Chocopologie Café to Open in Stamford Restaurant Chocolate Stamford Opening Amy Kundrat July 20, 2012 Life in downtown Stamford is about to get a whole lot sweeter. Chocopologie Café, the sweet and savory domain of Master Chocolatier Fritz Knipschildt, will be opening its fourth location at 211 Main Street in Stamford in late summer, roughly six weeks. The original cafe and factory in South Norwalk has been open since 2005 andnew outposts have opened in New Haven and Greenwich in the last two years. Related posts: SoNo Chef Shootout featuring Fritz Knipschildt and Matt Storch Making Chocolate Truffles with Knipschildt Chocolatier A Chocolate-Inspired Dinner with Fritz Knipschildt Read More
The Sheffield Island Clambake & Boatride Restaurant Norwalk Picnic Seafood CTbites Team July 19, 2012 Every summer, from June through September, The Norwalk Seaport Association provides an escape from the rush of city life and the exhaustion of a grueling workday. They transport you to the shores of idyllic Sheffield Island, a sanctuary on the sea, truly taking you back to the way summer should be. The Sheffield Island Clambake got it’s start a little over 10 years ago and has become a much anticipated summer tradition for many families. The Norwalk Seaport Association is a non-profit organization that has owned, restored, and maintained the Sheffield Island Lighthouse since 1986. Sheffield Island opens its dock to visitors May through September, inviting them to tour the 142 year old light house, have a picnic, or look for shells along the beach. Read More
Foodie Road Trip: Three Days in Cape Cod Restaurant Cape Cod Road Trip Seafood Elizabeth Keyser July 17, 2012 Cape Cod is the perfect summer road trip destination for busy people. About a three-hour drive from Fairfield, Connecticut, the towns of Woods Hole and Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, hold good news for food lovers. On a recent three-day getaway, my husband and I sought casual-but-good waterfront places where shorts fit the dress code. We discovered inspired and classic renditions of New England fare. Woods Hole is where the ferry leaves for Martha’s Vineyard, but it’s a destination in itself. The quaint gray-shingled town rests on a spit of land, where on a recent idyllic summer day, sunlight sparkled on the water, and breezes blew stress away. Ah, vacation. Read More
LeRose Tries A New Recipe At Bar Q in Stamford Restaurant BBQ Stamford Take Out Kid Friendly James Gribbon July 15, 2012 "We're trying to establish Connecticut barbeque," says Bob LeRose, adding wood to the smoker cooking our ribs. I'm peppering Bobby Q himself with questions while trying not to lose my footing on the floor of the kitchen at the new Bar Q and simultaneously avoiding the hustling form of chef Tom Doherty. LeRose's second restaurant, located at 15 Clark Street in Stamford behind Black Bear, is the latest in his slow-smoked outreach program to those of us on the Sound. "This isn't Bobby Q's," he's quick to point out. "This is its alter-ego." Read More
Behind the Wheel of Westport's Ice Cream Truck Restaurant Westport ice cream Kid Friendly CTbites Team July 13, 2012 “Old McDonald” plays loudly over the sound system as two 19-year-old Westport boys, Jon Camche and Rick Snyder, cruise the streets of Fairfield County in their bright yellow vehicle. Occasionally the lyrics to “Happy Birthday” ring through the air, other times “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” repeats. With over 50 different children’s songs on their playlist, these two college boys take their business seriously. The 1964 Chevrolet milk truck has been transformed to deliver a different sort of dairy product – ice cream! Camche and Snyder, owners of Everybody Scream Ice Cream, are continuing to put smiles and melted sweets on locals’ faces for the second summer in a row. Summer favorite offerings include a few familiar faces: Chipwhich, SpongeBob Squarepants Popsicle, Screwball, Choco Taco, Firecracker, and the Strawberry Shortcake bar. Read More
