Kawa Ni Announces New Happy Hour And Cocktail Menu Restaurant Cocktails Happy Hour Japanese Westport Bar James Gribbon October 08, 2015 Kawa Ni, Westport's izakaya by the river, has been both a haven of Japanese-inspired food and a boisterous drinking scene since its opening just over a year ago. The party is about to start earlier, as Bill Taibe and co. have announced the debut of their new happy hour menu of food and drink at the Bridge Square, starting now.Izakayas are small taverns which cater to the occasionally raucous after work set in Japan, so the new menu, with its focus on a limited number of small bar bites backed up by almost twice as many drinks, is right on theme. The prices of food and drink alike are sharply reduced for the happy hour, which runs Tuesday -Friday 4-6PM. Read More
HomeBrew Hustle Homebrewing Panel @ Black Hog Brewery Oct 28th CTbites Team October 08, 2015 Ken Tuccio’s Welcome To Connecticut Podcast is excited to announce Connecticut’s very first live podcast panel discussion focusing on the art of homebrewing. This unique event, titled HOMEBREW HUSTLE, will take place at 7:00pm on Wednesday October 28th at Black Hog Brewery in Oxford CT. Read More
City-Wide Open Studios (CWOS) Kitchens: The Intersection of Visual & Culinary Arts in New Haven Restaurant Fundraiser New Haven Amy Kundrat October 07, 2015 Artspace in New Haven is launching City-Wide Open Studios (CWOS) Kitchens this November to celebrate the intersection of the visual and culinary arts. The CWOS theme this year is "Dwelling," and with kitchens is the core of this theme, Artspace is organizing three special evenings of culinary experiences in their gallery surrounded by 360 small works of art during the CWOS October and November festivities. Read More
Classic Baked Macaroni & Cheese via Watson's Catering Recipe CTbites Team October 07, 2015 What says fall comfort food better than Mac N' Cheese? Kids and adults will both love this classic recipe. Really...what's not to love? Cheddar...Gruyere...Ummmm. Try this simpe recipe at home from Watson's Catering and let us know what you think. Classic Baked Macaroni & Cheese YIELD: Serves 4 INGREDIENTS: 1/2 pound mini shells 3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons flour Read More
Meet "The Cheese Nun" in Bethlehem at the Farmstead Festival Ingredients Cheese Festival CTbites Team October 06, 2015 On Saturday October 17 take a drive to Litchfield County to enjoy the fall foliage and enjoy the richness of the local, handcrafted fare offered by the Farmstead Festival at Percy Thomson Meadows Farm, 78 Thomson Road in Bethlehem. The festival, organized by Artisan Made Northeast and Percy Thomson Meadows Farm, begins at 11 a.m. and runs through 5 p.m. and features handcrafted cheeses, wine, meats, condiments, chocolates, baked goods, produce, an educational pig roast and entertainment. As an added incentive, Sister Noella Marcellino, “The Cheese Nun,” will make an appearance at the festival and participate in a question and answer session in the education tent. She is internationally recognized as one of the foremost experts in the art of natural-milk cheese making. She received her PhD in microbiology from the University of Connecticut, and was awarded a Fullbright grant to study cheese making in France. Her focus was the Auvergne, in central France, and the study of fungal populations in the many cheese caves of the region. For her work, she received the prestigious French Spirit Food Award. Read More
Land, Farm, and Sea: A First Impression of Mill Street Bar & Table Now Open in Greenwich Restaurant American Byram Greenwich Seafood CTbites Team October 04, 2015 Now open in the Byram neighborhood of Greenwich, Mill Street Bar & Table celebrates American seasonal fine dining in one of Connecticut’s most elegant tavern-inspired settings. Executive Chef and Managing Partner of Mill Street is Greenwich native Geoff Lazlo (whom we know and love from The Whelk and leFarm) along with partner Bill & Lesley King. Under Geoff's leadership, the Mill Street menu is comprised of rustic yet sophisticated dishes (whole roasted proteins such as chicken and trout, a beautifully appointed oyster bar, homey pasta dishes, inventive flatbreads...) that embrace the bounty of land, farm, and sea, featuring among other purveyors, Mill Street’s own Back 40 Farm in Washington, CT. Read More
Back 40 Kitchen in Greenwich: Honey I Shrank The Squash - A Back 40 Farm To Table Fable Lou Gorfain October 04, 2015 "Farm to Table," suggests Chef Dan Barber, “is a much abused descriptor." You bet. Some restaurants invoke the phrase as more a loose slogan than a strict practice. Not so with Back 40 Kitchen in Greenwich. Its passionate owners, Lesley and Bill King, grow sustainable food for the restaurant (and a burgeoning food empire) on their own family farm near Washington Depot, Connecticut. Dan Barber would have no beef with their F2T claim. In fact, the organically managed restaurant and farm enjoy strong ties with Stone Barns Food and Educational center in the Hudson Valley, home to Barber’s acclaimed Blue Hills restaurant. Bill sits on the Center’s board and many of the Kings’ farmworkers interned there. “The collaboration between Stone Barns and Blue Hill,” King told us, “represents a best in class partnership between farmers and restaurants.” To understand the deeper meaning of Farm to Table, we decided to follow the story of how a seed at the Back 40 Farm became a serving at the Back 40 Kitchen. Read More
