Friday Froth: A Trip To Barcade New Haven, Video Games + Beer

Restaurant Beer CT Beer Delicious Dives Bar New Haven

James Gribbon June 17, 2016

Maybe it's just the freshness of a mind before it reaches pickled adulthood, but childhood memories seem more permanent. I can't remember breakfast on most days, but I recall hopping on bikes with a few friends, ditching our mother-mandated helmets, and riding down to Vic's Variety on Paradise Green in Stratford to buy Crybabies and play Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on a stand up, four player arcade game.

Nintendo and Sega Genesis had killed video game arcades as dead as iTunes killed record stores until four guys in Williamsburg thought "What if we bring them back, but with beer?" That was 2004, and in the ensuing years the Barcade franchise has spread around New York, to New Jersey, Philly, and now, New Haven. It was once again time to get my Hadouken! on.

Travel time driving to Barcade is variable, in my case 3 hours in traffic. But by the time I arrived I was seriously ready to blow something up. Centipede, Galaga, Punch Out, four player X-Men and Ninja Turtles, Ms. Pac Man... take your pick, they're all still 25-cents to play.

Green & Tonic Opens 5th Location in Downtown Westport w/ Juices, Smoothies & Plant-Based Food

Restaurant Gluten-Free Organic Vegetarian healthy Take Out Vegan

CTbites Team June 15, 2016

Green & Tonic opened today in downtown Westport, bringing its own unique brand of cold-pressed juices, smoothies and plant-based food. Located at 70 Jesup Road in the nexus of Westport’s shopping district, this new grab-and-go location will offer organic cold-pressed juices, smoothies, cold brew coffee and a full plant-based menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner including acai bowls, soups, salads, savory wraps, rice bowls, snacks and chia dessert items. The store will be hosting a Grand Opening party on Thursday, June 16 from 6:00pm – 8:00pm to introduce the store and will offer complimentary food and beverages. And for those unable to make the first party, Green & Tonic will host another community party also open to the public on Thursday, June 23 from 6:00pm – 8:00pm. Hours are Monday – Friday 7:00am – 7:00pm, Saturday 8:00am – 6:00pm and Sunday 9:00pm – 5:00pm.

Nibble: CT Food Events & Happenings for June 19-26

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson June 15, 2016

Stratford’s Farmer's Market starts its summer season on Monday June 20. Stop by Paradise Green on Mondays from 2-6pm.

On Sunday June 26, Walrus + Carpenter in Bridgeport will celebrate its 3 year anniversary with an epic outdoor party called “Walrus Fest!” They’ll close down Jetland Street and take it over with food, drinks, games, live music, and prizes. Activities include a pie eating contest, a bouncy house, a BBQ, face painting, and more.

Healthy foods meet spa time and relaxation on June 26 & 27. The Spa at Norwich Inn presents “Food for Thought: The Fun of Healthy Eating.” The two day one night event includes presentations from well-being experts, healthy recipes and tips, spa treatments, and more.

Are you interested in learning cheese basics? Cheese 101, presented by the Fairfield Greenwich Cheese Company, is a great way to do so. On Tuesday June 21, the Fairfield location invites you to enjoy a plate of fresh cheeses while learning all about types of cheeses, storing, and serving. It costs $50 per person.

Mezon in Danbury has launched a new happy hour, aptly called “Happy Offerings for Happier Times.” Join them from 4-6pm Monday - Friday for $1 oysters, $2 pinchos, select $5 cocktails, and $49 punch bowls.

The Faith Middleton Booz Schmooze Martini Competition will unfold on Thursday June 23 at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center in Nantucket, CT.

Road Trip: Exit 4 Food Hall in Mount Kisco

CT Beer Food Hall Local Artisan Mount Kisco Pizza Seafood Wine Bar

Andrew Dominick June 14, 2016

Food halls are all the craze in NYC right now. But in lower Fairfield County, food halls are completely missing and the closest one (the first in Westchester) is in Mount Kisco’s bustling downtown area and is totally worth the 40-plus minute drive to fill your bellies and thus, nourish your soul.

Exit 4 Food Hall opened in February and it’s already a Main Street hot spot. In an area packed with good eateries and ultra-cool bars, Exit 4 is a destination. It’s casual, it’s great for just about any occasion, and with nine food/drink counters there are lots of options for those days when you’re feeling a bit picky. On weekend nights it can get loud, and busy, but that’s part of its charm. There’s a sense of community here and you might even make a few foodie friends while you’re chowing down on food and chugging a brew. I was recently invited to try some of the food and the brew.

