An Oasis of Naked Greens Arrives in SoNo Restaurant Norwalk healthy Lunch Amy Kundrat March 04, 2012 A healthy and convenient take on fast food, Naked Greens is a welcome respite from South Norwalk’s palate-busting dining scene. Chilled shelves stocked with salad greens and a salad bar filled with an array of natural ingredients, stands as the core of a signature made-to-order salad and wrap-filled menu. Soups complete the healthy trifecta, as steaming cauldron-like containers, a harbinger of its Soup Alley not-so-recent-past, stand along the counter offering a selection of hot soups made fresh daily. Read More
Coromandel Dinner, Wine Pairing & Culinary Education Restaurant CTbites Invites Wine Dinners Indian CTbites Team March 04, 2012 Join Coromandel SoNo's Gopi Nair for an exclusive dinner and wine pairing, hand crafted for CTbites Invites. Gopi will be our "gastronomic host" for a unique 3 course dinner on Thursday March 22 from 7-9:30 pm. The evening will begin at the bar with appetizers and wine, followed by a sit down dinner with innovative and authentic Indian cuisine. Gopi will explain the preparation and history behind each dish and will select wines to enhance the meal's flavors and spices.This CTbites Invites event is $65 per person and promises to leave you knowledgeable and appreciative of fine Indian cuisine and wine. Find out more here. Read More
Westport's Town Hall Gets Casual Eatery...Thank God Restaurant Westport Stephanie Webster March 03, 2012 This just in via WestportNow... The ranks of new restaurants in Westport’s center are about to get bigger. Developer Robert Haroun said The Town Hall Restaurant will open in the basement space of his Old Town Hall at 90 Post Road East. The space years ago housed Westport police headquarters. He said the eatery, owned by Westporter Chad Whited, is scheduled to open in three or four months and will serve hamburgers, sandwiches, and casual food with a bar. Meanwhile, Haroun has applied for permits to erect a two-story building at 100 Post Road East, site of the former drive-up banking building, that will have 4,600-square feet on the first floor with basement storage of similar dimension. Story courtesy of Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com Read More
Shake Shack is Coming to New Haven CT Stephanie Webster March 02, 2012 CT residents will soon have two locations for Shake Shack's top notch burgers and dogs. Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) plans to bring its Shake Shack to New Haven in 2012. One of NYC’s most beloved gathering places, Shake Shack is a modern day "roadside" burger stand known for its delicious burgers, hot dogs, frozen custard, beer, wine and more. Shake Shack’s New Haven home will be centrally located at 986 Chapel Street, across from the New Haven Green and kitty-corner to Yale’s Old Campus. Fall 2012 marks the start of the Shack-ademic calendar, with the new location opening its doors just as students return to campus. Read More
Friday Froth: Winter Sky Ingredients Friday Froth Beer James Gribbon March 02, 2012 We're going to look backwards and forwards this week. We're going to borrow something from November and give thanks for how good we have it, and boost our spirits as we look forward to spring. Our Yankee ancestors made it through bleak winters with barely any fresh food, and in an agrarian economy there wasn't even work to divert their cabin fever. Breaks from the desperate monotony came in the forms of weekly hymns or the occasional cholera outbreak. Well, that may not be strictly true, there was also smallpox, but in addition to smallpox, and considerably more preferable, there was beer. A little brewer ingenuity gave rise to bigger ales with deeper colors and increased potency to hold the cold and dark at bay and transform the winter months from merely bearable to enjoyable. That same tactic works to this day, and this can be found for the next month or so wherever you can find Smuttynose. Read More
Short Rib Ragu via The Parsley Thief Features Entertaining Recipe Comfort Food katie vitucci March 02, 2012 It's been a long time since I've made a winter stew type of meal...the sort of thing that takes all day to cook & permeates your house with the smell of something good cooking. This past Sunday seemed like the perfect day to make a little Short Rib Ragu, and I'm so glad I did. I served it the same day & it came out great. Although, I would imagine it would be even better made ahead. I couldn't resist making some creamy polenta to go with it but it would be delicious served with egg noodles, or some buttery mashed potatoes. Read More
Behind the Scenes with Fine Cooking Magazine Ingredients Road Trip Education Newtown Amy Kundrat March 01, 2012 Similar to my omnivorous approach to food, I’ve been known to devour almost anything when it comes to food in print. And although I love any and all food magazines, my allegiances bend toward the recipe-driven and away from the trendy and overly-styled. It’s nice to know that some serious time has been logged in someone else’s kitchen before amateur hour and its inevitable chaos, commences in my own. Firmly in the category of “not afraid to get their hands dirty,” Fine Cooking magazine is one of those few who are dedicated to the act of cooking. Their meticulous seasonally-driven recipes reflect a dedication to process and a glimpse into their tireless recipe testing. So when I learned their headquarters and test kitchen also happened to be firmly inside our Fairfield County borders at Taunton Press in Newtown, CT, it only became a matter of time before I invited my CTbites-self for a tour and taste. Read More
