This January marked 98 years since the start of Prohibition. The result: brutal enforcement, a public health crisis, loss of tax revenue, and the creation of modern organized crime, all evidenced the spectacular failure of the hated Volstead Act, and ensured its repeal in 1933. But from that January in 1919 - a time when even young people could remember the 1800s - all the way into the second decade of the 21st century, Fairfield County had not produced a single drop of legal spirits. Robert Schulten changed nearly 100 years of history when he opened Asylum Distillery in Bridgeport in May of 2016. CTBites decided to drop by. Here's what we saw.
We usually post our “Healthy Eats” roundup at the beginning of January, when everyone is recovering from their holiday-induced food stupors. Indulgence ruled the roost for one-too-many weeks, so January brings a time of detox “get it all away from me” vigilance. After thinking about all of this healthy food, though, we realized that healthy eating isn’t just for those first weeks in January; it’s for all twelve months. I mean, man cannot survive on pork belly and butter alone (can he?).
It’s easier than ever to choose gluten free at Garelick& Herbs. We’ve been using gluten free labels in our prepared food case, and now we’re adding the labels to the food in our grab and go refrigerated case and in house bakery items!
In the entrees, there are now pasta dishes such as Pasta Primavera with fresh basil and sun dried tomatoes, a fabulous Potato “pasta” with Pesto- positively addictive whether you are gluten free or not. We have translated our Chicken Francais and Chicken Cutlets recipes to make them GF too.
Colchester cheesemaker Mark Gillman has a lot of irons in the fire. For one, he and his business partner (and mother) Elizabeth MacAlister were recently awarded two significant grants: one from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the other from the state Department of Agriculture. The combination of these awards will fund important functional changes at Cato Corner Farm, their 75-acre, 45-cow cheesemaking operation.
Ch’i Public House opened in late November in the space formerly occupied by Ocean Drive and Red Lulu on Washington Street in SoNo. The forces behind the new Asian-inspired restaurant are Rob Moss, Marco Siguenza and Dave Studwell, owners of neighboring Washington Prime. Overseeing the kitchen is Executive Chef Mark Taruna, whose long career spans attending the French Culinary Institute and working as the Sous Chef for Nobu Matsushisa at Nobu. He subsequently joined The Food Network and ran the Iron Chef kitchen where he worked with Morimoto, Mario Batali and Bobby Flay. He brings a new level of creativity to many classic recipes with bold flavors and textures, from the simplest dumpling to the most complex sauces.
Room 112 is shaking up the pulse of the lively SoNo restaurant scene. A modern-day speakeasy with a rock’n’roll edge, and eclectic, modish décor recently opened its doors at 112 Washington Street. Owner Isaac Patrick Camoro’s vision was clear the minute he walked into the then empty space.
Room 112 conjures up images of an urban garage meets underground lounge. Eclectic and unconventional this new bar is a truly unique experience; the antidote to the typical Fairfield County bar scene. The main level, framed in exposed brick, offers the perfect canvas for local artists to showcase their talent, thus lending themselves perfectly to the bar’s eclectic furnishings and lighting. Downstairs, a “man-cave” style game room includes a pool table, dartboards, shuffleboard, a jukebox, several HD TVs and a sleek bar.
Hi, my name is Maizy. I'm 13 years old, love food, and have celiac disease. When I heard about BunBurgerBun, a food truck that specializes in gluten free burgers and fries, I had to go try it out.
Arriving at the truck in Stamford, I was instantly impressed by the menu because it had all the favorites. I ordered three things while I was there: The sweet and salties, The Jammer burger, and the chicken tenders with a side of fries.
My absolute favorite thing that I ate was the Jammer: A burger on a gluten free peasant bun with house-made pickles and a bacon relish. I love pickles and those on the BunBurgerBun truck are fantastic. They are made with mustard seeds, onions and have this great classic pickle taste, but with a hint of a spicy undertone. When I took my first bite of the burger, the first flavor was vinegar. This came from the pickles, as well as the amazing bacon relish.
