Cozy French Bistro Fare @ Cafe Lola in Fairfield Restaurant Stephanie Webster October 08, 2009 While I was admiring the outdoor seating with it’s Paris cafe chairs and flower boxes brimming with red geraniums, The restaurant with it’s quaint buttercup yellow exterior turned out to be Café Lola, the self professed “love-child” of owners Henri and Ivanina Donneaux. The couple dreamed of a casual, cozy bistro with French comfort food, inspired by their love of Paris and Provence. This wonderful Fairfield cafe is right on the mark. And the Croque Madame is out of this world... Read More
Viva Barcelona Restaurant Fairfield Greenwich Norwalk Spanish Stamford New Haven CTbites Team October 05, 2009 The downtown Stamford fun quotient rose dramatically with the early-summer addition of a Fairfield County stalwart -- Barcelona Wine Bar and Restaurant. Having enjoyed many festive, delicious meals (and pitchers of sangria) over the years at Barcelona in both SONO and Greenwich, I wondered if the new Stamford location would compare favorably, or if the restaurant’s sixth outlet would start to feel too much like a chain. I needn’t have worried. Barcelona in Stamford has a bustling urban bistro vibe all its own, and its energy and warmth spill out onto lower Summer Street thanks to a large, open sidewalk dining area. Handwritten chalkboard menus, warm wood floors and well-trained staff will make this the perfect setting for comfortable eating all year round. Read More
This Meal's on Wheels: Big Green Truck Pizza Features Catering Pizza Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster September 30, 2009 It was a sunny September morning, and I was headed to Orange CT for a hot date at a golf tournament. No, this was no golf pro - I was meeting up with the cooking team of The Big Green Truck Pizza. For those unfamiliar with this meal on wheels, The Big Green Truck is a stroke of catering brilliance…a vintage truck outfitted with a wood fire brick oven that goes where the party is. Not only do they serve up a meal that pleases every age, but the food prep stays out of your house - no fuss; no muss. And if this is not enough, there is the entertainment factor of watching a team of three construct up to 60 pizzas an hour and toss them into a fiery furnace. Pizza, salad, gelato from Gelateria Giuliana (a local fave)…perfect party pleaser. On the day I visited, they were serving up some of their renown New Haven-style brick oven pizza near hole #5 at the Orange Hills Country Club. Read More
Ask Chef Nicole: Healthy Mac n' Cheese with Prosciutto Features Ask Chef Nicole Recipe Comfort Food Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster September 30, 2009 Last week I dragged my kids over to Chef Nicole's house on a quick errand, and this dish was cooling on the kitchen counter. It looked decadently delicious. She claimed it was healthy. I grabbed a fork and dug in with my kids close behind with utensils of their own. Everybody agreed this was a keeper in the weekly repertoire. Now, when the kids beg for mac n' cheese, I whip out this recipe. The skim mozzarella and low-fat milk take the guilt out of an ordinarily heavy dish, and you'd never know the fat was missing. And doesn't Proscuitto make everything taste better? No more boxes...or pretty much. Try it with your family. Let us know what you think. (Healthy, but don’t tell the kids) Macaroni and Cheese with Proscuitto Read More
BFF with BSF (Burgers, Shakes, & Fries) in Greenwich Restaurant Byram Greenwich Comfort Food Lunch Kid Friendly kerry barlas September 28, 2009 Just off I-95 in one of Greenwich’s grittier, but up-and-coming ‘hoods," Burgers, Shakes & Fries (BSF) is just so cool. It’s fast, funky, fresh and affordable dining done right, with a focus on – you guessed it – the all-American meal. Having taken the lighter route on my last few visits there, eating only a grilled chicken sandwich (a delicious option for non-burger lovers), on my most recent trip, I went to town. From the simple and straightforward menu, I ordered a single, 1/3 lb. burger with American cheese, tomatoes, pickles and raw onions with a side of “special sauce,” fries and a chocolate shake. Instead of the typical bun, burgers come on butter-griddled bread and unless specified, are cooked medium rare, to perfection. First bite of that burger and I knew I’d found a superstar…tasty, moist and worth every calorie. Read More
