Giveaway! Battle Of The Chefs @ Founders Hall

CTbites Team May 19, 2013

Have you always wanted to be on the set of Iron Chef, experiencing first hand that thrilling moment when the chefs are presented with the "secret ingredient?" Well, on June 2nd, you will get the opportunity to watch three talented chefs battle it out in an outdoor tented cooking stadium with the formidable Jane Stern of Roadfood.com as the host. 200 attendees will help to judge a winner alongside guest judges Denise Mickselson of Fine Cooking Magazine, Stephen Fries, columnist for the New Haven Register, WTNH Anchor Jocelyn Maminta, as well as our own Managing Editor Amy Kundrat as referee.

WIN TICKETS!! We are GIVING AWAY 2 seats to this June 2nd Battle Of The Chefs event (a $250 value). We will randomly select 1 lucky winner who posts a comment below and tells us why they would like to see this event.

"Art About Town" Features Restaurant "ArtCrawl" Food Tour

Restaurant Events

ellen bowen May 18, 2013

The Westport Downtown Merchants Association presents Art About Town and “ArtCrawl 2013.” Now in its third year, Art About Town kicks off its three-week art installation event in downtown Westport restaurants and retailers with an Opening Night Street Party on Main Street on Thursday May 23 from 5:30-8:30 pm.

Featuring local and not so local art displayed in the windows and throughout downtown businesses, Art About Town runs from May 23-June 16.

This year’s Opening Night Street Party will include art demos, live music and dance performances, a fire pit, kids’ activities, and pop-up cafes set up right on Main Street featuring specials from Blue Lemon, Bobby Q’s, Villa del Sol and Moja.

To continue the buzz of Art About Town, this year in collaboration with CTbites, the WDMA will host “ArtCrawl 2013,” a specially curated food and art tour on Tuesday June 4 from 6:30-8:30 pm.

Lesser Evil Snacks: Empty Calorie Free Chips & Popcorn

Ingredients Features Kid Friendly

Nancy Kleeger May 17, 2013

The fabric of our snacking society has changed dramatically over the last decade, due in part to the hoards of information about making smarter food choices infiltrating our nutritional radar: in the home, in the stores and even in the cinema, with movies like "Supersize Me", getting the message across to Americans that we all should take note of what we are feeding ourselves, and especially our children.

This revolution of smarter eating has no doubt been the catalyst to an all out healthy snack war between battling companies, each one trying to outdo the other. Just stroll through any snack isle and you will see lots of clever marketing and claims to the "new, new" trendy food item that promises you and your kids extra brain power AND shiny, healthy, hair for life . The proclamations that adorn these boxes and bags are now so familiar to us all I can ask you to close your eyes and recite them with me: No trans-Fats, Gluten Free, No Cholesterol, Whole Grain....you know them all! This is what Malcolm Gladwell means by " TheTipping Point."-- everyone is now jumping on the bandwagon to be on trend.

There are a bevy of beauties in this category, so many, that the choices can become overwhelming. How do you choose?

Name This Sandwich & Win a Free Dinner @ Harlan Social

CTbites Team May 16, 2013

WIN a FREE Dinner for two @ HARLAN SOCIAL in Stamford.

Here's How...

This is your chance to name Harlan Social’s incredibly delicious new Fried Chicken Sandwich. All you need to do is come up with a catchy name for the sandwich that combines the following ingredients:

Twice fried chicken cutlet topped with a Fontina and Gruyere cheese sauce, spicy bacon mayo, lettuce, tomato and slices of bread and butter pickle, all served on a Portuguese muffin.

If your entry is selected, you will receive a FREE Dinner for 2 complete @ Harlan Social in Stamford.

All entries must be submitted by midnight on Sunday May 26th, 2013.

Post your submission below (include email).

