MECHA Noodle Bar Opening in Downtown SoNo, Norwalk Restaurant Asian Noodles Norwalk SONO Lunch Stephanie Webster September 09, 2015 Fans of Mecha Noodle Bar in Fairfield, residents of Norwalk, and noodle lovers everywhere will rejoice in the news that Mecha will be opening a second location right in SoNo’s downtown Washington Street. “We believe in the resurgence of SoNo, that this type of cuisine is a good fit for this urban area,” says Pham. SoNo residents can already be seen peering curiously into the spot that once housed Joe Bruno’s renown Pasta Nostra, now boasting windows lined with garden variety Ramen packets…a sign of things to come. Mecha owner and chef, Tony Pham, will be joined by longtime friend and owner of Mézon, Richard Reyes. The team grew up together in Bethel with extended families who loved to gather around food, specifically Pho and Hot Pot, courtesy of the Phams. Sharing food with people they love is part of their collective DNA, and Pho is a “Universal comfort food,” says Pham. For those not already familiar with the menu at Mecha, we’re talking ramen, pho, steamed baos and a well curated selection of Asian plates. Slurping is encouraged, as clearly stated on the menu. Read More
Chef Plum Hosts 5th Annual CT Chefs Challenge CTbites Team September 08, 2015 On Friday, September 18th join Optimus Foundation for the 5th Annual CT Chefs Challenge at the Lincoln Culinary Institute in Shelton. Enjoy an evening of food, music and raffles while eight of CT’s top chefs compete for this year’s champion title! The event will consist of two rounds of culinary battle, each chef has one hour and a maximum budget of $300 to prepare 10 plates of their signature dish. No ahead of time cooking in this battle of culinary excellence. Each chef is allowed to bring one Sous Chef as well as utilize Lincoln Culinary students to help them be the champion. The dishes will be judged on “Taste, Creativity and Presentation." The top scoring dish will win the championship belt and the $1,000 grand prize! Attendees will also have the chance to choose a “People's Choice” winner with a purchase of a Tasting Ticket that allows guests to taste each chef's dish at the tasting tables. Read More
B. Good Opens in Fairfield: Real Food...Fast Restaurant Fairfield Special Dietary Needs Specialty Market To-Go healthy Jessica Ryan September 06, 2015 It started well over 10 years ago in Boston. Two boyhood friends and a dream – a dream to open a restaurant featuring healthy, wholesome food. The company’s founders, Jon and Anthony grew up eating nutritious food from Anthony’s Uncle Faris’s kitchen. When the two friends went off to college they over indulged on fast food. While they loved this way of eating, they hated how it made them look and feel. And so the two decided to open a business together based on the simple premise that they would offer people “fast” food by making it “real” – Food “made by people, not factories.” As they embarked on this journey, they heeded Uncle Faris’ other pieces of advice: “Take it easy, Live life, and most of all ‘be good.’” And with this b.good was born. With many successful restaurants already established in New England, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Toronto, Canada, the newest location has just opened in my town of Fairfield. (Greenwich will also open its door shortly.) Read More
Friday Froth: 3 Beers for Day, Dusk and Dark Ingredients Beer James Gribbon September 04, 2015 The summer wind-down is on us, but I am holding onto the season like a starfish attacking a clam. The days are starting their slow slide, and I've been thinking about light changing over to dark, so that will be our theme this week - day to dusk to demonic. Day Southern Tier Tangier is your high-noon-in-summer brew. It's a session IPA - light in alcohol and color - but heavily dosed with Azacca hops and tangerine peels to arrive with swirling flavor. Tangier pours a cloudy amber with a thick head. The flowery Azaccas pair excellently with the citrus in the creation of a very, very nice drink that is more IPA-ish, than straight up IPA. Sometimes a beer can get in its own way, and the heavier malting of other citri-fied IPAs like grapefruit Sculpin can sometimes lend them a bit of drag in some situations, but Tangier's weight and execution make it outstanding for hot, humid days. Read More
Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival Celebrates 10th Year with Martha Stewart, Jacques Pépin, Claudine Pépin & More Restaurant Festival Newport Wine Tasting CTbites Team September 04, 2015 The Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival, one of the East Coast’s most sophisticated and anticipated events, returns for its 10th year from September 25 – 27, 2015. Once again, the Marble House lawn will be the setting for the two-day Grand Tasting, which offers guests the chance to sample hundreds of wines from around the world and cuisine from nearly two dozen regional restaurants and caterers. Martha Stewart will return to the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival for her second year, headlining a brand new signature event with French chef