4 Simple Tips for Perfect Grilling on a Wolf Outdoor Gas Grill (sponsored post) CTbites Team May 22, 2014 4 Simple Tips for Perfect Grilling on a Wolf Outdoor Gas Grill In anticipation of Memorial Day Weekend, which is seen by many as the beginning of the grilling season in New England, we are sharing Clarke Chef Brittany Williams' four easy tips to make your grilling successful. Chef Brittany recently worked on several videos (soon to hit YouTube) talking about how you can utilize a Wolf Gas Grill outdoors and Wolf Charbroiler indoors to enjoy great barbecue taste year-round. While Clarke offers the industry-leading Wolf Gas Grills with a 25,000 BTU direct heat infrared burner to sear meats faster, which seals in juices, Chef Brittany's BBQ tips will work on any grill. Here are her four tips for pefect grilling... Read More
Guide to Kids Summer Cooking Camps & Classes in Connecticut Kids Bites Features Restaurant Cooking Classes Education Kids kids activity kids cooking party April Guilbault May 22, 2014 Is May about the newly arriving crocuses (crocii?)? Or about the greening of our lawns after the longest winter ever? Nah. Let’s get down to business-it’s about finding camps for your kiddos before the summer hits and all of those spots are filled! The emails have begun flying and the scramble is beginning. What’s new? What’s fun? How about forgoing the traditional Camp Gitchigoomee canoes and bonfires and, instead, fan the flames of summer creativity in some area kitchens with cooking camps for kids! Here is a list of 8 Kids Cooking Classes & Summer Camps for 2014: Read More
2014 Westport Farmers' Market Opening Day is Thursday May 22nd Restaurant CT Farms Chef Farmers Market CTbites Team May 21, 2014 The Westport Farmers’ Market kicks off its ninth summer season on Thursday, May 22 and continues Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m through November 6 at 50 Imperial Avenue. They will kick-off the season with a green juice toast, by The Stand @12:00. Come early and enjoy the tasty treats Chef Cecily Ganz and the Staples High School Culinary team will be demonstrating from 10:15 - 11:00. WFM will offer locally produced products from over 40 vendors including meats, dairy, breads, seafood and produce each week, as well as host cooking and educational demonstrations from chefs and artisans. Read More
Harbor Point in Stamford Hosts Memorial Day Celebration with Music, Food, & Fun CTbites Team May 21, 2014 BLT invites the community to officially kick off the summer with a block party immediately following the Stamford Boys and Girls Club Corporate 5K on May 22, with Food by Dinosaur Bar-B-Que and Paloma, beverages by World of Beer, and music by celebrated local country band Jump the Gunn. Special events are scheduled almost every weekend. For the most up-to-date information and a full events calendar click here or visit the Harbor Point page on Facebook. Read More
Fortina's Christian Petroni Cooks The James Beard House: "Exuberant Italian" Stephanie Webster May 21, 2014 Chef Christian Petroni of Fortina in Armonk took The James Beard House by storm this past Monday night with a menu titled "Exuberant Italian." Few restaurants understand hospitality like Fortina owners, Petroni, Nealon & Krauss and The Beard House event was no exception. They simply brought the "family" to NYC. Petroni was joined in the kitchen by his own Jodi Bernhard alongside heavy hitters: Bill Taibe- The Whelk/le farm; Merlin Verrier- Primary by Graham Elliot; Dave DiBari- The Cookery/The Parlor; Chris Vergara- Harpers/Meritage/St. George; Rui Correia- Douro; as well as Her Lindstrom & Melissa Iscaro- Cooked & Co. Impressive? Heck yeah. The full menu is below. Read it with your favorite drool cup. Read More