Located in the heart of historic South Norwalk,Zapata Mexican Restaurant crafts authentic Mexican cuisine in an area rich in history and vibrant in color, Zapata Mexican Restaurant proudly contributes to this energetic environment. This is our second location, the original is located in Palisades, NY where our family-owned and operated restaurant has thrived for over 20 years. Many of our customers come in and ask why SONO? The answer is simple, SONO lacked an authentic Mexican restaurant with fresh ingredients, amazing margaritas, and smiling faces. Freshness is what we believe in and what we thrive on. We personally choose all our produce, and all of our ingredients. We are in a society where fresh and healthy is key! To ensure the highest quality, we also cook all of our products with olive oil to keep it healthy and always tasting delicious.
I was pleasantly surprised when I saw CTbites’ review of my deli and wanted to express my thanks to them and give their readers an inside view of the deli and my desire to purchase it and transform it into my vision.
In 2015, after years of working late nights at high end spots such as Lambs Club, J House, Barcelona Wine Bar and my own Bistro Seven, I decided I wanted a break from the tiring and often showy restaurant scene. I wanted to serve good food and have a real connection with my patrons, staff, vendors and neighbors, without all the drama in a fine dining restaurant. I wanted something simple where I could be really myself with customers and staff. I heard of Winfield Deli and how a great chef, Pietro Scotti, served amazing sandwiches for over 20 years in this tucked-in spot, and had a blast at it. I wanted that too. I was no fan of delis because they were often dirty with an over-crowded menu, but I thought I could make my own version of a deli and elevate the deli concept to something closer to the Salumerias of Italy. Without pretension, I took over the little spot and gave a small face lift, keeping historic signs and equipment intact.
Folks in Fairfield County have no need to put away their farmers’ market bags or head to the grocery store just yet. For while the temperatures might be dipping and leaves dropping, farm-fresh food is still in abundance. The Westport Winter Farmers’ Market will return for its 6th season to Gilbertie’s greenhouses at 7 Sylvan Lane beginning Saturday, November 12th and continuing through March 11th from 10 to 2.
Garelick & Herbs Southport have opened the doors at 3611 Post Road. After 23 years of happy success in the original flagship store in Westport, G&H opened their entirely unique space a few steps up the Post Road at the Westport/Southport border.
Owners, Jason and Paola, have always had the philosophy that good food creates a good mood, but now Garelick & Herbs is adding good space – Vaulted ceilings, and a light filled atrium designed to look like a barn made of glass, set the tone that the G&H Southport location will be THE destination for daily gourmet good food. The modern-industrial eclectic vibe lends itself to Fairfield County aesthetics.
It is almost 10,000 square feet on 2 levels, more than double the size of their former flagship store. The marketplace is accented with an exciting new juice and smoothie bar, an antipasto bars to graze in or take out and expanded breakfast and lunch options. Our noodle bar adds a wonderful spice and flavor. The in-house bakery will be downstairs at this location, so be prepared for the wonderful aroma of signature items like ruggalach and soft black & white cookies. “We are excited to have the bakery right under our noses”, said Paola Garelick.
Oh so many fish in da sea! And that’s only the beginning....what kind of fish do you want to prepare? Do you know how to prepare it? Oh, yeah, and where should you go to get this fish, short of heading out into open waters yourself? And wait, and here’s the $100,000 question: is the fish you are buying everything it says it is? Good grief. It’s almost easier dating and looking for *those* fish in the sea. Well, fear not, CTBites sat down recently with one of the Big Fish out there, Jim Thistle of Fjord Fish Market, and he helped guide us through seemingly murky waters...
With cooler weather around the corner and Rosh Hashanah just past, it’s time to reach for your honey pot. If your summer was full of honey-themed cocktails and BBQ’s, it’s quite possibly still on the kitchen counter but if you enjoy honey “only in my tea when I’m not feeling well” it might be in the darkest corner of your cupboard most likely crystallized. No, it is not spoiled and you don’t have to throw it out. Right now, honey is having a moment as the next artisanal food superstar. Partly because bees are disappearing – you’ve heard about colony collapse sparking a beekeeping craze and partly because honey is believed by many to relieve symptoms of colds and seasonally allergies.
Honey is the only food made by an insect that humans consume and although it was found in the tombs of the Pharaohs, honey can last forever if stored properly – in a cool, dry place, yet it will loose its delicate flavors and health benefits over time. Most people think that honey is honey is honey but it’s not. I’m going to help demystify the flavorful world of honey so that you can be an informed honey connoisseur and navigate your way around the delicious and diverse world of natures oldest and only raw sweetener.
