Weekly Nibble: Upcoming Food News & Events Restaurant Holiday Italian Tacos Vineyard Wine Dinners Wine Tasting Emma Jane-Doody Stetson April 24, 2014 Monday April 28, Napa & Co of Stamford presents FAVORITE WINES OF SPAIN. Explore the dusty, dirty and sultry wines of this HOT region from Priorat, Campo de Borja and Rioja. There will be 6 wines to experience. $50/person (exclusive of tax and gratuity). Also on Monday the 28th, Barcelona West Hartford presents “Paella 101.” Join Chef Eric in this class dedicated to the Spanish classic – Paella! Learn how to make this delicious dish and a popular Barcelona favorite. For reservations please call the restaurant at 860.218.2100. $29 per person, plus tax and gratuity. 7pm. Golden View Firenze Ristorante and Continental Fine Wine & Spirits will team up for a 5 course Tuscan Wine Dinner of Tuesday April 29. 5 dishes will be paired with 5 different Italian wines. $70pp plus tax and gratuity. Call 203-869-0865 to reserve. Tuesday April 29, New Canaan Wine Merchants invites you to raid their reserve room! Between 7 and 8:30pm, guests can select 3 high end wines to open, talk about, and taste. Free event. April 29 is also the 6th Annual Glenlivet/Cigar Dinner @ Max Fish in Glastonbury. It features cigars from "The Tobacco Shop" on Pratt Street in Hartford, CT, food, and Glenlivet pairings. $125 per person, not including tax & gratuity. Space is limited, so call for reservations today. 860.652.3474. 6-9pm. Read More
Spring Wine Picks: Austria's Hopler Vineyards, Gruner Veltliner + Ingredients This Week In Wine Wine Chat Wine Tasting Emma Jane-Doody Stetson April 24, 2014 It seems as though everyone loves a good Riesling for springtime and summer sipping. Last year, New York City was just one of the regions to participate in a “Summer of Rieslings” with a number of selections on the High Line and in restaurants. Germany is revered for its remarkable versions of the varietal. However, a lesser-celebrated varietal promises to satisfy all of your desires as the warmer weather approaches. Gruner Veltliner, a national grape of Austria, shares Riesling characteristics, but has lighter, crisper, and fresher tones than its counterpart. On Friday March 28, Fairfield County hosted Christof Hopler, a respected winemaker and owner of Hopler vineyards in Austria. He presented a selection of his delicious wines to an eager room of wine enthusiasts at South End Restaurant in New Canaan. Read More
The Farmer's Cow 2014 Farm Tours: Meet Your Local Farmers! Ingredients CT Farms Local Farm Farm Fresh CTbites Team April 23, 2014 The Farmer’s Cow announces its 2014 Farm Tour schedule and invites visitors to come out to the country and meet the farmer’s that bring you real local Connecticut milk and dairy products. Locally sourced food is one of the hottest trends in the 2014 culinary forecast according to a recent survey by the National Restaurant Association. But what is local? The Farmer’s Cow milk comes from the contented cows of six real local Connecticut family-owned dairy farms, not from six other states. “Real local” means our farm fresh products get to you faster and that means greater nutritional value and a smaller carbon footprint. “If you can visit the farm, then you know it’s real local,” said Robin Chesmer, Managing Member of The Farmer’s Cow. "We invite families to see first-hand what life is like on a working dairy farm and learn about how we are working to save Connecticut farmland and sustain farming as a way of life.” The 2014 Farm Tour schedule includes events in every season – winter, spring, summer and fall. Each tour is unique and celebrates a different aspect of what it means to be “real local.” Visitors can meet the cows and calves, learn about dairy farming and sample The Farmer’s Cow milk, ice cream and beverages. Hosted by The Farmer’s Cow farm families, all events are free and fun for all ages. In case of inclement weather, please check The Farmer’s Cow Event and Facebook pages for updates. All events are free and no reservations are required. View the full Farm Tour schedule below: Read More