“Hey Bartender” Documentary Screening May 29 in Westport Ingredients Food Movies CTbites Team May 20, 2014 Ever had a fantasy about becoming a bartender, if only for a night? Or wondered about the lives of those who shake, stir and pour? Now is your chance. The 92-minute documentary, “Hey Bartender” gives you an insider’s look into the lives and dreams of bartenders, and explains the lure of the bar that goes beyond the drinks. Steve Carpentieri, owner of Dunville’s Restaurant in Westport, is featured in the film. You’ll hear from some of the world’s most renowned bartenders, glance back to the Prohibition era, and see the rise of the classic cocktail era and its aftermath today. The film premiered at the prestigious SXSW Film Festival. Time: 7.30pm Date: Thursday, May 29 Place: Christ and Holy Trinity Church, 79 Church Lane, Westport. Cost: Tickets are $10 at the door or online at: westportcinema.org Read More
Themed "Pop-Up" Lunches Launch at Match in SoNo Wednesday-Friday Restaurant Dinner Events Lunch CTbites Team May 20, 2014 Think Match is great for dinner? For the first time in their 14-year history, Match is launching Lunch, but not just any lunch. Match will be serving a pop-up style themed lunch. Each week Match will be transformed by putting aside the usual menu and letting their chefs get creative to keep your curiosity piqued. What themes you ask... Matt Storch writes, "Like tacos? We've got an ode to ‘Taco’s or What?’ coming your way. Crave our burgers? We'll transform into a classic roadside burger & dog joint. Love Italian? We'll pull out the red checkered tablecloths!" Beginning tomorrow, Wednesday May 21, you can join Match three days a week, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 11:30 am – 2 pm. To find out what's on the menu, follow Match on Facebook and Twitter to see what's for lunch! Call or visit Opentable for reservations. Read More
Green Grunion Food Truck: San Diego-style Burritos in Danbury Restaurant Danbury Food Truck Tacos Beer Mexican Amy Kundrat May 19, 2014 The Green Grunion food truck is the brainchild of Paul Mannion, a Bethel native whose three year foray in San Diego served as inspiration for Danbury's San Diego-style burrito business on wheels. A restaurant industry veteran (you may remember his friendly face from behind the bar at Bethel’s La Zingara), Paul launched the business nearly a year ago in Danbury inspired by the burritos he came to know and love during his time in San Diego. I finally tracked down the Green Grunion after many positive reader recommendations, and a fuzzy memory of Paul telling me his grandiose plans from behind the Zingara bar last year. But first, a quick burrito primer for the uninitiated East Coast-dwellers (read: you, me, and everyone we know, Connecticut). Look up burrito in the dictionary and you'll likely conjure an image of the tightly-packed Mission style behemoths found in San Francisco's Mission District and interpreted loosely at a Chipotle near you. Read More
Best Bar Burgers in Fairfield County: 2014 Edition Danbury Darien Fairfield Norwalk Trumbull Westport New Canaan Best of CT Burgers Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger May 19, 2014 May is National Burger Month and it’s that time of year again for CTbites to unveil its “Best Bar Burgers of Fairfield County.” The last twelve months brought us several suggestions to try and I tried many of these additional locations. The 2014 list included some outstanding bars and haunts that served delicious burgers, so good in fact that only one newcomer was as delicious. (See complete list below) Not only was this an outstanding burger, but it earned my top spot as the Best Bar Burger in Fairfield County. Bick’s Burgers & Fries – 2014 Best Bar Burger in Fairfield County Read More
Fresh Strawberry, Herb and Honey Vinaigrette/Marinade Recipe from Chef Cecily Gans of Staples High School Culinary Arts Features Recipe CTbites Team May 19, 2014 Cecily Ganz is a culinary teacher at Staples High School. What makes her stand out is her commitment to teaching the kids the value of using local ingredients. Cecily spearheads our Gillespie Center monthly meal program where we, WFM, purchase food from our market for to kids prepare and serve the meal to our neighbors in need. She will be the guest chef at The Westport Farmers' Market on May 22nd. You can find her recipe for Fresh Strawberry, Herb & Honey Vinaigrette below. Read More
Plan B Burger Bar Milford Hosts "Game of Thrones" Feast June 17 CTbites Team May 19, 2014 To purchase tickets click here. Read More
