Middle Eastern Home Cooking @ Safita
Restaurant Fairfield Middle Eastern Syrian Vegetarian Lunch Kid Friendly
If you liked Bonda at its former Westport/Saugatuck location, you’ll love its new incarnation in Fairfield’s Greenfield Hill (the former home of La Colline Verte and Fraiche). Sure, we miss Abbondanza – owner/chef Jamie Cooper’s former Saugatuck gourmet deli/catering operation and site of the original Bonda. But we’re excited he’s now focused on the restaurant and taking it to the next level in this new location. It’s a clean, inviting space, with warm orange walls, fresh white trim, vintage posters and comfortable seating. The small, sixty-seat restaurant was nearly filled to capacity when we visited on an otherwise quiet Tuesday evening in October. For good reason. In fact, for at least three very good reasons.
Reason 1: The Bond-alicious food. Inventive yet simple dishes, expertly prepared. Although the menu has a classic American backbone, Jamie treats the world as his pantry.
Good news for Tasti D-Lite fans. Made with natural ingredients, this lower calorie frozen dessert treat is opening its doors in Fairfield CT on October 20th at 1201 King Highway in Fairfield's Staples Plaza.
Tasti D Lite has long had a cult following among health-conscious consumers as well as celebrities who line up to enjoy their guilt-free confections. Now Fairfield can enjoy the pleasure of Tasti without the commute, and CTbites readers get a FREE topping during the month of October!
The Fairfield store will have nine tables, comfortable couches, and Wi-Fi access. Pair this with 100+ creamy delicious flavors (most of which are gluten free), including Toasted Coconut, Caramel Apple, and Mud Pie…why would you ever leave?
Connecticut pizza fans are not much different than baseball fans. Each are rabidly and often irrationally supportive of their team or in this case, their pizzerias. And just as that imaginary line splitting Connecticut into Yankees and Red Sox territory exists, so does the invisible border separating followers of Stamford's seventy-five year-old institution, Colony Grill, from those forming lines at Pepe's and Sally's on New Haven's Wooster Street.
Depending on your team, one thing is certain. We in Connecticut take our pizza very seriously. The pizza rivalry is heating up in Connecticut with Colony Grill's expansion onto Fairfield's Post Road. Opening this past Memorial Day weekend, Colony Grill in Fairfield has already cultivated a near-instant following drawn to its thin crust hot oil pies and booming bar scene.
Die-hard fans of Stamford's Colony Grill will not be dissapointed in its Fairfield incarnation. The nearly-identical menu is matched by an identically delicious pizza, minus the decades of pizzeria patina, a combination of occasionally surly service and constant throng of people and take-out orders we've come to appreciate (read: tolerate) in Stamford.
When Ben & Jerry's closed in Westport this Fall, there were murmurs of discontent amongst the younger crowd. Where does one get homemade ice cream with solid mix-ins in this town? Fortunately help was just around the corner...literally. Sunny Daes opened just months later and now Westporters young and old don't have to drive to Fairfield to get their fix.
This full service ice cream shop has 68 flavors of frosty desserts says owner, Sergio Keskin. Plus, it isn't shipped in on trucks; it's made right behind the counter. If this isn't enough to get you in the door, they also serve gelato, frozen yogurt, soft-serve ice cream, and ice cream cakes.
Sure, I could tell you how good the ice cream is, but I thought it made more sense to let the kids tell it like it is...
Fairfield Cheese Company classes are back in session and school has never been this delicious. Whether you are a cheese novice looking for a an introduction to the basics, or a cheese-aficionado seeking to expand your knowledge on a specific variety, they've got the class for you.
I jumped at the chance to attend one of these sessions back in October and spent some time with owners Laura and Christopher who lead these entertaining and informative evenings. If you would like some background on Fairfield Cheese Company, check out our review, "Cheese 101."
With wine pairings from Harry's Wine & Liquor, this is the perfect way to break out of that dinner-and-a-movie date night rut. If you attend any of the classes below, let us know what you think!
Going out for lunch carries specific expectations. If you’ve gone beyond the decision to just get a bite to eat, other desires come into play: In addition to good food, you want a certain atmosphere, efficient service, and ideally, a reasonable price. A recent mid-day visit to Osianna Mediterranean Taverna in Fairfield satisfied all our requirements for a delightfully laid back lunch with excellent food that nourished, but didn’t stuff us, and proved to be an exceptional value.
