New Tapas Restaurant ZARAGOZA Coming to New Milford Restaurant Milford Tapas CTbites Team February 12, 2016 Zaragoza, a new tapas and craft cocktail bar, is scheduled to open at 31 Bank Street in New Milford in the spring of 2016. Zaragoza represents the next adventure by Newtown resident Artie Praino, who previously owned the Newtown Deli, Sandy Hook Deli, Sideline Café, Woodbury Deli, and Bayside (NY) Salumeria. Praino is following his passion for Spanish cuisine combined with small bites to be shared with friends and family. “Tapas are simple, but hearty and unpretentious food. Our ingredients and recipes will be fresh and robust, beautiful to look at, and mouthwatering to eat. Tapas to me means friends and family enjoying food and flavors on shared small plates -- a warm and familial dining experience.” Read More
Stamford Museum and Nature Center Hosts Winter Farm to Table Supper Feb 27th CTbites Team February 12, 2016 The Stamford Museum and Nature Center will be hosting its Winter Farm to Table Supper on Saturday, February 27 at 6 pm and will feature Executive Chef Scott Miller, creator of Max’s Chef to Farm Program. This exceptional dining experience will take place in the intimate setting of the Bendel Mansion. The evening will begin with artisanal hors d’oeuvres and cocktails to be enjoyed during an exclusive gallery tour led by New York artist Peter Bradley of the new pop-up exhibition – EXTREME ART: Massive & Miniature – with artworks from the permanent collection of the Stamford Museum & Nature Center. Started in 2009, the Chef to Farm dinner series is an opportunity for guests to enjoy the freshest foods and produce in the sublime beauty of Connecticut’s Farms. Each dinner is cooked from scratch and showcases that day’s best produce, sourced daily from local farmers, ranchers and fisherman. Read More
Nibble: CT Food Events & Happenings for February 15-21 Emma Jane-Doody Stetson February 11, 2016 Harvest Restaurant’s new Westport location is now open for lunch and brunch! Join them starting at 12pm on weekdays and 11:30 on weekends. Outer Light Brewing Company will host a Pop-Up Dinner on Tuesday February 16 at 6:30pm. The exact menu is a surprise, but the chefs will use locally sourced ingredients as well as the flavors from Outer Light. Guests will enjoy hors d’oeuvres, beer, and wine too. Beginning on February 17, Teff Eritrean & Ethiopian Restaurant in Stamford will offer delivery and online ordering through their website, seamless, and grubhub! Half Full Brewery’s Rare Beer Nights are legendary… and their first Rare Beer Night of 2016 will take place on Wednesday February 17! Guests will get to meet Tom Price, their new Head of Brewery Operations. They’ll also get to try 2 of his limited release beers: “Sensible Decision 1,” a hoppy IPA, and “Sensible Decision 2,” a Baltic Porter. There will be meat from Fleisher’s Craft Butchery and cheese from Greenwich Cheese Company, too. Tickets are $40 and must be purchased in advance. On Thursday February 18, Ordinary in New Haven is mixing things up! Rather than a beer tap takeover, they are having a wine takeover with Charles Smith wines. Read More
25 Spots For Great Oysters In Connecticut Restaurant Oysters Seafood Best of CT Emma Jane-Doody Stetson February 10, 2016 It’s no secret that oysters are a catalyst for romance. Ordering from the raw bar is adventurous, yet sexy: the perfect start for a date. With its proximity to Long Island Sound, 618 miles of coastline, and bustling culinary scene, Connecticut is the perfect place to dine on fresh seafood. Here are 25 CT restaurants in the state that serve up delicious oysters. Read More
MECHA Launches Late Night Menu in Sono Restaurant Asian Noodles Norwalk SONO Stephanie Webster February 10, 2016 MECHA in Sono is launching their Late Night Menu served Thu 10pm-12pm, Fri and Sat 10pm-1am. The Late Night Menu will feature special snacks and Ramen as well as cocktails you can only get after hours. To celebrate, they will be introducing the menu and hosting a PARTY Thursday, February 11th at 10PM. Enjoy some special treats from the kitchen (even some complimentary chicken sandwiches) and some amazing cocktails from their late night market menu. A few highlights from the Late Night Menu include: THIT BO KHO beef brisket jerky, SHOYU BREAKFAST RAMEN w/ brown butter, bacon, egg, and cheese; WONTON MI RAMEN w/ fried shallots, sesame, greens, pork & shrimp wontons $10. Remember, slurping in encouraged. Read More
