Darien Restaurant Week Starts February 6th Restaurant Darien Events CTbites Team January 30, 2012 Darien Restaurant Week is on from Monday, February 6 thru Friday, February 10, 2012 What does this mean for you, the diner? For one week only consumers will find great dining deals, have the opportunity to experience new restaurants, and re-visit some Darien favorites. Participating restaurant will offer a special prix-fixe lunch and/or dinner menu during the entire week. Some of the participating restaurants include: Cesco’s Trattoria, Chuck's Steakhouse, Matsuri, Ole Mole, Phil's Grill, Robeks Juice, Rory's Restaurant, Scena Wine Bar & Restaurant, The Goose, Backstreet Restaurant, Café D’Azur, The Melting Pot, and the newly opened Darien Social Read More
Fine Dining in Disguise at Oceanview Café in Norwalk Restaurant Delicious Dives Diner French Norwalk Andrew Dominick January 29, 2012 Oceanview Café is your typical diner. They serve breakfast and lunch with the common bacon, eggs, home fries and toast, and burgers, you get the idea. It is not a big place, with 8-10 tables, tops. Decorations of marine life and fish nets echo the area of its location but postcards from France that peer at you through the glass on the tables offer a subtle hint to what Chef Jean Paul Pauillac is all about. French cuisine. Every Friday and Saturday night, from 5:30-9:00 p.m.,Pauillac, who once worked at Maxim’s in France (as did Wolfgang Puck) and La Grenouille, turns his modest diner into a French culinary experience. After his friends pleaded with him to cook up some French classics, the idea caught on and the semi-secret menu began. And what’s even better than this "underground restaurant", are the prices, the ability to BYOB, and more importantly, the food. Read More
Shout Out: Best Food Town in Fairfield County? CTbites Shout Out CTbites Team January 29, 2012 Tired of talking politics? Let's talk food. It's time to cast your vote in THE CT FOOD PRIMARY. Throw down the top candidates for BEST FOOD TOWN in FAIRFIELD CT. Is it Westport with its recent culinary renaissance? Or New Canaan, a small town that boasts a big and exciting restaurant scene? Maybe Stamford, offering culinary diversity like no other city in Fairfield County. Ridgefield? Norwalk-Sono? Fairfield? Which town would you nominate for best foodie town? Why? Read More
Friday Froth: Blacklight Ingredients Beer James Gribbon January 27, 2012 Have you noticed the black IPA trend lately? They're sometimes called Cascadian ales, but many brewers are experimenting with this hybrid style of beer which combines dark, roasted malts with punchy American hops, but leaves out the weighty feel of malty beers or getting too incisive with the hops. They're light dark beers. Check out Stone Sublimely Self Riteous or Pitch Black IPA from Widmer and you'll know what I'm talking about. Brewers, both those who actually make the beer and the executives who oversee them, seem to be trying to fill a market niche, which is how we ended up with Guinness Black Lager. Read More
Super Bowl Eats: Match Restaurant's Wing Recipe CTbites Team January 27, 2012 Nothing says Super Bowl more than wings and beer, so why not do it right and cook up some of our own with the help of Chef Matt Storch of Match Restaurant in Norwalk? Check out Matt's ultimate "man-cave" recipe below. However, if you're hosting a crowd and you'd rather leave the cooking to the pros, Match is offering a Super Bowl to-go menu with all the classics. Call Match for more information on this first ever Super Bowl spread: (203) 852-1088 Read More
The Schoolhouse at Cannondale Does Veggie Wednesdays CTbites Team January 26, 2012 This just in from The Schoolhouse at Cannondale: As you may know, the Schoolhouse at Cannondale has always had a great relationship with our veggie growers and have only supported responsible animal husbandry. But, it's time to go a step further for a few Wednesdays in February. In addition to our normal full menu, we'll offer a four course vegetarian/ vegan tasting menu on Wednesdays in February. The flavors will be exciting, surprising, and you'll leave feeling extremely satisfied. Reservations can be made at OpenTable.com, or via 1-203-834-9816. Read More
Nothin' But Bars: Best Granola Bar in CT? Ingredients Features Brunch healthy Breakfast Kid Friendly Dessert Christy Colasurdo January 26, 2012 In a world all about “grab and go,” I was happy to stumble upon “Nothin' But” snack bars after a spinning class at Joy Ride in Westport recently. That same week, we spotted them at the Westport Farmers’ market and the Village Market in Wilton. Seems that the chewy little bars, packed with ‘nothin’ but’ organic oats, nuts, seeds and dried fruits and hand-mixed with organic cane sugar, olive oil and honey have found a cult following in Fairfield County. Not only are these the tastiest and most nutritionally dense snack bars we’ve tried (not too dry, not too sweet, loaded with fruits, nuts and all-natural ingredients), they’re also packaged in re-sealable Ziploc bags so that you can eat half in the morning and save the other half for a midday pick-me-up (if you have the willpower). Read More
