There’s a new fried chicken restaurant in town and it’s not like any other.
Last summer Lovebird opened its first Connecticut eatery at 2385 Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield on the heels of four successful Pennsylvania restaurants (Blue Bell, Bryn Mawr, Doylestown and Newtown.)
Stephanie Wilson Paulson, a long- time friend of founder John Ordway, decided to bring the restaurant to Connecticut and thought Fairfield to be an ideal location.
Lovebird is unique in that it is a celiac-friendly, gluten-free* restaurant that describes itself as a high quality chicken restaurant changing the way fried chicken is done, and redefining the way people are eating fried chicken. Free of GMO's, antibiotics, and unpronounceable ingredients, Lovebird uses only Gerber’s Amish Farm cage-free chicken for their made-to-order sandwiches, salads, and quinoa bowls, with vegetarian and vegan options. Diners shouldn’t overlook their sides, crispy Brussels, fried pickles and mac and cheese, all – of course – gluten-free!
Haven Hot Chicken, which brings Nashville Hot Chicken and “Not Chicken” to the area as one of the first fully dedicated Nashville Hot Chicken concepts in New England, has announced its opening of a second location in Orange, Connecticut. Located at 550 Boston Post Road, the 1400 square foot location will feature the brand’s signature menu of crispy, crunchy, juicy, spicy, delicious chicken and vegetarian options ranging from Country (not spicy) to Haven (extremely spicy), along with their famous fries and seasonal limited-time offerings.(Read our review of their New Haven location here.)
We are officially into winter and, in addition to the regular flus and colds, all that other “stuff” is still swirling around. Behold, a listing of establishments where you can grab healthy eats, products, and even some classes that will boost your immunity and overall health in an attempt to steel you against whatever might endeavor to chase you. From the humble elderberry and cup of tea to stores that stock all manner of healthy living goods and purveyors specializing in quality goods for your wellness, we want to help you stack the deck in your favor this season.
Here are 35+ Spots for Healthy Eats & Wellness: Markets, Apothecaries, Nutritionists, Spice Shops, Juice, Teas and More!
Picture this: you're at the beach tanning when all of a sudden you hear that dreaded sound of your stomach rumbling. But you aren’t in the mood for the classic hot dog or chicken tenders that are usually served at a beach. You want something a little more gourmet, like a lobster roll or a farm-fresh salad. Have no fear! Hook’d on the Sound can provide you just that and is located only a few feet away from your towel.
I might have simply walked in, but I had a bounce in my step as I left.
See, you never quite know what you are going to encounter at a self-proclaimed “healthy” eatery, as healthy can be interpreted pretty darned broadly and with some questionable interpretations, let’s be honest. It’s therefore wildly refreshing when you find a place that has their mission clearly defined and they take all the way to the finish line, with no stalls or excuses along the way. From their cheeky website to the very bubbly staff member, Tara, at the register (who, coincidentally, in her mask, bears a startling resemblance to Twyla from Schitt’s Creek-and yes, she’s just as friendly, sweet and sparkly), there is a palpable energy to Barvida.
If the buzz around KFC’s 2020 rollout of their fried chicken and donut sandwich says anything about our appetite for this decadently delicious combo, I’d say with great certainty that the new Citizen Chicken & Donuts, opening today in West Hartford, has some serious legs. From the folks who brought you Hartford Baking Company, Citizen Chicken & Donuts has made a smart addition to the team, a chef who knows things about Southern cooking, and definitely knows his fried chicken. Texas born, Chef Van Hurd, of Sayulita’s, Taino Smokehouse, and Riverhouse Catering, will be at the helm alongside Hartford Baking Company founder, Scott Kluger, who will handle the carb-ier side of Citizen’s menu, including the donuts, brioche sandwich breads, cronuts and other goodies. Kluger says “Fried chicken is not our background or culture so it’s nice to have somebody from that world to bring real authenticity to the menu.” It’s really the perfect pairing, and you can find this comfort food mecca at Hartford Baking Company’s original location on New Park Avenue in West Hartford.
