10 Questions with BSF Owner Kory Wollins Restaurant Chef Talk Darien Greenwich Burgers Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger September 16, 2011 One of the ultimate comfort foods, the Hamburger, has obtained main stream culinary acceptance during the past few years as evidenced by the inclusion of gourmet hamburgers on many restaurant menus and recently established restaurants dedicated to these gastronomic delights. On the forefront of this trend, Kory Wollins followed his dream and opened his first Burgers, Shakes & Fries on Delavan Avenue in the Byram section of Greenwich in 2007. The first time I entered the Greenwich location and spoke with Kory, we had an in-depth conversation about his product, his ambitions and our mutual love for great hamburgers. Years later I still thoroughly enjoy the BSF hamburgers, hot dogs, fries and shakes at the Greenwich and Darien locations, and I have watched the passion that Kory brings to each of his restaurants. Read More
Sono Fall Restaurant Week Starts September 25th Restaurant Events Norwalk Stephanie Webster September 15, 2011
Road Trip: "Tapping Into Twain" Oktoberfest Sept. 23rd Restaurant Hartford Holiday Beer Stephanie Webster September 15, 2011 On Friday, September 23rd, the Mark Twain House will host their 4th Annual "Tapping Into Twain" Oktoberfest. This event features a selection of locally produced beers and artisanal ales paired with bites from local restaurants. This is the event the Hartford Advocate has called "absolutely, positively, without any doubt whatever, one of the best charitable events Hartford has beheld in quite some time." Breweries participating include Blue Point, Bru Rm/Bar, Cavalry Brewing, City Steam Brewery Café, Hartford Better Beer Co., HDI & Franklin Distributors, Hook & Ladder, Hooker Brewery, Maltose Express, Narragansett, Old Burnside Brewing, Southport SBC, Willimantic and Zok's Home Brewing, with more signing up every day. Read More
CTbites Hosts Live Chef Demos @ BBQ Festival Sept 24 Restaurant Events Stephanie Webster September 15, 2011 Listen up food lovers. CTbites has rounded up some of the area's top chefs for an afternoon of live cooking demonstrations, recipe tasting and general good times. On September 24th from 12-5pm come on down to the CTbites Demo Tent at Westport's Blues Views & BBQ Festival to meet: Chef Matt Storch of Match Restaurant in Sono; Pietro Scotti of Da Pietro's in Westport; Chef Helton DaSilva of Fairfield's Barcelona Restaurant & Wine Bar; Leticia Schwartz, author of The Brazilian Kitchen (recently on NBC's Today Show); and as a late breaking addition, Chef Judy Roll of Tabouli Grill. Plus, one lucky attendee will WIN a FREE Dinner for 2 @ leFarm Restaurant in Westport. Chef Demo Schedule 12:00 Chef Matt Storch of Match Restaurant 12:45 Chef Judy Roll of Tabouli Grill 2:00 Chef Helton DaSilva of Barcelona Wine Bar & Restaurant 2:45 Chef Pietro Scotti of Da Pietro's 3:30 Chef Leticia Schwartz, Author of The Brazilian Kitchen 4:30 GRAZE Home Delivery Read More
Vote YES for 3 New Restaurants on Westport's Waterfront Restaurant Stephanie Webster September 14, 2011 This just in via the The Westport News. Westporters-please support this proposal at the public hearing scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday Sept 15th in the Town Hall auditorium. "The west side of downtown Westport could soon be serving up a new menu of restaurants, if a zoning text amendment proposed by the owner of the downtown landmark, National Hall, is approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission. Greenfield Partners, a South Norwalk-based commercial estate firm that owns National Hall and several surrounding buildings, has secured three letters of intent to open new dining establishments on the west bank of the Saugatuck River, according to its land-use counselWilliam Fitzpatrick. Safita, a Middle Eastern restaurant in Fairfield, would open a new establishment at 6 Wilton Road, which once served as a fire house. Bartaco, a chain of Mexican restaurants, would open a new outlet at 20 Wilton Road, which formerly housed the Peter Coppola hair salon. The third restaurant in the National Hall complex would be sushi-themed and operate on the first floor of 12 Wilton Road, which overlooks the Saugatuck River." --Paul Schott Read the full article here. Read More
Ginger Beer Taste Test: The Dark & Stormy Winner Is... Ingredients Cocktails Entertaining Amy Kundrat September 14, 2011 I’m a seasonal drinker with few loyalties. Changing temperatures inspire me to rotate my spirits and by the time summer is in full-swing, I’ve traded my martinis and single malts for rum and bourbon-based cocktails. But none have as tight a hold on a season as the Dark ‘n’ Stormy has for summer, with its equal parts spice and nostalgia.A combination of dark rum, ginger beer and (an optional) wedge of lime served in a high ball, the Dark ‘n’ Stormy packs a gingery bite, conjuring salty ocean breezes, sailing trips and the island nation of Bermuda, all in a single sip. Much of the dark rum we drink hails from small island nations in the Atlantic and Caribbean Oceans, distilled from molasses (a sugar cane by product) and aged in charred American oak bourbon barrels with its dark rum finale reeking of spice and molasses. Paired with ginger beer, this seductive summer drink is the definition of the season and I cling to them until the autumnal equinox pries them out of my increasingly cold, sticky, rum-soaked hands. Read More
