Dressing Room's New England Lobster & Mussels Features Chef Talk Seafood Recipe CTbites Team March 29, 2011 This classic New England dish is featured on the Dressing Room's dinner menu and is one I've always wanted to make in my own kitchen. Aromatic and satisfying, Chef Vaast's New England Lobster & Mussels is a great recipe for spring entertaining. The Dressing Room uses Wave Hill Bread for dipping, but The Flaxette would do the job nicely as well. Read More
Liana's Trattoria: A Taste of Napoli in Fairfield CT Restaurant Fairfield Italian Robert Zeoli March 27, 2011 PHOTOGRAPHY BY TINA RUPP “I can hear myself speak” was my sentiment shortly after arriving at Liana’s. It’s kind of nice in this age of lofty wine bars and chic locales to find respite at a place on the cozy side that makes an effort to slow the pace down just a little. Despite its small street level space on Tunxis Hill Road in Fairfield, Liana’s Trattoria accommodates a full bar and two high top tables to the left through the entry, with a half wall separating it from the dining room to the right. The ceilings are low and with lights dimmed the ambience is, dare I say, intimate. Liana DeMeglio, who worked for a long time at Pasta Nostra in Sono, greeted and sat us, returning frequently to check on us throughout the meal, while hours before she was in the kitchen making desserts and the ricotta gnocchi renowned by repeat diners. It’s readily apparent that she’s the lady of the house; Read More
Shout Out: Best Japanese in Fairfield County? Restaurant CTbites Shout Out Japanese Stephanie Webster March 27, 2011
Last Chance for Bishops Orchards CSA Ingredients Features Local Farm Farm Fresh Stephanie Webster March 24, 2011 Bishops Orchards is 30 spaces away from hitting their maximum number of CSA sharholders this year. If you have been contemplating being a part of the Bishop's Orchards CSA this year, don't miss your opportunity. They will be taking registrations online through this Sunday, March 27. There are 3 CSA options for you to choose; a Full Share, a Half Share and a Flower Share. The flower share is one you can either add onto a Full or Half Share, or participate buy into alone. Click here for more information. What is a CSA? CSA stands for "Community Supported Agriculture" and refers to a program where yourlocal farmer (Bishop's Orchards) offers a certain number of "shares" to the public. Each share entitles members to a weekly box of fresh-picked produce, discounts & specials Read More
Napa & Co's Sea Bass w/ Artichokes & Blood Oranges Features Chef Talk Seafood Recipe Stephanie Webster March 23, 2011 For my money, there is nothing better than being a fly on the wall in a top notch kitchen. Watching a talented chef doing what they love is akin to a trip to the opera (or maybe that's just me). I had such a experience when I asked Arik Bensimon, Executive Chef at Napa and Co. to share a recipe from his current repertoire. And what's a recipe without a proper beauty shot? For this, we had to make the dish. Join us in the kitchen for Chef Arik's Black Sea Bass with Chickpeas, Artichokes and Blood Oranges. Read More
Chickens For All @ Audubon Greenwich Ingredients Features Events Local Farm Stephanie Webster March 22, 2011 Raising your own chickens is getting more popular each year and getting easier, too. For anyone who has had the pleasure of eating a fresh poached egg, still warm, straight from the coop, it's akin to the richest of savory desserts. Bright yellow yolks, firm whites...makes you think it's worth investing in some chickens. If you're nodding your head, read on for a great event we caught on The Fairfield Green Food Guide: On March 27th, get inspired to start your own coop and learn the basics of how to get started when Melina Brown, founder of the Southern CT/Westchester Backyard Poultry Meetup, and Derek Sasaki and Traci Torres, local experts and owners of Norwalk-based My Pet Chicken LLC, visit Audubon Greenwich to discuss the how-to of raising your own chickens. This event will include a short presentation, a screening of the acclaimed film, 'Mad City Chickens', and ample time for Q&A. Read More