CTbites Invites: Artisan Southport, Happy Hour on The Patio Invites CTbites Team May 18, 2014 Kick off the season with CTbites and Artisan Southport as they re-open their fabulous patio bar and outdoor restaurant on Wednesday 5/21 5:30-7:30 with a Happy Hour featuring creative hors d'oeuvres by innovative Chef Frederic Kieffer and specialty Spring cocktails, a Rose from Provence, wine and beer for $39, ALL inclusive of tax and tip! Buy your tickets here. Sip and savor as you also enjoy the live music of James Daniels Entertainment. Just named "Best Outdoor Patio" and "Best Hotel Restaurant" by Moffly Media's "Best of The Gold Coast", Artisan offers a beautiful setting for sunset cocktails and appetizers. Chef Kieffer has prepared a special menu of passed hors d'oeuvres to include: Read More
Weekly Nibble: Upcoming Food News & Events CTbites Team May 16, 2014 If you are driving on Route 1 in Norwalk and approach the Lillian August warehouse, that brightly colored truck sitting in the parking lot is none other than Melt Mobile Truck #2. Grilling some great sandwiches, we hope they thrive at this location, since they deliver some mighty good sandwiches. Take a look here. Sugar and Olives launched its “Weekday Nooner” this past Wednesday and the cooking classes will be held @12pm every Wednesday. The classes include a 3 recipe demo + 3 course lunch + cocktail. Recipes included! $42. Call Sugar and Olives at (203) 454 3663 to reserve your spot. Drink specials all night. Help celebrate Mama's Boy's 1st Anniversary on Wednesday May 21 starting at 530 and enjoy complimentary Hors d'Oeuvres, then rock to the sounds of KUNJAN and Carlos Gomez beginning at 6:00PM. Stick around and view Mama's Boy debut on the Cooking Channel's "Road Trip with G.Garvin" at 9:00 PM. Johnny Utah’s had its Grand Opening this past weekend on Washington Street in SONO. Featuring a mechanical Bull (Bull naming contest in process) and reasonably priced food, this may be the next destinations for the 20-something set. Read More
Locali in New Canaan: New Patio...New Menu Restaurant Italian Outdoor Dining Pizza New Canaan Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger May 15, 2014 Finally…the weather has changed…the farms are beginning to produce spring vegetables… and al fresco dining is in full swing. CTbites recently posted a round-up of over forty restaurants with al fresco dining including Locali in New Canaan and many readers added their favorites. At the northern end of Forest Avenue, aka Restaurant Row, the patio of the newest restaurant addition, Locali, opened its patio, doubled the seating and Executive Chef Mogan Anthony has completely revamped the menu. The new spring offerings include nine predetermined pizza combinations and sixteen appetizers and salads, all for sharing, plus a smattering of pastas. All of these new culinary delights combine bold flavors and textures to highlight the seasonal bounty. Read More
Win 2 Tickets to Battle of the Chefs in Ridgefield on June 1 Restaurant Ridgefield CTbites Team May 15, 2014 Who doesn't love a good old-fashioned throwdown? The Battle of the Chefs returns to Ridgefield's Founders Hall on Sunday, June 1, 4 – 7 pm and you have the chance to be the lucky recipient of two stadium seat tickets to taste and experience an epic throwdown between Forrest Pasternack of Bailey’s Backyard in Ridgefield, Matt Storch of Match in Norwalk, and Jeff Taibe of The Whelk and LeFarm. Here's what you need to do: Comment on this post with your dream Battle of the Chef match-up, either fictional, celebrity or local, and we'll randomly select a winner by May 23! Read More
Chocolate Pancakes with Bourbon Whipped Cream Recipe c/o Fairfield County Chef's Table Features Brunch Norwalk Pancakes Ingredients Recipe Amy Kundrat May 14, 2014 Each week we will be bringing you a recipe from one of the restaurant's featured in Fairfield County Chef's Table. We are excited to kick it off with this beautiful stack of pancakes from one of our favorite brunch (and now dinner spots) Sugar & Olives in Norwalk. To sweeten this post, we have invited owner Jen Balin and Chef Jon Vaast to share some of their pancakes at our Westport book signing this Saturday. Sugar & Olives21 Lois Street, Norwalk, CT 06851 | (203) 454-3663 | sugarandolives.comOwner/Chef: Jen Balin and Chef: Jon Vaast Chocolate Pancakes with Bourbon Whipped Cream Recipe Read More
