Visit Mama’s Boy Southern Table and Refuge in SONO and experience some good old-fashioned southern hospitality and cuisine. The newest addition to SONO offers a Georgian-Carolina cuisine with the flavors and ingredients not seen on other Fairfield County menus; not spicy Cajun or Creole but grits, okra, shrimp, catfish, with a little fried chicken thrown in.
Fairfield County native and owner Greer Fredericks, and her business partner Ami Dorel, bring a southern feel to the décor, and flavors to the menu, from Greer’s years in the South. Overseeing the kitchen is Chef Scott Ostrander who recently relocated from Jacksonville, Florida. His previous restaurant, ‘Town, won the Robert W. Tolf Award for Best New Restaurant from Florida Trend magazine and voted one of Jacksonville Magazine’s Northeast Florida’s Top 25 restaurants. After graduating from the Culinary Institute in Hyde Park, Ostrander worked in restaurants from DC to Florida and brings authentic southern cuisine to the Mama’s Boy menu. Ostrander is currently sourcing many of his ingredients from South Carolina while simultaneously building a stable of local farms, vendors and merchants.
Ramen noodles are having "their moment," and restaurateur Tony Pham, owner of Pho Vietnam in Danbury has just opened a new venture in Fairfield that will have fans of Asian food slurping without pause. Welcome to MECHA.
Pham, a Vietnamese American who opened Pho Vietnam at the tender age of 21, again uses his raw talent drawing from his years of experience traveling around the world and working in numerous kitchens. His newest baby, Mecha, located on Post Road in Fairfield is a hip, cozy joint that serves up Ramenas well as Asian street food. Consulting with a master Ramen chef,Tony Pham is placing all bets on this age old Japanese noodle..and we hear Pho is on the way. For a new restaurant aiming directly at the college crowd around Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, it's a perfect match.
Read our interview with Tony Pham below to find out more about Tony's family, the history of Ramen, the meaning of "MECHA," and what inspires Tony Pham.
One year, hundreds of miles, close to thirty pounds of various cuts and blends of meat, thousands of fries…searching for the ten best hamburgers.
Nestled between Shad Roe, Bahn Mi, Shrimp & Grits, Nonni's Meatballs and Montauk Black Bass was “The Burger.” It was the equalizing dish amongst the best chefs in the area. As I tasted the creativity that each of the chefs placed into their version of this 100+ year old tradition, I was in awe. The combinations were brilliant, how the flavors balanced and complemented each other, the choices that they made to place their individual mark on this dish, each was unique.
Most of the meat was sourced locally, many from the same vendor with slight variations in blend and grind...some used a medium-grind while others requested a third, finer grind. Cheese and bacon played a major supporting roll, and the choices varied amongst the chefs.
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
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.
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.
In addition to fueling their customers, they are also offering a series of educational classes for the month of May.
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
Several weeks ago CTbites first announced the opening ofNola Oyster Bar in South Norwalk,described as a seafood restaurant with dishes from Maine to New Orleans. After my initial visit, it is apparent that much of the food is influenced by the great flavors and traditions of New Orleans, but the creative interpretations are singularly of Chef Dan Kardos.
Exposed brick walls, wood and tin columns, and wrought iron rails dominate the interior with white “antique” chandeliers hanging from the ceiling to create a very New Orleans visual. The front area includes a large, arced granite-topped bar that seats 10, plus a large reclaimed “Bankers’ Table” that seats an additional eight guests overlooking the floor to ceiling windows. The center section of the restaurant overlooks the kitchen, plus the rear room is available for regular dining or a private event.
Nola Oyster Bar is a place for fun, drinks and great food.
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 with Chef Tim LaBant
Saturday, March 23: 12pm – 3pm
Cost: $50, RSVP to f2f@schoolhouseatcannondale.co
Back by popular demand! Join us for a hearty lunch and an up close and personal workshop on how to carve a whole pig, lead by Chef Tim LaBant of The Schoolhouse at Cannondale. Read more...
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.
With the snow piled so high in front on the Post Road, it could have been easy to miss Tabouli Grill in Southport… but I was determined to join a spirited group for CTbites Invites Passover Cooking, so maneuvered my way around to the side parking lot and entrance.
Chef/owner Judith Roll greeted everyone with hot coffee and her spongy homemade lemon cake as we were handed recipes for the morning's “hands on” cooking class in the Tabouli kitchen. (See Chef Judy's recipe for Bubbe's Brisket below.)
Chef Judy, who has traveled the world bringing authentic Middle Eastern cuisine to her two restaurants, in Stamford and in Southport, is passionate about what she prepares and had created a wonderful Passover menu for our entertainment and dining pleasure ( Passover is March 25-April 2 ).
Learn how to make traditional Passover dishes like Bubbe's brisket with dried plums and carrots and matzo farfel with wild mushrooms ...even how to make you own matzo... and matzo ball soup! and then enjoy a lunch of your creations! SIGN UP HERE.
