Rustica, the Successful Italian Eatery in Chester, Opens a Second Location in Milford Restaurant Milford Italian Comfort Food Lunch Connecticut Magazine February 28, 2018 Connecticut Magazine's Mike Wollschlager reports on a new Italian find in Milford. You don’t have to be Italian to truly appreciate an authentic Italian meal. Conchi and Vicente Contreras, natives of Ecuador and owners of Rustica Ristorante, are proof positive you don’t have to be Italian to prepare one, either. The wife-and-husband, do-it-all duo behind the successful restaurant in Chester opened a second Rustica location last October on Boston Post Road in Milford.“Fresh ingredients bursting with flavor” is a description that can apply to anything on the menu, which is meticulously planned and executed. The selections change with the seasons, but when a dish proves to be a major hit with customers, it will stay.Vicente and Conchi came to the U.S. in the mid-’90s and began working at Paci Restaurant, which at the time was a new eatery at the Southport train station. Paci was their entry into Italian cuisine. It was also their education. “I worked all the positions in the restaurant,” Vicente says.Rustica Ristorante 1573 Boston Post Road, Milford 203-301-4010Read the complete article at Connecticut Magazine. Read More
Meet Culinary Luminaries Ruth Reichl & Sam Kass at The Westport Public Library Features Events Celebrity Chef Stephanie Webster February 27, 2018 The Westport Library is thrilled to announce FLEX: experiences - a five-day series of innovative programs designed to showcase the future flexibility and innovation coming to the new Westport Library. The events kick off Wednesday, March 21 and run through Sunday, March 25. The events begin on Wednesday, March 21 with a celebrity lunch fundraiser hosted by local bestselling author Jane Green and emceed by James Beard Award winner Elissa Altman. The keynote of the lunch will be Sam Kass, former Obama White House Chef and Senior Policy Advisor for Nutrition, who served as Executive Director of Michelle Obama's Let's Move! campaign. Kass will also host a book signing for his book Eat a Little Better after the luncheon.On Thursday March 22nd, come to the Library for a food lovers’ Q&A with gourmet guru Ruth Reichl. The former editor of Gourmet Magazine and best selling foodie author will be joined by a celebrity panel including local celebrity chef and restauranteur Bill Taibe, master farmer and sustainability expert Annie Farrell of Millstone Farm and the “entertainologist” and celebrity chef Lulu Powers. Read More
Food Trucks & CT Chefs Team Up for "Beer & Bites" Pop-Up Dinners w/ Half Full Brewery and CT Bites Features Events CTbites Invites Stephanie Webster February 27, 2018 Half Full Brewery and CT Bites are excited to bring you a creative and collaborative food and beer-pairing event series. Not to be missed, "Beers & Bites" 2018 pairs limited release beers from Half Full Brewery with totally off-menu food items from some of Fairfield County's best chefs and food truck operators. For each event, the team behind the "bites" (1 brick and mortar chef, 1 food truck chef) will come together to collaborate on that evening's menu and cook and serve from the host Food Truck...two chefs, one totally off-menu food experience. Each menu item will be paired with a limited-release beer from the Half Full Brewery with the Brewers onsite to introduce each pairing. Tickets are $50 and include 4 beers, all food, and a commemorative glass. Event details and FAQ's are below. Read More
Aussie-Influenced Flinders Lane Opens in Downtown Stamford Restaurant Stamford Australian Bar Comfort Food Seafood Lunch Brunch Homepage Andrew Dominick February 25, 2018 If you hear anyone mention Flinders Lane in Stamford, it’s not a street they’re talking about, it’s a restaurant. More specifically, it’s an Australian-influenced restaurant. If you’re as bewildered as I was when I found out this type of cuisine had arrived in Downtown Stamford—and as curious too—keep reading.I sought out more info. The common-sense thing to-do was to check out Flinders Lanes’ website, where “Modern Australian” is described as “We take inspiration from the cuisines of nearby Southeast Asia and subtle influence from the food of British settlers mixed with that of Greek and Italian immigrants.” I still found myself scratching my head, wondering if this was accurate. I have a few Australian friends so I fact checked with them and both said that this sounded right, and one added, “We don’t have much ‘real’ Aussie food. Meat pies and tomato sauce, maybe.” Read More
Shell & Bones Clam Chowder Recipe: Happy National Chowder Day! Recipe Features Recipe Seafood CTbites Team February 25, 2018 In honor of National Chowder Day (yes, that's a thing), we asked Chef Arturo Franco Camacho of Shell & Bones in New Haven CT to share his recipe for their very delicious Clam Chowder. The recipe is delightfully simple but is layered with flavors that create a deeply delicious rich chowder. Read More
