The Blind Rhino Sports Bar Opens In Black Rock Restaurant Sports Bar Bar lunch Bridgeport Black Rock Comfort Food Opening James Gribbon June 12, 2019 When the Blind Rhino opened in South Norwalk in 2015 it made waves both as the first dedicated sports bar in a nightlife-intensive district which was somehow devoid of one, and for making quality food and drink the focus, rather than an afterthought to bats and balls. Do they have beer and wings? Yep, but their beers are two dozen taps' worth of Connecticut focused craft, and their wings come with flavors like Togarashi dry rub and won multiple medals at the last year's National Buffalo Wing Festival in Buffalo, NY. Is there such a thing as a gastro sports bar? Yes, actually, there are two - and you can now find the second one just over the Fairfield town line in the Black Rock neighborhood of Bridgeport. Read More
Sherkaan Indian Restaurant Opens in New Haven—Totally Bindaas Restaurant New Haven Indian Lunch Cocktails Bar Homepage Opening Frank Cohen June 09, 2019 If Sherkaan, the name given the Indian restaurant that succeeded vegetarian Thali Too (2008-2018) in New Haven’s Broadway District in the space behind the Apple store, sounds strangely familiar, it should. The name is taken from Mowgli’s chief antagonist in Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, the sly Bengal tiger—Shere Khan.Owners Ankit Harpaldas and Puneet “Pete” Ramchandani are experienced restaurateurs with a playful streak that runs as deep as the mean streak in Kipling’s menacing tiger. Harpaldas and Ramchandani also own Taprock Beer Bar & Refuge in the Unionville section of Farmington, a restaurant with an affinity for modern design, unusual drink options and quirky fun food sensibilities. Read More
Pokéworks Opens In Westport: Hawaiian Poké Bowls & Burritos for All! Restaurant Westport Seafood Sushi Lunch Asian Hawaiian Opening Maddie Phelps June 07, 2019 Those who loved a bowl or burrito packed with fresh meat, rice, and veggies were nothing short of devastated when Chipotle closed its Westport location this past winter. Thankfully, I can be the bearer of some good news for those who are still heartbroken. There’s a new place in town with plenty of fresh meat, rice, and veggies galore for any burrito or bowl you desire. And this time, there’s a Hawaiian twist to it.Pokéworks, a Hawaiian restaurant whose business took the country by storm upon opening in 2015, recently made its debut in Westport’s Compo Acres Shopping Center. The original founders sought to bring a taste of Hawaii to the public through poké, which is the diced raw fish that is considered one of the main dishes of native Hawaiian cuisine. Committed to offering the freshest of seafood, Pokéworks also emphasizes their sustainable practices and efforts to preserve the world’s oceans in a time when many are not. Read More
Boca Oyster Bar Opens On Bridgeport's Steelpointe Harbor Restaurant Bridgeport Black Rock Seafood Oysters Oyster Bar Homepage Opening James Gribbon June 02, 2019 Drivers casting their eyes randomly about, desperate for a diversionary glance at anything besides traffic and out of state plates between the concrete shoulders of I-95 may settle their gaze on a new brick building on the waterfront of Bridgeport harbor. Slightly reminiscent of a lighthouse, it sits at the other side of the new development in Steelpointe Harbor from Bass Pro Shops, and - as of this week - houses the new Boca Oyster Bar. CTBites hit the bar during their soft open at the end of May to give you this first look. Read More
Local Boxing Trainer Creates Hot Lady Hot Sauce Brand Ingredients Features Ingredients Hot Sauce Local Artisan Andrew Dominick May 28, 2019 The hot sauce market is stacked with thousands of brands trying to win over your taste buds and into your pantry, but few have roots right here in Fairfield County. Cue Hot Lady Hot Sauce, created by Adam Colberg, a Connecticut resident who grew up in Westport. For Colberg, hot sauce wasn’t always in his overall plan. “Before I graduated from Staples High School, I always embarked on different projects, I always did things differently,” he said. “I wasn’t ready for college, but I wanted to do something adventurous, so I joined the Marines.” His time in the corps, where he was a jet mechanic, granted him the opportunity to travel the world, including a tour in Spain. Read More
