Dining for a Cause with Mezon & Danbury Hospital Restaurant Fundraiser Events Amy Kundrat April 30, 2014 Latin Cause. Latin Food. Latin Drink. Mezon Tapas Bar & Restaurant in Danbury is teaming up with Danbury Hospital to host a benefit dinner, "Latin Cause. Latin Food. Latin Drink" at Mezon on Tuesday, May 13. All proceeds will support the Western Connecticut Health Network Global Health Education Program. The WCHN's GHEP charity supports healthcare services and overall community health in Paraiso, Dominican Republic. Read More
Harlan Publick to Open in SONO: From Harlan Social Owners Restaurant Lunch Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger April 30, 2014 There is a lot of activity in SONO on the northwest corner of Washington and Water Streets...and this is great news for CTbites readers. Harlan Social’s Managing Partner, Chef Stephen Lewandowski informed CTbites that Harlan Publick, the first sister location to Stamford’s Harlan Social, will open by mid-June. Branded as a less formal sibling, Harlan Publick will feature “global inspired street food” in an atmosphere dedicated to “hanging out, enjoying friends, having a good time and enjoying incredible food.” Chef Lewandowski described his vision for his new restaurant in an exclusive interview and walk-through with CTbites. Harlan Publick will feature approximately sixty seats in the dining area and another forty-plus in the bar, with the interior space having a “very industrial feel, like a public tap house with lots of exposed wood trusses, three long communal tables, and reclaimed glass panels encasing chicken wire hanging from the ceiling to separate the bar and dining areas.” It will also feature the “Tap Room,” a private room with eighteen seats, three beer taps installed in the wall, and a large screen TV. Reserve the room for a private function or a Sunday sport’s event, choose three beers and pour your own. Read More
CT Guide to Outdoor Dining: 40+ Restaurants for Summer Restaurant Armonk Bethel Darien Fairfield Norwalk Outdoor Dining Patio Stamford Stratford Westport New Canaan Best of CT April Guilbault April 27, 2014 There are some ingredients in this world that, when you add them to anything, they pretty much make it spectacular. Bacon, for example. It would probably make a sneaker taste good. “Air” is another ingredient. Air-a bizarre ingredient on an episode of Chopped? No. Air, as in fresh air. Eating outside. Have you noticed that when you eat a lobster roll outside on a deck overlooking the ocean, it makes you happy? Or eat a grilled burger at a picnic table on a warm summer evening? Or sip a frothy cappuccino at a sidewalk cafe? What is the common ingredient here? Fresh air. Good food combined with a hefty dose of the outdoors. And lucky for you, we’ve put together a long list of our favorite eateries (40+) that have lovely outdoor dining spaces. If we missed an outdoor venue you frequent, please share your find below. For more Summer Eats see our Guide to The Best Warm Lobster Rolls on the CT Coast. Read More
Olio's "House Burger" - Excellent in Springdale Restaurant Stamford Burgers Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger April 25, 2014 In my constant search for great burgers in Fairfield County I found myself heading to Stamford to sample the new lunch menu at Olio that includes the Olio House Burger. And I am glad I did. Olio recently began serving lunch and it is slowly turning into the go-to location for many locals. The lunch menu includes a soup a few salads, and several sandwiches from chicken salad to steak, plus a pasta and sautéed shrimp. But I was there for the burger. The Olio House Burger is a unique combination of flavors and ingredients. It starts with a thick all-beef patty topped with Tasso ham, melted Manchego cheese, caramelized Cipollini onions, with a schmear of roasted tomato aioli, all encased in a Brioche roll from Eli’s. It is served with thick steak fries and a side of ketchup. The burger is excellent. Read More