Jacques Pépin. During A Conversation with Martha Stewart and Jacques Pépin, guests can enjoy a lively and engaging conversation with the lifestyle expert and the French chef while sipping Champagne Taittinger in the Marble House Gold Ballroom before heading out to the Grand Tasting. Chef Pépin will also join daughter Claudine Pépin for a cooking demonstration on the KitchenAid Culinary Demonstration Stage during Sunday’s Grand Tasting. Claudine Pépin joined her father in preparing delicious meals and sharing cooking techniques on three public television shows and has served as a Brand Ambassador for Moet & Chandon and Dom Perignon Champagne. She recently wrote her first book, Kids Cook French, a collection of thirty favorite, simple, classic French recipes in both English and French, illustrated by her father Jacques and daughter Shorey. Read More
Weekly Nibble: Norwalk Oyster Festival, Brass City Brewfest, CT on Tap, Pig Roasts + More! Emma Jane-Doody Stetson September 03, 2015 Norwalk’s 38th Annual Oyster Festival will be held this weekend, Friday September 11-Sunday September 13. Try delicious seafood, visit booths from local vendors, enjoy live music, and more. Here's more info on ticket prices, times, and parking information. The much anticipated Brass City Brewfest takes over Waterbury, CT on Saturday September 12. This is the 9th year of the festival, which is considered one of the largest in New England. This year, there will be over 125 breweries and brewpubs with more than 275 domestic and international brews. Guests can also enjoy mini beer seminars throughout the day. Barcelona Restaurant New Haven and Two Road’s Brewery unite on Thursday September 10 for “Two Roads to Barcelona.” Chef Frank Proto will create special Barcelona style bar food to compliment the brews. It costs $45 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Meanwhile on September 10, Barcelona South Norwalk invites you to a wine dinner centering on the wines of Telmo Rodriguez, one of Spain’s pioneer winemakers. Gusts can meet him as well. $50 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Match Restaurant is celebrating its 16th birthday with a month of festivities during September. Read More
Slice of Saugatuck Festival 2015: 24 Restaurants, 8 Bands & Tons of Family Fun! CTbites Team September 02, 2015 The fourth annual Slice of Saugatuck Festival is fast approaching and set to go off on Saturday September 12, from noon -3pm (rain date Sept 19). The family friendly Wine & Food and Retail Experience has once again expanded, both in the number of participating venues and what is being offered to the festivalgoer, especially kids. “The festival is once again bigger,” said WWCC Executive Director Matthew Mandell, “Not only will there be tastings at over two dozen eateries, and great offerings by all the other merchants; there will be a mini maker space, drones, obstacle courses, bouncy houses, balloon bender, hoola hoops and rock climbing. The kids are going to love it.” Added this year to the seven other musical offerings during the main event will be a free concert in Luciano Park right after the tastings are over. The festival continues with the Sweet Sounds of Summer with two more bands playing at 3pm and 5pm. Tickets, with a passport to take around for tastes, will cost $10 per adult and $5 for Children 6-12. There will be at least five locations throughout the area with different bands playing. Read More
Community Plates Shares 5 Ways You Can Support Hunger Action Month Locally Amy Kundrat September 02, 2015 Community Plates, a national organization that has rescued 8.5 million meals to date, encourages you to support Hunger Action Month during the month of September in your neighborhood. Leading the food rescue revolution, Community Plates is tackling American food insecurity by directly transferring fresh, usable food that would have otherwise been thrown away from restaurants, markets and other food industry sources to food-insecure families throughout the U.S. Hunger affects every community, and during Hunger Action Month, Community Plates is sharing 5 ways you can make a difference in your own Connecticut neighborhood: Read More
16 Hot New Restaurant Openings for Summer / Fall 2015 Emma Jane-Doody Stetson September 01, 2015 This summer saw a plethora of restaurant openings across the state. Local chefs are expanding their empires, celebrity chefs are setting their sights on CT, and other food-lovers are staking their claim in the culinary scene. The fall promises to bring even more debuts. Here is a list of some of our favorite recent launches as well as a sneak peek of more to come. Can Tiin, Bridgeport Teff, Stamford Rothbard Ale + Larder, Westport Bruculino, Norwalk Elm City Social, New Haven Lugano, Greenwich Hoodoo Brown BBQ, Ridgefield Mill Street Bar & Table, Greenwich Mecha Noodle Bar, Norwalk Plan B Burger Bar, Fairfield Babaloo Cocina Latina, Wilton South End Uncorked, New Canaan b Good, Fairfield Back 40 Kitchen, Greenwich Carlos Bakery, Mohegan Sun Casino Fortina, Stamford Read More
