Filtering by Tag: Danbury,Pub

Rice & Beans Food Truck: Don't Miss This Outstanding Mobile Menu

Restaurant Food Truck Latin American Guatemalan Danbury Kid Friendly Lunch Homepage

Ramin Ganeshram

Simple is usually best—particularly when it comes to food—an adage that proved itself more than true on my recent visit to Rice & Beans food truck, based out of Danbury.

The concept: Stewed meat or roasted veggies over black beans and rice m topped with fresh herbs, radish, pico de gallo, and guacamole served up in a bright yellow food truck.  The eatery is the brainchild of chef/owner Jasson Arias and based on the traditional foods of his Guatemalan heritage.

“I grew up eating rice and beans,” says Arias, whose original career was bartending in Stamford. “I thought it would be the great basis for a quick, filling lunch sold from a food cart.”


Pub Fare Extraordinaire at Inishmor Pub in Colchester

Restaurant Colchester Pub Gastropub Lunch Bar Comfort Food Homepage Burgers

Hope Simmons

Meet Alex Levere—his roots may be French and German, but the luck of the Irish is clearly smiling upon him. He grew up in the restaurant industry on the shoreline, spent some time in Europe—specifically, you guessed it, in Ireland—in his early 20s, then Boston during his college years and beyond.

“Long story short, the economy crashed, I graduated, and there was nothing really going on, so I was bartending at a place, and they offered me an assistant management job. So, I took that, then I went to manager. Then I went to general manager and, right before the place was sinking, the head chef quit, so I took over the kitchen. I was like, I know I can do this, and I did it, but it was too little, too late. And that’s when we came across this place!” Now he’s turning out some truly inventive flavors at the Inishmor Pub in Colchester.


Harlan Publick Still Kicking Up the Flavors in South Norwalk

Restaurant Norwalk SONO Caribbean Outdoor Dining Bar Cocktails Pub

jeffrey schlesinger

The day started with snow flurries in Denver, pre-dawn, long week, long flight, two hours from Kennedy to CT. When my wife asked where we should eat, the temptation for a culinary transport to the Caribbean was too much to resist. After a quick drive to SONO, we were seated at one of my favorite restaurants, Harlan Publick, where Chef Kamal Rose is still creating magical combinations, balancing the spiciness of the Islands, with a delicate focus on subtleness.


Viceroy Publik House Opening in Stamford: British & Indian Pub Fare + Live Music

Restaurant Stamford Indian Pub Bar Lunch Gastropub Openings

CTbites Team

Taking a page from history, from what is now referred to as the “British Raj”, the British rule over the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947, Viceroy Publik House pays homage to this now proud British and Indian cultural connect, offering a high energy English pub setting featuring London curry, pakoras and pints, and an edgy live music venue which is just as diverse as its menu. Located in Downtown Stamford, CT, Viceroy Publik House brings together these two cultures, rich in history and with a strong food and drink identity found in pubs throughout London. Viceroy will be opening in April of 2017. 


Ki Asian Bistro & Sushi in Danbury's TNT Lover Sushi Roll via CT Magazine

Restaurant Danbury Sushi

CTbites Team

CT Magazine waxed poetic about this dish from Ki Asian Bistro & Sushi in Danbury. We hear this isn't the only item on this menu that is worth the trip. Here's what writer Erik Ofgang had to say...

 Get ready for an explosion of flavor. The TNT Lover roll is made with chopped bluefin toro (the fatty belly meat of tuna), caviar, tempura flakes, scallion and asparagus topped with raw tuna and served with truffle soy sauce. The result is a sushi roll that can redefine your perception of what a sushi roll can be. At least that’s what it did for me. The raw tuna provides a burst of fresh-as-the-sea notes, cut and enhanced by the crunch of the tempura flakes and the rich truffle soy sauce, creating a taste simultaneously sushi and non-sushi.

The bistro was opened in 2012 by Chef Benny Chow, a veteran of Nobu restaurant in New York, who trained under Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. I discovered the restaurant earlier this year and have been hooked ever since. 

Read the full article on CT Magazine. 