Chef Brian Lewis To Open Westport Restaurant in Le Farm Space Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger October 03, 2015 Chef Brian Lewis It is a very exciting time in Westport with the announcement that Chef Brian Lewis and Chef Bill Taibe have entered into a deal where Lewis will take over the space that previously housed Le Farm Restaurant on the Post Road. Before opening in early November, Lewis will reimagine the interior to reflect his warm hospitality and cuisine with layered flavors in an inviting setting. CTbites sat with Chef Lewis to discuss his latest venture. “I am thrilled about opening a restaurant in Westport. This is my first step towards becoming a vibrant part of the community. I looked at numerous properties in the area but this location feels like home. I’m looking forward to settling in and getting to know residents of the neighborhood.” With forty seats, the restaurant will maintain its comfortable downtown character as the backdrop to Lewis’ consciously sourced cuisine. Known for his balancing of flavors and textures, Lewis will continue to emphasize the flavors of the seasons. With his relationships with local farms, foragers and artisans, the dishes will embrace only the best local ingredients. Read More
Chowdafest 2015 Chefs Announce Chowda Lineup For October 11th Event CTbites Team October 03, 2015 Chowdafest 2015 announced their menu for this year's competition being held on Sunday October 11th from 11AM to 3PM at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport. Chowdafest is a unique fundraiser supporting the alleviation of hunger where people pay to judge chowder, soup and bisque from 40 restaurants representing every New England state. Attendees receive a spoon, ballot and pencil when they arrive. They enjoy unlimited sampling and rate each entry on a scale from 7 to 10.5 with half point intervals. “It's a true people's choice event” noted Jim Keenan, event director. Chowdafest features four categories of competition with ten restaurants competing in each: Classic New England Clam Chowder, Traditional Chowder exclusively for Rhode Island (clear broth) and Manhattan Clam Chowders (red, tomato based), Creative Chowders and Soup & Bisque. Read More
GIVEAWAY: 10 FREE Tix to Fleisher's PORKTOBERFEST On October 25th Stephanie Webster October 03, 2015 Dust off your lederhosen and get ready for pork! On Sunday, October 25th, Fleishers Craft Butchery puts on the 4th Annual Porktoberfest, a day of whole-roasted pigs, flowing beer, housemade sausages, live music and more. This is a family friendly event, with plenty of non-alcoholic cider, s’mores and games for kids. CTbites is GIVING AWAY 5 Pairs of FREE Tickets to Porktoberfest (all access). TO WIN, Tell us why you need to go in the comments section below. Winner will be selected on October 18th. Admission, Beer & Food details: The Big Piggie: $50 includes ADVANCED admission, all-you-can-eat pork, our Porktoberfest beer mug and 1 free beer ticket. The Little Piggie: $25 includes advanced admission, our Porktoberfest beer mug and 1 free beer ticket. Day-of only: $30 includes admission, our Porktoberfest beer mug and 1 free beer ticket. Read More
Weekly Nibble: Chowdafest, Hoptoberfest, Grace Farms Opens, Pasta Class & More Emma Jane-Doody Stetson October 03, 2015 CTBite’s own editor Stephanie Webster will team up with Match’s Chef Matt Storch on Monday October 5 at the Fairfield Public Library to talk all about cooking and their culinary experiences. Questions are highly encouraged! It starts at 7pm in the Rotary Room. The 3rd annual Milford Restaurant Week – Ciao Milford! –October 5 to 11. 24 restaurants will be offering dining deals via special multicourse prixe fixe fare – most will be offered at $24.95 pp. Rosie in New Haven will hold a Collage Night on Thursday October 8 starting at 7pm. Get in touch with your artistic side while enjoying spaghetti, meatballs, and wine. Seating is limited, so be sure to call 203-966-8998 to RSVP. Grace Farms is a stunning new farm and community driven space in New Canaan, CT. Its opening weekend is October 9-11, and they will celebrate with a Community Day on October 10. The day will include performances, art, music, hands-on activities for kids, and a family barbeque. In the future, Grace Farms will offer meals from local purveyors and a glass enclosed gathering place. It is free and open to the greater community, not just New Canaan residents. The 3rd Annual “Brew at the Zoo” will come to Bridgeport’s Beardsley Zoo on Saturday October 10. Read More
YouTube Star Daym Drops Meets CTbites As He Flies from CT to LI for #Fly2Eat ellen bowen October 03, 2015 Forget Chopped…forget Top Chef…forget Hell’s Kitchen…as a matter of fact…forget The Food Network all together, because today’s millennials are learning about food and being entertained on You Tube…and the biggest You Tube food star is Connecticut’s own, Daymon Patterson, known to his many fans as Daym Drops. Daym, who lives in New Britain, started his You Tube channel in 2008 and has over 66 million views and over 500, 000 subscribers who tune in to see Daym’s latest video food review. They are a mixture of honest reporting and entertainment, as Daym verbally dissects the food and dines basically from the front seat of his car. His big personality matches his size, but his love of what he does shines through and he appreciates his loyal and vocal fan base. Many of his visits are the direct result of fans that comment on his videos of where he should go next. His big break came in 2012, when he did a review for Five Guys Burgers and Fries that just hit 7.0 million views. His video review is even immortalized in a song by the Gregory Brothers entitled, “ Oh My Daym ”, which is at 27 million views on You Tube. Read More
