Woodbury Celebrates Earth Day: Food Trucks & Fun

Restaurant Woodbury

CTbites Team April 22, 2013

Celebrate Earth Day in Woodbury, CT on Saturday, April 27 at Hollow Park from 11 am to 4 pm. This 19th annual event, sponsored by the Woodbury Business and Economic Development Committee, as well as New Morning Market will feature local, natural and organic vendors and exhibitors. Food vendors this year will include the Caseus Cheese Truck, GZen's G Monkey truck, El Camion, Chet’s Italian Ice, Le Petite France’s fresh crepes cart, Dottie’s Donuts and Annie Bananie ice cream.

“2012 was the first year that the event was held at Hollow Park instead of New Morning’s parking lot area” says Joe Donato, chairman of the Woodbury Business and Economic Development Committee. “It was incredibly well attended, with more than 120 vendors and exhibitors, and over 5,000 guests. We could not be happier.”

CTbites Guide to Connecticut Farm Dinners

Restaurant Farm Dinner Farm to Table Local Farm

Amy Kundrat and Stephanie Webster April 21, 2013

The abundance of ramps across Connecticut menus this past week not only signals spring, but also the imminent seasonal collaborations between local farms and the chefs who love them. For Connecticut's farm-loving dining scene, this can only mean one thing—farm dinners are just around the corner.

Why do we at CTbites look forward to these farm dinners so much? It allows us to celebrate and support both the chef as well as the farmer while appreciating the bounty of the Connecticut landscape that we call home (many, but not all of these dinners are fundraisers). With the promise of a new destination and communal seating, diners can enjoy the company of like-minded food lovers. And of course there is the simple and pleasurable act of dining en plein air with grass beneath your feet.

As it is still early in the season, this list of a dozen or so events is in formation, so if you'd like to recommend a dinner or an event we may have missed, please include it in the comments and we will update our list. Whether you look forward to farm dinners as much as we do, or have yet to embrace this seasonal ritual, we encourage you to give one or many a try this year!

300 Seat Beer Garden @ Harbor Point Opening in Stamford

Restaurant Beer Dinner Food Truck Stamford Beer

CTbites Team April 20, 2013

Imian Hospitality, in collaboration with Building & Land Technology, announce The Beer Garden @ Harbor Point. Beginning in early May beer enthusiasts will have a new venue to call their own, Stamford’s first ever waterfront beer garden with over 300 seats, craft beer, and food trucks. And now we are excited for Summer.

With a carefully curated roster of 24 craft beers on draft showcasing hard to find ales from Dogfish Head, Captain Lawrence, Curious Traveler and local Connecticut brewers Thomas Hooker, Half Full and Two Roads, it promises to be a beer lover’s nirvana. The Beer Garden will also feature a reserve list of large format bottled craft brews for the true connoisseur. In addition, master mixologist Jason Clark has created a collection of hand crafted American-centric cocktails that provide a refreshing alternative to great beer.

A rotating collection of Gourmet Food trucks slotted along the Beer Garden’s driveway will provide a culinary bounty that will contribute to the innovative and unique character of the Beer Garden. Lobster Rolls & Crab Cakes from Lobstercraft, Wood Fired Farm to Table Pizzas from Skinny Pines, Sandwiches from Hot Off The Grill, Authentic Caribbean from Maddy’s and Gourmet Grilled Cheese from Melt Mobile

Friday Froth: A Real Mouthful

Beer

James Gribbon April 19, 2013

"Slow food" takes on a new meaning when applied to me. I am, and always have been, an exceptionally slow eater. A childhood friend of mine nearly landed me in the school psychologist's office after he convinced so many people, including a school administrator, of his theory that I was obsessively chewing eat bite a certain number of times before I'd take the next one. I had to eat in front of an assistant principal before people would let it go. The real reason is I just talk too much. Well that, or I just zone out while wandering along some neural pathway; and I'm nearly always served last at restaurants. It's like there was a secret memo passed around the service-industry: "This man not to receive food until all others at table at least 45% done with their meals."

