Westport Barnes & Noble Book Signing May 17th: Come Meet Amy & Stephanie Chef Talk Cookbooks Local Artisan Stephanie Webster May 10, 2014 We hate to shamelessly promote ourselves, but we would be remiss if we failed to mention our upcoming book signing at Westport Barnes & Noble on May 17th. Come meet CTbites Founders, Amy Kundrat and Stephanie Webster @ Barnes & Noble in Westport on Saturday, May 17th @ 1PM. If you haven't heard the news, check out our post on our recently published book featuring over 50 of the best restaurants and chefs in Fairfield County. BONUS: Chef Jon Vaast from Sugar & Olives will be with us serving up their recipe from the book. Read More
Extra Virgin Tasting Menu at Community Table with Olivette Restaurant Events Farm to Table CTbites Team May 10, 2014 Alina Lawrence of Olivette and Joel Viehland of Community Table will present an 'Extra Virgin Tasting Menu,' a night of eating, drinking and learning about authentic extra virgin olive oil, how to properly taste it, and the myriad of ways to enjoy it with food. This tasting menu will take place June 3 inside Community Table in Washington, CT. Alina Lawrence is an olive oil educator and owner of Olivette, a boutique olive oil tasting room in Darien, CT. Alina received her training and certification in olive oil sensory analysis from the National Organization of Olive Oil Tasters (ONAOO) in Imperia, Italy. Chef Joel will work with Alina to share her extensive knowledge of olive oil. As Alina guides you through the complexities of each oil, Chef Joel will present a matching five-course tasting menu, accompanied by wine, that will make for a memorable evening. Read More
Pizzapalooza to Benefit Working Lands Alliance CTbites Team May 09, 2014 Join Working Lands Alliance for our spring fundraiser at Hindinger Farm in Hamden, CT. This fun and casual (and kid-friendly!) event will be held on Thursday, May 15th at 5:30 pm. We will again be featuring Big Green Truck Pizza, great local beer, and bluegrass music from New Haven-based Five in the Chamber. So come thaw out from the winter and help raise funds to support WLA's efforts to protect CT's farmland! Purchase Tix here. Read More
Weekly Nibble: Upcoming Food News & Events Emma Jane-Doody Stetson May 09, 2014 Monday May 12, Napa & Co in Stamford invites you to help them finish off the last of some single vintage wines before they restock the cellar. Cocktail style event with family style food and vino galore! Reservations required – limited to 25 people. Ted’s Montana Grill in Hartford officially opens its doors on Monday May 12! Ted Turner, a philanthropist, environmentalist and avid outdoorsman joined forces with famed restaurateur George McKerrow Jr. The restaurant embodies Big Sky Country and its tradition of hearty food. American Craft Beer Week is May 12-18 and the Gingerman locations are celebrating with beer dinners: On Monday May 12, the Gingerman in SONO will hold a Stone Brewing Co. Dinner in honor of Craft Beer Week. 5 hard to find brews, including the Go to IPA (cask conditioned) and Ruination, will compliment 5 courses. Tickets are $75 per person, tax and tip included. Call 203-354-0163 for reservations. On Wednesday May 14, the Greenwich Gingerman will have a Goose Island Beer Dinner. Thie paired dinner features six beers, including brews not yet readily available in this area. Tickets are $85, tax and tip included. (203) 861-6400. Cask Republic of New Haven will also participate in American Craft Beer Week with daily events and specials. View full schedule here. Read More
Event Roundup: American Craft Beer Week In CT May 12-18 Restaurant Beer Dinner CT Beer Beer James Gribbon May 08, 2014 One hundred twenty four. That's how many breweries posted events for the first American Craft Beer Week in 2006. Since then, the number of microbreweries, brewpubs and beers bars has quintupled, and they all bring out their best and brightest for this one week celebration of fermented grain. Last year there were 1,269 individual events reported to the Brewer's Association. with who knows how many slipping under the radar. So, the question rises: where will you be during American Craft Beer Week?We've compiled a quick primer with a rundown of events for each day of ACBW 2014 to give you all an outline of what Ninkasi has let slip between her delicate fingers and onto your town. There are more events in the Constitution State this week than we can print, but we've tried to find something for everyone in several different counties, and feel free to comment if you know of anything we may have missed. Allons-y! Read More