Gourmet Comfort Food @ Burger Bar and Bistro Restaurant Norwalk Comfort Food Kid Friendly Burgers Stephanie Webster September 25, 2009 This post on Burger Bar and Bistro ran as our first review in June 09. We've received several recent requests for a write up on this burger-licious venue, so we decided to re-run it in case you missed it the first time around. Since June, they have done a huge renovation with additional seating and an expanded bar. They have also added thin crust pizza to their repertoire to round out their perfect pre-movie menu. Seriously folks...it's a darn good burger. Read on... Looking for a good pre-theater eating spot, we decided to try the reputed master of comfort food, Burger Bar and Bistro in South Norwalk. We were a large group, including six children, so we opted for the spacious outdoor seating. We grabbed the menus from buckets placed mid table, and I watched as my husband and every child old enough to read grinned with delight. Read More
Chef Nicole: Asian Pear Caramelized Onion Flatbread Features Ask Chef Nicole Recipe Farm Fresh Nicole Straight September 23, 2009 You know what happens when you go fruit picking. You come home with 10 pounds of fruit hoping your neighbors will want to go halfsies. What is one to do with all those pears and apples? Here is one idea from Chef Nicole: We went fall picking last week and had a lot of Asian pears. These happen to be one of our family's favorite fruits and they can be hard to come by in the market, not to mention extremely costly. Lyman Orchards in Middlefield, has rows and rows of these delicious fruits available for picking now. It is worth the drive to this lovely orchard to pick these uniquely sweet, crunchy, delicious pears. They will quickly become one of your favorite snacks. Pick some extras to make these flatbreads. I made them for some friends and we devoured them with some nice cold white wine. It's a delicious and beautiful dish that can be made in a snap with a few little grocery shortcuts. Asian pear, Caramelized Onion and Blue Cheese (or Goat Cheese) Flatbread Read More
Lunchtime Oasis @ The Drawing Room in Cos Cob Restaurant Cos Cob Tea And Coffee Breakfast Lunch r2d2 September 22, 2009 Tucked behind Cozy’s Cuts for Kids in Cos Cob, is a gem called The Drawing Room. It is a combined 12-seat tea room and home décor boutique, with a garden patio that extends the tiny restaurant in the warm seasons. After many years of living and dining in Fairfield County, I thought I had exhausted all lunch possibilities, until a friend took me to The Drawing Room and I had one of those ‘aha’ moments where I couldn’t believe I didn’t know about it earlier. Opened in 2005 by husband and wife, Michael and Kenleigh Larock, The Drawing Room is a perfect spot to meet a friend for a quiet lunch. And if the weather cooperates, you can’t beat dining al fresco on their cozy patio, amidst a small herb garden, where you might even observe your server picking a few mint leaves to garnish the daily selection of infused tea. On a recent balmy September afternoon, I sat on the patio and enjoyed just such a lunch and solid catch-up session with a friend. Read More
Chop Chop to the Village Luncheonette in Wilton Restaurant Wilton Lunch Kid Friendly kerry barlas September 21, 2009
Learn While You Lunch @ Sport Hill Farm Features Restaurant Cooking Classes Education Organic healthy Farm Fresh Lunch Stephanie Webster September 19, 2009 Sometimes as Fairfield County residents, it is easy to get wrapped up in the daily suburban grind, a world of strip malls and meals on the go. Given all the white noise of routine life, it is nice to occasionally escape from the carpools and commuting…and head to the farm. With its open space, beauty, and serenity, you can be transported...nourished. Many of us journey to the fields as an annual Fall ritual to pick pumpkins and apples, drink cider, or get lost in a hay maze, but the beautiful farms of rural CT can offer much more than just kid-friendly fun. Last week I attended a "Meet Me at the Farm" lunch on the Sport Hill Farm in Easton. Read More
Los Molcajetes: Seriously Authentic Mexican in Norwalk Restaurant Catering Delicious Dives Delivery Service Norwalk Mexican Lunch Kid Friendly Sarah Green September 18, 2009 My husband spent a good deal of his youth in Mexico City and has always claimed that his favorite meal is a Mexican meal. Not me. Until last week, I must admit that Mexican food had always been my least favorite option when choosing to eat ethnic. It always seemed too heavy, too cheesy, too beany, (and yes, too gassy!) So I was skeptical when my foodie friend (who got a tip from a ctbites reader) and I entered Los Molcajetes (211 Liberty Square) in South Norwalk for a lunch-time feast. The restaurant is located in a non-descript strip mall, just before the bridge that takes you to the Norwalk Aquarium. Nothing spectacular about that. The tables are Formica and the décor consists of enormous posters of Aztec warriors, gods, calendars, etc. Again, nothing spectacular. The menu is “muy grande,” which I also took as a warning sign. O me of little faith! We have been back three times this week. Read More