I talk too much, but I haven't written nearly enough about Two Roads Brewing in my childhood home of Stratford, Connecticut. We're going to work on that today.

New Haven Earth Day Celebration with Miya's Sushi & ROIA

Restaurant New Haven

CTbites Team April 19, 2013

New Haven Chefs Bun Lai of Miya’s Sushi and Avi Szapiro of the newly opened ROIA will square off for The Nature Conservancy’s Picnic for Earth after the Rock to Rock Earth Day bike ride April 20 in New Haven.

At the Rock to Rock finish line in East Rock Park at about1 p.m., the two chefs will engage in the second annual “Picnic Battle for Earth, ” a light-hearted, friendly contest to craft the most delicious and sustainable picnic dish.

James Beard Foundation Award–nominated Chef Bun will be defending his hard-earned title from last year’s picnic battle, and he and Chef Avi—who apprenticed under European Michelin star chefs—will be working with a palette of ingredients chosen by Facebook friends of The Nature Conservancy in Connecticut and donated by Elm City Market.

Big News at Le Farm & The Whelk: Chef Changes & More

Interview Restaurant Chef Talk

Stephanie Webster April 19, 2013

CTbites has some big news for fans of James Beard nominated chef Bill Taibe and his Westport restaurants, Le Farm and The Whelk. Guests to both will find exciting changes and a couple of new faces in the kitchen at both of these Westport hot spots. Chef Arik Bensimon (The Spread, Napa) has already settled into Le Farm’s cozy chef's quarters, and Geoff Lazlo (Le Farm, Gramercy Tavern, Blue Hill Stone Barns) has moved from his post at Le Farm to head the busy kitchen at The Whelk.

CTbites sat down with restaurateur and chef Bill Taibe to discuss the new starting lineup, and get some insight into the future plans for these immensely popular dining spots.

When asked why Bill Taibe chose Arik for Le Farm, Taibe smiles and says "I’ve always been trying to get Arik over to Le Farm." Ever since Bill left Napa where Arik Bensimon worked as his sous, he knew he wanted to cook with him again. “We really clicked from day one,” says Taibe. "Arik has a beautiful elegance and rusticness to his food style. Our food just makes sense together." Having worked together before, the chef and owner already have a strong understanding of each others styles and expectations. Taibe went on to explain that, "sometimes the way I do things is the harder way, and Arik understands, it takes a long time to do things right."

Little Pub Opens Second Location in Wilton TODAY

Restaurant Wilton Ridgefield Cos Cob Greenwich Pub Comfort Food

CTbites Team April 18, 2013

Wilton residents, rejoice! Little Pub's second location is now open at 26 Danbury Road in Wilton. They will offer the same fare, and thanks to a much larger kitchen, will also be offering some new items. Check it out and please let us know what you think!

For the latest on their menu and what's on tap, check out littlepub.com and stay tuned to their Facebook page.

Sweet & Simple Bakery Opens @ Fairfield’s Greenfield Hill

Ingredients Restaurant Bakery Kid Friendly Dessert

Jessica Ryan April 18, 2013

Michelle Jaffee is up and in her new home away from home at 75 Hillside Road long before the sun comes up. There, she’s busily getting ready for the day ahead creating delightful treats for her wholesale clients as well as the for her new SWEET & SIMPLE BAKERY. You may have seen her brand at your local retail grocer, but now Michelle has a storefront of her own, and her selection of cookies, brownies and cakes, which are available on a rotating basis, is growing daily.

Cookies include, but are not limited to, chocolate chip, oatmeal, peanut butter, sugar, almond butter and thumbprints. If you’re looking for a cake for a Birthday or other special occasion, Michelle offers golden yellow, chocolate, coconut, banana, carrot, lemon, Red Velvet and strawberry shortcakes, as well as a wide selection of homemade frostings, ganaches and fillings.

Sweet & Simple isn’t just your neighborhood cookie and brownie bake shop. They are continually adding items to their menu and now offer dinner rolls, and challah.

