Prime Opens in Stamford - A First Look Emma Jane-Doody Stetson July 05, 2016 On Saturday July 3, bursts of fireworks illuminated the Stamford sky in honor of the Fourth of July. Stamford residents also had something else to celebrate; the opening of Prime restaurant. CTbites reported in January that the Huntington, NY restaurant had secured a second location in Stamford. Now, five months later, Prime is bringing its steak, seafood, sushi, and signature dishes to Connecticut. The Fourth of July is a fitting time for Prime to open its doors. The holiday embodies summer sun and surf. Those same elements lie at the heart of Prime. The flagship Huntington, NY restaurant boasts harbor views, dock space, and outdoor seating. The new Stamford location promises the same. Situated in the waterfront space that once housed Dolce Cubano, Prime Stamford is embracing everything that Long Island Sound has to offer. “Boating will be a big factor for us,” says Michael Bohlsen of Bohlsen Restaurant Group, the team behind Prime. He revealed that the Stamford location obtained ten dock slips. Boaters can make a reservation (separate fee may apply) and bring their vessels directly to Prime. They also hired a dock master to oversee the boats. Bohlsen Restaurant Group believes in exceptional service and crafting a fine dining experience. As a result, they are taking their time to ensure that every aspect of the restaurant runs smoothly. Their Stamford debut has taken the form of a series of soft openings so that they can perfect their approach. They gave a sneak peek to the community with a cocktail party for local neighbors and members of the Chamber of Commerce. They followed up with two days of friends and family dining, for guests of the staff. Prime’s first dinner service took place on Wednesday June 29. Until July 13, Prime will give diners 50% of what they spend (pre-tax and pre-gratuity) on a gift card that can be redeemed in the fall. “We recognize that it’s only a first or second week. There are a lot of moving pieces and it’s not yet perfect,” says Bohlsen. “The people coming now are a lot of the local people. This is a way to introduce ourselves.” Read More
Guide To The Best Dive Bars In Southwest Connecticut c. 2016 Restaurant Delicious Dives Bar Lou Gorfain July 03, 2016 Dive Bars aren’t necessarily dives. Take Casey’s Tavern in Stamford. Secluded on a dead end side street just off downtown, its windows are veiled, its entrance shadowy. What’s behind the curtains? Well, step inside and be amazed. The crowd is convivial, the decor beguiling, and the joint jumping. A song blasts on the juke, but it’s buried under the laughter and yak. Behind a highly polished hardwood bar, mirrors and bottles glisten. Out the back door, a sun-splashed patio beckons. And on each table – there’s an extensive menu to ponder. So is Casey’s a dive? “No, no,” Seamus Costigan tells us. ”We don’t attract trouble.” He should know. Costigan is not only the guy behind the stick, but the affable owner of this Irish pub. It is said once Seamus meets you, he never forgets your name or your drink. These days the term “Dive Bar” doesn’t imply bikers, broken bottles and bloody bathrooms. Rather, a true Dive serves as a neighborhood gathering place, where regulars can dive in*, grab a quick (or long) one at an affordable price, shoot pool or darts, argue sports and politics, or just b,s. about life and love. No one comes in to be lonely … or leaves broke. When you belly up to the bar, there’s no need to order. The ‘keep is already pouring. Seamus nods and grins. “I guess we’re a dive bar, then. I know exactly what time my regulars come in, their drink, and what they eat.” In a modern Dive, the food is as much a draw as the liquor and the laughter. So forget about microwaved burgers and dogs, stale chips, or soggy Slices. The new breed Dive caters to customers who aren’t just thirsty, but hungry for a tasty meal without breaking the bank. Gourmet dining? At times. Complexity, not really. But solid eats, definitely. In fact, some dishes are farm fresh and healthy. Herewith, we curate the best eats we found at some selected SW Connecticut Dives … Read More
Instabites: Brunch in Niantic, Fleisher's Burger, Kent Falls Brewing, Fairfield Farmers' Market, Bill's Seafood Restaurant Fairfield Kent Niantic Shoreline East Westport Amy Kundrat June 30, 2016 A few of our recent snackable moments from Instagram: What a gem! Niantic's @labelleaurorect is a terrific farm-to-table find (brunch to dinner) if you're on the Connecticut shoreline. (Pictured is their smores French toast but I also highly recommend the farm fresh vegetable hash). #ctbites #farmtotable #niantic #brunch A photo posted by CTbites (@ctbites) on Jun 26, 2016 at 10:01am PDT #lamb #burger @fleisherscraftkitchen #lambburger #burgers #comfortfood #summer #craftbutchery #butcher #photobomb Read More
