15 Tequilas @ Taco Loco's Tequila Take Over Event May 2 Emma Jane-Doody Stetson April 14, 2015 On Saturday May 2, Taco Loco offers participants the chance to taste over 15 tequilas from prominent brands like Avion, Herradura, and Patron. Choose from 2 sessions: 1-3pm and 4-6pm. Every brand will provide taste of tequila as well as a sample of a cocktail created with it. Guests will then be able to vote for their favorite drink to be featured at the restaurant all summer. Live music, food specials, and giveaways will keep the party going! Read More
Palmwich Healthy Real Food Drive-Thru in Darien Expands Menu Jessica Ryan April 12, 2015 Last summer Palmwich opened its drive-through window to hungry drivers and passengers in Darien. They wondered posed the question; why can’t fast food be real food? Why can’t real food be fast, delicious and good for you? They then set out to prove that, it can indeed be all that. They started off with a limited yet inspiring menu that featured chopped salads, hand-held sandwiches and house-made beverages, all of which are nutritious, wholesome, natural and freshly made, while taking into mind sodium, sugar and fat content. Additionally their menu feature items that are gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan to suit all dietary needs, proving that this good for you, good food can indeed be delicious and served up quickly. Now, they’re expanding their menu. By shifting their menu and offering more variety, regular customers will have more to choose from. Loyalists will still find their traditional Palmwich wraps. The Whole Grain Flax Wrap debuts on this new menu. Traditional salads once served in tall plastic cups will now be offered in a salad bowl that is easy to eat from, portable and recyclable. Read More
Weekly Nibble: Whole Hog BBQ; Spanish Market; Drink & Paint; Wine Classes + More! Emma Jane-Doody Stetson April 10, 2015 Monday April 13, Napa and Co. of Stamford presents a Burgundy vs. California wine class. Compare 3 old world wines with 3 California Chardonnays while learning about the stylistic differences between the two. 6:30pm, $75 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Wednesday April 15, join Barcelona SoNo for the second annual “La Vida del Mercat.” The walk-around tasting features local and Spanish vendors. The night also features the direct-import Gretchen Selections wines. $40 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Also on Wednesday, Saugatuck Grain + Grape continues their Wine Education Series with “The World Through Rosé Covered Glasses.” Celebrate the arrival of spring by tasting Roses like Cerasuolo from Italy and Tavel from France’s Rhone Valley. Learn all about making vinaigrettes and sauces on Wednesday April 15 with Sugar + Olives in Norwalk. Try lime hollandaise, a walnut pesto, and a balsamic reduction and more! The class goes from7-9pm and costs $80 per person. On Thursday April 16, Two Roads Brewery invites you to enjoy some delicious brews as you paint! From 6-9pm, create your own brew-inspired masterpiece. Tickets are limited to 45 and cost $40 per person. Also on Thursday, April 16, listen to live music by BrewGrass with a Carolina-Style Whole Hog Barbecue at Walrus + Carpenter in Bridgeport, CT. Read More
Donovan's in SONO Serving Up a Pretty Good Bar Burger Restaurant Norwalk Bar Comfort Food Burgers Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger April 09, 2015 My ongoing Burger search continued into South Norwalk and Donovan’s Restaurant. Located on the corner of Washington and Water Streets, Donovan’s is an historic landmark, founded in 1889 by Jeremiah Donovan. Donovan was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives, served in the Connecticut Senate as well as the United States House of Representatives, before returning to Norwalk as its Mayor. Rumors abound that a number of presidential candidates were seen "taking a break" while making their tours of New England. When you enter the single dining room, you can understand why. It exudes a relaxed atmosphere with its wood walls, long bar with fifteen stools, a few low tables for a dozen guests, high-top tables for another two dozen and a round table tucked into the front corner. The walls are adorned with several TVs and a collection of vintage prizefighter pictures from former owner "Battling Bat Kunz." The restaurant and bar were restored in 1979 to its original Victorian style when SONO was a far cry from its currently vibrant scene. Read More
