Saugatuck Craft Butchery Moves in Westport w/ New Take-Out Menu & Kitchen Features Restaurant Butcher Prepared Food Westport Take Out Lunch Sarah Green September 17, 2013 Just a quick hop, skip and a purely sustainable, pasture-fed jump across Riverside Ave is the spankin' new Saugatuck Craft Butchery, now re-opened for business in Westport! Owner Ryan Fibiger and crew are ready and waiting with a crisp, clean, larger locale complete with a larger retail space as well as a complete, working kitchen where fresh, prepared foods are being made for purchase. Head Chef Mark Heppermann and his sous chefs have begun with sandwiches and salads, all made with the freshest ingredients. Meat from well...that's obvious, veggies pulled straight from the earth of the edible gardens - courtesy of Homefront Farmers - that surround the shop, and breads delivered daily from ELI's and Balthazar in NYC. The day we visited, we were pleased to find a Lamb Meatball Sandwich with pickled red onions and house made hummus as well as a gorgeous "Beets Me" salad with Quinoa, watercress and goat cheese. Read More
Your Vote Counts! Connecticut Magazine Readers' Choice 2014 Restaurant CTbites Team September 16, 2013 CTbites readers have great taste. So let's help Connecticut Magazine choose the best in Connecticut dining in their annual Readers’ Choice: Best Restaurants 2014. Voting is done online—on the form below—from now through the first week of October and winners will be tallied by early December. VOTE: Connecticut Magazine Readers' Choice Read More
GIVEAWAY!!! Win Tix to Sun BrewFest @ Mohegan Sun Oct. 4-6 Restaurant Beer Dinner Events Beer CTbites Team September 16, 2013 CTbites is GIVING AWAY 2 PASSES TO SUN BREWFEST FOR EITHER DAY...WINNERS CHOICE!!! TO ENTER GIVEAWAY: Post a Comment anywhere on CTbites and Mention "Sun BrewFest @ Mohegan Sun." We will announce the winner on September 30th. Sun BrewFest returns to Mohegan Sun this October for a celebration of one of the oldest, most finely crafted beverages of them all: Beer. Sun BrewFest offers evening tasting sessions on Friday, October 4th and Saturday, October 5th in the Uncas Ballroom. New this year will be a Sunday morning BrewBrunch on October 6th in the Sunburst Buffet. The second annual Sun BrewFest kicks off with two separate tasting sessions featuring more than 100 varieties of Craft and Microbrews to Imports & Domestics and limited editions. Some of the beers on tap will include Goose Island, Newcastle, Dogfish Head, Long Trail, Tenth & Blake’s Batch 19 and more. Samples will be available for all guests during each tasting session, where they will receive a souvenir mini-pilsner glass to be used as their tasting glass for 2 ounce pours from the various breweries. Food tickets will also be sold for $1.00 each, allowing guests to purchase food items from a variety of their favorite Mohegan Sun restaurants. Read More
Art of the Sandwich: Meat & Co. Opens in New Haven Restaurant New Haven Lunch Amy Kundrat September 15, 2013 Chef Will Talamelli Leave it to the New Haven craftsman of cocktails, John Ginnetti of 116 Crown, to make us demand more from a sandwich. His newest venture is Meat & Co., a sandwich shop located next door to his 9th Square bar and restaurant known for serving Connecticut’s most inventive cocktails. With Meat & Co., Ginnetti has turned this same discerning gaze onto the art of the sandwich. The mission of Meat & Co. is to treat the sandwich, that familiar and humble lunchtime meal housed between two slabs of bread, with the same “contemplation and calculation” that goes into the carefully constructed 116 Crown cocktails. According to owner John Ginnetti and Chef Will Talamelli (also of 116 Crown), this means “a great deal of prepping, cooking, technique and spice” goes into each sandwich. Toss out the words "Boars Head" or $5-foot-long and they WILL be met with a grimace. In other words, leave your notion of the sad lunchtime deli sandwich at the door. The implicit part of Meat & Co.'s mission is a sense of style, perception, and culinary cool written all over its carefully constructed menu and the rehabbed red brick walls. Read More
Bar Sugo in Norwalk Hosts Game Dinner October 22 Stephanie Webster September 15, 2013 For more information, contact Bar Sugo at Bar Sügo – 102 Wall Street – Norwalk, CT 06854 – 203.956.7134 Read More
