The first thing I noticed when I walked into Eren’s Grill was the neatness and precision of the refrigerator case. Platters of perfectly aligned kebabs await the grill. Bowls of bright-red-hued eggplant-tomato salad and pale, fluffy humus. Glistening rows of dark-green stuffed grape leaves. Then Eren, a young man wearing chef’s white’s embellished with the Turkish flag, stepped out from the open kitchen and proudly started telling me about his fresh and homemade food.
Fairfield’s new and only Turkish restaurant is a small joint in a strip mall. With just a few tables, it does a lot of take-out and catering. Whether eat-in or take-out, it’s a welcome addition to the Tunxis Hill section of Fairfield, a neighborhood that could use more good food. And the food here is good: fresh and full of flavor. Ottoman cuisine has a long and noble history, and Eren – who was head chef of the Athens’ Tike, an international group of Turkish restaurants in places like London, Cyprus and Kiev -- for 8 years -- is proud to put his signature on it. “I want to play a little,” he says.
Festivities, one of Fairfield county’s premier catering companies for over 28 years will be “popping up” with their signature, hand-made party food- Party Express at the Wilton Farmers’ Market. Opening day is Wednesday, May 30 from 2-6 p.m. and running each Wednesday through September 12th.
Party Express at The Wilton Farmer’s Market offers freshly made party foods featuring the harvest from local farms. The rotating menu includes a wide range of delicious foods from “Snacks For Beach & Patio” to “Bento Box Meals To Go” to ‘Legacy Foods” borrowing world flavors from our families of origin. Also offered are weekly vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free alternatives. Executive Chef/Co-Owner, Bill Kaliff is particularly excited to be expanding his menu to showcase “legacy foods” while incorporating Connecticut Grown whenever possible.
The 3rd annual "Farm 2 Fork" dinner series will officially begin on Wenesday, June 20th at Millstone Farm, 180 Millstone Rd., Wilton, CT. Those of you who have enjoyed these wonderful communal dining experiences in the past, are likely already drafting that email for reservations. For newbies, here's what to expect. A tour of the beautiful 75 acre Millstone Farm will begin at 6:00PM followed by a pristinely farm fresh, family style dinner beginning at 7:00PM. The cost is $100. per person with a featured wine. BYOB is welcome. Tax & gratuity is excluded.
Millstone Farm has just announced a few more workshops going on at their beautiful 75-acre working farm in Wilton, CT. For those unfamiliar with Millstone, heir focus is on rebuilding our food community through small scale agriculture, educational activities, and events. Millstone raises pastured heirloom breed sheep, pigs, and poultry, and grow vegetables for their CSA, local chefs, and family owned markets. They do wonderful events and workshops with top chefs and guest speakers. Here is the spring lineup including "Backyard Composting" and "Foraging & Cooking with Wild Edibles."
It must have been good karma to take over the former Wave Hill bread kitchen in Wilton, because the AMG Cooking School, which opened it’s doors in July, has truly found the right ingredients for success.
Alison Milwe-Grace and her partner, Olivia Savarese, are not new to cooking having run a catering and event planning business for years. When the professional kitchen space at the old Wave Hill Breads came on the market, they saw an opportunity and jumped at the chance to open a cooking school. They have been hosting both adult and kids classes ever since.
The good friends added their own personal touch to the space. Gone are the wooden bread racks and flour dusted floors. A cozy candlelit living room and dining area serves as the entrance, while the kitchen features a huge work area complete with famous chef quotes on chalkboards to serve as inspiration.
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.
This just in from The Fairfield Green Food Guide: Millstone Farm's spring workshops series has been announced. These events range from Pig Carving 101 with Chef Tim LaBant of The Schoolhouse to Raising Backyard Chickens with Millstone’s Master Farmer, Annie Farrell. You'll want to check these out.
Pig Carving 101
Saturday, March 17: 12pm – 2pm
Tim LaBant, Chef and owner of The Schoolhouse at Cannondale Restaurant provides a comprehensive how-to on carving a full pig. We’ll also discuss benefits of the different cuts of meat, and how best to prep and cook them.
“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.
On a perfectly clear and balmy night last week, 60 diners gathered at Millstone Farm, Wilton, to dine alfresco in the field adjacent to Betsy and Jesse Fink’s farm house . Tim LaBant, Chef and owner of The Schoolhouse at Cannondale Restaurant, was focused and in good humor as he checked last minute details and greeted familiar faces. Enthusiastic attendees sauntered down the hill towards one very long, white draped table dotted with glowing candles and jam jars filled with brightly colored flowers from the fields.
There seems to be a new trendy area developing just where Westport meets Southport. To borrow from our trendy NYC neighbors, maybe we should call it "Down Under (the exit) Nineteen Overpass" or DUNO. In the past year, we have seen some great new restaurants open in this area, including the oh-so-trendy GREY GOOSE at 246 Old Post Road and the latest COROMANDEL, serving great Indian food at 17 Pease Avenue . Now, luckily for us, a second TABOULI GRILL opened 2 weeks ago at its new location at 3381 Post Road. (Formerly home to Ole' Mole.) TABOULI GRILL is making DUNO it's second home and we quickly made it ours.