The 4th Annual MILLE FERRARI at Rizzuto's in Westport

CTbites Team May 16, 2013

Rizzuto’s Restaurant and Bar of Westport, CT, has teamed up with The New England Ferrari Club and FIAT of Larchmont for a day-long event filled with Italian food, wine, and cars on Sunday, June 9, 2013 from noon to 4 pm

The event takes place during the Formula 1 Grand Prix Du Canada race, which will be shown on 2 large screen HD TVs. Race car fans can take a virtual lap around the track in a GoSimRacer Race Car Simulator. Kids feeling the need for speed can race through an on-lot GoGo-Kart track presented by Grand Prix New York Racing. S.Pellegrino will be keeping things cool and Rizzuto’s will be grilling outdoors preparing sausage and pepper wedges and meatball sliders.

Classes at Ridgefield's 109 Cheese & Wine

Restaurant Cooking Classes Education Ridgefield Wine Tasting

Amy Kundrat May 16, 2013

Ridgefield's best source for artisinal cheese and wine, 109 Cheese & Wine has recently expanded its footprint and education offerings. The shop, located at Ridgefield's Marketplace, has posted an impressive and fun line-up of events throughout the summer. Advance reservations are recommended as class size is limited, call 203-438-5757.

Exploration into Italy: Cheese and Wine

Friday, May 17 @ 7pm, $55
Explore a great evening of Italian Cheese and Wine, their relationship and how to pair them. Class will start with some wonderful small bites and a glass of Prosecco, then continue with a tasting and comparison of 5 cheeses and wines. Something sweet will end this evening.

Sarah Wine Bar & 109 Cheese and Wine Dinner Sunday

May 19 2013 at 5:30 pm
Special Guest Henryk Teraszkiewicz, Director of the Woodcock Nature Center
Menu

The Westport Farmers' Market Opens May 23

Ingredients Restaurant Farmers Market Local Farm Westport Farm Fresh

CTbites Team May 15, 2013

The Westport Farmers' Market will be opening for the season in just one week, beginning on Thursday, May 23rd. This weekly summer market runs every Thursday, from 10 am to 2 pm at Imperial Avenue Commuter Lot in Westport.

If you haven't yet made it to this Market, you'll want to mark your calendar. This all-organic market will be announcing the final vendors next week and will be selecting a rotating group of featured artists, vendors, guest chefs and non-profits to join the Market each week.

So who's at The Westport Farmers' Market this year??... (this is the fun part) See below for a complete list of vendors:

Saving A Sustainable Shack: King's Kitchen in Southport

Southport

April Guilbault May 15, 2013

By April Guilbault for Fairfield Green Food Guide

Last summer, the three King brothers-Hunter, Carter and Parker- pooled their resources, efforts and creativity and opened King’s Kitchen at Southport Beach (1505 Pequot Avenue, Fairfield). The response to their farm-to-table beach shack was overwhelmingly positive and a new kind of beach dining hit our shores, happily gathering the communities of Westport, Southport and Fairfield.

Under multicolored umbrellas, diners sat at pastel beach chairs, tiki torches flickering in the sea air, to enjoy organic and sustainable offerings that put the plain hot-dog-hamburger-fries beach fare to shame.

This Winter, the shack was ravaged by Hurricane Sandy, but has been denied help from the Town of Fairfield and FEMA. King's Kitchen is now reaching out to the community to gain the funding it needs to keep making the food we love. You can read the full article at Fairfield Green Food Guide, and find out how you can help King's Kitchen get back on their beach.

Pizzapalooza to Benefit Working Lands Alliance

Restaurant Fundraiser

Amy Kundrat May 15, 2013

The Working Lands Alliance will host their spring event, “Dough for Dough: A Pizzapalooza to Benefit the Working Lands Alliance” on May 16 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. This kid-friendly event will feature the B ig Green Truck Pizza and bluegrass music by Five in the Chamber, with event proceeds supporting the Working Lands Alliance’s efforts to protect CT’s productive farmland.

Tickets are $25 per adult, $10 per child (ages 5 to 12) and children under 5 are free. Purchase tickets online.

Coffee Cupping at Ross Bread in Ridgefield May 23

Restaurant Coffee Events

Amy Kundrat May 15, 2013

Erin Meister, champion barista and Counter Culture Coffee representative, will host a cupping at Ross Bread on May 23 at 6 pm. This event is free, but space is limited. Email info@rossbread.com or stop by the bakery to sign up.