‘Under the Tuscan Sun’ Author Brings Her Italian Wines to Connecticut Features Author WIne Wine Tasting Douglas P Clement May 07, 2014
Fairfield Cheese Company Celebrates 5 Years Restaurant Cheese Fairfield Specialty Market CTbites Team May 06, 2014 Five years ago Laura Downey and Chris Palumbo combined their love for cheese and their entrepreneurial spirit and created Fairfield Cheese Company, a bustling cheese shop located in a food loving Connecticut suburb. To celebrate five years of artisanal and farmstead cheese, charcuterie and fine foods, and their popular cheese school, Fairfield Cheese Company will mark their anniversary with a calendar of special events during the month of May. View the complete list of events below: Read More
Join the CSA @ Hubbard Heights Farm in Stamford: Here's Why... Lou Gorfain May 06, 2014 The CSA from Hubbard Heights Farm is different than most subscription food programs. That’s because its fields lay smack dab in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Stamford, the state’s third largest city. Consequently, most subscribers live within a few minutes of the farm, so it’s easy to drop by and watch their groceries grow. “They really identify with the place,” says Randy Brown, the Cornel l-trained Wizard who conceived and created this one of a kind urban farm. “Because they’re sort of shareholders, the subscribers feel ownership of the crops.” Convenient access also allows people to customize their weekly supply of just picked vegetables, greens, and flowers. “We don’t have to transport the boxes to a central pickup point like most CSA’s,” Brown points out. That allows subscribers to personalize their portions. In fact, they can even go into the fields and pick their own food. “It doesn’t get fresher than that,” Randy adds. Read More
The Buzz Truck: Mobile Coffee Truck in Fairfield County Restaurant Coffee Fairfield Food Truck Westport Jessica Ryan May 04, 2014 Have you heard the buzz? If you haven’t and you live in the Westport and Fairfield areas you’ll not only hear it but you’ll see it any day now! The Buzz is The Buzz Truck, the brainchild of Jessica and Alex Grutkowski. Sleek, hip and sharp, this handsomely renovated school bus will have tired moms and dads cheering with delight. But it’s not just for parents - this little black bus has something for everyone. The idea was conceived about a year ago when Jessica Grutkowski wondered why there wasn’t an ice cream truck for grownups. Only her ice cream truck wasn’t going to sell ice cream, it was going to sell coffee. “I was waiting on line for my coffee,” she told me, “and there was this person in front of me placing this ridiculously long order. I knew I was going to be late in picking my kids up from school.” Her eyes kept darting to the clock as she debated whether to ditch the line or not. And that was when the idea of the coffee truck came to her. “I knew right away that it would be called the Buzz Truck.” Read More
The Jamie Oliver Food Revolution is coming to New Canaan Restaurant Celebrity Chef Kids New Canaan CTbites Team May 02, 2014 Designed to educate children about healthy eating while getting them to try something new, a Pop Up Park will be created (off Elm Street) on Saturday May 17th between 9:30 – 11:30am. Kids can register for a fun food trail, and be entered into a drawing to win a special prize. New Canaan residents Silvia Baldini, Founder / Chef Strawberry & Sage and Rachel Lampen RLPR Ltd, have volunteered their time to be the 2014 Food Revolution Ambassadors as one of four towns participating across Connecticut, as New Canaan joins Branford, Meriden, and Middletown. Read More
