Dishcrawl Makes Its Greenwich Debut: 6 Tickets Left!! CTbites Team April 08, 2013 Due to to overwhelming amount of support from local foodies and the fact that they sold out the event in 3 days, Dishcrawl has decided to add a SECOND NIGHT to the Downtown Greenwich Dishcrawl! The second night will be held on TUESDAY MAY 7TH! Dishcrawl, a national start-up founded on the premise that communities can be brought together through good food and good company, is expanding to Greenwich this May. Dishcrawl takes food lovers on a gourmet Dishcrawl to four distinctive restaurants in one night. Similar to a pub crawl—but more delicious. Participating restaurants are kept secret until two days before the event, at which time the first location is revealed to ticket holders. Dishcrawl expands into Greenwich’s downtown neighborhood with the mission of building community through a commonality of a passion for food. Dishcrawlers have the opportunity to experience the best of Greenwich’s culinary scene with each other while simultaneously helping local restaurants gain exposure in their respective communities. Reservations are $45 per person and can be purchased here. Read More
Harvest Wine Bar Opens in Downtown Greenwich Restaurant American Greenwich Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger April 07, 2013 Harvest Wine Bar, located on the lower end of Greenwich Avenue, elevates the restaurant offerings in downtown Greenwich to a much higher level. The Sigueza brothers, Vicente and Kleber, can now add another fantastic restaurant to their portfolio, which includes Cave Wine Bar in New Canaan, Scena Wine Bar in Darien and 55 Wine Bar in Fairfield. A beautiful casual dining space in the front area is dominated by a large brick wall and accentuated with wood tables and chairs. You can continue walking to the rear of the restaurant and enjoy the long bar or tables, all with views through the large west-facing windows lining the entire rear wall of the restaurant. Overseeing the kitchen is Chef Eben Leonard who is migrating from Scena Wine Bar where CTbites enjoyed his creativity and culinary talent on numerous occasions. His opening menu combines aspects from southern Europe, with a modern twist, to American classics. Read More
Block Party @The Westport Playhouse: Food Trucks, Shake Shack, Beer & More.. CTbites Team April 06, 2013 Westport Country Playhouse will host a “2013 Season Kick-off Block Party,” on Saturday, April 13, 4 to 7 p.m., offering a fun, party-like atmosphere with food trucks, special ticket offers, and a look at the Playhouse’s “backstage experience.” Admission is free and open to the public. Three local food trucks, Skinny Pines Pizza, LobsterCRAFT, and Christophe’s Crepes, will be on site with their specialties available for purchase. Beaver Beer will provide a free tasting of their brews, and Shake Shack will offer complimentary custard. “To celebrate our 2013 Season, we’re throwing open the doors to the theater and offering self-guided tours, special insight into this year’s five productions, and fun games and activities for adults and kids alike,” said Jennifer McCool, Playhouse community engagement coordinator. “Come party with the Playhouse!” Read More
Butchering Classes at Stone Barns Center CTbites Team April 05, 2013 "Have you ever wondered where the tenderloin is on an animal, what the taste difference is between a leg of lamb and a lamb chop, or what to do with a bone-in shoulder roast?" Sharpen your knowledge and skills in understanding meat with Stone Barns two upcoming classes focusing on lamb and pig butchering led by butcher and writer Adam Danforth. For more information and to register, visit Stone Barns Center. April 9 – Break it Down: Lamb - "Butchers sometimes say that once you learn the cuts of a lamb, you’ll understand any animal. Learn about all of the cuts on a lamb, how best to prepare them, and participate in a taste test." April 16 — Break it Down: Pig - "Pigs are well-known for being used from "nose-to-tail." Fortify your butchering foundation, and taste the difference between the different parts for yourself." Member adult $67.50 adult $75.00 Read More