Fairfield County has some great bars with good old fashioned bar food…wings, burgers, fries, onion rings, cheesesteaks, with a wide variety of beers. Recently, many have expanded the menu to include tacos, chili, ribs, chicken and other down and dirty delicacies. When I received an invitation to join a media event at Johnny Utah’s in SoNo I was curious, since this bar also features a mechanical bull (spoiler…not happenin’).
Recently the CTbites team previewed the menu at El Segundo in South Norwalk, the newest restaurant from the talented partners who created The Spread just up the block. The concept: Eat the Street. Intersect some of the world’s tastiest street food at the corner of Washington and North Water in SONO.
What began as a tasting quickly turned into a party ... a coming out party for Carlos Baez, Executive Chef of The Spread, one of the region’s most versatile, yet unheralded, chefs.
The menu flaunts Baez’ extraordinary range -- a gastronomic tour de force featuring over 3 dozen dishes curated from the boulevards and back allies of 27 countries on all seven continents, including barren Antarctica. (More about that selection later)
Lloyd Allen’s Double L Market in Westport is celebrating its 20th year. The market, now in its third location near Hillspoint Road, is the “original” farmstand. Described as “eclectic” it has weathered every storm and outlasted the competition thanks to a very dedicated group of followers. “When you’ve done this for as long as I have you get to know a lot of people and what they want. We want to be able to offer the best!” Allen told me.
“We were a farmstand and farmers market long before anyone else - before it became a thing. We were wild, and on the side of the road, in the open air and having lots of fun doing it.” Although Allen and his staff are no longer on the side of the road, and are now in an enclosed air-conditioned corner store, a little bit of that wildness still remains. “We are still having a great time,” he added. “You meet people who are passionate on both sides of the market - the growers are passionate about producing the best and our consumers are passionate to find and eat the best.”
This email, which I received from Joe Gurrera, the owner of Citarella, required setting the alarm for 3:30am, grabbing two cups of coffee and driving the hour to the Fulton Fish Market in the Bronx. Visiting the new Fulton Fish Market was something I have always wanted to do, mingle with the best purveyors of the freshest and best selection of fish, just hours before it arrives at stores and restaurants in preparation for the day’s fare.
The history of Citarella dates to 1912, when a small fish shop opened in Manhattan. Over seventy years later, in 1983, Joe Gurrera purchased the shop and Citarella was born. Joe’s passion for fish started when he was a small boy venturing, in the dead of the night, to the original Fulton Fish Market. It was during these nightly excursions that he educated himself on the various fish and, more importantly, how to choose the best of the best.
The Spread was the first: hip, smart, happening. Contemporary Sono.
El Segundo, by definition, will be The Second. This time: Street. Urban. Old World Global.
“We’ll have street food from each of the 7 Continents,” said Chris Hickey as he recently gave CTBites a preview of The Spread team’s new joint set to open in early August. Hickey and co-owners Andrey Cortes, Chris Rasile, Shawn Longyear and Executive Chef Carlos Baez envision an international playground for the palate.
“We’re going to have some fun,” Chris promised, grinning.
Open the corrugated metal garage door, and the vista is a courtyard boasting a fountain, storefronts, and looming apartments. A piazza in Naples? A market in Buenos Aries. A food fair in Bangkok.
Inside the restaurant, you’re on a side street. The vibe is almost Third World. The predominant motif is that corrugated sheeting – the humble material that shelters much of the earth’s population. A wall is painted in the brilliant graffiti of Duster, New York’s notorious tagger. On the wall, a subway door and a Number 6 Train to Duster’s Bronx. Its boogie. Its street food.
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.
“From wonder into wonder existence opens,” said Laozi, the founder of Tao Buddhism.
He might have been speaking of the joys of the table, so central to Asian culture for millennia---and to Connecticut foodies today.
Almost 160,000 people of Asian descent call Connecticut home, and a considerable number of grocery stores in the state support the diverse cooking traditions of China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. True to both their Asian roots and the universal principle of making the best of fresh ingredients, quite often the most modest such store will have a produce section and a fish section---in one case, at least, featuring live fish.
Your guide to the best East and Southeast Asian markets of Connecticut appears below.