Weekly Nibble: Upcoming Food News & Events Restaurant Stamford WIne Beer Dinner Beer Emma Jane-Doody Stetson May 01, 2014 Tuesday May 6, Cask Republic in Stamford is hosting a 5C Bluepoint beer dinner. Cask has invited all 5 of their head chef's from Cask Republic and Ginger Man to lead the evening's culinary journey. Each will throw down a dish of their choice to be paired with a hand-picked Cask Ale from Blue Point Brewery. Wednesday May 7 is “Mommie Food Fair” at Pellicci’s in Stamford. Fairfield County Dishcrawl, FC Moms Blog, and City Moms Blog have partnered together for the National Event. The Mommy Foodie Fairs take place in 16 cities across the United States. From a mocktail competition to a create your own chip dip contest, this is an opportunity for moms to meet and mingle. A number of fun brands will be represented. Tickets can be purchased directly here. “Wonderful Wednesdays” returns to New Canaan Wine Merchants on Wednesday May 7. A portion of all sales from the evening will go to benefit Meals on Wheels. Wednesday is also a class on “Wines of 2010 Vintage” at Harry’s in Fairfield. Read More
CTbites Invites: Speakeasy Night at Walrus+Carpenter CTbites Team May 01, 2014 Join CTbites for Prohibition cocktails, Prime rib, silent movies, and a piano player as part of this unique evening Thursday May 8th 7-9:30 pm at hip Gastropub, Walrus+Carpenter. For $65, you get to spend an evening back in the Roaring 20's as guests of owner Joe Farrell and General Manager Adam Roytman. With private entrance to this special Speakeasy ( a secret password for entrance will be sent by email to attendees), enjoy a tasting of Prohibition cocktails and family style 3 course Prime Rib dinner. From the moment you are admitted thru a back door, you will be whisked back to an era of Prohibition and silent movies. While you mingle and sip Old Fashioneds, Side Cars, Bees Knees, and nibble on passed hors d'oeuvre to include oyster + ramps Rockefeller and bone marrow + chicken liver mousse with bacon and onions... you will be serenaded on the piano with 1920's Jazz and The Blues. A 3 Course family style dinner will follow and includes a first course of a modern take on a Waldorf salad and deviled eggs. Read More
Cinco De Mayo Recipes: Pomegranate Margarita & Chile Braised Pork Tacos Features Recipe Cocktails Recipe Marcia Selden Catering May 01, 2014 Ole, Happy Cinco De Mayo! While this holiday celebrates Mexico’s victory over France in the 1862 Battle of Puebla, we think that whether you’re Mexican or not, this is a great time to have a party. Invite your friends, turn up the music, blend a few of our fabulous pomegranate margaritas, grab some tacos, and get ready to have a ball! Here are our favorite Mexican recipes to feed a crowd: Pomegranate Margarita, Tomatillo Salsa, Chile Braised Pork Tacos with Pickled Onion. Happy Cooking. Read More
Dining for a Cause with Mezon & Danbury Hospital Restaurant Fundraiser Events Amy Kundrat April 30, 2014 Latin Cause. Latin Food. Latin Drink. Mezon Tapas Bar & Restaurant in Danbury is teaming up with Danbury Hospital to host a benefit dinner, "Latin Cause. Latin Food. Latin Drink" at Mezon on Tuesday, May 13. All proceeds will support the Western Connecticut Health Network Global Health Education Program. The WCHN's GHEP charity supports healthcare services and overall community health in Paraiso, Dominican Republic. Read More
Harlan Publick to Open in SONO: From Harlan Social Owners Restaurant Lunch Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger April 30, 2014 There is a lot of activity in SONO on the northwest corner of Washington and Water Streets...and this is great news for CTbites readers. Harlan Social’s Managing Partner, Chef Stephen Lewandowski informed CTbites that Harlan Publick, the first sister location to Stamford’s Harlan Social, will open by mid-June. Branded as a less formal sibling, Harlan Publick will feature “global inspired street food” in an atmosphere dedicated to “hanging out, enjoying friends, having a good time and enjoying incredible food.” Chef Lewandowski described his vision for his new restaurant in an exclusive interview and walk-through with CTbites. Harlan Publick will feature approximately sixty seats in the dining area and another forty-plus in the bar, with the interior space having a “very industrial feel, like a public tap house with lots of exposed wood trusses, three long communal tables, and reclaimed glass panels encasing chicken wire hanging from the ceiling to separate the bar and dining areas.” It will also feature the “Tap Room,” a private room with eighteen seats, three beer taps installed in the wall, and a large screen TV. Reserve the room for a private function or a Sunday sport’s event, choose three beers and pour your own. Read More
