Camacho Garage Opens in New Haven From Chef Arturo Franco-Camacho Restaurant Mexican Tacos Cocktails New Haven Lunch Homepage Opening Kristin L. Wolfe October 03, 2020 Chef Arturo Franco-Camacho is no stranger to pleasuring CT diners. As a matter of fact, on top of numerous accolades, he’s been nominated for Chef of the Year. Along with the team from Geronimo Tequila Bar and Southwest Grill, Shell & Bones Oyster Bar and Grill, and Nantucket’s Bar Yoshi, Chef Arturo certainly has a following for his food. (That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if his silver mane has its own instagram page). So, we know when he gets in the kitchen, the food will be fresh, high quality, and pretty friggin’ delicious. And yet, his creativity with each new venture still offers elements of surprise. Cue his newest, Camacho Garage in New Haven. Read More
Guide To Great Coffee in Connecticut 2020: Happy National Coffee Day! Features Restaurant Best of CT Coffee Tea And Coffee Breakfast Homepage Kristin L. Wolfe September 29, 2020 Those who know me, know I’m an equal opportunity caffeinator; I start my day low-key and sort of lady-like with a cup of Twinings Earl Grey. BUT, if I haven’t been punched in the face by mid-morning with a good strong cappuccino, then watch out. By the sheer number of places in our great state to get a jolt, I know I’m not alone. The list is long, but please, let us know if we’ve missed one of your favorite spot for java and we’ll add it to the caffeinated compilation. Go forth and get buzzed. Read More
Mr. Frosty's: Outrageously Tasty, Instagram Worthy Ice Cream with Old School Charm Restaurant ice cream Special Dietary Needs Vegan Kid Friendly Take Out Delivery Dessert Homepage Stephanie Webster September 26, 2020 When Anthony and Rosa Luciano took over Mr. Frosty’s, 15 years ago, this classic ice cream spot had already been scooping the good stuff for happy customers for close to 60 years. Situated in the heart of East Norwalk, a few feet from the Norwalk River, Mr. Frosty’s feels like the type of spot you might wander across in a summer beach resort town. What makes Mr. Frosty’s a destination for Fairfield County ice cream enthusiasts? Anthony and Rosa never sit still. They are constantly researching and pushing to find the next great thing. Their creativity, playfulness, and willingness to experiment has made them a go-to for all things ice cream. Whether you’re looking for a take-out family style “Take & Make Fun Kit,” a Tornado, Shake, Apple Waffle Sundae, or whatever their latest and greatest seasonal flavors might be, the operative words are outrageous delicious fun here.Truth be told, it was their new Vegan ice cream flavors that brought me to Mr Frosty’s on this visit, and yet somehow I managed to end up elbow deep in waffle sundaes, a pumpkin spice float, and several “Cravers.” Read More
Chef Stephen Lewandowski Is Back, Cooking Exceptional Fare at Townhouse in Greenwich Restaurant Greenwich American Lunch Take Out Fine Dining Homepage Seafood Pasta Private Party Outdoor Dining Patio Opening Jessica Ryan September 22, 2020 At Townhouse, contemporary meets traditional not only in décor, but in cuisine as well, where color and layers are just as prevalent in each carefully prepared dish. The menu takes simple fare and elevates it to the next level, layering flavors, colors and textures from around the world, delivering dishes that are nothing short of superb.This should really come as no surprise and one would expect nothing less with the trifecta of excellence at the restaurant’s helm. Chef Stephen Lewandowski (formerly of the Harlan restaurants, Tribeca Grill and Gotham Bar & Grill) has teamed up with longtime friend Drew (Nierport of Tribeca, Nobu & Batard), and Director of Operations Dana Cifone (formerly of Duoro, Starr and One Group) to create an experience of distinction that is multifaceted. Read More
RISE Doughnuts: Pitmaster Hugh Mangum is Making Donuts in Wilton Features Restaurant Wilton donuts Homepage Hugh Mangum Pop-Up Dessert Breakfast Opening Andrew Dominick September 20, 2020 At quarter to midnight on a Saturday in Wilton, the town is pitch black except for the glimmer of light coming from Tim LaBant’s Parlor. Ovens are off, they’re not making pizza, and the doors are locked. It’s where you’ll find Hugh Mangum, the owner of Mighty Quinn’s Barbecue, former Chopped champion, a Jean-Georges alum, frequent judge on Beat Bobby Flay and Fire Masters, and, well, you get the idea. Mangum is beginning a sleepless overnight shift where he’s doing the opposite of what he’s known for, if making donuts and fritters for a Sunday morning pop-up is the opposite