NEW CTbites Hot Dish Podcast Episode: The CTbites Family Edition #1 Interview Features Podcast Stephanie Webster February 14, 2019 CTbites Hot Dish Podcast is back with Episode 2: CTbites Family Edition #1. Break bread (no...literally) with the CTbites team Chez Webster. Join Stephanie Webster, Andrew Dominick, Kristin L. Wolfe and our host, Marysol Castro, for a lively conversation about CT restaurant openings, favorite meals, the issue of "reviewer vs. critic”…all while we polish off a bottle of bourbon. How do you listen to CTbites Hot Dish? CTbites Hot Dish is a bi-weekly podcast. To listen, use PODCAST App (or any podcast player).Search for CTbites Hot Dish or click here.SUBSCRIBE to CTbites Hot DishYou can also listen via CTbites.com hereEnjoy at your leisure. Read More
Nibble: Tasty & Boozy Food Events for February 17-24th Features Events News Emma Jane-Doody Stetson February 14, 2019 In honor of National Margarita Day on February 22nd, join Harlan Publick, Evarito's, Cantiki, El Segundo, Tablao Wine Bar & Restaurant and Saltwater Sono for a Margarita Crawl! Enjoy $5 House Margaritas all day long at each location! ($8 Premium Margaritas will also be available.Learn how to cook Indian food with Chef Prasad on Saturday February 23, 2019 @ 1 PM. Dishes include Hyderabadi, Biryani & many others. Limited Seating…Email reservation only to chef@chefprasad.com. Barcelona Wine Bar in Stamford hosts an “I Dream of Summer Suckling Pig Dinner Party” on Thursday 2/21 from 7-10pm. Chef Michael Lucente ic cooking up a suckling pig roast, tapas, and serving them with sangria & cocktails to match. Tickets are $40. Artisan West Hartford is unveiling two new “O’Keeffe Cocktails and Cuisine,” in support of The New Britain Museum of Art and Architecture’s new Georgia O’Keeffe installation (running February 22-June, 2019). Sample the gorgeous “Cocktail Art” at Artisan on Thursday, February 21st from 4:30pm-6:00pm at an “O’Keeffe Cocktail Party”. Read More
Guide to Gluten Free Dining in Connecticut Via Gluten Free New England Features Restaurant Gluten-Free Special Dietary Needs Specialty Market Best of CT Homepage Gluten-Free New England February 10, 2019 This comprehensive guide to gluten-free dining in Connecticut is brought to you by Abby Kelly, founder of Gluten-Free New England. Connecticut has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to gluten-free dining. And, as the number of people avoiding gluten rises at record pace, the number of restaurants working to accommodate them is absolutely skyrocketing. Although this makes going out to eat really fun, it also makes the job of compiling a list of favorites really difficult. And so, we present to you some of our favorite restaurants offering excellent gluten-free options. If we missed one of your favorites, please add your spot to the comments section below. Read More
D2 Interieurs Valentine's Day Gift Guide For the Stylish Foodie Features Entertaining Gift Guide Shopping Design Style D2 Interieurs February 06, 2019 Denise Davies of D2 Interieurs dishes on great gifts for your Valentine. Let your gifts speak from the heart AND the taste buds. The list has something for everyone, from the chef to the foodie this curated go-to is sure to please even the pickiest Valentine. Read More
Valentine's Day CT Gift Guide: Cocktails Kits, Chocolates, Classes, Boozy Treats & More! Features Gift Guide Holiday Homepage April Guilbault February 03, 2019 Pitter pat, pitter pat. Oh, be still my heart! Although, some might argue that the sound they hear around this time of the year is the sound of pure dread. Embrace this holiday of love and get your cupid on! Back to that pitter pat you are hearing. What to do to surprise your Valentine? There is so much out there beyond the usual bunch of overpriced red roses and glittery greeting card-not that we have anything against glitter, mind you. Behold! We have found cocktail kits, chocolate-making classes, specialty brews and wines. Oh, what fun this day of love shall be! Best part is that so many of these great (lovely?) ideas can be done throughout the year…so that you declare your love again and again and again…. Read More
