Filtering by Tag: Holiday,Greenwich

Half Full Winter Beer Garden Returns for 2019 (via Hey Stamford!)

Events Pop-Up Bar Stamford Holiday kids activity

Hey Stamford! November 08, 2019

One of our favorite winter experiences of 2018 was Half Full Brewery’s Winter Beer Garden. Well, I’m thrilled to say that the Stamford-based brewery announced yesterday that this pop-up experience will return, this time for the entire month of December!

The Half Full Winter Beer Garden will once again be located in Mill River Park just opposite the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Skating Center and will feature an enclosed bar serving (of course) Half Full beer, cider and wine.

The Half Full Winter Beer Garden is part of Mill River Park’s Winter Wonderland programming line-up, built around the Skating Center (opening for the season on November 18). From Thanksgiving until New Year’s, the park will offer plenty of winter fun, including crafts, DJ Nights, and more!

Chef's Tasting at The Spread Greenwich with Chef Carlos Baez

Restaurant Chef Pop-Up Dinner Chef's Tasting Greenwich

Stephanie Webster November 06, 2019

Let’s be real. Dining out is always a treat. You don’t have to clean up afterwards, and if you’re like me, the menu at almost ANY restaurant is going to surpass what’s going on in my own kitchen. However, if you’re a diner who appreciates experiencing the mind of chef who is executing dishes that are inspired by the season, an “aha” moment, or a desire to experiment, a Chef’s Tasting is the way to take dining to the next level.

It was with this in mind, that I attended Chef Carlos Baez’ monthly Chef’s Table Tasting Dinner, held on the last Thursday of every month at The Spread’s Greenwich location.

Polenta Holiday Cookies Recipe from Chef Silvia Baldini

Features Recipe Recipe Dessert Holiday Cookies Entertaining

Silvia Baldini November 05, 2019

Crispy, crunchy, polenta cookies. The recipe was kindly gifted to me by my MIL Elisabetta. They have become a welcome tradition in my family. We make them a couple of weeks ahead of the holidays and keep them fresh in metal tin, lined with parchment paper. The mix of polenta and potatoes starch gives them a melt in your mouth texture. I like to dust them with a light coating of powder sugar and I enjoy them as treat with tea or when my sweet tooth requires a fixing.

25+ Connecticut Halloween Parties & Happenings for 2019

Events Features Holiday Halloween Events

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson October 18, 2019

Costume? Check. Pumpkin? Check. Candy? Check. Halloween Plans. Check…? October 31 is quickly approaching and with so many fun options to choose from, what is one to do? Connecticut restaurants, farms, bars, and venues are all getting into the Halloween spirit with frighteningly good food specials, cocktails, bar crawls, haunted hayride, and more. Here are 25+ CT spots throwing spook-tacular events to lead up to and close out the holiday.

Halloween Treats! Part 1 - Chocolate Snake Pit Pots de Creme Recipe

Recipe Recipe Halloween Holiday

Marcia Selden Catering October 17, 2019

Halloween is around the corner, and in honor of this ghoulish holiday, Marcia Selden Caterers have created the perfect recipe for your Halloween party. Kids and adults will love this recipe for Chocolate Snake Pit Pots de Creme.

Veteran Chefs Drew Nieporent & Stephen Lewandowski To Bring New Concept To Gabriele's in Greenwich

Features Restaurant Openings Greenwich Celebrity Chef

CTbites Team October 09, 2019

This just in…A star studded team of Industry veterans will be bringing new life to Gabriele’s Restaurant in Greenwich CT. The Church Street staple will be undergoing a redesign in early 2020 that will bring a new concept and cuisine to downtown Greenwich.

The partners on the venture include Stephen Lewandowski of Harlan Restaurant Group and Dana Cifone, the current head of operations, and formerly of Starr Restaurants, The One Group NYC, and Douro of Greenwich.

Stephen will be working with his longtime colleague and friend Drew Nieporent of Myriad Restaurant Group best known for Nobu, Tribeca Grill, and Bâtard, who will be acting as an advisor throughout the project.

Yom Kippur Savory Mushroom Cheese Kugel Recipe

Features Recipe Holiday Recipe Noodles

Liz Rueven October 02, 2019

Yom Kippur*, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, is a day of fasting and praying. When the longest day of the year ends (at least for those who haven’t eaten for 25 hours) family and friends gather around a casual buffet that often includes a sweet noodle kugel. Sure, there are bagels and cheeses, cucumber salads and fresh fruit. But it’s the kugel everyone goes for first.