of smoking meat.Mangum’s late-night workshop is a necessary one. He’s got lots of donut dough to make, bowls of homemade curds, creams, and glazes need to be whipped up, and fritters require a folding of buttery, cinnamony, sugary Granny Smiths.Later, Mangum will be joined by his wife, Laura, and his sons Lucas and Henry. While Hugh fries and fills hundreds of donuts in the back, Laura is up front submerging fritters in glaze and coating donuts with fruit-infused sugars. Lucas and Henry are also hands on, expediting and fulfilling customers’ orders for half dozens and dozens.The line at this point isn’t only a few early birds. When 8 a.m. sales begin, there’s a line wrapped around that side of the shopping center that goes all the way to the back with eager donut fans awaiting freshly made donuts and piping hot fritters, just dunked in brown butter vanilla bean glaze. Read More
Rebel Daughter Cookies: Insanely Delicious Cookies Straight Outta Wilton Features Restaurant dess Wilton Delivery Baked Goods Bakery Cookies Homepage Steven Laitmon September 17, 2020 What do you do when you discover that the most creative, delicious cookies are located nearby, and they deliver? You order them of course! As a self-proclaimed, treat forager, I am always on the lookout for creative, inventive sweets. Little did I know, the most delicious cookies I have ever had were being made by a local mom just a town away from where I live in Westport.The first time I heard of Rebel Daughter was on a Facebook post where someone asked for a local cookie recommendation. I learned that this “e-bakery” delivers super premium, incredibly creative cookies, and I knew I needed to taste them ASAP! I went to Rebel Daughter’s website and was immediately excited when I saw the beautiful pictures and learned they were fresh-baked using super premium ingredients, and came in most mouth-watering varieties. Read More
2020 Food Truck Update: New Trucks Rolling Into CT...or Just New To You Features Restaurant Food Truck Food Truck Park Best of CT Homepage Opening Kristin L. Wolfe September 13, 2020 AS IF…..Just when we think we’ve caught wind from every CT Food Truck rolling by, there are new ones popping up, or ones we’ve yet to try [too funny, didn’t plan that rhyme there!]. So, in the effort to always share what we love about CT food inside, outside, or on four wheels, here are a few great trucks that have launched in 2020, and a nice long list of mobile food options that will serve as a reminder to those of you who were already in the know! [For yet more mobile food options you can also refer to our recent guide to CT’s favorite food trucks here.] Read More
Don't Miss The MIKU Sushi Pop-Up at Tony's At The Jhouse Restaurant Features Pop-Up Dinner Sushi Japanese Italian Greenwich Homepage Opening Jessica Ryan September 11, 2020 About a year ago I was invited to a press event at Tony’s at the J House in Greenwich, Connecticut which I covered for CTBites here. So when we were recently invited back to experience the new Miku Sushi Pop-up I was delighted.The owners of MIKU SUSHI K Dong, and Chef Steve Chen, have created a special partnership with Tony Capasso, managing partner at Tony’s at the J House, to launch an all-new “elevated” sushi bar at the upscale steakhouse.The MIKU x Tony’s pop-up is led by Executive Chef Joe Liu, former head sushi chef at Tao and Masa in Manhattan. The special menu features many of MIKU signature rolls as well as two new rolls, exclusive to Tony’s. The Tony Roll is made with bluefin toro, avocado, scallion and spicy lobster salad, and J House Roll with king salmon, avocado, wasabi sesame and spicy yellowtail. Read More
Pizza for a Good Cause: Letizia’s Pizza Creates Specialty Pies for Two Local Charities Restaurant Events Pizza Norwalk Letizia's Pizza charity Andrew Dominick September 09, 2020 Letizia’s Pizza is no stranger to helping out local charities. It’s a simple win-win concept; buy a specialty pizza, devour it, and ALL the proceeds from each pie sold are donated to a good cause.This September, Letizia’s brought back their taco pizza to benefit Filling in the Blanks, a charity that’s geared towards fighting childhood hunger by providing children with meals on the weekends.Partnering with charities is something Letizia’s owners Dennis Letizia, Dave Cook, and Danny Segers say they’ll always be a part of. “It’s our way to give back,” Segers says. “Our community is so supportive of us whenever we ask, so when we find local charities like Filling in the Blanks and see all the hard work, they put in to end childhood hunger, we’re ecstatic to help.” Read More