Carbone's Prime Now Serving Crave-Worthy Brunch Menu Restaurant Brunch Rocky Hill Breakfast Comfort Food Homepage Kristin L. Wolfe May 25, 2019
MECHA Noodle Bar Opening in Stamford via Hey Stamford! Restaurant Stamford Japanese Vietnamese Noodles Opening Hey Stamford! May 21, 2019 Driving down Bedford Street recently, you may have noticed some activity taking place in a storefront along the east side of the street. It’s good news for all, because a popular local restaurant is getting ready to open their doors! With locations in South Norwalk, Fairfield, and New Haven, Mecha Noodle Bar has dropped a flag in Stamford Downtown!Known as a noodle lover’s paradise, Mecha serves up Asian comfort dishes, and is widely known for their Vietnamese Pho & Japanese Ramen. Among other things, they also do riffs on Southeast Asia street foods. The menu is replete with steamed baos, egg rolls, dumplings, spare ribs, and wings. But do not call them a “fusion” or a sushi restaurant, as they state on their website, they are: American-Vietnamese-Japanese-Thai-Chinese-Korean-New England-Momofuku-Totto-and-Ippudo-inspired.Read more on Hey Stamford! Read More
Guide To Connecticut Mobile Caterers: Food & Bar Trucks For Your Next Party! (sponsored post) Restaurant Catering Food Truck Entertaining Best of CT Homepage April Guilbault May 19, 2019 Rolling, rolling, rolling…Get that party rolling…Start food and drinks a flowin’Partaaaayyy!Hang on to your wagons, folks, we’ve compiled the Ultimate Mobile Caterers Guide for all of your summer (and fall) party needs! Just the fact that the party comes to you gets your soiree off to a unique and fun start. And then it starts dispensing amazing foods and drinks? Yes, we say, sign us up; cupcakes rolled to your doorstep? Check! Beer on tap parked in your backyard? Check! Pizzas, burgers, lobsters and crab cakes saddled up to your house? Check! You are going to have some serious fun with these options. In fact, we think it’s safe to say that your er….party “bar”…will be raised is an understatement. Keep ‘em rollin’ and enjoy! Read More
Shearwater Organic Coffee Roasters Opening In Westport Restaurant Westport Coffee Tea And Coffee Local Artisan Opening Stephanie Webster May 18, 2019 Ed Freedman, Fairfield County’s passionate organic coffee roaster, and owner of the successful Shearwater Coffee Bar in the Brick Walk area of Fairfield, has announced the opening of a new location in Westport, on The Post Road. Named One of the 15 Best New Coffee Roasters in America by the popular digital lifestyle magazine Thrillist.com, and bestowed a 92 rating from CoffeeReview.com for their Organic Homacho Waeno Ethiopian roast, Shearwater introduced its small batch coffee roasts to Fairfield County in September of 2013 and was soon touted by java junkies, major gourmet food markets, and reputable area chefs as one of the leading coffee brands in the state. Read More
Tony’s at the JHouse Hotel: Come For Tony, Stay For the Fine Casual Dining Restaurant Greenwich Hotel Italian American Jessica Ryan May 16, 2019 Tony Capasso has developed quite the reputation earning himself quite the following. After spending nearly 20 years at Valbella! and Gabriele’s Italian Steakhouse, the veteran Maître d’ now has a steak place of his own at the JHouse, a boutique hotel in Greenwich. Tony is warm, affable and charming. He has a special way with his customers as he circles around to each table offering quick yet challenging trivia questions for all to answer. His eyes twinkle. His smile is infectious. Read More
MilkCraft Now Open in New Haven w/ Nitrogren Infused Ice Cream & Soft Serve! (+ Milkcraft Truck! Restaurant ice cream New Haven Fairfield West Hartford Dessert Opening CTbites Team May 15, 2019 I wouldn’t have expected the steady stream of customers this past Wednesday afternoon at Milkcraft, all lining up for nitrogen infused ice cream despite the chilly temps outside. And yet, after tasting my P B & J Roasted Banana in the signature Bubblecone, I understand the customers’ urgency. Who needs hot chocolate when one can delight in these fresh, chef driven flavors honoring the winter season? The Bourbon Breakfast and Smokin’ Choco de Leche and will hold me over until the summer just fine.Rejoice, New Haven residents. You can now enjoy Milkcraft in New Haven! The New Haven location (280 Crown Street) is the largest of the locations to date, at 1500 square feet. Read More
