GIVEAWAY! WIN TIX to 8th Annual Chocolate, Dessert & Wine Lover’s Evening CTbites Team January 12, 2016 WIN 2 FREE TIX to the 8th Annual Chocolate, Dessert & Wine Lover’s Evening–a Stamford Valentine tradition. Just Tell us Why You Feel YOU should win. Post your comment below. Read More
Sayulita: Standout Mexican in South Glastonbury Restaurant Cocktails South Glastonbury Tacos Mexican Hope Simmons January 10, 2016 Step through the door at Sayulita in South Glastonbury, and, right away, you’ll see: this is no ordinary Mexican restaurant. Clean and simple, with lots of wood and natural light, Sayulita features what’s fresh and local from the farms of South Glastonbury to the shores of Stonington. A poster of a surfing contest with a sugar skull, a thick turquoise glass bottle for the water that’s brought to your table. On my last visit, ’50s music played in the background. It’s casual. It’s comfortable. It’s a departure from most Mexican you’ve ever had before. Named after the seaside surfing town north of Puerto Vallarta, Sayulita is the most recent restaurant endeavor of Adam and Bill Driggs, owners of 2Hopewell and Birch Hill Tavern. With Chef Van Hurd, of Hell’s Kitchen fame, at the helm, you’re in for a uniquely tasty adventure here. Sometimes the most excellent feasts can be found at the beginning and end of the menu—appetizers and desserts. Add quality cocktails and out-of-the-ordinary tacos to round it out and what you’ve got is my favorite way to enjoy a meal at Sayulita. Read More
Two Roads Hosts Igor’s Dream Dessert & Beer Pairing Jan 25th w/ Nora Cupcake, Donut Crazy + CTbites Team January 09, 2016 Two Roads Brewing is hosting their first-ever Igor's Dream dessert pairing event. 7pm-9pm on January 25th there will be a very unique collaboration of delectable desserts and a sneak preview of the 2016 Igor's Dream beer lineup. They've paired four of our limited and brewery only beers with four local CT desserts to create a tasty combination of mouth-watering goodness. Dessert pairings include Tipsy Cones, Donut Crazy, NORA Cupcake and Cannoli's on the Run. Read More
Bobby Q's Bodacious BBQ To Close Doors in Westport: Celebrations & What's Next? CTbites Team January 08, 2016 While we were very sad to hear the following news regarding the close of Bobby Q's Bodacious BBQ in Westport, we know there will be another chapter for Bob Le Rose after the March 31st close. Read on for closing celebration events through the end of March. Bobby Q’s Bodacious BBQ & Grill in Westport is celebrating its successful 11 year run in town before closing its doors on March 31. Opened by Bob LeRose in the fall of 2004, the restaurant has become known as a local watering hole for families, couples and friends, all seeking award-winning BBQ, creative house drinks and the best live music in Fairfield County. “We’ve had an amazing run as a member of the Westport community for the past eleven years, establishing friendships and seeing kids grow up over the years,” commented owner Bob LeRose. “We are looking forward to celebrating with our friends and family over the next three months, remembering all of the good times that were had – birthday parties, family dinners, celebrations and more - and those that are still TO BE had at Bobby Q’s, before we fire up our smoker in Westport one last time at the end of March. While I’m sad that this chapter of my restaurant career is coming to an end, I’ll have some exciting news coming soon on my next chapter.” Read More
Friday Froth: The Tale Of The Commodore from Ballast Point Ingredients Beer Friday Froth James Gribbon January 08, 2016 Hello! Welcome back to Friday Froth, 2016 edition: the semi-weekly beer column eagerly awaited by literally tens of people. This week, as in most weeks, I will start off with discussion on a topic which has nothing at all to do with beer. Continue reading at your own peril. I have a friend who moved to Germany because of a girl. I think we can all agree emigrating from the country of your birth to one across a large ocean whose language you don't speak while relying on an intimate interpersonal relationship for success and happiness with no fall-back plan usually works out perfectly, and I'm sure you'll all be relieved to learn that has been precisely the case with him. If anything, he has more hair on his head than when he left - a fact about which we can all be magnanimous, and definitely not introduce small amounts of arsenic into the care packages of American peanut butter and bourbon whiskey we send him, because we are not envious monsters. Read More
