Filtering by Tag: Latin American,Venezuelan

Chango Rosa Eclectic & Creative Pan-Latin in Hartford (+ Killer Tacos)

Restaurant Latin American Mexican Cocktails Hartford County Hartford Lunch Tacos Homepage

Ramin Ganeshram

There are a lot of good reasons to head to Hartford. I’m particularly love with the collection at the Wadworth Atheneum Museum of Art and its former director’s hoax-house mansion—two of the many things to do in Connecticut’s capital city where you can visit the home of quirky American satirist, Mark Twain.

No less unusual but equally inspiring is Chango Rosa a pan-Latin fusion restaurant in downtown Hartford situated within walking distance of State Capital Park across from Union Station.

Featuring an eclectic pan-Latin inspired menu and vibrant, fun décor Chango Rosa is less about authentic Latin foods and more about creatively using Latin ingredients and cooking methods as inspiration.

“We want our cooks to be cooks and our mixologists to be mixologists.  We want them to explore their creativity first,” says David Gilmore, Chango Rosa’s Executive Chef, formerly of Infinity Bistro. “For me that’s about experimenting and finding unique ways to get the best out of the ingredients and flavors.”

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Kala Bistro Opens in North Haven From Olea Chef, Manuel Romero

Restaurant Hamden North Haven New Haven Openings Lunch Spanish Latin American Asian

Lou Gorfain

Though open for just two weeks, Kala Bistro has already attracted a small throng of regulars. The night we dined, the staff recognized more than half the patrons, greeting them warmly, like old friends.

Our server, Rose Ledee, pointed out a couple at a table on the patio. “This is the third time they’ve come in the past week!” she gushed, proudly. 

In contrast to the formal, fine dining of Olea, Manuel Romero’s acclaimed Spanish hot spot in downtown New Haven, his new restaurant is suburban, relaxed, and very much a part of a bustling neighborhood that borders North Haven and Hamden. Lower-keyed (and lower-priced), the bistro menu is far more global and just as scrumptious. 

Consider the Bao Pork Belly, the epitome of Chinese dim sum. The sweet, soft bun pillows a slice of savory, chewy pork belly, their contrasting textures framed by a crunchy cucumber disk, tart pickled carrots, briny hoisin, and mustard seeds. Despite the complexity of flavors, Chef Romero has created a sandwich that tastes surprisingly simple and subtle. 

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Antojos Brings Authentic & Excellent Colombian Fare To Norwalk

Restaurant Columbian Latin American Lunch Delicious Dives Norwalk Homepage

Andrew Dominick

You could speed right through the Broad River section of Norwalk and not even know Antojos was there. Being from Norwalk, and still residing here, I pride myself on knowing what’s in the area, but this small Colombian restaurant that opened last December was off my radar until recently. If not for a couple of friends—both of whom are Colombian—who posted mouthwatering photos and their own rave reviews of Antojos, I still might not have noticed Antojos as it sits in the corner of one of New Canaan Avenue’s strip malls, in the space that was formerly Lou’s Pizza. 

Antojos is a small spot, with seating for maybe 25 customers. There’s booth seating on one side of each table, with cushy pillows for added back comfort, and chairs on the other side for non-booth loving people. Also, there’s a wooden bin of silverware on each table, so you won’t have to bother asking for an extra fork or spoon should you require a fresh one, or for sharing purposes. Walk in, have a seat, and you’ll promptly be greeted with fast, friendly service. 

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Bistro Du Soleil Opens in Westport: A French Mediterranean Gem

Restaurant Mediterranean French Latin American Lunch westport Openings Homepage

Fairfield County Foodie

The Muñoz del Castillo family has done it again and opened a winner in Westport, Bistro Du Soleil. You may recognize the name from their Norwalk location (which sadly closed), their prior catering business, as well as one of our favorite Mexican spots, Rincon in Norwalk. This same family has opened a tiny gem by the Saugatuck train station, serving Mediterranean cuisine with strong classic French undertones. From the escargot and Gambas Al Ajlllo to the Magret Duck Breast and gorgeous Beef Bourgignon, this BYOB venue is not to be missed. Bistro Du Soleil and the Muñoz family truly understand the art of both hospitality and simply delicious food.   

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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.”

