leFarm Family Meal: Elevated Pub Grub & Beer Pairing Restaurant Farm to Table Beer Comfort Food Amy Kundrat May 19, 2011 Some meals need no words. The recent "Family Meal" at leFarm was one such event. On the final Tuesday of each month, the restaurant opens up for a single seating and several courses based on the whim of Chef Bill Taibe and his team. This past month featured a down-home family meal based around LeFarm's playful interpretation of pub grub carefully paired with a selection of beers chosen by Saugatuck Grain & Grape. Warning ... the following photos may make you drool on your keyboard. Read More
GMonkey: Sustainable Vegetarian Food Truck Restaurant Food Truck Hartford Special Dietary Needs Vegetarian West Hartford Lunch CTbites Team May 18, 2011 I'm no food diva- sure I love a fine dining experience. I enjoy white tablecloths- and the particularly high-end places that scrape the crumbs from your table between courses. But there is a time and a place for this sort of event. Though I love a great restaurant, I am equally satisfied by a well made sandwich, burger, or just about anything from a greasy spoon diner. When I worked in Boston I frequented the street meat kabob purveyor, and enjoyed a couple visits to Clover- a vegetarian food truck. Cheap, hearty, and satisfying, I miss these lunch options more than I miss Barbara Lynch. So when Gmonkey mobile, a sustainable & vegetarian food truck, began tweeting their presence in Hartford earlier this month, I knew I had to try it. Read More
Food 411: Name the Restaurant That Served This... Restaurant Food 411 Food Porn Stephanie Webster May 15, 2011
Crossing the River: Jordan's Restaurant in Westport Restaurant Greek Home Delivery Pizza Westport Lunch Kid Friendly Sarah Green May 15, 2011 There is a powerfully moving gospel song about crossing the River Jordan, but the fact that Jordan's of Norwalk recently crossed the River Saugatuck into Westport is what makes my wayward soul call out "Hallelujah!" Jordan's Restaurant and Pizza is a tried and true Greek/Italian establishment with FAMILY RUN written all over it. Pappa Nikos (Nick) and Mama Haroula (Carol) Ouzounidis came from their tiny town of Agios Loukas in Greece to Connecticut in the 70's and bought the original Jordan's at 369 Westport Ave in Norwalk. Now, with three locations to oversee, the three Ouzounidis children are taking over at the helm to keep things running smoothly, And with that honor, there is a dish named for each child - there's John's (Ionnis) Bread (with ricotta, melted mozzerella and marinara sauce), Lazaros (Larry) Chicken (sauteed with tomato, feta and garlic), and my drug of choice, the Kitsa Pella Salad (which you can read about in detail in my Colossal Salad review from last year.) Read More
Farm Dinners w/ The Schoolhouse's Tim LaBant Restaurant Farm to Table Local Farm Stephanie Webster May 13, 2011
Barcelona's BBQ Blowout & Cookbook Demo Restaurant BBQ Events Fairfield Stephanie Webster May 12, 2011
Zaatar Meatballs via Jeanette's Healthy Living Features Middle Eastern Recipe CTbites Team May 12, 2011 Today, I tried a new spice called zaatar (or za'atar) in a meatball recipe. Meatballs are popular with my kids, and an easy way to introduce new spices to them. Zaatar, a Middle Eastern spice, is a mixture of sumac (which has a lemony taste), thyme and sesame seeds. Zaatar is not a strong spice, but it has a nice tang from the sumac. Traditionally, zaatar is mixed with olive oil and baked on a flat bread called manakeesh bi zaatar. It is also eaten with labneh (a strained yogurt), bread and olive oil for breakfast. In the Middle East, zaatar is believed to have health advancing properties, including making the mind alert and the body strong. I found a recipe for meatballs using zaatar Read More
