Upcoming Classes at 109 Cheese & Wine in Ridgefield Restaurant Ridgefield CTbites Team March 06, 2015 Cooking Class with Sarah and Bernard - $90March 11, 2015 "Easy Entertaining – 5 ingredients or less Join Bernard & Sarah in their upstairs classroom – they will teach you how do pull together a fabulous buffet – 5 ingredients or less!" Italy: The lesser know Grapes, Cheese and Wine with Artisan Wines - $65March 14, 2015 "This is an in-depth discussion and tasting of some Italy’s lesser-known grape varietals like Vermentino, Aglianico, Bombino Bianco, Pelaverga, and Timorasso. Taste the wines and regional cheeses with rock star, Jim Morrison and take the journey. Fall in love with Italy all over again." A Look into Burgundy with wines from Rosenthal Wines - $75March 21, 2015 Read More
Bounty Food Truck & Lobstercraft Join To Feature Surf'n'Turf Catering Features Restaurant Seafood Burgers James Gribbon March 04, 2015 A snowy night found guests piled into the close confines of 284 Tokeneke Rd. in Darien to sample offerings from the combined menus of Lobstercraft and Bounty food truck. The two outfits have come together to expand their catering services for private parties, weddings and both special events, and we have your first look. "We thought the surf and turf idea between the best lobster and the best burger would make a great combo," Captain Mike Harden of Lobstercraft told CTBites. "We are working on bringing Bounty under the same roof so you can come to one place and get whatever you like." Read More
15 Places for Great BBQ in Connecticut Restaurant BBQ Comfort Food Best of CT Emma Jane-Doody Stetson March 03, 2015 Don’t let the subzero temperatures discourage you… CT restaurants are bringing the heat with mouth-watering finger-lickin’ delicious barbeque! From Kansas-City style to meats fresh out of the smoker, these restaurants have a variety of menu items for you to enjoy. Bear’s BBQ, Windsor Wilson’s, Fairfield Smoke Box BBQ, Hamden Bar BQ, Stamford Wire Mill BBQ, West Redding Bobby Q’s BBQ, Westport Dinosaur BBQ, Stamford Walrus + Carpenter, Bridgeport Q’s Restaurant, Norwalk Vinny’s Backyard, Stamford Uncle Willie’s BBQ, West Haven & Seymour Billy’s BBQ, Bethel Johnny Utah’s, South Norwalk Drumstick BBQ, Bridgeport The Boatyard at Smokey Joe’s, Stamford Read More
Amore Cucina & Bar Opens in Stamford w/ World Pizza Champion at Helm Restaurant Italian Pizza Stamford Take Out Jessica Ryan March 01, 2015 I recently had the opportunity to visit the newly redesigned Amore Cucina & Bar on Hope Street in Stamford for a blogger dinner. The restaurant interior boasts a warm rustic atmosphere with its combination of exposed brick and distressed wood. The large bar area accommodates thirty people and offers a well thought out wine list with a concentration on Italian varietals, creative cocktails and craft beer. Sixty seats are set up in a casual trattoria style, and during warmer weather a large patio will welcome diners. The real news here is Owner Bruno DiFabio, a six-time World Pizza Champion, Restaurateur and Television Personality. With eleven restaurants in the US and new ones scheduled to open in London, I assure you that he knows pizza. Read More
Battle of the Chefs to Feature Chefs Silvia Bianco, Bernard Bouissou, and Prasad Chirnomula Restaurant Fundraiser Amy Kundrat and Stephanie Webster February 28, 2015 Chefs Bernard Bouissou (Bernard’s), Silvia Bianco (formerly of Biscotti) and Prasad Chirnomula ( Thali) Battle of the Chefs returns to Founders Hall on Sunday, May 17, 4 – 7pm. In a culinary showdown similar to Top Chef and Chopped, three chefs will compete for the benefit of Founders Hall. Chefs Silvia Bianco, formerly of Biscotti, Bernard Bouissou of Bernard’s, and Prasad Chirnomula of Thali will compete to create an entree from a basket of surprise ingredients in front of a live audience. A panel of judges, including food critic and writer Jane Stern and wine/cheese connoisseur and business owner Monica Brown of No. 109 Cheese and Wine, will judge the chefs on their creativity, craftsmanship and culinary results. Hosts Amy Kundrat and Stephanie Webster (yours truly) of CTbites, will emcee. Read More
1st Annual Market Style Street-Food Rave in Stamford via HeyStamford! Restaurant Festival Stamford CTbites Team February 23, 2015
Da Legna: New Haven's Best Kept Pizza Secret Features Restaurant Pizza New Haven Amy Kundrat February 22, 2015 Da Legna is the best kept secret for New Haven pizza lovers. But it shouldn’t be. Ask a friend who lives or works in New Haven for their favorite pie, and steel yourself for a slew of anecdotes, a bit of Elm City history, and maybe even a neighborhood geography lesson – Wooster v. State Street. Then, after declaring their allegiance to one of the “big three,” lean in, because your friend may end their (a)pizza diatribe with an almost conspiratorial whisper of “Da Legna,” the two-year old State Street restaurant devoted to wood-fired pizzas, Italian tapas, and a refreshing lack of pretense. Read More