An energetic buzz greeted us when we entered the restaurant
Entering Health in Hurry in Fairfield is like entering a close friend's kitchen after she has prepared fragrant dishes for you all day. Owner, Sue Cadwell, greets customers while literally standing in the kitchen of her 275 Sq. foot storefront tucked away off the Post Road. There is nothing but a short counter to separate you from the simmering pots and a couple of dedicated cooks chopping and packing healthful, mightily flavored dishes to go. Sue's philosophy is simple. She provides a welcome alternative to fast-food for busy people using organic, whole foods, seasonal produce and ethnic flavors from around the world.
What she does in this tiny kitchen is remarkable, and even while working she is always ready to pause and greet her customers with a welcoming smile and a hug. She will ask if it is your first time there and gladly explain as much or as little as you would like to hear about each dish and its ingredients. Food allergies? Food sensitivities? No problem. Sue caters to all dietary needs and to her loyal following. This may be a small, intimate operation, but Heath in a Hurry has a big heart and big intentions.
Analiese Paik, Founder of the Fairfield Green Food Guide is constantly scouring the farm stands and markets of Fairfield County for great green foodie finds. She has come up with a list of wonderful local products just right for the holidays. Happy shopping!
Holy smoke!: The Willie Bird whole smoked turkey, formerly available exclusively through Williams-Sonoma’s catalog, is now available at Palmer’s Market in Darien. You can thank Richard the butcher for bringing in this famous all-natural, vegetarian fed bird from Sonoma, CA to grace your holiday table. Save yourself the shipping and head to Palmer’s Market at 264 Heights Road in Darien, just off exit 10 on I95 across from the Noroton Heights train station. They also have fresh Long Island duck!
Yesterday a group of CT Bites and Suzysaid readers enjoyed their first in a series of lunch events, this one at Cafe Lola in Fairfield. The dining room was abuzz with satisfied diners who, for a mere $15, savored a wonderful 3 course meal in the warmth and elegance of owners Ivanina & Henri's Donneaux French bistro.
We arrived early to check out the scene. In the kitchen, Chef Henri had things under control and was beginning to prep his first plate of Ratatouille. Ivanina (who manages the restaurant and creates their excellent wine list) was greeting guests and making sure things were running smoothly. And they were! I sat down with two of our CT Bites contributors, Sarah Green and Jenny Vynerib and began strategizing the meal.
Here is what we ate:
Here in Fairfield County, there are a number of interesting vegetarian cafes, restaurants and markets that focus on mostly organic, mostly vegetarian ingredients and healthy eating. The most recent addition is Catch a Healthy Habit Cafe, just past the Community movie theatre in Fairfield. In the ever burgeoning foodie scene that is sprouting in Fairfield, this one is unique and specific in its orientation and intention. Be assured that everyone who ventures (and I mean adventures) into this cool spot is in for an unusual experience.
CATCH A HEALTHY HABIT is a raw, vegan cafe. HUH? No need to be stumped.
Those of us that live in the town of Fairfield have followed Billy’s Bakery from its tiny rustic beginnings to its current bright retail space like a pig snorting out truffles. We stop in and wander around wondering what doughy treats we will pick up, but really, we know exactly what we want before even stepping out of the car. The reason we wander is because it gives us an excuse to meander over to the sample basket and spread soft churned butter on slices of fresh baked bread. I’m not embarrassed to admit that on more than one occasion that sampling has been my lunch.
I recently decided to stop into the bakery with a fresh eye, contemplating whether or not this local shrine was good enough to warrant a road trip from the far corners of Fairfield County.
On Tuesday December 8th & Wednesday Dec 9th 2009, CT Bites and Suzysaid invite you to an exclusive lunch event at Cafe Lola in Fairfield. This $15 prix fixe lunch includes a fabulous goody bag with products and coupons from local vendors, and a 3 course meal. Menu is below.
Reserve your spot now by calling 203-292 8014, and mention CT Bites. Lunch is available from 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM.
Read the Cafe Lola review on CT Bites.
$15 Prix Fixe Menu