CTbites Cocktail Event @ Red Lulu Restaurant Events Amy Kundrat November 20, 2010 If you haven't been able to attend our CTbites lunches, how about joining us for $5 margaritas & FREE tastings @ South Norwalk's new and much talked about Red Lulu? Tell me more: CTbites & Red Lulu are hosting a special Cocktail Event on Tuesday, November 30th, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at Red Lulu. We’ll be shaking up special $5 margaritas and enjoying free samples from Red Lulu’s Mexican-inspired menu as we get to meet and mingle with CTbites readers, contributors and foodies. Signature Cocktail: A gathering of epicurean proportions, our cocktail event wouldn’t be complete without a signature cocktail. Red Lulu will be mixing the CTbites special $5 margaritas with PaQui tequila, a bold and balanced spirit that should go down easy (especially @ $5). + Food: Bring your appetite as we'll get to sample Red Lulu's Mexican-inspired menu, a modern take on traditional Mexican dishes. Read More
Wholesome Simplicity at Michele's Pies in Norwalk Restaurant Bakery Holiday Norwalk Thanksgiving Dessert CTbites Team November 18, 2010 When Michele Albano first got into pie-making, she burned out three ovens in her ski condo in Vermont supplying local farmers’ markets with pies made with “love and fresh fruit. ”Those days are long gone. She now operates Michele’s Pies out of a commercial kitchen and bake shop on Route 7 in Norwalk, delighting customers with award-winning crusted concoctions such as Chocolate Pecan Bourbon, Candyland and Ultimate Banana Split as well as old-fashioned favorites inspired by the pies she remembers her grandmother baking. Read More
Kids Reviews: The Lumberyard Kids Bites Restaurant Redding Lunch Kid Friendly CTbites Team November 16, 2010 Carly is a 10 year old from Redding, CT with a passion for eating & writing. She has joined the team as our youngest reviewer and she hopes she will inspire kids to be a little more adventurous in their FC restaurant choices. She has developed a restaurant rating scale of 1-5 pickles, 5 being the best. This is her first review. The Lumberyard Are you craving some juicy meat and some fun? Drive down to The Lumberyard in Georgetown, CT. The huge menu sounded delicious. I had to look it over twice. The kid’s menu was the usual cheeseburger, grilled cheese, hot dogs and chicken tenders, so I decided to choose something off their regular menu. Read More
Jeff’s Cuisine in Norwalk: Smokin’ BBQ & Soul-full Food Restaurant BBQ Cocktails Delicious Dives Norwalk Lunch Kid Friendly Robert Zeoli November 14, 2010 Jeff’s Cuisine is the warmest spot in Sono if you ask me. Its namesake, Jeff Esaw, is not only an accomplished, award-winning chef of southern cuisine and barbecue; he’s also a great host. Often welcoming patrons in personally and guiding them through his extensive menu, he does everything possible to create a memorable experience, transmitting his enthusiasm to the gracious staff. It was as if we could hear the seductive sound of classic Blues before we even walked through the door recently…actually it was emanating from an outdoor speaker above the back entrance. Read More
Ad: Seasonal Burgers & Shakes @ Filling Station Co. Kids Bites Restaurant Advertisement Stephanie Webster November 12, 2010 In the month of January, Filling Station Company is presenting diners with a healthy start to 2011. Sticking to those New Years resolutions = one great tasting burger. This month, The Filling Station Co. is featuring "The Resolution Burger," a chickpea burger with Greek salad trimmings and tahini dressing. Pair this with their January milkshake in smooth bold flavors of Chocolate Mint, and suddenly 2011 is looking mighty fine. Read More
Moe's Burger Joint in Old Greenwich via The Hamblogger Restaurant Greenwich Comfort Food Kid Friendly Burgers Amy Kundrat November 12, 2010
Darien Restaurant Week Dining Deals Restaurant Events Restaurant Week Stephanie Webster November 11, 2010 Darien Restaurant Week will take place from Sunday, November 28th thru Friday, December 3rd. Come experience a new venue or visit old favorites. Prix Fixe lunches will range from $10-$15, and multi course dinners from $15-$30. This ia great time to enjoy a great meal for a great deal. Participating restaurants include: The Melting Pot, Little Thai Kitchen, Chuck's Steakhouse, Matsuri, Backstreets Restaurant, Fuji of Japan, The Waters Edge at Giovanni's, Bertucci's Italian Restaurant, Ole Mole, Rory's, Harper's, Scena, Coromandel, The Goose, and many more! Restaurants will offer a special prix fixe lunch and dinner menu during the entire week. Read More
