5TH Annual Blues, Views & BBQ Festival + CTbites Chef Tent Restaurant BBQ Events Westport kids activity Beer Kid Friendly CTbites Team August 28, 2012 Come on down to the 5th annual Blues, Views & BBQ Festival this weekend, September 1st and 2nd. This event celebrates food, music and family with an exciting line-up of bands, craft beer, barbecue and cooking events, ribs and pie eating contests as well as fun for the whole family. And let's not forget the CTbites Chef Demo Tent on Sept 1st, where 6 top Fairfield County chefs will demo recipes and serve up tasty vittles all day long. Food vendors include: Bobby Q's Bodacious BBQ, Winnie's Jerk Chicken & Fish-Caribean Cuisine, Blue Lemon Restaurant, Dave & Jerry's Hot Dog Trolley-Beef Hot Dogs, French Fries & Fresh Squeezed Lemonade, Bar Q BBQ -Beef Brisket, Smoked Chicken Wings, Melt Mobile -Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Wild Bill's Olde Fashioned Soda, Rolling Cones Ice Cream, Rita's Italian Ice. Aurora's Gypsy Cafe-Desserts, Kettle Corn Read More
Stamford's New Boom Town: A Peek @ Harbor Point's Food Future Restaurant Stamford Lou Gorfain August 28, 2012 First there was Fairway. The legendary grocery market firmly planted a Food Flag at Harbor Point, back when the former industrial peninsula was just a cluster of earth movers, gutted factories and towering cranes in Stamford's South End. Today this 3.5 Billion dollar redevelopment project (maybe America's biggest) teems with residences, offices, retail, and yes, its first restaurants like the new Harlan Social that's just opened across from Fairway Market. "My job over the next couple of years is to transform Harbor Point into a dining hotspot , Jon Sabrowski told CTBites. He's the leasing director of Building and Land Technology, developer of the 100 acre mixed use site. Sabrowski, a restaurant and real estate veteran, agreed to give CTBites an exclusive sneak peek at the Food Future of this amazing, newly minted city within a city. Read More
The Chelsea in Fairfield: A New Chip Off the Old Block Restaurant American Cocktails Fairfield Comfort Food Lunch Kid Friendly Amy Kundrat August 26, 2012 Instantly familiar, yet completely new, Fairfield’s six-week-young The Chelsea has already settled quite nicely into the dining scene. With an Unquowa Place address, a steady lunch and a boisterous evening crowd–its practically a Fairfield County regular. This is thanks in large part to a familiar and accomplished trio of owners responsible for creating many hot spots we know and love: Scott Beck, co-owner of Match and The Loft in South Norwalk; Matt Storch, Chef and co-owner of Match in South Norwalk; and Kevin McHugh, Co-Owner of Grey Goose in Southport and Spotted Horse in Westport. Beyond the obvious street cred, the palpable success of the restaurant is found in the breeziness of its well-designed space (McHugh’s cozy palette of reclaimed rough sawn wood, white subway tiles and raw glass fixtures) paired with a globally-inspired menu long on classics. The Chelsea’s menu is a witty take on many dishes we all know and love, combined with a consistency of quality that comes from veteran owners and chefs who know the Fairfield County appetite very well. Read More
White Gate Farm Launches 'Farm Kitchen' Cooking Classes Restaurant Cooking Classes East Lyme Shoreline East Farm Fresh Amy Kundrat August 23, 2012 White Gate Farm in East Lyme, CT, a favorite eastern Connecticut farm stand and Dinners on the Farm venue, is unveiling their new commercial "Farm Kitchen" and a series of cooking classes featuring talented Connecticut chefs. The series will officially kick off this Friday at White Gate Farm for what they are calling a "Grand Unveiling" on August 24 at 7 pm ($10 per person). The evening will feature a preview of the hands-on kitchen and farm-fresh hors d'oeuvres, wine and chef's presentations. They will also unveil the full season of classes, dates and participating chefs this evening. Read More