Derby Days Parties @ Mama's Boy in Sono Restaurant Holiday Southern CTbites Team April 09, 2015 Mama's Boy in Sono is celebrating the Derby in fine style with "Derby Days" April 27-May 3. Greer and her team have a full week of great events planned for your dining and partying pleasure. The week kicks off a Low Country Crab Boil on April 28th, followed by "Fillies & Lillies," (girls night on steroids), May 1 and culminates with their big Derby Day event on May 2nd. Read the full details below. Call Mama's Boy to make your reservations (203) 956-7171. Read More
Ross' Bread in Ridgefield Changes Ownership Restaurant Bakery Ridgefield Amy Kundrat April 08, 2015 Photo: Ross' BreadRoss' Bread in Ridgefield, the popular bakery and café announced on March 31 that the business was changing hands from one Ridgefield family, Ross and Val Schneiderman, to another, Amy Freidenrich after six years in business. The bakery follows the tradition of neighborhood European bakeries, with daily homemade breads (the Sweet Earth is a personal favorite), to cakes, pastries and soups using predominantly organic flour and ingredients. The location, tucked in the busy Marketplace at Copps Hill, has supported its mission and established the café as a popular meeting spot. In an excerpt from a letter from the Schneiderman's, the business underscored the community support and its vision: Read More
Women's Business Council Hosts Amy Kundrat of CTbites & Sneaky Chef Author Missy Chase Lapin Interview Restaurant Events CTbites Team April 08, 2015 The Women's Business Council of Danbury is hosting their fifth annual Conversations with Extraordinary Women on April 23 at 5 to 8 pm at the Matrix Conference Center in Danbury, including CTbites' Executive Editor Amy Kundrat and best-selling author of Sneaky Chef Foods, Missy Chase Lapine. Read More
Celebrate National Beer Day w/ Three Floyds Zombie Dust...If You Can Find It Ingredients Friday Froth Beer James Gribbon April 07, 2015 Apparently today is National Beer Day, so here are my notes from the first time I had Three Floyds Zombie Dust. *Yep - not a Friday at all, but Tuesdays could stand a bit of Fridayness, anyway.I have a friend out in Indiana who floated the idea of doing a beer trade; he'd send me some of his state's beer, and I'd send him a few selections from Connecticut. I sent him Sea Hag from New England Brewing and Two Roads Lil Heaven, and made one request of him: "Whatever you send, please send me some Zombie Dust, too." He did not disappoint. What follows is the result, word for word: Grapefruit hop notes hit from two feet away as soon as it's poured. Barely cloudy amber, head forms and resolves into a thin ring. Big, juicy hops on nose, very fruity. It's hoppy on the tongue like a jungle is green - everywhere and all at once. Far cry from the punch of west coast IPAs. This is a smooth and flavorful pale ale. I want to turn back time and drink it again. Read More
Big News at Craft Butchery: Dinner Service, Catering, A New Name & A Merger Features Restaurant Butcher Specialty Market Lunch Stephanie Webster April 07, 2015 Craft Butchery has some very big news. This exclusively pastured, whole animal butchery is expanding their business, their product lines (including catering), and will soon open their doors for dinner service at the Westport location. Also, look out for a new Craft Butchery in Greenwich opening this summer. CTbites sat down with Ryan Fibiger, owner of Craft Butchery to get the full scoop. This rapid expansion, Ryan explained, “has actually been in the works for some time.” Craft knew they needed to grow to meet demand, but wanted to do so while maintaining their strict philosophy on sourcing and butchering. Fibiger said “We wanted to grow the business, but butchering is a labor intensive process that requires space and talent. It’s hard to replicate.” To speed things along, this old school, full-service, whole animal butchery made the wise decision to merge with Fleisher’s Grass-fed and Organic Meats in Brooklyn (Ryan’s stomping ground where he learned his trade). As part of this merger, Craft is now the proud owner of Fleisher’s 6,500 square foot processing facility and commissary in Red Hook, enabling Craft to grow all areas of their current business, including Catering, to-go retail offerings, and most importantly, their ability to break down animals on a larger scale. They also have a new name: Fleisher's Craft Butchery. Read More