Traditional Jewish Chicken Soup Recipe Via Kosher Like Me Blog

Recipe Recipe Holiday

Liz Rueven September 19, 2019

Sure, on Jewish holidays, we love to eat symbolic foods* like apples dipped in honey and moist round challah on Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year. But somehow, most families I know begin the feast with glistening chicken soup.

Symbolic? Maybe only in the sense that it is an undisputed classic that signal the beginning of a family gathering.

Traditional Eastern European chicken soup is very basic, with a plump 3.5-4 pound chicken (or chicken parts), one quartered onion, sliced carrots, celery, parsnips, and fresh dill and salt, at the heart of the aromatic, slow simmered broth.

Consider this a foundational recipe, ripe for playing with, if you’d like to add some personal touches.

Geoff Lazlo Hosts Dinner Series at Greenwich Botanical Center

Features Pop-Up Dinner Greenwich Caterers Catering Events

Andrew Dominick September 17, 2019

If you were fortunate enough to try Geoff Lazlo’s food at Mill Street Bar & Table—or at The Whelk and LeFarm prior to that—you know to expect fresh, seasonal food from the restaurant chef turned private chef and caterer. With his latest endeavor, Geoff Lazlo Food, he’s popping up at venues all over Fairfield County and beyond. These days you’ll catch Lazlo flashing his skills at places that practice and preach sustainability like Mike’s Organic Delivery, The Hickories, Millstone Farm, and he even returned to cook at one of Gramercy Tavern’s 25th anniversary alumni nights where he was a sous chef for four years.

20+ Places for Oktoberfest in CT: 2019 Edition

Features Oktoberfest Holiday Festival CT Beer Beer Garden Events

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson September 08, 2019

It may be called OKTOBERfest, but 2019’s Oktoberfest festivities are kicking off as early as September! Breweries are creating their own German inspired beers while popular restaurants are providing their own renditions of bratwurst and more. Get your lederhosen ready… Oktoberfest 2019 is here!

The Hops Company, Derby

The Hops Company will be hosting its 4th annual Oktoberfest on Sunday, October 13, 2019 beginning at 12:00pm. Featuring Von Trapp Brewery, the day will include live bands, giveaways, and specialty casks. A highlight of The Hops Company’s Oktoberfest is the Stein Hoisting Contest. Each winner will receive an overnight stay for two at the Von Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, VT.

Half Full Brewery, Stamford

Oktoberfest in the Park, presented by Half Full Brewery, returns to Stamford on September 27 & 28. Festivities include food trucks, a Pop-Up Beer Garden, and Live Music from a variety of local and regional acts. The festival is held in support of the Mill River Park Collaborative and takes place on The North Lawn & Grand Steps in Mill River Park in downtown Stamford.

Troupe429, Norwalk

Saturday October 5 is PRIDEtoberfest at Troupe429 in Norwalk. The free event features plenty of drinks, food, and live performances.

Sandy Hook Craft Beer Festival, Newtown

Just in time for your Octoberfest parties comes the Sandy Hook Craft Beer Festival. There are currently over 45 breweries signed up and 6 food trucks. Additional vendors will provide food, candy, spirits and other shopping fun. Join them Saturday October 15 from 1-5pm.

Little Beet Table Opens in Greenwich: Healthful, Veggie Forward, & Gluten Free!

Restaurant healthy Vegan Vegetarian Gluten-Free Greenwich Openings Brunch Lunch Homepage

Kristin L. Wolfe August 19, 2019

The LBD. The Little Black Dress. It’s the item in a gal’s closet that never disappoints. It fits, it’s classy, not too overstated, but makes the fresh statement, “I’ve arrived.”

Well, guess who has arrived in Greenwich? The LBT. Little Beet Table. It too is classy, not too overstated, and undeniably fresh.

Following its successful predecessors in New York and Chicago, and under the esteemed direction of chef and culinary director Matt Aita (Rouge Tomate, Daniel, Jean Georges), Little Beet Table is amping up what it means to offer fresh, wholesome delicious food. From brunch to lunch and dinner, to cocktails and snacks, LBT puts a real twist on traditional sweet and savory bites and does it all gluten-free. As one of the first exclusively gluten-free restaurants around, Little Beet Table is on top of their game when it comes to unearthing tasty, healthy alternatives for the gluten-based dishes most of us crave, but some of us can’t or shouldn't have.