Don't Miss "Bacon Week" at Plan B Burger in Milford Restaurant Milford Comfort Food Kid Friendly Burgers CTbites Team August 22, 2012 Plan B Burger knows that everything is better with bacon. Hence, in celebration of their one Year Anniversary, Plan B Milford presents “Bacon Week,” Monday September 10-Sunday September 16th. This bacon bounty includes a full menu of bacon inspired savory and sweet treats including everything from “The Divine Swine” aka “Drop Dead Burger,” (100% ground bacon burger topped w/ thick sliced bacon, bacon aioli, bourbon bacon red onion jam, and a fried egg all sandwiched in between a grilled cheese) to Bacon Candy Bars and Bacon infused Bourbon cocktails. Did I mention the Bacon Cotton Candy? There's one for the ages. The full menu is below, but if you love pork like I love pork, I'd say make your way over to Milford. Read More
It's Hatch Chile Season! Celebrate with Stew Leonards. Ingredients Restaurant Norwalk CTbites Team August 22, 2012 If you can't make it to the annual Hatch Chile Festival in New Mexico in early September, this weekend in Norwalk may be a close second. Stew Leonard’s in Norwalk is partnering with a family-owned New Mexico Green Chile Company to host a Hatch Chile Roasting demo and tasting for customers on Thursday, August 23 through Sunday, August 26, 2012. Stew's will be selling their fire-roasted or unroasted Hatch chiles, as well as offering samples of fresh salsa made with Hatch chiles. For more information, visit Stew Leonards website or better yet, stop on by this weekend. Read More
Pontos Taverna: Authentic Greek in Norwalk Restaurant Greek Norwalk Lunch Nancy Kleeger August 19, 2012 A well-executed movie night in Fairfield County, which includes eating out before or after the flick, usually requires some skill. You have to factor in the length of the movie and the distance to the restaurant and hope that there isn’t any traffic along Post Road so you don’t miss the coming attractions or your reservation. Good news foodies and movie lovers, I have found the antidote to that little problem right in the heart of Norwalk. I introduce to you, Pontos Taverna (cue the Greek music), serving Authentic Greek Cuisine right next to Garden Cinema. Next to Garden Cinema you ask? I know, I’ve said it before myself, “What Greek restaurant next to the cinema?” Read More
Chef Demo Tent Lineup @ 2012 Blues & BBQ Festival Restaurant BBQ Chef Talk Events CTbites Team August 19, 2012 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 Saturday, September 1st from 11:30-5pm come on down to the CTbites Chef 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 Rob Troilo of Nicholas Roberts in Norwalk; Chef Joe Wolfson of Terrain in Westport; Chef Helton DaSilva of Barcelona Restaurant; Festivities Catering and Chef Judy Roll of Tabouli Grill. Chef Demo Schedule 11:30 Festivities Catering (Nicole Straight) 12:15 Matt Storch, The Chelsea/Match 1:00 Helton DaSilva, Barcelona 1:45 Rob Troilo, Nicholas Roberts 2:30 Joe Wolfson, Terrain 3:15 Pietro Scotti, Da Pietro's 4:00 Judy Roll, Tabouli Grill Read More
The Winners of the Beach Burger Contest... Restaurant Burgers jfood August 17, 2012 A mouthwatering hamburger is one of life’s simple pleasures. And when you can elevate this 100+ year old culinary delight to another level, it makes for great eating. Schedules finally allowed for the tasting and voting for Beach Burger’s CTbites’ Burger and it was a night filled with serious eating, drinking and some tough decisions on which of the entries would win. All of the combinations were brilliantly conceived and each brought a different combination of flavors. There were Italian, Latin, Southeast Asian and good old fashioned Southern combinations in the hamburger finalists plus Caribbean and childhood memories in the milk shakes recipes. After sampling five excellent hamburgers and three delicious milk shakes, the judges were torn between two in each category. But contests are made for winners, so CTbites is pleased to announce that the new additions to Beach Burger’s menu are: Read More
