Local Chef Adam Greenberg (Fortina) Competes on "Chopped" Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger February 16, 2015 Chef Adam Greenberg of Fortina will be the latest local chef to appear on The Food Network’s “Chopped” on February 24th at 1000PM. The chefs are each given a ”mystery basket” and are required to create an appetizer, an entrée and a dessert re-purposing each of these ingredients. Three world class chefs then critique each chef’s creation down to the smallest details. Lose the round and you are “chopped,” the others move to the next round. Win all three rounds and you are the Chopped Champ. Chef Adam was kind enough to share a few thoughts on the competition and his culinary future with CTbites. Read More
Mediterraneo in Norwalk ... A Culinary Tour of Southern Europe Restaurant American Norwalk Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger February 15, 2015 Mediterraneo, a ‘destination restaurant’ in the Hotel Zero Degrees on Main Street in Norwalk is a beautiful backdrop for Executive Chef Albert DeAngelis’ culinary tour of the Mediterranean. The aquatic inspired dining room features a large bar area to the left, with several high top tables to augment the bar seating, and to the right is the main dining room. With hardwood floors, white chairs and a large nautical flag painting along the far right wall, the dining area presents a clean and airy feel. The highlight of the room is the floor to ceiling glass wall that overlooks the panoramic, million-dollar waterfall view on the river. From a magnificent French Braised beef “Bourguignon” to a mild Tuscan Prosciutto wrapped rabbit loin to an outstanding Wild black sea bass, the menu at Mediterraneo offers wide varieties of clean flavors and combinations. Mediterraneo is one of five local restaurants owned by the Z Hospitality Group. Read More
Friday Froth: Notes From Big Brew NY Beer Festival Ingredients Festival Friday Froth Beer James Gribbon February 13, 2015 Session beers are popular now, but a single drinking session rarely includes 250 different beers. The Big Brew NY Beer Festival returned to White Plains on Feb. 7 with hundreds of kegged and bottled beers, plus a VIP area with almost 30 casks of special ales. It's tough to write with a beer in one hand and camera in the other, but I managed to record a few notes and observations from what has become a very good midsize beer festival.First: it may look crowded in a few of these photos, but the crowd was never an issue. Beer fest attendees tend to be pretty easy going. Most seem happy just to be in a place where they can simply stick out their glass and have it filled, and it's exciting to try new brands and styles without running the risk of taking your first sip and realizing you're now stuck with a six pack of beer you wouldn't use to poison driveway weeds. Read More
Celebrate Fat Tuesday @ The Spread in Sono CTbites Team February 12, 2015 Celebrate NOLA style at The Spread in Norwalk on February 17th. Chef Carlos has created a special Fat Tuesday menu that will be offered in addition to their a la carte dinner menu. It's not easy to find Crawfish Étouffée and Beignets in Fairfield County. Get over there there next week and join the party. Read More
Weekly Nibble: Cuban Food, Craft Beer, Gnocchi Cooking Class, Mama's Boy BYOB & More Emma Jane-Doody Stetson February 12, 2015 The Chelsea in Fairfield has debuted a 2 course prix fixe lunch and 3 course prix fixe dinner. They are $14.99 and $29.99 respectively. Mama’s Boy goes BYOB on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Enjoy no corkage fee as well as ½ off selected bottles on those nights. Cask Republic New Haven will have a huge Dogfish Head Tap Takeover on Monday February 16. It will have 23 beers, including many limited releases. Bar Sugo continues its “Serie Vino” Italian Wine Class & Food Pairing Series on February 17. This week, the theme is Tuscany. It starts at 7pm. Also on Tuesday, Barcelona Greenwich will teach you all about the art of Gnocchi. Read More