It's All Good At Lakeside Diner in Stamford Restaurant Delicious Dives Diner Stamford Breakfast Lunch Kid Friendly Sarah Green March 20, 2011 How many CTbites contributors does it take to order chicken salad, a breakfast burrito, a Grecian omelet, a reuben sandwich, grilled blueberry muffins, pancakes, apple pie, coffee milkshakes and the worlds' BEST homemade donuts to top it all off? Apparently only 3. But the full bellies and groans were all worth it due to the great food and fantastic retro atmosphere at the LAKESIDE DINER in Stamford. Located at the bottom of the ramp of exit 34 off the Merritt, this joint offers the quintessential diner experience. So much so, it has been used as a location in several films including "College Road Trip." It isn't large and it isn't fancy. This is authentic diner fare done right. Mel, I would kiss these grits anytime. Read More
Pinot Party @ BONDA March 22nd Restaurant Wine Dinners Stephanie Webster March 20, 2011 BONDA Chef Jamie Cooper will be hosting a Pinot Wine Dinner Tuesday March 22nd @ 7PM with Fat Cat/Fountainhead pouring their favorite Oregon gems. The boys of Fountainhead will be at Bonda along with Jim Anderson of Patty Green Cellars. It's a Pinot Party and one of the most passionate Pinot experts, Mike Pelletier will be on hand alongside special guest, Jim Anderson of Patricia Green Cellars, featuring ’09 Single Vineyard Pinot Noir. Check out BONDA's tasty menu below: Read More
Coffee Cupping (Tasting) @ espressoNEAT in Darien Ingredients Features Coffee Events Stephanie Webster March 20, 2011 Have you ever wondered why coffee houses bother with options at the brew bar? Do you think you could tell the difference between a $3 cup and a $6 cup if you tasted them side by side? Yes, much like wine, coffee has different varietals, single origin beans, as well as organic options. EspressoNEAT would like to invite you into their coffee obsessed world for an afternoon of sniffing, sipping, slurping, and spitting. (Nobody can handle all that caffeine at once.) They will be using a few handy tools to help keep track of what you're drinking and your discerning palate will never approach a cup of coffee in quite the same way. What: 1 hour cupping tutorial and coffee tasting Where: espressoNEAT 20 Grove Street, Darien When: DATE CHANGE!!! Saturday April 2nd @ 1PM Read More
Wine On The Water @ The Boathouse At Saugatuck Ingredients Restaurant Events Local Artisan Westport Wine Dinners Stephanie Webster March 18, 2011 Spring is a time for rebirth; a time to emerge from hibernation and celebrate new experiences. One of the most exciting new experiences I have recently come across is happening every Tuesday 7-9PM at The Boathouse At Saugatuck. Chef John Holzwarth is coming out of the kitchen and cooking in the main dining room for an immersive weekly wine tasting event, "Wine On The Water." Weather permitting, they will move this party to the beautiful outdoor riverside patio featuring a raw bar and seasonal nibbles. These evenings are geared towards wine appreciation and exploration and if you've had the opportunity to sample the wine list at The Boathouse, you know they have some very unique finds. @ $35 a person, this should become a weekly recurring event in your calendar. Read More
Cherry Pecan Granola via The Parsley Thief Features Recipe Breakfast katie vitucci March 18, 2011 I've been going through a granola obsession lately. I eat it for breakfast, sprinkled on low-fat Greek yogurt, with some agave syrup over the top. I was intrigued by this recipe from the new cookbook, Power Foods, (published by the people of Whole Living magazine), because it's packed with healthy ingredients...I love the addition of ground flaxseeds. I did adjust it quite a bit, because as written, it was a bit flat. I think they were going for a more healthy, low calorie take on granola & of course, I made it a bit less healthy. This is my take on it. Read More
Food 411: Name the Restaurant that Served This... Restaurant Bakery Delicious Dives Dessert Stephanie Webster March 16, 2011
Turning Wine into Water w/ Nicholas Roberts Ingredients Restaurant Events Wine Dinners Stephanie Webster March 15, 2011 On April 2, 2011, Nicholas Roberts Fine Wines & Nicholas Roberts Gourmet Bistro are uniting in a 3 hour gustatory explosion. It’s your opportunity to savor over 50 red-hot wines from Europe and South America while noshing on creations from Chef Rob’s (of Nicholas Roberts in Norwalk) spring menu. Why: Because thousands of children perish daily simply because they lack access to clean water. 100% of all door proceeds and 10% of all sales from the evening will be donated to Turning Wine Into Water, whose mission is making clean water available to some of the world’s poorest populations. The wine lineup will include: Read More