Chef Nicole: Sweet Potato, Yukon Gold & Carrot “Chips” Features Ask Chef Nicole healthy Recipe Kid Friendly Nicole Straight September 17, 2009 These ingenious little 'chips" double as a healthy side dish and a kid-friendly guilty pleasure. Because they are baked, not fried, and include a trifecta of delicious root vegetables, they are a healthy alternative to their traditional greasy cousins. If your kids are begging for French fries (as mine often do), why not just give them what they want. Try Chef Nicole's recipe for Sweet Potato, Yukon Gold, & Carrot Chips. Watch Chef Nicole's step-by-step video for this great recipe. Read More
Eat Close to the Source @ "Dinners at the Farm" Restaurant Organic South Glastonbury Farm Fresh Stephanie Webster September 12, 2009 Dinners at the Farm has hosted its final meal for the season, but for those of you who missed out of this exceptional dining event, make sure you make this a priority for next summer. If you didn't read our post on this last spring, Dinners at the Farm is a series of dinners hosted on farms throughout CT, using ingredients that are produced locally, and benefiting organizations that support our local farming community. I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical about driving an hour and a half in the rain to The Old Maids Farm in South Glastonbury to eat dinner in a possibly mosquito laden field. But despite Dinners at the Farm's rustic backdrop, the dining experience was a perfectly run 5 star culinary affair. From the first corn fritter and warm spiced whiskey sour cider, passed as the sun was setting, to the magic of the beautiful candle-lit tent with its white clothed communal tables..it was a perfect evening. Read More
EspressoNEAT Opens in Darien...Coffee Done Right Restaurant Coffee Darien Tea And Coffee Dessert David Webster September 10, 2009 After moving back to CT after 7 years in Seattle, there were a number of adjustments I had to accept in making Fairfield County my home (again). Some were trivial, like relearning how to drive in the snow, while others were more signficant: Income taxes and humidity for example. But no other trade-off was as frustrating as my fruitless search for a great cup of coffee. I'm happy to report that while humidity and taxes may be here to stay, my espresso quest is finally over. You may be wondering what I'm making such a fuss about. You might be thinking "Aren't there Starbucks all over the place? Doesn't America Run on Dunkin? What's the difference?" If so, I'd say we have much to discuss. You see, coffee is actually a lot like wine. Both require an obsession with quality sourcing, solid application of repeatable scientific methods, and an attention to detail that borders on compulsion. Think I'm crazy? Here's a primer on the subject. And for better coffee at home, here's some further reading. Overwhelmed? Intrigued? Good. Because I'm going to make this very simple for you. If you want a great cup of coffee, of any variety, get your next caffeine fix at Espresso NEAT. Read More
Ask Chef Nicole: Tortillas = Quick Kid Friendly Dinners Features Asian Ask Chef Nicole Mexican Kid Friendly Nicole Straight September 08, 2009 There is something about serving dinner in a tortilla that instantly turns an everyday meal into an event. Children everywhere enjoy wrapping up and assembling their own entree without an assist from Mom or Dad. It is empowering and fun, and these multi-tasking flour or corn shells have many healthy and delicious possibilities. Chef Nicole Straight of Time to Eat! has two great 15 minute recipes your kids will love; Moo Shu Pork and Baja Fish Tacos. I've sampled both. Your kids will love them...and you will too. Watch Chef Nicole's step-by-step video for Moo Shu Pork Read More
Ask Chef Nicole: Easy Back to School Breakfast Features Ask Chef Nicole Recipe Breakfast Kid Friendly Nicole Straight August 31, 2009 As a kid I viewed back to school with both excitement and trepidation. As a parent, I can relate to the Staples commercial where the father gleefully skips down the "back to school" aisle while the kids trudge forlornly behind. I both welcome the structure of the school year and feel overwhelmed by its rigidity. I have, however, come to find that the more organized I am with my kids' lives, the less stressed out my life is. Breakfast has historically been the most difficult meal in our household, because my children are not early risers (nor am I) and I feel perpetually rushed to provide a wholesome, nutritious meal, while ensuring hair is brushed, shoes are ties and lunches are packed, all before 8 a.m. Here are some delicious recipes we make in our house to both de-stress mom and ensure the kids start their day on the right foot. Read More
