Chef Adam Roytman Takes Over Bar Sugo in Norwalk...And It's Delicious! Restaurant Norwalk Italian Cocktails Bar Pizza Pasta Homepage Andrew Dominick August 05, 2018 Just over a year ago, Bar Sugo quietly changed hands. Change, even if it happens slightly under-the-radar, can be either good or bad, but in Bar Sugo’s case, change is reinvigorating. I’m reluctant to say something like, “Bar Sugo is back!” because the reality is, it never left, it’s just kind of different. In this case, different is good, and this is an appropriate time for Bar Sugo’s reintroduction. Bar Sugo’s newness starts with its new owner, Adam Roytman. Some of you might know Adam as a former partner at Walrus + Carpenter and Rothbard Ale + Larder. At each, he was the opening day head chef, and chances are you saw him occasionally tending bar as well. Dubbing him a jack-of-all-trades restaurant guy is a proper description. Read More
It’s Back: Pepe’s Fresh Tomato Pie Returns for the Summer Restaurant Pizza Fairfield New Haven Danbury Uncasville Andrew Dominick August 04, 2018 At nearly every pizza place, I have a set order or a few go-to specialty pies. I’m sure you can relate. This also applies to the legendary—and ever-expanding—Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana. My usual suspects at Pepe’s are the tomato pie, occasionally a white clam (with bacon, obviously), or their still sort of new Margherita with thick-cut pepperoni as an added topping. Every summer, I’m willing to make drastic life changes for Pepe’s fresh tomato pie, so based on mood, one of those other pies gets dropped as fast as a failing relationship. After all, those other pizzas will still be there waiting while you explore other options. Read More
Nibble: CT Food Events For Week Of August 5-12 Features Events Emma Jane-Doody Stetson August 02, 2018 Join Chefs Brian Lewis and Christian Wilki at The Cottage as they prepare a special prix fixe weekday four-course menu celebrating their favorite farms and summer ingredients for $45. The special offering will be available Tuesday - Thursday all Summer long.Summer Soiree Dinners with Chef Geoff Lazlo continue on August 9 at Millstone Farm. Dinners will start at 6pm with a cocktail hour featuring a signature cocktail infused with herbs from the farm and passed hors d’oeuvres. Then, a three course dinner will be served family style while guests dine al fresco. Rosedale Farms & Vineyards presents “BBQ, Bluegrass & Brews” on August 9 from 6:30 - 9:30pm. The evening begins with a reception. Next, head out for a tour of the farm. The evening concludes with an al fresco dinner cooked from scratch with ingredients sourced daily from local farmers, ranchers, and fishermen. The theme is BBQ, prepared on the farm by Max’s Oyster Bar’s Executive Chef Hunter Morton. Tickets are $99. Read More
An Interview w/ CT's Thomas Hooker Brewing Co Features CT Beer Beer Brewery Interview Podcast Ken Tuccio August 02, 2018 You can't understate the importance of Thomas Hooker Brewing Co. in the history of Connecticut beer. However for a while they got lost in the shuffle. Then, with a beer called #NoFilter, they had a bit of resurgence within the Connecticut craft beer community. Ken Tuccio sits down with Jonas Griggs, the head brewer of Thomas Hooker Brewing, to talk about Hooker's spot in the CT beer scene, the importance of #NoFilter to the growth of the company and his plans for the brewery moving forward. Listen here. Read More
Jes Bengston Cooks The James Beard House August 6 Featuring CT's Land & Sea Features Chef Dinner Events Stephanie Webster August 02, 2018 One of our favorite chefs and a passionate supporter of the local CT food community, Jes Bengston, of Terrain Garden Café, will be cooking The James Beard House on August 6th. Nestled in the beachside town of Westport, Terrain is a luxury garden center that celebrates nature and all its bounty—including on the menu of its charming cafe. Join Jes Bengston, as she returns to the Beard House with her plant-based, homegrown harvest for a summer exploration of the best from southern Connecticut’s land and sea, paired with superb Napa-style wines from local Jonathan Edwards Winery. Ticket info here. Read More
