One of the best parts about being on the road in the summer in Connecticut is stopping at a drive-in for a quick but tasty meal. The state has many such spots, but here are 8 of the most tried and true.
Sea Swirl, Mystic: It's easy to spot Sea Swirl as the former Carvel location, but the focus now is on fried seafood, especially clams, scallops, and oysters.
The Sycamore, Bethel: Known for its steak burgers and homemade root beer, as well as its carhops and 1950's ambiance. Be sure to check out their web site for cruise nights and and other special events.
Harry's Place, Colchester: Looking for a real juicy burger? Harry's shapes its patties into a ball, puts them on a grill, and then gradually flattens them with a spatula. The results have brought customers back every summer for decades.
I can admit when I have a problem. Connecticut has several great food trucks, and I social media stalk a bunch of them. The addiction is obviously the food, then there’s this game of being able to track down the truck or trucks in question. Will I be free? Where will the truck be? What time? And for how long will they be there?
One that I played cat and mouse with recently was The Colombian Hot Dog, a mobile trailer that specializes in Colombian fast food. They were put on my radar by a local photographer friend who spent some time shooting The Colombian Hot Dog crew in action one summer night. He suggested I check them out, but it took a while since the truck is only parked in Norwalk one night per week.
After seven years in business, it feels like it's about time to celebrate one of the old school CT food trucks, Weenie Lynn's. Weenie's is a family-owned & operated hot dog and specialty sandwich truck that has been serving the local food scene since spring of 2011. The truck is based in Danbury CT, but they are more than happy to bring their delicious dogs (and five kids) all over the tri state area...and they do. Weenie's serve two sizes of 100% All-Beef Hot Dogs (over 20 toppings & condiments), as well as Bratwurst, Kielbasa, and fresh-cut (never frozen) french fries, They also feature an ever growing menu of delicious sandwiches, many of them riffs off the classic grilled cheese.
Escape to a different era where comfort food is locally sourced, you are served with compassion and a smile on a garden patio, and you can experience a country feel that makes our fast-paced world slow down just a bit. This cute date (BYO), family fun and good vibe spot is something special to CT that you simply shouldn’t miss.
Heibeck’s in Wilton opened in 1931 and has been family run for four generations. Back then, George Heibeck and Katherine Dhly Heibeck stayed up all night to hand churn over 100 of their original ice cream flavors to perfection, and then served the creamy goodness to their loyal customers daily. Though their ice cream is no longer produced on premises, the family prides itself upon the use of local food sources.
Shack®is thrilled to announce it will open its doors on Friday, April 27that 11AM. The West Hartford Shack will be located at Corbin's Corner, 1445 New Britain Avenue, West Hartford, CT. This marks Shake Shack’s fourth Connecticut Shack, with existing locations in Darien, New Haven and Westport.
In addition to the Shack classics, the West Hartford Shack will be spinning up a selection of custom frozen custard concretes: Shack Attack (chocolate custard, fudge sauce, chocolate truffle cookie dough, Mast Brothers Shake Shack dark chocolate chunks, topped with chocolate sprinkles), Cookie Butter Blender (vanilla custard, cookie butter, chocolate toffee and chocolate sprinkles)and Pie Oh My (vanilla custard and slice of Four & Twenty Blackbirds seasonal pie).
Food, like any other aspect of human culture, has its landmarks. Local touchstones, the food you grew up with can be felt from great distances away, even by people who didn't grow up nearby. Ask just about anyone across the world what constitutes American food and chances are "hamburger" will be in their top two answers. The burger's invention at Louis Lunch in New Haven is well known and, regionally, so is Danny's Drive-In in Stratford. This is why a "For Sale" sign on the building has met with such concern - it's only been seen twice before in 83 years.
One of my favorite new-ish restaurants to pop up in the culinary hot spot of Mystic, Connecticut is the hip Engine Room. This outstanding restaurant highlights fresh, unique food served in a welcoming, very Instagrammable atmosphere. Let’s talk through their scrumptious menu while settling into their comfortable seats and remarking on their friendly staff.
Whether you think brunch is overrated or not, you should find your way to the Engine Room for a leisurely Sunday brunch with friends. Set inside an open wood and brick interior, with metal chairs and shiny black leather booth seating, you’ll feel comfortable enough to linger over your meal, and unlike many crowded establishments, you won’t feel rushed by the staff.
Back to the menu, which has something for traditional sweet breakfast lovers and those who aren’t really into breakfast foods (oh, the horror!).
Lorca Coffee Barhas just opened their second location in Cos Cob, CT inside Fleisher's Craft Butcher shop. Coffee + Meat...works for me.