Lorca Coffee & Churro Shop to Open in Stamford This Fall Restaurant Bakery Coffee Stamford Opening Amy Kundrat July 12, 2012 Lorca, a 10-12 seat coffee shop that will serve home-made churro and doughnuts, will be opening this October ar 125 Bedford Street in Stamford. Leyla Dam developed a passion for churro stands as a child growing up in Spain. When she completed architecture school in Brooklyn and was faced with few job prospects in her field, she returned to her roots finding investors to allow her to design and launch a churro and coffee shop. Part of the process of opening Lorca included moving to Seville to learn how to make churros and working with Rachel Haughey at Espresso Neat to learn how to make impeccably brewed coffee. In addition to developing the business and recipes, Dam is also designing the shop, a perfect blend of her passion for the churro and degree in architecture. As Dam explains, "Basically this is a total dream come true. I get to feed people, meet people, and design without a client. I couldn't ask for anything more!" Read More
FroYo World Opens on Westport / Norwalk Border Restaurant Westport Kid Friendly Dessert CTbites Team July 12, 2012 There’s a new yogurt place in town and Froyo World is a delicious treat you don’t want to miss! Located at 361 Post Road West between John’s Best and Milo’s Methods, in Westport, this hidden gem is sure to delight you. Going to school in North Carolina, there are at least four frozen yogurt shops within five miles of me and as a result I have developed a growing (and healthy??) obsession with this frozen treat. Of course, I have my favorites and a few classic concoctions I tend to repeat, but I’m always looking for something new. As the frozen yogurt fad continues to grow, many shops are becoming interchangeable, offering similar flavors with the same standard toppings. That being said, I walked into Froyo World after their grand opening Saturday, June 29th eager to see what I’d find. Read More
Bodega Taco Bar to Open in Darien Restaurant Darien Mexican CTbites Team July 11, 2012 According to the Lunch Break Chronicles, Bodega Taco Bar will be opening in Darien at 980 Post Road this fall. Read More
Amuse Bouche: Food News for July 10, 2012 Restaurant Westport Beer CTbites Team July 10, 2012 Happy Hour with CTBites Come on down to the Dressing Room TONIGHT (tickets are $40), July 10 for Happy Hour on the patio from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Price of entry will secure you two drinks and appetizers as we reveal our cocktail naming contest winner. Summer Chill: Food and Music to Benefit FTC The Fairfield Theater Company is a non-profit group well worth supporting. They bring excellent music, theater, comedy and film to their locations at The Klein Memorial Auditorium in Bridgeport and Stage One by the Fairfield Train station. They will host Summer Chill this Friday at Stage One with food courtesy of Molto, an open bar, and entertainment by The Fry Daddys on Friday, July 13. Beer Run Eli Cannons Tap Room in Middletown will host a Saranac Brewing beer tasting TONIGHT, July 10 featuring their Blueberry Blonde, Chocolate Orange Porter and Lemon Ginger Saision. They'll have a Stone Brewing Ruination 10th anniversary party tomorrow July 11.Speaking of Ruination, Prime 16 in New Haven will also host an event on Thursday, July 12 featuring 10th Anniversary Ruination and a Double Dry Hopped Ruination. At the new Bottlerocket of Westport, check out two free tastings this week: Thursday, July 12, 4-7pm: Locally made (Port Chester, NY) Honey Comb Vokda from StilltheOne Distillery and Saturday, July 14, 4-7pm: In honor of Bastille Day we'll be pouring both Lillet Rosé and Kronenbourg 1664 beer. Read More
Chef Michael Batt @ Westport Farmers' Market Restaurant Farmers Market Westport CTbites Team July 10, 2012 Chef Michael Batt has been on the Food Network, trained under master chefs Geoffrey Zakarian (Town, LeCirque), Gray Kunz (L’Espinasse) & Terrence Brennan (Picholine, Artisinal), and is coming to this Thursday as the guest chef at the Westport Farmers’ Market on July 12. Eight years ago Michael Batt was the talk of New York, well on his way to becoming the next big thing in the City. Working at restuarants including City Hall, Thom, and Terrence Brennan’s Seafood & Chop House, Chef Batt was rapidly working his way to the top. Then fate stepped in and he met his wife, Gallia. Shortly after, the two moved to Connecticut and took over Food Design, then run by another husband and wife team. Today, Michael and Gallia run their business like a family, with many of the staff with them since 2004. Read More