Da Legna Opens Da Legna x Nolo: Restaurant & Brewery Restaurant New Haven Brewery Beer CT Beer Pizza Lunch Homepage Opening James Gribbon September 07, 2020 If you've ever held one of those “I [pizza] New Haven” shirts in your covetous gaze, here's where to get one. There's your first bit of info in this story. Finding this place isn't difficult, it's right next to the entrance to I-91 on State St. in New Haven. That parts are easy. Finding out about Da Legna x Nolo is a bit more of a story. Thankfully, it involves pizza and drinks, and I'm here to tell you the whole thing.You may already be familiar with Da Legna's earlier space, located farther down State Street's restaurant row, and separating itself from the scrum of the Elm City's pizza scene by focusing on creative, sourdough based pies inside a setting designed in a recent century. Seating space and parking were issues at the former spot, so when owner Derek Bacon and chef Dan Parillo spotted the old Jet Cleaners space (probably the only laundromat to be designed by a famous architect) open up down the street, they jumped on it. Read More
Friday Froth- Coming Back To Back East Brewery Features Ingredients CT Beer Beer Brewery Bloomfield James Gribbon September 04, 2020 In October of 2019 I sat down with Tony Karlowicz at Back East to visit the brewery and talk about the 2017 gold medal won by his porter at the world's largest beer competition, the 2018 expansion that nearly tripled his brewing capacity, and the giant new taproom he'd hired an architectural firm to design and build for the spring of 2020. We shook hands and said we'd see each other again when I could write the article about the grand opening in April. Ten months and a global disaster later I looked at the glass in my hand as I sat, finally, for the first time, in that tasting room. Printed just above my thumb were the words "Find Your Way Back." Read More
Kneads Bakery Café Opening in Westport Sept 5th: Artisan Bread, Breakfast & Lunch Restaurant Breakfast Lunch Bakery Bread Local Artisan Pastries Dessert Coffee Homepage Maddie Phelps September 03, 2020 In his grandmother’s tapas restaurant in Dallas, a young Daniel Moreno grew up hidden away in the kitchen, learning, listening while cultivating a dream of becoming a chef. Over a thousand miles away in Connecticut, a young Brittany spent her days baking for her family, guided by the dream of running her very own bakery one day. Now married, Daniel and Brittany Moreno’s dreams have turned into a reality as they open Kneads in Westport.With coffee, sandwiches, salads, soups, pastries and, of course, bread, Kneads offers a fresh, diverse “chalkboard” menu that features 100% whole grain organic flour. And, with a heavy focus on local products within a simple, cafe format, this husband and wife duo hope to bring a newfound appreciation of milling to town. Read More
GastroPark Food Truck Park Opening in West Hartford Restaurant Features Food Truck West Hartford Hartford County Outdoor Dining Food Truck Park Opening Maddie Phelps September 01, 2020 Tate Norden’s blue 1959 Chevy Viking was once your average vintage car. Then, in 2015, he transformed it into the ultimate catering vehicle, featuring a bar and a wood-fired pizza oven. With that, Iron & Grain Co. was born. Now, five years later, he has transformed what was once a vacant West Hartford property into a foodie paradise with funding that has been fully crowdsourced. With that, GastroPark was born, and it is now open for the public to enjoy.After recognizing how profoundly this niche in the restaurant industry was expanding in the Connecticut area, Norden wanted one spot where these trucks could flourish. His years of planning and negotiating with architects, engineers, and contractors have finally paid off, as GastroPark is doing just that, serving as a place where food trucks can congregate and offer customers a range of diverse menus for any craving. With an impressive outdoor and (soon to be) indoor area, visitors will ride a flavor rollercoaster as soon as they enter this unique dining experience. Read More