Kentucky Derby Parties @ All Plan B Burger Bar Locations Restaurant Events Burgers CTbites Team April 25, 2014 Saturday, May 3rd is the Kentucky Derby and Plan B Burger Bar will be partying at all locations. We're talking hats, dresses, seersucker, horses and, of course...BOURBON! They will be celebrating on Saturday, May 3rd from 4-7 p.m. Mint Juleps will be flowing like water. The Plan B chefs are preparing a special Derby menu which you can view below. They will be watching the race on all the TV's, and of course no Derby Day party is complete without Raffles, a Best Dressed Contest, and a Best Hat Contest. Bring out your Southern Belle or Southern gentleman with fedoras, fascinators, straw hats, sundresses, roses, pinstripes, pink, and pastels. Anything seersucker will do! Read More
Weekly Nibble: Upcoming Food News & Events Restaurant Holiday Italian Tacos Vineyard Wine Dinners Wine Tasting Emma Jane-Doody Stetson April 24, 2014 Monday April 28, Napa & Co of Stamford presents FAVORITE WINES OF SPAIN. Explore the dusty, dirty and sultry wines of this HOT region from Priorat, Campo de Borja and Rioja. There will be 6 wines to experience. $50/person (exclusive of tax and gratuity). Also on Monday the 28th, Barcelona West Hartford presents “Paella 101.” Join Chef Eric in this class dedicated to the Spanish classic – Paella! Learn how to make this delicious dish and a popular Barcelona favorite. For reservations please call the restaurant at 860.218.2100. $29 per person, plus tax and gratuity. 7pm. Golden View Firenze Ristorante and Continental Fine Wine & Spirits will team up for a 5 course Tuscan Wine Dinner of Tuesday April 29. 5 dishes will be paired with 5 different Italian wines. $70pp plus tax and gratuity. Call 203-869-0865 to reserve. Tuesday April 29, New Canaan Wine Merchants invites you to raid their reserve room! Between 7 and 8:30pm, guests can select 3 high end wines to open, talk about, and taste. Free event. April 29 is also the 6th Annual Glenlivet/Cigar Dinner @ Max Fish in Glastonbury. It features cigars from "The Tobacco Shop" on Pratt Street in Hartford, CT, food, and Glenlivet pairings. $125 per person, not including tax & gratuity. Space is limited, so call for reservations today. 860.652.3474. 6-9pm. Read More
Ted Turner's "Ted’s Montana Grill" Opens in Hartford May 12th Restaurant Hartford Lunch Kid Friendly Burgers CTbites Team April 23, 2014 Ted’s Montana Grill, the classic American grill co-founded by media entrepreneur, environmentalist and philanthropist Ted Turner and award-winning restaurateur George McKerrow Jr., announced that a new restaurant would be opening up on 35 Front Street in downtown Hartford on May 12th. The restaurant will be 4,600 square feet and will seat 160 guests. This is the second Ted’s Montana Grill in Connecticut; the first location is in The Promenade Shops at Evergreen Walk in South Windsor. Ted’s Montana Grill serves time-honored favorites in a relaxed setting reminiscent of the 19th century American frontier. The design of the Hartford location is inspired by old western saloons, with all the romance and classic touches that make it feel luxurious, but in a casual, warm way. The décor will feature Mahogany paneling, pressed tin ceilings, brass fixtures and beautiful crown molding. From traditional comfort food to unique signature dishes, all meals are made from scratch fresh daily - nothing frozen or microwaved. Chefs only use fresh Certified Angus Beef, National Bison Association-certified bison, all-natural chicken and premium seafood. Ted’s Montana Grill also believes in fresh, sustainable, organic and locally grown ingredients. Read More
10 Questions with Gopi Nair of Tikkaway Grill Restaurant To-Go New Haven Indian Amy Kundrat April 22, 2014 Equal parts businessman and chef, Gopi Nair is the man behind New Haven's 'fast casual' Tikkaway Grill. The former managing partner of South Norwalk's Coromandel, he is a familiar face to Indian food lovers in Fairfield County and has thankfully extended his reach east to New Haven. His passion for Indian cuisine and dedication to customer service has inspired Tikkaway’s central tenants: a fresh, healthy, and informal take on Indian food. "I have been thinking that to me the world has two sets of people," said Nair. "Those who love Indian food but can't get enough and more frequently, and those who don't know Indian cuisine and have stayed away from it till now! Tikkaway grill is for both of them." 1. If you had unexpected guests arriving at your home for dinner in one hour, what would you whip up? Read More