Burger Bests: Bailey's Backyard's Cheddar & Ale, One Excellent Burger Restaurant American Ridgefield Comfort Food Burgers Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger February 19, 2015 The next stop on my unending burger quest found me sitting at a high top table in the rear of Bailey’s Backyard in Ridgefield. This modest two room restaurant is known for its creative cuisine with an unwavering Farm to Table attitude instilled in the entire menu by Executive Chef, Forrest Pasternack. Many told me about the Cheddar and Ale Burger, and it was time I tried it for myself. The Burger is served with caramelized onions, cheddar & ale sauce on a brioche, with a side of shoestring potatoes. Read More
Mediterraneo in Norwalk ... A Culinary Tour of Southern Europe Restaurant American Norwalk Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger February 15, 2015 Mediterraneo, a ‘destination restaurant’ in the Hotel Zero Degrees on Main Street in Norwalk is a beautiful backdrop for Executive Chef Albert DeAngelis’ culinary tour of the Mediterranean. The aquatic inspired dining room features a large bar area to the left, with several high top tables to augment the bar seating, and to the right is the main dining room. With hardwood floors, white chairs and a large nautical flag painting along the far right wall, the dining area presents a clean and airy feel. The highlight of the room is the floor to ceiling glass wall that overlooks the panoramic, million-dollar waterfall view on the river. From a magnificent French Braised beef “Bourguignon” to a mild Tuscan Prosciutto wrapped rabbit loin to an outstanding Wild black sea bass, the menu at Mediterraneo offers wide varieties of clean flavors and combinations. Mediterraneo is one of five local restaurants owned by the Z Hospitality Group. Read More
Strada 18: Revisiting Classic Italian Comfort Food in Norwalk Restaurant Italian Norwalk SONO Lunch Jessica Ryan February 11, 2015 I was recently invited to a press dinner at Strada 18 in South Norwalk. The restaurant was eager to share with us their Italian-American Comfort Classics Dinner. With temperatures well below the freezing mark, all the snow, freezing rain and sleet, this is the type of food so many are craving right now. A group of about 20 or so writers, editors and bloggers gathered together for this dinner that was prepared especially for us. We started out with the Fried Calamari with Three Sauces, aioli, lemon-lime-jalapeno-cilantro, and marinara. The calamari was tender, flavorful and incredibly crispy and the accompanying sauces complemented them perfectly. We also enjoyed the Arancini, a fried risotto ball stuffed with American farmstead Fontina and served with a tomato sauce. The Arancini was good – but I wouldn’t say it was outstanding or one of the best I’ve ever had. Read More
The New Blondie Burger at Sycamore Drive In in Bethel Restaurant Bethel Diner Comfort Food Kid Friendly Burgers Amy Kundrat February 10, 2015 Photo: Ryan Kundrat Behind every great man is a great woman. And for Dagwood Bumstead, that woman is Blondie. Bethel's Sycamore Drive-in Restaurant, founded in 1948 and famous for its summer cruise nights, homemade root beer, and thin French-style burgers, has introduced the new Blondie burger, a fitting companion for their popular Dagwood burger. And I believe it's about time, the cartoon is named after the blonde bombshell matriarch, afterall. Read More
The Whelk's Burger - Still Outstanding Restaurant Westport Best of CT Burgers Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger February 08, 2015 The 2015 “Dry Aged Beef Burger” prepared by Chef Anthony Kostelis begins with a 7-8 ounce patty topped with sweet pickles, Bella Bantam cheese, bacon and onion mayonnaise, all encased in a buttery brioche. The meat was deep and rich in flavor, perfectly seasoned and compressed slightly to maintain the grind of the meat. It was juicy in the middle of the burger but a little dry at the edges. The Bella Bantam cheese from Arethusa Farm was outstanding, melted atop the patty. It was mild with a slight nuttiness, a great complement to the burger. The bacon at The Whelk was one of the best I have tasted in years, with a incredible smokiness and also added a little crunchiness to the burger. Read More
