Filtering by Tag: Happy Hour,Darien

Introducing The Charles Underground: Darien Butcher Shop's After Hours French Alter Ego

Features Restaurant Darien Darien Butcher Shop Underground Dinner French Homepage

Andrew Dominick

It’s past 6 p.m. The Darien Butcher Shop is closed. You cruise by and you see people inside. Some are standing, others are sitting at community tables, and they’re all probably enjoying a glass of vino while they chat, laugh, and catch up.

You can’t walk in for a slab of bacon or a thick, bone-in ribeye, so what’s actually happening?

Four days per week, Peter Crawford transforms his business into The Charles Underground, a French-inspired eatery, and the shop’s after-hours alter ego.

The Charles is where Crawford, a former New England Culinary Institute graduate who has worked with Charlie Palmer, Jean-Georges, Neil Gallagher, and Terrence Brennen, gets to step back into his passion as a classically trained French chef.

Foie gras and dry-aged steak? Sure. Homemade boudin blanc sausage with Robuchon potatoes, and morel mushroom sauce? They have done that, too.

Lending a helping hand in the front of the house is someone you might recognize from his time at Kawa Ni. Anthony Rinaldi acts as a restaurant jack-of-all-trades at The Charles, whether he’s waiting and bussing tables or assisting in the kitchen with cooking and occasionally washing dishes.

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Tim LaBant’s Parlor Sequel Opens in Darien

Features Restaurant Pizza Darien Cocktails WIne Salads Openings Homepage

Andrew Dominick

After opening his first Neapolitan inspired pizza parlor in Wilton at the tail end of 2018, Tim LaBant has a Parlor part two in Darien’s Corbin District.

That particular section of town, according to LaBant, was primed for his style of pizza because it wasn’t represented anywhere else nearby. “I eyed the Corbin District initially and even thought about waiting a few years,” he says. “I didn’t because I figured someone would beat me to it with a similar concept. We wanted to be here first.”

LaBant and his Parlor squad officially started firing up pies in the Forza Forni Pavesi on April 16.

As far as what you can expect from the Darien location, it’s much of what they do well in Wilton. Think pizza, veggies, wine, cocktails, and beer, at least for now. “We might add to the menu,” hints LaBant. “I know people are still doing lots of takeout. No one wants asparagus in a box.”

But that’s not to say there isn’t anything new going down.

Aside from Parlor’s classic margherita, plain cheese, or a pepperoni pizza, there’s a nod to a New Haven tomato pie and an ode to Roberta’s Bee Sting in the “Soppressata” with red sauce, mozzarella, parmesan, garlic, basil, chili flakes, and homemade hot honey.

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Restaurant L'Ostal Opens in Darien with Beautiful Provençal Cuisine

Restaurant Darien Openings French Italian Spanish Provencal Fine Dining Tapas Homepage

Jessica Ryan

Darien finally gets a serious contender in upscale dining, bringing New York City excellence to the area without the city prices. Rooted in history and steeped in tradition, Restaurant L’Ostal celebrates the cuisines of Southern France and its neighboring communities from Catalonia, the Languedoc, Provence and the Alps of the Piemonte region of Italy with precision and accuracy.

Before I share my own culinary experience, you must meet Chef Jared Sippel and General Manager and Sommelier Joe Cracco.

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The Spread in SoNo Moves IronWorks Complex, Re-Opening This Week!

Restaurant Openings South Norwalk SONO American Global Cuisine Cuban Asian Happy Hour Bar Cocktails Norwalk Homepage

Stephanie Webster

The Spread you know and love from Main Street in South Norwalk has some new digs and a whole new summer look. Spread owners Andrey Cortes, Chris Hickey, Chris Rasile, Shawn Longyear and Chef Carlos Baez have taken their much heralded menu and rustic industrial vibe, and moved down the street, next door to their sister spot, El Segundo. The new spot resides in the old Harlan Public location within the IronWorks complex, and it comes with one of the most beautiful outdoor dining spaces in Fairfield County. Loyal diners and regulars….don’t worry. The menu will feature all of the usual favorites such as their Brick Chicken and Ricotta Gnocchi but Chef Baez has a few surprises up his chef’s coat.