Millstone Farm Launches Pig CSA: Pig Lovers Rejoice!

CTbites Team April 17, 2013

Announcing Millstone Farm's First Ever Pig CSA!

Want to explore your culinary creativity with different cuts of pork? Join Millstone Farm's summer Pig CSA and receive a share of one of their heritage breed Tamworth/Large Black crosses, butchered and wrapped for your convenience.

Millstone Farm's pigs are given the space to roam and express their natural rooting instincts and enjoy a diet supplemented by scraps from our garden.

The cost of a share is $8/lb and will include approximately 20 - 25lbs of various cuts, including roast, chops, sausage and bacon. Shares will be ready by late June or July and a $40 deposit is required for your participation in the Pig CSA.

Email katie@millstonefarm.org to learn more or have your name added to the list. Membership is limited and will be on a first come, first serve basis, so don't wait!

Recap of Westport Playhouse Kick-Off Block Party

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger April 17, 2013

The “2013 Season Kick-off Block Party” at the Westport Country Playhouse was a fun time for all. With three outstanding trucks dispensing delicious food, plus beer supplied by Beaver Beer and ice cream from Shake Shack, it was an enjoyable afternoon.

The crepes from Christophe’s Creperie were fantastic. Both savory and sweet crepes were offered with fillings including ham, brie, turkey, banana, Nutella, honey…there were plenty of choices. Mine included brie, ham and apple. The crepe was as good as you will ever taste. And then the creaminess and slight pungency of the brie, the sweet and crunchy apples and the saltiness of the ham all hit the palate simultaneously. It was just a delight. And I was not alone, as I stood in line at other trucks everyone was raving about the crepes.

Skinny Pines offered several combinations. Let’s start with the crust…one of the best crusts in the area, outstanding. The toppings included Dressing Room meatloaf, caramelized onions, chorizo, spinach, red onion, olives, and basil. Each of the ingredients was bold in flavor and the trick was melding them together without one overpowering the others. The tomatoes are sweet and bright, likewise with the caramelized onions. The meatloaf was mild in flavor and the Mozzarella cheese was delicious.

Burger Blast Roundup: The Prequel to Perfection Part 1

Restaurant Burgers

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger April 16, 2013

The last year has been filled with brisket, sirloin, Wagyu, chuck and short rib, all ground, seasoned and grilled to various degrees of perfection. The current count of visited restaurants now tops 60, including a wide range of venues. From non-chain fast food, to bars where burgers share the stage with great beers, to restaurants where the burger has become an “underground challenge” to high-end chefs, the list grows from Greenwich to New Haven.

But only the top 10 will be chosen for the “Non-Chain Fast Food and Bar Burgers” and another 10 for the “Restaurant Burgers” lists. Many of those visited and tasted were the result of suggestions we received from our readers. With sixty+ burgers and thousands of fries under our belts (pun intended), CTbites begins this series of prequels to give quick thoughts on several that were enjoyed and others not so much.

Let’s randomly roll through a few selected burgers in CTbites new weekly column…The Burger Blast.

Vinted Wine Bar and Kitchen in West Hartford

Restaurant American Tapas West Hartford Wine Bar

Emily Cahill April 14, 2013

Vinted Wine Bar and Kitchen

Cuisine: American, Tapas, Wine Bar, West Hartford
Price: Small plates range $3.95 - $17.95
Our Highlights: wine, charcuterie, tapas
Hours: Kitchen open Mon – Wed 4-10pm, Thurs: 4-11pm, Fri-Sat: 4-12pm (Bar open late Mon-Sat) Sun: Kitchen & Bar 4-9pm
Online: Official Website | Facebook

Small plates reach new heights at Vinted Wine Bar and Kitchen, where food is anything but secondary. Add 68 wines by the glass and you’re well on your way to finding that perfect pairing. Sister restaurant to The Federal in Agawam, Vinted burst onto the West Hartford dining scene in late 2012 when owners Ralph Santaniello and Michael Presnal launched their newest venture in Blueback Square. A classy vibe, inventive array of modern American tapas, and encyclopedic wine list leaves little, if anything, to be desired.