Friday Froth: Bouncing 'Round The Room Friday Froth Beer James Gribbon April 05, 2013 A while back, I was reading about the defenses ostensibly neutral Switzerland has constructed around its countryside. Mountainsides rigged for landslides, underground fortresses capable of protecting most of the population, alpine meadows, dotted with cows, under rocky peaks which would rotate away and send forth squadrons of attack aircraft from interior runways - the punctual, predicable Swiss were capable of some pretty heavy surprises. There's a part of the Jura mountains with a nickname I like: "Franches Montagnes": the Free Mountains, which holds another surprise, beer from Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes. An import this exotic is, of course, the work of Oxford, Connecticut's own B. United, which is how I had several pints of BFM's La Douze. "Douze" is French for "twelve" - from the Latin "duodecim" and giving us our word "dozen" - and was brewed for the BFM's twelfth anniversary. The best categorization I can offer for this one is a Belgian Pale Ale. Douze is an unassuming golden color and had a light head as it was poured when I encountered my first pint. There is a light floral aroma, but it's very subdued. Richness - that's what comes through on the first taste. The ethereal essence of Belgian yeast floats its bouquet above a surprisingly toasty body. Read More
Chef Michael Lucente Launches Barcelona's New Menu in Greenwich Restaurant Greenwich Spanish Wine Bar Sarah Green April 05, 2013 In search of my culinary Dulcinea, I heard there was a new "cocinero" in the town. So, instead of hopping on a faithful nag, I got in my fickle Mini Cooper and headed to the Greenwich Barcelona for the culinary offerings of new head-chef, Michael Lucente. Chef Michael comes to Barcelona after 10 years of experience, starting as a graduate from the Culinary Institute of America. He has been Sous Chef at BLT Steak in Westchester and Napa in Stamford and head chef at La Promenade des Anglais in New York. He had the exciting opportunity to Sous Chef on Iron Chef America in April of last year and joined Barcelona Greenwich in November. Greenwich, you're in luck. And so are Barcelona patrons everywhere as the revamping of Barcelona's signature menu is making tapas-cravers everywhere muy feliz. Read More
Dan Aykroyd Coming to Total Wine in Norwalk This Saturday Norwalk CTbites Team April 04, 2013 Actor, musician, writer and now distiller Dan Aykroyd will be visiting Norwalk, Connecticut on Saturday, April 6th 2013. Total Wine & More will host Dan Aykroyd for a bottle signing from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Aykroyd, known for his work on Saturday Night Live and in films including Trading Places, Ghostbusters and Driving Miss Daisy, has been involved with producing and distributing wine and spirits for more than seven years. He recently created Crystal Head Vodka (view hilarious promo here) as a result of his fascination with the supernatural. The super-premium vodka is made with water from a deep aquifer in Newfoundland, Canada, blended with selected grains for a creamy and slightly sweet finish, and triple crystal filtered through Herkimer diamonds, which, according to New Age belief systems, embody positive energy and goodwill. Read More
The Local Meatball Food Truck Rolls into Fairfield County Restaurant Fairfield Food Truck Italian Kid Friendly Kathleen Atkins April 04, 2013 There is a new food truck on the block in Fairfield (well, not so much food truck as in food car – Smart Car to be exact). The Local Meatball is rolling into town and making its debut this Saturday, April 6th, dishing out meatballs on the Town Green in Fairfield, made with local, organic ingredients. Meatballs, a comfort food of many, no longer need to be served over spaghetti to complete a meal. The Local Meatball is proving these balls stand great on their own! Wanting to share his passion for meatballs with the town, chef and Fairfield resident Michael DiStassio started The Local Meatball. “Meatballs are such a simple idea, but they resonate with so many people,” says DiStassio. The Local Meatball was revealed online on March 9th, National Meatball Day and “People have been so responsive to the idea,” added DiStassio. Working from his grandmother’s recipe, DiStassio has tweaked it slightly to come up with a variety of 5 different kinds of balls that will rotate weekly. Read More
CTbites Awarded Best Website & Best Blog by The Connecticut Press Club Stephanie Webster April 03, 2013