Beach Donuts in Old Lyme: A Connecticut Cult Favorite Road Trip Restaurant Old Lyme Shoreline East Breakfast Dessert Amy Kundrat July 06, 2012 Like facial hair and irony, the doughnut has received the hipster embrace, ushering in the likes of Voodoo, Dynamo and Doughnut Plant from New York to Portland, making the once doughnut-non grata, cool again. Oblivious to the wax and wane of this food trend, “Beach Donuts” in Old Lyme, Connecticut has steadily and unironically been powering the shoreline with a traditional take on these habit-seeking baked goods for over sixty years. Each Saturday and Sunday in the summer, Ted Powaleny delivers about 125 dozen doughnuts from a kitchen in Clinton to the Shoreline Community Center in Old Lyme, just two blocks from Sound View Beach. From 7 to 10:30 am (or until they sell out), volunteers sell “Beach Donuts” hand-over-fist, with proceeds from the $1 doughnuts, benefitting the Community Center. Read More
Open House @ Thomas Hooker with NoRA Cupcake Truck Road Trip Restaurant Bloomfield Hartford County Beer Amy Kundrat July 06, 2012 The Thomas Hooker Brewery (home to that refreshing summer seasonal, Watermelon Ale) has invited NoRA Cupcake Truck to their twice-monthly Friday Open House, July 6, 2012. The Brewery hosts these events on the 1st and 3rd Friday each month from 5 to 8pm. $10 for pint glass, tasting, and tour (Portion of proceeds go to The Village For Families and Children). Thomas Hooker Brewey is located at Tobey Road in Bloomfield, CT. For more information, visit hookerbeer.com. Read More
South End to Open in New Canaan Restaurant New Canaan Opening Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger July 05, 2012 The expanding number of New Canaan restaurants continues with the announcement of the newest addition, South End, which will open prior to Labor Day on Pine Street next to New Canaan Wine Merchants and feature the culinary creations of Chef Nicholas Martschenko. He is joined at South End by his business partner Keith Siskind, the former General Manager of Tarry Lodge in Port Chester, who will oversee the front of the house. Read More
Harvest Supper in New Canaan Closes Restaurant News CTbites Team July 05, 2012 Residents and visitors who walk down Elm Street in New Canaan will notice a change in the restaurant scenery. After several years Harvest Supper closed its doors on Saturday, June 30. Known in town for incredibly delicious food and included on my list of recommended hamburgers in Fairfield County, many will miss the coziness of the interior and the inventive cuisine designed by Chef Dan Kardos. Stay tuned as CTbites investigates where Restaurateur Grace Lamb next takes her culinary vision. Read More
Flour City Pasta: Organic Artisinal Pasta at Your Local Farmers' Market Restaurant Farmers Market Organic Pasta CTbites Team July 05, 2012 Farfalle, Fettuccine, Orecchiette, Penne, Fusilli, Orzo…..the list goes on, and my heart beats a little faster each time I hear one of these magical words. That’s what pasta is really, a little bit of magic. It has the power to transport you to your first bite of mac and cheese in your Grandma’s kitchen, to Sunday night baked spaghetti, to home. Although I am not Italian, pasta has always been a part of my life and my weakness. This long-lasting relationship began when I was in a high chair, with bowties and butter and has since spiraled to squid ink fettuccine topped with sautéed scallops served in a warm Gorgonzola cream sauce as a college student today. In between, there has been shrimp alfredo, orecchiette with broccoli rabe and sweet sausage, vegetable lasagna, and the classic Bolognese. As I grow, so does this list. Read More