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Nibble: Tasty CT Food Events, Game Dinners, And Festivals for November 17-24

Events Features EVENT News Pop-Up Dinner Pop-Up Bar Happy Hour

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

Kombucha is delicious and nutritious!  Cross Culture Kombucha Taproom & Brewery will teach you how to make your own at home in their Kombucha Homebrewing Workshop on November 21.

On Tuesday November 19, Fairfield Cheese Company hosts an evening all about Cheese and Wine of The French Alps.  Join them from 7-9pm for $50 per person. 

The Taps & Trees Craft Beer Festival returns to the Danbury Sports Dome on Saturday November 23.

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Rob VanKeuren’s Flour Water Salt Bread Opens in Darien

Restaurant Openings Darien Breakfast Bakery Local Artisan Homepage

Andrew Dominick

When I first covered Rob VanKeuren more than a year ago, I found him in the early morning hours baking countless loaves of bread and hundreds of croissants at Lombardi’s Trattoria in the Georgetown section of Wilton. 

A lot has changed since then. 

customers—over to a larger space at GrayBarns, where he sold loaves and pastries out of a barn.

Unfortunately for VanKeuren’s sourdough-obsessed following, his stint at GrayBarns was short-lived. As a result, his sought-after bread for public sale disappeared for a bit.

Some months after, VanKeuren announced something more exciting, plans to open a bakery of his own, right next door to NEAT in Downtown Darien. 

And now, it’s finally come to fruition. 

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Tarry Lodge Debuts "Aperitivo" Happy Hour

Features Restaurant Happy Hour Pizza Westport Italian Wine Bar

Andrew Dominick

Happy hours are one of life’s greatest pleasures. Bad day? Have a reduced-price wine, beer, or cocktail to take the edge off. Even worse day? Have more than one. Hungry? Happy hours usually offer a handful of delectable bites to be had on the cheap as an accompaniment to your glass of booze. I’m obviously a fan of the whole idea of happy hours—and I’m betting you are too—so I’m always on the lookout for new ones in the area. That’s when I came across Tarry Lodge Westport’s brand new Aperetivo Hour.

Introduced in May, Aperitivo Hour goes down Monday – Friday from 4 – 6 p.m. It features wine and cocktails for $10 each, and five snackable small plates for $5 per. 

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20 + Kid Friendly Restaurants in Fairfield County CT

Restaurant Kid Friendly Kids Best of CT Westport Norwalk Stamford Milford New Canaan Darien Fairfield

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

When The Port opened its doors in Westport recently, crafting a dining experience for all ages was part of the goal. “I’ve always wanted to open a restaurant, a neighborhood spot where locals can enjoy food that is approachable and comfortable,” said owner Sal Augeri. Connecticut is home to an array of esteemed restaurants, but sometimes it’s hard to find a place where kids will also feel at home amid all the gourmet eateries.  Fortunately, there are a number of places where adults and children alike can enjoy a delicious meal out.  These restaurants offer kid-friendly dishes, atmospheres, and even specials. Did we miss one of your favorite kid-friendly spots? Let us know below. 

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CT Guide to Outdoor Dining (2017): 80+ Restaurants for Summer

Restaurant Outdoor Dining Best of CT Westport Norwalk Stamford New Canaan Darien Fairfield New Haven Milford Ridgefield Homepage

April Guilbault

“What’s the secret ingredient?”, you ask. Well, it’s…Air. 

The winter-that-wasn’t (save for one last see-I-told-you-so storm) is now officially behind us and folks everywhere are throwing open the windows and enjoying the sight of lush green grass and a continual parade of Spring flowers. Out come the patio chairs! Behold the grill! Phew, we have missed you. Let’s all enjoy this week of Connecticut Spring before it leaps to 90 degrees, shall we?

In the event that you have neither of these aforementioned outdoor items, you can hightail it to any one of these delightful establishments to dine alfresco. Doesn’t a little fresh air always put a pep in your step? And, in this case, a little sunshine on your biscuits. Head outdoors to dine and enjoy!

If we missed an outdoor venue that you frequent, please share your find below. 

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Embody Fitness Gourmet Opens New Location in Darien

Restaurant Darien healthy Juice Bar Juice Cleanse Take Out

Stephanie Webster

After nine years, EMBODY FITNESS GOURMET has a new location in Darien, at the Palmer’s Market Shopping Center (380 Heights Road). This is one of three Embody grab-n-go healthy organic locations; the others residing in New Canaan and Westport. 