Vegan Desserts, Sumptuous Sweets for Every Season Features Cookbooks Special Dietary Needs Vegetarian Recipe Liz Rueven May 11, 2011 Perhaps one of the keys to the bold flavors and exciting range of vegan desserts presented in Hannah Kaminsky’s latest cookbook, VEGAN DESSERTS, SUMPTUOUS SWEETS FOR EVERY SEASON, is that she insists that there aren’t any disclaimers about her recipes. “Each dessert must be delicious, bold and beautiful, not just for a vegan dessert but for ANY dessert.” It is for that reason, that Kaminsky’s latest book will appeal to a wide range of home bakers including those concerned with reducing fat and sugar, vegans and vegetarians, and Kosher bakers (always on the prowl for non-dairy desserts) alike. Read More
Sunset Picnic on the Hill @ Ambler Farm in Wilton Restaurant Local Artisan Local Farm Wilton Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster May 11, 2011 Enjoy a bit of the Berkshires in our own backyard at the "Sunset Picnic on the Hill" @ Ambler Farm. Spread out your picnic blanket on the hill a la Tanglewood or join your friends under the tent for farm-fresh fare and live music as the sun sets over Ambler Farm. The evening will kick off with a champagne greeting complemented by local artisanal food prepared by A Delicious Affair and homemade desserts. Celebrate our local harvest with the tasty menu below. Read More
"What's Cooking in Bridgeport" Dining Deals Restaurant Bridgeport Events Stephanie Webster May 10, 2011 Bridgeport is proud to announce the second annual "What's Cooking in Bridgeport" week from Monday, May 16 to Sunday, May 22, 2011. What's Cooking in Bridgeport is a week long event showcasing the unique range of dining and entertainment options across the Park City. Throughout the week, over 40 restaurants are offering special promotions, providing a great opportunity for people across the region to enjoy food and fun in Connecticut’s largest city. From 2-for-1 prices to free appetizer, drink and dessert specials, What’s Cooking in Bridgeport has something for everyone. Participating restaurants include Read More
Cafe D'Azur Opens in Darien w/ French-Lebanese Fare Restaurant French Middle Eastern Kid Friendly CTbites Team May 08, 2011 What do you get when you combine a Greek-Lebanese restaurateur with a French chef? A Mediterranean bistro with brasserie flair. In Darien, a town long on Asian eateries and upscale pub fare, a true ethnic restaurant is a welcome addition. In fact, Cafe D'Azur Mediterranean Bistro & Creperie's opening was highly anticipated by those of us familiar with Myrna's eponymous restaurant in Stamford, a popular lunch spot. I dropped in on Cafe D'Azur a couple weeks after it opened Read More
Cocktail Naming Contest Restaurant Cocktails Stephanie Webster May 07, 2011 WIN a FREE Lunch for 2 @ Rizzuto's in Westport. Here's How... This is your chance to name Rizzuto's new signature cocktail, a summery blend of: Rizzuto's House-made Coconut-Infused Amber Rum (yum!), Rizzuto's House-made Spiced Rum, House-Squeezed Pineapple Juice, & Cranberry Juice If your Cocktail name is selected, it will be featured on their new menu & you will receive a FREE LUNCH FOR TWO @ Rizzuto's. Cocktail names must be submitted by June 1st. 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
May 13th Bubbly Dinner @ Fat Cat Pie Co. Restaurant Events Norwalk Wine Dinners Stephanie Webster May 05, 2011 On Friday May 13th, join Fat Cat Pie Co & Fountainhead Wines for sparkling pairings with Terry Theise Treasures. It’s their May ‘Grower Bubbly’ Dinner with Leif Sundström, Portfolio Manager for Terry Theise Estate Collections. Having attended their last effervescent event, these noteworthy dinners are a wonderful way to gain insight into a portfolio or indivudual grower. Some of the bottles opened for these events are simply impossible to find in the states or have been created in such small quantities that they are cost prohibitive. If you like your bubbles, this is one to check out. You can review the complete pairing menu below: Read More
