Fiesta! is now open in Stamford’s West side neighborhood (conveniently located in the Shop Rite shopping center.) The Rojas family opened this location, their fifth restaurant, this past November, continuing in their dedication to share authentic Peruvian cuisine and culture with the Fairfield County community.
Alberto Rojas’ opened the first Fiesta! location nearly 30 years ago. The Peruvian businessman and entrepreneur came to the States in the 1980s and has owned numerous local businesses over the years including those in the dry cleaning, travel and marketing industries. Rojas, a youthful 76, welcomed us warmly, and with pride, to his newest eatery.
Orienta Restaurant recently launched a new series of luncheon events. The restaurant invites local entrepreneurs, artisans and business owners to share and inspire during the weekday lunch service. The new luncheon series began in December with artist Simone Kestelman of Scarsdale, New York. (For more information visit their website.)
Concurrently, the French and Asian-inspired menu introduced a couple of new items. New dishes include the Chin-Chin Paillard a fun play on the traditional Chicken Paillard and a knock-your-socks-off Vietnamese Savory Crepe. (More on these in a bit.)
Whether you are rooting for the Philadelphia Eagles, the Kansas City Chiefs, or Rihanna, nothing can bring the whole family around the television like the Super Bowl. And whether you are into wings, nachos, pizza, or all of the above (like us), there is no shortage of great food options to munch on while watching the game (or the commercials).
Some of you may be lucky enough to live near the popular Middle Eastern Pistachio Cafe in the Westville neighborhood of New Haven, but diners in downtown New Haven can finally experience the immense pleasure of settling into one of Pistachio’s signature Turkish Coffees or Pistachio Lattes. Last week, Pistachio Cafe opened a 2nd location at 1245 Chapel Street. Syrian artist, architect and owner, Mohamad Hafez, opened the original Pistachio location in 2020 with the goal of “giving guests the experience of hosting them in my domicile without taking them back to Syria.” In fact, the beautifully ornate and sumptuous interior has layer upon layer of detailing and decor straight from his childhood. . Every inch of this cafe is designed with objects of interest, and the stunning surroundings match the character of this Middle Eastern fan favorite.
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, today announced that it will be opening its fourth location in North Haven, Connecticut. Located at 146 Washington Avenue, the 1200 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 beloved fries, sides and seasonal limited-time offerings. Having recently celebrated the second anniversary of its first location in New Haven, Haven Hot Chicken opened its Orange location in June 2022, and will be opening soon in Norwalk, CT.
This just in from Westport Journal’s Thane Grauel.
The aroma of garlic once again hovers over Post Road East at the Sherwood Island Connector.
Pizza Lyfe, 833 Post Road East — proofing for months with ‘coming soon’ and ‘now hiring’ signs — has finally opened its doors. It’s the successor to Ignazio’s The Pizza, and before that, Bertucci’s, and, way the heck back when, the Clam Box.
Pizza Lyfe makes New York-style pies, and also offers a compact but uncommon menu of calzones, sandwiches, appetizers, salads and other healthy offerings.
When you enter Ramen & Bao, the latest culinary addition to Oxford’s Quarry Walk, there is no question that you are in for a memorable experience. Right away, you are greeted by the tranquil sounds of water trickling from a fountain as you turn the corner, signaling that it is time to kick back, relax, and enjoy some delicious ramen, dumplings, steamed baos, or whatever may strike your fancy.
Chef Jin is no stranger to opening up successful restaurants in Connecticut, as Ramen & Bao is a sister restaurant to Natural Kitchen in Milford and Tomo 68 in Naugatuck. So we knew we were in for a treat when we sat down at a carefully presented place setting, complete with ornate soup spoons, bowls, and chopsticks. Needless to say, we were ready to dive in.
On several occasions, chef Tim LaBant has suggested we check out Dante’s Pizza in New Canaan.
“Have you been to Dante’s?”
“Have you been to Dante’s yet?”
“You gotta try Dante’s. I’d be curious to see what you think.”
Before he mentioned it to me a year ago, I hadn’t even heard of Dante’s. I live pretty close to New Canaan, and what’s worse is I frequently visit my favorites there, namely the South Ends, Elm, Locali, and I’ve eaten an obscene amount of Joe’s Pizza.