Tim’s Philly Steaks Opens in Norwalk Restaurant Delicious Dives Norwalk Comfort Food Lunch Kid Friendly Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger January 25, 2012 Tim’s Philly Steaks opened on Westport Avenue in Norwalk several weeks ago and I am not one to resist the calling of bread, meat, cheese and grilled onions. So I braved the weather to try one of my favorite sandwiches, and I was not disappointed. Many years ago I was taught that eating a cheesesteak is always performed while in “the position.” This entails standing with your legs positioned directly beneath your shoulders, a slight bend forward at the waist, a second bend at the neck with your jaw protruding and always use two hands on the sandwich. The goal is to avoid any of the delicious ingredients landing on your chest or stomach. So when I sampled Tim’s cheesesteak while seated at a table (there are three booths and four tables inside) it was an unusual feeling, but I still assumed “the position” of leaning forward and I successfully consumed the sandwich sans accident Read More
Chowdafest 2012: Top Local Chefs Do Battle Restaurant Events Westport OmNomCT January 25, 2012 Local food bloggers Dan and Kristien Del Ferraro of OmNomCT.com ran this post on their site to announce the upcoming Chowdafest 2012. Why mess with a good thing? Here's their story... About a year ago Kristien and I got our chowda on and OD’d on soupy goodness. Yup, the Third Annual Chowdafest was awesome with tons of restaurants competing for the Classic New England Chowder, Creative Chowder, and Soup titles. Last year Mansion Clam House won Classic N.E. Clam Chowder, SBC won Creative Chowder with Corn & Poblano Chowder, and Nicholas Roberts won with their Lobster Bisque. So, who’s winning this year on 2/4/12 from 11-4 at Bedford Middle School in Westport? You get a spoon, then you om nom nom, vote, and help decide the winners. Yeah, you can even pretend you’re one of those judges from Chopped or Iron Chef. We won’t tell. Read More
Meet the Food Experts at Fairway Market in Stamford Ingredients Education Events Stephanie Webster January 24, 2012 Fairway Market's Master Butcher Ray Venezia, Seafood Director Captain Tony Maltese, Cheesemonger Steve Jenkins, Produce Specialist Peter Romano, and Master Roaster Benny Lanfranco will be offering up their expertise and FREE samples on Saturday January 28, 2012 from 11 AM to 3 PM at their Stamford store (699 Canal Street). Learn the fundamentals of buying cheese, cook the perfect porterhouse, or get coffee roasting tips from this talented group of Fairway experts. See the full demo schedule below: Read More
Norwalk's Valencia Luncheria is Moving! Restaurant Delicious Dives Norwalk Venezuelan Lunch Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster January 24, 2012 “Valencia Luncheria customers will never have to wait in line again” says Michael Young, owner of the Norwalk eatery that has achieved cult-like status in the minds and stomachs of Fairfield County diners. After 6 years of arepa driven success, Valencia is growing up and getting bigger...much bigger in fact. Michael Young tells CTbites that Norwalk's Valencia Luncheria will be moving to a new location, possibly as soon on April 1st (no joke) just 600 feet down the street. While the menu and look and feel will not change, the address will. Put it in your nav systems; 164 Main Street will be the new home to Chef Young’s authentic Venezuelan beach food. Read More
Cactus Rose Cantina -- Santa Fe Meets Wilton Restaurant Wilton Mexican Lunch Kid Friendly Lou Gorfain January 22, 2012 “What’s a nice Greek girl like you doing running a place like this?” I ask Maria Pertesis, who with her mother Katrina, has just opened Cactus Rose, a vibrant new Southwestern themed cantina in Wilton. “My family has owned a Greek diner in Fairfield for almost 40 years,” she offers. “So my mother and I wanted to try something new and exciting.” And that’s exactly what these amazing women have wrought. Under their husbandry, the former Mediterranean Grill in the Wilton Center has blossomed into a fun-filled, warm, and welcoming hacienda. Indeed, the restaurant came up almost overnight, as if itself a desert flower. Read More
Chocolate, Dessert & Wine Lover's 'Tasting' Fundraiser Stephanie Webster January 22, 2012 "Every now and then, an event comes along that simply needs no sales pitch." We used these words to describe 2011's Chocolate, Dessert & Wine Lover's 'Tasting' Evening to benefit The Shelter for the Homeless. After actually experiencing this sinfully sweet event, I must say forcefully...just go. Why you may ask? The answer is simple. On Thursday, February 9th, 2012 over 70 vendors will be serving up an evening of glorious culinary indulgence in the form of decadent chocolates, confections, and mouthwatering baked good, all washed down with fine wines, beer and specialty beverages. Here's the real bonus…You can enjoy your nibbles from favorite shops like Sono Baking Company, Aux Delices, Suckerborne, and D'Mare Pastry Shop, knowing that 100% of every ticket sold supports the Shelter for the Homeless programs. Check out the complete list of vendors below and we'll see you there! Read More