Pizza Truck Festival in New Haven on April 10 Restaurant Events Pizza New Haven CTbites Team April 02, 2013 What do a dozen pizza trucks look like rolling down I-95 in Connecticut? On Wednesday, April 10, 2013, The Big Green Pizza truck will be organizing a Pizza Truck Festival to commemorate their tenth season in business. They have invited between 12 and 15 pizza trucks (including local favorite Skinny Pines) to join them in a makeshift parade and gathering in the parking lot of the newly renovated Sport's Haven at 600 Long Wharf Drive in New Haven. The public is invited to meet up with the mobile pizza parade at their final resting spot at Sport's Haven's parking lot and buy a pie or a slice from 4 to 6 pm. "Ten years ago no one was doing pizza for catered events. Now the Big Green Pizza Truck has five trucks and some some weeks we feed over 3,000 people," said Douglas Coffin, founder and owner of Big Green Pizza Truck. "Many other people have gotten into this business; by my count at least ten other companies are doing similar style operations. My goal with this event is to say 'look how far this idea has come!'" Read More
Take a Test Drive: The Wolf Convection Steam Oven (sponsored post) Features Kitchen Gear CTbites Team April 02, 2013 Cooks have long appreciated the way steam cooking preserves nutrients and keeps foods moist. Restaurant owners have relied on commercial convection steam ovens for years. Now Wolf makes convection and steam accomplish delicious feats that are impossible for other ovens. At Clarke, New England's official Sub-Zero showroom and test kitchen in South Norwalk, CT, you can see this incredible appliance in action. Witness a pound of dry pasta, a cup of water, chopped vegetables and stewed tomatoes placed on a shallow tray turn into the most delicious meal you've ever eaten...in a matter of minutes...without pots, colanders or any mess. Imagine putting a carton of a dozen eggs in the oven (with the carton!) and within ten minutes having perfect hard-boiled eggs. Forget to defrost your dinner steaks? Go from freezer to table creating a succulent, juicy filet mignon in little more than a half-hour. The Wolf Gourmet modes allow this oven to actually sense the size and type of food you place inside and cook it to perfection; many times without timers and recipes. Read More
The Artists’ Table: Unique Dining @ The Drawing Room Greenwich Deanna Foster April 02, 2013 The Drawing Room is a trio of businesses - a design boutique, a café, and most recently, an art gallery - all owned by the husband and wife design duo Kenleigh and Michael Larock. As designers, they are called upon to combine disparate elements and select accents that will bring harmony to a space. In this regard, The Artists’ Table Dinner was a perfect expression of their work. The Larocks, along with the Gallery’s Curator, Cameron Schmitz, and the Café’s Chef, Paul Lockely, brought symphonic harmony to their pairing of a five-course dinner with the art in the gallery’s current exhibition, Homeland. The attention to detail and care with which the menu and the evening were planned were apparent not only in the way the staff spoke about the process from concept to creation, but also in their genuine level of excitement in sharing the art and the chefs’ inventive interpretations of it. Chef Paul Lockely, of the Drawing Room, and Guest Chef Bjoern Eiken, of Thomas Henkelmann at Homestead Inn, created 5 dishes each inspired by one of the five artists’ works. Read More
Bufalina Wood Fired Pizza in Guilford Restaurant Guilford Pizza Lunch Kid Friendly Amy Kundrat March 31, 2013 Bufalina Wood Fired Pizza in Guilford is one of this shoreline town’s most charming and delicious destinations. Open since September 2011, Bufalina has earned a reputation for rustic, seasonally-driven, and Neapolitan-inspired pizzas. “We wanted to recreate the feeling that you are in our kitchen and we are cooking for you,” said Melissa Pellegrino, chef and co-owner of Bufalina alongside her husband, chef Matt Scialabba. Read More
Easter Eats: Grilled Lambsicles with Mint Pesto Features Holiday Recipe Jennifer Spaide March 31, 2013 Jennifer Spaide of Simplicious is constantly coming up with elaborate menus for her holiday celebrations that put my cooking to shame. When she tweeted about this one, I simply had to have the recipe. Grilled Lamb Chops are one of my favorite dishes, and when paired with this healthy and light Mint Pesto, they become the perfect Easter entree. Enjoy this beautiful dish. Happy holidays! Grilled Lambsicles with Mint Pesto Read More