Maple Fest 2015: Lux et Syrupas Orange Amy Kundrat April 06, 2015 Yale University's West Campus Urban Farm is hosting “ Maple Fest 2015: Lux et Syrupas ,” a free tasting of saps and syrups along with live demos and “tours of the campus sugar bush,” on Friday, April 10, from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm. Read More
Baldanza in New Canaan: Organic and Flavorful Restaurant American Farm to Table Local Farm Organic New Canaan Lunch Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger April 05, 2015 Tucked in the rear of a charming passageway on Elm Street in New Canaan is Baldanza Natural Market Cafe. With a large and diverse organic menu, and a blackboard filled with the names of local purveyors, this small restaurant is fast becoming a local favorite. Owners Sandy and Angela Baldanza opened the café last year serving lunches and an occasional ‘pop up dinner’. Baldanza recently expanded the hours to include regular dinner service and partnered with Chef Kender Urena, who many will remember as the Chef /Owner of Bistro Bonne Nuit. Urena was awarded a Grand Diploma in Culinary Art with outstanding honors from the French Culinary Institute in NYC and was one of Bon Appétit Magazine Top 100 Chefs in America in 2007. Read More
Friday Froth: What's In A Name? Ingredients Features CT Beer Friday Froth Beer James Gribbon April 03, 2015 The waiter gave me a look that said "Dude - work with me here," because I was mumbling. It started like this: Him: "What'll you have?" A perfectly reasonable question, and not an unexpected one, given that I'd just sat down. So I replied:"Nmm nmm.""What?""Nmm nmm... ee."And that's when I got the look. So I said it louder, biting off each word:"Nummy Nummy, please." Dammit. Look, I get it - it's fun to name your beer something ridiculous like "Buttface" or "Even More Jesus," but please, I humbly beseech you, the brewers of the world: please don't make it something I'm embarrassed to order in public. That said... Read More
Weekly Nibble: Cocktail Classroom, Pizza Class @ Bar Sugo, CIA Hosts Lunch, Autism Bites, Savor @ Mohegan Sun + More Emma Jane-Doody Stetson April 03, 2015 The Fairfield & Greenwich Cheese Company will host Cheese 101. Learn about and try an array of cheeses for $45 per person. It takes place at the Fairfield Location on Tuesday April 7th, 7-9pm and at the Greenwich Location Thursday April 9, 7-9pm. “Cocktail Classroom: Rum Creations” comes to Barcelona New Haven on Tuesday April 7 at 7pm. The night will feature delicious cocktails prepared by top bartenders as well as bites by Executive Chef Frank Proto. $35. Bar Sugo will host a pizza making workshop on Saturday April 11. Chef Pat will teach you basic techniques. You’ll get the chance to bake classics like the Margherita and experiment with creations of your own. $30/person plus gratuity. Cookbook author Dina Cheney will launch her new cookbook, MUG MEALS, at the Cos Cob Library on Thursday April 9 at 7pm. The book is all about mug microwave cooking and guests should bring their own mugs for free samples. Copies of the book will be available for signing and sale. Register here. Saugatuck Grain + Grape kicks off its Wine Education Series on Wednesday April 8 with an “Introduction to Wine Tasting, Lexicon, and Labels.” Read More
Garden of Ideas in Ridgefield: 2015 Cooking Classes Restaurant CT Farms Cooking Classes Education Ridgefield Amy Kundrat April 02, 2015 Photo: Garden of Ideas The Garden of Ideas, the outdoor community center and garden sanctuary in Ridgefield, is hosting a series of monthly cooking demonstrations and workshops from May through November with Chef Susie Buckley. Each class will focus on how to make the most of the seasonal produce, using the bounty of their CSA as a way to highlight the intersection of food, nature, art and science within each workshop. Classes welcome all ages (kids from 8 years and up, and adults) and will feature fresh farm produce, focusing on basic cooking techniques, "nibbles, tastes, and recipes, included." View the complete class schedule below: Read More