Savory Smoke Barbecue Food Truck Launches in Norwalk Area Restaurant Food Truck BBQ Homepage Norwalk Andrew Dominick August 30, 2020 When cruising around the Norwalk Town Green on random weekdays or perusing the Rowayton Farmers Market on Fridays, you may have noticed a big neon green food truck with the words “Savory Smoke Barbecue” decaled on the side. On board is Ryan Cuber. His name might be new to some of you, but be assured, he’s not new to the BBQ game.Cuber, a Norwalk resident, has been around if you’ve really paid attention to the food scene. He has catered privately, held BBQ pop-ups at Sand Wedge Deli and at Winfield Street Coffee, and he ran the pits for the short-lived (but very good) Mason Dixon Smokehouse in Stamford.BBQ aside, Cuber was around the business at an early age. “I was exposed to the restaurant business as a kid and I learned a lot; my mom was a restaurant manager,” he says. “I’ve done almost everything from folding pizza boxes to being a busboy. I’ve managed. I’ve been a chef.”Cuber’s BBQ journey began in 2011, at a time when there wasn’t much of it around here. “There wasn’t really anyone doing it when I started…maybe Bobby Q’s was the only one back then,” he recalls. “I was overworked, over schooled, a little bit hungover. I woke up in the middle of the night, made a sauce, and said, ‘This is it. This is what I’m gonna do.’ I knew the area needed more BBQ.” Read More
Garden Catering in Old Greenwich Opens Pop-Up Seafood Shack Restaurant Seasonal Seafood Greenwich Garden Catering News Lobster Roll Andrew Dominick August 26, 2020 Nuggets, cones, a Hotsy, and…LOBSTER ROLLS?!That’s what’s been happening this summer at the O.G. Garden Catering location at their pop-up “Clam Shack,” where you can crush one of, or both versions of a lobster roll; Connecticut style, served warm with drawn butter or Maine style, served chilled, tossed in a mayo-based dressing with chopped scallions. Each is served on a buttered-and-griddled Martin’s Potato Roll.And there’s more.The Clam Shack’s expanded seafood menu includes a sizeable shrimp po’boy slathered with a homemade spicy remoulade, a New England shrimp salad roll, and a battered-and-fried clam strip roll. Clam strips are also offered as a platter with fries and coleslaw or just the strips in a one pound serving. Read More
J’s Homemade Elderberry Syrup: Boost Your Immune System with this Locally Made Product Features Ingredients Ingredients Gourmet Ingredients Kid Friendly Specialty Market Local Artisan Shop Local Vendor Highlight Amy Kundrat August 25, 2020 Julie Messina had a problem to solve. What could she do to proactively combat the cold and flu season when it inevitably hit her own home? As a Kindergarten teacher and a new mom, she knew she would be a vector for viruses for her family and wanted to get ahead of the inevitable sniffles, or worse, influenza. When she discussed her concerns with her pediatrician, she learned about elderberry syrup, which some studies have shown can shorten the severity and duration of flu in adults. Drawn to its properties as a natural food, she wanted to give it a try but she hit her first roadblock when trying store brands. She didn’t like the taste or price of the elderberry syrups readily available, so she decided to try making her own. Although Julie wouldn’t officially sell her first bottle of elderberry syrup for several months, J’s Homemade was born on that fateful day at the pediatrician’s office. Like many entrepreneurs solving a problem, what followed wasn’t a straight path, but a lot of trial and error, perseverance and support from her wife Alicia and her (now) two children.Each bottle of J’s Homemade elderberry syrup reflects its natural products and represents her own ongoing research and development. Read More
El Segundo Opens in New Haven with Global Street Food Restaurant New Haven Global Cuisine Thai Korean Mexican Puerto Rican Chinese American Burgers Cocktails Jamaican Homepage Opening Kristin L. Wolfe August 23, 2020 What a full circle moment. I first met our editor Stephanie Webster, affectionately known as Boss Lady, almost two years ago at El Segundo in SONO before I started eating myself silly for ctbites. So, I’d say it’s fitting that I get to bring you the news that the segundo El Segundo is opening in New Haven THIS TUESDAY, August 25th. It makes PERFECT sense that a place that consistently delivers super friggin delish-us Global Street Food, land in a town like New Haven, which is a gorgeous microcosm of what our bruised little world has to offer. Read More
Newtown's NewSylum Brewing Co. is a Pandemic Success Story Restaurant Features CT Beer Beer Beer Garden Newtown Brewery Opening Connecticut Magazine August 21, 2020 Connecticut Magazine checks out NewSylum Brewery in Newtown. Here’s their review.It was not the grand opening anyone envisioned.NewSylum Brewing Co. owners Mark Lennon, David Kingsley and Mark Tambascio had been planning their brewery for several years as a taproom-centered operation. One that took full advantage of their unique location in Newtown within a historic building at what was formerly Fairfield Hills Hospital, a psychiatric facility on a 100-plus-acre campus with more than a dozen buildings.NewSylum Brewing Co. in Newtown opened during the coronavirus pandemic in a historic building in the former Fairfield Hills Hospital, a psychiatric facility.Then the coronavirus hit.The brewery was slated to open the first week in May, but Connecticut was still shut down and the taproom the owners had envisioned as the centerpiece of their business couldn’t be opened. “We had to shift gears from our original plan,” Lennon says.They hadn’t planned on canning their beer but quickly contracted with a mobile canning company, and began offering curbside pickup. Read More
