Recap: Cooking Demo & Lunch w/ Barcelona's Chef Helton Restaurant CTbites Invites Meaghan Morelli March 05, 2012 Helton DaSilva knows how to work a room. The 26 year-old native of Brazil is currently the Executive Chef at Barcelona in Fairfield, but his talents expand beyond the kitchen. Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of watching him in action, courtesy of CTBites Invites. It was a chef demo and lunch, and the ladies who were lunching met Chef Helton’s enthusiasm and raised a flirt or two. “Are you married?” one woman ventured after the chef had introduced himself, much to the tittering pleasure of the crowd. And this was before sangria was served. The demo lunch was a mix of insider tips and delicious dishes with more than a dash of Chef Helton’s charm thrown in. Read More
An Oasis of Naked Greens Arrives in SoNo Restaurant Norwalk healthy Lunch Amy Kundrat March 04, 2012 A healthy and convenient take on fast food, Naked Greens is a welcome respite from South Norwalk’s palate-busting dining scene. Chilled shelves stocked with salad greens and a salad bar filled with an array of natural ingredients, stands as the core of a signature made-to-order salad and wrap-filled menu. Soups complete the healthy trifecta, as steaming cauldron-like containers, a harbinger of its Soup Alley not-so-recent-past, stand along the counter offering a selection of hot soups made fresh daily. Read More
Coromandel Dinner, Wine Pairing & Culinary Education Restaurant CTbites Invites Wine Dinners Indian CTbites Team March 04, 2012 Join Coromandel SoNo's Gopi Nair for an exclusive dinner and wine pairing, hand crafted for CTbites Invites. Gopi will be our "gastronomic host" for a unique 3 course dinner on Thursday March 22 from 7-9:30 pm. The evening will begin at the bar with appetizers and wine, followed by a sit down dinner with innovative and authentic Indian cuisine. Gopi will explain the preparation and history behind each dish and will select wines to enhance the meal's flavors and spices.This CTbites Invites event is $65 per person and promises to leave you knowledgeable and appreciative of fine Indian cuisine and wine. Find out more here. Read More
Westport's Town Hall Gets Casual Eatery...Thank God Restaurant Westport Stephanie Webster March 03, 2012 This just in via WestportNow... The ranks of new restaurants in Westport’s center are about to get bigger. Developer Robert Haroun said The Town Hall Restaurant will open in the basement space of his Old Town Hall at 90 Post Road East. The space years ago housed Westport police headquarters. He said the eatery, owned by Westporter Chad Whited, is scheduled to open in three or four months and will serve hamburgers, sandwiches, and casual food with a bar. Meanwhile, Haroun has applied for permits to erect a two-story building at 100 Post Road East, site of the former drive-up banking building, that will have 4,600-square feet on the first floor with basement storage of similar dimension. Story courtesy of Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com Read More
Behind the Scenes with Fine Cooking Magazine Ingredients Road Trip Education Newtown Amy Kundrat March 01, 2012 Similar to my omnivorous approach to food, I’ve been known to devour almost anything when it comes to food in print. And although I love any and all food magazines, my allegiances bend toward the recipe-driven and away from the trendy and overly-styled. It’s nice to know that some serious time has been logged in someone else’s kitchen before amateur hour and its inevitable chaos, commences in my own. Firmly in the category of “not afraid to get their hands dirty,” Fine Cooking magazine is one of those few who are dedicated to the act of cooking. Their meticulous seasonally-driven recipes reflect a dedication to process and a glimpse into their tireless recipe testing. So when I learned their headquarters and test kitchen also happened to be firmly inside our Fairfield County borders at Taunton Press in Newtown, CT, it only became a matter of time before I invited my CTbites-self for a tour and taste. Read More
Mycophilia: Talk, Tasting & Book Signing @ The Aldrich Restaurant Ridgefield Amy Kundrat February 28, 2012 In the new book Mycophilia: Revelations from the Weird World of Mushrooms, Eugenia Bone, food writer and frequent contributor to Saveur and Food & Wine tells the story of how her mother went into labor with Eugenia in a restaurant in Florence while eating tagliatelle with truffles. Tables were hastily cleared for Eugenia’s birth and thus began her lifelong affinity for mushrooms. Bone, who is also the co-president of the New York Mycological Society, will be reading from her new book at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum this Sunday, March 4 from 3 to 5 pm in Ridgefield, CT. A book signing, wine reception, and wild mushroom tasting will follow, including a tasting of truffle fontina risotto balls, wild mushroom crostini, and cheese and charcuterie platters featuring black truffles, generously provided by No.109 Cheese & Wine. To RSVP for this event or request more information, please contact Lise Sharfin, lsharfin@aldrichart.org, 203.438.4519, extension 26, during regular Museum hours. The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum is located at 258 Main Street in Ridgefield, CT. More information at aldrichart.org/events. Read More
