Valencia Luncheria: Venezuelan Beach Food Bargain Restaurant Catering Delicious Dives Norwalk Venezuelan Breakfast Lunch Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster August 19, 2009 Photo: c/o Valencia LuncheriaAlthough my husband and I had done several drive-bys, we dismissed Valencia Luncheria as a divey lunch spot, not worthy of the much-anticipated weekly date night… oh how I regret not getting there sooner. Stepping into Valencia is like wandering off the beach to grab a bite in a small Latin American, seaside town. In fact, Chef Michael Young (of Habana and Ocean Drive fame in SONO), has dubbed his cuisine “Venezuelan beach food”, and this 16-seat restaurant with its mango-colored walls, heaping plantains, and chalkboard menu listing today’s arepas and empanadas, is a slice of Latin heaven. Read More
Le Pain Quotidien: A Little Bit of Belgium in New Canaan Restaurant Bakery New Canaan Breakfast Lunch Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster August 12, 2009 I never imaged that I’d be writing about a restaurant chain on this blog, but I would be remiss if I didn’t put into words my love for Le Pain Quotidien. When the New Canaan location opened their doors in the Spring of 2009, I was there the very first day, waiting patiently (or not so much) for my steel cut oatmeal, soft boiled eggs, divine apricot jam, and home made organic breads. I couldn’t wait for my latte, served in a bowl, not a cup, forcing you to pick up the warm beverage with both hands in an almost loving way. I could just barely see through the window to locate the jars of praline spread, agave nectar, and honey on the tables. A sigh of relief…it was all there… Read More
Ask Chef Nicole: Perfectly Grilled Fish Features Ask Chef Nicole Chef Talk Recipe Video Seafood Recipe Nicole Straight August 10, 2009 Chef Nicole Straight of Time to Eat! has all the answers when it comes to simple preparations for healthy delicious meals. This week she brings us a great recipe for Grilled Fish with Herbed Sauce. We used Branzino, but any white fish fillet will work just fine. The key to enhancing the fresh taste of this beautiful dish is the use of herbs. Sure, if you have a garden, you can pick your own, but if herbs are out of season, you can still capture the summer fresh taste with frozen processed herbs (Here's Nicole's recipe). Of course, you can also swing by Trader Joes and grab their frozen herb cubes in a pinch. Enjoy Chef Nicole's "How to make perfectly grilled fish". Watch chef Nicole's step-by-step video below for additional tips and tricks. Read More
Pho Mekong: Thai? Vietnamese? Who Cares...It's Good! Restaurant Asian Thai Vietnamese Westport Stephanie Webster August 06, 2009 UPDATE: Pho Mekong has closed. Shake Shack coming soon! There are certain meals you just can't cook at home...especially as a white woman. We have tried in our local gourmet club to master the art of Asian cooking, but after a full day's search for the 30 obscure ingredients required for a basic dish like Pad Thai, we decided our next craving for coconut and curry would be better satisfied with take-out. We had heard rumors of a local favorite, Pho Mekong, on the Westport/Southport border. Needing a quick pre-movie bite last week, we headed over to find out if the food held up to the buzz.... Read More
Timothy's: Ice Cream the Old Fashion Way Restaurant Bridgeport ice cream Kid Friendly Dessert Stephanie Webster August 05, 2009 Yes, I know we have been featuring a great many frozen desserts these days but tis the season, so here is one more not to be missed frosty snack. Grab your kids, and run...don't walk to Timothy's in Bridgeport. This old school ice cream parlor may no longer use the salt-and-ice churners that stand in the front window, but their ice cream is every bit as classic and delicious as it gets. It’s cranked out by hand in their back room, made with sweet cream, that is not too sweet (as we have found in Cold Stone Creamery's product), and comes in several dozen inventive flavors. It is truly one of Fairfield County’s best-kept secrets. Read More
Curry Om Curry: Home Schooling...New Delhi style Features Cooking Classes Education Indian Stephanie Webster August 04, 2009 If you’re like me and think that cooking authentic Indian food requires a Tandoori oven, a trove of exotic spices and years of apprenticeship with your Indian grandmother, then put away that Bombay takeout menu because local chef Preeti Sikri is unlocking the secrets of Indian cooking with her ongoing series of classes called CurryOmCurry. I attended her latest group class covering “Indian Breads” at a Westport home this week with two friends. We learned to prepare all those yummy breads I love to order but never thought I’d make at home Read More
