Sunset Picnic on the Hill @ Ambler Farm in Wilton Restaurant Local Artisan Local Farm Wilton Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster May 11, 2011 Enjoy a bit of the Berkshires in our own backyard at the "Sunset Picnic on the Hill" @ Ambler Farm. Spread out your picnic blanket on the hill a la Tanglewood or join your friends under the tent for farm-fresh fare and live music as the sun sets over Ambler Farm. The evening will kick off with a champagne greeting complemented by local artisanal food prepared by A Delicious Affair and homemade desserts. Celebrate our local harvest with the tasty menu below. Read More
Arogya Tea in Westport Ingredients Local Artisan Special Dietary Needs Specialty Market Tea And Coffee Liz Rueven May 10, 2011 Photography by Pam Zaremba Woodsy, flowery and herbal scents wafted towards the entrance of AROGYA as I sought shelter from the cold drizzle of the damp, spring day. Part tea boutique, part apothecary, AROGYA is committed to providing the ultimate tea drinking experience to novice and devoted tea connoisseurs alike. There were two contemporary glass teapots filled with steaming liquid on the reception desk. I made a bee line for the golden hued warmth, placed both hands around the handsome ceramic cup that was offered to me and inhaled the deep, earthy flavor of Pu-erh. The knowledgeable and friendly woman behind the counter explained that I was drinking organic Yunnan Pu-erh tea leaves combined with organic ginger. She proclaimed it to be the perfect warming anecdote to the chilly damp day. She was correct. Read More
"What's Cooking in Bridgeport" Dining Deals Restaurant Bridgeport Events Stephanie Webster May 10, 2011 Bridgeport is proud to announce the second annual "What's Cooking in Bridgeport" week from Monday, May 16 to Sunday, May 22, 2011. What's Cooking in Bridgeport is a week long event showcasing the unique range of dining and entertainment options across the Park City. Throughout the week, over 40 restaurants are offering special promotions, providing a great opportunity for people across the region to enjoy food and fun in Connecticut’s largest city. From 2-for-1 prices to free appetizer, drink and dessert specials, What’s Cooking in Bridgeport has something for everyone. Participating restaurants include Read More
Cafe D'Azur Opens in Darien w/ French-Lebanese Fare Restaurant French Middle Eastern Kid Friendly CTbites Team May 08, 2011 What do you get when you combine a Greek-Lebanese restaurateur with a French chef? A Mediterranean bistro with brasserie flair. In Darien, a town long on Asian eateries and upscale pub fare, a true ethnic restaurant is a welcome addition. In fact, Cafe D'Azur Mediterranean Bistro & Creperie's opening was highly anticipated by those of us familiar with Myrna's eponymous restaurant in Stamford, a popular lunch spot. I dropped in on Cafe D'Azur a couple weeks after it opened Read More
Cocktail Naming Contest Restaurant Cocktails Stephanie Webster May 07, 2011 WIN a FREE Lunch for 2 @ Rizzuto's in Westport. Here's How... This is your chance to name Rizzuto's new signature cocktail, a summery blend of: Rizzuto's House-made Coconut-Infused Amber Rum (yum!), Rizzuto's House-made Spiced Rum, House-Squeezed Pineapple Juice, & Cranberry Juice If your Cocktail name is selected, it will be featured on their new menu & you will receive a FREE LUNCH FOR TWO @ Rizzuto's. Cocktail names must be submitted by June 1st. Post your submission below (include email) , or if you're shy, feel free to send it to us directly. We welcome input from readers. If you see a name you like...post your vote! Read More
May 13th Bubbly Dinner @ Fat Cat Pie Co. Restaurant Events Norwalk Wine Dinners Stephanie Webster May 05, 2011 On Friday May 13th, join Fat Cat Pie Co & Fountainhead Wines for sparkling pairings with Terry Theise Treasures. It’s their May ‘Grower Bubbly’ Dinner with Leif Sundström, Portfolio Manager for Terry Theise Estate Collections. Having attended their last effervescent event, these noteworthy dinners are a wonderful way to gain insight into a portfolio or indivudual grower. Some of the bottles opened for these events are simply impossible to find in the states or have been created in such small quantities that they are cost prohibitive. If you like your bubbles, this is one to check out. You can review the complete pairing menu below: Read More