10 Course "New Nordic" Dinner w/ Fritz Knipschildt of Chocopologie

CTbites Team April 14, 2013

Join us for a 10 Course "New Nordic" Dinner with Fritz Knipschildt of Chocopologie on Tuesday, April 23rd.

Inspired by the New Nordic Cuisine of Scandinavia, and Rene Redzepi's "World's Best Restaurant," NOMA in Copenhagen, multi- talented chef, Fritz Knipschildt of Chocopologie, brings this cuisine exclusively to CTbites Invites, for a special one-night only ALL-inclusive 10 course dinner and wine pairing on Tuesday 4/23 from 7:30-9:30 for $95. Reserve Your Seat Here.

In November 2004, on the initiative of the Danish chefs René Redzepi and Claus Meyer of the then newly opened NOMA restaurant, chefs and food professionals from all the Nordic countries met in Copenhagen to discuss how best to develop what they called the "New Nordic Cuisine."

Pinot Power Wine Dinner w/ Fountainhead & Fat Cat Pie Co

CTbites Team April 14, 2013

It’s Fat Cat City’s spring homage to the great grape of Burgundy, Pinot Noir, as expressed through the lens of some of Oregon’s most talented wine artisans. Fat Cat Pie Co. will host a special Pinot Power on Saturday April 20, 2013 @ 7:30 PM in their wine room. The dinner will feature two single-vineyard Patricia Green wines that are rarely seen outside of Oregon as the quantities produced are so minuscule. All of the producers are Fountainhead Selections™ discoveries, the Fountainhead crew having traveled there long before the region was recognized as world class. View the complete menu below:

Branford Restaurant Week Begins April 14

CTbites Team April 14, 2013

Always wanted to try a new restaurant but not quite sure where to begin? Restuarant weeks are the perfect opportunity to explore spots new to you, as well as celebrate and support the businesses in some of your favorite towns. Branford is holding their second annual restuarant week, including over twenty restaurants with special menus and prix-fixe meals for the week.

For more information, visit: http://branfordrestaurantweek.com/

10 Questions with Chef Jason Sobocinski of Caseus Fromagerie

Interview Cheese New Haven

Amy Kundrat April 12, 2013

Today is National Grilled Cheese Day, so what better time to interview the King of the Grilled Cheese, Jason Sobocinski of Caseus Fromagerie Bistro than today? Chef Sobocinski is the owner and founder of New Haven's innovative cheese-centric gastropub and cheese shop. A graduate of Providence College, Chef Sobocinki earned his master’s in gastronomy at Boston University and after working his way through the ranks at the Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge, he opened Caseus.

1. If you had unexpected guests arriving at your home for dinner in 1 hour, what would you whip up? What is the last dish you cooked for yourself?

I'd probably put out a few hunks of cheese, surprise. I always have good bread on hand, jam, mustards, crackers...I like the idea of having a grilled cheese party where you lay out bread, different cheeses, and condiments and let guests make their own creation. Bust out a couple of bottles of wine and everyone is happy. I’m actually judging a grilled cheese recipe and wine pairing contest. Last dish I cooked for myself was left over Easter Ham, fried up in brown butter with two over easy eggs and a hunk of bread baked in the oven. I covered the entire plate with finely grated black diamond cheddar and then a drizzle of maple syrup. This was around 1am last night. I had a Cadbury Caramel Egg for desert with a glass of St. Francis Zinfandel.

Friday Froth: The Ground Beneath Our Feet

Ingredients Friday Froth Beer

James Gribbon April 12, 2013

The swings in temperature lately set me back thinking about the equally wild temperamental capriciousness of the Greek gods. Just as it's not too difficult to convince me to go out for a beer, it only takes a slight hint for my mind to go in a Hellenistic direction, and springtime seems to always provide the nudge. It's a happy accident, then, that I've recently had a few beers fit to tell a tale.

