We'd left the dock in South Norwalk in utter darkness to harvest oysters in one of the oldest, most productive oyster fisheries in America. Jordan Giles of Half Full Brewery in Stamford shucked a few on the steps of the Grace's pilothouse and handed one to me. The Copp's Island oyster had been at the bottom of the Sound minutes ago.
The "Why" is tripartite: I've always loved oysters (and can apparently add them to skiing and air travel on the list of things I'll wake up at an evil hour for), I had never been on an oyster boat, and Half Full brewery will host their second ever Grace&Darkness oyster stout can release and oyster roast on Sunday, January 21 at noon. These oysters were to be the main attraction.
Five years ago Chef Stephen Lewandowski launched Harlan Social in the heart of the new and emerging South End area in Stamford. Named after his son Harlan, the modern American gastropub quickly rose into a mainstay for locals. Harlan Publick would open next, in the heart of SoNo. The local favorite offers creative comfort food and a wide offering of beverages. On January 10th, Harlan Haus, the German-inspired Bier and Wurst hall, will open to the public, in the historic People’s Bank Building built in 1917.
A century later the well preserved, 7,000-square-foot space perfectly marries the historic Neoclassical elements with today’s modern influences. Most of the building’s architectural details remain well preserved from the elegant light fixtures above, to the curved teller bank wall that separates the bar area from the rest of the restaurant. Harlan Haus is poised for success with its promise to offer superb, innovative, family-friendly fare in a social setting.
There’s no shortage of good quality craft beer flowing from the taps of multiple bars and restaurants in South Norwalk. On the flipside, Washington Street has seen a few brewpubs bomb. Now there’s a new beer bar on the block, and before you scoff, and say to yourself, “Really? Another one?” let us tell you what’s different about Spigot Beer.
The first thing you’ll notice is it’s in SoNo, but just slightly out of reach of the main drag. Then you must find it. At least four people saw a photo I posted, some who live on the same street, and still had no idea where Spigot is located. It’s across from the post office and Klaff’s, at the very end of the strip of stores that houses Nagoya, right before the Webster Lot entrance near the front of the 50 Washington Street building. You’re welcome.
“It’s a 21st Century iteration of a 19th Century Inn,” Robert promised. So, before the six of us scattered to warmer climes for the winter, we chose the newly opened Tavern at GrayBarns for our farewell dinner.
After a pre-prandial toast, our party was served an un-presupposing bread and butter plate. Standard fare? Hardly. Executive Chef Ben Freemole had us at first bite.
That homespun bread perfectly captures the ethos of Andy Glazer’s sweeping reconstruction and fortification of the legendary Silvermine Tavern and Inn, its footprint reduced by almost a third. In this new “Haven of Refuge,” both décor and dining dazzle, no detail taken for granted, not even a humble bread and butter starter.
Firefly Hollow Choconaut Porter brownies, Brewport Seventh Inning SIPA BBQ-glazed potato chips, Thimble Island Ruby blondies. If you didn’t pick up on it, there’s a theme here, Connecticut local beer and baked goods. That’s cool, but The Drunk Alpaca is much more than just booze baked cakes and chips.
The Drunk Alpaca was created by friends Stephania Halverson and Jessica Oen, who met when they worked together at Whole Foods in Darien, where Halverson was the bakery manager, and Oen was a kitchen supervisor and head cake decorator. The duo clicked during their time at the grocery store and wanted to do their own thing. Baking was the obvious, logical business to get into.
Simsbury, a bucolic community nestled in the Farmington Valley about 25 minutes north of bustling Hartford, has rarely been considered a culinary hotspot. But unexpectedly, this former mill town is now home to what many critics deem the best new restaurant in Connecticut: Present Company, a small, rustic eatery located in what was once a horse stable astride the Farmington River.
Here the unexpected comes as no surprise. Consider the auspices of its co-owner, Jeffrey Lizotte, the acclaimed former chef at Hartford’s lux On20. His resume includes stints at Eric Ripert’s Le Bernadin and David Bouley’s Danube in New York, and two of France’s highly regarded restaurants, La Rupina in Bordeaux and the Michelin-starred La Bastide St. Antoine in Grasse. After all those glittering dining rooms, what is an award winning chef doing at a relaxed 49 seat venue in what some might call “The Sticks”?