Farm-to-Chef Week Starts September 18th Restaurant Events Farm to Table Local Farm Stephanie Webster September 13, 2011 Participating Restaurant in Fairfield County Click here to view menus from all participants. Read More
Honey Bee Jamboree at Ambler Farm in Wilton Ingredients Local Artisan Local Farm kids activity Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster September 11, 2011 Prepare to get sticky at Ambler Farm's Honey Bee Jamboree, September 17, 2011 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. This event is being presented by the Backyard Beekkeepers Association with a bevy of family friendly activities include hive observation, honey tasting, honey extracting, candle roll ing, honey ice cream making, face painting, children's activities, bee products and more. All of these bee encounters will be led by the master beekeepers of the Backyard Beekeeper Association. Read More
Friday Froth: Drinkin' Turtles Ingredients Friday Froth Beer James Gribbon September 09, 2011 One does not generally drink a turtle, but there I was. The time was last Friday night, and the place was the beloved and reborn Georgia Theater in Athens, Georgia. The night's entertainment was the newly formed Chris Robinson Brotherhood, and the beer was a local Terrapin. The confluence of warmth, fellowship, location and good brews was that delicious kind of overload which tends to put one in a trance like state. Trances are not conducive to note-taking. Er, sorry about that. But do try a Terrapin or a Dale's on the rooftop bar at the Theater next time you happen to come-to in Clark County. You won't regret it. Read More
Fairfield Cheese Company Classes Are Back in Session Restaurant Cheese Fairfield Specialty Market Stephanie Webster September 08, 2011 School is back in session, and I don't mean the kind that requires boarding a yellow school bus. I'm talking about an education involving terms like bloomy, soft-ripened, blue-vein, washed-rind, and brined. Fairfield Cheese Company's Fall/Winter cheese class schedule is out with a full offering for any level of cheese appreciation. Check out the full line up below: Read More
Hatch Chile Wine Dinner in Ridgefield Restaurant Events Wine Dinners Amy Kundrat September 07, 2011 Southwest Cafe in Ridgefield will be hosting a Hatch Chile Wine Dinner on Tuesday, September 13 at 7 p.m. This four course dinner will be paired with wines by Monica Brown of 109 Cheese & Wine. Southwest Café is located at 109 Danbury Road in Ridgefield, CT. Dinner is $65 per person, gratuity not included. For reservations, email babsswc@aol.com or call 203.431.3398. Seating is limited. First Course Grilled Polenta, Stewed Hatch, Corn Crema, Queso Fresco Second Course Crisp Pork Belly, Hatch Relish, Hatch Sabayon Third Course Halibut, mussels, chorizo, Hatch aioli, Hatch Broth or Filet Mignon, Hatch Braised Beef Short Rib, Kale Fourth Course Ricotta Cake, Hatch Jam, Hatch Frozen Custom Read More
For the Love of Cheese Part 1: Beltane Farm Ingredients Lebanon Local Farm CTbites Team September 07, 2011 Most teens in high school long to get a car. Not Paul Trubey; he wanted a goat. His unique infatuation began in high school when one of his teachers was given a goat. Understandably, his parents wouldn’t let him get one. Since then, Paul found every goat worthy of affection. Paul pursued a career in social work but never abandoned his intense passion for goats. When he and his partner Mark moved to Glastonbury, Connecticut for Mark’s work in 1994, Paul did not know at the time how much the move would propel him towards his goal of being a goat farmer. In Glastonbury, Paul became involved with the owners of Highwater Farm and in the care of their herd of Swiss Oberhasli dairy goats. In his free time, he immersed himself in learning about cheese making and in visiting artisanal cheese makers throughout New England. Read More
Peach and Black Bean Salsa Recipe from Chef Nicole Straight Ingredients Features Recipe Liz Rueven September 06, 2011 Chef Nicole Straight will present two easy and flavorful recipes to shoppers at the Westport Farmers’ Market on September 8 between 10-2. Straight is the founder and Chef of TIME TO EAT, which helps parents and other busy people cook healthy, simple meals without investing hours in the kitchen. She was invited to the White House to participate in First Lady Michelle Obama’s GET MOVING CAMPAIGN, recently appeared on Bravo TV’s ROCCO’S DINNER PARTY, has won numerous awards in Fairfield County and may be seen on Channel 8’s WTNH, where she instructs viewers on simple meal prep. Straight will be presenting her PEACH AND BLACK BEAN SALSA (recipe below) Read More