SE Uncorked Opens in New Canaan: Snacks & Taps + A Great Vibe Restaurant American Pub New Canaan Beer Bar Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger August 30, 2015 Chef Nick Martschenko’s (South End) newest venture, SE Uncorked, is already creating an incredible buzz throughout New Canaan for its great food and great vibe. Inspired by the speakeasies of the Prohibition era and taverns in the UK and Australia, Chef Nick told CTbites that his vision is for “guests to be comfortable and relaxed in a heavily beverage, comfortable environment with foods designed for a pub versus restaurant theme.” Located at 15 Elm Street, both the exterior and interior have been completely redesigned. The brick-faced exterior features a drop-down wood shelf, windows at eye-level and a wood carved sign announcing “Uncorked” with the familiar South End circle-logo with the additional prelude... “Snacks & Taps.” Read More
Friday Froth: Negative And Positive Ingredients CT Beer Friday Froth Beer James Gribbon August 28, 2015 I like beers from Otter Creek and Jack's Abby, but their collaboration beer, Joint Custody, is a can full of nope. Thankfully it's also exceedingly rare, so chances are you'll be spared from drinking one. I don't usually talk about bad beer experiences in this column - and feel free to skip down to the two contrasting examples I give below - but this one's been nagging at me. The collective German heritage of the OC and JA brewmasters inspired them to seek out two newborn German hop strains, Huell Melon and Mandarina Bavaria, in the creation of what they call a Nouveau Pilsner. Joint Custody pours cloudy gold, and has a slightly odd lemony scent - both fine - and then you take a drink and taste fresh Band-Aid. There is the unmistakable pils malt underneath, but what in the hell with this plasticky flavor? In beer-nerd terms, we sometimes call this ortho-chlorophenolic, because it's a medicinal smell/flavor which usually comes from residual sanitizers, or using chlorinated water to make the beer. I don't think that's what happened here, we're dealing with seriously talented brewers, so the only remaining explanation is they've done this on purpose. Read More
Weekly Nibble: Blues & BBQ Festival, Greek Festival, Farm Dinners, Clam Bakes & More! Emma Jane-Doody Stetson August 27, 2015 Bear's Smokehouse New England BBQ Championships will take place in Hartford on Saturday September 5 starting at 6pm. The main event consists of all you can eat BBQ samples and Connecticut beer tastings (5 coupons- additional beer for sale). There will be live music as well… and the chance to vote on your favorite BBQ! Tickets start at $35. Join Ordinary in New Haven, for their new kitchen specials. Monday and Tuesday is a “Taco-pocalypse." Wednesday and Saturday, try “3 Ways From the Farm” where veggies come raw, cooked, and pickled. On Fridays, they’ll serve up different styles of meatballs at “The Meatball Show.” On September 2 and 3, the Woodstock Agricultural Fair celebrates 154 years of agriculture in CT. There will be animals, exhibitions, live entertainment, and over 100 food vendors. The 8th Annual Blues, Views, and BBQ Festival comes to Westport, CT on September 5 and 6. The festival includes chef demonstrations, BBQ competitions, games for kids, live music, beer tastings, cocktails, and more. Tickets start at $10. This weekend, enjoy four days of authentic Greek cuisine at “Odyssey: A Greek Festival” hosted by Saint Barbera Greek Orthodox Church in Orange, CT. Read More
Can Tiin Modern French Vietnamese Bistro Opening in Bridgeport Restaurant Asian Bridgeport French Noodles Vietnamese Stephanie Webster August 25, 2015 There's a new Vietnamese on the block, and we are pretty excited about this one. CanTiin, a modern French Vietnamese bistro is opening at 269 Fairfield Ave in Bridgeport this October. Can Tiin boasts Chef Brian Reilly, (you might remember the name from Vespa in Westport). Chef Brian has noodles in his culinary DNA as his resume includes the role of Executive Chef at Noodle Cat in Ohio, back when high quality noodles were just starting to catch on. Can Tiin's COO Kevin D Lalumiere is joined by Rachel Haughey from NEAT of Darien and Westport, thus completing the management team. Now let's talk Menus....Lunch is broken down into Pho, Banh Mi, Steam Buns, Salads & Starters, and Noodle & Frys. The Dinner menu features a mouthwatering array of dishes including Spiced Duck Breast, Pork Belly with Daikon, Crispy Rice & Coconut Crepe, Spicy Baby Octopus Stor Fry, Marrow & Miso, and a nice twist on the classic burger, a Grilled Burger Steam Bun. We will update you on additional details and the opening date as we move into October. Read More