Spring/Summer 2012 CSA's Are Open for Registration Ingredients Farm to Table Local Farm Stephanie Webster February 29, 2012 Attention locavores or really anyone interested in getting farm fresh produce while supporting our local farming community. According to Analiese Paik of The Fairfield Green Food Guide, the 2012 Spring CSA's are open for registration and opening up new shares at several farms. This is your chance to share in our local harvest. Act fast however, these CSA's fill up quickly. Click here to view the complete list of CSA's via the Fairfield Green Food Guide. along with detailed information on how to contact these farms and get started on a whole new way of enjoying farm to table food. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs are partnerships between an individual farm and a community of supporters, providing a direct link between the production and consumption of food. CSA members make a commitment to support the farm throughout the season, and assume the risks and bounty of growing food along with the farmer or grower. Read More
Mycophilia: Talk, Tasting & Book Signing @ The Aldrich Restaurant Ridgefield Amy Kundrat February 28, 2012 In the new book Mycophilia: Revelations from the Weird World of Mushrooms, Eugenia Bone, food writer and frequent contributor to Saveur and Food & Wine tells the story of how her mother went into labor with Eugenia in a restaurant in Florence while eating tagliatelle with truffles. Tables were hastily cleared for Eugenia’s birth and thus began her lifelong affinity for mushrooms. Bone, who is also the co-president of the New York Mycological Society, will be reading from her new book at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum this Sunday, March 4 from 3 to 5 pm in Ridgefield, CT. A book signing, wine reception, and wild mushroom tasting will follow, including a tasting of truffle fontina risotto balls, wild mushroom crostini, and cheese and charcuterie platters featuring black truffles, generously provided by No.109 Cheese & Wine. To RSVP for this event or request more information, please contact Lise Sharfin, lsharfin@aldrichart.org, 203.438.4519, extension 26, during regular Museum hours. The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum is located at 258 Main Street in Ridgefield, CT. More information at aldrichart.org/events. Read More
The Ginger Man Cocktail Contest Winner Is... Restaurant Cocktails Stephanie Webster February 28, 2012 Thanks to everyone who submitted creative and amusing names for The Ginger Man's Cocktail Naming Contest, There were so many great names from which to choose but we are pleased to say we've got ourselves a winner. Congratulations to Kate of StamfordNotes.com for her winning name..."Tipsy Tiger Lily." Kate will receive FREE BRUNCH FOR TWO @ The Ginger Man (complete with the newly branded cocktails). Watch out for our upcoming CTBites Invite event at The Ginger Man featuring the Tipsy Tiger Lily...coming soon. Happy and safe Cocktailing from CTbites. Read More
Dinners at the Farm 2012 Season is Up Restaurant Farm Dinner Farm to Table Local Farm Stephanie Webster February 27, 2012 Dinners at the Farm is back! For those of you who have yet to attend this wonderful culinary event, check out our write-up from 2009 or view our photo gallery from 2011. Order yourself some tickets for the upcoming season now! This is truly one of CT's most unique dining experiences. For those of you new to the "farm dinner" concept, Dinners at the Farm is a series of benefit dinners that recreate a sense of connection to farming, cooking and eating. Plus you get to reconnect under the stars in a beautiful candlelit tent while eating a spectacular multi course meal. Special Offer: Diners at the Farm is again offering $100 Thursdays and Sundays beginning now through mid-night March 30, 2012. Hurry the clock is ticking. Support your local farming community and join us. Read More
Maple Syrup Festival @ Stamford Nature Center Stephanie Webster February 27, 2012 Four chefs will compete in First County Bank’s Chefs Challenge event at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center during this week’s Maple Sugar Festival Weekend. On Saturday, March 3, chefs will compete to create the best tasting recipe, as judged by the public, using maple syrup as an ingredient. The Stamford Museum & Nature Center has extended its Maple Sugar Festival to a weekend event starting March 3. This year marks the 12th anniversary First County Bank has sponsored this family festival highlighting the New England tradition of maple sugaring. From 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on March 3, Nikki Glekas, owner and chef at Eos Greek Cuisine in Stamford, Susan Kane, of Susan Kane Catering in Stamford, Jonathan Mathias, owner of A Dash of Salt in Norwalk, and David Cingari, owner of David’s Soundview Catering, are scheduled to present their creations for the public to sample. The public will vote for its favorite creation and the winning recipe will be announced at 2 p.m. Read More
Darien Social: A First Taste of Restaurant Darien Beer Kid Friendly Burgers James Gribbon February 26, 2012 Several years ago, my friend and I looked into buying a bar. The space had been a sort of crusty old dive for years, stopping just short of "biker bar," but had since closed and remained so for a few trips around the Sun. Someone else picked it up by the time we got our act together, and it was just as well, because that left us able to spend many hours and ducats there - meeting neighbors, sinking pints, and possibly singing "Werewolves of London" from the loft until the other patrons consented to do the "Awoooo" part - instead of worrying about if the night's special was selling and how many soda logs we'd ordered. Friends were made in this place. News, gossip, and phone numbers were exchanged, and local business and political deals were done. Another place or two were probably the town bars, but this was the local pub. Read More