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Pito Sofrito Food Truck: Authentic Puerto Rican Fare in Stamford

Restaurant Puerto Rican Latin American Stamford Food Truck Delicious Dives Comfort Food Kid Friendly Lunch Homepage Catering

Peter Dunay

For me, it's hard not to be attracted to the scent of frying empanadas and Puerto Rican music which is why I found myself gravitating towards Pito Sofrito today. Pito Sofrito is a mobile food truck located in Stamford. CT and usually hangs around Atlantic and Bell street near the Veterans Park during lunch hours. They are serving up fresh, authentic Puerto Rican cuisine to the masses and we just can't get enough. The proprietors of the truck are two Puerto Rican natives who grew up cooking in the kitchen with their grandmother and mother which after all is where all great recipes, memories, and traditions are born. They came over in 2003 and made the intrepid plunge into the food truck industry just six months ago and have experienced great success.

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2017 Guide to Latin American Markets in Connecticut

Features Ingredients Special Dietary Needs Specialty Market Ingredients Latin American

Anna Bendiksen

The diverse cuisines that the cultures of Latin America gave the world are well represented in Connecticut. Markets in our state serve more than 540,000 Hispanic residents---and foodies of other ethnic origins who pass over Ortega taco kits for more enlightened fare. Whether you’re making corn tortillas from scratch, seeking beautifully ripe fruit at a great price, looking to pick up a luscious pastry, or preparing your grandmother’s mole, these stores are well worth the trip. Here’s your guide to Connecticut’s best Latin American markets.

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The Corner Restaurant in Milford: A Delicious Breakfast Adventure

Restaurant American Delicious Dives Milford Breakfast Lunch Latin American

Lou Gorfain

Photo courtesy of CTWeekender.comAs the name implies, The Corner began as a small mom and pop breakfast place -- just around the corner in Milford.  Back then, nineteen years ago to be exact, Michelle and Amer Lebel mostly catered to the neighborhood, rarely filling their homey 50 seat café.

The eggs, potatoes and toast were damn good. But the star of the show arrived with the Stuffed French Toast: split French bread, filled with fresh, sugared fruit and berries, bathed in an egg batter laced with orange zest, nutmeg and cinnamon, then deep fried to a golden brown and served under a puddle of nutty maple syrup. The luscious confection scored an immediate hit, eventually inspiring a morning menu as adventuresome, imaginative, and playful as any in Connecticut, if not the country.

Today, Michelle and Amer’s creative breakfasts have been featured on network television and celebrated in all manner of social media.

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First Taste: El Segundo Opens in Sono Starring The Spread's Carlos Baez

Restaurant American Cocktails Norwalk SONO Venezuelan Mexican Indian Latin American

Lou Gorfain

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)   

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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.

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La Esquina Opens in Stamford: Authentic Latin Cuisine Just Around The Corner

Restaurant Brazilian Delicious Dives Peruvian Stamford Latin American

Sarah Green

You know that little place, right around the corner? The one that serves just that dish you were craving? The one that serves food you just know comes from a parent or grandparent’s tried-and-true recipe? You know the place, your go-to joint, always reliable, where you don’t have to dress up and you don’t have to spend a fortune?  Well, “La Esquina,” literally, “the corner,” is just THAT place, serving up authentic South American yummies with home-style flare and flavors that impress.

La Esquina Latin Grill, right on “the corner” at 50 Hamilton Avenue in Stamford, is a labor of love for the young and extremely talented co-owner and head chef, Robert Monegro. Chef Robert grew up in Stamford with his Guatemalan mother and Dominican father, both chefs. He decided that after learning all he could by growing up in the kitchen of his parents’ restaurant, Flamboyant in Stamford, he would put his own mark on the culinary map of Fairfield County. And he is doing just that.

 

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Basso Café Restaurant in Norwalk Adds Wine Bar + New Menu

Restaurant Italian New Canaan Norwalk Venezuelan Wine Bar

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger

Several years ago CTbites visited Basso Café Restaurant on New Canaan Avenue in Norwalk and was very impressed with many of the dishes created by Owner / Chef Renato Donzelli. Since that time Chef Renato has maintained his vision of creating a wine bar to complement the food, and that is now a reality as Basso Café Restaurant is now Basso Café Restaurant Wine Bar.

The interior has been updated with large, vibrant paintings along one wall, smaller modern pieces along the other wall overseeing the 60 seat dining area. The lighting is soft and inviting and acoustical tiles have been installed to reduce the noise level. After the recent receipt of a full liquor license, guests can now benefit from Chef Renato’s pairing of wines to balance the vibrant flavors of his cuisine and the rear of the restaurant now showcases the bar area with a selection of personally selected spirits, including organic vodkas. 