Tix On Sale Today for Harvest Fest at Wakeman Town Farm CTbites Team August 24, 2015 Mark your calendar for Harvest Fest, the grassroots event of the season, on Sat. Sept. 12 at Wakeman Town Farm in Westport featuring local chefs, musicians, libations, and more! At this festive cocktail party/dinner, dig into a locally grown feast--hors d'oeuvres to desserts--using delicious cheeses, produce and meats from nearby farms, all prepared by a lineup of farm-friendly local chefs. In addition to dishing up inspired seasonal eats, they'll be pouring signature cocktails, fine wines and craft brews and kicking up our heels to the sounds of a killer live band. There will also be a live auction with some out-of-this- world experiences in dining and travel. It's all to benefit our local town farm! Some of the local venues included in this year's lineup: The Spread, Artisan, Blue Lemon, Fairfield Cheese Co., Fleischers Craft Butchery, AMG Catering, Olivette & Saugatuck Sweets Tickets go on sale TODAY, August 24 at http://2015harvestfest.brownpapertickets.com Read More
Road Trip: Marley's Café at the Essex Island Marina Restaurant Essex Shoreline East Amy Kundrat August 23, 2015 What is it about taking a boat to lunch that transforms what would have been an ordinary meal into a clandestine rendezvous? Luckily there are no code names or other spycraft necessary for a visit to Marley’s Cafe, a seasonal restaurant located at the Essex Island Marina. Getting there is half the fun, requiring your own vessel or a free ride on the tiny 6-person ferry for a 2-minute trip across a sliver of the Connecticut River. Marley’s Cafe is BYOB, open seasonally from Memorial Day to Columbus Day, serving breakfast and lunch with dinner served at the height of summer. Your best bet is to call ahead to confirm hours before you arrive or visit their Facebook page. Read More
Greer Fredericks Sells Mama's Boy in SoNo CTbites Team August 21, 2015 In a letter posted on Facebook, Greer Fredericks officially announced the sale of Mama’s Boy in SONO. CTbites was introduced to Greer prior to its opening and watched as the restaurant expanded the boundaries of the food scene in SONO, both from a geographic as well as culinary perspective. Mama’s Boy started several food crazes in Fairfield County including shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles, and introduced catfish to many. And when the desserts arrived at the tables, guests stared in awe at the size of the cake slices. Greer did not stop with Mama’s Boy. Last year she opened Jax, named after her son, serving some of the best sandwiches in the area. Greer told CTbites a couple of weeks ago that she wanted to spend more time with her adorable son Jax, take a break and plan her next venture. All of us look forward to the next time we can enjoy her food and be told to “Kiss My Grits.” Best of luck Greer. Read More
Weekly Nibble: Onyx Beer Bash, BBQ @ The Schoolhouse, Farm Dinners, Openings + More! Emma Jane-Doody Stetson August 20, 2015 Stamford Summer Restaurant Week lasts for TWO weeks this year! Through August 30, enjoy lunch and dinner prix fixe menus from over 30 popular restaurants. There are a number of price tiers to choose from. The prices for lunch are $10.15, $15.15 or $20.15 and dinner is $15.15, $25.15 or $35.15. Every Sunday and Monday, bottles of wine under $125 are half price at Match in Norwalk. Reservations are recommended. On Wednesday August 26, The Spread in SoNo is lending tremendous support to a local teacher, and for one night, Guest Bartender, who is running in this year’s New York City Marathon as a member of Team Sandy Hook Promise. Sandy Hook Promise is a grassroots organization committed to providing resources and programs through education and intervention that protect children from gun violence and work to foster connections in the community. All tips received at the bar will go to the SHP charity through the marathoner’s pledged commitment. Also on Wednesday August 26, enjoy a "Goodtime Barbecue" at the Schoolhouse Restaurant in Wilton. The menu will be Schoolhouse Farm Dinner meets Traditional BBQ.....Family Style. The price is $65 per person, excluding alcohol, tax & gratuity. Please call them at 1-203-834-9816 for reservations. The patio will be open weather permitting. Read More
Mini Rhubarb Hand Pie Recipe c/o Watson's Catering Ingredients Features Recipe Dessert CTbites Team August 19, 2015 Mini Rhubarb Hand Pies from Watson's Catering Rhubarb is technically a vegetable, although we love to cook it in pies, purée it into sauces, and preserve it into jam as if it were a fruit. Watson's Catering shares their turnover-like take on this vegetable, a fun way to enjoy the sweetness of this tart vegetable. Read More
10 Questions w/ John Barricelli @ Sono Baking Company's 10 Year Anniversary Ingredients Interview Bakery Chef Talk Stephanie Webster August 18, 2015 This summer marks the 10 year anniversary for Sono Baking Company. To celebrate the milestone of this beloved local bakery, we sat down with owner, John Barricelli, to talk about the business of baking and his plans for the future. What made you decide to launch Sono Baking Company? We launched Sono 10 years ago because we found that the need for baked goods and breads were hard to find in this area....everything was being brought up from the city....I always wanted to bake bread in a big oven early in the morning with no days off! Has the business of baking changed in the past 10 year? How? The business has not changed, but competition has grown a little....we still think we are superior to anything out there...we bake fresh everyday....bake locally, distribute locally. Read More