CLOSED!! Fraiche in Fairfield: Eclectic Comfort Food Restaurant American Fairfield Comfort Food Lunch Sarah Green July 29, 2009 Once upon a time, in a tiny strip mall on Hillside Road in Fairfield, there lived a most unusual and slightly confused restaurant named Fraiche. Fraiche wasn’t sure if it was a bistro or a burger bar; it didn’t know if its decor was very modern (a la Jonathan Adler - complete with fake deer heads) or remarkably old fashioned (not unlike my grandmother’s apartment, complete with chipped antique china plates on the walls); it hadn’t made up its mind whether to lure you into its intimate back room or interrogate you with its incredibly bright lighting (remedied immediately upon request). But one thing was for sure - there was no confusion about the quality of food. The food at Fraiche - it's ecclectic, it’s inventive, and of course - it's fresh! Read More
Best Donuts in Fairfield County: Westport’s Coffee An’… Restaurant Westport Breakfast Kid Friendly Dessert chris nashawaty July 28, 2009 Entertainment Weekly Senior Writer, Chris Nashawaty, and former President Bill Clinton share a similar passion...Coffee An' Donuts. One of them (I'll let you guess who) speaks of his local addiction below: Don’t get me wrong, Dunkin’ Donuts is fine when you’re racing around, running errands, and need a quick pick-me-up. But if you’re on the hunt for a hot, sugary, glazed ring of deep-fried love—I mean a real ‘destination donut’–the conversation begins and ends with Coffee An’ in Westport. Read More
Ask Chef Nicole: How Do I Spice Up My Summer Corn? Features Ask Chef Nicole Recipe Farm Fresh Nicole Straight July 27, 2009 There is nothing quite as fresh and sweet as summer corn. It seems to define the season, and the act of shucking provides hours of entertainment for children young and old. Although corn requires very little to bring out it's farm fresh flavor, sometimes you want to dress up this sunny side dish with a little kick. Here is a quick recipe for Lime, Cayenne, Cilantro Compound Butter over Grilled Corn from chef Nicole Straight that will impress your dinner guests, and delight your taste buds. Read More
Authentic Middle Eastern @ Layla's Falafel Restaurant Fairfield Middle Eastern Stamford Lunch Kid Friendly kerry barlas July 26, 2009 I’m always on the lookout for great ethnic food close to home. I crave flavors that transport my taste buds and snap me out of the food doldrums. A trip to Layla’s Falafel does just that. Offering a full menu of authentic Middle Eastern cuisine, Layla’s (named for its owner) serves up well-priced, flavorful and fresh fare. Ideal for takeout, a quick lunch or a pre-movie pit-stop, it’s a solid alternative to your standard takeout repertoire. Some friends and I met for lunch the other day at the Fairfield location (the other two are in Stamford) and shared a variety of dishes at one of the handful of tables in their small and spare setting. Read More
Ask Chef Nicole: Easy Recipe for Freezing Fresh Herbs Features Ask Chef Nicole Recipe Farm Fresh Nicole Straight July 24, 2009 Summer offers a bounty of wonderful fresh herbs, but when summer is over, how can you continue to enjoy that garden fresh flavor? Many of us purchase herbs from the market during the off season, use the few sprigs required for a recipe, and let the rest grow old in the fridge. Another option is buying frozen herbs (like the cubes from Trader Joe's) that you can drop into recipes, decreasing cooking time, but maintaining taste. Chef Nicole Straight has been using these frozen herbs for years, but recently decided she wanted to make her own processed herbs from her summer crop. Processing herbs is a simple 5 minute project, and it's a wonderful way to preserve the fresh taste of your summer garden (recipe below). Read More
Tacos Mexico: South of the Border in East Norwalk Restaurant Delicious Dives Norwalk Mexican Lunch Kid Friendly kerry barlas July 19, 2009 This California girl has a hard time finding authentic Mexican food on the East Coast that either 1) doesn’t come smothered in a cheesy sauce or 2) tries too hard on the “gourmet” front. But thankfully, there’s Tacos Mexico. Reminiscent of a classic taqueria in San Francisco’s Mission District, this family-run former hole in the wall on the fringe of East Norwalk has expanded its digs to include table service, yet you still feel like Mama and crew are in the kitchen cooking for you. With nothing over $16 on the menu (and many items under $10), the portions are heaping and the fare is tasty and fresh, with a bit of kick to many of the dishes. All this makes Tacos Mexico an exceptional value and a great find. Read More
Brunch Pick: Bloodroot Restaurant, Bridgeport Restaurant Bridgeport Special Dietary Needs Vegetarian Breakfast Lunch Stephanie Webster July 17, 2009 I first caught wind of the somewhat elusive Bloodroot Restaurant on Fat Cat Pie Co’s menu. In the midst of the pizzas and salads (more on that later), you will find “Bloodroot Oatmeal Sunflower Seed Bread," a thick slice of homemade, cake-like bread that tastes both healthy and decadently delicious at the same time. With its crunchy crust and spongy interior, the Bloodroot bread became a personal obsession. To my surprise, I found that Bloodroot is more than just heavenly bread. It is a full-blown “feminist restaurant & bookstore” in the midst of a residential neighborhood in Bridgeport, serving organic, seasonal, local vegetarian food. If the bread was this good, I could only imagine what the rest of the menu had to offer. Read More