80+ CT Restaurants & Events for Valentine's Day Features Holiday Homepage Emma Jane-Doody Stetson February 03, 2019 Love is in the air! Are you feeling romantic? These Connecticut restaurants, bars, and venues are serving up prix fixe menus, special dishes, and other festivities. Get your special someone and partake in these dining delights that would make cupid proud.Homestead Inn, Greenwich: The Homestead Inn will serve a prix fixe Valentine’s Dinner for $90 per person, plus tax and gratuity.On20, Hartford: At On20 in Hartford, feast on a 6-Course Tasting for $160 per person, which includes beverage pairings. Dishes include caviar, foie gras torchon, lobster, beef tenderloin, and more. The Cottage, Westport: Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a loved one at The Cottage on February 14, where they’ll be presenting a special four-course, prix-fixe dinner prepared by Chef Brian Lewis and his team, with extended hours from 5:30pm – 10:30p.Harlan Publick, Norwalk: At Norwalk’s Harlan Publick, dine on a 3 course prix fixe menu for $49 per person, plus tax and gratuity. As a romantic bonus, sip on a complimentary glass of prosecco upon arrival. Read More
Nibble: Tasty CT Food Events For February 4-10 Features News Events Emma Jane-Doody Stetson February 03, 2019 Wakeman Town Farm welcomes Chef Carlos Baez of El Segundo and The Spread on Thursday February 7. Join them for an intimate dining experience in Tim's Kitchen, featuring a four-course winter menu. $100 pp. Limited seating. First-come, first served. BYOB. Bobby Q’s & Co. has partnered with Letizia’s Pizza to create a Pulled Pork Pizza that will be sold throughout February at Letizia’s. All Proceeds raised from the purchase of this pie will be donated to “Filling in the Blanks,” an organization that provides meals to kids in need on weekends. Go forth and eat pulled pork pizza!!On Monday February 4, The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum in Hartford hosts “Food & Film: Crazy Rich Asians.” The evening begins with a screening of the hit moves at 4pm and continues with dinner catered by Mill Restaurant Group. Tickets start at $60. Chef Prasad of India Kitchen invites you to a cooking class on February 9 at 2pm. Start by discussing the regions of India and the menu for the day. Then, cook for about 2 hours before having an early dinner and open Q & A with Chef Prasad. $95 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Email chef@chefprasad.com to reserve.The Seaport Association hosts “Taste of the Seaport Restaurant Tour Card.” Enjoy deals at participating restaurants as well as buy-one-get-one entrees for just $50 per card. Proceeds benefit the Sheffield Island Lighthouse. Read More
Taste of Fairfield- WinterFest: Photo Recap Features Events Jessica Ryan February 01, 2019 Another amazing Taste of Fairfield - WinterFest took place this past weekend at Fairfield's tony Brooklawn Country Club. A sold out event, over 500 people sampled, sipped and grazed the afternoon away, enjoying all the wonderful food and beverage provided by local restaurants, specialty markets, winemakers, craft brewers and others served. Guests enjoyed signature dishes, bite sized nibbles, and decadent desserts in addition to curated cocktails and specialty beverages. WinterFest also served up plenty of entertainment, from comedy to bowling in the club's spectacular 6 lane bowling alley. Plans are already being set in motion for next year's event... So stay tuned! Read More
CTbites Hot Dish Podcast Launches TODAY w/ Chef Tyler Anderson Features Openings Podcast inter Celebrity Chef Homepage Stephanie Webster January 30, 2019 It’s official. CTbites is launching our first original podcast, “CTbites Hot Dish.” Obviously, we all love to get the inside scoop on all things culinary. CTbites Hot Dish takes you behind the scenes with CT chefs, farmers, bartenders and local food activists. Our host, Marysol Castro, broadcast journalist, NY Mets PA announcer and all around ball buster, will serve up a saucy look into the CT food scene. She will be joined by a rotating cast of CTbites crew including myself in our CTbites Family episodes, where we will shoot the sh#t on the latest CT food news. This is gonna be fun people. (And yeah…it’s explicit.) This week, we sit down with Chef Tyler Anderson, Top Chef, Punk rock singer, baseball player, and owner of Millwright’s, Porron & Piña, and The Cook & The Bear (+ a new spot coming soon…you’ll need to listen to find out more). LISTEN HERE. Many thanks to our launch sponsor, Norwalk Now, where Norwalk businesses come together to bring you their city in real time. Read More
