Pho Hong Thom: A Must Eat Vietnamese Gem in Bridgeport Restaurant Asian Bridgeport Delicious Dives Vietnamese Sarah Green June 28, 2015 Here’s a little secret...SHHHH!!! We got a tip from those in the know - and by that I mean some of Fairfield County’s finest chefs - that the place “around town” for truly authentic Vietnamese Pho is PHO HONG THOM on Wood Ave in Bridgeport. Naturally, we FORCED ourselves to give it a try. Tiny, unpretentious, even down-right plain, patrons come here for the food, not the decor. But they come. Empty when we arrived at 11:30 but jam packed by noon, PHO HONG THOM draws ‘em in and keeps ‘em coming back for more. Here’s why: PHO HONG THOM gets its name from Hong and Thom Nguyen, owners of this family-run establishment in the heart of Bridgeport. Originally from a tiny village near Hanoi, the Nguyen family are “all in” with sons and a daughter helping out whenever possible. This is family cooking at its best and you get a hint of that as a mosaic of flavors greet your nose upon arrival. Broth is at the heart of this menu - and I’ll tell you what Pho.. Read More
Back 40 Kitchen: Modern Farmhouse with Organic Mission to Open in Greenwich this July Restaurant Farm to Table Greenwich CTbites Team June 21, 2015 The Back 40 Farm Group will open Back 40 Kitchen this July on Greenwich Avenue, a modern take on organic farmhouse cuisine. Back 40 Kitchen will be a haven for those seeking healthy, organic food without sacrificing sophistication. The restaurant will source the majority of its produce from Back 40 Farm, an 85-acre family-owned organically managed farm in Washington, CT, as well as other regional organic and sustainable farms and purveyors. Read More
Boothbay Lobster Company Opening in Stamford's Harbor Point: Wicked Fresh Maine Seafood Restaurant Seafood Stamford Opening Lou Gorfain June 18, 2015 It’s official. The Boothbay Lobster Company will be opening its first restaurant in early 2016 at Harbor Point in Stamford. In fact, owner David Galin had just finished hanging up the announcement sign in the window of the new location, when we asked about his plans. Since Boothbay is Lobster Haven in Maine, our first question had to be, “Connecticut Lobster Roll or New England Lobster Roll?” “Both,” Galin said, grinning. “And either way, we’ll serve tail, knuckle and claw meat in a really good bun.” The restaurant concept is so fresh that Galin and his somewhat silent business partner are still refining the details, but “fresh” is the operant theme: seafood plucked directly from the cold waters of Maine immediately trucked to Harbor Point. When the concept is further embellished, Galin promised to give CTBites readers a very early preview. This we can leak. Read More
Black Rock Farmers' Market Opens June 20th: Honey Tastings, Michel Nischan & Food Demos! Features Restaurant Bridgeport Farmers Market Local Farm CTbites Team June 16, 2015 The Black Rock Farmer’s Market (BRFM) is back and better than ever! Now in its second season, the market will be held every Saturday from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm on the field next to St. Ann Church on 481 Brewster Street. The mission of BRFM is to serve as a community gathering place where local and organic farmers, producers and artisans can offer fresh agricultural and related locally sourced products to the Black Rock community and surrounding area. With a strong focus on sustainability, BRFM educates people on the importance of good health and creates business opportunities for local vendors. This year will host a variety of local vendors including Sport Hill Farm of Easton, Aradia Farm of Southbury, K is for Cookies of Black Rock, Jane’s Good Food of Westport and more. There are many new and exciting experiences for market attendees, including more local farms, food demos and educational programs. The last Saturday of every month, visitors can shop for unique and creative items in the Artisan Market. New this year there will also be a lecture series beginning on June 27th featuring Michel Nischan, CEO, President and Co-Founder of Wholesome Wave in Bridgeport. Nischan was recently named Humanitarian of the Year by the James Beard Foundation. Read More