Embody is our go-to spot for protein shakes, juices, and salads. In Darien, they have also started serving Intelligentsia coffee--one of the top coffee roasters in the country. Embody's menu embraces all forms of lean proteins and nutrient dense vegetables and fruits in their menu creations, many of which pair well together allowing customers to mix and match items for an entire day's worth of nutrition. My personal favorite...The Almond Buzz, a perfect combination of almond butter, almond milk, bananas, cacao and protein powder. 

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10 Questions with Peter Crawford of Darien Butcher Shop

Ingredients Features Butcher Darien

Amy Kundrat

Darien native and chef Peter Crawford is the culinary braun behind lower Fairfield County's newest destination butchery, The Darien Butcher Shop. The shop focuses on high quality meat and gourmet specialty products, as well as events and catering, not to mention hot pressed sandwiches if you're looking for a new lunch option. 

We had a chance to chat with Peter, and wanted to know what this carnivore cooks for himself, his preferred cut of meat, and his most memorable meal.

Why did you become a butcher?

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Happy Hour at Elm City Social in New Haven

Features Restaurant Happy Hour Editor's Pick Bar New Haven

Amy Kundrat

Elm City Social has entered New Haven’s burgeoning craft cocktail scene with an exhaustive and inventive array of cocktails and a variety dining options from mid-day to late night. Venturing into the Elm City Social bar during Happy Hour, I had but a simple mission – to quickly refuel with a cocktail and a few snacks before an evening event. I knew I had come to the right place when I noticed the cocktail menu was equal to, if not greater than, the dining options.

So first, those cocktails. The Rubber Ducky is a shaken cocktail made from a combination of a citra hop-infused New Amsterdam Gin, basil, grapefruit, lemon, with sparkling water. First sip, my eyes quickly narrowing, I found myself put off (turned on?) by the hoppy notes. Second sip, a bit of offense but also wonderment, “how did an IPA get in my cocktail?” From that point until my last sip, I was impressed by the equal parts confusion and compulsion on my palate. Well done. Also, there is an actual rubber ducky floating in your drink. Bonus points for cheekiness.

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Kawa Ni Announces New Happy Hour And Cocktail Menu

Restaurant Cocktails Happy Hour Japanese Westport Bar

James Gribbon

Kawa Ni, Westport's izakaya by the river, has been both a haven of Japanese-inspired food and a boisterous drinking scene since its opening just over a year ago. The party is about to start earlier, as Bill Taibe and co. have announced the debut of their new happy hour menu of food and drink at the Bridge Square, starting now.

Izakayas are small taverns which cater to the occasionally raucous after work set in Japan, so the new menu, with its focus on a limited number of small bar bites backed up by almost twice as many drinks, is right on theme. The prices of food and drink alike are sharply reduced for the happy hour, which runs Tuesday -Friday 4-6PM. 

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Meet The New Culinary Team @ Vespa Restaurant in Westport

Restaurant American Brunch Happy Hour Italian Westport Lunch

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger

Vespa Restaurant recently introduced its new culinary team, Executive Chef David White and Pastry Chef Susanne Berne to create a vibrant menu to complement the relaxing décor and wonderful water view. The duo will collaborate in creating a menu for the full dining experience, from the first bite of Antipasti to the last bite of Dolci. In addition, the restaurant recently unveiled its lunch service, a new dessert menu and the commencement of “Apertivo Hour” from 4-6PM, offering half price beer, wine, $8 select cocktails and a small plates menu.

Chef David joins Vespa from The Inn at Pound Ridge, where he was the Chef de Cuisine. Prior to working with Chef Jean-Georges, he sharpened his skills in Europe before returning to the US to further refine his talents with award-winning Andrew Masciangelo at Savona. Chef Berne’s passion for the culinary arts was sparked by a pastry course in college before receiving her Grande Diploma in Pastry Arts in 1999. She subsequently won back-to-back ACF Florida Pastry Challenges in 2003 & 2005.

CTbites recently visited Vespa to sample a variety of the new culinary team’s Italian-inspired creations.