From Ross Bread: "To challenge and expand our coffee-tasting palates, we'll explore the diversity of flavors from coffees within Central and South America by comparing two coffees from each region, from neighboring countries: Honduras and Guatemala, and Colombia and Ecuador.

Whole Foods Market Opens in Danbury May on 17

Amy Kundrat May 13, 2013

The wait is nearly over for Danbury area residents who have been waiting for the opening of Connecticut's newest Whole Foods Market. Whole Foods Market in Danbury will officially open on May 17, 2013, with a grand opening ceremony at 8:30 am. Doors will be open to the public thereafter.

Whole Foods Danbury is located at 5C Sugar Hollow Road, near the Danbury Fair Mall. Countdown the opening and follow them on Facebook.

The Schoolhouse's Farm To Fork Dinner Dates Announced

CTbites Team May 13, 2013

The Schoolhouse has just announced that reservations for their Summer Farm to Fork Dinner dinner series are now open. This year The Schoolhouse will feature interactive workshops during the cocktail hour as well as a tour of Wilton's most beautiful functional farm. This season's dates will be: June 19th, July 17th, August 21st & September 18th.

These four course dinners are made with local foods, and are served family-style, under the stars. Cocktail hour begins promptly @ 6:00PM with a farm fresh family style meal beginning at 7:00PM. The cost is $126.35 which includes tax & gratuity and featured drinks. BYOB is welcome. With the fantastic weather this season, the variety of fresh vegetables will be outstanding. They will also be featuring a specially selected wine and creative cocktails at these events.

Reservations: Email them your info at f2f@schoolhouseatcannondale.com. Tickets are $126.35 (includes tax & gratuity) and are transferrable but not refundable.

Bar Ordinary Opens in New Haven

Restaurant Cocktails Bar New Haven

Amy Kundrat May 12, 2013

Rarely is 400 years of history and presidential name-dropping relevant to a CTbites review, but allow me to digress.

Bar Ordinary, New Haven's newest incarnation of its oldest bar, sits on a storied site on the corner of Chapel and College Street. Nearly 400 years of New Haven history converge on this location, beginning with its role as the town’s first ordinary, or tavern, in 1659 where it hosted a few early visitors you may recognize, including the infamous Benedict Arnold as well as General George Washington as he made his way to command the Continental Army in 1775 (other presidential visitors may have included Lincoln in 1860 and Taft in 1914). In subsequent centuries it was known as The Beers Tavern (18th), the New Haven Hotel (mid-19th) and the Taft Hotel (beginning in 1910), serving as the locus for the city's social stratum for the greater part of the twentieth century.* By the 1980’s, The Taft Hotel's bar room became Richter’s, a popular spot owned by Yale grad and crew instructor Richter Elser who embraced its layers of historic patina, keeping much of the wood paneling and its original plaster ceiling until it closed in 2011.

Invites: Happy Hour on The Patio @ Artisan Southport

CTbites Team May 11, 2013

Kick off the season with CTbites and Artisan Southport as they re-open their fabulous patio bar and outdoor restaurant on Wednesday 5/15 5:30-7:30 with a Happy Hour featuring creative hors d'oeuvres by innovative Chef Frederic Kieffer and specialty cocktails from American Harvest "Organic artisanal spirits" for $39, tax and tip all included!

Menu of passed hors d'oeuvres to include;
Chilled gazpacho shooter, crab meat, avocado, pepitas
Veal tongue crostini, pickled mustard seeds
Foie gras-chicken meat balls, concord grapes glaze
Roasted local oysters
Cod fish fritters, escabeche sauce
Artisan pigs in a blanket, whole grain mustard dressing
Saffron pickled mussels bruschetta, aioli, scallion

Mama's Boy Southern Table & Refuge Opens in SONO

Restaurant Norwalk SONO Southern Comfort Food

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger May 10, 2013

With little fanfare, Mama’s Boy Southern Table and Refuge, the newest addition to the SONO food scene is slowly opening its doors. Based on traditional Southern hospitality and cuisine, the restaurant will deliver the comfort food of the south combined with a relaxed atmosphere. As the website states, “Mama’s Boy is putting the “South” in South Norwalk.”