The Ginger Man Cocktail Contest Winner Is... Restaurant Cocktails Stephanie Webster February 28, 2012 Thanks to everyone who submitted creative and amusing names for The Ginger Man's Cocktail Naming Contest, There were so many great names from which to choose but we are pleased to say we've got ourselves a winner. Congratulations to Kate of StamfordNotes.com for her winning name..."Tipsy Tiger Lily." Kate will receive FREE BRUNCH FOR TWO @ The Ginger Man (complete with the newly branded cocktails). Watch out for our upcoming CTBites Invite event at The Ginger Man featuring the Tipsy Tiger Lily...coming soon. Happy and safe Cocktailing from CTbites. Read More
Dinners at the Farm 2012 Season is Up Restaurant Farm Dinner Farm to Table Local Farm Stephanie Webster February 27, 2012 Dinners at the Farm is back! For those of you who have yet to attend this wonderful culinary event, check out our write-up from 2009 or view our photo gallery from 2011. Order yourself some tickets for the upcoming season now! This is truly one of CT's most unique dining experiences. For those of you new to the "farm dinner" concept, Dinners at the Farm is a series of benefit dinners that recreate a sense of connection to farming, cooking and eating. Plus you get to reconnect under the stars in a beautiful candlelit tent while eating a spectacular multi course meal. Special Offer: Diners at the Farm is again offering $100 Thursdays and Sundays beginning now through mid-night March 30, 2012. Hurry the clock is ticking. Support your local farming community and join us. Read More
Darien Social: A First Taste of Restaurant Darien Beer Kid Friendly Burgers James Gribbon February 26, 2012 Several years ago, my friend and I looked into buying a bar. The space had been a sort of crusty old dive for years, stopping just short of "biker bar," but had since closed and remained so for a few trips around the Sun. Someone else picked it up by the time we got our act together, and it was just as well, because that left us able to spend many hours and ducats there - meeting neighbors, sinking pints, and possibly singing "Werewolves of London" from the loft until the other patrons consented to do the "Awoooo" part - instead of worrying about if the night's special was selling and how many soda logs we'd ordered. Friends were made in this place. News, gossip, and phone numbers were exchanged, and local business and political deals were done. Another place or two were probably the town bars, but this was the local pub. Read More
Zinsanity Wine Dinner: Fountainhead & Fat Cat Pie Co Restaurant Wine Dinners Wine Tasting Stephanie Webster February 24, 2012 Join Fountainhead Wines and Fat Cat Pie Co. on March 3rd for an evening of Peterson wines with special guest Jamie Peterson, winemaker and next generational fixture at Peterson Winery in Dry Creek, Sonoma. Peterson Winery has an old world winemaking philosophy and a reverence for sustainable farming. The Peterson approach is to capture the essence of vintage and vineyard—a philosophy they call Zero Manipulation—with low tech, yet high touch, to produce wines of a place, wines with soul. Fountainhead will be pouring an array of Zinfandel from the much heralded 2009 vintage along with a few other treats, including the superb Gravity Flow Syrah from vines high atop Bradford Mountain. Fred, Jamie's father, has pronounced the Zins from this vintage as some of the best in the last twenty years and guests will sample their way through these offerings accompanied by lovingly prepared cuisine from Fat Cat's chef de chez, Robert Herlihy. Read More
Boulevard 18 French Bistro Opens in New Canaan Restaurant French New Canaan Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger February 19, 2012 Un autre grand restaurant Français ouvre dans New Canaan. Oops, I got ahead of myself. What I meant to say was another noteworthy restaurant, Boulevard 18, a French Bistro and Wine Bar, officially opened last Friday in New Canaan and the food is well worth a night out. The 62 Main Street address has been transformed into a little bit of Paris by owners Steven Semaya, Luciano Ramirez, Henry Rosenbaum and Chef/Owner David Raymer (Strada 18 in Sono). Read More