Where to Find Corned Beef & Cabbage on St. Patricks Day Restaurant Holiday Pizza Amy Kundrat March 14, 2011 It's almost St. Patricks Day and chances are good that if you plan on venturing out, your beer will be green and you'll be ordering a plate full corned beef and cabbage, that quintessential dish that March 17th can't seem to shake. So let's embrace it. Maggie over at the Lunch Break Chronicles has compiled this short and beefy list of places she is planning to get her corned beef fix which includes Tigin in Stamford as well as O'Neills in SoNo. In addition to this list, I'd recommend checking out Colony Grill in both the Fairfield and Stamford locations. Word is they'll be offering a special Corned Beef pizza for the holiday. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Yup. A hot oil with corned beef may be my a new annual tradition. Read More
Lucky Corned Beef Hash via Sugar & Olives Features Holiday Recipe Breakfast Stephanie Webster March 14, 2011 If you can't make it out for St. Patty's Day, why not try enjoy a taste of the Irish in the comfort of your own home. Jennifer Balin of Sugar & Olives knows her way around a simple but tasty Corned Beef Hash, and what better to serve up on March 17th? Bonus: This recipe also features her "secret" for extra delicious overnight shredded hash browns. Check it out: Read More
Versailles Restaurant: French Fare in Greenwich Restaurant Bakery French Greenwich Dessert Margie Treisman March 13, 2011 Ah, Versailles. So distant. So unreachable. So . . . French. Well, that’s how our group felt after canceling /rescheduling our planned trip to this well-established Greenwich eatery THREE separate times. As it turns out, each date was snowier, icier and slushier than the one before. It took three snow storms, three snow days and nearly a month, but we finally made it. The new location (a few doors down from the original on Greenwich Ave.) is lovely and trimly elegant. We arrived early for lunch … and it’s a good thing we did. The dining room was full to capacity -- with a line out the door -- by 12:20. Read More
Cocktail Naming Contest Restaurant Cocktails Events Stephanie Webster March 13, 2011 WIN a FREE 3 course Dinner for 2 @ MATCH Restaurant in Sono. Here's How... As promised, we are back with another boozy naming challenge. This time, you are charged with branding Match's new new signature cocktail, a citrusy blend of Tito’s Vodka, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, pressed raspberries and oranges, a splash of Mirabelle Sparkling Wine, and a splash of Absolut Ruby Red...all in a crackling sugared rimmed Flute. If your Cocktail name is selected, it will be featured on their new menu & you will receive a FREE 3 COURSE DINNER FOR TWO @ MATCH Restaurant in South Norwalk. Post your submission below (include email) , or if you're shy, feel free to send it to us directly. We welcome input from readers. If you see a name you like...post your vote! Read More
Fat Cat Pie Co. Wine Room Supper Club Event Restaurant Wine Dinners Stephanie Webster March 11, 2011 Join Fat Cat Pie Co & Fountainhead Wines on March 16th for an evening supper club in their wine room with special guest; winemaker Fred Peterson of Peterson Winery, Healdsburg, CA (Dry Creek AVA) and musical guest; jazz keyboardist Robert Aries. If you are only familiar with Fat Cat's pizza, wait till you see what Chef Herlihy and his team can do next door. These events allow diners to do a deep dive into the world of wine, whether it be a region, or a vineyard. Personally, I'd go just for the Salad Course. Their Chopped Kale Salad with Quinoa and Currants is an excellent addition to their current "Specials" menu, and really worth a try. Check out the full menu below: Read More
Kids Make Pizza Every Sunday @ Coalhouse in Stamford Kids Bites Restaurant Pizza Stamford kids activity kids cooking party Kid Friendly Liz Rueven March 11, 2011 Sundays are pizza making days for kids at Coalhouse Pizza in Stamford. First rule co-owner, Gerard Robertson, puts out there? DON’T BE AFRAID TO MAKE A MESS! Better his place than yours, and a lot more fun, for sure. If one too many rainy days has given your clan cabin fever, this is a great way to get out, make your own pizza and learn something too. Robertson invites kids of all ages to pull up a stool and gently work a ball of dough on the long stretch of white marble that wraps around the pizza prep area and the enormous coal oven. Read More