Celebrating Cinco De Mayo in Fairfield County CT Restaurant Cocktails Holiday Tacos Mexican Emma Jane-Doody Stetson April 21, 2014 It is said that Cinco de Mayo originated when Mexican-American communities wanted to commemorate freedom during the first years of the American Civil War. Now you can commemorate freedom from winter with these awesome Cinco de Mayo celebrations. Here's what's going on at Bartaco, Bodega, Baró, Taco Loco, and more. Ole! The Cinco de Mayo celebration lasts for 5 days at Taco Loco in Bridgeport! Thursday May 1: Get competitive with a taco eating contest at 7pm and a guest bartending mixology showdown at 7:30. You can sign up for the events on facebook. Friday May 2: Free tequila tasting from 6-9pm featuring over 15 tequilas. Read More
Taste of Westport Returns May 1st 2014 Restaurant CTbites Team April 21, 2014 CLASP Homes of Westport will present its 10th annual Taste of Westport on Thursday, May 1, at The Westport Inn from 6:00 to 9:00. Enjoy an evening tasting the favorite dishes of choice area restaurants, accompanied by a selection of wines, beers and cocktails, and end it with desserts, cappuccino and gelato - all to support a great cause. Start your evening perusing a terrific selection of silent auction items while you enjoy fresh oysters and clams on the half shell from Hummock Island Raw Bar, move on to dishes from several new restaurants, including The Spread, Geronimo and Little Barn, and from many long time favorites - Pane E Bene, T & C Steakhouse and Bobby Q’s. Taste a selection of wines, local artisan beers and fun cocktails. And end your evening with low fat protein-enriched Forte Gelato and cappuccino from Eventi Cafe - all while listening and dancing to the smooth stylings of the Carruthers Brothers Trio. Tickets for Taste of Westport are $75 and may be purchased at www.tasteofwestport.com Read More
Craft Butchery Dinner Party: Spotlight on Dinner #5 Spring Lamb Restaurant Butcher Dinner Events Events Lamb Amy Kundrat April 20, 2014 Each month Saugatuck Craft Butchery hosts an eight course dinner party paired with wine for twenty guests that highlights a different protein and Craft's pasture to table ethos. This approach—sourcing whole pasture-raised animals from small to medium-sized farms—follows what is often referred to as a nose-to-tail philosophy of utilizing the entire animal. These dinners are a celebration of this approach, a collaboration among the butchers and chefs at Craft, and a creative challenge for the Craft culinary team. "They are so talented that my challenge as an owner, is to keep their interest. These dinners are a creative outlet and they celebrate what the shop does. They use all parts of the animal, from snout to tail," said owner and head butcher, Ryan Fibiger. Selecting the themes for these dinners may be a team effort, but much of the culinary planning comes from Mark Hepperman, Craft's Resident Chef and a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America with over 20 years of experience. One of the previous events in this series was the "Spring Lamb Dinner" which utilized two thirty pound young lambs for eight courses sourced from Josef Meiller farm and slaughterhouse in Pine Plains, New York. Read More
The Weekly Nibble: Upcoming Food News & Events Restaurant Events Emma Jane-Doody Stetson April 18, 2014 There is live jazz every Monday night at Fat Cat Pie Co in Norwalk! Enjoy delicious food and wine while listening to soulful melodies from 9-11pm. Tuesday April 22 at 7pm, Barcelona New Haven presents a “Light & Delicious Spring Tapas” cooking class. Join Chef Frank and learn how to make a variety of salads, soups and vegetable dishes. $25 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations: 203.848.3000. The same class will take place at Barcelona Stamford with Chef Scott on Saturday April 26 at 2pm. Also on Tuesday, Bistro Basque in Milford, CT will hold “Southern France: Excellent Wines, Excellent Cuisine” from 6:30-8:30pm. They will focus on the top 3 grapes of Southern France: two are the French equivalent: mourvèdre/ monastrell, grenache/garnacha, and the Syrah. The Chelsea takes a trip to New Orleans on April 23rd and 24th. In conjunction with The Revivalists concerts at FTC, The Chelsea will be serving NOLA classics inspired by legendary NOLA restaurants: Gumbo as eaten at "Herbsaint;" Boudin, you'd find at "Cochon;" Jambalaya like KPauls and the list goes on. New Orleans inspired drinks will be served as well. This is good times. Call 203-254-8200 for reservations. Wine & Dine Wednesdays go down every week at Darien Social! You get a salad, 2 sides, and your choice of Porterhouse, NY Strip or Filet for just $28. 1/2 OFF on Select Bottles of Wine. Read More