Redneck Gourmet Donuts: A Sweet Spot in Higganum

Restaurant Doughnuts Higganum Breakfast Kid Friendly Dessert

Hope Simmons June 12, 2016

Have you ever had a Boston creme donut, filled and glazed fresh to order, just for you? So the chocolate glaze is still beautifully wet and shiny, like an object of edible art when it’s passed your way?

Or perhaps you’d prefer a cannoli donut, filled to order, then dusted with powdered sugar and topped with a flourish of ricotta cream. This is just the place to get them. And, whoa, the aroma alone will draw you in, straight from the roadside trailer where they’re made fresh each day.

An air horn sounds as a truck rolls by on Route 81 in Higganum on a Tuesday morning. Owner Jeff Blaschke and I wave from the bright orange picnic tables. “That happens a million times a day,” he says with a smile. Open just five weeks, Redneck Gourmet Donuts is putting Higganum, Connecticut on the map. “We have approximately a thousand customers on a Saturday and Sunday, each day. Maybe a little bit more on Sunday.”

Nibble: CT Food Events & Happenings For June 12-19

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson June 09, 2016

AMG’s Kids Cooking Camps are already selling out! Reserve your space now. AMG has also announced their fall class schedule for adults.

Chef Dan Dhimiter and The Pantry present “The Panty After Dark” pop-up dinner experience on June 12 at 6pm. The evening will include a five course tasting menu as well as wine and passed hors d'oeuvres. Tickets start at $110.

Delicious food meets polo on the on the Greenwich Polo Club grounds this summer! All season, The National will set up a a brand new Pop-Up Bar next to the grand stands. Polo club members and guests can enjoy specialty cocktails and a gourmet “lunchbox-to-go.”

Sip rosé on Bar Sugo’s patio on Tuesday June 14 at 7pm. The evening features refreshing wine and tasty bites. It costs $35 per person, plus tax and tip.

Max Restaurant Group is resuming its Chef to Farm summer series. Each evening includes a tour of the farm and a beautiful dinner cooked from scratch with local, fresh and flavorful foods. Thursday June 16 is “Berries and Blossoms” at Rosedale Farms & Vineyards.

CT’s Best Clambakes & Pig Roasts: 2016 Edition

Recipe Catering Seafood

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson June 08, 2016

These Connecticut caterers and restaurants will help you make the most out of the fresh, delicious New England seafood with their beautifully prepared clambakes. If you prefer a summertime cook out, we’ve also included places for pig roasts and BBQs. Make summer catering simple and just hire one of these experts.

Here are CT's Best Caterers For Clambakes & Pig Roasts.

Capt’n John's Clambakes, Norwalk: For the past 36 years, folks have been enjoying classic New England clambakes from Capt’n John’s.

The Place, Guilford: For those of us who believe the journey is the true adventure, The Place offers a roadside clambake in Guilford. The casual, outdoor seafood restaurant lets you enjoy summer on seats made of tree stumps and tables adorned with fresh flowers.

Fjord Fish Market, New Canaan, Cos Cob, Westport: Fjord Fish Market & Catering debuted new services for the summer! Additions include a Sushi Station, Poke Bar, Shrimp Boil, and roving oyster shuckers.

Clambakes of CT, Shelton: Clambakes of Connecticut garnered praise from Clinton Kelly, one of the hosts of ABC's popular television show "The Chew." He referred to them as "The Kings of Clambakes" and tapped them to participate in the show's 2013 Memorial Day special.

15 Restaurants for Father’s Day in CT: 2016 Edition

Restaurant Events Holiday

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson June 07, 2016

Father’s Day arrives on Sunday June 19 and what better way to celebrate than with special menus by some of the area’s best restaurants? Whether you’re in the mood for an outdoor BBQ, lobsterbake, traditional brunch, or gourmet dinner, there are so many delicious way to honor Dad! Here are fifteen, add some more in the comments.

Pearl at Longshore in Westport will have a special installation of Live @ Pearl in honor of Father's Day. Listen to the music of Accidental Breakdown on the patio from 4-7:30pm.

The National in Greenwich is excited to present a Father's Day Grilling Menu. The menu will feature dishes from their hardwood grill including wood grilled asparagus salad, and wood grilled Berkshire pork skirt steak. Their a la carte brunch and dinner menus will also be available.