Best Balls? The Meatball Challenge of Fairfield County Rolls in June 5 CTbites Team April 29, 2014 FIRST-EVER MEATBALL CHALLENGE OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY FEATURES MEATY COMPETITION AMONG FAIRFIELD COUNTY RESTAURANTS Fairfield County’s latest food competition is a whole new ball game. The inaugural Meatball Challenge of Fairfield County, featuring a variety of scrumptious meatballs from 10 area chefs, will take place on June 5 from 6:00pm until 9:00pm at the Factory Underground , located at 16 Isaac Street in Norwalk. Hosted by Savor Productions, the Meatball Challenge of Fairfield County will be donating a portion of the net proceeds to Pet Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) of CT. During the Meatball Challenge of Fairfield County, chefs will face off in a friendly ball-bout where they will prepare their unique spin on the classic meatball as well as one savory side dish. Competing challengers include Bar Sugo, Bobby Q’s, Craft Butchery, David’s Soundview Catering, Have a Ball, Match, Meatball & Co., The Local Meatball, The Spread and Strada 18. Read More
CT Guide to Outdoor Dining: 40+ Restaurants for Summer Restaurant Armonk Bethel Darien Fairfield Norwalk Outdoor Dining Patio Stamford Stratford Westport New Canaan Best of CT April Guilbault April 27, 2014 There are some ingredients in this world that, when you add them to anything, they pretty much make it spectacular. Bacon, for example. It would probably make a sneaker taste good. “Air” is another ingredient. Air-a bizarre ingredient on an episode of Chopped? No. Air, as in fresh air. Eating outside. Have you noticed that when you eat a lobster roll outside on a deck overlooking the ocean, it makes you happy? Or eat a grilled burger at a picnic table on a warm summer evening? Or sip a frothy cappuccino at a sidewalk cafe? What is the common ingredient here? Fresh air. Good food combined with a hefty dose of the outdoors. And lucky for you, we’ve put together a long list of our favorite eateries (40+) that have lovely outdoor dining spaces. If we missed an outdoor venue you frequent, please share your find below. For more Summer Eats see our Guide to The Best Warm Lobster Rolls on the CT Coast. Read More
Olio's "House Burger" - Excellent in Springdale Restaurant Stamford Burgers Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger April 25, 2014 In my constant search for great burgers in Fairfield County I found myself heading to Stamford to sample the new lunch menu at Olio that includes the Olio House Burger. And I am glad I did. Olio recently began serving lunch and it is slowly turning into the go-to location for many locals. The lunch menu includes a soup a few salads, and several sandwiches from chicken salad to steak, plus a pasta and sautéed shrimp. But I was there for the burger. The Olio House Burger is a unique combination of flavors and ingredients. It starts with a thick all-beef patty topped with Tasso ham, melted Manchego cheese, caramelized Cipollini onions, with a schmear of roasted tomato aioli, all encased in a Brioche roll from Eli’s. It is served with thick steak fries and a side of ketchup. The burger is excellent. Read More
Kentucky Derby Parties @ All Plan B Burger Bar Locations Restaurant Events Burgers CTbites Team April 25, 2014 Saturday, May 3rd is the Kentucky Derby and Plan B Burger Bar will be partying at all locations. We're talking hats, dresses, seersucker, horses and, of course...BOURBON! They will be celebrating on Saturday, May 3rd from 4-7 p.m. Mint Juleps will be flowing like water. The Plan B chefs are preparing a special Derby menu which you can view below. They will be watching the race on all the TV's, and of course no Derby Day party is complete without Raffles, a Best Dressed Contest, and a Best Hat Contest. Bring out your Southern Belle or Southern gentleman with fedoras, fascinators, straw hats, sundresses, roses, pinstripes, pink, and pastels. Anything seersucker will do! Read More
