Red Lulu: Embracing SoNo’s New Mexican Bar Restaurant Cocktails Norwalk Mexican Amy Kundrat November 21, 2010 After several visits to Red Lulu and dozens of fervid reader comments later, it has become quite clear we are dealing with a different sort of dining beast in Fairfield County. The contemporary interpretations of Mexican fare combined with a trademark cultivated cool make Red Lulu in South Norwalk an interesting yet polarizing new space. I like to think of it as a younger bare-midriff version of sister restaurant Lolita Cocina in Byram. With that review already in the bag, Red Lulu demands a different sort of attention, more of a wink and a nod to it’s quirky roots. For these reasons it reminds me of one of my all-time favorite movies, Dr. Strangelove: Or How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love the Bomb, a satirical comedy that doesn't it take itself too seriously. Here are some other reasons why we should stop worrying and just enjoy Red Lulu. Read More
CTbites Cocktail Event @ Red Lulu Restaurant Events Amy Kundrat November 20, 2010 If you haven't been able to attend our CTbites lunches, how about joining us for $5 margaritas & FREE tastings @ South Norwalk's new and much talked about Red Lulu? Tell me more: CTbites & Red Lulu are hosting a special Cocktail Event on Tuesday, November 30th, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at Red Lulu. We’ll be shaking up special $5 margaritas and enjoying free samples from Red Lulu’s Mexican-inspired menu as we get to meet and mingle with CTbites readers, contributors and foodies. Signature Cocktail: A gathering of epicurean proportions, our cocktail event wouldn’t be complete without a signature cocktail. Red Lulu will be mixing the CTbites special $5 margaritas with PaQui tequila, a bold and balanced spirit that should go down easy (especially @ $5). + Food: Bring your appetite as we'll get to sample Red Lulu's Mexican-inspired menu, a modern take on traditional Mexican dishes. Read More
Wholesome Simplicity at Michele's Pies in Norwalk Restaurant Bakery Holiday Norwalk Thanksgiving Dessert CTbites Team November 18, 2010 When Michele Albano first got into pie-making, she burned out three ovens in her ski condo in Vermont supplying local farmers’ markets with pies made with “love and fresh fruit. ”Those days are long gone. She now operates Michele’s Pies out of a commercial kitchen and bake shop on Route 7 in Norwalk, delighting customers with award-winning crusted concoctions such as Chocolate Pecan Bourbon, Candyland and Ultimate Banana Split as well as old-fashioned favorites inspired by the pies she remembers her grandmother baking. Read More
Thanksgiving Wine Pairing & Shopping Guide Ingredients Holiday Thanksgiving This Week In Wine Wine Chat Kathleen Hall November 18, 2010 Thanksgiving presents a special challenge in wine pairing. Think about the typical foods served for Thanksgiving dinner: salty roasted turkey, savory turkey gravy, tangy cranberry sauce, creamy mashed potatoes, herbal chestnut stuffing, sweet candied yams, rich butternut squash soup, vegetal green beans…. so many contradictory flavors and textures ! Which wine should you choose? Well… you will need a wine that is not too high in tannins because that will overwhelm the mild flavors of the turkey. A wine with medium to high acidity to cut through the fatty and creamy textures. A wine with an abundance of fruit flavor to complement the sweet side dishes. The answer is: there is no ONE wine ! It’s all a matter of personal preference. The key is to pick a versatile wine that will harmonize with the many flavors of the meal. Here are a few wine suggestions that I believe might just do the trick complete with a handy local FC buying guide for easy holiday shopping: Read More