The menu at Lorca Greenwich will be slightly different than that at their Stamford location. They will still be serving up some of the best coffee in CT alongside baked goods and breakfast treats, including their manchego, sage pesto, and egg breakfast sandwich. However, they have leveraged the new relationship with Fleishers's and improved upon their "classic" - bacon, egg and cheese by adding a house-smoked tomato jam and using Fleisher's bacon.
They will also be adding empanadas made with Fleisher's chorizo, cheddar and salsa, and a Spanish tortilla that owner, Leyla Jenkins, has been making since she was a little girl. This is a typical Spanish frittata made with potatoes, onions, and eggs and served with a side salad and some smoked paprika aioli. Breakfast bowls and salads will be found on the menu in the near future.
Lorca Coffee Bar @ Fleisher's Craft Butcher 160 E. Putnam Avenue, Cos Cob
Shake Shack CT and Shake Shacks around the nation have some exciting news: At the end of this month, chili is coming to Shake Shack. They will debut a chili-themed menu available via the Shack App exclusive starting Monday, October 30th and available for in-Shack ordering on Thursday, November 2nd.
They will be serving up the Chili Cheeseburger, Chili Cheese Dog and Chili Cheese Fries for a limited time. INSIDER TIP:Though you won’t see it listed on the menu, ask your Shack for a side of chili to score a cup. The chili menu includes:
Chili Cheeseburger:Cheeseburger topped with smoked and slow braised beef chili with ancho and chile de arbol peppers
Chili Cheese Dog: Vienna beef hot dog topped with smoked and slow braised beef chili with ancho and chile de arbol peppers
Chili Cheese Fries:Crinkle cut fries topped with smoked and slow braised beef chili with ancho and chile de arbol peppers
Walter's Hot Dogs opens today in Stamford at 200 Commons Park South at Harbor Point. This 100-year-old hot dog institution is serious business and has ton of accolades. At the Stamford location, customers can expect all the good stuff that’s made Walter’s a popular destination for locals and tourists alike; curly fries, fried potato puffs, homemade hand-scooped ice cream and Italian ice, and funnel cake fries dusted with powdered sugar. Additionally, you’ll be able to enjoy a Walter’s item that was previously only available on their food trucks, the Puffy Dog, a hot dog (or double it, if you dare) served with fried and smashed potato puffs in the bun.
After being closed for 13 years, a Stratford legend has returned!
Finally, and to much anticipation, Cricket Car Hop has reemerged in Lordship over Independence Day weekend to sling burgers, fries, shakes, and foot longs once again.
The original, which opened in the mid-1950s, closed in 2004, and was located on Main Street, almost exactly a mile away from where they are now on Access Road. Running the show at the sequel version of the popular hot dog hut is co-owner Stacy DiCostanzo—who worked as a cook at Cricket from 1980 until it closed—and her husband, Ron, who handles day-to-day general manager duties.
Get ready, Stamford, an almost 100-year-old hot dog institution, with a ton of accolades, is opening just in time for your summer sausage eating pleasure. Walter’s Hot Dogs is set to split, grill, and slather up their famed franks in early to mid-August, located in the space by the fountain in Commons Park, previously occupied by Mr. Frosty’s and The Hut. The Harbor Point edition of Walter’s is their second big reveal in just a few months as they announced a White Plains location would be opening sometime this fall.
Tucked down a side street in downtown Hard Hittin’ (New Britain), Riley’s Hot Dog and Burger Gourmet is turning out some of the most creative dogs and burgers around. From the Nacho Poppa Dog to wild creations brimming with mac ‘n cheese, you’ll find combinations you never dreamed of. But this little “mom and pop” shop isn’t run by a husband and wife team. Rick Charamut and Deb Dalena are two friends, now business partners, who once worked together in a sign shop. “We both kind of needed a change of pace,” Rick says.
Laura Downey and Chris Palumbo, co-owners of Fairfield Cheese Company, will open Greenwich Cheese Company at 154 East Putnam Avenue in the Cos Cob section of Greenwich, CT, December 11, 2014.
Building on the success of Laura and Chris’ popular Fairfield Cheese Company, which opened in 2009, the new location will carry on the tradition of offering the area’s best selection of cut-to-order from larger wheels, artisanal and farmstead cheese from around the world and artisanal cheeses from here in the US, in addition to an array of small batch handmade charcuterie and specialty food accompaniments.
Laura and Chris take their craft seriously and are both the only retail owners in Connecticut to be American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professionals (ACS CCP), a certification that only a few hundred people have nationwide. Adding to the talented team is Greenwich store manager Kevin DeFreitas who brings 15 years of cheesemongering experience to this new endeavor and has worked with such industry pros as Ken Skovron from the Darien Cheese Shop.