Liuzzi’s Gourmet Market In North Haven: A Well-Crafted Bridge to Italian Foodways Ingredients Cheese Italian Specialty Market New Haven Anna Bendiksen February 09, 2016 Anna Bendiksen is new to the CTbites team. Anna is a former scholar of Russian literature, and a food blogger over at threecoursesonaweeknight.blogspot.com or follow her on Twitter @anna_bendiksen. When Domenico “Dom” Liuzzi talks about artisanal cheesemaking, his eyes light up. “Quality is what sets us apart from Stop and Shop,” he said in a recent conversation at Liuzzi’s Gourmet Market---not that anyone could mistake his store, which carries over 200 cheeses, for anything other than the Greater New Haven landmark it is. The cascades of Italian speech in the air, the display cases featuring Liuzzi’s own house-made cheeses, the scent of cured hams and sausages hanging overhead, the attentive staff darting about---all combine to make Liuzzi’s a prime destination for foodies from Connecticut and beyond. The cheeses for which the store is best known---the result of the family’s cheesemaking heritage stretching over a century---are its burrata (favored by Mario Batali), a caciocavallo (“cheese on horseback,” so named because it is strung in rope to drip dry), and two kinds of ricotta (whipped and large-curd). Yet the cheese offerings at Liuzzi’s, located in North Haven, don’t stop with these house-made specialties. You’ll also find imported Grana Padano (a cheese similar to Parmesan that is favored by Italian children and a standby in Lidia Bastianich’s new cookbook Mastering the Art of Italian Cuisine); Moliterno, a raw sheep’s-milk cheese exquisitely scented with black truffle paste; the best of American artisanal cheeses such as Humboldt Fog; and many more. Read More
The Winners Of MacChilifest 2016 Are.... CTbites Team February 09, 2016 The votes were tallied at the annual MacChilifest competition held at Bedford Middle School in Westport on Sunday Feb. 7, 2016 and the event has crowned several local champions including one for the best mac 'n cheese. Guests voted in 3 categories, Classic Beef Chili Category, Creative Chili Category, Mac 'n Cheese Category. Classic Beef Chili Category: 1st Place: Chilibomb in Fairfield for their “Texas Peacemaker” Chili 2nd Place: The Weston Fire Dept. with their “SmokeEater” Chil 3rd Place: Southport Brewing Co. with their “Maple Stout” Chili Read More
20 CT Restaurants for Decadently Delicious Desserts Emma Jane-Doody Stetson February 07, 2016 The lights are dim. Conversation flows. A luscious, silky piece of chocolate cake arrives at the table. You both pick up your fork, lean in, and dig into the silky decadence in front of you. Cakes, Soufflés, Cream Puffs, Tarts, Crépes, Brulées are more... Go enjoy some with your loved one this Valentine's Day. Here are 20 restaurants that serve decadent, sexy desserts in Connecticut. Read More
Happy Hour at Basso Café in Norwalk Restaurant Cocktails Norwalk Bar Amy Kundrat February 05, 2016 Basso Café exudes an easy intimacy that comes with a chef-owned restaurant whose reassuring presence is felt both in and out of the kitchen. Chef Renato Donzelli has built a loyal following of customers at his Norwalk restaurant who come for both his creative Italian-meets-South American dishes, as well as his charming hospitality and boundless energy. And now, they are coming for a newly added bar menu and cocktail list. During a recent renovation, Basso Café invested in a new bar area with seating for about twelve, and a special menu of cocktails and snacks, thanks to a hard-won liquor license after eight years in business. Although you can still BYOB, Chef Donzelli has crafted a happy hour menu that can be enjoyed Tuesday through Friday from 4 to 6 pm, as well as a mini happy hour from 11 to 12 noon each day for lunch. A self-described “hot blooded Italian” who grew up in Venezuela, Donzelli focuses his creative energy on a menu that blurs the lines between dishes from those two countries, creating his own unique cuisine. “I start from the back,” is how Chef Donzelli explains his approach to his menu. The new cocktail and wine list are meant to compliment the food, and long-time diners will be rewarded with a solid selection of shaken and stirred, classic and contemporary cocktails, as well as wine and beer. Read More
The Spread's Chef Carlos Competes on Beat Bobby Flay Feb 11th Emma Jane-Doody Stetson February 04, 2016 Chef Carlos Baez is a local favorite. He has impressed diners with delicious dishes at The Spread in South Norwalk since 2013. Now, he’s taking his talents to an even grander stage: Food Network! He will compete in an episode of Beat Bobby Flay that airs Thursday February 11 at 10pm. Baez has never met Bobby Flay before, but considers himself a fan of the popular cooking channel. “I’ve been a big Food Network fan, so I definitely saw the show before,” he reveals. “When I watched, I put myself in the other chef’s shoes and thought about what I would do.” It was a conversation with a regular customer from The Spread that turned Baez from spectator into competitor. She had heard about the casting call for the upcoming season and sent Baez a link. Within 2 days of submitting his name, Food Network responded. They expressed interest and asked for additional information, including a bio and application. Baez says 3-4 months passed before he heard back again. They had positive news: they wanted him on the show! The episode was filmed in June of 2015, about 6 months ago. Read More