Award-Winning Author & Food Critic Mimi Sheraton in Conversation with Chef Matt Storch Interview Author Westport CTbites Team February 12, 2015 Mimi Sheraton, award-winning author and former restaurant critic for The New York Times, will be at the Westport Public Library on Saturday, February 28 to discuss her new book, 1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die: A Food Lover's Life List. Sheraton's appearance will be a conversation with Matt Storch, chef and owner of Match Restaurant. About Mimi Sheraton Mimi Sheraton is a journalist, restaurant critic, lecturer, IACP and James Beard Award–winning cookbook author, and the woman about whom famed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten declared, “Her knowledge knows no bounds, her glossary of flavors is ultimate. Her opinion is like gold.” The former restaurant critic of the New York Times, Read More
Strada 18: Revisiting Classic Italian Comfort Food in Norwalk Restaurant Italian Norwalk SONO Lunch Jessica Ryan February 11, 2015 I was recently invited to a press dinner at Strada 18 in South Norwalk. The restaurant was eager to share with us their Italian-American Comfort Classics Dinner. With temperatures well below the freezing mark, all the snow, freezing rain and sleet, this is the type of food so many are craving right now. A group of about 20 or so writers, editors and bloggers gathered together for this dinner that was prepared especially for us. We started out with the Fried Calamari with Three Sauces, aioli, lemon-lime-jalapeno-cilantro, and marinara. The calamari was tender, flavorful and incredibly crispy and the accompanying sauces complemented them perfectly. We also enjoyed the Arancini, a fried risotto ball stuffed with American farmstead Fontina and served with a tomato sauce. The Arancini was good – but I wouldn’t say it was outstanding or one of the best I’ve ever had. Read More
The New Blondie Burger at Sycamore Drive In in Bethel Restaurant Bethel Diner Comfort Food Kid Friendly Burgers Amy Kundrat February 10, 2015 Photo: Ryan Kundrat Behind every great man is a great woman. And for Dagwood Bumstead, that woman is Blondie. Bethel's Sycamore Drive-in Restaurant, founded in 1948 and famous for its summer cruise nights, homemade root beer, and thin French-style burgers, has introduced the new Blondie burger, a fitting companion for their popular Dagwood burger. And I believe it's about time, the cartoon is named after the blonde bombshell matriarch, afterall. Read More
The Rob Roy Cocktail: A Manhattan with a Kilt Features Cocktails Recipe Amy Kundrat February 09, 2015 When the winter doldrums set in, and the temperatures flirt with zero, I set my sights firmly on brown spirits. Whisky, not whiskey, to be exact. A dram will usually do the trick, but on occasion I like to sully that perfect spirit by making it the foundation of a Rob Roy cocktail. If you can reconcile the fact that you’re meddling with the perfection that is scotch, with sweet vermouth and bitters, then you’ve found your perfect century-old cocktail. It’s essentially a Manhattan with a kilt, which is a fitting description seeing as it was created in New York’s Waldorf Astoria in 1894 for an opera based on the Scottish folk hero and outlaw Robert Roy MacGregor. There is something about peated scotch and a roaring fire, but an unpeated or blended whisky for your Rob Roy will also do the trick. Read More
The Whelk's Burger - Still Outstanding Restaurant Westport Best of CT Burgers Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger February 08, 2015 The 2015 “Dry Aged Beef Burger” prepared by Chef Anthony Kostelis begins with a 7-8 ounce patty topped with sweet pickles, Bella Bantam cheese, bacon and onion mayonnaise, all encased in a buttery brioche. The meat was deep and rich in flavor, perfectly seasoned and compressed slightly to maintain the grind of the meat. It was juicy in the middle of the burger but a little dry at the edges. The Bella Bantam cheese from Arethusa Farm was outstanding, melted atop the patty. It was mild with a slight nuttiness, a great complement to the burger. The bacon at The Whelk was one of the best I have tasted in years, with a incredible smokiness and also added a little crunchiness to the burger. Read More