Station Eats Opens in Stamford: Organic Burgers & Dogs Restaurant Stamford Comfort Food Kid Friendly Burgers CTbites Team February 18, 2012 An open space with high ceilings gives a contemporary feel to the new Station Eats at 3 Landmark Square in Stamford. It's not the easiest place to find, but once you climb the stairs to the second story entrance, you're in for a treat. The look here is more urban than the original, smaller restaurant in New Canaan, but the bright orange and blue signature colors let you know they are one in the same: a modern burger bar where you can load your organic hot dog or grass fed burger with dozens of toppings, grab a shake, or drizzle the signature chipotle station dressing over your veggie salad Read More
Wave Hill Breads Serving Breakfast & Lunch in Norwalk Restaurant Bakery Norwalk Breakfast Lunch Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster February 16, 2012 Wave Hill Breads recently moved their renown bread baking mecca and opened a new cafe in Norwalk, heralding a new “must eat” venue to add to your Fairfield County foodie dance card. At their new location on 30 High Street, Wave Hill Breads is baking way beyond their notorious three-grain pain de campagne which graces the tables of some of the finest CT restaurants and markets. The cafe features 20 seats for eat in dining with sandwiches (on Wave Hill Bread of course), soups, muffins, pastries, tea and coffee, as well as wi-fi. And if you just want to stop in for a loaf of that pain de campagne, just knock on speakeasy-esque “Back Door Bakery” around back (no password necessary). Read More
Discover Bethel Restaurant Week Restaurant Bethel Events Amy Kundrat February 15, 2012 Bethel is where in Connecticut? Fairfield County? Yes and yes. The Bethel Chamber of Commerce is hosting their first-ever Discover Bethel Restaurant week from February 27 through March 4 with participating restaurants offering prix-fixe specials for breakfast, lunch, dinner and take-out. Menus and participating eateries can be found on the Bethel Chamber of Commerce website. This tiny town sandwiched between Redding, Newtown and Danbury boasts a few great places we've written about such as The Sycamore and Pizzeria Lauretano, as well as a few others firmly on our to-do list. So if you find your passport and make your way up to Bethel (for the record, I'm allowed to make this joke because this is my 'hood) my recommendations are: pizzas at Pizzeria Lauretano; La Zingara for one of the best Northern Italian meals in Fairfield County; soups at Wah Lah Soups, especially the Chicken pot pie; and my go-to train snack is always a scone and a cup of Redding Roasters coffee at Daily Fare. And although it's not officially on the list of participating restaurants, you'd be remiss if you didn't stop by The Sycamore on your way home for their thin French-style burgers and a root beer float. You'll need to sustenance to return home after your long journey, after all. Read More
Top Fairfield County Chefs @ The James Beard House Restaurant Events Road Trip Stephanie Webster February 14, 2012 Get ready to grab the phone. On May 23rd, six of CT's top chefs have come together to create a meal highlighting some of the best cooking Fairfield County has to offer. The prestigious James Beard House in New York City will play host to this ensemble featuring a 6 course dinner with paired wines and a cocktail reception to start. You wont want to miss this. Let's take a moment to run through the roster: Matt Storch (Match), Bill Taibe (Le Farm & The Whelk), Arik Bensimon (Napa & Co), Tim Labant (Schoolhouse at Cannondale), Lisa Storch (Catch a Healthy Habit), and Fritz Knipschildt (Knipschildt Chocolate and Chocopolgie), with wine and cocktails provided by Saugatuck Grain and Grape. The price is $130 for James Beard members and $170 per person for non-beard members. Please contact the James Beard House for reservations. 212-627-2308. Read More
Christophe's Crepe Truck in Fairfield: Ooh La La! Restaurant Fairfield Food Truck Lunch Kid Friendly Dessert CTbites Team February 12, 2012 Food trucks have been a growing trend for the last few years. The L.A. Times reported on one of the first food trucks to gain massive popularity, a fusion of Korean, Mexican, and barbecue back in 2009. And a recent article from USA Today about food trends in the U.S. hailed the food truck, what was once the “roach coaches” for construction workers at lunch time, as the hot new thing. But the street-side vendor is certainly nothing new. New York City has been rife with dirty water dogs. And, you can’t turn a corner without bumping into a falafel stand. Roam the urban alleyways from India to Vietnam and some of the tastiest foods can be had from street vendors. Although, be sure to bring your Pepto-Bismol with you. Here in Connecticut, we’ve got coffee trucks, cupcake trucks, even a cheese truck. Quel surprise! Fairfield is now home to a freshly made crepe and waffle truck., Christophe's Crepes Read More