Local Find: You & Me Cookies Ingredients Bakery Local Artisan Dessert Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger May 05, 2011 Every so often the fine art of sampling in grocery stores uncovers a delicious new product. While shopping last week in Fairway Market in Stamford I stumbled across a local business, You&Me Cookie, that is creating three scrumptious versions of old-time favorite cookie recipes: the original Chocolate Chip, a Cranberry and Dark Chocolate Chunk, and a modern version of an old-fashioned Oatmeal Raisin. I sampled and loved all of the varieties. With one bite I knew I had an obligation to let our readers know that You&Me Cookies are now available in Fairfield County. After two years of successfully selling through specialty stores in Westchester County, co-owners Heather Mahland and Kyle deLasa have expanded their distribution with the addition of Walter Stewarts in New Canaan, and Plum Pure Food, Starlight Café at the YMCA and Caffé Bon in Greenwich. Read More
Honey "Tasting" @ Red Bee Apiary May 29th Ingredients Local Artisan Local Farm Weston Dessert Stephanie Webster May 05, 2011 On May 29th, Beekeeper and Honey Sommelier, Marina Marchese of Red Bee Apiary will be leading a "Honey Tasting" at her apiary in Weston. Guests will learn how honeybees make this liquid gold we call honey, how location and nectar source determines a honeys color and flavor and how honey is harvested and extracted from the hive. Red Bee honey tastings are formal, white linen events where guest are treated to a tour of Red Bee Apiary, a honeybee talk then gather at farmhouse style tables to taste and evaluate artisanal honeys. Participants will be encouraged to engage their curiosity through discussions while learning about the many types and styles of unique nectar sources. Each menu is a carefully orchestrated "Tasting Flight" of seven single-origin local honeys Read More
Café Chocopologie Offers New Tasting Events Restaurant Events Wine Dinners Dessert Amy Kundrat May 04, 2011 Café Chocopologie is teaming up with chocolate guru Clay Gordon, author of Discover Chocolate as well as the man behind the site The Chocolate Life, to create a new series of sophisticated events designed to entice serious foodies and chocoholics to the South Norwalk Café and retail outpost of Knipschildt Chocolatier. Aiming to offer an experience beyond the usual wine dinner, Chocopologie and Gordon have orchestrated a series of events that combine intriguing pairings of chocolate and spirits. The first came in April -- a five-part pairing of scotch and chocolates -- combining Knipschildt chocolates with five single malts Scotches. What’s not to love about that? Read More
Tequila: Worth A Serious Sip Ingredients Cocktails Specialty Market Jeff Marron May 03, 2011 Tequila is the worst thing you can do to the end of a great evening. It is the party ender, the last nail in the coffin. That's what we all think about the national spirit of our southern neighbor, Mexico. I'm not quite sure how Tequila landed "closer" status but I believe it deserves a revival. Tequila needs to get promoted to "first string." Whether it's an old classic like the Tequila Sunrise, a new cocktail like the Mexican Car Bomb, or you're drinking it neat, there's a flavor for everyone. Read More
Cinco de Mayo Burgers & Shakes @ The Filling Station Co Restaurant New Canaan Kid Friendly Burgers Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger May 03, 2011 This month’s Special Burger and Shake at the Filling Station in New Canaan celebrates Cinco de Mayo by offering a departure from its traditional hamburger ingredients. The May 2011 Special pairs a Chorizo Burger with the Special Shake of the Month, Dulce de Leche. The former combines the spiciness of a house made chorizo patty with the mild flavors of queso fresco, lettuce, tomato and house-made lime cilantro crema, while the latter adds a different ingredient to its Dulce de Leche interpretation. Read More
Cinco de Mayo Dining & Parties in Fairfield County Restaurant Events Stephanie Webster & Amy Kundrat May 02, 2011 Two Boots in Bridgeport: Two Boots will host a "Cinco De Mayo Happy Hour Fiesta" on Thursday, May 5 at 5:30 p.m. Two Boots is located at 281 Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport, CT. Boxcar Cantina in Greenwich: Specials abound at Boxcar. Their drink special will be the General Zaragoza Margarita, a famously boozy frozen margarita topped with a splash of house-made sangria. As for eats, a Cinco Sampler, a New Mexican-inspired platter of organic chicken tinga, Niman Ranch carne adovado; and a Taco Sampler is on the menu. Boxcar Cantina is located at 44 Old Field Point Road in Greenwich, CT. Taco Loco in Bridgeport: $5 Margaritas, $3 Coronas till 6:30Pm. Give aways, Live music for lunch and dinner, which we will have a special menu. Taco Loco is located at 3170 Fairfield Avenue in Brideport, CT. Read More