The White Hart Inn in Salisbury Led by Chef Annie Wayte Restaurant Litchfield Road Trip Douglas P Clement June 14, 2015 Scallop Crudo. Photo: Julie Bidwell With British chef Annie Wayte at the helm, fellow Englishman Paul Pearson cooking alongside her, and pastry chef Gabby Rios sculpting gorgeous desserts, The Dining Room at The White Hart in Salisbury is as brilliant as it is new, and instantly one of the best restaurants in Connecticut. Wayte, who opened fashion designer Nicole Farhi’s namesake restaurant and 202 Café in London and New York City, also worked with Sally Clarke — the Alice Waters of England — and she’s passionate about cooking with the best local and seasonal ingredients produced sustainably. Pearson “has a very high style of cooking,” Wayte says, and the results of their collaboration are dishes with lush, painterly artistry that embody purity and integrity and taste amazing. Read More
LisaMarie's Food Truck: Paradise Lost, Then Found Off The Beaten Path in CT Restaurant Catering Danbury Food Truck Lunch Lou Gorfain June 09, 2015 Lisamarie Ault was flying high. For twenty years she had served as the personal Chef to Edgar Bronfman, Sr., the billionaire magnate of the Seagram’s empire, preparing the best of everything for a man who demanded world-class excellence. That's exactly what he got from a devoted chef who was trained at CIA and cooked at restaurants from Switzerland to Hawaii. Lisamarie led a rarefied life in her own culinary paradise. But then she suddenly fell back to earth. In December of 2013, Bronfman abruptly died, and his family no longer had need for a personal cook. Lisamarie was out of a job … and a dear friend. “Mr. B”, as she calls him, had become the father she lost days before she took the position two decades earlier. “In March of last year, I had no idea what I was going to do next,” she recalls. “Suddenly, out of the blue, I learned that Mr. Bronfman had included me in his will.” On an impulse, Lisamarie decided to buy an old food truck, and take it on the road under the banner of "PARADISE FOODS.” Read More
Chefs of Our Kitchen (C.O.O.K.) Series Restaurant Dinner Events New Haven CTbites Team May 30, 2015 The third annual C.O.O.K. series presented by Gateway Community College Foundation features chef-led culinary evenings at Gateway's campus in New Haven. Upcoming events include Neil "Singing Chef" Fuentes on June 3, 2015 and Abby Dodge on November 4, 2015. Tickets for the Neil Fuentes dinner are $65 per person. Tickets include: 6 p.m. Pre-event reception with wine, beer soft drinks and hors d’oeuvres in Gateway’s New Alliance Foundation Art Gallery A cookbook, memoir or recipe booklet A chance opportunity to meet the author/chef A 6:45 p.m. 3 course meal prepared by the featured chef and Gateway Community College Culinary Read More
Best Doughnuts in CT 2015 Edition: Friday June 5 is National Doughnut Day! Restaurant Bakery Doughnuts Breakfast Best of CT Dessert CTbites Team May 29, 2015 Yes, it’s a recognized national holiday, and CT has great doughnuts for sweettooths ready to celebrate! Here are places serving delicious ones. Thank you, readers, for your contributions! Uncle Leo’s, ReddingSpeedy Donuts, NorwalkWhitney Donut & Sandwich Shop, HamdenLakeside Diner, StamfordBeach Donuts, Old LymeDarien Doughnut, DarienOrangeside, New HavenLorca, StamfordCoffee An’ Donuts, WestportStew Leonard’s, Norwalk, Danbury, Newington, Yonkers SoNo Baking Company, NorwalkDonut Crazy, Shelton, StratfordNeil's Donuts, WallingfordFaddy's Doughnuts & Ice Cream, Windsor Read More
Food Truck Rodeo & Music Fest: Food Trucks, Music & Beer via HeyStamford! Restaurant Events Food Truck Hey Stamford! May 27, 2015 Here's the scoop on Stamford's Food Truck Rodeo from our friends @ Hey Stamford! A few weeks back we shared the news with you about the Blue Point Brewery Food Truck Rodeo & Music Fest. The event is just weeks away, June 20th at Mill River Park in Stamford Downtown and we are excited! With live music, almost 20 food trucks and kids games galore, it will literally be a fun family day of food and music! It's a who's who of local food trucks slinging their best meals with almost 20 of the best food trucks in our area in one spot you can expect a little of everything from apps, to main courses to desserts and everything in between. Check out this list..it's a work in progress as more are being added as we speak. Read More
CT Hops for Hope Brewfest Supporting the SMS Research Foundation Restaurant Brewery Amy Kundrat May 22, 2015 CT Hops for Hope, an intimately-scaled craft beer festival in New Britain on August 30, 2015, is organizing a fundraising event with 100% of proceeds benefitting the Smith-Magenis Research Foundation. The event will feature a terrific lineup of 20+ craft breweries, craft beer enthusiasts, and food trucks. Tickets are $45 for general admission and $55 for early bird admission, and will be available for sale beginning Friday, May 22 at 11 am. General admissions includes all brewery samples, but does not include the price of any food trucks, which will be selling their food separately. The event will take place at The Quartette Club in New Britain, rain or shine. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit cthopsforhope.com. Read More