M&M Steaks: New Philly Cheesesteak Food Truck Hits the Street Restaurant Food Truck Steakhouse Lunch Stamford Homepage Opening CTbites Team August 01, 2018 It’s as much a part of Philadelphia folklore as Benjamin Franklin, the Liberty Bell and Rocky Balboa – just a whole lot tastier. Connecticut foodies can now obsess over a new food truck, M&M Steaks, which will specialize in Philly cheesesteaks. Owned by Philadelphia native, Dan Mullineaux and food industry veteran, Hector Medina, M&M Steaks has launched and hit the streets of Stamford and has parked at 110 High Ridge Road (Lord & Taylor parking lot) with a few Friday evening dates this summer at Half Full Brewery. Read More
Beers & Bites August 15th Tickets On Sale Featuring Skinny Pines & Chef Geoff Lazlo Features CT Beer Beer Dinner Food Truck Stamford Events Stephanie Webster August 01, 2018 Half Full Brewery and CTBites are beyond excited to bring you this year's most 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. Tickets for our August 15th event with Skinny Pines pizza truck & Chef Geoff Lazlo are going fast, so get your tickets now! Read More
Jasper White’s Summer Shack at Mohegan Sun Restaurant Seafood Cocktails Mohegan Sun Lunch Uncasville Hope Simmons July 31, 2018 Sure, Connecticut is loaded with actual seafood shacks. But not one I know resembles what you’ll find in the cool, casual confines of the Mohegan Sun casino. In a summer that’s been off the charts hot and humid, retreating to Jasper White’s Summer Shack is pretty much just what the doctor ordered. Read More
Top 10 "Grab-able" Burgers In Fairfield & New Haven Counties Restaurant Burgers Best of CT Comfort Food Lunch Delicious Dives Homepage Lou Gorfain July 29, 2018 For the past few years, CTBites’ annual Top Ten Burgers has crowned the best premium hamburgers in Southwest Connecticut. Featuring the usual suspects, the rankings didn't vary much each summer. (In fact, our 2018 roundup would have welcomed only one new candidate, the robust Tavern Burger just introduced at GreyBarns.) By focusing on those elite burgers, had our list become elitist? This year we decided to widen the lens to include both Fairfield and New Haven Counties and shift the focus to the casual, every-day burgers that we usually crave: a really succulent beef patty adorned with our favorite fixings at a reasonable price. Convenience ups the appeal.Ironically, two candidates from last year’s gilded list qualified by value and ambience as casual, neighborhood hamburgers. Four of the entries are indigenous to the state, including one that is steamed not fired. Surprisingly, half of the patties are not even served in conventional, soft buns.We paid close attention to bread/beef ratios. A limp bun immediately disqualified any contender. Most prices hover around 10 dollars, one as cheap as 5.25, but none more costly than 15.Herewith, the best of our local, “grab-able” burgers. Read More
Friday Froth: Roadtrip To New England Brewing Company Features Beer CT Beer Beer Garden Brewery Woodbridge James Gribbon July 27, 2018 We're taking Friday Froth on the road this week, and making the trip to New England Brewing Company in Woodbridge. You can practically hit NEBCo from the Merritt Parkway if you had a t-shirt cannon or severely misjudged your speed upon taking exit 59. You should do this (not overcooking the exit, I mean - and standing on the highway firing large projectiles is probably some sort of Nanny State "offense," come to think of it), but you should nonetheless take the drive because the beer at the end is, as anyone living in the state for more than three weeks can attest, quite good. Read More
Nibble: CT Food Events For Week of July 29- August 4 Features News Events Homepage Emma Jane-Doody Stetson July 27, 2018 Bar Sugo will host a Mixology Class on Saturday August 4 at 12:30pm. Join veteran Mixologist Seth Hiravy as he guides you through the art of stirring, shaking, and straining your way to being a cocktail guru. The class is 1 1/2 hours long and includes snacks and, of course, cocktails. Limited availability, call or email to book your spot.Pieology Pizzeria, located at the Stamford Town Center, recently introduced Gardein Vegan Meats and Daiya Vegan Cheese as toppings. They are showcasing these new options at their Vegan Happy Hour on Wednesday, August 1, 2018 from 5-7pm.Mill Street Bar & Table presents a Back 40 Farm Harvest Dinner on Wednesday August 1. Back 40 Farmers Alexis and Enya will team up with Chef Ian to use farm fresh ingredients. The first seating takes place at 5:30pm and includes 3 courses for $65 and a second takes place at 8pm and includes 4 courses for $85. To reserve, emai hospitality@millstreetct.com. Read More