Tea Time in Norwalk: The Enchanted Teapot-CLOSED Restaurant Norwalk Tea And Coffee Lunch Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster August 31, 2009 On a little street in Norwalk, stands a little house, with a little pink dining room, and 6 little tables covered in lace and mismatched china. No, this is not the lore of fairy tales, it is The Enchanted Teapot…Tea House, Treasures and Art Gallery, or so the sign says. As you step into its surreally quaint surroundings, you are reminded of stepping into a less dusty version of grandma's attic. Covering every surface are teapots in every shape and size, nick knacks, antiques and a whole lot of charm. The owners of The Enchanted Teapot, Wilma Barbour and Christina Williams, opened up shop after collecting teapots, cups and saucers for 30 years. And you would believe it. But, it is not all about the treasures. People come to this little teahouse to relax, sip some of their small but well chosen tea selection and sample Williams' tea sandwiches and baked goods. I decided to fulfill my three girls' yearly quota for playing tea party and sample the real food at this oh-so-sweet Norwalk tearoom. Read More
A Hidden Gem Shines in Norwalk Restaurant American Catering Norwalk Breakfast Lunch Stephanie Webster August 27, 2009 Last Saturday night we followed an anonymous tip from a ctbites reader...a reader I need to thank. Apparently, in a small shopping center off Main Street in Norwalk sat a food gem, a hidden treasure with beautifully prepared organic and local sustainable produce..or so this reader said. The restaurant was Nicholas Roberts Gourmet Bistro. The restaurant's web site revealed a catering company open for breakfast, lunch and Thur.-Sun. dinner dining. We were skeptical as we pulled up to the non-descript exterior, flanked by Hot & Speedy Pizza. However, as we walked past the glass case of wonderful looking prepared foods, the thrill of finding something undiscovered was upon us. We were directed to a casual but pleasant dining room with about 10 tables. Candles and trees donned with Christmas lights provided relaxed lighting, while chalk signage covering several black board painted walls gave a whimsical flourish to this minimally designed space. We handed over our wine (as it is BYOB) and hoped for the best. Spoiler alert....It was one of the most inventive and delicious meals I have had in Fairfield County. If this is the first you are hearing of Nicholas Roberts..make this your next meal out. Read More
Fabulous Fish Finds @ Fjord Fisheries Ingredients Features Cos Cob Seafood Specialty Market Westport Deanna Foster August 25, 2009 I can deal with tomatoes that aren’t as good as I had hoped - there’s always tomato sauce; an inferior cut of meat can lead to a great stew. But fish that isn’t the highest quality or supremely fresh? That is just unacceptable in my book. Fortunately, we have a number of fish market options in Fairfield County, many of which are very good. Markets like Pagano’s in Norwalk, and Superior Fish in Westport certainly have their followings, but after doing a thorough sampling, I have found that one stands apart from its peers: Fjord Fisheries. Fjord gets my vote on two counts: quality and selection. I recently spoke with Jardar Nygaard, Fjord’s owner, who shared the secret to his outstanding product. Read More
Pho Saigon: Real Pho...Really off the Beaten Path Restaurant Asian Bridgeport Delicious Dives Vietnamese Stephanie Webster August 24, 2009 In Fairfield County, Vietnamese cuisine is not as plentiful as other asian cuisines, so you really have to dig deep, and go where the Pho is...wherever it is. I recently received a tip from a CT Bites reader that good Pho was to be had in Bridgeport at a small mom & pop restaurant called Pho Saigon. We rallied our enthusiastic tasters and headed out to Iranistan Street in Bridgeport, an area that is definitely "off the beaten path", but you do what you've gotta do for good food. You won't find this place in Zagats. We entered what seemed to be the living room of a small corner house, furnished with gum-ball machines, plastic floral table cloths, and big pots of luke warm tea on the tables. Clearly, dining here was about the food, not the decor. We were greeted warmly, although not in English (which is generally a good sign that the food will be authentic), and escorted to a clean table piled high with squeeze bottles of fiery sauces and jars of fish paste. Lucky for us, the menu had translations, so we ordered half of the 21 item menu (as most dishes were under $7) and waited for the food to arrive. Read More
