It makes sense that the name of this now one-year old, bright spot in New Haven means FIREWORK. Its innovative, delicious dishes are bold and vibrant and the space pops out like none other. I typically prefer a dimly lit space when eating out and yet Pataka’s electrifying, glowing design, produced in part by Box 8 Creative, will mesmerize you and make you a believer; this fast casual, one-of-a-kind, veggie Indian experience, could not be any other way. It’s as if it is Diwali everyday. In addition to being a part of his father’s restaurant Sitar (in New Haven since 2006), Harry Singh has already created a local institution with House of Naan under his belt since 2016; so, knowing the demands and demographic of New Haven, a serious pocket of CT’s culinary creativity, was a given.
Oui, oui! You did hear correctly. There is a new French bistro on the block in South Norwalk and it goes by the name of Appetit Bistro.
And while it may be new to Connecticut, it may not be new to some of its residents. For six years and counting, Appetit Bistro has been a staple in the village of Port Chester.
For Montoya—who co-owns the restaurant with executive chef Ismael Carias—opening a second location three towns and a city away from the original was a no-brainer because of the fanfare they’ve received from the state that’s a stone’s throw away.
So, with that, they’re bringing all the duck a l'orange, chicken paillard, steak frites, and buttery, garlicky escargot you can handle, right to the center of SoNo.
But the pair’s French theme didn’t simply happen just because.
“He (Ismael) ran the kitchen at Crew in Greenwich,” Montoya says. “And I fell in love with French food when I started working at L’escale back in 2002. It was my first job ever and I loved it. I was there for five years. I ended up managing BLT Steak in White Plains and we opened our desired concept because we knew we would be the only French bistro in Port Chester.”
Their love letter to French food is evident at Appetit. Dishes are sometimes classic. The steak frites certainly is. Hard seared hangar steak, crusty on the outside, cool red on the inside, and tender as all hell—whatever that means to you. It’s served as it should be with a pile of salty shoestring fries and some frizzled onions that await the residuals of what should be a generous pour of the black peppercorn sauce. It’s always my ideal French meal when paired with a bold merlot or a strong Sazerac depending on the night. Most often for me, it’s the Saz.
Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, the nation’s fastest growing dumpling automat concept, has signed its first franchising deal to bring five locations to Connecticut. The brand is poised to disrupt the quick-service restaurant industry with their innovative automat technology and contactless format. Even before the first location opens its doors in New York, potential franchisees are eager to sign on to the concept.
Organic Krush, with locations across Long Island, the Hamptons and Virginia, has just opened in Westport at 374 Post Road E.Organic Krush is a fast casual restaurant featuring healthy, organic menu, but cooked, juiced, and baked with a lot more love than your might expect from the average grab-n-go spot. The entire menu features ingredients that are 100% certified organic and free of GMOs, hormones, pesticides and really…fake anything. Diners seeking gluten-free, vegan or paleo options will be happy to discover that most of Organic Krush’s extensive menu works for them, and they can accommodate most dietary needs or restrictions. Organic Krush’s motto is “Eat Happy, Spread Love,” and although this is the seventh location for Co-Founders Michelle Walrath & Fran Paniccia, when I walked in just a few days before they opened their doors, the love and attention to every detail was clearly visible. From employee training and safety protocols to the consistency of the dishes coming out of the kitchen, Organic Krush made a strong debut. Open for three meals a day, from breakfast through dinner pick up at 8PM, I have a strong hunch that this will be a go-to spot for many in the Westport area who aren’t feeling like cooking but are seeking a healthy and tasty meal for their family.
If you turn onto Greenwich Avenue and blink, there’s a chance you blew right by La Taqueria, one of the street’s newest additions where tacos are front-and-center.
Before we dive into the stellar tacos at La Taqueria, you should get to know some of its backstory. That all starts with chef/owner Dennis Lake, who, like his restaurant, is a newcomer to Greenwich as a resident, but not as a stranger entirely. Years ago, he was a sous chef at Restaurant 64 before it was The Ginger Man.
"Bonchon," which means "my hometown" in Korean, has locations in a lot of people's hometowns - around 300 locations from Busan to Bahrain, and now, Fairfield. You may have already eaten at a Bonchon if your home is in New Haven or West Hartford, where they've had locations for a while, but I-95 South was just getting their first taste in the last week or so when I popped my head in the door. Here's a look at what's on the plate at downtown's newest hometown.
Get pumped West Hartford foodies. On Sept 21st, Pokéworks, the much beloved, healthy, fast-casual poke restaurant, will be opening its doors. The new spot is going into Corbin Collection (across from Westfarms mall) located at 1445 New Britain Avenue, and brings a fresh take on Hawaiian-inspired poke bowls and burritos with a convenient and customizable menu. (Check out our review for thePokéworks Westport location here.)
Yalla Organic Hummus and Grill has taken Fairfield County by storm. Yalla Organic is a consumer-oriented experience where you get to choose exactly how your lunch and dinner is prepared down to the last detail. This family-run business has quickly become a town staple of Fairfield… and their hummus is making me question all previous hummus choices I have made.
Shake Shack released their brand new Chick’n Bites nationwide on March 1st, and so far they’ve proven to be an incredibly popular menu item. But don’t call them nuggets! Customers refer to them as chicken nuggets, which implies that the meat is grotesquely blended and not 100% chicken. Shake Shack purposefully diverged from this label and meat process to brand their bites as a cleaner, more pure option.