Zuppardi's Pizza Truck Now Rolling in Connecticut Restaurant Food Truck Pizza New Haven Amy Kundrat May 20, 2015 It was four years ago this month when I first met a Zuppardi's sausage pie. They say you never forget your first, which I then ensured by writing about it for Serious Eats. So imagine my surprise when I learned they were rolling out a Zuppardi's pizza truck, and my elation when I ran into said truck, a bright red beacon on an otherwise gray and drizzly New Haven day, on the corner of Chapel and Church in New Haven. Put another way, if New Haven's signature pizzas were the rat pack, the Zuppardi's sausage pie would take center stage alongside New Haven's other apizza stars: Sally's tomato, Pepe's clam, Modern's Italian Bomb, and Bar's mashed potato. Yup, it's that good. Read More
Two Roads’ Second Annual Road Jam Concert: Soul Rebels, Food Truck & Beer! Restaurant Brewery CT Beer Events Festival Beer CTbites Team May 20, 2015 Stratford, CT's Two Roads Brewing Company will be celebrating their 2nd annual Road Jam concert on the grounds of their 100 year-old brewery building and it promises to be just as fun as last year with four awesome bands, great food trucks and plenty of Two Roads beer. Building on the success of last year's event, this year's Road Jam will be a must-attend festival for music lovers. Two Roads has hired three local bands as well as a headliner all the way from New Orleans to keep you dancing until last call. Returning this year will be the Alpaca Gnomes who killed it at last year’s event and new to the line-up this year are two other Connecticut favorites, the psychedelic Snooty Garland and jam group The McLovins.Headlining the event is New Orleans' finest brass band: The Soul Rebels. They have shared the stage with everyone from Kanye West to Dave Matthews and have collaborated with some of this generation's best musical acts. They have been described by the Village Voice as “the missing link between Public Enemy and Louis Armstrong.” Two Roads is thrilled to feature them as the main act. Read More
5-Course Pasta Tasting at Bar Sugo: Decadent & Delicious Restaurant Dinner Events Pasta Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger May 19, 2015 Several years ago I sampled Chef Pat Pascarella’s Pasta Bolognese and it was one of the best Bolognese I had ever tasted. Since that time, Pascarella opened Bar Sugo on Wall Street in Norwalk and I have enjoyed many of Chef Pat’s creations. He recently introduced his full-table Pasta Tasting menu and invited CTbites to sample the five courses…from a straightforward tomato and basil to a complex lobster, morel and truffle. The incredible Bolognese that Chef Pat served me several years ago was a prelude to the fantastic five courses that I enjoyed with wine pairings from Sommelier Megan Pacarella. Read More
Camille's Wood Fired Pizza in Tolland Restaurant Pizza Tolland Lunch Kid Friendly Amy Kundrat May 17, 2015 A three hour drive to Boston is best broken up by lunch, preferably pizza, and always with a good friend. This is how I found myself at Camille’s Wood Fired Pizza in Tolland with someone as obsessed with pizza as I am. A strikingly thin and crispy yet solidly constructed crust forms the foundation for Camille’s 11 or so red and white pies. They range from the classic margherita to their signature Billy’s Bianco, a combination of pistachio, cream, goat cheese, ricotta, truffle honey, red onion (pictured). Their spicy sausage and kale was an excellent lunch partner alongside the Bianco, balanced well with savory sausage, spicy chile oil, and slight bitterness from the kale smoothed out by mozzarella. Read More
The Beer Garden @ Shippan Landing Re-Opens May 21 For The Summer Season in Stamford Restaurant Beer Garden CT Beer Happy Hour Stamford Beer Bar Stephanie Webster May 15, 2015 Imian Partners will open The Beer Garden at Shippan Landing for its second season on May 21st. Imian first introduced the pop-up beer garden concept two summers ago with The Beer Garden at Harbor Point and is credited for invigorating the social scene in Stamford’s South End. The Shippan spot has a significantly more relaxed vibe than that of Harbor Point, but has all the charm and beauty of the perfect summer hangout. With unobstructed waterfront views, (and the best seat in town to watch the sunset all summer long), The Beer Garden at Shippan Landing will showcase