Debra Ponzek's The Dinnertime Survival Cookbook Features Cookbooks Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster March 31, 2013 Debra Ponzek, owner of Aux Delices Fine Foods, knows a few things about getting food on the table. She cooks for her family and has a successful catering and restaurant business with locations in both Westport and Greenwich. Ponzek’s fourth cookbook The Dinnertime Survival Cookbook, comes out on April 1st 2013 as an answer to the age old question, What’s for dinner? “You write different cookbooks at different times in your life,” says Ponzek. “I have kids and the question of what will I serve for dinner is a constant.” To approach this mealtime conundrum, Ponzek has written her book with the organizing principle of,” What do I feel like eating tonight?” The Dinnertime Survival Cookbook is divided into basic mealtime genres such as: "Everybody Loves Burgers", "Pasta & Beyond", "On The Slow Side" for braises, "If You Love Chicken", as well as "Breakfast For Dinner" (my personal favorite). The concept is to take an ingredient your family enjoys and expand on what you already know. “I found that people tend to make the same 5 of 6 dishes every week,” states Ponzek. “I hope that people will be inspired by the recipes in The Dinnertime Survival Cookbook and find that they are simple enough to add these to their repertoire.” Read More
Invites:Barcelona Greenwich Lunch w/ NEW Executive Chef Michael Lucente CTbites Team March 30, 2013 Join NEW Executive Chef, Michael Lucente, as he opens the doors to Barcelona Greenwich specially for lunch exclusively for CTbites readers for a special tasting of new tapas and dishes on Thursday April 4 from 12-2 for $45. Reserve Your Seat Here3 courses includes charcuteria, assortment of new tapas, and assortment of new paella plus one glass of choice of white or red wine and coffee service...and all taxes and gratuity! Not usually open for lunch, this Invite at Barcelona Greenwich will be exclusive just for CTbites readers, who will have opportunity to tour the kitchen and visit with Chef Michael. Read More
Six Main in Chester: Mother's Day Brunch Class & More Restaurant Cooking Classes Shoreline East Vegetarian Vegan Amy Kundrat March 28, 2013 From macrobiotics to cooking the perfect brunch for Mom, Six Main restaurant in Chester has announced their class line-up for the month of April. Each class is $65 per person and includes recipes, demonstration by the chef instructor, and tasty samples of everything made in class. Call 860-322-4212 to reserve your seat, reservations are required. Asian Fusion Wednesday April 10th 11am-2pm The menu and recipes you'll learn for this class, includes: Spicy Mushroom Spring Roll, Veggie Pad Thai with crispy tofu, and Ginger Green Tea Ice Cream. Intro to Macrobiotics Wednesday April 24th 11am-2pm Read More
Reasons to Love Winesday: Wine Wednesdays at Mohegan Sun Restaurant This Week In Wine Wine Chat Wine Tasting Emma Jane-Doody Stetson March 27, 2013 It seems that Wednesdays are officially becoming synonymous with wine! In addition to our “Winesday” column, you can now enjoy an array of vino-based festivities at Mohegan Sun’s latest weekly event, “Wine Wednesdays.” The evenings embrace the acclaimed restaurants and lounges already present within the casino, but present them with an emphasis on wine. Four course pairing dinners unfold every Wednesday at both Bobby Flay’s Bar American and Todd English’s Tuscany. Casino guests can also relax with a glass of champagne and smooth jazz rifts at the Vista Lounge starting at 8pm. The first Wednesday of every month, though, has a special offering: “Tasting and Tapas” at Todd English’s Tuscany. I had the pleasure of experiencing the affair (which has an impressively alliterate title, I might add) earlier this month. Tasting and Tapas unfolded on the beautiful “patio” in the front of Tuscany. Tuscany has an indoor restaurant with the kitchen, bar, and tables, as well as a front portion looking out on the casino. Mohegan adopted the motif of a night sky, so guests sitting in that area feel the illusion of eating dinner under twinkling stars on a summer’s evening. Read More