Speakeasy Night at Walrus+Carpenter: CTbites Invites Recap Restaurant BBQ CTbites Invites Events ellen bowen May 14, 2014 As the back door opened a crack, a tuxedoed man eyed me and said, “What’s the Password?”… “Bees' Knees” I hesitantly whispered, palms sweaty, and only then I was ushered into the Walrus + Carpenter back room “Speakeasy” for a Throwback Thursday CTbites Invites event on May 8, 2014, of Prohibition cocktails, silent films and the food and music of the Roaring 20’s. Owner Joe Farrell and GM Adam Roytman were on hand to greet the 30 attendees of this sold out evening, most who chose to follow the Invites suggestion of dressing for the period…every where I looked were Al Capone look-alikes dressed in pinstripe suits and fedoras…Fancy “molls” in fringe dresses, sequined headbands, multiple strands of pearls and fur boas. Read More
Best Burgers in Stamford CT: Celebrate National Burger Month Restaurant Stamford Best of CT Burgers Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger May 13, 2014 It’s National Burger Month. To kick it off, we are launching a series of haunts and restaurants where you can enjoy some excellent burgers. For the first of this series we bring you the “Burgers of Stamford.” From basic bacon cheeseburgers to one with 100% Wagyu beef, each of these bundles of beef offers different flavors, toppings, buns and sides Last year one Stamford location was included in the 2013 Best Bar Burger category, Dinosaur BBQ’s “Dino Burger Deluxe." Check back next week when CTbites rolls out its 2014 list of Best Bar Burgers. Two Stamford locations earned spots in CTbites’ 2013 Best Restaurant Burger category. The “Harlan Burger” at Harlan Social and Napa & Co.’s “Wagyu Burger.” We recently reviewed a strong contender for inclusion in this year's list with Olio’s “House Burger.” Check out Olio’s burger here, and come back at the end of the month when we unveil “The Best Restaurant Burgers in Fairfield County.” Read More
Cocktail Naming Contest: Win Free Dinner @ Match Stephanie Webster May 13, 2014 WIN a FREE Dinner for two @ Match Restaurant in SoNo. Here's how... It's time for another cocktail throw down! Match has decided to trust the fate of their new summer specialty cocktail to the naming skills of our CTbites readers. If your cocktail name is selected, you will win a FREE DINNER FOR TWO at Match Restaurant (cocktails included) + bragging rights. Here are the ingredients for the cocktail in need of a name: 1.25oz Don Julio Anejo 1.5oz Cocchi Americano 1oz Fresh Grapefruit Juice .75oz Fresh Lime Juice .5oz Honey Syrup Grapefruit Zest Post your submission below (include email). We welcome input from readers. If you see a name you like...chime in! Read More
New Chef @ Barcelona (SONO) : Introducing Chef Wayne Homsi Restaurant Norwalk Wine Bar Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger May 11, 2014 With a hip and lively environment, the Barcelona restaurants have consistently offered bold cuisine, inspired by the Iberian Peninsula accompanied with some of the best drinks and Sangria in the area. Each location adheres to the basic premise that a visit to Barcelona must combine great fun with great food. To continue in this tradition, Barcelona (SONO) recently introduced its new Executive Chef Wayne Homsi. Fresh from his culinary journey throughout Spain, CTbites stopped by to sample Chef Homsi’s new additions to the Spring menu. Chef Wayne graduated with honors from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park and joined The Waldorf Astoria Hotel where he became the youngest sous chef in its history. He subsequently worked at Picholine and then became the opening sous chef at its sister restaurant Artisanal Fromagerie and Bistro in New York. He next joined Il Barilotto as Executive Chef and Partner in 2002 before joining Barcelona SONO earlier this year. The menu at Barcelona offers “Meat + Cheese,” “Tapas” plus a few smatterings of “Paella,” “Meat + Fish” and Mixed Grill.” The Tapas contains bar bites and others that are more closely described as small sharing plates. Read More
