Hola! Evarito’s Mexican Opens in South Norwalk Restaurant SONO South Norwalk Mexican Kid Friendly Cocktails Lunch Norwalk Homepage Andrew Dominick August 11, 2018 SoNo’s biggest recent mystery involved the space where Washington and N Main streets meet. Stacked piles of wood blocked all hopes of peeking inside. A fox shaded on the ends of the wood made passersby more curious. What stumped a bunch of us even more was another fox that popped up in the windows, this time in emoji form, accompanied by the hashtag #Hola. What was this riddle? A restaurant? Another bar? In SoNo, that’s what it usually is. But definitely something with a Spanish cuisine theme, right?!I was puzzled. I posted about it many times. I asked around to no avail. People asked me what it was. I had no freaking clue. Eventually, I heard it would be a Mexican restaurant concept by the good folks at Skal Restaurant Group, who run things at The Cask Republic locations and The Ginger Man Greenwich. All of this was later confirmed (sort of) by a fittingly odd Instagram account that tagged me in a lot of posts as they did food and drink research in Mexico. It’s a secret no longer! Evarito’s is now open in South Norwalk! Read More
Sneak Peek at Tribus Beer Co. Opening In Milford Features Friday Froth Beer CT Beer Brewery James Gribbon August 10, 2018 Like oncoming headlights appearing out of a foggy night, genetics are indicators which don't tell the whole story. Heredity may lay out a path, but time and observation tell where it leads. Phil Markowski helped launch New England Brewing Company in 1989, and decades later did the same as the master brewer at Two Roads. In the last Froth I talked about how NEBCo's dandelion head was spreading seeds all over Connecticut - from new beers under their current brewer, to Counter Weight Brewing in Hamden from his predecessor, and a tip about the inaugural tapping of beers from Tribus in Milford, the newest offspring of the ancestor brewery. This week, for the first time anywhere, we'll take a look at Tribus and its beers to see where this is all headed. Read More
Podcast: An Interview with Stony Creek Brewery Opening At Foxwoods! Features Podcast Brewery Opening Ken Tuccio August 09, 2018 Stony Creek is opening up a brewery in Foxwoods. Yes, the casino. It's a big deal … not just for Stony Creek but for the Connecticut beer scene as a whole. Ken Tuccio traveled to Foxwoods to chat with Andy Schwartz from Stony Creek about how this Foxwoods brewery came to be, what it's been like working with Foxwoods and how this could be a great boom for Connecticut beer. Listen here. Read More
Nibble: CT Food Events For Week of August 12-19 Features Events News Homepage Emma Jane-Doody Stetson August 09, 2018 Brasitas in Stamford is turning 20!! Join them on Wednesday, August 15th for a very special night filled with live music, dancing, and complimentary hors d’oeuvres.Thimble Island Brewing Company in Branford presents the Thimble Music Festival on Saturday August 18. There will be draft specials, Local Vendors, food, Live Music, and Free Giveaways. Washington Prime SoNo will celebrate their 4th Anniversary on Friday August 17...Yacht week style! Sponsored by Gooseneck Wines, Cruzan Rum, and Avion Tequila, Hapa Food Truck will be offering their delicious eats late night, all night. Read More
Catering Design: Marcia Selden Recreates A French Kitchen for 200 (sponsored post) Features Catering Marcia Selden Catering August 08, 2018 Robin Selden of Marcia Selden Catering shares the story...Our Catering Chefs are creatives at heart! They design menus, create recipes and customize events all year long. They have to constantly stay on top of food + design trends, to ensure that we give our clients a knockout party, every single time. Recently, a client asked us to recreate the feeling of a sparkling French restaurants’ open kitchen. In a luxurious tent in Bridgehampton for over 200 guests, we did just that. Read More
Gaetano's Moves Arthur Avenue To Connecticut Restaurant Features Deli Westport Italian Sandwich Lunch Catering Specialty Market Cheese James Gribbon August 07, 2018 Some time several decades ago Milanno Ukehaxhaj left Kosovo at an opportune time on his way to America and making me a sandwich. That is skipping over a lot, but we'll get to the details in later paragraphs, and anyway it was a very good sandwich. This sandwich was not made when I visited the deli earlier this month with his wife and business partner Diana feeding me information as well as chicken parmigiana, it was made during my lunch break at a summer job I held in 2000, which is when I fell in love with Gaetano's. Read More
Floating Tiki Lounge Making Waves In Stamford Harbor (via Hey Stamford!) Restaurant Stamford Bar Cocktails Hey Stamford! August 06, 2018 Finding a good spot for cocktails by the water is not tough to do in Stamford. Between rooftop bars in Harbor Point, The Beer Garden in Shippan Landing, Prime, Mexicue, or Crabshell, you can always find a great restaurant by the water. Though, with the addition earlier this summer of Fairfield County’s only floating tiki bar, there’s now even a place where you can drink ON the water.Captain John’s Tiki Tours & Boat Rentals launched earlier this summer and has been making waves in the Stamford Harbor ever since. The floating tiki bar is the brainchild of (Captain) John Davis. I had a chance to tour the harbor with the Captain recently and can say it’s really a great experience! Read More
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