Today, I tried a new spice called zaatar (or za'atar) in a meatball recipe. Meatballs are popular with my kids, and an easy way to introduce new spices to them. Zaatar, a Middle Eastern spice, is a mixture of sumac (which has a lemony taste), thyme and sesame seeds. Zaatar is not a strong spice, but it has a nice tang from the sumac.
Traditionally, zaatar is mixed with olive oil and baked on a flat bread called manakeesh bi zaatar. It is also eaten with labneh (a strained yogurt), bread and olive oil for breakfast. In the Middle East, zaatar is believed to have health advancing properties, including making the mind alert and the body strong.
Enjoy a bit of the Berkshires in our own backyard at the "Sunset Picnic on the Hill" @ Ambler Farm. Spread out your picnic blanket on the hill a la Tanglewood or join your friends under the tent for farm-fresh fare and live music as the sun sets over Ambler Farm.
The evening will kick off with a champagne greeting complemented by local artisanal food prepared by A Delicious Affair and homemade desserts. Celebrate our local harvest with the tasty menu below.
What do you get when you combine a Greek-Lebanese restaurateur with a French chef? A Mediterranean bistro with brasserie flair. In Darien, a town long on Asian eateries and upscale pub fare, a true ethnic restaurant is a welcome addition. In fact, Cafe D'Azur Mediterranean Bistro & Creperie's opening was highly anticipated by those of us familiar with Myrna's eponymous restaurant in Stamford, a popular lunch spot.
I dropped in on Cafe D'Azur a couple weeks after it opened
Last spring we told you about Bereket, an tiny authentic Turkish eatery tucked behind a gas station in Bridgeport. This fortuitous find primarily offered takeout, but if you were lucky enough to get one of the 3 small tables, you were served food worthy of an Ottoman emperor. While we loved hiding out behind the Citgo station, we were pleased to hear that owner Selahattin Cinar had moved his very reasonably priced menu and talented cooks to a much larger space in Blackrock (the old Helados Vazquez). With an upgraded interior worthy of the excellent fare, Selahattin can now focus on the customer experience...and a more gracious host you've never seen. Warm up your car for a quick departure to Bridgeport.
Why TEN? The new TEN China Bistro in Wilton had a lot to live up to, giving itself a number like that. We would be the ones to decide if TEN was indeed an appropriate rating. We were diners on a mission. Chef/Owner Eric Xie would have a lot of "splainin" to do if the food at TEN ended up as anything less. There was only one way to find out...EAT! So eat we did. There are many reasons to try this new Asian fusion restaurant, (in the same plaza as SOUP ALLEY). Would we give it a 10? Well, here's the verdict:
Looking for that perfect restaurant to woo your significant other this Valentine's Day? Try one of these great romantic spots in Fairfield County, CT.
Schoolhouse - WiltonThis quaint renovated schoolhouse is the quintessential special occasion spot (if you can get a reservation). Local ingredients and nuanced flavors highlight this menu.
Paci - Southport Nestled in the Southport train station, Paci's unique interior combines a renovated freight depot with urban modern chic. This Southport favorite has been serving some of the best Italian fare in FC since 1996.
The Schoolhouse at Cannondale was built just after the Civil War, in 1872 and has been owned and operated by Chef Tim LaBant, a native of Wilton, since 2006. The setting of this authentic one room schoolhouse along the banks of the rushing Norwalk River, makes for an unusual destination dining experience. The deep chocolate hue on the walls, the comfortably upholstered banquet seating that runs under the windows that frame the river just outside, the simple decor accented by 4-5 framed photos of classes of students and teachers from over 100 years ago, sets the tone. This quintessential New England scene is authentic, inviting and superb.
Overlooking the Mediterranean sea, nestled among 3 hills and their valleys, is the beautiful, old town of Safita, Syria. Only a few miles from the long island sound, nestled between Westport and Fairfield proper, is the beautiful, month old middle eastern restaurant, SAFITA. It is the "Tale" of two Safitas, both with their charm, beauty, and authenticity. And it is just this authenticity that Kheder Hassoun and his family bring to this brand new Middle Eastern restaurant, situated where the old Chat 'N Chew used to be. Tiny in size but big in hospitality, Safita, at 2217 Post Road in Fairfield is pulling in the crowds, night after night. This is middle eastern at its finest, with "Ummu" ("mother" in Arabic) Amal in the kitchen, cooking up all her own recipes from scratch. This ain't your roadside Shawarma.
The Jewish holidays are around the corner, and with the kids just barely back to school, it seemed as though we could all use a little assist with the Rosh Hashanah menu this year. Next week? Really?
Judy Roll of Tabouli Grill in Stamford has come to the rescue with three great recipes to fill out your holiday table. Here's what's on the menu: Cumin Roasted Cauliflower with Yellow Raisins and Toasted Pine Nuts, Bubbe’s Brisket, and Kasha Varnishke. If you really just don't feel like cooking, Tabouli Grill is also happy to do the work for you as you can see in their Rosh Hashanah Package below.