Bar Rosso Opening May 12th: Behind the Scenes II Restaurant Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger May 01, 2011 The long awaited grand opening of Bar Rosso is scheduled for next Thursday May 12th and CTBites previews its gastronomic delights for this latest edition of “Behind the Scenes.” We returned and discussed the restaurant’s culinary vision with Dan Kardos, the Executive Chef, as he finalizes his interpretations of dishes from throughout Italy and met with Mary Schaffer who described her team’s conceptual design. Read More
Local Fromagerie Hosts Cooking Channel Special Ingredients Specialty Market Stephanie Webster April 29, 2011
Friday Froth: Scattershot Spring Ingredients Beer James Gribbon April 29, 2011 Spring in New England is pretty unreliable. A foggy morning can burn off into a sweltering afternoon and then plummet right on down to a cold evening. It's like a cat that doesn't know whether it wants to be inside or out. The scattershot nature of the season is still an absolutely joy as the plants reach out once again for the sun's warmth the same way we escape the confines of our homes to take advantage of the longer days and newly multi-hued outdoors. We're going to look into an equally haphazard selection of beers this week and see what we can see. Read More
What's Happening Sweet Tot? Restaurant Delicious Dives Recipe Comfort Food Kid Friendly Amy Kundrat April 27, 2011 Photo: Via Flickr user cassaendra No, I'm not cat-calling you, but these fried pillows of sweet potato certainly called to me on a recent trip to Burgers, Shakes & Fries. A nice respite from the french fry with an unfortunate name that when used, makes one feel as if they are bleeding brain cells, the sweet potato tot boasts a shape that maximizes its fried surface area with an interior brimming with sweet potato goodness. Read More
"Chopped" Chef Bynum Brings Beach Burgers to Norwalk Restaurant Norwalk Kid Friendly Dessert Burgers Multiple Eaters April 24, 2011 Our contributor Jfood and readers Andrew Dominick and Toni Tiller get to the soul of Chef Bynum's new Beach Burger in East Norwalk. Here's what they had to say….. Jfood on Beach Burger: If you are like me, you watch the Food Network and wonder how the chefs on Chopped develop each dish and how do they really taste? To sample the results of Chopped Champion Chef Marc Anthony Byrum’s renditions of hamburgers, residents of Norwalk need only drive to a restaurant on First Street to taste some inventive hamburgers being prepared at The Beach Burger. Housed in a non-descript white building across the street from his business partner Anthony Luciani’s Frosty Cone, the pair are delivering very good burgers at incredibly reasonable prices. Read More
Friday Froth: The Devil's Advocate Ingredients Beer James Gribbon April 22, 2011 "O thou invisible spirit of wine, if thou hast no name to be known by, let us call thee devil." -William Shakespeare Every once in a while you have to let the Devil out: take a vacation from civilization and get back to human nature, permit rules made by somebody else to slide by and let your glands do the talking. Sounds fun, doesn't it? Spending all your time trying to be good is just living under the thumb of what you consider to be bad, anyway. Most of us spend enough time crying with the saints - this week it's time to laugh with the sinners. Read More
The Best Movie Popcorn in Fairfield County Ingredients Restaurant Comfort Food Best of CT Kid Friendly Lou Gorfain April 19, 2011 YOU’LL LAUGH. YOU’LL CRY. YOU’LL MUNCH. Forget the sliders at Butterfield 8 or the pepperoni pizza at Remo’s. The tastiest treat along Stamford’s Bedford Avenue could be the popcorn served at the Avon Theater. Like its magnificent art-deco neon marquee, Avon’s popcorn is iconic. Always fresh, these tiny cumulus clouds lightly coated in pure butter, melt in your mouth and stir remembrances of times past: double features, dark balconies and stolen kisses. Popcorn may be the main profit maker at every movie house in Fairfield County, but there’s a lot of disparity, especially between chains and independents. The popcorns served by three independents get my nominations for Best Performance by a Popcorn. Read More