Ask Chef Nicole: Thai Coconut Steamed Mussels Features Ask Chef Nicole Recipe Farm Fresh Nicole Straight July 16, 2009 Join Chef Nicole Straight at the Farmer's Market, and learn how to make an amazingly simple and delicious recipe with fresh local mussels: Thai Coconut Steamed Mussels. This beautiful dish takes 10 minutes from start to finish, but it like looks like you've been cooking for hours...perfect for simple summer entertaining. Read More
Grated Greatness: Julian's Brick Oven Pizzeria Restaurant Italian Pizza Westport Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster July 12, 2009 It would be easy to dismiss Julian’s Brick Oven as yet another one of Westport’s new crop of pizzerias-- with its temporary sign, small unassuming storefront, lack of marketing (heck, for a while you couldn’t even get their number from 411!). But when the pizza is this good, word spreads quickly and your detective powers kick in. Their standard pie is “New Haven Style” (think Pepe’s without the lines). It is chewy, perfectly salted, and sports a thin crust (but not wafer thin like Fat Cat Pie Co.), simple tomato sauce, and wonderfully fresh mozzarella. Their signature wood-burning brick oven, the centerpiece of this small restaurant, adds the finishing touch on this flavorful, highly satisfying pizza. But what REALLY has me going back to Julian’s and crafting new excuses for mid-week pizza night (last soccer practice? American Idol finale? It stopped raining?) is their grated cheese pizza – 100% Pecorino Romano grated over homemade tasty red sauce Read More
EOS: Sophisticated Greek in Stamford Restaurant Greek Stamford Lunch CTbites Team July 11, 2009 If you live in Fairfield County, or anywhere in the New York Metro area for that matter, going out for Greek typically conjures up an image of a large diner, heavily laden in chrome and formica, with menus the size of VW windshields. Yes, you can order souvlaki , gyros and feta omelets at these establishments, and you might just sit beneath a picture of the Parthenon, but the accent remains heavy on fast, gut stuffing, American standards. One meal at EOS, a relative newcomer to Stamford, will forever change your association with Greek food, and have you going back for more. Read More
Crispy Kale Chips & Other Lovable Leafy Greens Features Recipe Farm Fresh Nicole Straight July 11, 2009 While I’ve known about the health benefits of leafy green vegetables for years, I often find myself shying away from these great greens for lack of proper cooking knowledge or inspiration. One of our readers felt the same, so we called in Nicole Straight, our Time to Eat chef, to demystify these power veggies. Join her as she selects her ingredients at the local Farmers Market, and then goes back to the kitchen to whip up some great quick recipes (there's even one that kids will eat). But first...a little background on this nutritional powerhouse. Read More
Dinners At The Farm: Reconnect with Your Food Restaurant Local Farm Farm Fresh Stephanie Webster July 11, 2009 Don't miss one of CT's most unique dining experiences...Dinners At The Farm. This series of outdoor multi course gourmet farm dinners (cooked from scratch on a cherry-red cook truck) benefit your local farming communty. Dinners At The Farm offers both ambiance (a tent in a field) and the rare opportunity to "break bread and raise a glass with the farmers, fishermen, and others who make up our vibrant agricultural community". We got wind of this not to be missed dining event at CTFoodBlog.com where you can read more about the details of these farm dinners including some clothing suggestions, and links to past dinner menus. Read More
The Organic Market: Westport's Hidden Treasure Restaurant Organic Special Dietary Needs Westport Farm Fresh r2d2 July 07, 2009 Natalia working her magic behind the counterWith more stores and restaurants evaporating around me every day, I live in fear of the Organic Market closing its doors. Not that there are any known plans or rumors of this, but I would have to pick up and move to Berkeley… or beg and plead with Maggie – the owner and food genius, as far as I’m concerned – to come home and cook for me. She could name her price. And I would just as soon give up my car, a limb, or possibly one of my children before living without her irresistible fare. Read More
CLOSED!! Breakfast @ Lushe’s SONO Diner Restaurant Norwalk Breakfast Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster July 06, 2009 In my household, Saturday morning means one thing… no work, no school, and a trip to the local diner. This week we decided to try the Norwalk newcomer, Lushe’s SONO Diner, opened by the owner of Habana (and actually in the same location, conveniently located next to the movie theater). We were greeted warmly by Lushe herself, and slid ourselves into a retro red vinyl banquette, bathed in sunlight by the large windows to the outdoor patio. Two adults, three kids… stomachs grumbling... it was a tough crowd. However, a glance at the menu revealed turkey sausage, breakfast burritos, crepes, and oats with warm cinnamon apples. We realized this was not your average diner… this was going to be good. Read More