A Foxwoods Food & Wine Festival Wrap-Up Road Trip Restaurant Chef Talk Wine Chat Amy Kundrat November 10, 2010 Restaurants from New York City to Boston descended on the 4th annual Foxwoods Food and Wine Festival at MGM Grand at Foxwoods. A weekend-long event, the Festival featured celebrity chef dinners, cooking demonstrations, and dozens of restaurants and wine vendors showcased at two “Grand Tasting” events on Saturday and Sunday. Read More
Middle Eastern Home Cooking @ Safita Restaurant Fairfield Middle Eastern Syrian Vegetarian Lunch Kid Friendly Sarah Green November 07, 2010 Overlooking the Mediterranean sea, nestled among 3 hills and their valleys, is the beautiful, old town of Safita, Syria. Only a few miles from the long island sound, nestled between Westport and Fairfield proper, is the beautiful, month old middle eastern restaurant, SAFITA. It is the "Tale" of two Safitas, both with their charm, beauty, and authenticity. And it is just this authenticity that Kheder Hassoun and his family bring to this brand new Middle Eastern restaurant, situated where the old Chat 'N Chew used to be. Tiny in size but big in hospitality, Safita, at 2217 Post Road in Fairfield is pulling in the crowds, night after night. This is middle eastern at its finest, with "Ummu" ("mother" in Arabic) Amal in the kitchen, cooking up all her own recipes from scratch. This ain't your roadside Shawarma. Read More
CTbites Shout Out: What's Your Favorite Burger? Restaurant American CTbites Shout Out Burgers Stephanie Webster November 07, 2010
Behind-the-Scenes at Stamford's Fairway Restaurant Stamford Specialty Market Special Dietary Needs Amy Kundrat November 01, 2010 With over 80,000 square feet, a staff of 500 passionate employees and 77 years of experience, Fairway Market’s newest location in Stamford at Harbor Point is poised for success and sure to draw the grocery-getting masses. The store will officially open on November 3 with a grand opening party but we were lucky to get an early behind-the-scenes tour with CEO Howie Glickberg, the grandson of Fairway founder Nathan Glickberg. Read More
Belgique Chocolatier Opens in New Canaan Ingredients Kids Bites Restaurant Specialty Market New Canaan Kid Friendly Dessert Liz Rueven October 31, 2010 Chocoholics pay attention! Next time you have that hankering for serious chocolate, run over to treat yourself and your best friends to the extraordinary Belgian style, hand filled, preservative free chocolates at Belgique Chocolatier. Belgique is familiar to some chocolate lovers in Fairfield County who have enjoyed the chocolates, fine pastries and ice cream at Susan and Pierre Gilissen’s first location in Kent, CT. After searching for a storefront in Fairfield County, they landed on a jewel of a space set back from Elm St. in New Canaan. This location opened in mid-September and is 100 % about the chocolate. Before opening in Kent in 2001, Chef Pierre Gilissen served as Executive Chef and Manager at the Residence of the Netherlands Ambassador to the U.S. in Washington, D.C. There, he prepared all meals, receptions and teas for the Ambassadors, their families and up to 1,000 guests. His passion for chocolates began during his years there. Read More
What's New @ The Westport Farmers Market Restaurant Farmers Market Vegetarian Liz Rueven October 30, 2010 Too early to start planning your Thanksgiving menu? Think again. Stop by the market this Thursday November 4th as BLOODROOT RESTAURANT presents vegetarian stuffing fit for your holiday table or any really any table. Their CHESTNUT STUFFING with shitake mushroom gravy starts with their own bread crumbs (don’t even think of NOT eating their bread when dining there) from the previous day’s choice of house baked potato rye, oatmeal sunflower or whole wheat loaves. They combine those precious crumbs with chopped and roasted chestnuts, bright orange squash, pumpkin seeds and gently sauteed onions and shallots. This combo would be perfect on its own or alongside your holiday entree. Celeriac apple puree is the base of the luscious filling in BLOODROOT’S FILO PASTRY SHELLS. Read More