Ruuthai’s Kitchen: Real Thai in Bridgeport CT Restaurant Asian Bridgeport Thai Delicious Dives Lunch Kid Friendly Elizabeth Keyser April 13, 2014 Word’s out. There’s a new Thai place in Bridgeport worth traveling for. Ruuthai is a little family-run restaurant making authentic Thai dishes. Even better, Ruuthai offers dishes rarely seen in these parts, like mussel pancakes, boat noodles and steamed red curry fish custard. And then there are the desserts. Thai desserts are decidedly weird to Americans. Pork in a dessert? What?! Yes, and it’s good. Ruuthai has been open almost five months. It’s in a residential neighborhood off North Avenue. The storefront is cheerfully decorated with orange and lime accents, and pink and purple swirly, girly flower stencils. The effect is simple and charming. They’ve added a few more tables recently (they’re getting busier), and they do a lot of take-out, but I believe in eating food when it’s at its best – moments after Def Ruangsikul, head chef, has prepared it. If you sit down to eat you will probably meet Chef Ruangsikul’s daughter Dif. Dif McGeough is the manager and waitress. She was born in Thailand and raised in the United States, and she’s a knowledgeable and gently humorous guide. Over the course of several visits, here’s what we’ve tried: Read More
Battle of the Chefs to Feature Chefs Forrest Pasternack, Matt Storch, Jeff Taibe Restaurant Amy Kundrat April 12, 2014 The Battle of the Chefs returns to Ridgefield's Founders Hall on Sunday, June 1, 4 – 7 pm and will feature Chefs Forrest Pasternack of Bailey’s Backyard in Ridgefield, Matt Storch of Match in Norwalk, and Jeff Taibe of The Whelk and LeFarm. In a culinary showdown similar to those featured on television shows such as Top Chef and Chopped, three seasoned chefs will match sharp knives and quick wits for the benefit of Founders Hall. The participating chefs, Pasternack, Storch, and Taibe, will compete to create an entree from a basket of surprise ingredients in front of over 200 people. Read More
Fairfield County Chef's Table Restaurant Bethel Darien Greenwich Norwalk Ridgefield Stamford Westport New Canaan Amy Kundrat and Stephanie Webster April 11, 2014 After several years of immersing ourselves in the Fairfield County dining scene as partners and editors of CTbites, we had the opportunity to trade pixels for print. We are very excited to announce the launch of our book, Fairfield County Chef's Table, featuring over 50 restaurants and recipes, now available at your local book store and online. The book, published by Globe Pequot Press, was written by Amy Kundrat (yours truly), the executive editor and partner at CTbites. The photography is by none other than CTbites founder and editor in chief Stephanie Webster. It is the culmination of the many years we have been writing about and photographing the Connecticut food scene. This two year project was a blast to work on, and we only wish we could have included 50 more of our favorite restaurants. For more information, please visit our website. A special thank you to all the chefs, restaurant owners, farmers, friends, CTbites contributors, and CTbites readers who shared their time, expertise, and support. We hope you enjoy the book, experiment with the recipes from some of our favorite restaurants, and share it with your friends and family! Book Signings Barnes & Noble, Milford: April 27 @ 1 pm Barnes & Noble, Westport: May 17 @ 1 pm Read More