Friday Froth: Age Of Exploration Ingredients Brewery Beer James Gribbon September 14, 2013 Due to the relativistic effects of recent travel Friday Froth only APPEARS to have posted on Saturday. Adjust your perceptions accordingly.We are explorers in this place. Early people trudged or sailed the natural world to see what had never been seen before, as far as they knew - to discover just what was out there. Incredibly daunting missions had deceivingly simple directions: Sail to India. Find the north pole. Go get spices. Head west. When the pilot on the conquistador Francisco Pizarro's ship was asked by another navigator how to find Peru when sailing from Mexico's Pacific coast he answered "Sail south along the coast until you no longer see trees. Then you are in Peru."Like most people from the 19th century on, it's easy to think we've seen everything. There is only so much to the surface of the Earth, and the natural world often changes too slowly for us to see. Go to Hawaii or Iceland and you can see new Earth being made, but it seems we've already mapped out or looked down on the rest of it, right? The Earth may remake itself slowly, but its people gush creativity. We produce what is new under the Sun. The world of craft beer is a particularly fertile valley.Evil Twin is the label created by one Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø, of Denmark. Read More
The Best Gelato Shoppes & Store Brands in CT: A Roundup Ingredients Specialty Market ice cream Best of CT Kid Friendly Dessert Lou Gorfain September 13, 2013 In September, as fresh flavors fill in the garden, berry patch, and orchard, it seemed a perfect time to hunt for the best Gelato. “Flavor is what Gelato is all about,” says Guy Chandonnet who buys Fairway’s frozen foods and deserts, “Unlike ice cream,” he told us, “low fat gelato doesn’t coat the taste buds with butterfat. So its full flavors can really burst through. As we tasted our way though both store-bought and shop-scooped Gelato in Southern Connecticut, we were dazzled with the invention and intensity of flavors. Because it's slow churned, Gelato is denser and silkier than ice cream, making it a superior platform for flavor. And since Gelato melts more quickly in the mouth, it delivers that flavor quickly and dramatically. That's why most gelato masters delight in imaginative, often unexpected flavor adventures, mixing sweet, savory, salty and tart, and incorporating fruits, vegetables, herbs, cheeses, and even meat flavors into their frozen creations. What’s in season often translates to what’s in Gelato. Here are some of the spectacular flavors we recently tasted in Southern Connecticut’s supermarkets and gelato shoppes. Read More
We Are Family: Food & Family @ Osianna & Quattro Pazzi ellen bowen September 13, 2013 At CTbites, we love to meet with chefs and restaurant owners and hear them tell about their inspiration and taste their creative food and wine pairings. Recently, we noticed that many of our favorite and most successful places have an added story to tell…that of working alongside…or in some cases around the corner or in the next town from a loved one. Be it a sibling, a spouse, or an in law, we asked a few questions about their experiences and heard some amazing and inspiring stories about love, family, and a passionate commitment to what they do and thought these ” pairings “ were worth highlighting! Here is the first taste of a series about the personal side of CT dining! Osianna and Quattro Pazzi- Fairfield, CT and Stamford, CT Twenty years ago, Biagio Riccio, known to all as Gino, put down roots in CT and began to grow quite the foodie family tree! I will try my best to do justice to all of the family heritages, both Italian and Greek, but as the parade of family members kept joining us on my visit to Osianna, I found myself actually drawing a large family tree in my notebook. Read More
Fairfield Cheese Co. Launches Cheese School of Connecticut CTbites Team September 12, 2013 Just in time for back to school Fairfield Cheese Company announces the re-launch of their popular Cheese School with a robust class schedule sure to please the most eager student. “Our classes have been hugely popular since we opened four years ago, so we decided to expand our offerings and give the Cheese School its own identity within our brand,” said owner Laura Downey. The Cheese School of Connecticut seeks to be the pre-eminent cheese school in the State. “We’ve invited some great speakers to join us as well and have expanded our reach,” she continued. “Classes like these are available in New York City, so why travel?” added co-owner Chris Palumbo. Cheese School of Connecticut kicks off the Fall 2013 season on October 8th with Cheese 101. The full schedule is available on their website or just see below: Read More