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Aarón Sánchez & Chris Batemen Unveil Seasonal Menu At Paloma, Stamford

Restaurant Celebrity Chef Stamford Lunch Latin American

Lou Gorfain

After a bloggers’ tasting at Paloma in Stamford’s Harbor Point, CTBites sat down with Chef de Cuisine Chris Bateman to review the menu -- and his creative relationship with celebrity chef-owner Aarón Sánchez.

Bateman is a culinary prodigy. Fresh from CIA, the young chef opened Four Seasons Restaurants and Hotels around the world. So debuting Paloma last summer wasn’t his first big time rodeo. Sánchez may be its star, but Bateman runs the day-to-day show.

We wondered how much the celeb is involved in the creation of Paloma’s menu. “Very much,” Bateman replies. “We work closely. But he’s wide open to my ideas, and listens really well.”   The unshaven, still youthful chef, sporting jeans and a Yankee cap worn backwards, confides, “Aarón is the reason I’ve stayed here.  I love cooking with him.”

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JOJOTO Brings Venezuelan Cuisine to Branford, Opening August 2014

Features Restaurant Branford Venezuelan

Amy Kundrat

The Venezuelan-inspired Jojoto Restaurant + Bar is opening in Branford this August. Owner Victor Figueroa and Neil Fuentes, our favorite Singing Chef, have teamed up for a restaurant that is "high-energy, Latin infused with authentic Venezuelan dishes."

Jojoto will open in a 40-seat intimate dining room that was previously occupied by Augie's Restaurant. The menu will feature rustic and traditional recipes that take inspiration from the land as well as the nearby shoreline, and include:

Costillas de Res of sofrito and cabernet braised short ribs with polenta, gremolata and truffle essence; Venezuelan BBQ with beef tenderloin, chicken, pork, choice of chorizo or blood sausage, yuca, guasacaca and crema fresca; Hamburguesa Venezolana piled high with lettuce, tomato, ham, queso, avocado, bacon, crushed potato chips, slaw, ketchup, mustard, garlic sauce, topped with a duck egg and served with truffle fries; Pabellon Criollo with rice, black beans, shredded beef and sweet plantains; and Gallinita Rellena, deboned, crispy skin Cornish hen stuffed with leeks and sweet plantain with an orange, lemon grass and honey reduction. Seasonal paella preparations and market fresh fish dishes change daily. 

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Chef Aarón Sánchez Gives CTbites Preview of Paloma Restaurant, Opening in Stamford July 21

Restaurant Celebrity Chef Stamford Mexican Latin American

Lou Gorfain

I never thought “gourmet” and “Mexican” belonged in the same sentence. Until I had dinner at Zarela's, a Mexican restaurant which had just opened on Second Ave. back in 1987.  A revelation!  Zarela Martinez orchestrated textures and flavors just as artfully and lovingly as the new chefs who were redefining Manhattan’s food scene.  Zarela’s fast became the Nobu of Mexican food, one of the hottest spots in town. There,  I learned the magic of mole and the enchantment that truffles could lend to an enchilada.  

A generation later, Aarón Sánchez, the Food Channel’s charismatic Mexican rock star chef, hopes that his new Stamford restaurant Paloma (opening Monday, July 21st, in Harbor Point) will similarly introduce Connecticut to the fire and the finesse of fine Mexican and Latin American cuisines.  Revelations run in the family --  Aarón  (pronounced "AH-rone") is Zarela's son.

For all his celebrity, Sánchez feels he remains not only in his mother's debt, but also her shadow.

"I honor her because she did it first," he told us when we chatted last week, a comfortable conversation marked by his humility and respect.

"I believe family is at the center of the Mexican experience."

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TIERRA Opens in Westport: Locally Sourced, Latin-American Gem

Farm to Table Mexican Latin American

Sarah Green

Desperately seeking authentic Latin inspired cuisine with a strong Mexican flair and some cocktails that can render you “muy feliz?”  TIERRA could be the place for you. Deep, down (way down, under SPRUCE on the Post Road) in the heart of Westport is the new TIERRA, love child of married chefs Sue Torres and Darren Carbone. Torres - previously chef in such notable jaunts as La Grenouille, The 21 Club and former owner of Suenos in lower Manhattan  -and hubby Carbone (Rosa Mexicano and Alma De Cuba in PA) have created a cozy and inviting restaurant that has Westport diners in a chile infused tizzy. Complete with outside seating for 30 (perhaps not the greatest view but who cares, it’s summer!) and indoor seating for at least 45 - including a beautiful private dining room for 16 or so, TIERRA lures you in and treats you right.