Weekly Nibble: Mohegan Winefest, Beekeeping, Brunch, Cocktail & Cooking Classes, Home Brewing & More! Emma Jane-Doody Stetson January 07, 2016 Dinners At The Farm have released tickets for their 2016 season. More info here. Barcelona Stamford invites you to their “Cocktail Classroom” on Wednesday January 13. The night is all about tequila! Learn how to prepare tequila cocktails and enjoy bites that go with the spirit. It starts at 7pm and costs $35 per person. Fleishers Craft Kitchen in Westport is launching a brand new series of biweekly beer dinners with CT's best craft and micro brewers, titled "Butchers Meat Brewers." Napa and Company in Stamford has announced their winter wine classes! The series begins on Monday January 11 with “Call Me a Cab,” a blind tasting of 6 Cabernets from different regions. There will be 3 small plates as well. Reservations are required and the class costs $75 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Rothbard's European gastropub in Westport has launches Brunch every Saturday & Sunday starting at 11:30am. The Connecticut Vegetable & Small Fruit Grower’s Conference will take place on Monday January 11 at Maneeley’s Conference Center in South Windsor, CT. There will be a trade show as well as seminars and guest speakers throughout the day. Read More
Stuffed Ricotta and Spinach Agnolotti Recipe via Basso Cafe Recipe Chef Talk Pasta Recipe Comfort Food CTbites Team January 07, 2016 Let's be real people. When the cold weather rolls in, it's time to dig into some serious comfort food. For us, this generally means braised meat and carbs, preferably pasta. Chef Renato Donzelli of Basso Cafe in Norwalk makes beautiful housemade pasta for his guests, and now you can make it in your own house. Enjoy his recipe for Stuffed Ricotta and Spinach Agnolotti. Read More
Party Tix Giveaway!! Winter Blues Cocktail Party Hosted by CTbites & Watson's Jan. 21st Stephanie Webster January 06, 2016 To combat the winter blues, the CTbites team decided to get together with our friends at Watson's Catering and Events and throw ourselves a party on January 21st. Jealous? Don't be, because YOU CAN JOIN US! 10 CTbites readers will WIN FREE TIX (a pair to be exact) to WATSON's WINTER HOLIDAY PARTY complete w/ cocktail luges and seriously good eats! HOW TO WIN: Tell us about your favorite catered event below We welcome any and all details regarding ambiance, food, drinks, location, and music. Read More
The Inn at Newtown Closes Its Doors After 17 Years Restaurant Newtown CTbites Team January 05, 2016 Photo: Life in Newtown The Inn at Newtown, a long time landmark on Newtown's historic Main Street, will be closing its doors on Sunday, January 10, reports the News Times. Announced on their Twitter account by proprietor Rob Ryder, the Inn at Newtown has been in operation for 17 years at 19 Main Street in the center of Newtown, CT. Read the full story on NewsTimes.com Read More
Best Restaurants in CT 2016: Experts' Picks via Connecticut Magazine Best of CT Connecticut Magazine January 05, 2016 Get ready to bite into the restaurants judged the best of the best in Connecticut by our “experts,” who range from veteran restaurant critics and food writers to contemporary bloggers who track the trends as well as the hottest, newest places. Joined by some food-savvy Connecticut Magazine editors, it’s a group for which dining is a passion—and dining at the best places is an art that takes constantly having a collective finger on the pulse of the Connecticut dining scene. Together, our Readers’ Choice and Experts’ Picks provide a comprehensive view of the state’s tastiest places to eat well. Best For Overall Excellence Union League Café, New Haven Max Downtown, Hartford The Restaurant at Winvian Farm, Morris South End, New Canaan Bailey’s Backyard, Ridgefield Thomas Henkelmann, Greenwich West Street Grill, Litchfield Arethusa al tavolo, Bantam Millwright’s, Simsbury Oyster Club, Mystic The Whelk, Westport Community Table, Washington Read the complete article at Connecticut Magazine Read More
15 Places to Eat Healthy in CT: Juice Bars, Restaurants, Organic Markets & Food Trucks (2016 Edition) Ingredients Restaurant Juice Bar Juice Cleanse Organic healthy Best of CT April Guilbault January 03, 2016 No partridges and pear trees in our version, but there were.... 12 Frosted Cookies...11 Drinks-a-Drunk...10 Dips-for-Dipping...9 Ice-Cold Cocktails...8 Trays of Hors d’oeuvres...7 Festive Brunches...6 Company Dinners...5 Cooooookie Traaaaays (everybody sing)!...4 Cheese Straws...3 Baked Hams...2 Yule Logs...and (finally)...1 Healthy Meal for MEEEEE!! Time to get back on that wagon, everyone. And thankfully, you have us to help you do it! Happy 2016 to you and may it be filled with good eats and good health! And ok, a good organic wine or beer now and then. Here are 15 Healthy Restaurants, Juice Bars, Organic Market & Food Trucks across the state of Connecticut. Read More