An Interview w/ Vinnie Penn, Author of "Route One Food Run" Interview Features Podcast Author CT Authors Ken Tuccio July 25, 2018 Vinnie Penn has been a Connecticut media staple for decades, but he's never been someone who you'd necessarily think about when it comes to the Connecticut food scene. Well, that's changing now. Vinnie's got a brand new book out called Route One Food Run where he travels up and down Route One to try the best places you can grab some grub. Ken Tuccio talks to Vinnie about how the book came to be, his love for the world of food and what he's learned during this process. Listen here. Read More
Chef Geoff Lazlo: At The James Beard House & Beyond Features Chef Chef Talk Lou Gorfain July 25, 2018 After 18 years of 80 hour weeks in the kitchen, Chef Geoff Lazlo needed a break. It’s what kids call “a gap year,” a sabbatical before taking on the next challenge in their lives. For Lazlo that time off would offer a chance to relax with his family, reassess his options, and realize his dreams. Let’s start there, with the first of his fantasies.Though he had worked with the likes of Alice Waters at Chez Panisse, Michael Anthony at Gramercy Tavern, Dan Barber at Stone Barns, and Bill Taibe at The Whelk, as well as running his own award-winning restaurant, the acclaimed Mill Street Bar and Table in Greenwich, Lazlo had always dreamed of cooking an elaborate feast at the James Beard House in New York City. Read More
The Hummus & Pita Co. Opening in CT Featuring The "Hummus Shake" Restaurant Mediterranean Dessert Smoothies Lunch Brookfield Opening CTbites Team July 24, 2018 This August, The Hummus & Pita Co. will bring its healthy, fast-casual Mediterranean cuisine to Connecticut in a comfortable and inviting environment, at its newest location in Brookfield, Connecticut. This opening marks the first Hummus & Pita Co. restaurant to open outside of New York City. What we love about The Hummus & Pita Co. is that all menu items are made-from-scratch on the premises, including freshly baked pita and laffa breads, and traditional-style meats cooked in a taboon oven.But what REALLY sets them apart from your local Mediterranean haunt, are the signature hummus desserts offering such as the Dessert Hummus and the recently launched Hummus Shake. Yep, you heard me. Read More
Avenida Venezuelan & La Calle Arepas Bar: Local Tattoo Artist Opens Two Areparias in Norwalk Restaurant Venezuelan Norwalk Lunch Kid Friendly Homepage Andrew Dominick July 22, 2018 If I told you a tattoo artist opened two restaurants in the same city, you might think I was trying to set up a joke. It’s no joke, and it’s not even that farfetched if you talk to Javier Eastman, who just opened Avenida Venezuelan Food and Le Calle Arepas Bar in Norwalk. So, how does a tattoo artist with almost 25,000 Instagram followers get into the food service industry?At Avenida, you can expect an array of empanadas, 16 different stuffed arepas, pastelitos (small savory turnovers filled with meat, cheese, or both), traditional Venezuelan breakfast plates, and a few larger dishes like Pabellón Criollo, Venezuela’s national dish, comprised of shredded beef, rice & beans, fried sweet plantains, egg, avocado, and cheese. Additionally, there are patacón sandwiches (beef, chicken, or pork between deep-fried plantain slices), burgers, and Venezuelan-style hot dogs topped with shredded carrots, cabbage, ham, salsa, cheese, and crushed potato sticks. Read More
Cocktail Naming Contest: Name This New MECHA Noodle Bar Drink + Win Big! Features Recipe Cocktails Stephanie Webster July 20, 2018 Game on! We're back with another cocktail naming contest. WIN a $50 gift certificate for MECHA Noodle Bar. Here's How...MECHA has a new summer sipper in need of a name. If your Cocktail name is selected, it will be featured on their new menu & you will receive a $50 gift certificate. Post YOUR name below. Good luck! Here are the ingredients: Read More