Friday Froth: I Give You IPA...Firefly Hollow, Victory & Beer'd Brewing Co. Ingredients CT Beer Beer James Gribbon October 02, 2015 We're going to ignore the seasonal background noise this week, and focus on the always topical subject of IPAs. Two of the beers we taste in today's Froth are Connecticut originals, and I'm also taking the opportunity to introduce the newborn Vital IPA from Victory Brewing. A single can of this last made its way into my sinister grasp a few days before its official introduction to the world, and your first look is below the jump.First, though, I have to geek out about some Firefly Hollow trivia...Firefly is located in Bristol, and run by partners Rich Loomis, Bill Collins, and brewmaster Dana Bourque. Two out of three at UConn grads, and I've mentioned their beers here before. A while back I had the opportunity to try another one of their beers, Lil Troll session IPA. As the name suggests, this one is just under 5% abv, and pours golden with a big head. The hop aroma is earthy, and maybe even a bit sour on the nose. Read More
[VIDEO] Marcell Davidsen of Community Table Featured at Nordic Food Festival, NYC Restaurant NYC New Nordic Washington Amy Kundrat October 01, 2015
Boothbay Lobster Company Truck Rolls into Stamford's Harbor Point Restaurant Food Truck Lobster Seafood Stamford Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger October 01, 2015 Boothbay Lobster Company is opening its first bricks and mortar location at Harbor Point in Stamford in the upcoming months. To give the community a taste of what to expect from super-fresh Maine lobster, the company is periodically parking its Boothbay Lobster Company truck 100 yards down the street from the restaurant, serving two types of Lobster Rolls, a BLC sandwich, Lobster Mac & Cheese, plus a few non-lobster items. On a beautiful afternoon CTbites visited the truck to sample the newest addition to the Harbor Point neighborhood. As I approached the truck I noticed a sign stating that the lobster were caught the previous day…this was an ultra-fresh product. Read More
Plan B Bacon Week Starts October 19th in Milford...It's Coming...Get Ready CTbites Team September 30, 2015 Mark your calendar. It's coming. More details coming soon. Read More
Bar Sugo Announces Fall Pasta and Wine Classes CTbites Team September 29, 2015 Bar Sugo has announced its Fall Pasta and Wine classes. Chef Pat Pascarella will offer his vision and recipes for eight different pasta dishes and Meghan Pascarella will teach attendees the beauty of several Italian wines. They commence this Saturday, October 3, so give a call to 203-956-7134 to reserve your spots. HOMEMADE PASTA COOKING CLASSES - Under the guidance of Chef Pat Pascarella, you will learn all there is to know about making fresh pasta. In this interactive class, you will knead, cut, roll and even fill ravioli! His recipes are all based on freshness, high quality ingredients, tradition and most of all, Chef Pat’s long-time experience. Read More
25 Places for Great Coffee in Connecticut Restaurant Coffee Tea And Coffee Best of CT Emma Jane-Doody Stetson September 29, 2015 Have you heard the “buzz”? Tuesday September 29 is National Coffee Day, and CT is home to some great local coffee spots where you can celebrate. There's a lot of coffee in this state so we've divided our list into Fairfield County & Beyond FC. Here are 24 places that serve some of CT’s best java. One might even say they’re more than just your average “joe….” If we missed any of YOUR favorite spots, please let us know in the comments section below. Fairfeld County Coffee Buzz Truck, Fairfield County Espresso Neat, Darien and Westport Lorca, Stamford Redding Roasters, Bethel Zumbachs Coffee, New Canaan Coffee Barn, Wilton Tusk & Cup, Ridgefield Read More
Saltaire Oyster Bar and Fish House Opens in Port Chester Restaurant Fish Port Chester Seafood Jessica Ryan September 27, 2015 Last week I accepted an invitation to experience the newly opened Saltaire Oyster Bar and Fish House which recently opened in Port Chester just over the Greenwich border. Located in the beautifully restored Willet House Building which has been redesigned and transformed into a bright contemporary restaurant with a wealth of historic nautical charm. The bar area, vibrant, energetic and spacious has a modern yet traditional feel. An impressive raw bar sits at the center, welcoming patrons as they settle in ready to place their drink orders. Two televisions sit on the opposite side of the bar so that sports enthusiasts can cheer on their favorite teams. The dining room, despite its grand and impressive size, is warm and welcoming. The antique hay lifts and wood beams retain the space’s history. Handsome black and white photographs of fishermen at sea capture authentic coastal life. The elegant yet rustic lighting casts a warm glow off the brick. The restaurant isn’t quiet; a lively energy permeates the air. Read More
Meet Chef Matt Storch & CTbites' Stephanie Webster @ The Fairfield Public Library Stephanie Webster September 27, 2015