Chef Alan Lee, owner of Uncle Seven in SoNo, is no stranger to the Connecticut food scene. He and his family have owned the highly successful Ching’s Table in New Canaan for over thirty years. So what was next for Chef Lee? A new venture, a modern twist on traditional Chinese cuisine in the SoNo Collection Mall. This new spot is called Uncle Seven, and you’ll be happy we told you so.
Uncle Seven was an immediate hit when it first opened its doors in early 2020, with Chef Lee recalling that the restaurant was “very busy for the first few months” before March of 2020 arrived. The restaurant has just reopened post pandemic, and we think it should be on your list of dining spots to check out this holiday season. Why, you ask? In addition to a truly delicious authentic Chinese menu, we’ve got two words for you: PEKING DUCK.
The iconic New Haven pizza spot, Sally’s Apizza is getting ready to open the doors at their NEW LOCATION IN FAIRFIELD next month!!!! This will be their third location in Connecticut, the 2nd of which opened last year in Stamford.
The restaurant will be located in the Trademark building at 665 Commerce Drive, in the space formerly occupied by Barbacoa Smoke House
On the heels of a slick renovation at their Rye, NY location, The Granola Bar founders, Julie Mountain and Dana Noorily are at it again. This time, however, their focus is in Westport. No, not at their flagship of TGB, but in the Compo Beach area at Old Mill Grocery & Deli.
Old Mill, though, is a very different venture for this dynamic duo. But before Mountain and Noorily could put their magic touch on this neighborhood gem, a lot had to happen.
First, the building that was built in 1919—which had been many iterations of Old Mill and a few Elvira’s in an over 100 year span—needed to be saved after the owners up to last year, Betsy and Hal Kravitz, moved out of Westport, putting a longtime neighborhood favorite at risk of being purchased and demolished for what likely would have been another beach area home.
It’s Nantucket meets the Mediterranean. Arden’s, Rowayton’s newest eatery, is a community cafe offering up simple seasonal fare that’s as beautiful as it is delicious.
Inside the beachy décor is minimalist with hints of flea-market vintage finds. You’ll find antiquated oyster tins, vases filled with vibrant fresh flowers, beechwood furniture, a curated marketplace with specialty gourmet food items, locally fabricated linens alongside local honey, assorted spices, hot chili oil in beautiful glass jars, ceramics and other wonderful finds. Wonderful, whimsical floppy rattan shades resembling oversized straw hats hang from light fixtures overhead. Arden’s welcomes you in immediately with a warm embrace that doesn’t want to let you go.
Stay a while and linger over a simple menu of salads, sandwiches and toasts. While the concept is simple the recipes are elevated using ingredients from several local purveyors including Wilton’s Millstone Farm and Darien-based Flour Water Salt Bread, Nit Noi Provisions and Ilse coffee. Ingredients matter at this health-forward café. At the helm of the kitchen is Moises Aguilar formerly with Southend Backend. Here he is tasked with delivering the ultimate flavor profile from the simplest of ingredients which he has clearly mastered.
A few weeks ago we headed to Stamford where it was rumored that a new Albanian restaurant had opened to rave reviews by Eater as well as the New York Times. Stamford, CT is the third ÇKA KA QËLLU location – the first was in the Bronx and the second in the Murray Hill section of New York City.
Why Stamford, I wondered? I then learned that Stamford has a large Albanian population. ÇKA KA QËLLU serves a modern selection of the most popular and well-loved dishes of Albania and Kosovo, including unique, mouth-watering desserts, according to their website. They also claim to proudly serve authentic dishes that are sumptuous and healthy at the same time. We were more than eager to check out this new-to-us cuisine.
Tucked away in a quiet street, the restaurant’s exterior automatically draws you in. As soon as you enter the building you feel as though you’ve stepped into another time and era that’s part castle and part museum filled with all sorts of wonderful and unique authentic 18th and 19th century artifacts, all imported from Albania.
It’s hard to fathom there might be someone in Fairfield County not yet familiar with Layla’s Falafel. With locations in Stamford, Westport, and Fairfield, Layla’s is bustling with activity – and with good reason, their food is delicious. Layla’s offers something for everyone, satisfying a variety of palates and diet preferences, with options for vegans and vegetarians as well as those with celiac/gluten issues. This Middle Eastern fare is wonderful, fresh, and not to mention healthy.
And with that we are happy to share the great news that Layla’s Custom Bowls have been added to the menu. They’re healthy, incredibly satisfying and delicious. And just like the other menu options the bowls can be made vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free.