Nibble: CT Food Events & Happenings for February 8-14 Emma Jane-Doody Stetson February 04, 2016 Match Restaurant is hosting a “Day After Brunch” on the Monday after the Super Bowl. The special menu will include ingredients from Fleishers Craft Butchery and cocktails sponsored by William Grant & Sons, including Reyka Vodka & Hendricks Gin. Doors open at 11:30, with the menu running until 3:00. Please call for reservations ASAP as tables are filling fast. On Fat Tuesday, February 9, there are 2 parties to check out: The Spread’s celebrates Mardi Gras with dishes like gumbo stuffed jalapenos, seafood jambalaya, and catfish po boy sandwiches. Walrus + Carpenter will be serving up live jazz, Shrimp Po' Boys, Muffuleta, & beignets. More exciting news for The Spread… Chef Carlos will make his Food Network debut on Thursday February 11! He and Bobby Flay will go head to head on “Beat Bobby Flay!” Tune in at 10pm. Champagne and oysters? Yes, please! Shell & Bones Oyster Bar & Grill is having a special 5-course tasting menu inspired by Roederer Champagnes on February 9. Chef Arturo Franco Camacho will prepare dishes, like a crispy soft duck egg and porcini dusted dayboat scallops, that complement the champagnes. It is $135 per person, plus tax and gratuity. For the menu and reservations, see: During February, elm in New Canaan will be donating 100% of their Cosmo cocktail sales to “Help Ann Depuy battle ALS” on GoFundMe. Read More
Impress Your Valentine: Baked Oysters Florentine Recipe via Marcia Selden Marcia Selden Catering February 04, 2016 There’s a reason oysters are a permanent fixture on Valentine’s Day menus! They’re one of the most famous aphrodisiacs and have a reputation for love and fertility. If you’re looking to spark some romance this year, make our delicious and easy Baked Oysters Florentine. Read More
Behind The Bar: 3 Winter Cocktails from Mixologist Adam Patrick Ingredients Recipe Cocktails Bar CTbites Team February 03, 2016 Egg Nog (Jeffrey Morgenthaler version) Behind The Bar is a new column from bartender Adam Patrick who has graced the bars of venues such as Walrus & Carpenter, Luxe, Match and Can Tiin. He will explore trends, recipes and the cocktail culture from both the front as well as behind the bar. One of my favorite movie quotes of all time is, “I won’t tell the story the way it happened, I’ll tell it the way I remember it.” It’s from the late-nineties film adaptation of Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens. Ethan Hawke delivers the line in the opening monologue. There’s something about nostalgia that adds a touch of humanity to our lives. The real world, the world we exist in day to day, can be overwhelming and unforgiving. Take your job, your family obligations, traffic jams, mortgage, credit card bills, your dog destroying your new carpet, and view it all in aggregate, and things can steam roll out of control quickly. And yet, when we look at the past, we find it difficult to remember the mundane, the run-of-the-mill, even though those experiences dominate our lives. Sure, we can generally recall tragedy, or loss, but more than not it’s memories of our childhood, or a long lost love, or a favorite pet, that we gaze back at longingly. Read More
For The Love Of...10 Unique CT Valentine's Day Gift & Events Ingredients Restaurant Gift Guide Holiday April Guilbault February 02, 2016 Oh, for the love of....! How do you typically finish that sentence? We here at CTBites have a lot of love to share and would like to complete that thought with a whole flurry of creative ways to wooooo your special someone. Show the person you love (like/lust) that they are the peanut butter to your jelly, the mac to your cheese, the frosting to your cupcake. We offer you these delish restaurants and take out spots, seductive surroundings, heavenly drinks, gratifying classes, tasteful gifts...hell, we are making this holiday easy for you. You should send US a Valentine! Take a peek and enjoy Valentine’s Day everyone! Here are 10 totally unique local CT Valentine's Day Gifts for your loved one... Read More
King & I Thai Kitchen in Hartford and Manchester: A Family Affair Restaurant Asian Hartford Hartford County Thai Hope Simmons January 31, 2016 Blink and you can easily miss the little white house as you drive down Park Street in Hartford’s Parkville section. So keep an eye out, because it’s home to a fine family business specializing in Thai and Lao dishes—generous portions, reasonably priced. And if you head east of the river, you’ll find the exact same menu and great food in Manchester. There are many choices closer to home when it comes to Thai, but when the craving hits, I make tracks for King & I. It’s changed management over time, but the food remains just as delicious as it ever was. In fact, it’s amazingly consistent. How is that even possible? The secret to their success starts in a tiny kitchen with their cook. Behind the scenes, the same woman has been busy stirring up deliciousness for the past 10 years. When the previous owner sold the restaurant four and a half years ago, Hongkham Munesaleum was already part of the kitchen. But now, with her husband, Lam, washing dishes, and his daughter Lilly, serving the front of the house (literally!), it’s all in the family. Read More
