Filtering by Tag: This Week In Wine,SONO

Nola Oyster Bar Opens in SONO

Restaurant Norwalk SONO Seafood Beer

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger

With very little fanfare, Nola Oyster Bar will open its doors this weekend in SONO in the space formerly occupied by Wasabi Chi on the corner of Main and Washington. As CTbites announced a few weeks ago the menu will primarily focus on seafood from Maine to New Orleans.

The previous open interior has been completely redesigned into three dining areas. The bar area features both a long bar with numerous stools for cocktails and dinner, while the two dining areas occupy the remaining space. The rear dining area is convertible for use as a private dining area.

Chef Dan Kardos is overseeing the kitchen and a sneak peak at his opening menu confirms the seafood focus with variety of options. Included are traditional raw bar selections of oysters and clams plus several crudos. “Small Plates” offer several varieties of cooked seafood including braised mussels, an oyster pan roast and several renditions of oysters. The entrées maintain the seafood focus with poached lobster, shrimp and grits, and other grilled and roasted seafood, but expands into a few non-seafood selections that include hanger steak, fried chicken, a combination bacon-cheeseburger. CTbites was told that the menu will expand rapidly over the first few weeks.

Stay tuned as CTbites revisits Nola Oyster Bar in a few weeks for an in depth review.


The Spread in SONO: Beautiful Food...Hip Spot

Restaurant American Cocktails Italian Moroccan Norwalk SONO

Melissa Roberts

Word of mouth, and great word at that, brought me to The Spread, a spanking new dining hot spot in Sono. Two months young, the restaurant is the result a partnership of four guys, all with two decades-worth of bar and restaurant experience combined, plus one young and very talented chef, Arik Bensimon. Formerly the Executive Chef of Napa & Co., Chef Arik brings the food in this rustic yet hip joint to a level of excellence and seriousness not seen in Fairfield County in some time. The Spread’s menu is global in scope. It represents a range of cultures--Arik’s Moroccan background and French training, the partners' of Costa Rica, Italy, and France with a dash of New York and California in the mix. Indeed, the menu is all over the place, locally sourced and international, but somehow this eclectic mishmash works. Though dishes are simply titled on the menu, they are, in fact, complex and beautifully executed.


Southport Brewing Co. Expands into SONO with “NOLA”

Chef Talk Norwalk SONO Seafood

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger

What is all that activity on the corner of Washington and Main Streets in SONO? CTbites has discovered that SBC Restaurant and Brewery will open its fifth location in the space formerly occupied by Wasabi Chi. Currently name NOLA, SBC's Bill Dasilva told CTbites that the new restaurant will be an Oyster bar with “twists on traditional seafood from New Orleans to Maine” in “a very casual, comfortable and cool” atmosphere. The opening is targeted for February 2013. 

Overseeing the kitchen will be long time favorite to many in Fairfield County, Executive Chef Dan Kardos. Chef Kardos began his culinary career with SBC while a teenager and worked in several Fairfield County restaurants over the last few years including Napa & Co., Harvest Supper, @Bar Rosso, and most recently with Chef Bill Taibe at The Whelk.


The Spread to Open in S. Norwalk w/ Local Celeb Bartenders & Arik Bensimon

Restaurant Chef Talk Cocktails Norwalk SONO

Stephanie Webster

“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. 


Estia Restaurant Brings Greek Cuisine to SoNo

Restaurant Greek Norwalk SONO Lunch

Nancy Kleeger

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’s Washington 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. 


Going "Grüner"... Wine Notes from Barcelona Restaurant

Ingredients This Week In Wine Wine Chat

Gretchen Thomas

Nearing the end of the summer, I always crave what’s ahead in the coming Autumn. I’m dying for some butternut squash, I’m researching fall fashion trends, and I’m assembling my line-up of brooding red wines to pour by the glass. Every now and then something shows up on my desk that brings me back to the present, and most recently it is this amazing white wine that can combat every humid day we have left in this season. Truly, it was a tough summer; I found it hard to reach for a glass of anything other than water on some days, but I have found the solution in the 2010 Grüner Veltliner (pronounced GREW-ner VELT-lee-ner) made by Gustav Winery in Austria.

If you are new to this varietal, here’s the scoop: Grüner Veltliner has been the darling white wine of nerdy sommeliers (like myself) for about 5 years now.


“Hot” Wine Picks for the Summer

Ingredients Features This Week In Wine

JoAnn LoGiurato

 JoAnn LoGiurato is a Certified Wine Specialist and the owner of Dancing on Grapes

Deck parties, outdoor picnics, grillin’ and chillin’…. summer is definitely upon us, and so is the summer wine dilemma. What to drink now? Hmm, many people believe that summer is all about white—au contraire! Here are 11 of my favorite wine sips for summer, including a couple of delicious reds and a rosé for those not afraid to “drink pink.” All of them are available at one of your favorite Fairfield County wine shops. If you can’t find the exact wine you’re looking for, ask the merchant to show you something similar—heck, it’s just fermented grape juice.  Taste, experiment, and have fun with it! 


A History of Connecticut Wine: Vineyard in Your Backyard

Ingredients This Week In Wine

CTbites Team

It wasn’t until 1978 that the state of Connecticut passed the Winery Act that allowed owners and winemakers to be able to have their own places to make the wine. Nowadays, there are over 30 wineries throughout the state alone, which made University of Bridgeport English professors Amy Nawrocki and Eric D. Lehman interested in pursuing the idea of writing a book on this subject matter.