Chef Carbone is always on duty and on our first visit, showed us around his well appointed kitchen and dining room. The cast iron, homemade tortilla press - a rarity - is in plain view and sous chef Mario was busy breaking down lobster and fresh Bronzini for the evening’s freshest picks. 

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Valencia Luncheria's Carlo Arepa Recipe c/o Fairfield County Chef's Table

Features Norwalk Venezuelan

Amy Kundrat and Stephanie Webster

If you thought arepa's were our of your reach in your own kitchen, think again. This week we are bringing you a recipe from one of the our reader favorite spots—Valencia Luncheria in Norwalk, featured in Fairfield County Chef's Table—featuring one of their most popular dishes, the Carlo Arepa. 

Valencia Luncheria
164 Main Street, Norwalk, CT 06851 | (203) 846-8009 | valencialuncheria.com

Carlo Arepa (serves 4)

For the chicken filling:

1 (31/2-pound) whole chicken
1 large white onion, julienned
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 poblano pepper, julienned

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Restaurant Scene Explodes @ Stamford's Harbor Point

Restaurant Deli Frozen Yogurt Stamford Latin American Burgers

Lou Gorfain

Hard to believe, but spring beckons.  It’s just a few days away. And along with hyacinths and daffodils, a number of new eateries will soon be blossoming at Stamford's Harbor Point -- just in time for those hazey lazey dayz.  (Yes Virginia, there is a Summer)  

At the spectacular 6000 square foot Glass Garden on the waterfront, Aaron Sanchez is now shooting for a Cinco de Mayo opening for his new latin themed resto.   As CTBites first reported last year, Sanchez will be working his spanish sorcery in a sexy, high end dining, cocktail and wine lounge space.  But there's a name change:  “Alegre”  has become “Poloma”

According to Jon Sabrowski, Harbor Point's Leasing Director, a bouquet of other new eateries are targeting a Memorial Day opening.   Among them is an American grill from South End Hospitality, whose pedigree includes Black Bear, Darien Social, Bobby Q's and McFadden’s. The tap house will feature a rooftop bar, offering a panoramic view of the harbor and the Sound beyond.  (Yes Virginia, there are sea breezes.)  The restaurant faces the 22 story twin towered apartment complex currently under construction  (We can report that the 242 unit complex will not be the hotel-condo once envisioned.)

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Baro New World Cantina: Latin American Tapas in Fairfield

Restaurant Brazilian Mexican Latin American

Sarah Green

Craving some Latin American delicacies? Head over to 1229 Post Road in Fairfield and check out the brand-spankin'-new BARO' New WORLD CANTINA, the latest labor of love brought to you by the Reyes family (also owners of MEZON and 2 other restaurants in Danbury.) The wine list is mostly Spanish but the food selection - served mostly "tapas" style - comes from Brazil, Uraguay, Argentina, Mexico and the Dominican Republic where Juan and Richard Reyes and family were born. The decor is welcoming and stylish, complete with a glass-faced ceviche bar which looks onto the bustling and aroma filled kitchen. Dark wood tables and benches, some high tops and a large bar as well as birch branch wall decorations are inviting. But the food's the thing. We'll be back for a more intensive review but here are our first impressions:
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Bistro Latino: Chef Rafael Palomino Comes to Old Greenwich

Restaurant Celebrity Chef Greenwich Spanish Latin American

Lou Gorfain

Acclaimed chef, author and restaurateur Rafael Palomino recently opened Bistro Latino in the space first occupied by Boxing Cat Café and then Greenwich Tavern in Old Greenwich.  The vast dining room has been done over in dark wood flooring which is flanked by racked walls that flaunt an extensive portfolio of international wines. 

Palomino won his food-star stripes when he opened Sonora in Manhattan almost two decades ago, introducing Manhattan to Nuevo Latino cuisine, and earning raves from the city’s food critics. Sonora's wild success inspired Rafael to bring his unique cooking style to satellite restaurants in New Haven, Tuckahoe, and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  Sonora now lives in Port Chester.

Despite its name, Greenwich's Bistro Latino is not really Nuevo Latino since the dishes are more of Spain than Latin and South America.  Rafael has created a menu that features European tapas and paella -- which he anoints with flavors from his Columbian and Queens roots. "Spanish bathed in Picante Style," is how the restaurant describes it.  As a result, Bistro Latino is really more about invention than tradition.  

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