Nibble: Super Tasty, Boozy, and Fun CT Food Events for Week of January 28 to February 3 Features Events Emma Jane-Doody Stetson January 25, 2019 The Doro Restaurant Food Crawl takes place on Monday January 28. Begin the evening at Treva for wine and appetizers before heading to Zohara Mediterranean Kitchen for an incredible family meal. Finish at Àvert Brasserie. Tickets are $75. Taste of Hartford continues through February 3! Participating restaurants throughout the Greater Hartford area will offer special multi-course, price-fixed menus. Now on Tuesday Night, The Restaurant at Rowayton Seafood presents “Burgers, Bourbon, & Beer.” Enjoy one of the chef’s burger creations or customize your own. Craft beer selections and brown spirits round out this comforting menu.Bourbon Raw in Norwalk will have a High West Whiskey Dinner on Tuesday January 29. The evening includes a cocktail reception and 4 course dinner with drink pairings. Tickets are $70 per person and the event starts at 6:30pm. Read More
East Rock Brewing Company Opens In New Haven Features New Haven Brewery Openings Beer Dinner CT Beer James Gribbon January 24, 2019 Pull back the hour hand on the clock of geologic time and the land in what was once New Haven begins to fill in. The sandstone rises up, glaciers come and go again in reverse, and the scenery levels off. The view across the water isn't Long Island - the glaciers pulled that land back with them - it's what will become Morocco. Now spin the clock forward again. The continents drift - ice, then not ice again - and the land erodes away until something seems to rise up again: the traprock scarp we know as East Rock. There's a lot of history here, and the newest bit to crop up is East Rock Brewing Company. Read More
30+ Restaurants & Bars in CT for the Super Bowl: 2019 Edition Features Sports Bar Super Bowl Bar Emma Jane-Doody Stetson January 23, 2019 On Sunday February 3, the Patriots and Rams and facing off in Super Bowl 53! The game time action is great, but so are the foods that accompany it! Wings, pizza, ribs, subs… which is your MVP?? These Connecticut restaurants and bars have eat-in and take-out specials to keep you satisfied as you cheer on your team.The Blind Rhino, Norwalk: For the 4th year in a row, The Blind Rhino hosts "the biggest super bowl pregame party in CT." This year, The Spread & El Segundo are joining the party and doing a mini pop up inside the Rhino. There will also be live music and entertainment provided by Best Trivia Ever.Bobby V’s, Stamford: Catch the big game at Bobby V's in Stamford. A $45 ticket includes seating with a view of the game from every seat, a buffet, giveaways, and beer specials. VIP Packages available.Bear’s Smokehouse @ The Stack, New Haven: The Stack, featuring Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ in New Haven, will be offering three “Big Game Packages." Read More
It's A Woman's World: Kristin Eddy, Pastry Chef for Millwright's, Porron & Piña, & Cook And The Bear Features Interview Chef Talk Stephanie Webster January 22, 2019 Our 2018 series, “It’s A Woman’s World’ was devoted to Fairfield County female influencers who forged their own paths in culinary fields long dominated by men. In 2019, we continue to celebrate trailblazing women throughout the state of CT. Whether farming the land, bringing healthy food to the masses, feeding an entrepreneurial spirit or injecting feminism with food, these groundbreaking ladies have set a new definition of women’s work, creating new paths and setting examples for those who follow. How'd they do it? Read on. This week, we feature Kristin Eddy, Pastry Chef for Tyler Anderson’s Millwright's, Porron & Piña, and The Cook and The Bear. Stay tuned to see who’s next. And feel free to send suggestions for your candidates to steph@ctbites.com. Read More
"Maritime with a Twist:" Adult Play Time w/ SoNo Restaurants & Breweries @ The Maritime Aquarium (sponsored post) Features Events CTbites Team January 18, 2019 Save the Date for "Maritime with a Twist," an ADULT ONLY party hosted by the Maritime Aquarium on Thursday, February 7th from 6-9pm! The evening will feature the a great lineup of restaurants (view list below) from South Norwalk alongside local brew pubs and distilleries. This upbeat celebration for adults 21+ also allows guests to enjoy the Aquarium's newest attractions including the incredible expanded jellyfish area! Live jazz will be provided by The Damon Grant Project . Purchase tickets here: $40 ($35 for Aquarium members) Read More
Governor’s Inauguration Ball: A Festive Taste of Connecticut Features Events Kristin L. Wolfe January 17, 2019
