The upscale, inspired Mexican street food and vibrant bar scene that Bodega has ushered in to Fairfield, has migrated south, opening in Darien this past weekend. The trio behind the original Bodega—Michael Young, Luis Chavez and Mario Fontana—have continued to perfect a brash menu that embraces the Americas, skewing from South America to North, and settling centrally on Mexico. In a markedly larger setting, the new Darien outpost has successfully duplicated much of the same menu, from antojitos to mezcal, with a few noteworthy additions. Bodega will be officially open starting Monday, November 12 at 5 pm for dinner, and will be open 6 nights a week Monday through Saturday, and open for lunch and brunch beginning January 6, seven days a week.
“The SoNo scene has lost a bit of luster and we'd like to help bring some flavor back downtown,” says Chris Hickey, Co-Owner of The Spread opening October 2012.
Mr. Hickey, and his partners, Christopher Rasile, Andrey Cortes, and Shawn Longyear may be just the men for the job. With strong backgrounds in hospitality and almost legendary careers managing Bar at Barcelona’s SoNo and Greenwich locations, these four partners are poised to create some dining buzz in Michael Young's former Habana location.
But, despite boasting one of the largest bars in Fairfield County, The Spread is not just about creative cocktails. Enter the talented Chef Arik Bensimon, most recently the Executive Chef at Napa & Co., and now you’ve got yourself some serious culinary street cred to compliment the talent behind the bar.
Gavrielides Restaurant Group, the family behind Harbor Lights, Eastside Café, and Overtons, all located in Norwalk, have added yet another egg to their already full basket of food establishments.
Recently opened “Estia”, which shows off the Gavrielides family’s Greek roots, is a welcome addition to SONO’sWashington Street. It’s official: This tiny block now proudly boasts a veritable potpourri of cuisine, and with Greek cuisine now on offer, it is fast becoming a diners paradise. Let’s hope Estia, along with its’ neighboring partners in crime can live up to the increasing demand for quality, sophisticated food, so SONO can continue to thrive.
I have a reputation among my friends and family as being a bit taco obsessed. I do not deny this. So when El Charrito, Stamford's infamous taco truck re-opened for business on March 1st after closing for the long cold Connecticut winter, to say I was looking forward to my first taco of the year is a bit of an understatement. Ecstatic is more like it. I was literally counting down the days. Some look for the first crocus popping through the earth as a sign of spring, but for me it may be the arrival of the El Charrito taco truck.
What makes El Charrito such a sought-after foodie destination? It has to be a combination of their traditional and hearty Mexican tacos and the hard-working duo, Carols and Alex who have put it on the Connecticut culinary map. You can count on traditional Mexican style tacos ranging from carnitas,a slow-cooked pork, to Lengua, an even more tender offering of cow tongue. A double tortilla shell envelops each taco topped off with chopped raw onion, fresh cilantro and a few lime wedges. Although they craft some seriously delicious tacos, El Charrito also offers diversity in the form of a daily menu and specials ranging from tamales, moles and huaraches should one ever tire of the taco.