Ted Turner's "Ted’s Montana Grill" Opens in Hartford May 12th Restaurant Hartford Lunch Kid Friendly Burgers CTbites Team April 23, 2014 Ted’s Montana Grill, the classic American grill co-founded by media entrepreneur, environmentalist and philanthropist Ted Turner and award-winning restaurateur George McKerrow Jr., announced that a new restaurant would be opening up on 35 Front Street in downtown Hartford on May 12th. The restaurant will be 4,600 square feet and will seat 160 guests. This is the second Ted’s Montana Grill in Connecticut; the first location is in The Promenade Shops at Evergreen Walk in South Windsor. Ted’s Montana Grill serves time-honored favorites in a relaxed setting reminiscent of the 19th century American frontier. The design of the Hartford location is inspired by old western saloons, with all the romance and classic touches that make it feel luxurious, but in a casual, warm way. The décor will feature Mahogany paneling, pressed tin ceilings, brass fixtures and beautiful crown molding. From traditional comfort food to unique signature dishes, all meals are made from scratch fresh daily - nothing frozen or microwaved. Chefs only use fresh Certified Angus Beef, National Bison Association-certified bison, all-natural chicken and premium seafood. Ted’s Montana Grill also believes in fresh, sustainable, organic and locally grown ingredients. Read More
10 Questions with Gopi Nair of Tikkaway Grill Restaurant To-Go New Haven Indian Amy Kundrat April 22, 2014 Equal parts businessman and chef, Gopi Nair is the man behind New Haven's 'fast casual' Tikkaway Grill. The former managing partner of South Norwalk's Coromandel, he is a familiar face to Indian food lovers in Fairfield County and has thankfully extended his reach east to New Haven. His passion for Indian cuisine and dedication to customer service has inspired Tikkaway’s central tenants: a fresh, healthy, and informal take on Indian food. "I have been thinking that to me the world has two sets of people," said Nair. "Those who love Indian food but can't get enough and more frequently, and those who don't know Indian cuisine and have stayed away from it till now! Tikkaway grill is for both of them." 1. If you had unexpected guests arriving at your home for dinner in one hour, what would you whip up? Read More
Celebrating Cinco De Mayo in Fairfield County CT Restaurant Cocktails Holiday Tacos Mexican Emma Jane-Doody Stetson April 21, 2014 It is said that Cinco de Mayo originated when Mexican-American communities wanted to commemorate freedom during the first years of the American Civil War. Now you can commemorate freedom from winter with these awesome Cinco de Mayo celebrations. Here's what's going on at Bartaco, Bodega, Baró, Taco Loco, and more. Ole! The Cinco de Mayo celebration lasts for 5 days at Taco Loco in Bridgeport! Thursday May 1: Get competitive with a taco eating contest at 7pm and a guest bartending mixology showdown at 7:30. You can sign up for the events on facebook. Friday May 2: Free tequila tasting from 6-9pm featuring over 15 tequilas. Read More
Taste of Westport Returns May 1st 2014 Restaurant CTbites Team April 21, 2014 CLASP Homes of Westport will present its 10th annual Taste of Westport on Thursday, May 1, at The Westport Inn from 6:00 to 9:00. Enjoy an evening tasting the favorite dishes of choice area restaurants, accompanied by a selection of wines, beers and cocktails, and end it with desserts, cappuccino and gelato - all to support a great cause. Start your evening perusing a terrific selection of silent auction items while you enjoy fresh oysters and clams on the half shell from Hummock Island Raw Bar, move on to dishes from several new restaurants, including The Spread, Geronimo and Little Barn, and from many long time favorites - Pane E Bene, T & C Steakhouse and Bobby Q’s. Taste a selection of wines, local artisan beers and fun cocktails. And end your evening with low fat protein-enriched Forte Gelato and cappuccino from Eventi Cafe - all while listening and dancing to the smooth stylings of the Carruthers Brothers Trio. Tickets for Taste of Westport are $75 and may be purchased at www.tasteofwestport.com Read More