CT Bartenders Share their Margarita Recipes for National Margarita Day! Recipe Features Cocktails Holiday Bar Recipe Homepage Stephanie Webster February 22, 2018 Oh yes it is! My favorite day of the year, National Margarita Day, has arrived. Those who know me, know that when I sidle up to the bar, those working on the other side need not even ask for my order. It's always the same...and it's always a Margarita. Truly, it's the perfect cocktail, and just right for every season. Plus, tequila has been proven to actually have health benefits. Lime, tequila's most trusty companion, is bursting with Vitamin C which we all know helps us recover from illness. Anejo tequila, made from 100% agave, is known to help reduce bacteria and relieve sore throats, and agave helps to fight diabetes. There are so many reasons to embrace and celebrate the Margarita. Do it right with these recipes from local bartenders including: El Segundo, Mézon, Geronimo Restaurant & Tequila Bar, Barcelona, Bartaco, Marcia Selden Catering and Festivities. Read More
Nibble: CT Food Events for February 25 - March 4 Features Events Emma Jane-Doody Stetson February 21, 2018 Every Monday night, visit Washington Prime in SoNo for a 2 course prime rib dinner special. $39 per person includes a Caesar salad, a 16oz steak, and mashed potatoes.Taproot in Bethel invites you to its first wine dinner of Tuesday February 27. The evening, entitled “An American Heritage Dinner,” consists of five courses paired with complementary wines. It is $85 per person and starts at 6:30. Le Penguin in Westport is hosting a wine dinner on February 28th at 6:30 pm. The wine director from Chateau LaGrange will be on hand to discuss the wines. Cost is $100. RSVP 203. 557.6432.Is there a Ridgefield restaurant that you have looked forward to trying but just haven’t had the chance to yet? Well, now is the time! Ridgefield Restaurant Week is back for the third year and gives you the opportunity to experience amazing dining destinations at a great price. Visit participating restaurants like Bailey’s Backyard, Bareburger, Bernard’s, Little Pub, Southwest Café, Terra Sole Ristorante, and Wooster Hollow Café, from February 26 - March 4 for special price fixe lunch and/or dinner specials.Stamford's annual Winter Restaurant Weeks runs through March 4. 21 different restaurants in Stamford will be offer special menus for both lunch and dinner ranging from $14.18 to $38.18. Read More
On Thursdays, We Eat Prime Rib: Hoodoo Brown BBQ in Ridgefield Restaurant BBQ Ridgefield American Special Occasion Andrew Dominick February 20, 2018 Up until recently, prime rib had all but vanished from restaurants. It remained on menus at less-than-trendy eateries or it was offered at others as a one-day-per-week special, but it never quite reached levels of steak extinction. If you’ve glanced at dinner menus lately—yes, even at hotspot restaurants—there’s a chance you’ve noticed that this beefy blue-plate special has reemerged! If you’re a prime rib superfan, or if you salivate at the thought of a hearty slice of standing rib roast, Hoodoo Brown BBQ should be on your “Thursday Night Plans” list. Being a BBQ joint, they’re doing what you might imagine they’re doing with prime rib…they’re smoking whole 14 lb. roasts and serving them up until it’s all gone. Read More
Chango Rosa Eclectic & Creative Pan-Latin in Hartford (+ Killer Tacos) Restaurant Latin American Mexican Cocktails Hartford County Hartford Lunch Tacos Homepage Ramin Ganeshram February 18, 2018 There are a lot of good reasons to head to Hartford. I’m particularly love with the collection at the Wadworth Atheneum Museum of Art and its former director’s hoax-house mansion—two of the many things to do in Connecticut’s capital city where you can visit the home of quirky American satirist, Mark Twain.No less unusual but equally inspiring is Chango Rosa a pan-Latin fusion restaurant in downtown Hartford situated within walking distance of State Capital Park across from Union Station.Featuring an eclectic pan-Latin inspired menu and vibrant, fun décor Chango Rosa is less about authentic Latin foods and more about creatively using Latin ingredients and cooking methods as inspiration.“We want our cooks to be cooks and our mixologists to be mixologists. We want them to explore their creativity first,” says David Gilmore, Chango Rosa’s Executive Chef, formerly of Infinity Bistro. “For me that’s about experimenting and finding unique ways to get the best out of the ingredients and flavors.” Read More