Terra Ristorante Opens Today in Danbury

Danbury Italian Lunch

CTbites Team

Terra Ristorante, a Northern Italian restaurant located in the heart of downtown Greenwich, is opening its second location in Danbury, CT, the eighth restaurant for the Z Hospitality Group. Over twenty-five years ago, founder and owner, Ramze Zakka, opened Terra in Greenwich, the first of his eight eateries, to fulfill his dream of owning a restaurant that serves simple and delicious food in a more relaxed alternative to the already existing white glove and fast casual restaurants. Terra was a bistro that introduced authentic Northern Italian food where guests would feel like they were transported to Florence for a genuine dining experience. Everything from food and beverages to Italian music has been carefully curated to achieve this goal.

Sneak Peek - Peaches Pub & Juke Joint Opens in Norwalk

Restaurant Live Music Norwalk Pub

CTbites Team

The latest incarnation of Mama’s Boy and Peaches, debuts this week as Greer Fredericks opens Peaches Pub and Juke Joint in Norwalk. Located at 7 Wall Street, this newest venture combines Peach’s, a first floor restaurant, with an upstairs “juke joint.” Overseeing the kitchen is Paul Failla, who previously worked at Bar Sugo, The Whelk and Saltwater Grill. The vision is laid back, kick off your shoes environment that serves some good old fashioned southern cooking at reasonable prices.

The space is open and allows for both seating in couches, easy chairs, at tables or at the long bar. The upstairs offers more seating plus access to the water view terrace. The walls will be adorned with artwork from New Orleans’ artist Dr. Bob and features many of his works from the “be nice or leave” series.

The opening menu include appetizers such as Chicken Liver Spread on Ritz crackers, Country Fair Bacon, Fried Green Tomatoes, Uncle Leon’s Mussels with Jambalaya broth and Andouille sausage, Chicken-Fried Chicken livers and Dark and Stormy Ribs. Save room for Supper, which includes Panhandle Shrimp and Grits, a Bucket o’ Chicken for two, Sunburst Trout, a Big By Burger and “The Thigh High” buttermilk fried chicken.


Little Pub Opens Today in Fairfield on Black Rock Turnpike

Restaurant Beer Fairfield Pub Comfort Food Kid Friendly Burgers

Stephanie Webster

The Little Pub you know from Ridgefield, Wilton and Cos Cob is opening its fourth location in Fairfield at the intersection of Stillson Avenue and Black Rock Turnpike. This spot has some history as it housed the Angus restaurant for over 70 years. Owner, Doug Grabe says "It's a cute and cozy building in a perfect neighborhood for Little Pub and we’re really looking forward to serving the Fairfield community."

"Little Pub Fairfield will share the traditional old world charm of our other little pubs with thick plaster walls, hand hewn beams, and antique iron light fixtures," says Grabe. In fact, the team re-purposed over 80 vintage beams from their Cos Cob renovation. A massive stone fireplace serves as the focal point for the main dining room, alongside some wonderful pub decor, including a vintage telephone booth.

What is unique to Fairfield is its size. The dining room is over 50% bigger than Wilton, with 130 seats. Grabe says "The bar alone is bigger than our entire Ridgefield footprint." 


Mezón Tapas Bar and Restaurant in Danbury – From the Heart, From the Home

Restaurant Caribbean Danbury Tapas Latin American

Lou Gorfain

Even though it’s one of the largest cities in Connecticut, Danbury was once regarded as a restaurant wasteland. The downtown eateries catered to a family demographic who sought a reasonably priced menu that took few culinary chances.   Very mid-century. However, in the past few years, a vibrant international food scene has burgeoned on the city’s west side.   The cuisines are sophisticated, diverse, and creative, reflective of 21st Century dining.

Many credit Richard Reyes’s Mezón Tapas Bar and Restaurant with transforming Mill Plain Road into destination dining. The year was 2011.  Reyes was then a former Wall Street Executive who decided to come home to Connecticut and open a restaurant where people could dine on food prepared in the Latin tradition of his family. From the heart. From the home. Richard was all of 25 … and Mezón posed far more of a risk than even the stock market. At the time, Mill Plain Road was dotted with a string of mostly red-sauce Italian/American restaurants. “Sure, we were taking a chance,” he recently told us, “But we helped break the mold.”   