La Esquina Opens in Stamford: Authentic Latin Cuisine Just Around The Corner Restaurant Brazilian Delicious Dives Peruvian Stamford Latin American Sarah Green January 03, 2016 You know that little place, right around the corner? The one that serves just that dish you were craving? The one that serves food you just know comes from a parent or grandparent’s tried-and-true recipe? You know the place, your go-to joint, always reliable, where you don’t have to dress up and you don’t have to spend a fortune? Well, “La Esquina,” literally, “the corner,” is just THAT place, serving up authentic South American yummies with home-style flare and flavors that impress. La Esquina Latin Grill, right on “the corner” at 50 Hamilton Avenue in Stamford, is a labor of love for the young and extremely talented co-owner and head chef, Robert Monegro. Chef Robert grew up in Stamford with his Guatemalan mother and Dominican father, both chefs. He decided that after learning all he could by growing up in the kitchen of his parents’ restaurant, Flamboyant in Stamford, he would put his own mark on the culinary map of Fairfield County. And he is doing just that. Read More
Dinners at the Farm Announces 2016 Season Tickets On Sale Restaurant Farm Dinner Farm to Table Local Farm CTbites Team January 01, 2016 Tickets have gone on sale for the Dinners At The Farm 2016 season! At Dinners At The Farm, each evening begins at 6:00pm, dinner served at 7:00pm. Tickets are per person and are $125 (Wednesdays, Thursdays & Sundays), $150 (Fridays and Saturdays). Upon arrival, guests are greeted with an orchard fruit cocktail and passed hors d’oeuvre and then proceed onto a lively tour of the farm with our warm and engaging farm hosts. Following the tour, guests are seated beneath a tent at long candle-lit tables with white porcelain settings where they will savor course after course of freshly cooked food with ingredients just picked from the fields outside the tent. Guests will break bread and raise a glass with the farmers, fishermen, and others who make up Connecticut’s vibrant agricultural community. Our 2016 season marks 10 years of hosting our celebrated open-air dinners in the fields of Connecticut farms for delightful and delicious evenings of locally grown food, wine, and conviviality. Dates and additional information here. Read More
CTbites Staff Picks for Top CT Eats in 2015 Restaurant Top 10 Eats Best of CT CTbites Team December 29, 2015 2015 saw an explosion of restaurant openings throughout CT, and team CTbites kept up a strenuous eating regiment to keep up with our talented local chefs. CT continues to draw great culinary talent, but the lists represent the best of the best. We asked the CTbites staff and extended family to share some of their most memorable meals and dining experiences this past year. Here are our favorite meals and restaurants of 2015. Stephanie Webster Kawa Ni, Westport: I crave almost everything on this Izakaya inspired menu, but the Spicy Miso Ramen, Shaved Broccoli & Miso Goma w/ Benton's Ham and Smoked Bone Marrrow are the things dreams are made of. Pho Hong Thom, Bridgeport: This tiny mom and pop shop is the real deal serving authentic aromatic Pho and a Bahn Mi with sliced pork and pickled vegetables that is just the bomb. It's not fancy, but it's darn good. The Cottage, Westport: Brian Lewis' newcomer has received rave reviews of late. While I greatly enjoyed the entire menu, the Wagyu Brisket Steam Buns w/ napa kimchi & duck fat potato tempura as well as the Italian Chestnut Soup spiked w/cognac were two of the most delicious things I've eaten this year. Read More
Five of Connecticut's Best Noodle Houses via CT Magazine Restaurant Asian Noodles Comfort Food Connecticut Magazine December 29, 2015 College students and twenty-somethings everywhere have long sung the praise of ramen (a Japanese wheat noodle dish). Grab-and-go noodle houses specializing in pho, (a Vietnamese rice noodle soup) have been popular here in Connecticut for some time. However, the love of noodle houses seems to have intensified as a by-product in recent years—along with food trucks, craft beer and facial hair—of the hipster revolution. Kawa Ni in Westport, which specializes in various ramen dishes, opened its doors last year and Mecha Noodle Bar in Fairfield recently announced plans to open a second location in South Norwalk. Here are five of our favorite destinations in the state. As always, if we’ve missed your favorite let us know. Read More