Taproot is one of Fairfield County’s newest chef-driven restaurants. Jeff Taibe (Kawa Ni) and Steph Sweeney (Whelk, Jesup Hall) have teamed up to open the doors to a dining experience that combines a hyper local menu in a charming and down-to-earth setting. If you’re close, it's almost guaranteed to become a contender for a regular hangout spot. If not (but hey, Westport to Bethel is only 30 minutes), it is worth the drive. Thanks to a creative and seasonal menu, it's one of our new favorite spots. And here are just a few reasons why.
First of all: Beacon Falls, Ansonia, Derby, Seymour, Oxford, Naugatuck, Shelton - in acronym, BAD SONS, collectively "The Valley." Once the manufacturing heart of an industrial state, the factories shut down to reopen out west, overseas, or not at all, but their brick shells remained. Once known for hats, watches, and artillery shells, there is new life to be found in old factories in the valley, which have become perfect incubators for the Connecticut brewing industry's baby boom.
The BAD SONS brewery inhabits a space in Derby just down the Housatonic river from the Yale crew team's boathouse, about 300 yds from the Dew Drop Inn. This coal-era brick monolith may be where "BAD SONS" comes to mean "Valley Beer."
I’ve been rabidly following the food news from my hometown of Salem, CT ever since I heard rumor of a brewery opening up by former classmates—Zack and Laura Adams. This awesome husband and wife team have created a beer oasis perfect for hanging out in the sleepy town of Salem. Opened in May, 2017, Fox Farm has been enjoying rave reviews.
I’m really pleased that Zack agreed to an interview with CTbites to share his passion for beer and tell us all about his newly opened brewery.
Opening this week, Taproot will bring a true taste of Connecticut to the plate punctuated with Southern and global influences in a down-to-earth setting. Nearby farms, producers, and foragers will be the source of ingredients for a hyper-local and evolving menu—an unpretentious chef-driven dining experience soon to be situated in the quaint northern Fairfield County town of Bethel.
Why this focus on local? It’s not a trend to chase for Jeff Taibe and Steph Sweeney, Taproot’s partners who live in Bethel and are raising their family there.
The Beer Garden in Shippan Landing is just weeks away from opening for the season!
Imian Partners, owners of the 15,000 square foot waterfront oasis plan to roll up their doors on Thursday May 18th and run through mid-October (weather permitting). The hours of operation are Wednesdays & Thursdays from 4:00pm – 11:00pm; Friday: 3:00pm – 12:00am and Saturday & Sundays 2:00pm – 12:00am.
Throughout the Summer you can expect a variety of special events, including: Country Fest, A Food Truck Mash-up, Burger Throwdown, Yoga Fest and more! And, of course they’ll be opening as only they know how… a weekend long celebration to include cold beer, delicious food, amazing sunsets, live music and more!! As more details become available we’ll be certain to share.
The first hot rod movement was sparked by people who realized cast off objects still had plenty of potential. Kids walking to school in post WWII America passed junkyards where derelict Model T Fords, relics even then, baked in the sun. An after school job's income could net you one of those heaps, and with it came your first taste of independence. Dropping in a salvaged flathead V-8 could make that old bucket loud, fast, and dangerous. The sexy combination was like flypaper to teenagers and young veterans, and their creativity launched an American culture.
Newly opened PizzaCo, just across the street from Two Roads Brewing Company, is one such hot rod. Once the site of several thoroughly defunct gas stations, the old place has been cleaned up, given a new paint job, and had its own motor swap. The driving engine is now a Marra Forni oven. They call their pizza "Garage Fired," and PizzaCo's edge was hiring world champion Bruno DiFabio to create it.
If you’ve attended any craft beer festival in or around Connecticut over the last several years, there’s a good chance you’ve encountered Lock City Brewing Company. Coming late Spring, you won’t have to attend your favorite beer fest to sample their brews. Lock City Brewing Company is putting the finishing touches on a brand new homebase, right here in Stamford.