DiMare Pastry to Open Second Location in Downtown Stamford Restaurant Bakery Stamford Dessert Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger February 07, 2015 Here’s some great news for residents of downtown Stamford… DiMare Pastry Shop has announced that it will open its third location at 30 Spring Street in Stamford, serving its delicious cakes, pies, cupcakes, pastries, rolls, breads and its ever-popular and outrageous cannoli dip. The location will be named DiMare Pastry Downtown and is convenient to the explosion of apartments in downtown Stamford along Washington, Atlantic and Bedford. The newest location on Spring Street will be familiar for patrons of Bar Rosso and Volta as DiMare becomes the third occupant in this storefront. The interior design is currently in the planning and development phase and the artist rendering on their Facebook page (above) indicates a sleek design to showcase their outstanding baked goods. Thanks to OmNomCT for confirming the details. Read More
Friday Froth: Tröegs, Jack's and Zoë Ingredients CT Beer Beer James Gribbon February 06, 2015 Tröegs Brewing Company made its Connecticut debut this week at The Cask Republic, The Ginger Man, Coalhouse Pizza, Craft 260, Max Burger and other locations around the state. Troeg's, from Pennsylvania, has a large portfolio of highly rated beers which are welcome additions to the universe of options currently available in the Constitution State. This week's installment of Froth starts with Troeg's Nugget Nectar, one of the darlings of the current American beer scene, and a limited release for the late winter. Nugget Nectar is a 7.5% imperial amber made with traditional European malts and fancy American hops. It pours the color of bourbon with an enticing meringue of head. There are very sweet, peachy hops to the nose, probably due to the Nugget and Simcoe varieties which make part of the hop bill, and a good balance of flavors to the first sip. The color is a faithful predictor of the maltiness in this one, but the fruity hop character is fully apparent early on. Read More
Weekly Nibble: Tequila Dinner, Chocolate Tasting, Valentine's Cooking Classes & More Emma Jane-Doody Stetson February 06, 2015 Bodega of Fairfield presents and Azuniza Tequlia Dinner on Monday February 9. It includes 5 courses such as tres guacamoles, surf & turf tacos, and skirt steak Churssaco alongside with Azuniza cocktail pairings. It starts at 7:30pm and costs $65 plus tax and gratuity ($75 at the door). Email david@bodegatacobar.com for details and to reserve. Also on Monday, Analiese Paik of the Fairfield Green Food Guide presents a “Single Origin Chocolate Tasting Workshop” at Olivette, located at 1084 Post Road in Darien. It lasts from 6:00-8:00 pm and costs $25 per person. Napa & Co’s Wine Classes continue with “Sinful Zinfandel” on Monday February 9th. Sample examples from Rombauer, Titus, Ridge, Old Ghost, Four Vines and Robert Biale. It costs $85pp (plus tax and gratuity) and starts at 6:30pm. Journey through Italy with Bar Sugo's “Serie Vino” Italian Wine Class & Food Pairing Series. Read More
CT Foodie Valentine's Day Gift Guide 2015 Restaurant Chocolate Gift Guide April Guilbault February 04, 2015 “Cooking is like love. It should entered into with abandon or not at all.” Such delicious, true words from Harriet Van Horne, who first penned this line for Vogue magazine in 1956. In the spirit of channeling Ms. Harriet, we hope that wild abandon flies out the proverbial window this Valentine’s Day and that you can enjoy some new culinary experiences and delights with your honey. Love is food for the soul and we want your soul overflowing! Here are 12 gift ideas to entice and treat, from sweets to beers to bling... Read More
Fairfield gets Freshii! Nutritious Healthy Food For People On The Go Fairfield Juice Bar Special Dietary Needs Specialty Market Westport healthy Lunch Jessica Ryan February 03, 2015 Fairfield has worked its way up the food chain, offering all sorts of great dining opportunities for those with even the most discerning palates. With all the new restaurant openings, there was one thing that was lacking in the town’s culinary offerings; a really good health-food based option. Until now - enter Freshii. Sandwiched in between The Fairfield University Bookstore and Chef’s Table is Freshii, recently opened by owner Jonathan Blob who also owns the Westport location. Although word had not yet really gotten out, the restaurant was bustling the two times I went in, first to check it out, then when I returned to chat with Blob. The store, long and narrow, airy and bright, evokes a fresh, healthy attitude. Bright green, leaf-colored chairs are neatly lined up against the long counter space on one wall just below a large mirror reflecting the words...EAT. ENERGIZE. from the opposing wall. The light woods and grass-like covered wall lend themselves perfectly to an eatery of this type. A large menu board lists many and varied options. There are choices for breakfast, smoothies, juices, salads, wraps, bowls, soups and burritos. Read More