Eastend Opens in Greenwich Serving Modernized American Cuisine Restaurant American Greenwich Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger December 27, 2015 Eastend is the latest addition to Z Hospitality’s expanding portfolio of quality restaurants in Fairfield and Westchester Counties, joining Sole, Mediterraneo, Terra, Aqua and Aurora. Located at the bottom of Greenwich Avenue in the space formerly occupied by Primary Restaurant, it recently opened, 25 years to the week after Mediterraneo up the avenue. Overseeing the menu is Executive Chef Albert DeAngelis. Chef Albert joined Z Hospitality Group as Executive Chef in 1989 and has been the creative vision behind the group’s Mediterranean-style bistros. Joining him in the kitchen is Chef Matt McNerny, a graduate of the CIA and formerly the chef du cuisine at Aurora in Rye and Sole in New Canaan. Read More
Cooking Classes w/ Chef Tim LaBant of The Schoolhouse = Great Gifts Recipe Cooking Classes CTbites Team December 23, 2015 The holiday season is coming fast. The search for the unique gift for that special person can be easier this year. Give them a memorable experience that is both fun & useful. Sign them up for a cooking class at The Schoolhouse at Cannondale Restaurant in Wilton CT. Chef Tim LaBant & his staff will be sharing their years of experience each Tuesday evening beginning in February, through March. You'll also savor the finished culinary delights with wine pairings after the class. Classes range in topic from Winter Braising to Fish Cookery to Knife Skills. The schedule and focus for each evening is as follows: Read More
Support Black Rock Farmers' Market Kickstarter Campaign Ingredients Farmers Market CTbites Team December 22, 2015 And now a message from the Black Rock Farmers' Market in Bridgeport who have launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to keep the market operational. You reap what you sow… Support the Black Rock Farmers Market and you’ll treat your community (and yourself!) to farm fresh produce and more amazing local goods. Over the last two years, the Black Rock Farmers Market has become a very popular community gathering place, but in order to maintain the momentum and return for our third year, WE NEED YOUR HELP! Donate here. The Black Rock Farmers Market currently supports 4 local farmers, approximately 20 food producers, and dozens of artisans and musicians. Every dollar spent at the market supports growers and producers, but we need operating capital to become sustainable and transition from a volunteer run organization. Read More
CT Coast & Country Winter Wine Trail 2016 WIne Wine Tasting CTbites Team December 22, 2015 Looking for something fun to do this winter? The CT Coast & Country Winter Wine Trail is made up of a select few wineries from the CT Wine Trail. They are teaming up to offer you a Mini-Passport Program from January 2nd through April 3rd. Participating wineries are Bishop’s Orchards Winery in Guilford, CT, Gouveia Vineyards and Paradise Hills Winery, both in Wallingford, CT. Visit all wineries by April 3rd, have your passport card stamped at each winery, and enter to win one of the multiple prizes. All prizes this year total over $2,500. Some prizes are listed below, along with rules and more information on participating wineries. “Like” their Facebook page for more information and updates. Read More
Can Tiin Opens in Bridgeport: Inspired Dishes with a Vietnamese Flair Restaurant Asian Bridgeport Cocktails Noodles Vietnamese Deanna Foster December 20, 2015 CTBites readers who don’t live in Bridgeport now have an excellent reason to drive and dine there with the opening of Can Tiin in the downtown area. The dishes at Can Tiin (pronounced “canteen”) lead with a Vietnamese influence, are based on French techniques, and incorporate other Asian flavors. This culinary panoply is deftly handled by Chef Brian Reilly, who explained, “We take traditional Vietnamese dishes and honor them, but allow ourselves the latitude to experiment and go out of the box a little. We continually challenge ourselves to push the envelope without getting cute or overly fussy.” The result is neither cute, nor fussy, but fun, inventive and tasty. (Read our opening announcement for details on the management team.) Read More