Head brewer, Michael Bushnell, and co-founder Patrick Casicolo, (sales and marketing) plan to open their flagship location in the Glenbrook/Springdale section of Stamford. I had a chance to meet with Michael Bushnell recently, where he walked me through the space and talked about their plans.
Washington Prime’s Georgetown location has announced a Tuesday night dinner special. The prime rib roast 2-course dinner includes your choice of salad, a 16 oz. prime rib, and a side of mashed potatoes.
On Wednesday March 29, AMG Catering will offer a “Spring Chicken Class.” Learn to prepare healthy and exciting chicken dishes using seasonal spring ingredients. It costs $90 per person and goes from 7-9pm.
New Haven’s Shell & Bones Oyster Bar has an all new brunch cocktail menu. Four new cocktails will be offered alongside their “Breakfast Bloody Mary.” There will also be three non-alcoholic drinks. Join them for brunch Friday-Sunday after 11am.
Guinness & Co., based in Norwalk CT, and Two Roads Brewing Company, based in Stratford CT, today announce two small batch beers brewed in collaboration and to be released in May of 2017.
The first collaboration will be brewed at the Open Gate Brewery, St James’s Gate in Dublin, Ireland, and will be served to visitors of the Open Gate Brewery taproom. The second beer will be brewed shortly afterwards at Two Roads Brewing Co.’s brewery in Connecticut and will be served to visitors at the brewery.
Mark your calendars. On Monday, March 20th, the first day of spring, tickets will go on sale for the 2017 season of Outstanding In The Field.
The 2017 CT locations will be held at Waldingfield Farm on September 12th and The Hickories on September 13th. The guest chefs for Waldingfield will be Jason Sobocinski & Alex Lishchynsky of Caseus in New Haven. The Hickories will feature James Beard nominee Tyler Anderson of Millwright's in Simsbury. Additional details on chefs and farms can be found below.
Poised to celebrate its 10th year with Chef Tim LeBant at the helm, The Schoolhouse at Cannondale has long been on my radar. When a friend recently asked me to dinner I jumped at the chance. Nestled among the charming shops at the Cannondale train station, the one room schoolhouse is as delightful from the exterior as it is inside. A small entryway outfitted with a tiny bar area is separated from the dining area by a small curtained doorway, while many framed accolades set the mood for an excellent meal.
CTBites' own James Gribbon will once again join the expert judges panel at the third Connecticut Blind Beer Awards on April 15th. The Blind Beer Awards have winners in both Peoples Choice and Experts Choice categories, but no one present knows what beer they've been served until the winners are announced. This more scientific method was developed by the Blind Rhino owners and host Ken Tuccio to keep the awards from being a mere popularity contest.
Chef Brian Lewis' The Cottage is spreading its wings just in time for the new year...or rather its footprint, with a beautiful new expanded bar area. Lewis has taken over the adjacent space, once housing a barber shop, and has spent the last few months building out the perfect drink haven. The new bar area will have full service dining at the 10 seat bar alongside creative cocktails, local draft beer and an expanded wine program. Another addition is bartender, Ralph Leon who has been in the business for over 18 years, and has some very exciting new drinks planned for 2017.
Beer is traditionally kept on ice, so it only makes sense for BeerConn to take place in a hockey arena. Thus it was again as 50 breweries from Connecticut and beyond came together at the arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, where a single ticket included unlimited tastings, and raised money for Kids Need More, a motivational camp for children with life threatening illnesses.
Two Roads, quickly becoming the most widely known Connecticut beer in the nation after only fours years in existence, was in attendance, along with home state brewers such as Black Hog, Hooker, Relic, Thimble Island, and New England Brewing Company, who showed up with two nationally sought after beers, Coriolis and Locust Reign.
There's magic, though, in the unexpected, and I was excited to see some Connecticut brewers still in their infancy in attendance, including Brass Works (Waterbury), Fairfield Craft Ales (Stratford), Brewport (Bridgeport) and Hanging Hills (Hartford).
