Lugano Wine Bar & Salumeria Opens in Greenwich Restaurant Greenwich Italian Salumeria Tapas Wine Bar Bar Emma Jane-Doody Stetson July 19, 2015 Going out for a meal can be an incredibly rewarding experience. There is a reason restaurants are a popular spot for a night out and a number of people proudly refer to themselves as “foodies.” However, it can also be a downright chore. Do I brave the downtown traffic? Where do I park my car? How do I get there? Will there be a table for me? Lugano Wine Bar and Salumeria, newly opened in Greenwich, alleviates all of those hassles. The Italian inspired restaurant sits just off of exit 6 from I-95 on East Putnam Avenue in Riverside, far removed from the droves of people downtown. It has its own lot next to the restaurant for easy parking as well as a valet service. Indoors, the space is approachable, yet impressive. When you walk through the front doors, you enter a spacious bar with plenty of seating and room to stand and mingle. Wine glasses elegantly line the bar’s counter, as if inviting patrons in for a drink. Just off of the bar to the right is a large dining room with high ceilings and a dome that serves as a skylight. It is light and open, lined with large windows. Lugano even boasts a private dining room for special functions, or for guests who prefer a quiet dining experience. The lovely space was the impetus for the restaurant. Read More
Bailey's Backyard in Ridgefield: 2 CTbites Writers Explore Their New Summer Menu Restaurant Farm to Table Ridgefield CTbites Team July 12, 2015 When Sal and Forrest invite you to a summer tasting menu, you say yes first and ask questions later. That would be Sal Bagliavio, owner of Bailey’s Backyard in Ridgefield, and Forrest Pasternack, the restaurant’s executive chef. The two have been the creative force behind the restaurant’s New American menu since its reinvention just two years ago. The story of Bailey’s actually goes back to 1999 when Sal, a chef himself, renovated the then coffee shop into a beloved Ridgefield restaurant that he ran for over a decade. Eager for a new chapter but happy to remain in Ridgefield, he reimagined it as a New American restaurant driven by seasonal ingredients and local purveyors in 2013. Over the past two years, Bailey’s has solidified its place in the Fairfield County dining scene thanks to the adventurous culinary spirit of Chef Pasternack and the dedication of Bagliavio. Read More
Homespun Mexican at Mexicali Rose in Bethel and Newtown Restaurant Bethel Newtown Mexican Kid Friendly Amy Kundrat July 05, 2015 Mexicali Rose is the type of small town dive you might take for granted if you grew up with it in your backyard (like I did), or you selfishly want to keep it to yourself (like I do). As a kid growing up in Newtown, I knew it was preferable to its Subway strip mall neighbor, but it wasn’t until I logged many thousands of miles of travel and dozens (hundreds?) of taco joints, that I truly saw this place. Homemade tortilla chips, walls covered in a clutter of Mexican folkloric kitsch, a handful of enamel top tables, and one very kind family that owns and runs the restaurant make Mexicali Rose one of my favorite hidden northern Fairfield County gems. Read More
Aarón Sánchez & Chris Batemen Unveil Seasonal Menu At Paloma, Stamford Restaurant Celebrity Chef Stamford Lunch Latin American Lou Gorfain July 03, 2015 After a bloggers’ tasting at Paloma in Stamford’s Harbor Point, CTBites sat down with Chef de Cuisine Chris Bateman to review the menu -- and his creative relationship with celebrity chef-owner Aarón Sánchez. Bateman is a culinary prodigy. Fresh from CIA, the young chef opened Four Seasons Restaurants and Hotels around the world. So debuting Paloma last summer wasn’t his first big time rodeo. Sánchez may be its star, but Bateman runs the day-to-day show. We wondered how much the celeb is involved in the creation of Paloma’s menu. “Very much,” Bateman replies. “We work closely. But he’s wide open to my ideas, and listens really well.” The unshaven, still youthful chef, sporting jeans and a Yankee cap worn backwards, confides, “Aarón is the reason I’ve stayed here. I love cooking with him.” Read More
Lithos Restaurant in Darien: New Greek in Town Restaurant Darien Greek Homepage Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger June 28, 2015 Lithos Restaurant opened in April serving an array of Greek specialties from a house made hummus to individually prepared crocks of Moussaka to a full selection of dinner entrées including fish, meats and chicken. Located at the eastern edge of Darien in the building that formerly housed Anthony's coal fired pizza, Lithos redecorated the interior to a lighter feel with blues, taupes and fixtures to inspire a Mediterrean softness. There is a long bar in the rear of the dining area, tables, booths and a large dining table that seats 10-12 to the right of the space that can be secluded by a sliding curtain. This month the restaurant commenced lunch service with a fixed price ($16 on my visit) 3-course special that includes an appetizer sampler, a choice of entrées and a dessert of yogurt, honey and fruit. Read More
Meet the Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream Team at Barrett Bookstore in Darien on July 11 Restaurant Events ice cream Homepage Amy Kundrat June 28, 2015 Laura O'Neill and Connecticut natives Ben and Pete Van Leeuwen started Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream in 2008 with pair of buttercup yellow ice cream trucks and a mission to revitalize traditional ice cream making by using only whole, natural ingredients. Less than a decade later the business has grown to include several bricks and mortar shops, a fleet of trucks, and a gorgeous new cookbook with 100 classic and new ice cream recipes. Barrett Bookstore in Darien will be hosting a talk with authors Ben and Laura on Saturday, July 11 at 12 pm with a Q/A session, book signing, and of course, an ice cream tasting. Read More
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