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Good2Gourmet - New Meal Delivery Service in New Canaan & Darien

Features Darien Delivery Service Home Delivery New Canaan

CTbites Team

Tired of cooking? Looking for something less expensive than take-out from a restaurant? Then a new venture on Vitti Street in New Canaan, GOOD2GOURMET, may be an alternative. The brainchild of local resident and mother of four, Lisa Strupp, GOOD2GOURMET offers a variety of soups, salads, and entrées for families to enjoy. Teaming with business partner Kevin Schmudde, the two enlisted the culinary skills of Executive Chef Eric Ulbrich to create a menu that includes soups, salads, pastas, and entrées. Customers go to the website (they do not take telephone orders), place their order, choose a 1-hour delivery window (curbside pick-up at the store is also available) and the food will be on the front stoop as requested. Alternatively, customers can visit and purchase a selection of items at the store.
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Lithos Restaurant in Darien: New Greek in Town

Restaurant Darien Greek Homepage

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger

Lithos Restaurant opened in April serving an array of Greek specialties from a house made hummus to individually prepared crocks of Moussaka to a full selection of dinner entrées including fish, meats and chicken. Located at the eastern edge of Darien in the building that formerly housed Anthony's coal fired pizza, Lithos redecorated the interior to a lighter feel with blues, taupes and fixtures to inspire a Mediterrean softness. There is a long bar in the rear of the dining area, tables, booths and a large dining table that seats 10-12 to the right of the space that can be secluded by a sliding curtain. This month the restaurant commenced lunch service with a fixed price ($16 on my visit) 3-course special that includes an appetizer sampler, a choice of entrées and a dessert of yogurt, honey and fruit.
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The Beer Garden @ Shippan Landing Re-Opens May 21 For The Summer Season in Stamford

Restaurant Beer Garden CT Beer Happy Hour Stamford Beer Bar

Stephanie Webster

Imian Partners will open The Beer Garden at Shippan Landing for its second season on May 21st.  Imian first introduced the pop-up beer garden concept two summers ago with The Beer Garden at Harbor Point and is credited for invigorating the social scene in Stamford’s South End.  The Shippan spot has a significantly more relaxed vibe than that of Harbor Point, but has all the charm and beauty of the perfect summer hangout. 

With unobstructed waterfront views, (and the best seat in town to watch the sunset all summer long), The Beer Garden at Shippan Landing will showcase and rotate its carefully curated list of local craft beers on draft and in cans offering a variety of options. Look for favorites such as Half Full, Broad Brook, Captain Lawrence and more. We also hear that The Beer Garden will be partnering with Half Full to create a signature beer just for the garden. Pretty cool.  

An impressive rotating lineup of the area’s best food trucks will also be part of the nightly festivities at the Beer Garden. Stay tuned for details on some of your favorite mobile eats. 

The family-friendly environment will include outdoor games such as life-size jenga, corn hole, can jam and beer pong. Entertainment will include live music and special themed-events throughout the summer beginning on Sunday May 24th with a Memorial Day party. 

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LobsterCraft in Darien Introduces New Winter Menu & Kid-Friendly Fare

Restaurant Darien Lobster Seafood Kid Friendly

CTbites Team

Back in August we reported on LobsterCraft's brick and mortar location opening in Darien. No longer did you have to chase their truck to enjoy its deliciously sought after lobster rolls. As Winter rolls around, LobsterCraft is making some exciting updates to their menu. They're not just a lobster roll joint; they are serving up New England comfort food...and it's good. 

In addition to the award-winning lobster bisque, menu additions include:  hush puppies, clam strips, lobster tacos, lobster salad, clam chowder, and roasted vegetable soup. The new kid-friendly menu includes the Salty Dog, a hot dog shaped like an octopus set on a bun, and Mac-N-Cheese Bites.

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Sono Baking Company is Open in Darien: Breakfast, Lunch & To-Go

Restaurant Bakery Darien Prepared Food Breakfast Lunch Kid Friendly Dessert

Stephanie Webster

Sono Baking Company is officially open for business at their new Darien outpost. Guests can drop in and sample John Barricelli’s expansive baked goods menu, or sit down after ordering counter side and dig into both breakfast and lunch. I know what you’re thinking…yes, he remembered the espresso machine. Excited? We are. 

Conveniently located on 49 Tokeneke Road right across from the Darien train station, Sono Baking Co. is the perfect spot to grab an impeccably baked croissant or egg sandwich and a quick latte on the way to the train. Open 7AM to 7PM, this beautiful sun soaked interior also offers guests comfortable seating where one can relax and order from their menu of soups, paninis, quiche or special weekend pancakes. 

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