New Canaan Restaurant Week Starts August 24 Restaurant New Canaan CTbites Team August 15, 2012 After a successful premiere last year, New Canaan Restaurant Week is on tap to run from Friday, August 24th to Thursday, August 30th. Thirteen New Canaan restaurants will feature Restaurant Week prix fixe menus -- providing diners a chance to sample their cuisines at attractive prices. Already known as a destination for great food, New Canaan’s upcoming promotional week promises to draw restaurant-goers into town, just as the summer is winding down and the new school year starts. The list of restaurant participants reflects the full array of New Canaan cuisines: Boulevard 18 Bistro & Wine Bar; Carpe Diem; Cava Wine Bar & Restaurant; Gates Restaurant; elm; New Canaan Diner; Plum Tree Restaurant; Rosie; Sole Ristorante; Thali Regional Cuisine of India – New Canaan; The Tuscan Osteria-Mercato and Silvermine Market. Participating restaurants have a choice of two price points for the featured two-course luncheon menus and three-course dinner menus. Pricing is as follows: Lunch $10.12 or $15.12; and dinner $20.12 or $29.12. Read More
Scena Wine Bar & Restaurant in Darien Restaurant Darien Italian Lunch Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger August 12, 2012 Scena Wine Bar & Restaurant in Darien has been serving top notch, modern interpretations of Italian cuisine under the direction of Executive Chef Eben Leonard for close to 3 years. It is one of three restaurants owned by brothers Vicente and Kleber Siguenza (a fourth is schedule to open in Greenwich later this year) including Cava Wine Bar in New Canaan and 55 Degrees Wine Bar and Restaurant in Fairfield. Chef Leonard traces his culinary passion to his early childhood in Chatham, New York when he prepared monthly dinner menus for his mother. As a teenager, Chef Leonard met his first mentor, Chef Urs Bieri, at the Elm Court Inn in Massachusetts, when Bieri hired him to work as a “chef” at the age of fifteen, Read More
Belgique Chocolatier To Close Both Locations Restaurant Chocolate CTbites Team August 12, 2012 Belgique Chocolatier, with locations in Kent and New Canaan, CT, will be closing the doors to both locations at the end of October and customers with gift certificates are encouraged to redeem them. Read More
IKEA Swedish Summer Crayfish Party, August 17 Restaurant Seafood New Haven CTbites Team August 10, 2012 Celebrate Summer with IKEA Swedish Crayfish Party, for Only $9.99, Kids 12 and Under Eat for Only $2.49It’s the time of the year again for enjoying time with family and friends under the setting sun, amidst mild summer weather. IKEA, the Life Improvement Store, invites customer to enjoy the IKEA Crayfish Party—a late summer smorgasbord that will be hosted in the restaurant IKEA New Haven on Friday, August 17. For only $9.99 per person or $2.49 for kids 12 and under, guests can enjoy a Swedish summer meal of crayfish, cheese pie, cucumber salad, and more.Crayfish parties date back to the 1800s when lakes in Sweden were full of crayfish. In order to protect crayfish populations, the fishing season was limited to August and September, which is why—today—Swedish crayfish parties are still traditionally held in August. Read More
New Haven Food & Wine Festival Grand Tasting on August 22 Restaurant Events New Haven CTbites Team August 09, 2012 The New Haven Food & Wine Festival returns this year kicking off with a Grand Tasting as part of the New Haven Open Tennis Tournament on August 22 from 5 to 7:30 pm. The $125 ticket includes admission to the tasting and box seats for that evening's session 7. Read More
