Locali in New Canaan: New Patio...New Menu Restaurant Italian Outdoor Dining Pizza New Canaan Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger May 15, 2014 Finally…the weather has changed…the farms are beginning to produce spring vegetables… and al fresco dining is in full swing. CTbites recently posted a round-up of over forty restaurants with al fresco dining including Locali in New Canaan and many readers added their favorites. At the northern end of Forest Avenue, aka Restaurant Row, the patio of the newest restaurant addition, Locali, opened its patio, doubled the seating and Executive Chef Mogan Anthony has completely revamped the menu. The new spring offerings include nine predetermined pizza combinations and sixteen appetizers and salads, all for sharing, plus a smattering of pastas. All of these new culinary delights combine bold flavors and textures to highlight the seasonal bounty. Read More
Win 2 Tickets to Battle of the Chefs in Ridgefield on June 1 Restaurant Ridgefield CTbites Team May 15, 2014 Who doesn't love a good old-fashioned throwdown? The Battle of the Chefs returns to Ridgefield's Founders Hall on Sunday, June 1, 4 – 7 pm and you have the chance to be the lucky recipient of two stadium seat tickets to taste and experience an epic throwdown between Forrest Pasternack of Bailey’s Backyard in Ridgefield, Matt Storch of Match in Norwalk, and Jeff Taibe of The Whelk and LeFarm. Here's what you need to do: Comment on this post with your dream Battle of the Chef match-up, either fictional, celebrity or local, and we'll randomly select a winner by May 23! Read More
Speakeasy Night at Walrus+Carpenter: CTbites Invites Recap Restaurant BBQ CTbites Invites Events ellen bowen May 14, 2014 As the back door opened a crack, a tuxedoed man eyed me and said, “What’s the Password?”… “Bees' Knees” I hesitantly whispered, palms sweaty, and only then I was ushered into the Walrus + Carpenter back room “Speakeasy” for a Throwback Thursday CTbites Invites event on May 8, 2014, of Prohibition cocktails, silent films and the food and music of the Roaring 20’s. Owner Joe Farrell and GM Adam Roytman were on hand to greet the 30 attendees of this sold out evening, most who chose to follow the Invites suggestion of dressing for the period…every where I looked were Al Capone look-alikes dressed in pinstripe suits and fedoras…Fancy “molls” in fringe dresses, sequined headbands, multiple strands of pearls and fur boas. Read More
Best Burgers in Stamford CT: Celebrate National Burger Month Restaurant Stamford Best of CT Burgers Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger May 13, 2014 It’s National Burger Month. To kick it off, we are launching a series of haunts and restaurants where you can enjoy some excellent burgers. For the first of this series we bring you the “Burgers of Stamford.” From basic bacon cheeseburgers to one with 100% Wagyu beef, each of these bundles of beef offers different flavors, toppings, buns and sides Last year one Stamford location was included in the 2013 Best Bar Burger category, Dinosaur BBQ’s “Dino Burger Deluxe." Check back next week when CTbites rolls out its 2014 list of Best Bar Burgers. Two Stamford locations earned spots in CTbites’ 2013 Best Restaurant Burger category. The “Harlan Burger” at Harlan Social and Napa & Co.’s “Wagyu Burger.” We recently reviewed a strong contender for inclusion in this year's list with Olio’s “House Burger.” Check out Olio’s burger here, and come back at the end of the month when we unveil “The Best Restaurant Burgers in Fairfield County.” Read More
New Chef @ Barcelona (SONO) : Introducing Chef Wayne Homsi Restaurant Norwalk Wine Bar Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger May 11, 2014 With a hip and lively environment, the Barcelona restaurants have consistently offered bold cuisine, inspired by the Iberian Peninsula accompanied with some of the best drinks and Sangria in the area. Each location adheres to the basic premise that a visit to Barcelona must combine great fun with great food. To continue in this tradition, Barcelona (SONO) recently introduced its new Executive Chef Wayne Homsi. Fresh from his culinary journey throughout Spain, CTbites stopped by to sample Chef Homsi’s new additions to the Spring menu. Chef Wayne graduated with honors from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park and joined The Waldorf Astoria Hotel where he became the youngest sous chef in its history. He subsequently worked at Picholine and then became the opening sous chef at its sister restaurant Artisanal Fromagerie and Bistro in New York. He next joined Il Barilotto as Executive Chef and Partner in 2002 before joining Barcelona SONO earlier this year. The menu at Barcelona offers “Meat + Cheese,” “Tapas” plus a few smatterings of “Paella,” “Meat + Fish” and Mixed Grill.” The Tapas contains bar bites and others that are more closely described as small sharing plates. Read More
