Filtering by Tag: Awards,Darien

Q&A: CRAZIES Nominee "Best Chef of the Year" Joel Gargano of Grano Arso, Chester

Features Interview Q & A Chef Talk Interview Awards

Christopher Hodson November 17, 2021

Each year, the CT Restaurant Association recognizes the exceptional ability and talent of Connecticut’s restaurant community in the prestigious CRAzies awards. Restaurant owners, operators, chefs, and vendors come together to celebrate the success of the industry at Foxwoods Resort Casino on Monday, December 6. While a panel of more than 25 food writers, critics, bloggers, and social media influencers created a list of nominees, YOU VOTE for the winners.

We are excited to showcase the nominees for BEST CHEF OF THE YEAR in our new series. All the candidates worked incredibly hard to receive this nomination, and while many of you may know some of them, you probably don’t know all of them. We sat down with each of these talented chefs to learn a little bit more about what makes them do what they do. This week, we feature Joel Gargano of Grano Arso in Chester CT.

Q&A: CRAZIES Nominee "Best Chef of the Year" Michone Danae Arrington - The Art of Yum

Features Interview Chef Talk Chef Q & A Interview Awards

Christopher Hodson October 29, 2021

Each year, the CT Restaurant Association recognizes the exceptional ability and talent of Connecticut’s restaurant community in the prestigious CRAzies awards. We are excited to showcase the nominees for BEST CHEF OF THE YEAR in our new series. All the candidates worked incredibly hard to receive this nomination, and while many of you may know some of them, you probably don’t know all of them. We sat down with each of these talented chefs to learn a little bit more about what makes them do what they do. This week, we feature Michone Danae Arrington of The Art of Yum in Waterbury & Southington, CT.

Q&A: CRAZIES Nominee "Best Chef of the Year" Ashley Flagg of Millwright's

Features Interview Chef Talk Chef CT Chef Interview Awards

Christopher Hodson October 23, 2021

We are excited to showcase the nominees for BEST CHEF OF THE YEAR in our new series. All the candidates worked incredibly hard to receive this nomination, and while many of you may know some of them, you probably don’t know all of them. We sat down with each of these talented chefs to learn a little bit more about what makes them do what they do. We begin with Chef Ashley Flagg of Millwrights, in Simsbury CT.

VOTE For Your Fave Connecticut Restaurants in CRAZIES Awards 2021

Features Awards

Stephanie Webster September 30, 2021

Experience Restaurant L’Ostal's Spectacular Summer Menu

Restaurant Darien French Menu Update Fine Dining Wine Bar Homepage

Jessica Ryan August 03, 2021

Last month Restaurant L’Ostal’s Chef Jared invited us back to sample the new summer flavors. His menu changes regularly to keep things interesting but remains concise, keeping options to a minimum. There’s enough of a selection to please the palate yet not too much as to overwhelm. This of course is intentional; there’s just one chef in the kitchen and he wants perfection. And perfection is what you will get.

I’d like to say that L’Ostal is for the adventurous, inquisitive, and those familiar with the flavors from the Pyrenees to Provence, or would like to become so. So if Steak Frîtes or French Onion Soup is what you're after, you’ll have to look elsewhere – at least during the warmer months which beckon flavors that are vibrant, green and fresh. What you will find here, at L’Ostal, are some of the best damned Escargots and Oeuf Mayonnaise made with Provencal mustard, pickles, onion and croutons. (I wrote about those from our last visit here.)

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 August 01, 2021

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.

Tim LaBant’s Parlor Sequel Opens in Darien

Features Restaurant Pizza Darien Cocktails WIne Salads Openings Homepage

Andrew Dominick May 17, 2021

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.

Restaurant L'Ostal Opens in Darien with Beautiful Provençal Cuisine

Restaurant Darien Openings French Italian Spanish Provencal Fine Dining Tapas Homepage

Jessica Ryan April 18, 2021

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.

Interview with 3 Local Chefs, Now James Beard Foundation Awards Semifinalists

Features Interview Awards Chef Celebrity Chef

CTbites Team February 27, 2020

A now seven-time nominee from Connecticut and two chefs from Westchester County have been named Best Chef semifinalists in the 2020 James Beard Foundation Awards. Tyler Anderson has carried the torch for Connecticut since 2014 at Millwright’s Restaurant in Simsbury. Newcomers David DiBari from The Cookery in Dobbs Ferry and Eric Gao from O Mandarin in Hartsdale are showing the nation that what is happening in Westcheter’s kitchens should be paid attention to.