Their new book; “A History of Connecticut Wine: Vineyard in Your Backyard” was released on March 18 and published by The History Press out of Charleston, SC. The volume, which is the first in depth publication on this topic, talks about history of CT wine before and after the Winery Act was announced, while also answering the question why people should go to these local wineries and taste wine.


Robert Sinskey Wine Dinner @ The Dressing Room

Restaurant Events This Week In Wine

Kathleen Hall

On Tuesday, February 22nd, 7PM, The Dressing Room will host a very special wine dinner featuring the organic and biodynamic wines from Robert Sinskey Vineyards. Dressing Room Chef Jon Vaast will create a five-course farm-to-table menu that will pair perfectly with Sinskey’s elegant selections. The complete menu for this evening is below. 

The Dressing Room is known for its commitment to using natural and organic ingredients, a perfect fit for Robert Sinskey’s winemaking philosophy.   I can’t wait to try the two together.  Hope to see you there on February 22nd !

The Menu 


Buying Guide: Prosecco, Cava & Champagne for 2011

Ingredients Features Entertaining Holiday This Week In Wine Wine Chat

Kathleen Hall

Get your sparkle on! Now that the holiday season is in full swing, what better gift to bring to a party than a sparkling wine? Any occasion becomes a celebration when you open a bottle of bubbles! Not only that, sparkling wine is extremely food-versatile, pairing well with most hors d oeuvres, from foie gras to pigs in a blanket. And for those of us hoping not to overindulge this month, at only

95 calories per flute (compared to 250 calories in a Vodka Martini), sparkling wine allows you to have fun AND behave all at the same time! Here are three ideas I believe might ring your holiday bell:


Thanksgiving Wine Pairing & Shopping Guide

Ingredients Holiday Thanksgiving This Week In Wine Wine Chat

Kathleen Hall

Thanksgiving presents a special challenge in wine pairing. 

Think about the typical foods served for Thanksgiving dinner:  salty roasted turkey, savory turkey gravy, tangy cranberry sauce, creamy mashed potatoes, herbal chestnut stuffing, sweet candied yams, rich butternut squash soup, vegetal green beans…. so many contradictory flavors and textures !  Which wine should you choose? 

Well… you will need a wine that is not too high in tannins because that will overwhelm the mild flavors of the turkey.  A wine with medium to high acidity to cut through the fatty and creamy textures.  A wine with an abundance of fruit flavor to complement the sweet side dishes. 

The answer is:  there is no ONE wine !   It’s all a matter of personal preference.  The key is to pick a versatile wine that will harmonize with the many flavors of the meal.

Here are a few wine suggestions that I believe might just do the trick complete with a handy local FC buying guide for easy holiday shopping:


This Week In Wine: Viñedo de los Vientos Dessert Wine

Ingredients Features This Week In Wine

Kathleen Hall

Served at leFarm in Westport, Viñedo de los Vientos “Alcyone” is a wine worth sampling.

An Uruguayan dessert wine made with the Tannat grape, you'll experience luscious flavors of cocoa-dusted black raspberries, vanilla bean and exotic spices.  Intense and rich without being cloyingly sweet, this wine is positively addictive.  Pair with molten chocolate cake, pour over vanilla ice cream, or sip on its own as a fantastic liquid dessert!


This Week In Wine: Dierberg Chardonnay

Ingredients Features This Week In Wine

Kathleen Hall

The Dierberg winery is located in the Santa Maria Valley, the northern-most wine appellation in Santa Barbara County in Central California.  The Valley tends to be cool and foggy with breezes from the nearby Pacific Ocean, resulting in a gentle ripening of the grapes.   Fermenting the wine in larger oak barrels – as opposed to smaller oak barriques -- enables the wood flavors to become well-integrated without becoming heavy-handed.  Dierberg Chardonnay is a perfect example of the shift in California winemaking towards a more restrained use of oak in Chardonnay.   

Flavors of golden pear, lemon custard, vanilla and warm spices. 


This Week In Wine: Jelu Pinot Noir

Ingredients Features This Week In Wine

Kathleen Hall

Jelu Pinot Noir is from the Patagonia region in Argentina.  Patagonia may be better known for its majestic mountain range than for wine growing, but the cool climate found here is especially suited to the fickle Pinot Noir grape. The Jelu vineyards are located at high elevation which enables the grapes grown there to retain their bright acidity and supple fruit flavors as they slowly ripen.

Medium-bodied with flavors of black cherry, ripe raspberry and a hint of savory herb. Smooth tannins and fresh acidity makes this wine simple but satisfying


This Week In Wine: Manifesto Sauvignon Blanc

Ingredients This Week In Wine

Kathleen Hall

"This Week In Wine" is a new CTbites column featuring seasonal wine picks with great drinkability, good value, and local availability. Writer, Kathleen Hall, has been the Wine Manager @ Pastis in NYC and Head Sommelier @ Greenwich's Morello Bistro.

A wine to drink while you sit on your patio and watch the sun set in these last few days of summer.

Manifesto! Sauvignon Blanc is made with grapes grown organically, from the North Coast of California.  While some New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc can be overly fruity and Sancerre from France tends to be lean and steely, this wine is something in the middle – a style that is rounded and rich, with ripe citrus fruit flavors and a refreshing acidity.

With flavors of Meyer lemon, grapefruit, orange peel and a hint of herbs