Zinsanity Wine Dinner: Fountainhead & Fat Cat Pie Co Restaurant Wine Dinners Wine Tasting Stephanie Webster February 24, 2012 Join Fountainhead Wines and Fat Cat Pie Co. on March 3rd for an evening of Peterson wines with special guest Jamie Peterson, winemaker and next generational fixture at Peterson Winery in Dry Creek, Sonoma. Peterson Winery has an old world winemaking philosophy and a reverence for sustainable farming. The Peterson approach is to capture the essence of vintage and vineyard—a philosophy they call Zero Manipulation—with low tech, yet high touch, to produce wines of a place, wines with soul. Fountainhead will be pouring an array of Zinfandel from the much heralded 2009 vintage along with a few other treats, including the superb Gravity Flow Syrah from vines high atop Bradford Mountain. Fred, Jamie's father, has pronounced the Zins from this vintage as some of the best in the last twenty years and guests will sample their way through these offerings accompanied by lovingly prepared cuisine from Fat Cat's chef de chez, Robert Herlihy. Read More
Chef Leticia on the Today Show CTbites Team February 24, 2012 Brazilian chef and CTbites contributor Leticia Schwartz shows TODAY’s Natalie Morales how to celebrate Carnival, a traditional festival in Brazil, by making a black bean stew called feijoada topped off with a caipirinha cocktail. Watch the Today Show demo! Read More
The Schoolhouse's Tim LaBant Offers "Pig Carving 101" Wilton Stephanie Webster February 21, 2012 a The Schoolhouse at Cannondale had several requests to again offer thier "Pig Carving 101" Saturday afternoon class at the Millstone Farm in Wilton, Ct. Tim LaBant, Chef & owner of The Schoolhouse will guide you from begining to end on how to successfully carve a full pig, the benefits of different cuts & how to best prepare and cook these cuts. A rustic and seasonal farm to fork lunch will be available throughout the event. Soft drinks will be available or feel free to BYOB for sharing or swapping. The event is Saturday, March 17 from 12:00PM to 2:00PM at the Millstone Farm, 180 Millstone Rd., Wilton, Ct. It's priced at $45. per person, excluding tax & gratuity. Please make reservations by calling 1-203-571-8990 or email them at rthorpe@schoolhouse.com before March 12. Because of limited space they request reservations be guaranteed with payment at time of booking. Read More
Bill Taibe & Kara Brooks 2012 JBF Award Semifinalists CTbites Team February 21, 2012 Congratulations to Bill Taibe and Kara Brooks as the only two Connecticut nominees in the "Best Chef: Northeast" category. The James Beard Foundation Awards have been deemed “the Oscars of the food world,” by Time magazine, and are the country’s most coveted honor for chefs, as well as food and beverage professionals. Final nominees will be announced at the Oregon Culinary Institute in Portland and simultaneously live via the Foundation's Twitter page, @beardfoundation. Winners will be celebrated at a gala event in New York City on May 7 (tickets on-sale March 19). For more information or to view the complete list of award categories and semifinalists, go to James Beard Foundation Awards at jamesbeard.org. Read More
Boulevard 18 French Bistro Opens in New Canaan Restaurant French New Canaan Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger February 19, 2012 Un autre grand restaurant Français ouvre dans New Canaan. Oops, I got ahead of myself. What I meant to say was another noteworthy restaurant, Boulevard 18, a French Bistro and Wine Bar, officially opened last Friday in New Canaan and the food is well worth a night out. The 62 Main Street address has been transformed into a little bit of Paris by owners Steven Semaya, Luciano Ramirez, Henry Rosenbaum and Chef/Owner David Raymer (Strada 18 in Sono). Read More
Station Eats Opens in Stamford: Organic Burgers & Dogs Restaurant Stamford Comfort Food Kid Friendly Burgers CTbites Team February 18, 2012 An open space with high ceilings gives a contemporary feel to the new Station Eats at 3 Landmark Square in Stamford. It's not the easiest place to find, but once you climb the stairs to the second story entrance, you're in for a treat. The look here is more urban than the original, smaller restaurant in New Canaan, but the bright orange and blue signature colors let you know they are one in the same: a modern burger bar where you can load your organic hot dog or grass fed burger with dozens of toppings, grab a shake, or drizzle the signature chipotle station dressing over your veggie salad Read More
Wave Hill Breads Serving Breakfast & Lunch in Norwalk Restaurant Bakery Norwalk Breakfast Lunch Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster February 16, 2012 Wave Hill Breads recently moved their renown bread baking mecca and opened a new cafe in Norwalk, heralding a new “must eat” venue to add to your Fairfield County foodie dance card. At their new location on 30 High Street, Wave Hill Breads is baking way beyond their notorious three-grain pain de campagne which graces the tables of some of the finest CT restaurants and markets. The cafe features 20 seats for eat in dining with sandwiches (on Wave Hill Bread of course), soups, muffins, pastries, tea and coffee, as well as wi-fi. And if you just want to stop in for a loaf of that pain de campagne, just knock on speakeasy-esque “Back Door Bakery” around back (no password necessary). Read More