Extra Virgin Tasting Menu at Community Table with Olivette Restaurant Events Farm to Table CTbites Team May 10, 2014 Alina Lawrence of Olivette and Joel Viehland of Community Table will present an 'Extra Virgin Tasting Menu,' a night of eating, drinking and learning about authentic extra virgin olive oil, how to properly taste it, and the myriad of ways to enjoy it with food. This tasting menu will take place June 3 inside Community Table in Washington, CT. Alina Lawrence is an olive oil educator and owner of Olivette, a boutique olive oil tasting room in Darien, CT. Alina received her training and certification in olive oil sensory analysis from the National Organization of Olive Oil Tasters (ONAOO) in Imperia, Italy. Chef Joel will work with Alina to share her extensive knowledge of olive oil. As Alina guides you through the complexities of each oil, Chef Joel will present a matching five-course tasting menu, accompanied by wine, that will make for a memorable evening. Read More
Event Roundup: American Craft Beer Week In CT May 12-18 Restaurant Beer Dinner CT Beer Beer James Gribbon May 08, 2014 One hundred twenty four. That's how many breweries posted events for the first American Craft Beer Week in 2006. Since then, the number of microbreweries, brewpubs and beers bars has quintupled, and they all bring out their best and brightest for this one week celebration of fermented grain. Last year there were 1,269 individual events reported to the Brewer's Association. with who knows how many slipping under the radar. So, the question rises: where will you be during American Craft Beer Week?We've compiled a quick primer with a rundown of events for each day of ACBW 2014 to give you all an outline of what Ninkasi has let slip between her delicate fingers and onto your town. There are more events in the Constitution State this week than we can print, but we've tried to find something for everyone in several different counties, and feel free to comment if you know of anything we may have missed. Allons-y! Read More
Fairfield Cheese Company Celebrates 5 Years Restaurant Cheese Fairfield Specialty Market CTbites Team May 06, 2014 Five years ago Laura Downey and Chris Palumbo combined their love for cheese and their entrepreneurial spirit and created Fairfield Cheese Company, a bustling cheese shop located in a food loving Connecticut suburb. To celebrate five years of artisanal and farmstead cheese, charcuterie and fine foods, and their popular cheese school, Fairfield Cheese Company will mark their anniversary with a calendar of special events during the month of May. View the complete list of events below: Read More
The Buzz Truck: Mobile Coffee Truck in Fairfield County Restaurant Coffee Fairfield Food Truck Westport Jessica Ryan May 04, 2014 Have you heard the buzz? If you haven’t and you live in the Westport and Fairfield areas you’ll not only hear it but you’ll see it any day now! The Buzz is The Buzz Truck, the brainchild of Jessica and Alex Grutkowski. Sleek, hip and sharp, this handsomely renovated school bus will have tired moms and dads cheering with delight. But it’s not just for parents - this little black bus has something for everyone. The idea was conceived about a year ago when Jessica Grutkowski wondered why there wasn’t an ice cream truck for grownups. Only her ice cream truck wasn’t going to sell ice cream, it was going to sell coffee. “I was waiting on line for my coffee,” she told me, “and there was this person in front of me placing this ridiculously long order. I knew I was going to be late in picking my kids up from school.” Her eyes kept darting to the clock as she debated whether to ditch the line or not. And that was when the idea of the coffee truck came to her. “I knew right away that it would be called the Buzz Truck.” Read More
The Jamie Oliver Food Revolution is coming to New Canaan Restaurant Celebrity Chef Kids New Canaan CTbites Team May 02, 2014 Designed to educate children about healthy eating while getting them to try something new, a Pop Up Park will be created (off Elm Street) on Saturday May 17th between 9:30 – 11:30am. Kids can register for a fun food trail, and be entered into a drawing to win a special prize. New Canaan residents Silvia Baldini, Founder / Chef Strawberry & Sage and Rachel Lampen RLPR Ltd, have volunteered their time to be the 2014 Food Revolution Ambassadors as one of four towns participating across Connecticut, as New Canaan joins Branford, Meriden, and Middletown. Read More
Weekly Nibble: Upcoming Food News & Events Restaurant Stamford WIne Beer Dinner Beer Emma Jane-Doody Stetson May 01, 2014 Tuesday May 6, Cask Republic in Stamford is hosting a 5C Bluepoint beer dinner. 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. Wednesday May 7 is “Mommie Food Fair” at Pellicci’s in Stamford. Fairfield County Dishcrawl, FC Moms Blog, and City Moms Blog have partnered together for the National Event. The Mommy Foodie Fairs take place in 16 cities across the United States. From a mocktail competition to a create your own chip dip contest, this is an opportunity for moms to meet and mingle. A number of fun brands will be represented. Tickets can be purchased directly here. “Wonderful Wednesdays” returns to New Canaan Wine Merchants on Wednesday May 7. A portion of all sales from the evening will go to benefit Meals on Wheels. Wednesday is also a class on “Wines of 2010 Vintage” at Harry’s in Fairfield. Read More
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