Last year, the James Beard Foundation announced it was redefining the regions that make up the Best Chef awards since 2012. Once its own category, the five New York City boroughs will now contend with the rest of the state, which used to fall under the New England region. A statement says this is an effort to begin to “level the playing field” and recognize just how rich the dining world is across America. This year, NYS has 20 semifinalists; just four are outside of NYC.

“In a small town in Westchester, and you’ve been cooking for 11 years, you just didn’t really think that this is something you’d be noted for,” DiBari says. “And it really honestly feels absolutely amazing.”

“WTF!” was DiBari’s response upon hearing the news through a relative on social media. “Everyone knows the James Beard awards have to be the Grammys of the hospitality industry,” he says.

CT Chefs, Bakers, Bartenders, & Servers Compete For 2019 CRAzies Awards: YOU VOTE!

Features Awards

Stephanie Webster October 03, 2019

CTbites was thrilled to be a part of the judging process for the 2019 CRAzies Awards Gala presented by the Connecticut Restaurant Association. Each year, the CRAzies recognizes the exceptional ability and talent of Connecticut’s restaurant community. More than 700 Restaurant owners, operators, chefs, vendors and more will come together to celebrate the success of the industry at their awards gala at Foxwoods Resort Casino on Monday, December 2. VOTE here for your favorites.

Rob VanKeuren’s Flour Water Salt Bread Opens in Darien

Restaurant Openings Darien Breakfast Bakery Local Artisan Homepage

Andrew Dominick November 22, 2018

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.

Congrats To James Beard Awards Semifinalists: Brian Lewis & Tyler Anderson

Features Awards

Stephanie Webster February 15, 2018

The James Beard Foundation announced today its list of Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists for the 28th annual James Beard Foundation Awards. Selected from a list of more than 20,000 online entries, the prestigious group of semifinalists in 21 categories represents a wide range of culinary talent, from exceptional chefs and dining destinations nationally and in ten different regions across the U.S., to the best new restaurants, outstanding bar programs, bakers, and rising star chefs 30 or younger.

CT has two semifinalists for Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, NY State, RI, VT).

Congrats to Brian Lewis, The Cottage, Westport, CT and Tyler Anderson, Millwright’s, Simsbury CT!

Winners of the 2018 James Beard Media Awards will be announced on Friday, April 27, 2018. Good luck to out local CT chefs. The honor is well deserved. See this year’s full semifinalist list at jamesbeard.org/awards

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 July 06, 2017

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.

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 May 16, 2017

“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.

Embody Fitness Gourmet Opens New Location in Darien

Restaurant Darien healthy Juice Bar Juice Cleanse Take Out

Stephanie Webster April 07, 2017

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.

10 Questions with Peter Crawford of Darien Butcher Shop

Ingredients Features Butcher Darien

Amy Kundrat January 18, 2017

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?

Good2Gourmet - New Meal Delivery Service in New Canaan & Darien

Features Darien Delivery Service Home Delivery New Canaan

CTbites Team August 04, 2015

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.

Lithos Restaurant in Darien: New Greek in Town

Restaurant Darien Greek Homepage

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger June 28, 2015

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.

Connecticut Magazine's "Experts' Picks" & Readers' Choice Dining Awards

Restaurant Awards Best of CT

CTbites Team December 27, 2014

Get ready to bite into the restaurants judged the best of the best in Connecticut by the "experts" from Connecticut Magazine, who range from veteran restaurant critics and food writers to contemporary bloggers who track the trends—and hottest, newest places—along with cookbook authors and even a former restaurant owner. And to make sure the state's hottest food destination (Fairfield County, of course) was well represented, our friends at Connecticut Magazine reached out to CTbites for key input.

Altogether, with some food savvy Connecticut Magazine editors sprinkled in, it's a group for which dining is a passion—and dining at the best places is an art that takes constantly having a collective finger on the pulse of the Connecticut dining scene.

Taken together, Connecticut Magazine's Readers' Choice Dining Awards and its Experts' Picks feature make for a beautiful January magazine, as they also provide a comprehensive view of the state's tastiest places to eat well.

Click, enjoy and let us know if Connecticut Magazine got it right:

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

Restaurant Darien Lobster Seafood Kid Friendly

CTbites Team December 03, 2014

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.