Bufalina Wood Fired Pizza in Guilford Restaurant Guilford Pizza Lunch Kid Friendly Amy Kundrat March 31, 2013 Bufalina Wood Fired Pizza in Guilford is one of this shoreline town’s most charming and delicious destinations. Open since September 2011, Bufalina has earned a reputation for rustic, seasonally-driven, and Neapolitan-inspired pizzas. “We wanted to recreate the feeling that you are in our kitchen and we are cooking for you,” said Melissa Pellegrino, chef and co-owner of Bufalina alongside her husband, chef Matt Scialabba. Read More
Easter Eats: Grilled Lambsicles with Mint Pesto Features Holiday Recipe Jennifer Spaide March 31, 2013 Jennifer Spaide of Simplicious is constantly coming up with elaborate menus for her holiday celebrations that put my cooking to shame. When she tweeted about this one, I simply had to have the recipe. Grilled Lamb Chops are one of my favorite dishes, and when paired with this healthy and light Mint Pesto, they become the perfect Easter entree. Enjoy this beautiful dish. Happy holidays! Grilled Lambsicles with Mint Pesto Read More
Debra Ponzek's The Dinnertime Survival Cookbook Features Cookbooks Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster March 31, 2013 Debra Ponzek, owner of Aux Delices Fine Foods, knows a few things about getting food on the table. She cooks for her family and has a successful catering and restaurant business with locations in both Westport and Greenwich. Ponzek’s fourth cookbook The Dinnertime Survival Cookbook, comes out on April 1st 2013 as an answer to the age old question, What’s for dinner? “You write different cookbooks at different times in your life,” says Ponzek. “I have kids and the question of what will I serve for dinner is a constant.” To approach this mealtime conundrum, Ponzek has written her book with the organizing principle of,” What do I feel like eating tonight?” The Dinnertime Survival Cookbook is divided into basic mealtime genres such as: "Everybody Loves Burgers", "Pasta & Beyond", "On The Slow Side" for braises, "If You Love Chicken", as well as "Breakfast For Dinner" (my personal favorite). The concept is to take an ingredient your family enjoys and expand on what you already know. “I found that people tend to make the same 5 of 6 dishes every week,” states Ponzek. “I hope that people will be inspired by the recipes in The Dinnertime Survival Cookbook and find that they are simple enough to add these to their repertoire.” Read More
Six Main in Chester: Mother's Day Brunch Class & More Restaurant Cooking Classes Shoreline East Vegetarian Vegan Amy Kundrat March 28, 2013 From macrobiotics to cooking the perfect brunch for Mom, Six Main restaurant in Chester has announced their class line-up for the month of April. Each class is $65 per person and includes recipes, demonstration by the chef instructor, and tasty samples of everything made in class. Call 860-322-4212 to reserve your seat, reservations are required. Asian Fusion Wednesday April 10th 11am-2pm The menu and recipes you'll learn for this class, includes: Spicy Mushroom Spring Roll, Veggie Pad Thai with crispy tofu, and Ginger Green Tea Ice Cream. Intro to Macrobiotics Wednesday April 24th 11am-2pm Read More
Reasons to Love Winesday: Wine Wednesdays at Mohegan Sun Restaurant This Week In Wine Wine Chat Wine Tasting Emma Jane-Doody Stetson March 27, 2013 It seems that Wednesdays are officially becoming synonymous with wine! In addition to our “Winesday” column, you can now enjoy an array of vino-based festivities at Mohegan Sun’s latest weekly event, “Wine Wednesdays.” The evenings embrace the acclaimed restaurants and lounges already present within the casino, but present them with an emphasis on wine. Four course pairing dinners unfold every Wednesday at both Bobby Flay’s Bar American and Todd English’s Tuscany. Casino guests can also relax with a glass of champagne and smooth jazz rifts at the Vista Lounge starting at 8pm. The first Wednesday of every month, though, has a special offering: “Tasting and Tapas” at Todd English’s Tuscany. I had the pleasure of experiencing the affair (which has an impressively alliterate title, I might add) earlier this month. Tasting and Tapas unfolded on the beautiful “patio” in the front of Tuscany. Tuscany has an indoor restaurant with the kitchen, bar, and tables, as well as a front portion looking out on the casino. Mohegan adopted the motif of a night sky, so guests sitting in that area feel the illusion of eating dinner under twinkling stars on a summer’s evening. Read More