Book-a-Cook: Bringing Culinary Excellence to YOUR Kitchen Features Catering Chef Talk Entertaining Kathleen Atkins September 11, 2013 The best life has to offer often happens around the dinner table. Mealtime moments shared with family and friends over good food and good drinks. However, making a meal that will impress your guests is a time consuming feat, one that takes you away from those life-well-lived moments at the table. That’s when Book-a-Cook steps in, relieving you of any stress and work involved in planning a family meal, dinner party or culinary event. There is so much culinary prowess in Fairfield County, and with Book-a-Cook you can book a chef’s table right in your own kitchen. Book-a-Cook was founded by Westport native and Fairfield resident, Ashley Hart. Hart, an Institute of Culinary Education graduate and former New York City and Hamptons personal chef, wanted to provide intimate access to some of the great chefs in this area. Many cities offer similar services, but the suburban market had yet to be tapped. “We live in a very social community and it seemed like the perfect fit,” says Hart. With the help of business partner Amy Strife, Book-a-Cook launched in January. “Our goal is to take a restaurant experience into your home and make the experience as seamless as possible,” says Strife. “You are able to have a much more personal experience with the chef.” Read More
Marcia Selden's Ultimate Dinner Party Contest CTbites Team September 10, 2013 Tell us about YOUR Ultimate Dinner Party & Win A Chance to Cook with Marcia Selden Catering's outstanding culinary team in "Chopped" style throw down! Have you attended or thrown a dinner party that you thought was outstanding? Unique? Just plain fun?...Is there a favorite recipe, menu concept, play list or décor element you can share? Tell us all about it.... Marcia Selden Catering & CTbites will select 3 contenders based on your responses to go on to compete in a “Chopped-style” kitchen throw-down at the Marcia Selden commissary (how much fun is that?) with the help of their rock star culinary team. Don't worry...you'll have tons of help. The winner of the throw down will receive a Marcia Selden Gourmet to Go meal delivered to their home for 6 (value $200.00). Read More
Community Plates’ "Food for All" Fundraiser Showcases Top Chefs + CTbites Reader Discount! Stephanie Webster September 10, 2013 CTbites is proud to be one of this years sponsors for the Community Plates’ Food for All 2013 fundraiser which will Showcase Fairfield County’s Newest Restaurants and Top Chefs. Ok people. We shouldn't need to convince you to support Community Plates and all that they are doing to end hunger in Fairfield County (and yes, there are 100,000 food insecure people living in Fairfield County right now). The "Food For All" event kicks-off an initiative to rescue 3,000,000 meals and celebrates impact of volunteers, food donors, service agencies. For one night only the area’s newest restaurants and some established favorites will come together to help Community Plates end hunger in Fairfield County. The celebratory evening, which begins with a VIP cocktail reception (6:30-7:30) featuring an Oyster Bar by Norm Bloom & Son, followed by the main event (7:30-10:00), will include chefs and tasting tables, dancing and more. Tickets are now on sale via Eventbrite.com. And...CTbites Readers get $25 off the regular ticket price and $50 off VIP Ticket. Use Code: CTBITES Chef's Tasting Tables include: The Spread Bar Sugo Oak & Almond Baileys Backyard MECHA Noodle Bar BOCA Millstone Farm The Cask Republic Aladin Indian Bistro Mama’s Boy Southern Table & Refuge NOLA Oyster Bar Post 154 323 Restaurant & Bar Read More
Stanziato's Craft Beer Dinner on September 29 Restaurant Events Amy Kundrat September 08, 2013 Stanziato's Pizza in Danbury is hosting a craft beer and food pairing dinner on September 29 from 6 to 9 pm. Tickets are first come, first served and seats are $65 per person. Give them a call for more information or stop in to be among the first lucky 50 to get in on this dinner: http://stanziatos.com. Read More