The Perfect Provenance’s Café 47 Hosts Exceptional Monthly Dinner Tasting

Restaurant Greenwich Pop-Up Dinner

Andrew Dominick July 30, 2019

Exclusivity when dining out has a way of making us feel special. The smaller, the better. It’s like being part of a special club. It’s cool knowing that at that very moment, in a space half the size of a normal living room, that you and 20 people are the only ones that get to take part in an intimate dinner.

Most often the problem is that “exclusive” equates to “EXPENSIVE.”

That brings us to Greenwich! Wait, before you think this is going to be some $150 per person affair, you’re so very wrong.

What if I told you that there’s a great four-course tasting menu offered on the first Friday and Saturday of every month for $65?

If eating out is your thing, I bet you’d be intrigued. What am I saying? It’s Fairfield County, of course eating out is your thing.

Would it be crazier if I mentioned that it goes down at a luxury lifestyle boutique store? And that it’s BYOB? Bet you didn’t see those swerves coming.

MIKU Sushi Opens in Greenwich-World Class Seafood at the Top of the Ave

Restaurant Sushi Openings Greenwich Lunch Seafood Homepage Japanese

Lou Gorfain July 07, 2019

K Dong is beaming. Not because his newly minted MIKU Sushi Restaurant in Greenwich has just opened to strong word-of-mouth and packed houses. Nope, his delighted smile is the result of a diner’s one-word reaction to the Tuna Tartare:

“Ethereal.”

That diner is me and I am quite impressed… as well as surprised. In most restaurants, TT has become a boring culinary meme — over sauced, over spiced, and overworked. K Dong’s version is totally understated. Garnished with micro greens, the crimson slices crown a mound of vividly green avocado, which sits on a gossamer of Yuzu and a whisper of wasabi. Rather than overwhelming the delicate flesh, like so many tartares, the sauce and spice enhance the pristine flavor of the Bluefin. Yep, this dish is, indeed, “Ethereal.”

Chocoylatte Gourmet Opens in Downtown Cos Cob, Greenwich

Restaurant Openings Bakery Chocolate Coffee Greenwich Cos Cob Dessert

CTbites Team July 02, 2019

Downtown Cos Cob will be a lot sweeter with the much-anticipated grand opening of Chocoylatte Gourmet on Monday, July 8. The desserts & coffee shoppe, located at 121 E. Putnam Avenue will open its doors to the public with a ribbon-cutting ceremony beginning at 11am.

Chocoylatte Gourmet will offer an array of handmade freshly baked desserts, cookies, pastries and assorted fine chocolates made with the finest ingredients available in the market. Every treat will be prepared from scratch, every day and handcrafted on-site. For those with dietary sensitivities, the desserts & coffee shoppe will also offer gluten-free and lactose-free goodies, and promises to maintain the same high-quality ingredients baked with thoughtfulness and care. Guests will also enjoy recipes containing less sugar, no trans fats, non-GMO ingredients, no preservatives, no chemicals, no artificial preservatives, no artificial sweeteners, and no artificial flavors.

Tony’s at the JHouse Hotel: Come For Tony, Stay For the Fine Casual Dining

Restaurant Greenwich Hotel Italian American

Jessica Ryan May 16, 2019

Tony Capasso has developed quite the reputation earning himself quite the following. After spending nearly 20 years at Valbella! and Gabriele’s Italian Steakhouse, the veteran Maître d’ now has a steak place of his own at the JHouse, a boutique hotel in Greenwich. Tony is warm, affable and charming. He has a special way with his customers as he circles around to each table offering quick yet challenging trivia questions for all to answer. His eyes twinkle. His smile is infectious.

Where To Celebrate Cinco De Mayo In Connecticut 2019

Features Cinco de Mayo Events Holiday Bar Mexican Homepage

Stephanie Webster April 27, 2019

On Saturday, May 4, 2019, Carson + Spencer is hosting the SONO Cinco de Mayo Bar Crawl! You'll have the chance to hop from bar to bar in South Norwalk in one fun-filled evening. Tickets start at $20.

Mezon in Danbury is throwing the biggest party of the year in honor of Cinco! Cocktail competition. Live DJ. Drink specials + delicious food featuring the @eatjustice food truck. Sunday May 5th. Doors open at 7.