Lyman Orchards in Middlefield invites you to a Father's Day picnic. Dig into apple-honey glazed chicken, Cherrywood-smoked St. Louis ribs, pulled pork, burgers, and hot dogs under their Apple Barrel tent. It costs $29.95 for adults with special pricing for children depending on their age.

Harbor Lights in Norwalk will have a special prix fixe menu on Father's Day. Choose from an appetizer, entree, and dessert for $49 per adult and $19 per child.

Saybrook Point Inn & Spa will host a Father's Day brunch in its restaurant, Fresh Salt. Brunch includes a slider bar, BBQ station, ice cream sundae bar, and more.

Dere Street: Newtown’s Crossroads of British and Italian Cuisine

Restaurant Italian Newtown

Hope Simmons June 05, 2016

High atop a hill, near Newtown’s historic flagpole, lies the intersection of Church Hill Road and Main Street. And there, you’ll find an entirely different type of intersection—one where British and Italian cuisines meet. The concept was inspired by the original Dere Street, an ancient Roman road in Northern England, built in the first century A.D. To honor this historic place where British and Roman cultures intersect, the two cuisines are now celebrated at Dere Street in Newtown.

Past the 1800s building facade, it’s contemporary, whimsical and positively humming with other diners and imbibers. Home to 28 different gins, an abundant “British wine list” of single malts, beer and a selection of cocktails so unique, you’d be wise to arrive thirsty. Bring your appetite, as well as an open mind. If you’re a gin lover, this is the closest spot to heaven on earth you’ll find anywhere near here. And if you’re a vodka drinker? Well, they do have one brand, just in case they can’t convert you. Keeping with the British theme, it’s Broken Shed from New Zealand, a former colony. But they’d sure love to try to turn you on to gin.

Kent Falls Brewing Begins Bottle Sales At The Farm: A First Look

Ingredients Restaurant Beer Beer Garden Brewery CT Beer

James Gribbon June 03, 2016

If, in an alternate world, you'd bought stock in Kent Falls Brewing Co. the first time you read about the small, Connecticut based brewer here on CTBites, you'd be rich by now. The brewery isn't actually public in the financial sense, but it will welcome the public to its farm in Kent, Conn. for the first time on June 11. Kent Falls beer has previously only been available on tap, in bottles at a few shops, and at single farmer's market. All that changes this summer, and anyone up for a drive to the NW corner will be able to buy it bottled at the source, Saturdays from 11a.m.-5p.m., with a focus on special releases like brewery-only IPAs and barrel aged beers. A special bottle release is planned for the grand opening on the 11th.

Kent Falls has seen its popularity skyrocket lately and, as I've said several times before, the beer justifies the acclaim. The announcement of their new retail sales plan ended up being just the push I needed to finally visit their brewery and the working farm in which it's seated. Here is your first look.

Embody Fitness Gourmet, Guest Chef @Westport Farmers' Market June 9

Lynn Felici-Gallant June 03, 2016

The approaching summer solstice signals the beginning of summer and in many traditions, the healing of self and soul. For some it is a time for purification and renewal of energy. For the Westport Farmers’ Market, it is the perfect time to feature Embody Fitness Gourmet as this week’s guest chef/restaurant.

Embody, with its first stand-alone location on Riverside Avenue in Westport (there are two other locations inside Equinox and the YMCA in Darien) is on a mission to “create sustenance to optimize fitness through simple foods and nutrients that are consciously sourced and crafted.” With a menu that includes “Uppity” and “Vitality” juices, “Nutty”, “Spiced”, “Classic”, and ”Exotic” blends, vibrant breakfast and salad bowls, and original, handcrafted granolas and bars, Embody’s goal is nothing short of “creating a shift to a more food-conscious preservation of self.” We can’t wait to see what healthful and delicious elixir they create for shoppers this Thursday. Get a seat early; the chef demo begins at 10:15.

Best Doughnuts in CT 2016: Friday June 3 is National Doughnut Day!

Restaurant Bakery Doughnuts Breakfast Dessert

CTbites Team June 03, 2016

Happy National Doughnut Day. Yes, it’s a recognized national holiday, and CT has great doughnuts for sweettooths ready to celebrate. Here are places serving delicious ones...if you have a suggestion for a shop we missed, please let us know below.