Fjord Fish Market has some big news for sushi lovers. Fjord Fish Market started selling sushi at their Cos Cob and New Canaan locations a few months ago, and the Westport sushi program will launch in August. You'll never have to wonder about the freshness or quality of the fish you're eating at Fjord because first and foremost Fjord is one of Fairfield County's finest fish markets. Trust us...it's good.
“The Fjord name has always been synonymous with the highest quality seafood, says Owner Jim Thistle. Adding Sushi to our product mix is a natural extension of the brand”.
Sushi at Fjord is hand rolled daily, under the guidance of a Manhattan-trained Sushi Master who has over a decade of experience. Some of the most popular items include the volcano roll—a California roll topped with baked lobster salad and spicy sauce-- and the Fjord tower, a scrumptious roll filled with Tuna, Avocado, Crabmeat, Lobster Salad and a blend of sauces.
You can be sure the fish in our sushi is of the same premium quality as all the Seafood that they sell at Fjord, where they carefully source and select only the top of the catch. All of Fjord's seafood is also free of antibiotics and colorings.
The Drawing Room in Cos Cob has announced a June 22nd date for the next Artist’s Table Dinner Series event.For those unfamiliar with The Drawing Room, it is an intimate gem, with a small dining room and garden patio that extends the tiny restaurant in the warm seasons and a newly remodeled art gallery in the space adjacent to the cafe.
“The Artist’s Table”, is a seated, plated dinner, with limited seating, situated right in their beautiful gallery, featuring local farms, artisanal cheeses and fresh, local ingredients, which highlight particular artworks and artists in their current exhibit. This Dinner Series is an exciting combination, bringing together art and food lovers and alike.
Their executive chef, Paul Lockely will be teaming up with Bjorn Eicke of Thomas Henkelmann to artfully create a five course dinner inspired by artworks from the current exhibition, "Ebb and Flow."
Each course is well thought-out and inspired by the current collection of artwork in the gallery. (See menu below) In other words, each dish is based on a piece of artwork.
The Little Pubyou know from Ridgefield and Wilton is opening its third location down south in Cos Cob, and CTbites received a sneak peek at the interior and plans for this new venture, now under construction. When Little Pub opened its doors in Ridgefield back in 2009 with its cozy feel of an alpine lodge meeting an English pub, it rapidly became the go-to spot for casual family friendly pub fare with a beer list that rivaled any bar around.. Fireplaces and rough wood beams graced the white plastered walls, and in a town filled with higher end chef-driven restaurants, Little Pub sets itself apart with a simple, well executed comfort food menu that appeals to both kids and adults.
When CTbites asked Owner, Doug Grabe, and Operations Manager, Lars Anderson why Cos Cob, , both said “the people asked for it.” Turns out, restaurant owners do read those Comment Cards, and the cards at Little Pub said “we need you in Greenwich,” specifically Cos Cob whose demographics skew heavily towards families.
Wilton residents, rejoice! Little Pub's second location is now open at 26 Danbury Road in Wilton. They will offer the same fare, and thanks to a much larger kitchen, will also be offering some new items. Check it out and please let us know what you think!
For the latest on their menu and what's on tap, check out littlepub.com and stay tuned to their Facebook page.
Déjà vu all over again so…Mangia, Mangia Mangia…and Mangia again...
We recently recommended several places that are serving up delicious Bolognese and promised more. So here is our second, and last, installment of 2013 Recommended Pasta Bolognese of Fairfield County that includes two slight variations of the traditional sauce, one with chicken and another with oxtail. Let the games begin...and let the lipitor flow for these 2 brave diners who sampled Bolognese from all over Fairfield County.
FromCotto in Stamford to The Spread in SoNo to Louie's in Cos Cob, we bring you tasting notes on 10 more Bologneses.
Tucked behind Cozy’s Cuts for Kids in Cos Cob, is a gem called The Drawing Room. It is a combined 12-seat tea room and home décor boutique, with a garden patio that extends the tiny restaurant in the warm seasons. After many years of living and dining in Fairfield County, I thought I had exhausted all lunch possibilities, until a friend took me to The Drawing Room and I had one of those ‘aha’ moments where I couldn’t believe I didn’t know about it earlier.
Opened in 2005 by husband and wife, Michael and Kenleigh Larock, The Drawing Room is a perfect spot to meet a friend for a quiet lunch. And if the weather cooperates, you can’t beat dining al fresco on their cozy patio, amidst a small herb garden, where you might even observe your server picking a few mint leaves to garnish the daily selection of infused tea. On a recent balmy September afternoon, I sat on the patio and enjoyed just such a lunch and solid catch-up session with a friend.
