2020 Launched in the spring of 2013, Ideal Fish, located in Waterbury CT, is a state-of-the-art recirculating aquaculture systems company dedicated to bringing fresh fish to local markets. As the only commercial-scale facility of its kind in the Northeast, their responsibly and sustainably raised fish gets from their waters to your kitchen within 24 hours of harvest.While Ideal Fish has been raising branzino in its sustainable CT facility, and serving the area’s finest restaurants and grocers for several years. Now, for the first time, the company is adding salmon to its offering and providing a direct-to-consumer option for home cooks across the Northeast through www.idealfish.com. Both salmon and branzino are high in protein, omega-3 fatty acids and other important nutrients. Read More
CTbites 2020 Gift Guide: Great Gifts For Your Favorite CT Food Lover Features Ingredients Gift Guide Best of CT Specialty Market Shopping Specialty Products Local Artisan Cookbooks Cooking Classes Holiday Homepage April Guilbault December 05, 2020 How to find the perfect gift for this crazy ass year-well ain’t that the question of the day! As many of us are staying a little further away from stores and not partaking in the usual activities we have in past years, we got creative and found the creative for your gift-giving! Artisans, chefs, and vendors are all rising to the occasion with fabulous out-of-the-box thinking and we discovered a treasure trove of unusual, beautiful, tasty items and experiences that will infuse a blast of goodness into this particularly memorable holiday season. Give, get, live, love, and celebrate the moments of sparkle. To quote the infamous Clark Griswold, “we’re all in this together”. Read More