Saugatuck Grain + Grape Launches Wine Education Class Series Ingredients Cooking Classes WIne Wine Tasting Stephanie Webster April 02, 2015 Saugatuck Grain + Grape is going to be holding a series of wine education classes. Classes will be held every other week this spring. The series will cover everything from "Introduction to Wine Tasting, Lexicon, and Labels" to "The World Through Rosé Covered Glasses" as they dive into specific varietals. For those who don't know Mimi and her team, there will most definitely be fun, food and some bad wine jokes in every session. Classes will be led by Mimi McLaughlin and Jon Carr, the newest member of the SG+G team. There will be nibbles prepared by Mark Hepperman, their in-house chef, so your tummy and taste buds will be happy in a multitude of ways. Below is a break down of the syllabus, cost and dates. Please call the store to reserve your spot. Read More
Local Chef Silvia Baldini Wins Chopped! Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger April 01, 2015 Another local chef was successful in winning Chopped this week. Last night Chef Silvia Baldini successfully navigated the April Fool’s style secret ingredient baskets and eliminated three other chefs and was crowned Chopped Champ. Ingredients she was required to re-provision included caramel onions masquerading as a caramel apple and green fondant in the shape of candy. And don’t taste a slice of cake expecting sweet…it was actually meat loaf. It was a tight competition until the dessert round when she returned to her Italian roots when spent endless hours with her grandmother in the kitchen. She created Canederli, a bread dumpling that is a specialty of Northeast Italy. They are traditionally made with milk soaked bread, eggs and a touch of flour. Hers were good enough for Judge Chris Santos to proclaim, “This is the best dish of the day.” So congratulations to Chef Baldini and her repurposing the strawberry soup a la tomato soup and winning Chopped. And for our readers who want to dry the Canederli here is the recipe from the chef. Read More
Danny Meyer, Shake Shack Founder & CEO Union Square Hospitality Group to Speak in New Haven Events Amy Kundrat April 01, 2015 Danny Meyer, CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group which founded Shake Shack and popular restaurants such as Gramercy Tavern, Marta, and Union Square Café, will visit Yale on Tuesday, April 7 as the University's 2015 Gordon Grand Fellow. Meyer will present two talks at Yale that are open to the public and will be streamed live on YouTube. For more information, or to watch live, visit Yale SOM or Yale News. Read More
Brother Jimmy’s BBQ Opening in Stamford via HeyStamford! Restaurant BBQ Stamford Lunch CTbites Team April 01, 2015 This just in from our friends @ HeyStamford! A few weeks back we shared the exciting news about BBQ hot spot Brother Jimmy’s BBQ opening in Stamford downtown. While the news wasn’t available at the time of that announcement; the team at Brother Jimmy’s have announced their grand opening party! The event is scheduled for April 11th at their new location in Stamford downtown. This special event will feature a special performance by country band Hazzard County starting at 10pm along with drink specials all night long. to RSVP for the opening, click here. You may recall that Brother Jimmy’s BBQ is filling the spot recently vacated by Butterfield 8. Read full article at HeyStamford! Read More
The Legendary Mario's in Westport Sold to Harvest Wine Bar Owners via Dan Woog Restaurant Westport Opening CTbites Team March 31, 2015 This just in from Dan Woog's 06880 blog: The rumors careening around town are true: Mario’s is being sold. The legendary restaurant/bar — a Saugatuck mainstay since 1967 — will change hands soon. A new name, cuisine and interior will follow. The deal could be finalized tomorrow morning. New owners Kleber, Nube and Vicente Siguenza own 5 restaurants in Fairfield and New Haven Counties (including 55 Degrees in Fairfield). Mario’s: A Westport legend. Mario’s will remain as it is for the next year. It will then transform into Harvest Wine Bar — similar to the Siguenzas’ restaurant of the same name in Greenwich. Harvest offers modern American custom cuisine with Asian, Latin and Mediterranean influences, plus an extensive wine list. Harvest supports local, organic farms. Read the full article here. Read More