Prime Restaurant from Huntington, To Open in Dolce's Stamford Location Stamford Opening Emma Jane-Doody Stetson January 29, 2016 Last week, CTBites reported that Dolce in Stamford had been sold to Bohlsen Restaurant Group, the team behind Prime in Huntington, NY. Today CTBites can confirm that the space that once housed Dolce will soon be transformed into another location of the popular Long Island restaurant. I had the chance to speak with Michael Bohlsen for an inside peek at what’s to come. Prime, billed as an “American Kitchen and Bar,” opened in 2006. The restaurant group operates seven other related locations, with an eighth set to debut in February. Stamford’s rendition of Prime will make nine. Bohlsen hopes that this newest installation will be open before Memorial Day. “The Stamford location of Prime will be a little bit different, but the concept will be the same,” explains Bohlsen. He says that the restaurant’s menu includes steak, seafood, a raw bar, and sushi. 20 percent of the menu is seasonal, which allows them to maintain a level of consistency while still getting creative with fresh ingredients. Read More
Friday Froth: Tres Hoppy w/ Olde Burnside, Kent Falls & Two Roads Breweries Ingredients Beer Dinner CT Beer Friday Froth James Gribbon January 29, 2016 This week will be an all Connecticut-brewed, and intensely hopped version of Friday Froth. We start by wishing happy birthday to one of our state's early modern craft brewing pioneers, Olde Burnside Brewing Company, which turned 15 years old this month. Olde Burnside was initially highly visible due to selling their Ten Penny Scottish Ale in 64oz. growlers at retail in area liquor stores, which was 1) a great deal, 2) useful for refilling with anything you chose, and 3) garnered a $1.50 reimbursement when returned, if you weren't so inclined. This came in handy during the years when Connecticut had around five breweries, instead of our current 30ish, and growler filling stations were rare as sober nights at Owl Farm. Read More
Michael Hazen Named Executive Chef at Pearl at Longshore Westport Opening March Restaurant Chef Talk Westport Opening CTbites Team January 28, 2016 Michael Hazen has been named Executive Chef at the highly anticipated new restaurant, Pearl at Longshore in Westport, Connecticut. Hazen, an innovative chef with over 20 years experience, most recently launched the concept for the successful Bartaco restaurants and prior to that spent years building the Barcelona restaurant brand. Chef Hazen has designed a menu influenced by fresh seasonal and sustainable cuisine, while honoring the stunning Westport waterfront and the community’s focus on a healthy lifestyle. “The menu at Pearl is centered around the food people love to eat, but also has that element of surprise, something a guest didn’t know they wanted but are glad they had it,” said Hazen. “I wanted to create a restaurant that was simple and delicious, yet adds excitement to Westport’s restaurant scene.” Read More
Nibble: CT Food Events & Happenings January 31- February 7 Emma Jane-Doody Stetson January 28, 2016 Bodega’s Fairfield and Darien restaurants now offer “Bodega to-go.” They now offer takeout menus with dishes cooked to order. See Darien’s choices here and Fairfield’s here. Bar Sugo has a NEW HAPPY HOUR! Monday-Friday from 4-6pm, they offer ½ priced cocktails, beer and wine by the glass, and pizza. Winemaker Giorgio Rivetti is coming to Tarry Lodge Westport on Monday February 1 for a 4 course wine dinner highlighting wines from La Spinetta and Contratto wineries. The event costs $100 per person and reservations can be made by calling the restaurant at (230) 571-1038. On Wednesday February 3, Bistro Mediterranean in East Haven is hosting a Spanish wine dinner. Special guest Juan Carlos Rodriguez from Bodegas Olarra will share wines from his portfolio- include 3 reserve Riojas. The night costs $55, all inclusive. Call the restaurant at 203-467-4300 to reserve. Join Chef Geoff Lazlo for an informal afternoon tea at Mill Street Bar & Table in Greenwich. Read More
16 Restaurants for Super Bowl 50 in CT Restaurant Emma Jane-Doody Stetson January 27, 2016 Super Bowl 50 is Sunday February 7 and game day specials are "touching down" at Connecticut restaurants! Harlan Social and Harlan Publick are celebrating with a Chef's buffet while Blind Rhino is hosting the first ever SoNo Bowl, and Vinny's Backyard has a Super Bowl menu with all the classics. And that's not all! Here are 16 restaurants, bars & pubs for Super Bowl Sunday. Read More