Kids Reviews: The Lumberyard Kids Bites Restaurant Redding Lunch Kid Friendly CTbites Team November 16, 2010 Carly is a 10 year old from Redding, CT with a passion for eating & writing. She has joined the team as our youngest reviewer and she hopes she will inspire kids to be a little more adventurous in their FC restaurant choices. She has developed a restaurant rating scale of 1-5 pickles, 5 being the best. This is her first review. The Lumberyard Are you craving some juicy meat and some fun? Drive down to The Lumberyard in Georgetown, CT. The huge menu sounded delicious. I had to look it over twice. The kid’s menu was the usual cheeseburger, grilled cheese, hot dogs and chicken tenders, so I decided to choose something off their regular menu. Read More
Jeff’s Cuisine in Norwalk: Smokin’ BBQ & Soul-full Food Restaurant BBQ Cocktails Delicious Dives Norwalk Lunch Kid Friendly Robert Zeoli November 14, 2010 Jeff’s Cuisine is the warmest spot in Sono if you ask me. Its namesake, Jeff Esaw, is not only an accomplished, award-winning chef of southern cuisine and barbecue; he’s also a great host. Often welcoming patrons in personally and guiding them through his extensive menu, he does everything possible to create a memorable experience, transmitting his enthusiasm to the gracious staff. It was as if we could hear the seductive sound of classic Blues before we even walked through the door recently…actually it was emanating from an outdoor speaker above the back entrance. Read More
Ad: Seasonal Burgers & Shakes @ Filling Station Co. Kids Bites Restaurant Advertisement Stephanie Webster November 12, 2010 In the month of January, Filling Station Company is presenting diners with a healthy start to 2011. Sticking to those New Years resolutions = one great tasting burger. This month, The Filling Station Co. is featuring "The Resolution Burger," a chickpea burger with Greek salad trimmings and tahini dressing. Pair this with their January milkshake in smooth bold flavors of Chocolate Mint, and suddenly 2011 is looking mighty fine. Read More
Moe's Burger Joint in Old Greenwich via The Hamblogger Restaurant Greenwich Comfort Food Kid Friendly Burgers Amy Kundrat November 12, 2010
Darien Restaurant Week Dining Deals Restaurant Events Restaurant Week Stephanie Webster November 11, 2010 Darien Restaurant Week will take place from Sunday, November 28th thru Friday, December 3rd. Come experience a new venue or visit old favorites. Prix Fixe lunches will range from $10-$15, and multi course dinners from $15-$30. This ia great time to enjoy a great meal for a great deal. Participating restaurants include: The Melting Pot, Little Thai Kitchen, Chuck's Steakhouse, Matsuri, Backstreets Restaurant, Fuji of Japan, The Waters Edge at Giovanni's, Bertucci's Italian Restaurant, Ole Mole, Rory's, Harper's, Scena, Coromandel, The Goose, and many more! Restaurants will offer a special prix fixe lunch and dinner menu during the entire week. Read More
A Foxwoods Food & Wine Festival Wrap-Up Road Trip Restaurant Chef Talk Wine Chat Amy Kundrat November 10, 2010 Restaurants from New York City to Boston descended on the 4th annual Foxwoods Food and Wine Festival at MGM Grand at Foxwoods. A weekend-long event, the Festival featured celebrity chef dinners, cooking demonstrations, and dozens of restaurants and wine vendors showcased at two “Grand Tasting” events on Saturday and Sunday. Read More
Thanksgiving Guide: Buying a Local Turkey Ingredients Features Holiday Local Farm Thanksgiving CTbites Team November 09, 2010 Thanksgiving is a wonderful harvest feast and there’s no better way to honor the spirit of the holiday than celebrating with a locally raised turkey. Locally grown turkeys are highly coveted and in short supply, so anyone looking for a local turkey from a nearby farm should place their order immediately. Fresh and frozen broad-breasted whites and Heritage turkeys are available for purchase directly from the farmer, but lucky for consumers, you don't have to go to the farm to pick it up. Here are the best local resources for buying that perfect centerpiece to your Thanksgiving meal. Read More