Nibble: Tasty CT Food Events for Week of January 20-27 Features Events Emma Jane-Doody Stetson January 16, 2019 The Connecticut Real Ale Festival takes place on Sunday January 27 at Brewport in Bridgeport. All casks are prepared expressly for the Connecticut Real Ale Fest. Tickets are $45 and include entry, a collector’s glass, and two 5 oz. samples and two slices of Brewport’s famous pizza. On January 22, Amis Trattoria will host the distilling pros from local vodka company, Cylinder Vodka, for an interactive cocktail making and tasting class. On January 23, These Guys Brewing Company in Norwich hosts a Beer v. Wine Dinner. Owners Ray and Becka are pitted against one another to come up with the best pairing for each of the four courses to be served. The event lasts from 6-9pm and costs $80 per person. Oak Haven Table & Bar will hold a “2018 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection with Boss Hog & Michter's 20 Year” on January 24. Read More
Newtown's Maple Craft Works With Breweries & Distilleries To Make Award Winning Maple Syrup Ingredients Features Ingredients Local Artisan Local Farm Dessert Connecticut Magazine January 15, 2019 Connecticut Magazine features a great local vendor who skillfully combines maple syrup and local distilleries. When people try Maple Craft Foods’ bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup for the first time and taste the all-natural sweetness of the Vermont syrup layered with subtle smoke and caramel flavors imparted by aging in bourbon barrels, their reactions are often visceral, Dave Ackert says.Watching new fans “ooh” and “ah” their way through this tasting is the best part of the job for Ackert, who owns the Newtown-based company along with his wife Eve, father Paul, and friend Bill Begany, of Begany Design.Bourbon barrel maple is the company’s flagship product, and though it does not contain alcohol, it is the offspring of the burgeoning craft beer and distilling industries in Connecticut. Read More
Nibble: Tasty CT Food Events For Week of January 13-20 Features News even Emma Jane-Doody Stetson January 11, 2019 The Schoolhouse invites you to a Pinot Noir wine dinner on Wednesday, January 16. Taste 5 elegant Pinot Noirs: one sparkling, 2 from leading producers on the West Coast, and 2 gems from France. The evening will be led by Tyler Colman, Ph. D.. who heads the wine program at their sister restaurant, Parlor Pizza. Thursday January 17 marks the Greater Hartford International Pinot Noir Festival in Hartford. Hosted by Max Downtown and sponsored by Gillette Ridge Wine and Spirits of Bloomfield, it takes place from 5:30-7:30pm. It is $45 per person. On January 14, Doro Restaurant Group hosts its first ever food crawl! Enjoy globally-inspired prix fixe menus at Treva, Zohara, and Àvert. It starts at 6:30pm. On January 17, Terrain Cafe will welcome relaxed and stylish cookbook author Colu Henry to celebrate her gorgeous new book, Back Pocket Pasta, over an amazing meal. Read More
Guide To Healthy Eating in Connecticut 2019 Features healthy Best of CT Juice Bar Paleo Gluten-Free Special Dietary Needs Specialty Market Vegetarian Vegan Homepage April Guilbault January 09, 2019 80% of New Year’s resolutions don’t make it to February. Yeeks. Sorry. Not to start our 2019 Healthy Eating Guide off on a negative foot or anything. Are you determined, though, that this will be the year that you finally cut the junk, cut the excuses, and buckle down so you don’t have to move that ol’ belt buckle? We thought so and therefore, we’d like to give you a leg up on throwing that 80% statistic to the ground and showing it who is boss. When you surround yourself with the healthy stuff, it makes it easy to enjoy the healthy stuff, so that said, we’ve got a nice long list of inventive, delicious, inspiring spots that are serving up food that will help you cruise into February with your head held high. Read More
Eric Felitto of The Chelsea and The Tasty Yolk Conquers Chopped! Features Events Celebrity Chef Andrew Dominick January 05, 2019 Just before the holiday season, there was a loud roar in Downtown Fairfield, and it had nothing to do with townspeople getting set for a hiatus from work. The cheers and applause was all for local chef Eric Felitto, who crushed the competition on The Food Network’s popular show, Chopped.The at-capacity viewing party for Felitto’s episode was held at The Chelsea, where he has been the executive chef since mid-2013. At the screening, locals made noise for Felitto while watching him on a 100-inch projection screen, and they witnessed him cook to one of his strengths…breakfast. Read More