Guide To Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurants in CT Restaurant Organic Vegetarian healthy Vegan April Guilbault June 26, 2016 Summer is here and that means road trips! Day trips! Exploring this great state of ours with its interesting nooks and crannies! You know, there is always one Big Kahuna of a question when out-and-about (besides, of course, “Where is there a good public restroom?”) and that would be: ”Where can we eat??!”. Aaaaannnd the answer goes on to get a bit more complicated when there’s a vegetarian or vegan in your traveling band of explorers. But thankfully, we have you and your veggie-eaters covered. Great spots all over the state to dine in a delightfully meat-free fashion. Many of these eateries even cater to gluten-free diners, too. Check the websites ahead of your travel time and you are good to go! Be off, young men and women! p.s.-You might be interested in taking a detour through Hamden on July 23rd for their Compassion Fest. It’s a gathering to promote the ideas of kindness, equity, and compassion AND there will be lots of vegan food there. Here are 16 delicious vegetarian & vegan Restaurants in CT. Read More
Burger Review: Prime Burger in South Norwalk Restaurant Norwalk SONO Burgers Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger June 24, 2016 Are you looking for an inexpensive burger for lunch? Maybe some fries and a soda to join the burger? If they are all offered as a lunch special, even better. With my obsession with burgers, and my annual Best “10” burgers in southwest Connecticut behind me, I decided to try the moderately priced, newly opened Prime Burger in SoNo. Located next to The Spread, one of my Best “10” burgers, the SoNo location is the second in the area, after the original opened in Ridgefield several years ago. Prime Burger offers beef, salmon, turkey, chicken and veggie burgers from $6.50-$8.00 with free (sauces, onion, lettuce, tomato, etc.) and $1.00 toppings (cheese, chili bacon, etc.), a la 5-Guys. The menu also includes hot dogs, grilled cheese, chicken tenders and salads (you can add a patty or grilled chicken). If you enter from the street your journey begins near the rear, where you place your order. I ordered the $10 lunch special, which included a cheeseburger, fries and a beverage. Read More
Sneak Peek - Washington Prime in Georgetown Opens Tonight CTbites Team June 23, 2016 For fans of Washington Prime who live in the Danbury area, good news is here. The second location of the SoNo hot spot opens in the Georgetown neighborhood tonight, serving the same steaks and creative cuisine that fans have enjoyed down route 7 on Washington Street. The brainchild of owners Marco Siguenza, Rob Moss and its newest partner Dave Studwell, Washington Prime Georgetown offers the same delicious cuisine in a relaxed environment. Read More
Guide to Kids Summer Cooking Camps & Classes in Connecticut: 2016 Edition Restaurant Cooking Classes Kids kids activity kids cooking party April Guilbault June 23, 2016 Kids and Summer vacation: No homework! No school! No tests! The beach! Playing with friends! Sleeping in! More friends! Camp! Baseball games! Swimming! Fun! Fun! Fun! Parents and Summer vacation: WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE KIDS?! Rest easy. Chill. We have some ideas that you will benefit from in more ways than one. Day classes, culinary camps, learning about where food comes from and then what the heck to do with it-you’re little (or big) foodie will be in their element. With any luck, junior will be able to make *you* a back-to-school breakfast by the end of the Summer. Ohhhh, yeahhhhh. AMG Catering Wilton www.amgcatering.com/kids-camp Choose your week, choose your cuisine. Proceed to cook and eat your way around the world. Well, in an almost-Anthony-Bourdain kind of way. At AMG Catering in Wilton, traveling the world is the theme for the summer cooking sessions that will introduce your “Chefs in Training” (CITs for those in-the-know) to a wide array of dishes. These hands-on classes will have the CITs working in a professional kitchen and learning cooking skills that will have them creating “Street Food”, “Regional Dishes” from across the U. S, and a variety of “Small Plates”. The junior chefs (ages 10-15) will top it all off with a cooking competition on the last day. Watch out, Food Network. A word of note: these kitchens are not allergy-free kitchens. Everything and anything (nuts, shellfish, dairy) is cooked here. Cost is $475 per week, $900 for two weeks, or $1350 or three weeks. Read More
Nibble: CT Food Events & Happenings for June 26 - July 3 Emma Jane-Doody Stetson June 22, 2016 Holbrook Farm in Bethel will be hosting a series of farm dinners this summer in collaboration with local chefs and farms. On Sunday June 26, Chef Jeff Taibe from Kawa Ni, Westport, will highlight the duck with dishes like Duck Soba, Strawberry and Rhubarb Toast, Napa Cabbage Wraps, Duck Bahn Mi, Favas and Strawberries with Radishes and Smoked Soy, and Tomatoes and Arugula with Barrel Aged Ponzu Sauce. Learn more here. The Artisanal Burger Company in Manchester will feature Back East Brewing Company in a beer dinner. There will be a reception, a 3 course dinner, and dessert. Guests can try brews like the Backeast Summer Ale, BoMo Dry Hopped Pilsner, Back East Ale, and Tony Goes Dancing Double IPA. It costs $60 per person. On Tuesday June 28, Tarry Lodge will host a RED Supper to help (RED) in the fight against AIDS. They’ll present a tasting menu along with wine pairings. It is $100 per person at the Port Chester location and $75 per person in New Haven and Westport. Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon is legendary… and now you can enjoy more wines from Caymus. CAVA Wine Bar invites you to a Caymus Wine Dinner on Tuesday June 28. Partake in dishes like soft shell crab, homemade fettuccini, and halibut alongside complementary wines. It costs $89 per person. Call 203-966-6946 to reserve. Got beef? Learn all about Beef Butchery basics at Fleishers Craft Butchery’s Greenwich location on Tuesday June 28. Read More