Rich invited CTbites to sample some of the Latin and Caribbean fare that has attracted Mezón’s diverse and discerning clientele from across the region. Though the Paella and the Churrasco are the most popular dishes on the menu, Reyes had other ideas for our feast.


Brew Pub Planned for Former Bethel Train Station

Restaurant Bethel Brewery Pub

CTbites Team

Photo: Carol Kaliff / Hearst Connecticut Media

We are VERY excited about this week's Bethel food news covered by our friends Hearst Connecticut:

Several local entrepreneurs hope to open a brew pub in the former train station, which they believe will bring a new demographic to downtown [Bethel].

Lisa Tassone, owner of La Zingara on P.T. Barnum Square, and several partners have been discussing a brew pub when space at the station became available. Bethel Cycle closed last fall after operating in the building for about five years. “As soon as we walked into the space we knew it was a perfect fit,” said Tassone, who opened La Zingara about 13 years ago. Chris Sanzeni, an experienced brewer, said the historic building and the artistic nature of making beer is a perfect fit — adding Smirnoff vodka was produced for the first time in the building next door.


Little Pub Opening in Fairfield on Black Rock Turnpike @ Dolan's Corner

Restaurant Beer Openings Pub Comfort Food Burgers

CTbites Team

If the "EXPECT BIG THINGS" train station platform signs or the Little Pub "adopt a highway" sign by exit 23 weren't enough of a hint, Owner, Doug Grabe, is happy to confirm that Little Pub is in fact coming to Fairfield's Dolan's Corner this summer.

Located at the intersection of Stillson Avenue and Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield, "Dolan's Corner" was the original hub of Black Rock Turnpike's thriving business district and home to various incarnations of the Angus restaurant for almost 70 years. Grabe told CTbites,

"It's a cute and cozy building in a perfect neighborhood for Little Pub and we’re really looking forward to serving the community. And besides, how could an iconic Fairfield address known as "Dolan's Corner" not have a neighborhood pub?"

Little Pub Fairfield will share the traditional old world charm of our other little pubs with thick plaster walls, hand hewn beams, and antique iron light fixtures. "We have some really great stuff planned and of course, fun is mandatory," Says Grabe. 

Stay tuned for interior photos and opening news as the renovation gets underway. 


SE Uncorked Opens in New Canaan: Snacks & Taps + A Great Vibe

Restaurant American Pub New Canaan Beer Bar

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger

Chef Nick Martschenko’s (South End) newest venture, SE Uncorked, is already creating an incredible buzz throughout New Canaan for its great food and great vibe. Inspired by the speakeasies of the Prohibition era and taverns in the UK and Australia, Chef Nick told CTbites that his vision is for “guests to be comfortable and relaxed in a heavily beverage, comfortable environment with foods designed for a pub versus restaurant theme.” 

Located at 15 Elm Street, both the exterior and interior have been completely redesigned. The brick-faced exterior features a drop-down wood shelf, windows at eye-level  and a wood carved sign announcing “Uncorked” with the familiar South End circle-logo with the additional prelude... “Snacks & Taps.”


LisaMarie's Food Truck: Paradise Lost, Then Found Off The Beaten Path in CT

Restaurant Catering Danbury Food Truck Lunch

Lou Gorfain

Lisamarie Ault was flying high.  For twenty years she had served as the personal Chef to Edgar Bronfman, Sr., the billionaire magnate of the Seagram’s empire, preparing the best of everything for a man who demanded world-class excellence. That's exactly what he got from a devoted chef who was trained at CIA and cooked at restaurants from Switzerland to Hawaii. Lisamarie led a rarefied life in her own culinary paradise.  

But then she suddenly fell back to earth.  In December of 2013, Bronfman abruptly died, and his family no longer had need for a personal cook.  Lisamarie was out of a job … and a dear friend.  “Mr. B”, as she calls him, had become the father she lost days before she took the position two decades earlier.