Breakfast @ Fat Cat Pie Co. Restaurant Coffee Norwalk Pizza Tea And Coffee Breakfast Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster October 24, 2010 Did your mother ever scold you as you reached into the fridge in the wee hours to grab a slice of leftover pizza? Bread, cheese, tomatoes…breakfast of champions, right? Fat Cat Pie Co. which is well known for their wafer thin crusted pizzas laden with decadent toppings (see our pizza shout out), has validated this college craving by mastering the fine art of pizza for breakfast. Yes, it is a little known fact. Fat Cat opens its doors in the am serving a casual breakfast and lunch daily from 8am to 2pm. You may not find a hash brown to speak of on this diminutive menu, but you will find more interesting fare including breakfast "pies" with local organic eggs, sandwiches boasting the culinarily renown Bloodroot bread, as well as a selection of home made baked goods and granola. It is a laid back affair with top notch coffee and a barista who cares (note the latte art). For a diner seeking something beyond the "diner," Fat Cat is a breath of fresh air...and fresh ingredients. Read More
"Spanish Heaven" Wine Dinner @ Fat Cat Oct 29th Restaurant Events Wine Dinners Stephanie Webster October 22, 2010 "Spanish Heaven" can be found right here in Norwalk at Fat Cat Pie Co's Spanish Wine dinner on Friday October 29th, 7:30 PM, 3-5 Wall Street. Inspired by a recent visit to Spain's Rioja region and the estate of Valserrano, Fat Cat/Fountainhead Wines will be hosting their first fall wine dinner featuring Valserrano vineyards. Lucky diners will experience lberian inspired culinary creations paired with classic Rioja wines. Chef Bobby and the Fat Cat kitchen crew will surely make this a memorable evening (Check out the menu). What better way to start the Halloween weekend? Spanish Heaven Wine Dinner Menu Read More
Hartford Baking Company Restaurant Bakery Coffee West Hartford Breakfast Dessert CTbites Team October 18, 2010 Alicia Fidalgo is the voice behind The Clean Plate Club blog. She shares her time between West Hartford & Boston. On a chilly Sunday morning I recently had the pleasure of visiting Hartford Baking Company in West Hartford, CT. Located in a strip of shops on New Park Avenue, the bakery's interior juxtaposes the cozy comfort of a local bake-shop with urban-inspired industrial design. Baked goods run the gamut from sweet to savory: muffins, sticky buns and scones, as well as beautiful crusty European-style bread. Read More
Bonda Restaurant is Back...Now in Fairfield Restaurant American Fairfield Margie Treisman October 17, 2010 If you liked Bonda at its former Westport/Saugatuck location, you’ll love its new incarnation in Fairfield’s Greenfield Hill (the former home of La Colline Verte and Fraiche). Sure, we miss Abbondanza – owner/chef Jamie Cooper’s former Saugatuck gourmet deli/catering operation and site of the original Bonda. But we’re excited he’s now focused on the restaurant and taking it to the next level in this new location. It’s a clean, inviting space, with warm orange walls, fresh white trim, vintage posters and comfortable seating. The small, sixty-seat restaurant was nearly filled to capacity when we visited on an otherwise quiet Tuesday evening in October. For good reason. In fact, for at least three very good reasons. Reason 1: The Bond-alicious food. Inventive yet simple dishes, expertly prepared. Although the menu has a classic American backbone, Jamie treats the world as his pantry. Read More
Advertisement: Tasti D-Lite Is Coming to Fairfield! Kids Bites Restaurant Fairfield Kid Friendly Dessert Stephanie Webster October 14, 2010 Good news for Tasti D-Lite fans. Made with natural ingredients, this lower calorie frozen dessert treat is opening its doors in Fairfield CT on October 20th at 1201 King Highway in Fairfield's Staples Plaza. Tasti D Lite has long had a cult following among health-conscious consumers as well as celebrities who line up to enjoy their guilt-free confections. Now Fairfield can enjoy the pleasure of Tasti without the commute, and CTbites readers get a FREE topping during the month of October! The Fairfield store will have nine tables, comfortable couches, and Wi-Fi access. Pair this with 100+ creamy delicious flavors (most of which are gluten free), including Toasted Coconut, Caramel Apple, and Mud Pie…why would you ever leave? Read More
Foxwoods 4th Annual Food & Wine Festival Road Trip Restaurant Events Wine Chat Amy Kundrat October 14, 2010
CTbites Lunch Event: Sugar & Olives Restaurant CTbites Lunch Events Stephanie Webster October 13, 2010 Join us for a spooktacular CTbites Lunch Event @ Sugar & Olives on October 26th. Chef Jennifer Balin is going all "pumpkin" on us with this exciting $20 prix fixe menu (including lobster risotto and a clever twist on the pop tart). Sugar & Olives is known for fresh flavors, locally sourced organic fare, and desserts that are worth the extra gym time...not to mention the beautiful ultra modern lounge-worthy dining space. Check out the menu below: Seatings will be @ 12 & 1PM. Call 203.454.3663 for reservations. Sugar & Olives $20 Prix Fixe Lunch Menu Read More