Dan Kardos has been busy. At a time when the restaurant industry is trying its best to survive, pivoting and adapting to the current situation are key. Kardos is doing just that.
While running Oar & Oak as a takeout model, then to its dine-in reopening with restrictions, he spent most of his summer slinging fried chicken sandwiches, lobster rolls, and burgers on a food truck extension of his restaurant.
Kardos didn’t stop there. In late May, he purchased a trailer to sell homemade soft serve cones, creative sundaes, and adults-only dairy desserts complete with nips of booze.
And now, Kardos has expanded his footprint in town with Oar & Oak Birdhouse, a grab and go Oar & Oak offshoot where fried chicken rules the roost.
Global pandemic aside, Kardos said he’s had the idea for this for a while to fill a need in Stratford for quality fast casual food.
“We wanted this place for a year because it’s more centralized (on Main Street),” he says. “Even though Oar & Oak is in town, people see it as being far away, and this gives them a chance to try us out. And it allows me to focus on creating more refined food there, more craveable takeout stuff here.”
Want some great espresso, specialty iced tea, frozen drinks? How about acai, pitaya, matcha or spirulina bowls alongside killer bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches, basmati rice bowls, gluten free, vegan dishes, and mouthwatering desserts? The Westchester favorite, Bobo’s Cafe has crossed the border, and is opening in Connecticut…Ridgefield to be exact. According to their Facebook page, doors open today at 32 Danbury Road.
After completing their domination of Northern Westchester, owner Craig Bernardi said, “We look for communities that allow us the opportunity to really get to know people in town.”
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.
Soul Tasty, Stamford’s only soul food restaurant, is waking up before the sun rises to whip up their new breakfast menu that includes an array of omelets, breakfast sandwiches, French toast, and a few southern classics.
Co-owner and chef Jean Gabriel teased Soul Tasty’s stick-to-your-ribs morning offerings with what’s arguably the star of the menu and an inevitable big seller, a fried chicken biscuit with a smattering of honey.
“It’s a southern-style biscuit that’s butter basted throughout the cooking process, so you still get the flakiness, the buttery taste, and the softness,” Gabriel says. “We wanted to get the biscuit to the point where when you have anything with it, like when you bite into the crispy chicken, that it meshes well together for a contrast of textures.”
As for the chicken part of the breakfast sandwich? It’s a boneless thigh, like the one Soul Tasty matches up with its chicken & waffles. Gabriel tells us that he marinates the thigh in a secret spice blend, allows it to sit, rotates it, flours it, eggs it, then dredges it again for a double crunch effect.
“Oh my god, this fried chicken sandwich is so freakin’ delicious I may openly weep,” came out of my mouth as I savored my first bite of Haven Hot Chicken’s Nashville style hot chicken sandwich. “Haven Hot Chicken” opened last week at 21 Whitney Avenue in downtown New Haven after months of sold out pop ups throughout the New Haven area. The lines are long, but the wait is worth it, as people queued up to sample the cult classic Nashville Hot Chicken (and vegetarian Not Chicken) in a variety of heat levels (5 to be exact).
A team of local industry vets have partnered together to bring “Haven Hot Chicken” to downtown New Haven after months of sold out popups, social media giveaways and curbside pickup popups. The takeout and delivery focused restaurant, which features cult classic Nashville Hot Chicken (and vegetarian Not Chicken) in a variety of heat levels, is slated to open at 21 Whitney Avenue this Fall.
The newest addition to the healthier eating scene in downtown Westport is GG & Joe, a cafe specializing in “Acai, Coffee and Toast”. Located in the former Talbots Kids space, this new space is light, bright, and airy, with cafe-style seating indoors as well as a lovely outdoor patio area.