Craft Butchery Dinner Party: Spotlight on Dinner #5 Spring Lamb Restaurant Butcher Dinner Events Events Lamb Amy Kundrat April 20, 2014 Each month Saugatuck Craft Butchery hosts an eight course dinner party paired with wine for twenty guests that highlights a different protein and Craft's pasture to table ethos. This approach—sourcing whole pasture-raised animals from small to medium-sized farms—follows what is often referred to as a nose-to-tail philosophy of utilizing the entire animal. These dinners are a celebration of this approach, a collaboration among the butchers and chefs at Craft, and a creative challenge for the Craft culinary team. "They are so talented that my challenge as an owner, is to keep their interest. These dinners are a creative outlet and they celebrate what the shop does. They use all parts of the animal, from snout to tail," said owner and head butcher, Ryan Fibiger. Selecting the themes for these dinners may be a team effort, but much of the culinary planning comes from Mark Hepperman, Craft's Resident Chef and a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America with over 20 years of experience. One of the previous events in this series was the "Spring Lamb Dinner" which utilized two thirty pound young lambs for eight courses sourced from Josef Meiller farm and slaughterhouse in Pine Plains, New York. Read More
The Weekly Nibble: Upcoming Food News & Events Restaurant Events Emma Jane-Doody Stetson April 18, 2014 There is live jazz every Monday night at Fat Cat Pie Co in Norwalk! Enjoy delicious food and wine while listening to soulful melodies from 9-11pm. Tuesday April 22 at 7pm, Barcelona New Haven presents a “Light & Delicious Spring Tapas” cooking class. Join Chef Frank and learn how to make a variety of salads, soups and vegetable dishes. $25 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations: 203.848.3000. The same class will take place at Barcelona Stamford with Chef Scott on Saturday April 26 at 2pm. Also on Tuesday, Bistro Basque in Milford, CT will hold “Southern France: Excellent Wines, Excellent Cuisine” from 6:30-8:30pm. They will focus on the top 3 grapes of Southern France: two are the French equivalent: mourvèdre/ monastrell, grenache/garnacha, and the Syrah. The Chelsea takes a trip to New Orleans on April 23rd and 24th. In conjunction with The Revivalists concerts at FTC, The Chelsea will be serving NOLA classics inspired by legendary NOLA restaurants: Gumbo as eaten at "Herbsaint;" Boudin, you'd find at "Cochon;" Jambalaya like KPauls and the list goes on. New Orleans inspired drinks will be served as well. This is good times. Call 203-254-8200 for reservations. Wine & Dine Wednesdays go down every week at Darien Social! You get a salad, 2 sides, and your choice of Porterhouse, NY Strip or Filet for just $28. 1/2 OFF on Select Bottles of Wine. Read More
Friday Froth: Seasonal Spring Beer...A New Crop Ingredients CT Beer Friday Froth Beer James Gribbon April 18, 2014 Dark beers and dark nights are falling away. Fresh life is shouldering its way through the crusty ground, and new batches of lively, energetic spring seasonals are seeing the light of day for the first time in brewery tasting rooms across the country. Spring time is for beer lovers. The season lends itself to saisons, the ancient staple of farmers and field hands in need of relief during the planting and cultivation of new life. Stillwater Artisinal Ales is celebrating the arrival of fresh, new life with the release of its Debutante American Farmhouse Ale. This saison, brewed with a combination of spelt and rye, and accented with a blend of heather, honeysuckle, and hyssop, is actually a collaboration between Stillwater and Belgian beer specialists The Brewer's Art, of Baltimore. Read More
2014 Guide to Fairfield County Farmers' Markets via FGFG Ingredients Features Farmers Market CTbites Team April 15, 2014 The spring/summer season brings many things: rain, blooms, a high pollen count, and vastly improved temperatures. The onset of warmer weather also means that farmers from all over our fair state will begin to harvest and sell the fruits of their labor at The Fairfield County Farmers' Markets. Sure, there were a selection of dedicated year-round markets this year which kept me deep in kale and root vegetables, but summer brings vibrant colors and flavors we can only imagine in the winter months. Perhaps, you already have a favorite, but the list of farmer's markets expands every year due to growing demand. Here's the roundup you need to stay in the local loop. Analiese Paik of The Fairfield Green Food Guide has the ultimate Guide to Fairfield County's Farmer's Markets. This cheat sheet is all you need to enjoy beautiful local produce, baked goods, and prepared foods all summer long. Let the season begin!! Read More