Cafe Silvium in Stamford: 18 Years And Still Topping The CT Italian Scene Restaurant Italian Stamford Lunch Homepage Andrew Dominick May 12, 2019 Cafe Silvium has been open nearly 18 years. I first heard about it six months ago. Yeah, stuff like that happens. I couldn’t possibly know about every single restaurant in this part of Connecticut, could I?What bugged me about Cafe Silvium is the number of random people who dropped it in casual conversation. And there was no collusion here. Every mention of it came from different aspects of my life or from loosely connected friends. The first whispers of Cafe Silvium came from a Bumble match. No, we didn’t ever meet up for a meal there, in case you were wondering. Read More
Mango’s Wood-Fired Pizza Co. in Mystic: "2 Brothers Who Love Real Good Pizza" Restaurant Pizza Mystic Lunch Italian CTbites Team May 07, 2019 Nestled alongside I-95N in Mystic, CT, you will find what many say is the best pizza in New London County. Mango’s Wood-Fired Pizza Co. is the perfect place for a pit stop and quick bite. The restaurant is named after a tour guide, Mango, who the owner met on vacation. Connecticut is known for its New Haven pizza. However, this pizza, in my opinion, can compete with best of them, and is why the restaurant was packed on Easter weekend. The variety and creativity in the menu keeps customers coming back.My family and I stopped at Mango’s on Saturday morning at around 11:45 am, where we found the place already hopping. Read More
A Short History Of The Retro Cocktail: Post Prohibition Recipes Features Ingredients Cocktails Bar Education Mixology CTbites Team May 03, 2019 Bartenders, especially those involved in the “cocktail” world, understand the significant impact that Prohibition has had on the industries surrounding alcoholic beverages. Many consumers, however, are unaware of that impact. National Prohibition was rooted in political and religious belief systems, that sought to temper a vice, and legislate morality to a nation. Any time a product, that is in high consumer demand, is made illegal, a black market is created. Crime increases, violence increases, and eventually, the public demands action. It didn’t take long for the ridiculous idea to be repealed, and when Prohibition ended on December 5, 1933, the nation joined together in a collective sigh of relief, and a toast to better times ahead. Treatises have been written, documentaries have been filmed, and many a scholar has spoken about the nearly decade and a half that The United States of America suffered under the tyranny of Prohibition. What is sorely missing, however, is a definitive study of the decades following its repeal. And, maybe, that is because not much is ever said, outside of our small circle of bartenders, about what life in this industry was like before Prohibition was passed. Read More
Winfield Street Coffee Opening at The Ferguson Library in Stamford Restaurant Coffee Tea And Coffee Opening CTbites Team April 30, 2019 Winfield Street Coffee will open at The Ferguson Library this summer. The coffee shop, which will offer Counter Culture Coffee, Battenkill Milk and Hudson Valley Harvest produce along with other local products, will also serve fresh baked goods, their renown breakfast and lunch sandwiches, as well as salads. It will open in the former Starbucks space once renovations are complete, probably in mid-August.Owner Breno Donatti also operates the Winfield Street Italian Deli in Westport and another Winfield Street Coffee at the Croton-Harmon train station in Croton-on-Hudson New York. He lives in Stamford with his family. Read More