Acai (pronouced “ah-sigh-ee”)—What is it? It’s a purply-red fruit from the Acai Palm tree, which is found in Central and South America. It has earned its buzz due to high levels of antioxidants in the pulp, its fiber content, heart-healthy fats (believe it or not), and calcium, all of which combine to leave many berries, including blueberries and cranberries back in the berry basket. At GG & Joe, acai berry puree forms the foundation of many a colorful, fruit-filled bowl.
Popeye’s introduced its new chicken sandwich late last summer. After a week of rave reviews, long lines and poultry passion, Chick-fil-A took to Twitter, without mentioning Popeye’s by name, to remind the public which chicken sandwich they fell in love with first. Popeye’s taunted back in the afternoon, “... y’all good?” The beef over chicken was on.
Normally one to avoid chains, I was compelled to get to Popeye’s. I had to try this life-changing sandwich. I pulled up to the drive-thru with hangry anticipation only to hear, “We’re sold out.” Gut punch. I simply drove off. Nothing could satiate me in this dark moment over white meat.
Eventually I returned to eating, but the craving for a great chicken sandwich never left. It became my mission. Chains be damned, I have to find the best fried chicken sandwich in Connecticut. -Mike Wollschlager
When Catch A Healthy Habit opened its doors 10 years ago, this raw, vegan, gluten-free cafe was one of the first of its kind in CT, and certainly the first in Fairfield County. Owners Lisa Storch (yes, she is related to Matt Storch)and Glen Colello did a wonderful job creating an extensive healthy and delicious menu of items you can’t believe taste so darn good given everything that’s NOT included in the ingredients list. Storch, is a CIA trained chef and has always made everything from scratch, including their almond milk, cashew cheese, and coconut whipped cream (which is divine). They have also managed to source the single best gluten-free bread I’ve found in the fine state of CT. And now they’re 10 years old! To celebrate they will giving all their loyal guests 10% off everything in the store (including their juice cleanses) on Nov 30th, Small Business Day.
West Hartford, Connecticut is about to get a bowl full of sunshine with the opening of PLAYA BOWLS in Blue Back Square this November. Serving up bowls and smoothies made from açaí, pitaya, coconut, greens, chia, banana, and oatmeal, Playa Bowls uses the freshest high-quality ingredients, with sustainability and community in mind.
Furthermore, on Opening Day (exact date and time to be announced in the coming weeks on instagram at @playabowlsweha), the first 50 people in line will get a FREE bowl or smoothie of their choice!
"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.
The Great Fried Chicken Sandwich War of 2019 came to Lower Fairfield County last week, following the viral Twitter skirmish that began when Popeye’s introduced it’s new chicken sandwich, an attempt to go after the Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich market that has been dominated by Chick-fil-A for many a year. This has been a fascinating study in viral marketing as it has been one of the first cases where corporations have been able to use Twitter effectively to go after one another. By the end of the news cycle even Hot Pockets claimed to be a part of this Battle Royal.
If nothing else was learned, it’s that consumers like snark. As one commentator said, it became the fried chicken sandwich version of Real Housewives, and it seemed to drive everyone’s’ proverbial ratings through the roof as Popeye’s sold out nationally and others sold out in some locations.
I primarily wanted to try the national chains that are available locally (no local friend chicken sandwiches, for the sake of the review). And it had to be a fried (as opposed to grilled) chicken sandwich. The contenders: Popeye’s, Shake Shack, Burger King, Chick-fil-A, Wendy’s, & McDonald's.
There’s no doubt that Garden Catering’s chicken nuggets—with cones—are the star of their show. GC’s fans are guilty of copping and crushing “The Special,” many times over. If you’ve ever deviated from their legendary nuggs, chances are you cheated with a Nugget Wrap or the Hotsy, both are arguably the runners up to the nuggets.
Well, things are changing!
Oh, don’t worry, those two sandwiches are staying, but two new ones are making their grand entrance on Garden Catering’s menu…Fried chicken sandwiches.