A Good Beginning for Dino's Pizza in East Norwalk Restaurant Norwalk Pizza Lunch Kid Friendly Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger March 27, 2013 Located in 101 1st Street in the space formerly occupied by Beach Burger, Dino Sforza is creating very good pizza after only a few weeks. The interior still includes the familiar beach blue counter, tables and chairs and my first order was a half-pepperoni and half-sausage/ pepper. The crust of the pie was charred in some spots and still dark blonde in others and a quick peak underneath indicated a large variability so the ovens were still going through their normal calibration. The toppings were very generous, plenty of cheese, pepperoni, sausage and green peppers. Almost completely hidden was the sauce. Read More
New Haven Restaurant Week April 21 - 26, 2013 Restaurant Restaurant Week CTbites Team March 25, 2013 32 of downtown New Haven’s award-winning and internationally diverse restaurants are featuring prix fixe lunch and dinner menus from April 21 - 26, 2013. Participating restaurants offer a three-course, prix fixe menu consisting of an appetizer, entrée and dessert. Prix fixe menus are priced at $18 for lunch and $32 for dinner. $1=1 person Join New Haven Restaurant Week and the Connecticut Food Bank to help those in need. Dine and Donate $1 to feed one person for one day. View Participating Restaurants Here: Read More
Nola Oyster Bar Brings Seafood to South Norwalk Restaurant Norwalk SONO Seafood Burgers Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger March 24, 2013 Several weeks ago CTbites first announced the opening of Nola Oyster Bar in South Norwalk, described as a seafood restaurant with dishes from Maine to New Orleans. After my initial visit, it is apparent that much of the food is influenced by the great flavors and traditions of New Orleans, but the creative interpretations are singularly of Chef Dan Kardos. Exposed brick walls, wood and tin columns, and wrought iron rails dominate the interior with white “antique” chandeliers hanging from the ceiling to create a very New Orleans visual. The front area includes a large, arced granite-topped bar that seats 10, plus a large reclaimed “Bankers’ Table” that seats an additional eight guests overlooking the floor to ceiling windows. The center section of the restaurant overlooks the kitchen, plus the rear room is available for regular dining or a private event. Nola Oyster Bar is a place for fun, drinks and great food. Read More
Best Brunch Restaurants in Fairfield County Restaurant Brunch Fairfield Norwalk Ridgefield Stamford Westport Wilton New Canaan Breakfast April Guilbault March 20, 2013 ...is something wonderful to be seen. In between daily meals one and two is something very delightful for you. How Dr. Suess-y, eh? Wedged in-the-between is the one and only: Brunch. With a capital B, thank you very much. Brunch is divine. You can roll out of bed late and into a perfectly wonderful, relaxed meal that begs to be savored. It lingers beyond the lunch hour and helps you cruise effortlessly into dinner. “There is no sincerer love than the love of food” says a quote that I stumbled upon recently. I think that is pretty darned accurate, especially when it comes to this meal. Here, for you, is a collection of some lovely spots to help you turn this noun into a verb...so go forth and brunch! Did we miss one of your favorite Brunch spots? Let us know... Read More
Cotto Winebar & Pizzeria in Stamford: Menu & Kitchen Changes Restaurant Italian Pasta Stamford Wine Bar Lou Gorfain March 19, 2013 After a brief bout of Musical Toques, Claudio and Silvy Ridolfi -- owners of Cotto’s Winebar and Pizzeria in Stamford -- have convinced veteran Chef Greg Depelteau to come aboard and expand their imaginative menu of small plates and pizza. Depelteau, a graduate of the French Culinary Institute, is in total simpatico with the Ridolfis’ insistence that a dish, especially a small plate, should be driven by primary flavors. “These days a lot of chefs overdo things,” Greg contends and we agree. “Too many flavors confuse the diner.“ Cotto’s simple take on hanger steak, a cut prized for its flavor, makes the case. After marinating the muscular cut overnight in herbed EVOO, Depelteau quickly grills the meat on a blazing hot sheet pan to achieve a hard sear, while maintaining a surprisingly tender, rare interior. A Read More