NOLA Oyster Bar - Revisiting An Excellent Seafood Spot in SONO Restaurant Norwalk SONO Seafood Southern Kid Friendly Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger September 08, 2013 CTbites re-visited NOLA Oyster Bar a few months after its opening to enjoy some of the newest additions to the menu. Chef Dan Kardos is clearly in charge of the kitchen and his culinary talent is evident as he creates some of the most delicious cuisine in Fairfield County. The Seafood Tower, a dedication to cold shellfish (plus tuna), was the first course served to our table. The generous portions included Cherrystone clams, snow crab legs, Copps Island oysters, shrimp, and charred Hamachi crudo. A house made mignonette sauce accompanied the oysters. All of the items on the Tower were delightful. The crudo was marinated in white and dark balsamic vinegar plus a combination of lime and tangerine juices; it was tantalizing. The crab legs and shrimp were sweet with just a touch of seasoning to emphasize the natural flavors. The Copps Island oysters were a little bitter with very little salinity, but the addition of the mignonette sauce drastically changed the flavor profile from bitter to delicious. Read More
CTbites is on Instagram! And We Want To See What You're Eating Features Instagram Stephanie Webster September 08, 2013 More CTbites food shots to love: CTbites is now on Instagram and we want to see what you're eating! Follow us on Instagram and tag #CTbites on your favorite food shots in & around Connecticut. We may just repost them, or include them in a weekly Instagram roundup on CTbites.com. Go forth and be artsy. Click here to follow CTbites on Intagram. Read More
Friday Froth: Beer...Served Fresh Ingredients Friday Froth Beer James Gribbon September 06, 2013 Welcome back to another edition of CTBites’ own beer column, this time with a subtle aroma of pigskin. Tastes start to turn a little bit more to brown liquor as we transition from summer to fall but, back yard table or car bumper at a tailgate, it’s a sad hand that can’t reach for a beer. We have stone, metal and a miracle down below as we match the days and keep it crisp. So fresh and so green, green: Stone Brewing in California brewed up a double IPA just for us this August and shipped it over for those who were paying attention. The brew is called Enjoy By 9-13-13 – (I gave a heads up in the last Froth here, and originally mentioned the series the first time we got a batch back in April) – and I finally got a chance to have some. Let me tell you: it was worth the wait. Enjoy By pours a clear gold with a thick head and tons of sweet citrus on the nose. Tip up the glass and there is so much floral, citrusy hop taste you could almost chew it. It is immediately and strikingly apparent why the brewers at Stone made such a point of the degree of freshness. There is no small amount of bitterness, but it’s held in check by a sturdy malt base. At 9.4%, the alcohol may be cutting through the other ingredients to some degree, but it’s not noticeable in the flavor. The flavor, though, is delicious. It somehow gets better as the level of beer goes down and the number of sticky rings it has left on your glass goes up. Rare is the beer that can pull off that feat. If you love hops, you need to go out and find this beer. Read More
Culinary Gifts @ Clarke Culinary Center in South Norwalk (sponsored post) Ingredients Features Gift Guide Holiday Norwalk SONO CTbites Team September 06, 2013 Culinary Gifts? No Problem. Tucked inside Clarke, New England's Official Sub-Zero & Wolf Showroom and Test kitchen in South Norwalk, is a culinary boutique that every foodie will want to visit - Savoir Fare. This is the perfect place to purchase unique holiday gifts or a new set of champagne flutes for entertaining in your own home. With a name that is creatively based on the French for "knowledge of food," Savoir Fare offers an evolving collection of cookware, bakeware, stemware, cooking tools and fine French linens. With an impeccably curated assortment from these fine brands, you are assured that only the highest quality items are in this collection: Culinary Institute of America (CIA) Staub Riedel Le Jacquard Francais Read More