Mura Pop-Up Delivers Outstanding Ramen Restaurant Japanese Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger February 01, 2015 Ramen is one of the great dishes of the world. Contained within a single bowl is the essence of all flavors; and the most recent pop-up restaurants overseen by Chef Mogan Anthony (Locali) just over the border into NY are phenomenal. Chef Mogan was raised in Singapore and was captivated, at an early age, by the flavors in Asian cuisine. His early training included studying under some of the best Asian chefs. Read More
Olea in New Haven Delivers Extraordinary Spanish Dining Restaurant Spanish Tapas New Haven Connecticut Magazine February 01, 2015 Olea's condomiz / Photo: Jen Kaufman, Connecticut Magazine Many in the New Haven area mourned the closing of Ibiza last spring. The restaurant has been reimagined by former Ibiza chef Manual Romero who is now the owner and chef, reviving this modern Spanish tapas mecca for the city once again. Our friends at Connecticut Magazine recently visited, giving it an excellent rating, and here's why: When Ibiza in New Haven closed last spring, Connecticut lost a culinary treasure. Located on High Street, steps away from two famous art museums, it was itself a work of art, showcasing the best of modern Spanish cuisine in the state and on the East Coast. Busy, buzzy, frequently bustling, with a mile-long list of intriguing tapas and a devoutly loyal customer base, it vanished suddenly, as if it had never been. Rumors flew. Diners mourned. But within six months, the spirit of Ibiza rose like a phoenix in the same location but in a glamorous new guise, re-imagined and rechristened, Olea. Read More
Friday Froth: Snowed In With Barleywine Ingredients Brewery CT Beer Friday Froth Beer James Gribbon January 30, 2015 Deep snow requires strong booze. Our ancestors knew it, we know it, and every year around the winter solstice we can see a certain class of beer made specifically for snow days start to take up shelf space. Barleywine is beer better served at 55º than 35º, and best enjoyed when it's 25º outside. It's usually sold in large format bottles of the 22-26oz. variety, and will wrap you in an invisible sweater of at least 10% alcohol. Blizzards are a good thing when you're properly stocked. Barleywine has been deployed as a winter knock out drop by bored or insufficiently rowdy residents of the frostier climes for centuries. It is NyQuil by another name, and it is a blessed boon to those of us who seek to replace the lost hours of sunlight with - in order - hijinks and oblivion. Read More
Weekly Nibble: Chocopologie Cookbook, Brunch, Making Meatballs, Truffles & More Emma Jane-Doody Stetson January 29, 2015 Match will host an Industry Brunch on Monday February 2. The a la carte menu will feature items like Storch’s famous onions & eggs, carpetbaggers, chocolate chip pancakes, and bacon egg and cheese on a pizza! Reservations are HIGHLY recommended! Call 203-852-1088 Ext 4. Start your week with Darien Social’s Monday Pasta Night. Choose a pasta, add a sauce, and finish it with your choice of toppings. It’s just $13 for all-you-can-eat pasta, soup or salad, and breadsticks. Harry’s Wine & Liquor Market invites you to Wine Tasting 101- their most popular class. It unfolds over two Wednesday sessions, Feb 4 & 11. Learn about the 4 taste zones of the tongue, the basic grape varieties, and more. $50 for both classes. Call 203-259-4692 for reservations. Join your neighbors and friends for a very special night to support the Shelter for the Homeless, while enjoying over 70 exhibitors serving up Chocolate, Dessert & Wine. “The Ultimate Tasting Experience” Read More