Uncle Leo’s, Redding

Tony's Square Donuts, New Haven

Donut Crazy, Shelton, Stratford. Bridgeport (nom-eez)

Speedy Donuts, Norwalk

Whitney Donut & Sandwich Shop, Hamden

Lakeside Diner, Stamford

Beach Donuts, Old Lyme

Darien Doughnut, Darien

Nibble: CT Food Events & Happenings For Week of June 6-13

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson June 03, 2016

The Coventry Farmers' Market at Hale Homestead kicks off its latest season on Sunday June 5 from 11-2pm and continues every Sunday through October 20. Local vendors like Lazizah Bakery, 18th Century Purity Farms, and Wayne's Organic Garden are all returning for the upcoming season!

In lieu of SoNo Restaurant Week, Match Restaurant has decided to give back to the local community with a special “Match Gives” menu. From Sunday June 5 to Friday June 10, enjoy a 3-course menu for $40 featuring local ingredients from the Westport Farmers' Market and surrounding farms. A percentage of gross sales will go to support Community Plates, Westport Farmers' Market, Human Services Council, and The Triangle Community Center of Norwalk.

Fire Engine Pizza is also helping the community with “Monday Matters” on Monday June 6 starting at 11:30am. Up to 20% of Monday's sales will be donated to Camp Rising Sun, a camp for kids with cancer.

On Wednesday June 8 from 6-9pm, Two Roads Brewery invites you to “Drink n’ Draw.” An instructor will guide you through painting a Two Roads Brewery glass. $40 gets you all your painting materials and your first beer.

Barcade in New Haven is teaming up with Captain Lawrence Brewing from Elmsford, New York to make a collaborative beer: Simpsons Did It! IPA. The special brew includes notes of pineapple, making it ideal for the summer months ahead. They’ll debut it on Thursday June 9 starting at 12pm.

Step aside rainbow bagels… Stew Leonard’s is helping seniors celebrate their graduations with custom bagels in high school colors! This June, Stew’s will add color to their signature bagel dough before the dough is rolled together, kettle boiled and hearth baked. Contact your local store for availability.

2016 Chef Demo Lineup @ Westport Farmers' Market

CTbites Team June 03, 2016

The Westport Farmers’ Market (WFM) wants you to fall in love with your kitchen again. While creating a thriving local hub for seasonal food, WFM has selected 20 of the top area chefs and restaurants to show you a thing or two about using the delicious freshness you can find each week at the market.

Fairfield County’s favorite farm-to-table chefs will appear weekly to conduct classes and demos from 10:15 to 11:00 a.m. They will help you learn how to use locally produced, seasonal ingredients found at the market to prepare fresh, easy meals for your family. Each chef will have printed recipes for you to take home and test out in your kitchen. Every chef demo will feature a local chef who supports the local food culture, and the WFM. They share WFM’s dedication to real farmers who grow real food. And what they do with it is really delicious.

Check out the WFM 2014 Summer Market Chef Demo Schedule below:

INDIA, Farm-to-Table Indian Cuisine, Opens in New Canaan: A First Look

Restaurant Farm to Table Local Farm New Canaan Indian

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger June 02, 2016

Bold…intense…complex…flavors, these are the words that best describe the menu that Master Chef Prasad Chirnomula is serving at his latest restaurant, INDIA, in New Canaan. Chef Prasad is no stranger to New Canaan, or Connecticut. As the owner/chef of the highly successfully Thali restaurants, he announced several months ago that he was closing his flagship restaurant in New Canaan, desirous of opening a smaller, more intimate, restaurant in town. The interior of INDIA does just that, with a relaxed, sensual feel accentuated with flowing silk curtains engulfing many of the tables.

Chef Prasad invited CTbites to enjoy traditional cuisine from various regions of India, as well as sample many of his creative and inventive renditions from across southeast Asia and Africa. During the visit, this gregarious Master Chef joined us to explain the history, the composition, his vision for the dish as well as the numerous ingredients that were required to meet his high standards. His exuberance was evident in every description, and it translated into each of his creations. After close to twenty different dishes, my appreciation for his talent and the Indian heritage was significantly elevated, this was a culinary adventure. I was also pleasantly surprised when he told us that most are gluten-free, Indian recipes do not thicken sauces with gluten.

Grilled Pizza with Pea Pesto, Caramelized Onions, Herbed Ricotta & Meatballs

Recipe Pizza Recipe

Marcia Selden Catering June 01, 2016

With warmer weather on its way, it's time to clean up that grill and bring on the 2016 grilling season. And really...doesn't everything taste just a little bit better on the grill? Even pizza....