Ordinary New Haven will be offering an $8 Margarita Special in honor of Cinco de Mayo on Friday May 3 and Saturday May 4 (the bar is closed on Sundays). The drink special includes Hacienda Blanco Tequila, Blood Orange Shrub, Citrus and Dehydrated Grapefruit Salt.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Bartaco Portchester! From 3:30-6pm, listen to live music by Rick Reyes & The Pasofino Social Club. From 6:30-9pm Tangled Vine will take the set. The night concludes with DJ Teofilis.

The Acoustic Café welcomes the Cosmic Jibaros for their Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Evarito's is celebrating Cinco de Mayo all weekend long! Visit them for happy hour on Friday and then enjoy $7 Margaritas and food specials on Saturday & Sunday. Their Saturday Night party will feature DJ Mercado and Sunday they’ll have Latin Band Quimbombó from NYC.

50+ Restaurants & Events for Easter in CT 2019

Features Holiday Homepage

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson April 14, 2019

Easter in Sunday April 21 and Connecticut restaurants are celebrating with prix fixe menus, spring inspired entrees, brunch buffets, and traditional dinners. If you’re planning to eat out and haven’t made a reservation yet, you’ll want to hop to it… these meals fill up quickly! Here are 50+ restaurants with Easter specials so you can dine out with some-bunny special.

Community Table, Washington: Chef Paul Pearson has created a special Easter menu to celebrate the holiday and the beginning of spring at Community Table in Washington. Join them on Sunday April 21.
Artisan, Fairfield & Hartford: On Easter Sunday, Artisan, with locations in Southport and Hartford, will serve a 3 course meal for $65 per person. Reservations are required and can be made at artisansouthport.com.
Millwright’s, Simsbury: Millwrights will offer a 3 course Easter Brunch Prix Fixe meal, which will cost $59 for adults $29 for children under 12. Entrees include Lobster Cake Benedict, Ham, Spring Lamb, Gnocchi, and more.
Hub and Spoke, Bridgeport: On Saturday April 20, Hub & Spoke hosts Easter breakfast with the Easter Bunny! This special event lasts from 9am-12pm.

LuLu Chinese: Old World Chinese Flavors with Healthy Local Ingredients in Greenwich CT

Restaurant Greenwich Chinese Openings Homepage

Jessica Ryan March 09, 2019

Back in 2015 I was invited to a new Chinese restaurant concept in Westchester by veteran restaurateur Jody Pennette. Skeptical as to how this type of cuisine could be different and better, I went. What I experienced was indeed that and more. Chinese food, I soon learned, could be delicious, even healthful, sticking to simple flavors and using organic ingredients while placing these dishes in the middle of a dynamic and upscale setting.

Fast forward and I am invited to Greenwich to check out Pennette’s latest Chinese food adventure. Once again he pushes the envelope with another, though similar, take on this ethnic fare, bringing us LuLu Chinese with its lighter brighter versions.

45+ Restaurants, Bars & Events for St. Patrick’s Day in CT: 2019 Edition

Features St. Patrick's Day Holiday Events

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson March 08, 2019

This year, St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Sunday! That means that Connecticut restaurants and bars are opening their doors even earlier, and, in some cases, festivities are lasting all weekend long. From buffets to live music to step dancers to Guinness, here is a list of 46+ places where you can get out your green and be Irish for a day in CT.

Tigin Irish Pub, Stamford: Tigin Irish Pub in Stamford opens at 7:30am on Saturday 3/16 and Sunday 3/17. There will be outdoor tents, live music, food specials, drink specials, and more.
EAT IN Connecticut Pub Crawl, Hartford: Eat IN Connecticut will host a “Culinary Corner St. Paddy’s Day Pub Crawl” in West Hartford, CT on Saturday, March 16 from 1-5pm. Participating venues include Artisan (at The Delamar Hotel), Flora, INDIA, The Cook and The Bear, & Vinted
O’Neill’s, South Norwalk: O'Neill's is celebration St. Patrick's Day all month long! On 3/17, the festivities begin at 7am with an Irish buffet breakfast. The day continues with music, Irish dancers, food specials, and more.
Bobby V’s, Stamford: Bobby V's St. Patrick's Day celebration lasts from March 15-17. There will be food specials, drink specials, and plenty of giveaways.
Wadsworth Athenium Museum, Hartford: At The Wadsworth Athenium Museum, members and nonmembers can enjoy an à la carte brunch with live Irish music by The Executive Session. There are two seatings, one at 10:30 am and one at 12:30 pm.

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….