Ruuthai’s Kitchen: Real Thai in Bridgeport CT Restaurant Asian Bridgeport Thai Delicious Dives Lunch Kid Friendly Elizabeth Keyser April 13, 2014 Word’s out. There’s a new Thai place in Bridgeport worth traveling for. Ruuthai is a little family-run restaurant making authentic Thai dishes. Even better, Ruuthai offers dishes rarely seen in these parts, like mussel pancakes, boat noodles and steamed red curry fish custard. And then there are the desserts. Thai desserts are decidedly weird to Americans. Pork in a dessert? What?! Yes, and it’s good. Ruuthai has been open almost five months. It’s in a residential neighborhood off North Avenue. The storefront is cheerfully decorated with orange and lime accents, and pink and purple swirly, girly flower stencils. The effect is simple and charming. They’ve added a few more tables recently (they’re getting busier), and they do a lot of take-out, but I believe in eating food when it’s at its best – moments after Def Ruangsikul, head chef, has prepared it. If you sit down to eat you will probably meet Chef Ruangsikul’s daughter Dif. Dif McGeough is the manager and waitress. She was born in Thailand and raised in the United States, and she’s a knowledgeable and gently humorous guide. Over the course of several visits, here’s what we’ve tried: Read More
Battle of the Chefs to Feature Chefs Forrest Pasternack, Matt Storch, Jeff Taibe Restaurant Amy Kundrat April 12, 2014 The Battle of the Chefs returns to Ridgefield's Founders Hall on Sunday, June 1, 4 – 7 pm and will feature Chefs Forrest Pasternack of Bailey’s Backyard in Ridgefield, Matt Storch of Match in Norwalk, and Jeff Taibe of The Whelk and LeFarm. In a culinary showdown similar to those featured on television shows such as Top Chef and Chopped, three seasoned chefs will match sharp knives and quick wits for the benefit of Founders Hall. The participating chefs, Pasternack, Storch, and Taibe, will compete to create an entree from a basket of surprise ingredients in front of over 200 people. Read More
Fairfield County Chef's Table Restaurant Bethel Darien Greenwich Norwalk Ridgefield Stamford Westport New Canaan Amy Kundrat and Stephanie Webster April 11, 2014 After several years of immersing ourselves in the Fairfield County dining scene as partners and editors of CTbites, we had the opportunity to trade pixels for print. We are very excited to announce the launch of our book, Fairfield County Chef's Table, featuring over 50 restaurants and recipes, now available at your local book store and online. The book, published by Globe Pequot Press, was written by Amy Kundrat (yours truly), the executive editor and partner at CTbites. The photography is by none other than CTbites founder and editor in chief Stephanie Webster. It is the culmination of the many years we have been writing about and photographing the Connecticut food scene. This two year project was a blast to work on, and we only wish we could have included 50 more of our favorite restaurants. For more information, please visit our website. A special thank you to all the chefs, restaurant owners, farmers, friends, CTbites contributors, and CTbites readers who shared their time, expertise, and support. We hope you enjoy the book, experiment with the recipes from some of our favorite restaurants, and share it with your friends and family! Book Signings Barnes & Noble, Milford: April 27 @ 1 pm Barnes & Noble, Westport: May 17 @ 1 pm Read More
Sun Winefest's Wine Review: What To Buy & Try Ingredients This Week In Wine Wine Shop Wine Tasting Emma Jane-Doody Stetson April 08, 2014 The annual Mohegan SunWineFest caters to a variety of interests. Restaurants, artisans, winemakers, and distributors unite in the sprawling Convention Center to deliver an epic weekend. However, wine lies at its heart; it is a “wine” fest after all! I enjoyed all of event’s facets, but as CTbites' wine correspondent, I paid careful attention to the hundreds of bottles presented. I researched the offerings ahead of time, questioned the representatives, and- of course- tasted the bounties to bring you a full report on which wines reign supreme. Check out my full report on: The Rise of Sauvignon Blancs, Is Oak a Joke?, Hail a Cab, Pleasing Pinots, Behold the Blend as well as a few other wine and spirit highlights. Read More