Craft Beer & Chili Challenge in East Hartford, August 12 Restaurant East Hartford Beer Comfort Food CTbites Team August 08, 2012 Chefs are always talking about wine pairings, but for all of you who prefer a cold one to a glass of vino, here's your chance for sample some of the best beer CT has to offer. The Craft Beer & Chili Challenge will be held at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, CT on Sunday, August 12th from 12-4 p.m. What's better than 100's of beers & dozens of chilis? Really, nothing, but if you require added appeal, attendees will get to vote for their favorites as they crown the best official beers and chilies in Connecticut. Chili will range from from hearty and meaty, to hot and spicy, to vegetarian, and everything in between, so there's something for every eater. For one flat admission price of $62.50, attendees can sample dozens of different chilis prepared by area restaurants and hundreds of craft beers from around the state and around the world. In addition, there will be vendors and crafters from around the Northeast displaying and selling their work, as well as a DJ providing a rocking soundtrack of music for the event. Read More
Plan B Burger Opens in Stamford: Burgers, Bourbon & Beer Restaurant Stamford Comfort Food Lunch Kid Friendly Burgers Lou Gorfain August 05, 2012 The B's in “Plan B Burger” are Burgers, Bourbon, and Beer. Add another for “Big”. The huge Stamford branch of this high concept Connecticut restaurant franchise opened this week in the Town Center, and the spectacular interior of the vast 4500 square foot space immediately announces "This Ain't Five Guys." No peanut shells here. And a far more high end burger. Reclaimed wood walls. Blown glass lights. High tin celings. Meat hook lamps. A wrap around bar, brimming with beer and booze. Plan B transports an old-fashioned American saloon into the 21st Century. Walk in and you know some two-fisted eatin' and drinkin' could happen here. All that's missing are sarsaparilla and swinging doors. The eats and drinks.... by the B's. Read More
Stanziato's Dinner @ Holbrook Farm Restaurant Farm to Table Pizza Amy Kundrat August 05, 2012 Get excited. Stanziato's Pizza in Danbury is teaming up with Holbrook Farm for the Danbury pizzeria's first farm-to-table event held on the Bethel farm, Sunday, September 16, 2012 from 4 to 7pm. Each $60 ticket includes soup, salads, appetizers (plated), wood-fired pizza from Stanziato's new truck (served family style) as well as non-alcoholic beverages and local beer/wine,. Virtually all of the ingredients will be sourced from the farm. You can also count on live music to round out this late summer evening. Stanziato's has accumulated a cult following of pizza lovers across northern Fairfield County who know its Neapolitan-inspired pizza menu of white and red pies by heart. If we've ever spoken about pizza, chances are you have heard me swoon about the Soppressata and Chilies pizza that stole my heart. The CIA-trained Chef Stanczak's talents don't stop at the wood-fired ovens, his salads and soups have their own fan club as well, a perfect foil for an evening dinner on the farm. Tickets are limited so grab some friends and be sure to get yours soon. Where: Holbrook Farm – 45 Turkey Plain Road, Bethel, CT 06801 Time: 4-7pm Tickets: $60 per person, purchase online at http://stanziatos.com/farm-to-table-event/ Questions: Call Stanziato's at 203.885.1057 or email info@stanziatos.com Read More
Harlan Social Opens in Stamford's Harbor Point Restaurant American Stamford Lou Gorfain August 03, 2012 Steven Lewandowski knows something about breaking new ground. He worked at Montrachet, Drew Nieporant’s’s transformative French restaurant that ignited a dining renaissance in once grim Lower Manhattan. "I think we can change the game here, too," Lewandowski told CTBites during a recent preview of his new Harlan Social at Harbor Point, the amazing redevelopment project now bourgeoning on Stamford's South Side. "When we first checked the area, it was a bit desolate. Like Tribeca when my friend Drew came in there. But when I saw that Fairway was here, I just knew this would be a good home for us, too. Fade Out. Fade In. One year later. Harbor Point is booming and Lewandowski is about to find out if his multimillion dollar bet was on the money.. On August 7th, Harlan Social opens its doors, the first high end restaurant in HP. ("Harlan" is his son's first name, "Social" because the restaurant will be a gathering place for the thousands of people who will soon live, work, play ... and, yes, EAT ... in Harbor Point.) Read More