Congrats To James Beard Awards Semifinalists: Brian Lewis & Tyler Anderson Features Awards Stephanie Webster February 15, 2018 The James Beard Foundation announced today its list of Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists for the 28th annual James Beard Foundation Awards. Selected from a list of more than 20,000 online entries, the prestigious group of semifinalists in 21 categories represents a wide range of culinary talent, from exceptional chefs and dining destinations nationally and in ten different regions across the U.S., to the best new restaurants, outstanding bar programs, bakers, and rising star chefs 30 or younger.CT has two semifinalists for Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, NY State, RI, VT). Congrats to Brian Lewis, The Cottage, Westport, CT and Tyler Anderson, Millwright’s, Simsbury CT!Winners of the 2018 James Beard Media Awards will be announced on Friday, April 27, 2018. Good luck to out local CT chefs. The honor is well deserved. See this year’s full semifinalist list at jamesbeard.org/awards Read More
Nibble: CT Food Events For Week Of February 18-25 Features Events Emma Jane-Doody Stetson February 15, 2018 South Avenue in New Canaan now offers butchery classes! The first installation is called “Half Pig” and will take place on February 20 at 7pm. Participants will go home with meat and a South Avenue Butcher certificate. It costs $90 per person. “Taste of Stamford” returns Thursday February 22 from 5:30-8:30pm. The Crown Plaza Hotel in Stamford will serve as the backdrop for local chefs, restaurateurs, and distributors in Fairfield County! VIP & General Admission tickets are available online starting at $70. “National Margarita Day” is February 22, and Bartaco West Hartford is celebrating by releasing a new margarita each week in the months of February and March. Plus, remember to visit them on the 22nd for margaritas, tacos, and fun!Washington Prime SoNo invites you to a Duckhorn Wine Dinner on Tuesday February 20 from 7-9:30pm. A 5 course dinner will be paired with wines from this renowned Napa winery. The evening costs $95, plus tax and gratuity. Tickets can be purchased at the restaurant or over the phone at (203) 857-1314.Now you can help Stamford’s Ferguson Library while eating at Judy’s Kitchen + Bar. On Wednesday February 21, from 11am-9pm, 15% of Judy's sales will be donated to The Ferguson Library's Go Fund Me page to raise the money needed to install a new floor. For more information on the project, visit here. Read More
Celebrating The Chinese New Year in CT Features Chinese Holiday Homepage Stephanie Webster February 15, 2018 The Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival as it’s been called since the 20th century, remains the most important social and economic holiday in China. Originally tied to the lunar-solar Chinese calendar, the holiday was a time to honor household and heavenly deities as well as ancestors. It was also a time to bring family together for feasting. Several CT restaurants will be hosting special celebrations. Ring in The Year of the Dog at these local spots. Chinese New Year officially begins on February 16th, and ends on March 2nd. Read More
Stew Leonard's Unveils New Pastry: The Cannoli Chipwich Features Dessert Bakery CTbites Team February 14, 2018 Big pastry news just in from Stew Leonard's and The Hour. Cannoli fans should head to Stew Leonard's to grab the store's newest concoction on the shelves in Danbury and Norwalk.The Cannoli Chipwich is two freshly baked chocolate chip cookies with creamy cannoli filling piped between them; the edges are rolled in mini-chocolate chips and then the whole thing is dusted with powdered sugar.The chipwich is the brainchild of Jake Tavello, Store Director at Stew's in Danbury and the grandson of store founder Stew Leonard Sr. According to a spokesperson, Tavello and the Danbury bakery team were discussing new ideas for the bakery and decided to pair two of the store's most popular items: chocolate chip cookies and cannolis. Read More
Where Do Local Chefs Eat Out? Chef/ Owner Stephen Lewandowski of Harlan Social, Harlan Publick & Harlan Haus Features Interview Chef Chef Talk Interview Celebrity Chef Jessica Ryan February 13, 2018 We continue our series, "Where Do Local Chefs Eat Out," with Chef/ Owner Stephen Lewandowski, who owns Harlan Social, Harlan Publick, and the recently opened, Harlan Haus in Bridgeport. On the rare day or night you’re off from the restaurant where do you prefer to have dinner (If home what is your meal or food of choice)?Tough question. I have 4 kids and when I do have that night off I like to hang with them and my wife so initially I would say we stay home and I will cook. My kids love chicken marsala so I tend to make this with penne pasta and an arugula salad. Simple but the kids love it. If we go out the kids really enjoy Sakura in Westport because of the hibachi. We have a good time and the staff is so friendly. We have been going there since we moved up here 5 years ago Read More