Garden Catering Debuts Fried Chicken Sandwiches Restaurant Fried Chicken Sandwich Norwalk Fairfield New Menu Homepage Andrew Dominick April 26, 2019 There’s no doubt that Garden Catering’s chicken nuggets—with cones—are the star of their show. GC’s fans are guilty of copping and crushing “The Special,” many times over. If you’ve ever deviated from their legendary nuggs, chances are you cheated with a Nugget Wrap or the Hotsy, both are arguably the runners up to the nuggets. Well, things are changing!Oh, don’t worry, those two sandwiches are staying, but two new ones are making their grand entrance on Garden Catering’s menu…Fried chicken sandwiches. Read More
Chef Emily Mingrone Opening Tavern on State, A Classic American Tavern, in New Haven Restaurant New Haven American Lunch Opening Stephanie Webster April 23, 2019 Chef Emily Mingrone (of Fleisher’s, Match & Jesup Hall) is turning a long time dream into reality with the upcoming opening of her own restaurant, Tavern On State. Tavern On State will be a classic American tavern with a modern twist, located in the East Rock, New Haven, neighborhood. Mingrone had been working on this project for years, but she couldn’t find the right location. When her old drinking haunt, Cojones, became available, she knew it was meant to be. “I’ve learned so much working with Chefs Storch and Taibe, and I’m so grateful for those experiences,” says Mingrone. Now it’s HER time. We are thrilled to see another female chef in the Connecticut restaurant scene, and we are excited to see what this seasoned chef has in store for us. Speaking with Mingrone, she describes Tavern on State as having a “simple concept in menu and design.” “One of my biggest frustrations as a consumer is sometimes you just want a really good steak or delicious shrimp cocktail, and there is no place to get really great classic American fare. At Tavern On State, I want to make simple flavor focused, properly made tavern food.” Think oysters on the half shell, but garnished with yuzu vs mignonette; interesting versions of the classic shrimp cocktail, grilled octopus, burgers, and sexy steaks. Read More
SONO 1420, Small Batch Distillery Featuring Hemp Distilled Spirits, Opens in South Norwalk Features Ingredients South Norwalk SONO Distillery Cocktails Spirits Homepage Opening Kristin L. Wolfe April 20, 2019 It was a vote of 14 to 20.One hundred years ago in 1919 Connecticut State Senate couldn’t ratify the 18th Amendment which made Connecticut one of two states at the time to defeat prohibition. It was a real moment in history, and now a real moment for SONO 1420, the revolutionary new distillery making waves in the world of spirits. As far as everyone knows, they are THE only distillery around using hemp seed in its remarkable mash for whiskey as well as other parts of the plant for its flavorful and aromatic essence in gins, bourbons, and ryes. Read More
Prime Stamford Launches New Seasonal Spring Menu (Alongside Waterfront Dining) (sponsored post) Restaurant Stamford American Seafood Cocktails Outdoor Dining Waterfront Jessica Ryan April 17, 2019 Spring is always a welcome thing, but as part of the CTBites team it also means that a trip to Prime Stamford is in order to check out their spring offerings and we are always eager to see what magic Chef Julio Geno has up his sleeve. As we waited to get a sampling of the Easter Menu we sipped some of the restaurant’s most popular choices, the Babylon Express, made from Crop cucumber vodka, St. Germaine, lime and pineapple juices, the Pineapple Mojito and the Passion Cosmo, made from passion vodka, passion fruit purée, triple sec and lime and cranberry juices. Read More
Hartford Flavor Company: Uniquely Delicious Botanical Liqueurs Features Ingredients Liqueur Cocktails Ingredients Hartford Specialty Market Kristin L. Wolfe April 17, 2019 It’s herbal, it’s floral, it’s natural, Oh MY. It’s botanical liqueur.Walking into Hartford Flavor Company is like walking into a place where all’s right with the world: it’s owned and operated by a smart woman, everything is natural, and it is as beautiful as a field of flowers should be. Or, it’s like a laboratory-meets day spa-meets fully-stocked bar. Take your pick.Anyway, I think you are getting my point. It is downright lovely and essential and all you think while touring around and talking to owner Lelaneia Dubay is, where have you been all my life? Read More