Plan B Burger Bar: Pre Prohibition Dinner Restaurant Events Milford Burgers Cindy Hartog July 03, 2012 Many have described me as a Plan B Burger Bar addict! As a professional chef, most people assume I am a food snob, only interested in 5 Star dining venues. This is not the case. When I eat out, I am looking for quality and ambiance. Ambiance can mean elegance but it can also mean, as in this case, just plain fun! While Plan B’s special Prohibition event was all about the past, it is important to note that the Plan B Burger Bar's everyday menu shines with top notch natural beef burgers (veggie, portabella, salmon, and chicken versions are available too), salads, fun starters, a great assortment of fries, and weekly specials. If you have never been to Plan B Burger Bar before, last week’s Pre Prohibition Dinner would not have been an accurate introduction. Their Pre Prohibition Dinner was a forage into a new land. It was more of a Five Star dining experience, with expertly plated food and service, and even more unique top-notch drinks. Read More
Bottlerocket Wine & Spirits Opens in Westport Restaurant Westport Wine Chat Stephanie Webster & Amy Kundrat July 02, 2012 Is grilled Mahi Mahi on the menu tonight? Not sure which wine or beer would best complement the fish? Bottlerocket Wine & Spirit is now open in Westport at 1790 Post Road East offering a seamless, cleverly organized wine shopping experience. With its roots in downtown Manhattan, Bottlerocket hopes to offer wine fans in Fairfield County a better understanding of wine, beer and spirits. Plus, they've got street cred. Bottlerocket has been named the #2 wine store in New York City by Zagat: "An 'innovator' among vintners...an 'A+ in creativity' for the 'eye-catching' themed displays..." Read More
Art's Deli: An Old Classic Returns to Westport Ingredients Restaurant Deli Italian Specialty Market Westport Kid Friendly CTbites Team July 01, 2012 Having been in Westport for almost eight years, I am definitely enjoying all the hip, new restaurants popping up like wild mushrooms, from California fusion to country chic. I love the innovative foods, inventive cocktails, the trendy decor and the chance to hang out with people who are far more interesting than I am. But sometimes I crave a little old school, mom-and-pop, and a diversion from my mostly vegetarian ways. After driving past Art’s Deli on the Post Road, I finally went in, and discovered a wonderful new, old place. It seems that in spite of all that has changed, what’s old has become new again. But this time, it’s better than ever. Read More
Bonda Chef Jamie Cooper @ Westport Farmers' Market Restaurant Farmers Market CTbites Team June 27, 2012 Jamie Cooper, Head Chef and Owner of Bonda in Fairfield, will be offering a Summer Farm Salad at the Westport Farmers’ Market on Thursday, June 28th between 10 am and 2 pm.Chef Cooper’s inspiration for his appearance at the Market came from Riverbank Farm in Roxbury, CT. He will be assembling a simple summer salad with all ingredients sourced locally from Riverbank Farm. His demonstration will not only show how light and delicious dinner can be, but just how easy it is to shop locally. Cooper will compile a mix of crisp sugar snap peas, scallions, ripe gold tomatoes, and fresh fennel topped it off with a refreshing lime basil vinaigrette. As the heat continues to beat down, there is something so satisfying about a summer salad and a meal that leaves the market 90% complete. Read More
Dine With Design 2012 Recap @ The Philip Johnson Glass House Restaurant Events New Canaan Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger June 27, 2012 On June 9, the second annual Dine with Design Event occurred on the incomparable grounds of the Philip Johnson’s Glass House in New Canaan and presented some of the most imaginative and brilliantly designed food selections that have ever graced this legendary compound. Six extraordinary chefs who exemplify the farm-to-table philosophy of Darryl Eckstrine’s “Harvest to Heat” cookbook and numerous artisans converged in the morning, braving the mist and light rain and created dozens of culinary delights including foie gras profiteroles; farro pasta with a duck heart ragout; citrus cured sardines with Calabrian chilies; plus numerous interpretations of lamb and pork bellies. As I marveled at the chefs’ creativity and tasted each of their dishes, it became apparent that the guests would experience an amazing culinary adventure. Read More