“In March of last year, I had no idea what I was going to do next,” she recalls. “Suddenly, out of the blue, I learned that Mr. Bronfman had included me in his will.” On an impulse,  Lisamarie decided to  buy an old food truck, and take it on the road under the banner of "PARADISE FOODS.”


CT NOFA 2015 Winter Conference

CT Farms Danbury

CTbites Team

CT NOFA's Winter Conference is Connecticut's largest food, agriculture and sustainability conference, held Western Connecticut State University's Midtown Campus in Danbury on Saturday, March 7.

The conference will focus on the future of sustainable farming through dozens of workshops, an exhibition space with over over 70 vendors featuring local foods, crafts, books, and sustainability initiatives. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Kristine Nichols, Rodale Institute Chief Scientist who will deliver a speech on the "Regenerative Agriculture for Soil & Climate Health."


Some Mighty Tasty Wings @ Archie Moore's in Fairfield

Restaurant Fairfield Pub Bar Comfort Food

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger

As my search for great burgers in CT continues, I always appreciate the opportunity to combine this pursuit with other culinary options. When I found myself in Fairfield, I decided to stop into Archie Moore’s Bar and Restaurant and sample its Bar Burger and while I was there, why not begin the meal with an order of wings, which are consistently voted some of the best in the state.


CTbites Staff & Chef Picks for TOP EATS OF 2014

Restaurant Bridgeport Danbury Fairfield Food Truck Norwalk Stamford Washington Westport New Canaan New Haven Best of CT

CTbites Team

In terms of eating, the CTbites team of writers, photographers, and chef friends have managed to sample and savor more than most. 2014 has been a stellar year for restaurant openings as Fairfield County and the surrounding areas continue to draw great culinary talent.  Instead of coming up with a top ten list ourselves, we asked the CTbites extended family to share some of their most memorable meals and dining experiences this past year.

Here are our favorite meals and restaurants of 2014. 


Green Grunion Food Truck: San Diego-style Burritos in Danbury

Restaurant Danbury Food Truck Tacos Beer Mexican

Amy Kundrat

The Green Grunion food truck is the brainchild of Paul Mannion, a Bethel native whose three year foray in San Diego served as inspiration for Danbury's San Diego-style burrito business on wheels. A restaurant industry veteran (you may remember his friendly face from behind the bar at Bethel’s La Zingara), Paul launched the business nearly a year ago in Danbury inspired by the burritos he came to know and love during his time in San Diego.

I finally tracked down the Green Grunion after many positive reader recommendations, and a fuzzy memory of Paul telling me his grandiose plans from behind the Zingara bar last year. But first, a quick burrito primer for the uninitiated East Coast-dwellers (read: you, me, and everyone we know, Connecticut).

Look up burrito in the dictionary and you'll likely conjure an image of the tightly-packed Mission style behemoths found in San Francisco's Mission District and interpreted loosely at a Chipotle near you.


Best Bar Burgers in Fairfield County: 2014 Edition

Danbury Darien Fairfield Norwalk Trumbull Westport New Canaan Best of CT Burgers

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger

May is National Burger Month and it’s that time of year again for CTbites to unveil its “Best Bar Burgers of Fairfield County.” The last twelve months brought us several suggestions to try and I tried many of these additional locations. The 2014 list included some outstanding bars and haunts that served delicious burgers, so good in fact that only one newcomer was as delicious. (See complete list below)

Not only was this an outstanding burger, but it earned my top spot as the Best Bar Burger in Fairfield County. 

Bick’s Burgers & Fries – 2014 Best Bar Burger in Fairfield County


Little Pub New England Brewery Dinner

Restaurant Beer Dinner Pub Beer

CTbites Team

Join us on April 1st @ Little Pub Ridgefield for a New England Brewing Company beer dinner hosted by New England Brewing Company’s partner/head brewer Matt Westfall. The evening will boast a five course beer pairing menu (view full menu below with pairings), a little education, and some general merry making. 

Matt Westfall will discuss the flavor profile, ingredients, and brewing process for each beer while also sharing stories about New England Brewing Company’s journey to becoming one of the region’s most respected and beloved craft brewers.

Our own beer expert, James Gribbon will be on hand to answer any questions about his Friday Froth column or beer in general.