If you've never made grilled pizza, you'll be amazed by how simple it is. We've gone with pea pesto, caramelized onions, herbed ricotta and meatballs for our toppings, but feel free to dream up any accompaniment you wish. Marcia Selden Catering has more great summer recipes coming soon.

Eat Justice: Mecha & Mezon Owners Launch Innovative Philanthropic Movement

Jessica Ryan May 31, 2016

Visionaries, restaurant owners, and childhood friends Tony Pham (Mecha Noodle Bar) and Richard Reyes (Mecha & Mezon) have embarked on a new philanthropic mission aimed at bringing the community together while fighting for noble causes.

I met Rich and Tony at their new office in the heart of Danbury. The expansive space will serve as a commune for shared ideas, bringing entrepreneurs together. This new project, they told me, is a fun deviation from the fast pace of the restaurant world. Eat/Justice is a movement of restaurants on a mission to transform taste and tradition to pride and progress. Through cause partnerships, creative events and everyday food choices, we work to keep cultural diversity strong, increase access to healthy food and empower the talented restaurant community.

2016 CTbites' Best "10" Burgers in Southwest CT

Restaurant Delicious Dives Comfort Food Best of CT Burgers

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger May 29, 2016

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY AND HAMBURGER MONTH

The thermometer reads 90-degrees, the trees are in full bloom, the birds are chirping and the air is filled with the fragrant aroma of backyard grilling. It must be time for my Annual CTbites’ Southwest Connecticut Burger Review, now celebrating its 5^th anniversary.

This year I again took a slightly different approach. Over the years I have rated, and continually update, every burger I eat in CT on a scale from 1-10. To achieve the highest score, the bun-to-bun experience needs to be flawless; meat, cheese, toppings, sauce, and bun, all must work in absolute unison. There are currently thirteen incredible burgers that received a perfect “10.” From two east coast interpretations of the west coast double-double, to a food truck creation served on an Ube bun to several with bacon-onion jam, all of these burgers were spectacular. The 2016 list includes six new burgers while four from last year's list did not make the cut. The final rankings from the the Winner to number thirteen take into account not only the burgers but also the fries or chips.

Here is the CTbites' list of the Best “10” Burgers in Southwest Connecticut.

Nibble: CT Food Events & Happening for Week of May 31-June 5

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson May 28, 2016

Please join us for Match Gives: Sunday, June 5 – Friday, June 10. Match will be donating a percentage of sales to support Community Plates, Westport Farmer’s Market, Human Services Council & The Triangle Community Center of Norwalk. Choose from our 3 Course Menu for $40 and/or our regular menu as we showcase local ingredients straight from the Westport Farmer’s Market as well as local farms and businesses. Reservations your table: 203.852.1088 ext.4.

PopShop Market is back! It will take place on Saturday, June 4th from 10am-3pm at The Warehouse @ FTC and outside lot, 70 Sanford Street, Fairfield, CT. Peruse items from local vendors while enjoying a cocktail from the full bar or delicious bites from a food truck. LobsterCraft Lobster Rolls, Brick + Wood Pizza Truck, and the Bodega Taco Truck will all be there. Plus, The BuzzTruck + Donut Crazy Barare debuting their new collaboration!

For the third year in a row, CTbites has partnered with Chef Frederic Kieffer and Artisan at the Delamar Hotel Southport for an outdoor Happy Hour on their gorgeous patio. Mark your calendars for Wednesday June 1st 5:30-7:30, as we kick off “al fresco” dining with assorted appetizers and cocktails. Priced at $39, the Happy Hour includes a specialty cocktail and a second cocktail or wine or beer.Buy your tickets here.

Fleisher’s Craft Butchery will offer Burger Boxes starting May 28.

Friday Froth: Two Roads Hosts Gathering At The Bines

James Gribbon May 27, 2016

It's unusual for a brewery to have a competitor's beer on tap, so inviting 25 brewers over to pour almost 100 of their beers in your yard is as common as a white buffalo. The part of the noble bison was played this May by Two Roads Brewing, who opened up their hop yard to breweries, food trucks, and almost 900 ticketed guests from around the region. We ate Swiss has browns, we drank the new Two Roads OJIPA, and we did it all among the greenery of rapidly climbing hop bines in Stratford.