The Greeks made their gods powerful, but they didn't need them to be infallible. The Olympians were more like people; they had pride which could be swelled or injured, love, hatred, jealousy, sexual appetites, creative instincts and, every once in a while, they'd strike a deal.

One of the most famous of these deals (well, if you're a classical mythology geek) is the story of Hades falling in love with Persephone and opening the Earth to swallow her so she could be his queen in the underworld.

Melt Mobile in Stamford: Great Sandwiches Day & Night

Restaurant Food Truck Stamford Comfort Food

Eliza Schlesinger April 11, 2013

CTbites is pleased to welcome Eliza Schlesinger as a new contributor. She will help guide our readers to great tasting venues perfect for 20-somethings in the Stamford area.

When the weekend night bar scene in Stamford comes to a close, a girl has two options, take home a man or take home a sandwich, and this single lady prefers a sandwich. As my friends and I were finishing another night of laughter and dancing, I looked around to see if anything caught my eye. I peered across Bedford Street and instantly had my answer, the Melt Mobile.

As a little girl, there were few things as delicious and comforting as a grilled cheese, and Melt Mobile’s creations bring me back to my childhood while igniting the flavors that my adult taste buds love. The scene is exactly what I would expect around 2 am, utter drunken chaos and sloppy flirtation combined with an aroma that makes it all bearable. Until this visit I’ve always ordered the same sandwich, the Caprese, for two simple reasons. The first, it’s typically listed towards the top of the Specials menu, and the second because I swear it’s always tasted like heaven. The sandwich is a wonderful balance of fresh mozzarella and Prosciutto di Parma, accompanied by my favorite combination of roasted red peppers, arugula, fresh tomatoes and pesto aioli on Kalamata olive bread. But I am here to be objective and thorough, so I let my eyes wander down the rest of the deliciously cheesy menu to look for new and exciting options.

Giveaway: Win 2 Seats to Tastings & Tapas Evening @ Todd English's Tuscany

CTbites Team April 10, 2013

Mohegan Sun and CTbites are teaming up to GIVE AWAY 2 SEATS for 1 LUCKY WINNER to the monthly Tastings and Tapas event at Todd English's Tuscany on Wednesday, May 1st.

To Enter: We will select one winner from our FACEBOOK FRIENDS. If you are not already following us on Facebook, Click HERE and join us on Facebook! Mention that you'd like to attend this event.

The first Wednesday of every month, though, has a special offering: “Tasting and Tapas” at Todd English’s Tuscany. Our Wine contributor, Emma Doody had the pleaseure of attending in March. Here is what she had to say about the event:

ROÌA Restaurant Opens in New Haven: A First Taste

Restaurant French Italian Vegetarian New Haven

CTbites Team April 09, 2013

As “Grand Openings” of restaurants go, this one was as grand as they come. A crowd of lucky invitees, including members of the press, city officials, business, university leaders, tastemakers, foodies, area restaurateurs, friends and family gathered around Executive Chef Avi Szapiro, to watch him cut the ceremonial ribbon. At promptly 5:00 pm on Wednesday, March 27^th, in New Haven ROÌA Restaurant officially opened its doors.

After several months of research, demolition plus an additional six months of meticulous renovation, this venerated-but neglected 101 year old space, which once housed the dining room of the Taft Hotel was finally reborn.

ROÌA, named after a river that flows between France and Italy, has been buffed, primed, renovated into a glistening Beaux-Arts jewel of a restaurant with a decidedly modern tilt by Szapiro and his lovely wife, Meera. The couple, who moved here in 2011 from Brooklyn (where else?) have truly left no stone unturned in their mission to revamp this historic landmark: uncovering original mosaic-tile marble flooring, reclaiming white oak walls, buffing woodwork, installing red leather banquettes, restoring flourishes and medallions on the ornate plaster ceiling and moving (yes, moving!) the soaring dramatic staircase. While descending up or down these “storied” treds, patrons can reenact their very own “Hello Dolly!” moment. (At least I did.)