Food 411: Name the Restaurant that Served This... Restaurant Food 411 Stephanie Webster September 06, 2011
Slice of Saugatuck Festival on Westport's Waterfront Restaurant Events kids activity Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster September 06, 2011 On Saturday September 17, 2011 from noon - 3pm three dozen of Saugatuck's finest restaurants, shops and galleries will be opening their doors and inviting the community to come and sample their offerings. Walk the streets of Saugatuck Center and enjoy sampling some of the area's restaurants, caterers, and liquor stores. Participants include: The Boathouse, CakeSuite, Tarry Lodge, Julian's and Saugatuck Grain & Grape. Plus...Ryan Fibiger of Craft Butchery will be demonstrating how to butcher a pig in front of his shop (opening soon) at 1:00 pm. And it's not just food. Retailers will offer kayak rides, gym work outs, fly fishing lessons, Environmental tips, discount coupons and martial arts demonstrations - all free. Come see what's going on in Westport's Saugatuck area. See below for complete event details: Read More
Bon Appetit Cafe & Creperie Opens in Fairfield Restaurant Jessica Ryan September 04, 2011 I didn’t much pay attention to the new blue awning located next to Billy’s Bakery on Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield until I was asked to cover a new restaurant opening. An Easton resident, I spend a good bit of my time there and I have always been disappointed by the lack of quality restaurants in that part of town. Until now. I was running late for my lunch with Stephanie and fellow CTBites contributor Sarah Green, parked on the side street next to Billy’s and ran down the blue awning-covered stairs to the back of the building where Bon Appetit Cafe & Creperie had just recently opened. One has no idea what’s in store until one sits down to read the menu. I was thrilled to learn that the food had been ordered without me. I truly would not have been able to decide on my own! Read More
Station Eats' Korean Burger & Cookie Shake Restaurant New Canaan Kid Friendly Dessert Burgers Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger September 04, 2011 That’s correct…the name of Filling Station in New Canaan is transitioning to Station Eats as it expands into other towns in Fairfield County. And as this column mentioned last month, the new flavor concept for this month’s Special Burger and Shake is Southeast Asia with the Station Eats’ Korean Burger. To complement the Korean Burger, this month’s Special Shake is an All-American Loopie Doop Chocolate Chip Cookie Shake. Read More
Taking Sides in the Stamford Pizza War Restaurant Pizza Stamford Take Out Amy Kundrat September 02, 2011 The first hint of a Stamford pizza scandal came from a casual tip from a friend who knows how we obsess over pizza here at CTbites. “Have you heard about this new place called Rico’s?” he asked. “It’s just like Colony and some say it’s better.”Rumors, speculation, and then the recent ad taken out by Colony Pizza in the Stamford Advocate on July 22 had piqued all of our interest. The ad read, “There is no other restaurant in Fairfield County that is authorized to use our name or our recipes.” This not-so-thinly veiled threat was direct taking aim at the new Selleck Street pizzeria Rico’s, opened by former employees of Colony Pizza, the epicenter of the traditional bar-style pizza with it’s cracker-like crust and rivers of grease Read More
Bartaco Stamford Location Coming Soon Restaurant Stamford Mexican Opening Stephanie Webster September 01, 2011 Stamford is getting their very own bartaco, opening very soon. Inspired during a jog along the beaches of Brazil, restaurateur Sasa Mahr-Batuz of the popular Barcelona Restaurants, came up with the concept of “bartaco.” We've been several times to their Port Chester location for brunch and their beachy tacos and drinks. Defined simply by good food, great drinks, and an aura of fun, Sasa envisioned a light and airy informal space with style and sensibility – one that could easily be located on a white sandy beach alongside the blue water and sea air. Read More
Blue Lemon Restaurant @ Westport Farmers' Market Features Restaurant Farmers Market Recipe Liz Rueven August 31, 2011 The Westport Farmers Market is the place to be on Thursday September 1st as clean up from the not so friendly Hurricane Irene continues all over town. Come out to replenish your pantry and fresh produce supply while helping out area farmers and producers. Bryan Malcarney, chef/owner of Blue Lemon in Westport, will be the guest chef this week. He has been in the same spot in Sconset Square for over eight years and has quite the following. His presentation at the market will include two seasonal favorites as he offers CUCUMBER DILL GAZPACHO (recipe below) and GOLDEN BEET GAZPACHO for tasting. Read More