Middle Eastern Home Cooking @ Safita Restaurant Fairfield Middle Eastern Syrian Vegetarian Lunch Kid Friendly Sarah Green November 07, 2010 Overlooking the Mediterranean sea, nestled among 3 hills and their valleys, is the beautiful, old town of Safita, Syria. Only a few miles from the long island sound, nestled between Westport and Fairfield proper, is the beautiful, month old middle eastern restaurant, SAFITA. It is the "Tale" of two Safitas, both with their charm, beauty, and authenticity. And it is just this authenticity that Kheder Hassoun and his family bring to this brand new Middle Eastern restaurant, situated where the old Chat 'N Chew used to be. Tiny in size but big in hospitality, Safita, at 2217 Post Road in Fairfield is pulling in the crowds, night after night. This is middle eastern at its finest, with "Ummu" ("mother" in Arabic) Amal in the kitchen, cooking up all her own recipes from scratch. This ain't your roadside Shawarma. Read More
CTbites Shout Out: What's Your Favorite Burger? Restaurant American CTbites Shout Out Burgers Stephanie Webster November 07, 2010
Whole Foods Market Re-Opening Party in Westport Ingredients Events Special Dietary Needs Specialty Market Stephanie Webster November 06, 2010 For anyone who shops Whole Foods Market's Westport location, you've likely noticed a bit of work underfoot. Renovation has been going on for months to transform Westport's Whole Foods into their classic prototype, no longer bearing any resemblance to the Wild Oats from whence it came. The facelift is complete and in honor of this "re-opening" Whole Foods Market will be hosting a celebration on Wednesday, November 10th from 4:00pm-8:00pm at the newly renovated store located at 399 Post Road West in Westport. Whole Foods Market will offer storewide holiday tastings, turkey carving demonstrations, door prizes, and live music from local singer/songwriter Bern McWain. 5% of the total sales for the day will be donated to The Connecticut Food Bank. Read More
This Week In Wine: Viñedo de los Vientos Dessert Wine Ingredients Features This Week In Wine Kathleen Hall November 04, 2010 Served at leFarm in Westport, Viñedo de los Vientos “Alcyone” is a wine worth sampling. An Uruguayan dessert wine made with the Tannat grape, you'll experience luscious flavors of cocoa-dusted black raspberries, vanilla bean and exotic spices. Intense and rich without being cloyingly sweet, this wine is positively addictive. Pair with molten chocolate cake, pour over vanilla ice cream, or sip on its own as a fantastic liquid dessert! Read More
Thanksgiving Cooking Class w/ Chef Pietro Scotti Ingredients Features Cooking Classes Italian Stephanie Webster November 03, 2010
Behind-the-Scenes at Stamford's Fairway Restaurant Stamford Specialty Market Special Dietary Needs Amy Kundrat November 01, 2010 With over 80,000 square feet, a staff of 500 passionate employees and 77 years of experience, Fairway Market’s newest location in Stamford at Harbor Point is poised for success and sure to draw the grocery-getting masses. The store will officially open on November 3 with a grand opening party but we were lucky to get an early behind-the-scenes tour with CEO Howie Glickberg, the grandson of Fairway founder Nathan Glickberg. Read More
Belgique Chocolatier Opens in New Canaan Ingredients Kids Bites Restaurant Specialty Market New Canaan Kid Friendly Dessert Liz Rueven October 31, 2010 Chocoholics pay attention! Next time you have that hankering for serious chocolate, run over to treat yourself and your best friends to the extraordinary Belgian style, hand filled, preservative free chocolates at Belgique Chocolatier. Belgique is familiar to some chocolate lovers in Fairfield County who have enjoyed the chocolates, fine pastries and ice cream at Susan and Pierre Gilissen’s first location in Kent, CT. After searching for a storefront in Fairfield County, they landed on a jewel of a space set back from Elm St. in New Canaan. This location opened in mid-September and is 100 % about the chocolate. Before opening in Kent in 2001, Chef Pierre Gilissen served as Executive Chef and Manager at the Residence of the Netherlands Ambassador to the U.S. in Washington, D.C. There, he prepared all meals, receptions and teas for the Ambassadors, their families and up to 1,000 guests. His passion for chocolates began during his years there. Read More