Must Try: Lao Sze Chuan Chinese Restaurant in Milford Restaurant Asian Chinese Delicious Dives Milford Kid Friendly Elizabeth Keyser March 17, 2013 “How adventurous do we want to be?” Maria asks. “On a scale of one to 10?” She’s poring over the menus at Lao Sze Chuan and says it’s so authentic, some of these dishes aren’t found in Chinatown in New York City. Diced rabbit with peanuts. Hot and Sour eel with cellophane noodles. Pork intestines with blood cake. “We have to have frog’s legs,” she says. “And the clams.” She starts making a list. Donna and Mark’s list is already on their ipod. They’ve been looking at Lao Sze Chuan’s menu online since three in the afternoon. Maria passes me her list. Yes, the spicy ox-tongue and tripe is on it and I’m happy not to make more decisions. The menus – two of them, the main large, multi-plastic-paged booklet and the additional four page menu of Szechuan specialties -- are overwhelming. Pages and pages of intriguing descriptions like “Silky fowl with black mushrooms and bamboo shoots in casserole.” I pass Maria’s list to my husband, who glazes over at the sight of her tiny script of five appetizers and 11 entrees. He passes it to Donna and Mark. They cross-reference against their i-Pod list, and add a couple dishes to the feast. Yes! The pig’s ear. There’s nothing like dining with the right group of people at the right place, and our crew of 10 is excited about our adventure to the commercial belly of Route 1 Milford to see if Lao Sze Chuan makes the most authentic Szechuan cuisine in Connecticut. Read More
Upcoming Events at Yale Sustainable Food Project Restaurant New Haven Amy Kundrat March 15, 2013 Mark your calendar for an impressive schedule of events hosted by Sustainable Food Project at Yale University in New Haven. Among their upcoming events is a talk with Bren Smith of Thimble Island Oyster Co. (recently featured on Lucky Peach's Tumblr), followed by Greek food writer Diane Kochilas, and a foraging tour with the Sustainable Food Project's Justin Freiberg. The Project manages an organic farm on the campus of Yale University and runs educational programs that support exploration and academic inquiry related to food and agriculture. For more information on their mission and events, visit Yale Sustainable Food Project. Upcoming Events @ Yale Sustainable Food Project Calhoun Master's Tea with Bren Smith of Thimble Island Oyster Co.Thursday, March 28Calhoun College Master's House, 189 Elm Street Read More
The CakeBox Opens "Swoon" Gluten Free Bakery in Ridgefield Restaurant Bakery Gluten-Free Ridgefield Special Dietary Needs Kid Friendly Dessert CTbites Team March 12, 2013 The Cake Box Expands and Relocates, Swoon Takes Over: Gluten free gourmet treats and cupcakes to live for... As a mother of a child who has Celiac disease and cannot eat any gluten or wheat, I’ve struggled with finding cakes and desserts that actually taste like the real thing. I’ve found some good options at local markets but need an occasional splurge for a special event or party, or just because. Thankfully, there is good news if you’re in Fairfield County: a new gluten-free, nut-free bakery has opened. Soon after Cake Box of Ridgefield moved to its larger location, the same team opened Swoon. Cake Box owners Robert Byrnes and Jordan Gregory, whose bakery is known for its variety of gourmet cupcake flavors and custom cakes, decided to open a gluten-free and nut-free bakery when Cake Box outgrew their Copp’s Hill Marketplace location. They explain, “We have been making gluten-free treats for customers that requested them. Now that we have a dedicated gluten-free and nut-free location, and can offer our customers the highest guarantee of no cross-contamination with other ingredients that may be problematic for them. Which means they can relax and enjoy a cupcake like everyone else!” Read More
Zinc: Modern American Farm-to-Table in New Haven Restaurant Cocktails Farm to Table Farm Fresh New Haven CTbites Team March 10, 2013 Zinc has been a fixture on the New Haven green since 1999, well before farm-to-table restaurants became the sought-after reservation. Even then, Chef Denise Appel was designing plates that changed with the season, and "continued to do so even when people in town wondered if she'd ever make her mind up on a menu," laughs co-owner Donna Curran, who has worked alongside Chef Appel for more than two decades. Named for the traditional zinc bars in European bistros, Zinc has successfully become a well-known neighborhood gathering place over the past dozen years. Warm and welcoming for its minimalist design, the restaurant is long and narrow, as expected in an urban setting. Yet with a profound cherry bar, generous seating and plenty of quiet nooks, you know you’ll gladly stay a while. Read More
THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE: Gabriele's Italian Steakhouse, Greenwich. Interview Restaurant Entertaining Greenwich Italian Steakhouse Lou Gorfain March 08, 2013 Though CTBites traditionally reviews the food created by gifted chefs in the Back of the House, we thought a story about the talent at the Front might be in order. So who better to feature than Tony Capasso, the celebrated maître d of Gabriele’s Italian Steakhouse in Greenwich and unquestionably the biggest personality on the Connecticut restaurant scene? Actually, Copasso may be more MC than Maitre ‘d. "My mother tells me that when I was five, I was already meeting, greeting and introducing people to each other in my apartment house," he told us. "I've always been a people person. President of my high school. Captain of the football team, I like people, they like me, and that's what this job is all about." Read More