Nibble: CT Food Events For Week of July 22 - 29th Features News Events Emma Jane-Doody Stetson July 20, 2018 On Monday July 23, Bistro on Main in Manchester presents a 5-Course to honor the late Anthony Bourdain, a well-renowned chef, author, and travel expert in the food industry. The Guilford Mooring has launched a Monday Lobster Bake, offering customers a 1 ¼ pound lobster, red potatoes, Littleneck clams, mussels, peel-and-eat shrimp, and an ear of corn – all enjoyed from the restaurant’s waterfront location. Join Millwright’s in Simsbury for their 6th Anniversary Dinner on Wednesday July 25. The special 8 course tasting menu costs $95 per person, plus and tax and tip. As an anniversary special, you can also get a $10 gift card for every $50 gift card purchased.ARTISAN Restaurant, Tavern and Garden in West Hartford will reveal its private label of Rosé wine at an inaugural garden party on Thursday, July 26 from 5-7pm. Guests can enjoy Artisan Rosé wine, a craft cocktail, a 2-hour buffet, and a DJ for $25 per person.Millstone Farm’s Summer Soiree Dinners with Chef Geoff Lazlo continue of July 26. The evening begins with a cocktail hour at 6pm followed by dinner, both of which use fresh ingredients from the farm. The meal is family style and BYOB.Barcelona’s West Hartford location invites you to “A Seafood Dinner with Chef Tony” on Thursday July 26 from 6:30-9pm. The evening features a whole roasted swordfish collar, a raw bar, crispy tapas from the sea, and wine pairings. Tickets are $65. Read More
Food & Drink Podcast: An Interview with Letizia's Pizza in Norwalk Interview Features Interview Podcast Pizza Ken Tuccio July 19, 2018 In Connecticut when you think "pizza" a few places immediately come to mind, but Ken Tuccio has always championed Letizia's Pizza in Norwalk as the best pizza in Connecticut. Well, it seems like other people are jumping on the Letizia's train, because they just beat out "the big boys" and were crowned 2018 Best of the Gold Coast for pizza. Ken sits with Danny, Dennis and Dave from Letizia's to talk about their 20 years making pies in Norwalk, the struggles they faced as a business and what it means to finally be recognized as the best. Listen in here. Read More
34+ Places for Lobster Rolls in CT: 2018 Edition Restaurant Best of CT Seafood Lobster Summer Delicious Dives Homepage Emma Jane-Doody Stetson July 17, 2018 Summer is here and nothing embodies summer in New England like the lobster roll! Whether you prefer yours hot or cold, with or without butter, classic or with a twist, Connecticut restaurants and seafood shacks are featuring them on their menus. Here is a list of 34+ places where you can get some lobstahhhh!!Lobstercraft, Fairfield: LobsterCraft opened its retail doors a few months ago in Fairfield. Parked next to the shop is their truck, and a tented, casual seating area, reminiscent of those great roadside eateries along the coast of Maine.Lenny and Joe’s Fish Tale, Westbrook: Lenny and Joe's serves buttered lobster in a grilled split top hotdog bun and with one side of your choosing, like onion rings.Knot Norms, Norwalk: n addition to the classic lobster roll, Knot Norms in Norwalk has rolls of all varieties! Join them for a Fried Chicken Roll, Roasted Oysters and a Crab Salad Roll, and more.Liv’s Shack, Old Saybrook: Liv’s Shack, located directly on the waterfront at the mouth of the Connecticut River, celebrates Summer in New England with hot buttered lobster rolls, fish tacos, hand-ground hamburgers and more. Read More
Weenie Lynn's Hot Dog Food Truck: Killer Dogs & Sandwiches Restaurant Food Truck Hot Dogs Danbury Comfort Food American Take Out To-Go Kid Friendly Catering Homepage Stephanie Webster July 14, 2018 After seven years in business, it feels like it's about time to celebrate one of the old school CT food trucks, Weenie Lynn's. Weenie's is a family-owned & operated hot dog and specialty sandwich truck that has been serving the local food scene since spring of 2011. The truck is based in Danbury CT, but they are more than happy to bring their delicious dogs (and five kids) all over the tri state area...and they do. Weenie's serve two sizes of 100% All-Beef Hot Dogs (over 20 toppings & condiments), as well as Bratwurst, Kielbasa, and fresh-cut (never frozen) french fries, They also feature an ever growing menu of delicious sandwiches, many of them riffs off the classic grilled cheese. Read More