In an endless sea of Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks, it’s always refreshing to stop by a local cafe for breakfast and a cup of coffee. Combine with that a charming spot on Main Street and you have a recipe for a quintessential Connecticut morning – and that’s exactly what we found at Toasted OAT Cafe on Main Street in Newington.
If you’re fond of Toasted OAT Cafe in Canton which first opened its doors in 2018, then you’re in for a treat: a second location in Newington has opened in 2022, bringing their popular Packed Bowl among many other breakfast and lunch favorites to a second location in Connecticut. Just like Canton, the vibes are relaxed and welcoming.
In a bleak midwinter, in the midst of a great Pandemic, Sophia Diakoloukas left a successful marketing career to open her restaurant, Urban Greek Kitchen. This fast-casual eatery serves up modern Greek food with a flair. “It’s Greek with a twist” she describes. “I use traditional family recipes and adapt them to satisfy the way we eat today.” Inspired by the fresh flavors of the Mediterranean, Urban Greek focuses on healthy, fresh vibrant ingredients that are satisfying and delicious. Having grown up in the restaurant business, here in Connecticut, Sophia is no stranger to the inner workings of this complicated, fast-paced industry. It’s immediately apparent that she runs a pristinely organized and tight ship. Most of her staff has been with her since the doors opened…and so have her loyal customers.
Pier 131 Restaurant and Bar is poised to be one of CT’s “it” destinations this summer. Nestled along the newly renovated Shelton Riverfront with stunning views of the Housatonic River and the historic Old Shelton Railroad Bridge, Pier131 is located in one of the most stunning spots in Fairfield County.
Although very much a neighborhood restaurant, this high-energy gathering place and urban retreat opened its doors late last summer and quickly became a popular destination drawing diners and photographers from all over Fairfield and New Haven Counties – even on the coldest winter days.
The setting immediately draws you in and the tasty something for everyone menu will keep you coming back. Pier 131 has also done a great job giving diners an entertaining experience with live music several nights a week, a DJ every Sunday afternoon, as well as Trivia Night, a daily Happy Hour, $5 Margarita Tuesday, Pasta Sunday (with half off select bottles of wine). More events will be added to the line-up as the weather starts to warm.
So much has changed since we last covered Swyft’s modern tavern concept located on Kent’s main drag.
Like most restaurants, Swyft had to deal with pandemic restrictions. But unlike most restaurants, they had to get up off the mat three more times. Lauded chef and partner Joel Viehland parted ways with Swyft around the time COVID shutdowns hit Connecticut.
Mere weeks after Viehland’s exit, Swyft’s owner, philanthropist Anne Bass, sadly passed away on April 1, 2020, after a battle with ovarian cancer.
And if that wasn’t enough, dynamo pastry chef Anthony D’Amelio went off to pursue other goals sometime last year.
We know, that’s a lot to take in.
According to Allison Mitchell—who’s essentially Swyft’s Swiss Army Knife as she handles social media, does photography, coordinates events, waits tables, bartends, and somehow fits in marketing duties—Swyft went through a “huge overhaul.”
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!
Wildacre Rotisserie, a new fast casual rotisserie restaurant, will make its debut in Greenwich, CT in Spring 2022. Led by former Starbucks and sweetgreen culinary leader and Fairfield County resident Ben Pote, the restaurant will bring a fresh take on traditional rotisserie to Cos Cob. The concept of the eatery, both in cuisine and design, is inspired by California with a thoughtfully curated menu that offers something for everyone.
Rotisserie chicken and slow-roasted cauliflower are at the heart of the menu, complemented by entree-style salads, plant-forward sides, and sauces that are made in-house daily, with thoughtful pops of flavor throughout. The chicken, for example, is rubbed with bay leaf, oregano, and fennel pollen, giving it an herbaceous, savory flavor, while the whole-roasted cauliflower is sprinkled with za’atar, a Middle-Eastern herb blend. Wildacre’s salads are hearty enough for lunch and dinner, or to eat alongside a whole roasted chicken or cauliflower. Guests can order a la carte or select a bundled meal, which offers the choice of either a rotisserie chicken or slow-roasted cauliflower main plus two sides and two sauces. Side dishes range from french fries to roasted brussels sprouts, and the majority of the menu is gluten-free. The California influence shows up throughout the menu, which features ingredients like fennel pollen, meyer lemon, and avocado, and flavors inspired by Mediterranean, Central American, and Asian cuisines.