Passover is March 25- April 2, so this gives you time to practice and perfect the menu!
Throughout the month of February, Klaffs Norwalk and Danbury’s beautiful home design stores will welcome some of Fairfield County’s talented chefs into their kitchen showrooms.To highlight this impressive appliance store and the many kitchens found at Klaffs, guest chefs will be demonstrating their cooking prowess with a series of FREE cooking demonstrations and food samplings every Saturday afternoon in February from 12-2 pm.
On the heels of a sold-out January class schedule, Scratch Baking in Milford has expanded their class offerings for February to include Croissant 101, Artisan Breads I & II, Treats for your Sweet, Valentine's Day, Breakfast Pizza & Quiche Basics. To reserve your spot, call 203.301.4396 or email Scratch.
Croissant 101 OFFERED: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH & REOFFERRED FEBRUARY 26TH from 6-9PM Croissants are one of the most awarding pastries to make. Learn the in’s and out’s of croissant making in this three-hour class. We will demonstrate how to mix croissant dough and laminate croissant dough and then for the best part, hands-on croissant making. You will learn how to make croissants, pain au chocolat and the very popular monkey bread. Don’t worry, you will be getting a goody bag with these pastries for tomorrow’s breakfast.. that is if you can wait that long!
Class is in session @ Bernard's in Ridgefield. Join Chefs Chef Bernard and Sarah Bouissou on Tuesday, January 29thfor an evening of cooking and education as they teach you how to prepare a wonderful 4 course meal. Hors d’oeuvre, appetizer, entrée & dessert will be demonstrated, along with many helpful tips and tricks throughout the evening. Then, the best part, guests will sit down and enjoy the meal they have prepared.
MENU Hors d’oeuvre –Ratatouille & Herb Cheese Tart
Appetizer – Celery Root &Truffle Soup
Entrée– Lamb Stew with Creamy Polenta & Roasted Carrots
Dessert – Pear & Almond Tart
6:30 pm – cooking demo of hors d’oeuvre, appetizer, entrée and dessert – the dinner to follow!
$75 per person – beverages, tax & gratuity are additional
Chef Brian Lewis and Elm Restaurant in New Canaan are beginning a series of hands-on cooking classes to illustrate the flavors of the season, tempt the palate and teach the aspiring little chefs in the family.
On Wednesday January 30 from 11am to 2pm, Chef Brian Lewis will teach various methods of creating healthy and delicious winter dishes. The recipes will feature winter greens and roots and how best to complement these ingredients with citrus & grains. In addition the main event will prepare a salt-baked Branzino, an age-old technique that creates a moist and luscious presentation. The cost of this event is $90 and includes hands-on instruction, recipes and a three-course lunch.
The second class is schedule for Wednesday, February 20 for the “lil’ chefs.” You can drop off your aspiring chefs (minimum age 9 years old pleas) at 11AM for a three-hour cooking class during Winter Break and Elm will guide them through the making of pasta with tomato sauce plus that good old-fashioned chocolate chip cookies. The fee per child for this class is $45 and includes instruction, recipes and lunch at the chef’s table.
Kick-off 2013 with Scratch Baking in Milford. Due to popular customer demand, owner Leslie Flick and the Scratch team will be sharing their baking prowess in two new classes to be offered in January: Breakfast Pizza & Quiche 101 and Artisan Breads. These small, two-hour classes (limited to 8 per class) will be held at Scratch's Milford location, and participants will head home with a hefty to-go box of Scratch treats. For more information or to reserve your spot, call 203.301.4396 or visit ScratchBakingCT.com/classes.
CLASS #1: Breakfast Pizza and Quiche 101 OFFERED: TUESDAY, JANUARY 15 & JANUARY 29 from 7-9PM
In this two-hour class we will start by making quiche dough... Learn the method for making the flakiest, most buttery crust quiche and tart crust that you will ever sink your teeth into. We will then go onto our Breakfast Pizza, quite possibly the most popular item at Scratch Baking. You can’t go wrong with a thin whole wheat crust topped with seasonal veggies and finished with organic local eggs. Don’t worry, we will give you a box of each items to go.
Want to cook effortless, mouthwatering dishes for your guests this holiday season or anytime? Then register today for White Gate Farm's series of Farm Kitchen cooking classes featuring the Dinners at the Farm Chef Jonathan Rapp on January 8, 9 or 10 -- Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday -- 3:00 to 9:00 pm. Chef Rapp will be coming down from his red truck where he orchestrates his magical dinners during the summers, allowing for a hands on cooking experience.
COOKING FROM THE GROUND UP, is Jonathan's simple fresh approach to cooking in season. Learn uncomplicated farm-to-table cooking by first heading out to the fields and greenhouses with Jonathan and White Gate farm manager Susan Mitchell. Gather beautiful organic produce for the evening's four-course menu that students and chefs develop together. Then it's back to the kitchen where the team will prep and cook. Finally, participants will sit down together with some exceptional wine and enjoy the "fruits" of their labor.
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.
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.