DiMare Pastry to Open Second Location in Downtown Stamford Restaurant Bakery Stamford Dessert Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger February 07, 2015 Here’s some great news for residents of downtown Stamford… DiMare Pastry Shop has announced that it will open its third location at 30 Spring Street in Stamford, serving its delicious cakes, pies, cupcakes, pastries, rolls, breads and its ever-popular and outrageous cannoli dip. The location will be named DiMare Pastry Downtown and is convenient to the explosion of apartments in downtown Stamford along Washington, Atlantic and Bedford. The newest location on Spring Street will be familiar for patrons of Bar Rosso and Volta as DiMare becomes the third occupant in this storefront. The interior design is currently in the planning and development phase and the artist rendering on their Facebook page (above) indicates a sleek design to showcase their outstanding baked goods. Thanks to OmNomCT for confirming the details. Read More
CT Foodie Valentine's Day Gift Guide 2015 Restaurant Chocolate Gift Guide April Guilbault February 04, 2015 “Cooking is like love. It should entered into with abandon or not at all.” Such delicious, true words from Harriet Van Horne, who first penned this line for Vogue magazine in 1956. In the spirit of channeling Ms. Harriet, we hope that wild abandon flies out the proverbial window this Valentine’s Day and that you can enjoy some new culinary experiences and delights with your honey. Love is food for the soul and we want your soul overflowing! Here are 12 gift ideas to entice and treat, from sweets to beers to bling... Read More
Mura Pop-Up Delivers Outstanding Ramen Restaurant Japanese Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger February 01, 2015 Ramen is one of the great dishes of the world. Contained within a single bowl is the essence of all flavors; and the most recent pop-up restaurants overseen by Chef Mogan Anthony (Locali) just over the border into NY are phenomenal. Chef Mogan was raised in Singapore and was captivated, at an early age, by the flavors in Asian cuisine. His early training included studying under some of the best Asian chefs. Read More
Olea in New Haven Delivers Extraordinary Spanish Dining Restaurant Spanish Tapas New Haven Connecticut Magazine February 01, 2015 Olea's condomiz / Photo: Jen Kaufman, Connecticut Magazine Many in the New Haven area mourned the closing of Ibiza last spring. The restaurant has been reimagined by former Ibiza chef Manual Romero who is now the owner and chef, reviving this modern Spanish tapas mecca for the city once again. Our friends at Connecticut Magazine recently visited, giving it an excellent rating, and here's why: When Ibiza in New Haven closed last spring, Connecticut lost a culinary treasure. Located on High Street, steps away from two famous art museums, it was itself a work of art, showcasing the best of modern Spanish cuisine in the state and on the East Coast. Busy, buzzy, frequently bustling, with a mile-long list of intriguing tapas and a devoutly loyal customer base, it vanished suddenly, as if it had never been. Rumors flew. Diners mourned. But within six months, the spirit of Ibiza rose like a phoenix in the same location but in a glamorous new guise, re-imagined and rechristened, Olea. Read More
Parallel Post in Trumbull Launches Girl Scout Cookie Inspired Dessert Menu Restaurant Trumbull Dessert CTbites Team January 28, 2015
10 Year Anniversary for Rizzuto’s Wood-fired Pizza Kitchen & Bar in Bethel, CT Restaurant Bethel CTbites Team January 27, 2015 Rizzuto’s Wood-fired Pizza Kitchen & Bar in Bethel, CT is celebrating their 10-year anniversary beginning January 25 through February 21 with special $10 lunch and $20.04 dinner prix fixe menus. Owner Bill Rizzuto opened the neighborhood Italian restaurant in December of 2004, transitioning from his career as a hotelier to restaurateur, now with multiple locations across the state, including Stamfrod, West Harford, and Westport. Read More
Road Trip: Chamard Vineyards Farm, Winery, & Bistro in Clinton Ingredients Restaurant Clinton Road Trip Vineyard WIne Lunch Jessica Ryan January 25, 2015 How often does one get to visit a vineyard that’s blanketed by crisp white snow, or highlighted by a fiery autumnal backdrop, making it even more magical than it already is? Nestled in the shoreline town of Clinton, about a mile beyond the hustle and bustle of the outlet shops is a charming vineyard that boasts over 20 acres of grapes as well as their bountiful fruit, vegetable and herb gardens. One might not consider Connecticut to be wine country, but Chamard Vineyards Farm, Winery, & Bistro is worth noting. Established in 1983, Chamard’s winning Estate Reserve wines are exclusively made in their winery, and can be enjoyed in their Tasting Room or in their dining room. The bistro offers a creative farm-to-table menu featuring a French inspired American menu. Their Chardonnay and Merlot are very good. Read More