Giveaway!! WIN FREE Tickets to Whiskey Social on March 24th Features Giveaway Events Stephanie Webster February 12, 2018 GoodWorks Entertainment presents their third tasting event: WHISKEY SOCIAL. WHISKEY SOCIAL will take place on Saturday, March 24, 2018 from 3 PM until 6 PM at The Warehouse at Fairfield Theatre Company (70 Sanford Street in Fairfield, Connecticut). CTbites is GIVING AWAY 2 FREE TICKETS to Whiskey Social. To win, tell us why you NEED to go in the comments section below, and make sure you are a CTbites Newsletter Subscriber! Socialites will be able to relish in the exclusivity of sampling from an internationally curated selection of 150+ types of whisky, rye, scotch, bourbon, aged rum, and mezcal. Ordinary New Haven’s mixologist, Tim Cabral, will be in the room crafting samplers of his distinguished cocktails. With the purchase of a ticket, socialites will be invited to savor an array of delicious local fare including a mac and cheese bar, meat and cheese station and dessert bar by Garelick and Herbs of Southport as well as famed pulled pork sliders by Custom Meats of Fairfield. The tunes of a live band will carry throughout the social while couches provide lounge and whiskey barrels scatter the floor for the perfect festive setting. Read More
Caffé Social Brings Great Breakfast to South Norwalk Restaurant Breakfast Brunch Lunch Comfort Food American Coffee Dessert Kid Friendly Norwalk SONO Homepage Andrew Dominick February 11, 2018 A short while back, fellow CTbites writer James Gribbon sent me a text. He asked, “Where’s a good place to get breakfast in SoNo?” I replied with, “There aren’t many. SoNo Baking Company and SoNo Harbor Café. That’s probably it.”Unless it’s a weekend and restaurants are serving brunch, breakfast in South Norwalk is scarce. I’m not talking wheat grass juice or a pastry at one of the Latin places on South Main Street, when I say “BREAKFAST” I mean eggs, pancakes, and bacon. I want a sit-down place where I can get wired on quality coffee and clean up maple syrup drizzles with that last chunk of sausage. Read More
Wallingford Teen Competes on Rachel Ray's “Cook Your Way to Culinary School” Competition Features Local Artisan Kids Events CTbites Team February 10, 2018 Four young aspiring chefs are one step closer to making their dreams of attending culinary school a reality after being named finalists in Rachael Ray’s “Cook Your Way to Culinary School” competition. On Tuesday, February 13th, Jules Esposito, an 18-year-old high school senior from Wallingford, CT, will be cooking to win! She has had her sights set on culinary school since the 2nd grade. She started a baking blog in middle school and is part of a culinary program that has allowed her to manage a food truck and cater events. Read More
Chef Tyler Anderson Opening Spanish Restaurant in the Historic Goodwin Hotel in Hartford Restaurant Hartford Hartford County CTbites Team February 09, 2018 Chef Tyler Anderson is excited to announce that he has reached an agreement to operate all food and beverage at the historic Goodwin Hotel in Hartford, CT. In a partnership with the hotel’s owners Charles Mallory and Randy Salvatore, Tyler and his team will create a program that works alongside the major redevelopment of the hotel. Charles and Randy have created something very special in the city of Hartford and this team intends to bring something special as well. Read More
10th Pacific House Close to Home Dessert Tasting and Youth Concert Feb 23rd Features Events CTbites Team February 08, 2018 The 10th Pacific House Close to Home Dessert Tasting and Youth Concert will be held on Friday, February 23rd from 7-10pm at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich. Tickets are now on sale for this spectacular community tradition that offers incredible desserts and live music while raising funds for homeless youth. Talented student musicians from area high schools will join together in a night of music to help their homeless peers.Guests will leave the event having sampled delicious food and desserts from some of the area’s finest restaurants, bakeries and chocolatiers including: A Chef’s Choice, Bad Louie’s Fudge, Chocolate Works Darien, Dimare's Pastry, Filicori Zecchini, Izzi B’s Allergen Free Bakery, Le Rouge, Little Pub, Longford’s Ice Cream, Pasta Vera, The Granola Bar, Tomatillo. Read More
Han Restaurant in West Hartford: Traditional Chinese Hot Pot Restaurant Asian West Hartford Chinese Kid Friendly kids activity Lunch Ramin Ganeshram February 08, 2018 Like its sister restaurants SHU in West Hartford and Fairfield, Chef Xinyu Huang HAN is a study in authentic Chinese cuisine, this time focusing on Huo Guo—hot pot—a popular eating experience throughout China.For the uninitiated—as I was before visiting HAN—hot pot is a method of table-side cooking best described as Chinese-style “fondue” in which meats, vegetables, seafood and even eggs are poached in well-flavored broths before eating. Unlike fondue, which simply coats bread or fruit in cheese or chocolate respectively, diners actually cook their food in the hot pot. Read More