The interior has been completely redesigned. Using woods and material from an old water tower from Florence, South Carolina, owners Greer Fredericks and Ami Dorel created a warm environment from top to bottom. The lighting is soft and inviting, the music gives a perfect background through various genres and the service is straight from Charleston, friendly and incredibly helpful. Upon entering you can choose a seat at the long bar or one of the tables along the wall with a long comfortable banquette. In the rear is a second dining area that is guarded by two windows that were reclaimed from Al Capone’s summer residence. This dining area features a traditional “mirror wall,” you have to see it to completely understand and appreciate.

The Beer Garden @ Harbor Point Stamford Opens Tonight

James Gribbon May 09, 2013

Break out the sun dresses, deck shoes and whatever you consider to be your drinking pants, because we're about to do this al fresco, baby. The Beer Garden @ Harbor Point officially opens tonight in Stamford.

The brand new space sits beside a bubbling fountain in Stamford's rapidly gentrifying Harbor Point, and overlooks the canal. The open spaces of the surrounding boardwalk, aluminum facia, and large angular windows help to set it apart from the gleaming glass cubes of the surrounding commercial areas. The Beer Garden is designed to be as open as possible, with sectioned glass doors that fold away to let breezes blow through the large, indoor bar on the ground floor, and those large tilted windows - slightly reminiscent of a ship's bridge - let the beams of sunsets to come flood into the smaller, upstairs bar. But most people won't be coming here to hang out inside.

Sleek light poles dot the area just outside the main bar and illuminate several picnic tables on a broad boardwalk which extends well over a hundred yards south toward the end of the point, providing views of the harbor entrance and The Crab Shell across the canal. I heard talk of a water taxi shuttling revelers between the two locations as the weather warms. The easiest way for most people to head to this spot on the point is to drive down Pacific, but those who prefer to motor their way up from the Sound can dock at one of an eventual 14 boat slips allocated for The Beer Garden's patrons.

Get a "Taste of the Marketplace" in Ridgefield this Weekend

CTbites Team May 09, 2013

The Marketplace at Copps Hill Common is hosting the first ever "Taste of the Marketplace" this Saturday, May 11 from 11am to 2pm. Ridgefield's culinary gem of a neighborhood will showcase the restaurateurs, vendors and small shops that make this a destination for the area foodies. The Marketplace is located at Copps Hill Common on Danbury Road in Ridgefield, CT.

Featured restaurants include: 109 Cheese and Wine (also hosting classes in their NEW space this weekend), Ridgefield Organics, Ross' Bread, Ridgefield, Prime, Swoon Gluten Free Bakery, Southwest Café, The Cutting Board Café, Bartolo ...

Read the full story over at Hamlet Hub.

UPDATE: American Craft Beer Week in CT

Restaurant Beer

James Gribbon May 09, 2013

Community Plates Launches in New Haven: Sign Up to Rescue Food

Stephanie Webster May 08, 2013

You’ve heard us talk about Community Plates before. In fact, CTbites readers make up almost 80% of Community Plates’ volunteer driven work force delivering rescued food to those in need in Fairfield County. Well now we need to reach out to our New Haven readership to do the same. Community Plates has recently announced their New Haven launch and they need your help.

Community Plates is a non-profit organization that connects food to people in need of it, by rescuing good food that would otherwise be thrown away and delivering it to hunger relief agencies. Community Plates has lined up food donors in New Haven and is adding more every day, but they need your help to complete the direct transfer of the food to those who need it. They are hoping to sign up 100 food runners by the end of May 2013. Be a part of the solution and sign up here.

To be involved with the Community Plates initiative, volunteers are asked to commit to just one food run or bin collection a month (15 – 20 minute effort). It’s simple. Just pick up a few bins at your local restaurant or grocery store and drive them to a receiving agency, such as a food pantry or soup kitchen.

Coffee Classes at Espresso NEAT in Darien

Restaurant Coffee Cooking Classes Darien

Amy Kundrat and Stephanie Webster May 07, 2013

Everyone has their favorites, and Espresso NEAT is definitely one of our favorite coffee places here at CTbites. Now with two locations (Darien, and a small shop in Greenwich), their devotion to the craft of caffeine delivery is bar none.