Bobby Q's BBQ & Craft Beer Dinner Recap Restaurant BBQ CTbites Invites Westport James Gribbon January 21, 2012 BBQ has achieved cult status in America. Like any fervent belief, splinter factions have arisen. Most people think of the tomato-based variety found in Kansas City and the deep south as "BBQ sauce," but adherents to the Memphis dry-rub sect or acolytes of the vinegar or mustard based churches of North and South Carolina will defend their take on slow smoked spirituality with manic passion. These churches and their branch faiths march under myriad banners, but they can all sit together at the same table and play nice under any tent serving beer. "Harmonious variety" would be an apt descriptor for the latest CTBites Invites event on Jan 12 at Bobby Q's in Westport. Bobby Q's Barbeque & Grill is the creation of owner Bob LeRose, who partnered with Greg Zanella of Northeast Beverage Corp., one of the area's largest microbrew distributors to enhance four courses of beautifully prepared BBQ dishes and a final chocolate course with expertly paired craft brews. Read More
Luxe Modern Wine & Cocktails Opens via WestportNow Restaurant Cocktails Westport Wine Tasting CTbites Team January 21, 2012 Looking for a place to grab a drink and a nosh in Westport? Luxe Modern may be what you're craving. WestportNow.com reports on this weekend's opening: "A wine bar, Luxe Modern Wine & Cocktails, opens at 190 Main St., across from TD BankNorth, on Saturday, according to owner Robert Reilly of Redding. He said that the café will carry 40 wines that can be purchased by the glass, seven or eight seasonal cocktails, and a selection of 15 cheeses and cured meats. In addition to a bar, tended by the owner’s nephew Will Secchi (photo) of Fairfield, there are indoor tables with plans for outdoor tables next spring, he said. Reilly, a former IT director at Fresh Direct in New York, said the hours this opening weekend are Saturday 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. and Sunday 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Read More
Local Chefs Host Fine Food Event to Fight Kids' Obesity CTbites Team January 20, 2012 Calling all foodies. Don't miss "Fine Food for A Cause," a unique event featuring more than a dozen Fairfield County chefs who have stepped up to raise awareness and funds to fight local childhood obesity. Proceeds from the event will help fund a multi-purpose teaching kitchen at the Stamford YMCA, which will be used to deliver cooking skills and nutritional education to underserved local kids and families. This fundraising event will be held on Monday, January 30th, and will be emceed by Scott Wapner of CNBC’s “Fast Money Halftime Report.” The star studded line up continues as "Fine Food for A Cause," honors well-known restaurateur Joseph Bastianich and 2011 Miss America Teresa Scanlan. Before you decide..check out the feast of signature small plates from the following homegrown chefs: Read More
The Whelk in Westport: A First Look & Taste Restaurant Cocktails Seafood Westport Lunch Amy Kundrat and Stephanie Webster January 19, 2012 Friends and family were treated to a sneak preview of The Whelk, Bill Taibe's latest venture in Westport on Wednesday evening. Steeped in the sea with unmistakable flashes of leFarm's seasonal luxury, The Whelk is poised to establish Saugatuck as the culinary center of Westport, and perhaps Fairfield County. Read More
"Sweet Genius" Contestant, Paula Shoyer, Baking in Westport via "Kosher Like Me" Features Cookbooks Events Special Dietary Needs Liz Rueven January 19, 2012 photo courtesy of FOOD NETWORK Did you miss Paula Shoyer, author of THE KOSHER BAKER, on the Food Network’s new baking competition “Sweet Genius”? If so, you can catch her in Westport on Wednesday, January 25 when she will be offering a baking demonstration and scrumptious tasting at Chabad of Westport. Shoyer performed magnificently on “Sweet Genius.”.She was poised, cool and creative in that episode in October 2011. Along with other contestants, she was given unexpected, last minute challenges like being asked to integrate jelly beans and hot sauce into her recipe already in the works. Her rosemary lemon sponge cake with raspberry mint sorbet between the layers was not the version she had planned on when she started! Read More
Treasures of the Sierra Nevada Beer Dinner @ Little Pub Restaurant Beer Dinner Beer Stephanie Webster January 18, 2012 If you like rare beers from sierra nevada, Little Pub in Ridgefield has an evening for you: “Treasures of the Sierra Nevada” beer dinner will be held on january 31st, 7pm at Little Pub. Marty from sierra coming in to take you through ovila dubbel, ovila quad, 30th anniversary grand cru, estate homegrown ale, the brand new ruthless rye ipa, and life and limb 2 (the sierra-dogfish collaboration). Details: Six draught beers paired with a six course tasting menu Cost: $65 per person Check out the Menu Read More