The NEW Versailles Bistro & Patisserie in Greenwich - From the Owners of Méli-Mélo Restaurant Coffee French Greenwich Breakfast Lunch Dessert Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger April 06, 2014 Almost a year ago, without notice or forewarning, a “For Sale” sign appeared on the window of Versailles Restaurant in Greenwich. At 6:15AM the following morning, Marc Penvenne was driving his usual route down Greenwich Avenue to his restaurant Méli-Mélo when he saw the sign. A few months earlier he started looking at several locations to open a second restaurant and now Versailles was available; he now knew the perfect location. Twenty years earlier, Penvenne was the manager at Versailles and left to open Méli-Mélo with his wife, Evelyne. Now, Marc and Evelyne are the proud owners of both Méli-Mélo and the re-invented Versailles Bistro and Patisserie. When you enter the reimagined restaurant, the front area is a patisserie, complete with white marble-topped tables, bistro chairs and glass display cases filled with tantalizing pastries. Behind these cases is a coffee bar, serving some of the best café au lait in Greenwich. In the rear, the patisserie opens to a restaurant with bistro style dark wood tables and chairs plus a long leather lined banquette. The walls are adorned with photos of Paris and framed French posters dating from the first half of the 20th century. Read More
Cask Republic Stamford Hosts "5C" Bluepoint Beer Dinner w/ 5 Chefs Restaurant Beer Dinner Beer CTbites Team April 03, 2014 The new Cask Republic in Stamford is hosting their first ever beer dinner on May 6th, and we hear it's going to be pretty epic. Cask has invited all 5 of their head chef's from Cask Republic and Ginger Man to lead the evening's culinary journey. Each will throw down a dish of their choice to be paired with a hand picked Cask Ale from Blue Point Brewery. Casks in contention will be selected at this weekend's Blue Point Brewery Cask Festival. Welcome to the neighborhood Cask. We're glad you're here. Details are below: Read More
Chef Jon Vaast Joins Sugar & Olives in Norwalk: Now Serving Dinner Restaurant Brunch Local Farm Norwalk Organic Lunch Stephanie Webster April 02, 2014 There's a new chef in the kitchen at Sugar & Olives in Norwalk. You may recognize the name from his years cooking over at Dressing Room in Westport. It's Chef Jon Vaast, and Jennifer Balin, owner of Sugar & Olives, explains her new hire as "An Organic collaboration between two like minded people." Johnny and Balin have been strong advocates for the local and sustainable food movement, and simply put, want to create a menu with delicious food sourced from within an arms reach of the shop. Every ingredient at Sugar & Olives is seasonal, and comes from a farm near the restaurant. Balin says "whenever possible, she selects ingredients that are also Organic." With Chef Vaast at the helm, Sugar & Olives is excited to announce that in addition to their daily weekday service, and one of the best brunches in Fairfield County, they have begun dinner service Thursday through Saturday. Read More
The 4B Festival Recap: Didn't Score Tix? Here's What Went Down in New Haven Restaurant Cocktails Beer James Gribbon April 01, 2014 The first ever 4b Festival had several teething problems, but attendees having fun didn't seem to be one. Well, let me back up a step... The 4b Festival was a celebration of the bacon, BBQ, beer and bourbon available in Connecticut. Do you like these things? Yes? Then 4b was for you... and you, and you and you, and a lot of other people. Many Americans, let's say most of us, love these alliterative drinks and foodstuffs, and are all about an event which puts them in the same place at the same time. I personally had several B's for the first time at the festival, both food and drink, learned quite a bit, and met some great new people. I also left hungry, and not in a figurative sense. The inaugural 4b Festival was held at the Old Trolley Barn, a warehouse just off the State Street exit on I-91 in New Haven. Most of the event's parking was several blocks off site (and an extra $5), but it was a sunny day and walking off a few calories before an event like this is for the best, anyway. I walked through the gates just before the fest's second session began at 5:30, and was met with a line of people which would have done the TSA proud. Like I said: people like bacon. Read More
Sono Baking Company Opening Darien Shop on Tokeneke Road Ingredients Restaurant Bakery Breakfast Lunch Kid Friendly Dessert Stephanie Webster March 29, 2014