The NEW Versailles Bistro & Patisserie in Greenwich - From the Owners of Méli-Mélo Restaurant Coffee French Greenwich Breakfast Lunch Dessert Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger April 06, 2014 Almost a year ago, without notice or forewarning, a “For Sale” sign appeared on the window of Versailles Restaurant in Greenwich. At 6:15AM the following morning, Marc Penvenne was driving his usual route down Greenwich Avenue to his restaurant Méli-Mélo when he saw the sign. A few months earlier he started looking at several locations to open a second restaurant and now Versailles was available; he now knew the perfect location. Twenty years earlier, Penvenne was the manager at Versailles and left to open Méli-Mélo with his wife, Evelyne. Now, Marc and Evelyne are the proud owners of both Méli-Mélo and the re-invented Versailles Bistro and Patisserie. When you enter the reimagined restaurant, the front area is a patisserie, complete with white marble-topped tables, bistro chairs and glass display cases filled with tantalizing pastries. Behind these cases is a coffee bar, serving some of the best café au lait in Greenwich. In the rear, the patisserie opens to a restaurant with bistro style dark wood tables and chairs plus a long leather lined banquette. The walls are adorned with photos of Paris and framed French posters dating from the first half of the 20th century. Read More
Cask Republic Stamford Hosts "5C" Bluepoint Beer Dinner w/ 5 Chefs Restaurant Beer Dinner Beer CTbites Team April 03, 2014 The new Cask Republic in Stamford is hosting their first ever beer dinner on May 6th, and we hear it's going to be pretty epic. Cask has invited all 5 of their head chef's from Cask Republic and Ginger Man to lead the evening's culinary journey. Each will throw down a dish of their choice to be paired with a hand picked Cask Ale from Blue Point Brewery. Casks in contention will be selected at this weekend's Blue Point Brewery Cask Festival. Welcome to the neighborhood Cask. We're glad you're here. Details are below: Read More
Chef Jon Vaast Joins Sugar & Olives in Norwalk: Now Serving Dinner Restaurant Brunch Local Farm Norwalk Organic Lunch Stephanie Webster April 02, 2014 There's a new chef in the kitchen at Sugar & Olives in Norwalk. You may recognize the name from his years cooking over at Dressing Room in Westport. It's Chef Jon Vaast, and Jennifer Balin, owner of Sugar & Olives, explains her new hire as "An Organic collaboration between two like minded people." Johnny and Balin have been strong advocates for the local and sustainable food movement, and simply put, want to create a menu with delicious food sourced from within an arms reach of the shop. Every ingredient at Sugar & Olives is seasonal, and comes from a farm near the restaurant. Balin says "whenever possible, she selects ingredients that are also Organic." With Chef Vaast at the helm, Sugar & Olives is excited to announce that in addition to their daily weekday service, and one of the best brunches in Fairfield County, they have begun dinner service Thursday through Saturday. Read More
The 4B Festival Recap: Didn't Score Tix? Here's What Went Down in New Haven Restaurant Cocktails Beer James Gribbon April 01, 2014 The first ever 4b Festival had several teething problems, but attendees having fun didn't seem to be one. Well, let me back up a step... The 4b Festival was a celebration of the bacon, BBQ, beer and bourbon available in Connecticut. Do you like these things? Yes? Then 4b was for you... and you, and you and you, and a lot of other people. Many Americans, let's say most of us, love these alliterative drinks and foodstuffs, and are all about an event which puts them in the same place at the same time. I personally had several B's for the first time at the festival, both food and drink, learned quite a bit, and met some great new people. I also left hungry, and not in a figurative sense. The inaugural 4b Festival was held at the Old Trolley Barn, a warehouse just off the State Street exit on I-91 in New Haven. Most of the event's parking was several blocks off site (and an extra $5), but it was a sunny day and walking off a few calories before an event like this is for the best, anyway. I walked through the gates just before the fest's second session began at 5:30, and was met with a line of people which would have done the TSA proud. Like I said: people like bacon. Read More
Sono Baking Company Opening Darien Shop on Tokeneke Road Ingredients Restaurant Bakery Breakfast Lunch Kid Friendly Dessert Stephanie Webster March 29, 2014