and rotate its carefully curated list of local craft beers on draft and in cans offering a variety of options. Look for favorites such as Half Full, Broad Brook, Captain Lawrence and more. We also hear that The Beer Garden will be partnering with Half Full to create a signature beer just for the garden. Pretty cool. An impressive rotating lineup of the area’s best food trucks will also be part of the nightly festivities at the Beer Garden. Stay tuned for details on some of your favorite mobile eats. The family-friendly environment will include outdoor games such as life-size jenga, corn hole, can jam and beer pong. Entertainment will include live music and special themed-events throughout the summer beginning on Sunday May 24th with a Memorial Day party. Read More
Millwright’s at the Farm with Guest Collaborators Bill Taibe & New England Brewing Co. on September 10 Restaurant Farm Dinner Beer Amy Kundrat May 13, 2015 What happens when you combine two of Connecticut's James Beard nominated chefs, a Connecticut Brewery, a community farm, and a good cause? Millwright's at the Farm, of course! This charity dinner series is held throughout the summer with guest chefs and themes. Chef Taibe will be the guest collaborator on September 10 at 6:30 pm at Community Farm of Simsbury, located at 73 Wolcott Road, Simsbury CT 06070. Price includes tax, food and beverage at $95 per person. June 11: Chef/Owner James Wayman, The Oyster Club & The Engine Room July 16: Chef Jamie McDonald, Bears Smokehouse [Theme: BBQ] August 27: Chef Jeff Lizotte, On20 September 10: Chef Bill Taibe, LeFarm, The Whelk, Kawa Ni, and New England Brewing Co. September 24: Chef/Owner Billy Grant, grants, Bricco October 8: Chef Scott Miller, Max Group Read More
Colony Grill To Open in Norwalk CT @ New Waypointe Site Restaurant Norwalk Pizza Lunch Kid Friendly CTbites Team May 07, 2015 Colony Grill Development, LLC has reached a lease agreement with CP IV Waypointe BP I, LLC to open a Colony Grill within the newly-constructed Waypointe development, located at 515 West Avenue in Norwalk, CT. Colony, famous for its thin-crust hot oil pizza, plans to open the location in mid-summer 2015. “We believe Colony Grill is one of the restaurant linchpins of this project, “said Paxton Kinol, principal at Bellpointe Capital, the Waypointe developer. “We love their pizza, their local authenticity, and their commitment to community as a company. Colony is a tremendous amenity to the Waypointe project.” Read More
Meet Walrus + Carpenter's Pitmaster, Ben McCrea, The Man Who Makes The Meat Interview Restaurant American BBQ Bridgeport Lunch Sarah Green May 06, 2015 Ben McCrea is a gentle-giant of a man, but don't let his warm, friendly facade fool you. Underneath that kind-hearted shell is a mean, Auss-een, grilling machine. In the WAY back of the lot on Fairfield Ave in Bridgeport that Walrus + Carpenter calls home, is the perch where Ben keeps watch. His job... smoking all types of meat to perfection. But what makes the man that makes the meat?Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Ben gained his skills from watching his grandfather grill on the "barbie," but becoming a grill master wasn't his first passion. Ben came to the States as a boxer and did very well in that 'arena.' However, boxing is a short career and Ben knew something more awaited. What he didn't know was that it would be a smoker with a 500 gallon propane tank, commissioned by Walrus co-owner Joe Farrell (along with Adam Roytman.) Read More
Marcell Davidsen Succeeds Joel Viehland as Executive Chef of Community Table in Washington, CT Restaurant Farm to Table Washington Amy Kundrat May 04, 2015 Photo c/o Community Table Marcell Davidsen will succeed Joel Viehland as Executive Chef of Community Table in Washington, CT beginning May 15. The restaurant shared the news of Davidsen's appointment in an announcement released this evening. A native of Denmark whose style is infused with Nordic infuences and exquisite plating, Davidsen was the restaurant's fomer sous chef under Viehland. Community Table's mission – celebrating modern cuisine informed by local farms and purveyors – will remain the overarching framework under Chef's Davidsen's leadership: From Community Table: Marcell Davidsen succeeds Joel Viehland as Executive Chef of Community Table After five remarkable years, and much national recognition including a nomination for best new restaurant in America by the James Beard Foundation and best chef nominations by Food and Wine Magazine and James Beard, Joel Viehland passes the reins to his former Sous Chef Marcell Davidsen. Read More