Solid Choices at Tavern 489 in Glenbrook, Stamford Restaurant Italian Stamford Lunch Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger June 21, 2016 The newest addition to the Glenbrook neighborhood is Tavern 489, located at 489 Glenbrook Road, sharing the building with the newly relocated and reopened Tawa Restaurant (reviewed here). The building has a long history in the neighborhood, it originally housed the Moosehead Bar decades ago (thank you “Hey Stamford”). The brainchild of owners Eric Monte and Partner/Executive Chef Regis Saget, Tavern 489 offers an eclectic menu, paired with various beer and wine selections in a rustic environment. The fully redesigned interior emphasizes wood and stone to create an setting reminiscent of an Adirondack mountain lodge, complete with exposed M-Trusses, a canoe dangling from the ceiling, a full front-to-back 18-seat wooden bar, additional wooden high-top tables plus a large wooden “picnic” table, all drawing focus to the imposing floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace in the rear. The walls are adorned with photos of Ernest Hemingway who, in addition to winning the Nobel Prize in Literature, was, according to Monte, the ultimate outdoorsman, a true man’s man, and his photos fit the rustic, outdoorsy feel that he was striving to achieve. Read More
Catch a Healthy Habit in Fairfield: New Summer Menu, Raw, Vegan, Gluten Free Restaurant Juice Bar Smoothies Special Dietary Needs Vegetarian healthy Raw Vegan Jessica Ryan June 19, 2016 Unassumingly tucked away amongst the store-fronts in downtown Fairfield is Catch a Healthy Habit. Maybe you’ve not been in a while…maybe you’ve never been at all, or you’ve been curious, but you’ve never been. The Cafe has been in Fairfield for over six years and in New Haven for two years prior to opening in Fairfield. This casual, health-based, raw, gluten-free and vegan eatery focuses on clean eating. Their products are organic and non-GMO and the tastes and presentations are delicious and beautiful. They recently launched their new Spring/Summer menu and Stephanie Webster, armed with her camera, and I had the opportunity to stop in and sample some of the newest goodies to grace the menu. The food is gorgeously plated, visually stunning, allowing the naturally vibrant colors of spring to take center stage. As the weather heats up and we shed our outer layers we still need to satisfy our hunger without feeling weighted down. Read More
Celebrating The Scandinavian Midsummer Festival in CT Restaurant Events Festival Anna Bendiksen June 19, 2016 When I married a fellow Yale grad student whose parents came to this country from Norway, I was struck by how intensely my newly adopted culture focused on light. There was the magic of Norwegian Christmas, when it seemed that every window in Oslo shone with candles lit against the darkness. At the opposite end of the year, there was the solstice at Midsummer, which has also been an occasion for partying it up since pagan days. Summer visits to a family farm north of the Arctic Circle brought grilling, beer, and card games in the brilliant light of the midnight sun. While Connecticut residents, being well south of the Arctic, can count on dark summer nights, you do not have to visit Scandinavia, or even claim family connections, to celebrate Midsummer. You just need to be able to appreciate that there’s something about this peak of sunlight hours that invites us all to lighten up and Let It Go. It’s a rare person who could not use the reminder. The solstice technically falls on June 20th, but Midsummer parties typically take place from June 19th through the 25th. Locally organized festivities include the Scandinavian Club of Fairfield’s annual celebration complete with a Maypole, a Swedish tradition. This year it’s on Saturday, June 25th, at noon, at 1351 South Pine Creek Road, Fairfield, CT 06825. Read More
Young Shoots Digital Photography Contest Kids 8-18 Features Contest kids activity Lynn Felici-Gallant June 18, 2016 WFM is proud to announce the second annual Young Shoots digital photography contest for budding artists ages eight to eighteen. The competition, jointly sponsored by the Westport Arts Center and Westport Farmers’ Market, provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate their creativity through the digital photography medium while showcasing the local color and vibrancy of the Westport Farmers’ Market. Lori Cochran-Dougall, Executive Director of the Westport Farmers’ Market, says that “partnering with the Westport Arts Center on the Young Shoots competition is the perfect way to mix food, youth and art while having a good time. We are thrilled to celebrate our local youth photographers again this season.” Photo submissions are due by August 14th, with this year’s winners to be displayed at Norwalk’s Sugar and Olives. Young Shoots photographers will find submission guidelines at the Westport Arts Center website. Read More
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. Read More
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. Read More
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. Read More
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. Read More