Grigg Street Pizza Opens in Greenwich with Artisan Sourdough Pies Restaurant Features Greenwich Homepage pizza Andrew Dominick August 20, 2020 Right off the busy Greenwich Avenue, is Grigg Street. There’s not much on it besides an independent bookstore, The Perfect Provenance’s parking lot, a soon-to-open coffee shop, and a basement level space that previously housed Lord of the Pies. The white tiled walls of the subterranean restaurant remain. But now they’re partially decked out with Jimi Hendrix, The Sex Pistols, and Pearl Jam posters that go along with the current residents’ eclectic, mostly rock playlist, a perfect soundtrack for Matthew Watson and Jon Corbo as they pound, stretch, spin, and roll dough at Grigg Street Pizza.Pizza making is a switch up for the two longtime friends and Greenwich residents, who were formerly partners in the string of Corbo’s Deli locations. After the sold their part of the deli business they wanted to continue working together. “We missed that face-to-face interaction,” Watson says. “I’m making your food. I want that. We yearned for that feeling again.”With pizza, they’re getting that again. But make no mistake, Grigg Street Pizza is no run-of-the-mill corner slice shop. Call it artisan if you want to. The philosophy here is quality ingredients and local ingredients whenever possible, using a few vendors, and to make everything, or damn near everything, in-house. “Nothing is coming out of a bottle. We’re making our salad dressing. We want everything to be legit,” Watson reveals.Corbo interrupts to praise his friend. “This man can cook,” he says about Watson (who’s a French Culinary Institute grad). “I wanted to be a part of that. I don’t think anything we make, or very few things we make, have more than 4-5 ingredients. We want to let that shine.”Some of those quality ingredients? Bianco DiNapoli Tomatoes for their red sauce, homemade mozzarella, and house-ground fennel sausage should you opt for it. A few drizzles to entice you and enhance your pie include habanero-garlic infused honey and roasted Chile de árbol hot oil.And pizza, obviously, is the star of their show. Specifically…sourdough pizza. Each pie is full-sized, cooked in a gas oven, and spun carefully for an even char and well doneness. What they’re achieving here with the mother-based dough, with no commercial yeast, and naturally leavened for three days is a lightness that doesn’t make you feel too full. It’s crispy. It’s got a little chew. Read More
Locally Made Canned Cocktails We've Been Lovin' in Summer 2020 Features Ingredients Cocktails Canned Cocktails Drinks Home Delivery homepage Homepage Kristin L. Wolfe August 15, 2020 Not gonna lie. I’m sucked in by looks. What’s on the inside counts, sure, but when I see a sharp, sexy...wait a minute. I’m talking about my drinks. What were you thinking?Ok, weird intro aside, there seems to be an endless list of new canned drinks out there and room for even more. And, although nothing these days seems to be “normal” we are trying to enjoy ourselves however we can; and to me, sun, water, and delicious cold drinks, certainly helps that effort. So, while some of your pandemic hobbies might have revolved around expanding your mind or being creative with activities like puzzles, knitting, or cooking grannies old recipes, mine sorta kinda included drinking on the beach; and drinking delicious, creatively designed canned beverages, in particular. I started out with the popular seltzers like White Claw, Stoli’s yada yada, then moved to a few hard ciders from the 1911 suite (from Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards), like the Rosé in a tall, gorgeous soft pink can; then my fam and I fell in love with punch of the Watermelon Mint with graphics as a bold as the taste.But then my new “hobby” got a little more interesting, uh...well, bolder, with stronger boozish. Here are a couple of brands created in our lovely state, then a few others you just have to try, especially since there’s still at least six weeks left of sunshine. However, I gather these will still be enjoyed well beyond the end of summer. Read More