I was very interested in the testing process of the Chick’n Bites. I spoke with Mike Maver, the General Manager of the Westport location, who gave me some insight into the Shake Shack lab located on the lower west side of Manhattan. The Shake Shack culinary team brainstorms recipes for the Chick’n Bites and guest chefs come in to give their two cents. The team sells different versions to consumers and then receives feedback. After a long drumroll, the Chick’n Bites are finally here.
A sous vide chicken sandwich is a minor detail, but the minor details make major taste differences - and that makes all the difference for your customers. That's what Roost believes. Completely locally owned and operated, the menu starts with the chicken sandwich - but with several twists: starting with a unique sous vide cooking technique which creates an incredibly juicy on the inside, crunchy on the outside sandwich, and continues with a variety of unique toppings from Napa Cabbage Slaw to Carolina Reaper Pepper Buffalo Sauce that you won't see at just any fast casual restaurant.
As city-bound commuters dash to and fro’ and the pulse of the city continues to thrive, the Port Chester railroad station, a landmark since 1890, stands as a symbol of where we’ve been and where we’re going. Today, this turn of the century building is home to Our House Restaurant Group’s newest venture, Station House. In keeping with this dynamic restaurant group’s approach to hospitality, as seen with their popular Rye House Port Chester and Manhattan taverns, and last year’s mega outdoor hit, Village Beer Garden, Station House offers that same neighborhood vibe, this time, it comes rooted in history and coal-fired pizza.ctb
The folks from Rye House wanted to share some recent updates. This is not a CTbites review but a head's up to restaurants in the area.
Located in a historical building, circa 1890, whose antique brick façade and grand door arches frame the corner of Willett Avenue and North Main Street in the New York City suburb of Port Chester, Rye House (opened in 2015) is named after the American distilled spirit and the spirit of an American neighborhood tavern. Spearheaded by Our House Hospitality, whose eating and drinking establishments include the original Rye House and Sala One Nine, Tapas Bar & Restaurant, both located in the Flatiron district of New York. Rye House Port Chester pulls no punches – instead, it offers a break from the norm, with good food and drink at the forefront.
Last week I accepted an invitation to experience the newly opened Saltaire Oyster Bar and Fish House which recently opened in Port Chester just over the Greenwich border. Located in the beautifully restored Willet House Building which has been redesigned and transformed into a bright contemporary restaurant with a wealth of historic nautical charm. The bar area, vibrant, energetic and spacious has a modern yet traditional feel. An impressive raw bar sits at the center, welcoming patrons as they settle in ready to place their drink orders. Two televisions sit on the opposite side of the bar so that sports enthusiasts can cheer on their favorite teams. The dining room, despite its grand and impressive size, is warm and welcoming. The antique hay lifts and wood beams retain the space’s history. Handsome black and white photographs of fishermen at sea capture authentic coastal life. The elegant yet rustic lighting casts a warm glow off the brick. The restaurant isn’t quiet; a lively energy permeates the air.
After undergoing a full renovation and transformation into the first ever food hall, beer pavilion and garden in one venue, Port Chester Railroad Station is proud to announce the opening of PORT CHESTER HALL & BEER GARDEN.
The Hall will be pouring 12 unique craft beer selections, created by Kelly Taylor, Director of Brewing for Port Chester Hall (in addition to Houston Hall and Flatiron Hall in Manhattan). These specialty beer styles include English, Belgian, German, and American, however all use mostly American ingredients. In addition to the proprietary beer selection, the Hall is serving imaginative cocktails by the in-house mixologist, as well as top shelf spirits and a variety of wines.
The station's historic architecture, originally designed in 1890, was preserved and retooled with vintage lighting, seating, and century-old murals. The Pavilion combines the original railroad steel design with communal wood tables and a towering stone fireplace.
Good news for people with Celiacs Disease or those going gluten free. Turns out...bartaco Restaurant is almost completely gluten free! We sent our roving reporter, 9 year old Maizy Boosin, who suffers from Celiac, to test out the menu. See what she found out below...
When bartaco opened its first location in Pt. Chester, NY last year, the goal was to serve simple, tasty food in a stylish yet relaxed environment. After having expanded to locations in Stamford, CT and West Hartford, CT, bartaco continues to fulfill its original goal with a considerable bonus: the vast majority of its menu happens to be gluten free.
Last night, 35 or so lucky CTbites readers participated in the Inaugural "CTBites Invites" event at bartaco in Port Chester, NY. The "Invites," offer CTBites customers unique culinary experiences in the form of special restaurant "happenings" and special product purchasing opportunities. You sign up while the offer lasts, you pay on line and you're in. Simple as that. At last night's event, those who signed up were treated to a TACOS and TEQUILA and a whole lot more.
Thanks to Bartaco, your brunch options just got a whole lot more interesting. Lazy weekends, newsprint-stained hands, Bloody Marys and now tacos are firmly in the domain of this weekend morning ritual.
The popular Port Chester taco joint owned by the Barcelona Group, has recently unleashed a brunch menu for Saturdays and Sundays that is a fitting extension of the brand’s signature breezy Mexican beach food. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this scene, think Mexican street food influenced by the tides (and an enviable location on the Byram River) with a backdrop fit for a Hampton's weekend of beach-going and people watching minus the traffic on the LIE.