CTbites Pizza Contest: Design Pizzeria Rosso's 2012 Pie Restaurant Norwalk Pizza CTbites Team February 11, 2012 What were they thinking? I can do better than that? Why didn’t they use sausage? You wanna put pineapple on that pizza? What is Thai pizza anyway? These are typical statements that spark debate on the perfect combination of ingredients to place on a pizza. And now the readers of CTbites will have the opportunity to create the CTbites 2012 Pie that will be featured on Pizzeria Rosso’s menu. So welcome to: DESIGN PIZZERIA ROSSO’S “CTBITES 2012 PIE COMBO.” The rules are pretty simple. Submit the toppings that you think will create the primo, perfect, over the top pizza pie. At midnight on February 27th the entries will close and a small team of pizza lovers will choose the five finalists. (Try to be as specific as possible as the Editors of CTbites have told me these judges are not the sharpest knives in the drawer.) These final five combinations will compete in a “Pizza Throwdown” at Pizzeria Rosso (Exact Date will be posted when the Finalists are announced). The winning pie will go up on Pizzeria Rosso's menu as the "CTBites 2012 Pie Combo. So get those ideas submitted and have the chance to see one of the best pizza makers in Fairfield County turn your idea into reality and a chance to see your name next to the CTBites 2012 Pie Combo. Read More
Hunan Pavilion: Chinese in Fairfield for 22 Years Restaurant Chinese Fairfield Lunch Kid Friendly Melissa Roberts February 05, 2012 I’d been lamenting the lack of good Chinese food in Fairfield County, a complaint I’ve shared with quite a few food lovers here, including a friend who’s a Westport transplant from Singapore. To stop my whining, said friend took me to her family’s favorite Chinese restaurant in Fairfield, Hunan Pavilion. Ever since, I haven’t been deprived of good Chinese nearby, and now neither will you. Hunan Pavilion has been in the same Post Road location in Fairfield for 22 years and it’s very good. But to insure a truly exceptional experience, skip over the conventional menu and jump right to the Shanghai Bund Select (or Shanghai New Menu), an edited list of house specialties and an eclectic mix of Shanghai, Szechuan, and Hunan cuisines. Also ask for the menu in Chinese, even if you don’t speak a word of any dialect. The Chinese menu isn’t overly extensive, and if you aren’t shy about it, the staff will patiently translate, and this is where the hidden treasures can be found. Read More
The Ginger Man Cocktail Naming Contest Restaurant Cocktails CTbites Team February 04, 2012 WIN a FREE BRUNCH for TWO at The Ginger Man in Greenwich. Here's how.. Back by popular demand, CTbites has found a cocktail in need of a name. Go grab yourself a drink, study the ingredienrs below, and get ready for some branding. If your Cocktail name is selected, it will be featured on their new menu & you will receive a FREE BRUNCH FOR TWO @ The Ginger Man (complete with cocktails). "Your Name Here" Cocktail Recipe: 1.5 oz St Germain 1 oz Pineapple Juice 1 oz White Cranberry Juice 2 oz Prosecco Shake the first 3 ingredients over ice and pour into champagne flute., Top the drink off with Prosecco., Garnish with an orange wedge Post your submission below (include email) , or if you're shy, feel free to send it to us directly. We welcome input from readers. If you see a name you like...post your vote! Cocktail names must be submitted by February 14th. Read More
10 Questions with Chef Arik Bensimon of Napa & Co. Interview Restaurant Chef Talk Stamford Stephanie Webster February 02, 2012 Chef Arik Bensimon started cooking at the age of 11 at his Aunt and Uncle's restaurant, Pasta Prego, on 45th and 5th Avenue in New York City. He has been in the kitchen ever since and there's no place he'd rather be (other than a yoga studio). As Napa and Company's Executive Chef he has created a menu that spans the culinary globe while staying close to the farm. Passionate and surprisingly understated, Chef Arik recently sat down with CTbites to answer a few questions about what makes him tick. If you had unexpected guests arriving at your home for dinner in 1 hour, what would you whip up? Pasta. I always have really good buccatini in the house and a can of really good tomatoes. I'd probably do a salad to go with it…with fresh greens and I love shaved fennel. What is the last dish you cooked for yourself? Whole grilled Bronzino with olive oil and lemon juice. I was cooking at my mother's house. What are your guilty pleasures in terms of food? Cereal. Kashi (any kind) with almond milk is da' bomb. Read More