Café Chocopologie Offers New Tasting Events Restaurant Events Wine Dinners Dessert Amy Kundrat May 04, 2011 Café Chocopologie is teaming up with chocolate guru Clay Gordon, author of Discover Chocolate as well as the man behind the site The Chocolate Life, to create a new series of sophisticated events designed to entice serious foodies and chocoholics to the South Norwalk Café and retail outpost of Knipschildt Chocolatier. Aiming to offer an experience beyond the usual wine dinner, Chocopologie and Gordon have orchestrated a series of events that combine intriguing pairings of chocolate and spirits. The first came in April -- a five-part pairing of scotch and chocolates -- combining Knipschildt chocolates with five single malts Scotches. What’s not to love about that? Read More
CurryOmCurry's Lamb Mince With Spinach (Keema Saag) Features Cooking Classes Recipe Indian Stephanie Webster May 04, 2011 Local Chef Preeti Sikri has made Indian cooking accessible to the home cook with her ongoing series of classes, CurryOmCurry. Indian cuisine seems daunting to prepare due to the number of seemingly exotic ingredeints, but Preeti recommends just a few basic spices to get started. These are: Cumin seeds, ground coriander, cayenne powder, Garam Masala, Turmeric and Salt. All of these are available (and then some) at Norwalk's new Indian Grocery Superstore, Patel Bros. Enjoy this recipe for Keema Saag or Lamb Mince with Spinach in your house. Read More
Cinco de Mayo Burgers & Shakes @ The Filling Station Co Restaurant New Canaan Kid Friendly Burgers Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger May 03, 2011 This month’s Special Burger and Shake at the Filling Station in New Canaan celebrates Cinco de Mayo by offering a departure from its traditional hamburger ingredients. The May 2011 Special pairs a Chorizo Burger with the Special Shake of the Month, Dulce de Leche. The former combines the spiciness of a house made chorizo patty with the mild flavors of queso fresco, lettuce, tomato and house-made lime cilantro crema, while the latter adds a different ingredient to its Dulce de Leche interpretation. Read More
Cinco de Mayo Dining & Parties in Fairfield County Restaurant Events Stephanie Webster & Amy Kundrat May 02, 2011 Two Boots in Bridgeport: Two Boots will host a "Cinco De Mayo Happy Hour Fiesta" on Thursday, May 5 at 5:30 p.m. Two Boots is located at 281 Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport, CT. Boxcar Cantina in Greenwich: Specials abound at Boxcar. Their drink special will be the General Zaragoza Margarita, a famously boozy frozen margarita topped with a splash of house-made sangria. As for eats, a Cinco Sampler, a New Mexican-inspired platter of organic chicken tinga, Niman Ranch carne adovado; and a Taco Sampler is on the menu. Boxcar Cantina is located at 44 Old Field Point Road in Greenwich, CT. Taco Loco in Bridgeport: $5 Margaritas, $3 Coronas till 6:30Pm. Give aways, Live music for lunch and dinner, which we will have a special menu. Taco Loco is located at 3170 Fairfield Avenue in Brideport, CT. Read More
Bar Rosso Opening May 12th: Behind the Scenes II Restaurant Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger May 01, 2011 The long awaited grand opening of Bar Rosso is scheduled for next Thursday May 12th and CTBites previews its gastronomic delights for this latest edition of “Behind the Scenes.” We returned and discussed the restaurant’s culinary vision with Dan Kardos, the Executive Chef, as he finalizes his interpretations of dishes from throughout Italy and met with Mary Schaffer who described her team’s conceptual design. Read More
La Paloma: A Cinco de Mayo Cocktail c/o Boxcar Cantina Features Chef Talk Cocktails Recipe Amy Kundrat April 28, 2011 If anyone knows about how to celebrate the upcoming Cinco de Mayo, it's Boxcar Cantina in Greenwich. We asked the New Mexican restaurant, whose commitment to local & sustainable food brings them as both vendor and customer to weekly farmers' markets, to share a recipe for the holiday. Not only did they give us the recipe for the tempting cocktail seen here, but also a bit of a history lesson. Read More