Hot-tail Happy Hour at Parallel Post Restaurant Cocktails Farm to Table Wine Bar Amy Kundrat March 06, 2013 Parallel Post has launched a "Hot-tail Happy Hour," a week-day cocktail list of of three steamy concoctions that can be paired with their usual happy hour specials, available Monday through Friday from 2 to 6 p.m. Although it will take more to transport me from the Trumbull Marriott to the slopes of Val d'Isère, at $7 each, these après-ski cocktails are a nice alternative to the usual glass of wine. In addition to their full menu which I wrote about last week, I have become a fan of Parallel Post's wallet-friendly happy hour menu and this new cocktail addition. The man behind these inventive drinks is a familiar face to Fairfield County, lead mixologist Greg Genias who is the man behind Barnum Publick House's epic Bloody Mary Bar. For Parallel Post, Greg has created a full menu of original cocktails, featuring many house-made liquor infusions. A native of Jamaica, Greg comes to Connecticut by way of Utah, Greg's preference leans toward classic cocktails like Manhattans and brown liquors served neat. In addition to these new concotions below, don't miss Gregory's Bloody Mary made with an infused spicy vodka and a blend of roasted vegetables. Parallel Post Hot-tail Menu Hot Buttered Popcorn: House-blend herbal tea and popcorn-infused rum Read More
Embody Fitness Gourmet in Westport: Fitness Inspired Functional Food Restaurant Juice Cleanse Special Dietary Needs Specialty Market healthy CTbites Team March 05, 2013 When I first walked into Embody Fitness Gourmet after it opened last September, it was a hot sticky day, the kind that melts the asphalt in the road. I could barely breathe and was in the midst of my usual daily stress. My car had almost died and the AC was acting quirky so I rolled into the parking lot off Riverside Ave across from the gas station. I ordered a GT Surge, a blend of crushed ice, green tea, freshly pressed lemon and agave nectar accented with fresh mint. Suddenly, my mind drifted off as the cool mojito-like flavors hit my tongue. I was transported to some palm-tree beach far away. Now, that the days of hot sunshine are long gone, I pull over and grab a homemade bean and kale soup as well as another GT Surge, if only to return to the summer in my mind. It seems these days, after much bad news and crazy weather, I need to escape often. Read More
EOS Greek Cuisine in Stamford Revamps Menu Restaurant Greek Mediterranean Stamford Lunch Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger March 03, 2013 EOS, the Greek goddess of the dawn, signifies the beginning of a new day. EOS Greek Cuisine, an upscale Greek restaurant in Stamford owned by the Glekas family, recently introduced its new menu and invited CTbites (along with several other bloggers for what we nicknamed "Bloggers' Row") for a tasting of several of these items. All of the dishes are based on family recipes with slight modifications to modernize the dishes while maintaining their Greek roots. Read More
Outstanding In The Field Seats Go On Sale March 20th Restaurant Farm to Table Local Farm CTbites Team March 01, 2013 Mark your calendars. On Wednesday, March 20th, the first day of spring, tickets will go on sale for the 2013 season of Outstanding In The Field. UPDATE: Bill Taibe of The Whelk & le Farm will be hosting a 2nd date @ The Hickories Farm in Ridgefield on September 5th!! "Outstanding in the Field is a roving culinary adventure – literally a restaurant without walls." Their mission is to re-connect diners to the land and the origins of their food, and to honor the local farmers and food artisans who cultivate it. The other meaning of Outstanding in the Field is outstanding as in the best. We've just received word that the CT dinner will be held on Wednesday September 4, 2013, @ Waldingfield Farm, Washington, CT. Read More
Spring Workshops at Millstone Farm in Wilton Ingredients Features Cooking Classes Education CTbites Team March 01, 2013 Millstone Farm's spring workshops series has been announced. These events range from Pig Carving 101 with Chef Tim LaBant of The Schoolhouse to Raising Backyard Chickens with Millstone’s Master Farmer, Annie Farrell. You'll want to check these out. Pig Carving 101 with Chef Tim LaBant Saturday, March 23: 12pm – 3pm Cost: $50, RSVP to f2f@schoolhouseatcannondale.co Back by popular demand! Join us for a hearty lunch and an up close and personal workshop on how to carve a whole pig, lead by Chef Tim LaBant of The Schoolhouse at Cannondale. Read more... Raising Backyard Chickens Saturday, April 6: 1pm – 4pm Read More
