Filtering by Tag: Cocktails,Litchfield

Mocktails That Matter: Nutmegger’s Noontime Fancy with "The Barrel Age" Bartender

Features Ingredients Cocktails Non Alcoholic Cocktails Zero Proof Cocktails Mocktails Bartender Recipe

Khalid Williams

Khalid Williams is a Bloomfield CT native who has established himself as a leading authority on bartending and beverage education. His focus is on demystifying the adult beverage world, empowering everyone to make classic cocktails and enjoy world class wine, craft beer, and other beverages that matter made by people who care. In 2021, Khalid received the CRAZIES Award for Bartender of the Year.

This will be the first installment of an ongoing series featuring Mocktails The Matter, or zero-proof cocktails exclusively featuring locally made CT based ingredients, from Khalid Wiliams, a.k.a., The Barrel Age.

Keep scrolling for some great tips on some “cocktail” making basics including the great straining & muddling debate, and enjoy Khalid’s zero-proof recipe for the Nutmegger’s Noontime Fancy.

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Ordinary Bar in New Haven Unveils its “Clue”-Themed Pop-Up

Features Restaurant Events Bar Cocktails classic cocktails Pop-Up Pop-Up Bar New Haven

Todd Lyon

What are those funsters over at Ordinary up to now? I’ll give you a clue: It is a new fan-boy treatment, and it involves candlesticks, 1940s-style cocktails, Mrs. Peacock, ropes, a mysterious library, lead pipes, and a real-time crime-cracking challenge. 

Ordinary, a modern cocktail bar and restaurant housed in antique oak-paneled splendor, has become known for periodically revamping its decor and its menu, based on a favorite theme. Over the years the place has been temporarily staged as a vintage circus, an homage to Twin Peaks, and, most recently, the films of Wes Anderson, complete with “Moonrise Kingdom”-tented tables and a “Life Aquatic”-decorated men’s room. The pop-ups stay put for months – sometimes a few, sometimes several.

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Mercato Italian Kitchen Opens in Canton: Cocktail Highlight with Bianca Giuliano

Features Restaurant Cocktails Bartender Opening Canton Italian

Khalid Williams

Mercato Italian Kitchen is a new favorite spot for inspired beverages, and they are newly open in the Farmington Valley serving drinks that are more fire than their pizza ovens (which both have names. I never knew pizza ovens had names.)

After doing a live creative session on Instagram with Bianca Giuliano, their bar manager and beverage curator, I was instantly intrigued by her ingredients and drinks that were based on classic cocktails, but with crowd pleasing twists and riffs.

The bar staff was just as enthusiastic and passionate about the menu as Bianca, so rest assured: you’ll get the full Mercato experience no matter which one you choose.

The Canton Location just opened its doors for dinner this week, and is a “must try” for anyone in the valley that loves amazing drinks (her 0%ABV menu ROCKS, by the way!) perfectly rustic wood fired pies, and great ambience. (SIDE NOTE: I had a great burger with burrata)

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Max Chef to Farm 2023 Summer Dining Series at Rosedale Farms

Features Events Pop-Up Dinner Farm Dinner Farm To Table Dinner Series Local Farm Cocktails

Khalid Williams

Hartford County's premier restaurant group and Farmington Valley's century-old farm and vineyard partnered for the 15th year of Max Chef to Farm. The culinary acumen is Max Level (through the roof) with the added benefit of having beverages curated MH by Sommelier and Beverage Director Brian Mitchell.

The owners of Rosedale Farms and Vineyards have been providing apples that are redder, corn that's sweeter and berries that make the juiciest cocktails to CT restaurants for decades, and Max Hospitality has always been obsessed with fresh, local and organic. To culinary Hunter Morton, these are more than buzzwords-they're a way of life. Max Chef to Farm grew out of a desire to take the "farm to table" movement one step further and bring the culinary talent right to the source of their best ingredients.

I attest that great farm produce is available all over the state- but how often with a vineyard attached? Max gives a nod to Rosedale Farms winemaker Morgan Wilson's selections and Brian Mitchell, Max's beverage director, sommelier and a decorated wine and spirits professional and President of the New England Wine Academy

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Rive Bistro in Westport Celebrates 10 Years With Chef Roland Olah At The Helm

Restaurant Westport French Water View Waterfront Pasta Seafood Cocktails Chef Alert Homepage

Jessica Ryan

There’s a lot to celebrate at Rive Bistro in Westport. Owner Eric Sierra is thrilled to be celebrating the restaurant’s 10th  Anniversary.  In addition to this great achievement, Sierra who is stepping away from the kitchen recently brought Chef Roland Olah on to take the helm. After having won a green card in the lottery, Olah left his homeland of Hungary in 2009, along with his position of Executive Chef at the renown Café Erté, to take a chance and pursue a dream in the states. Knowing that he could always return home, he and his wife along with their then young daughter began anew in New York City under the tutelage of Chef Daniel Boulud. Olah would then move to Connecticut to plant some roots. He served as Executive Chef at Martel in Fairfield as well as the now shuttered and well received Brasserie Bruxelles in SONO.

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Zero Proof Cocktails To Try in Connecticut via Bartender Khalid Williams

Features Cocktails Non Alcoholic Cocktails Zero Alcohol Wine & Spirits Bartender

Khalid Williams

Would you rather have an adult beverage, or something alcohol free?

The answer is yes.

There’s a beautiful conundrum to ponder. Drinks without alcohol are being conceived, prepared and executed with the same level of care and thought as their boozy siblings, and sometimes more.

Ten years ago the cocktail's second golden age was in full swing, yet you still would have been hard pressed to find menus at upmarket bars focused on making cocktails without alcohol. The bartender could make you something sans booze, and it would be excellent. It wouldn't however have commanded the same research, preparation and attention as the items taking up real estate on the menu.

No-booze drinks were at best a kind afterthought, a little bit of bartender charity for those not able to imbibe. At worst, and far too often, they were the subject of downright shade and ridicule-when an order for a "fruity virgin drink " came in, you could hear the pretentious eye roll. There was mocking going on, but it had nothing to do with a drink. Mocktails were considered either a momentary novelty or a straight up waste of time.

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Gooseboro Drive-In; 60 Years of Hot Dogs, Burgers and Ice Cream in Bantam

Restaurant Hot Dogs Delicious Dives Comfort Food Bantam Litchfield Kid Friendly Homepage

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger

Hot dogs have been around in various shapes and sizes for centuries, some say dating back to 700 BC; today they are a staple at Fourth of July and church BBQs and grabbing a red hot at Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium was always my go-to food. Natural casing, foot-long, knockwurst, beef, pork, chicken, veggie, tofu, cheese conies, they have been a part of the American culinary scene since forever. There is something special about the salty-spicy combo, the ease of eating, the number of toppings that make them even better…sometimes they are the canvas, sometimes they are the art.

Finding a great and fun hot dog in CT has been an adventure, so when I read that Gooseboro Drive-In in Bantam was awarded the best hot dog at the Litchfield Fair, it definitely hit my radar.

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7 Spots for Happy Hour in New Haven: The "NEW" Happy Hour...Now With More Happy

Features Restaurant New Haven Happy Hour Cocktails Bar Menu Happy Hour Deals

Todd Lyon

Are you suffering from restaurant sticker shock? Did you, on your last outing to a decent eatery, think about having the steak, then found out it cost $74 and ordered the $46 roasted chicken instead, and washed it down with the cheapest wine on the list at $18 a glass, which is more than you usually pay for an entire bottle at the corner packy?

Happy hour is here to help. While not as grand as a multi-course dinner-dinner, happy hour is a wonderful eating-out alternative, offering yummy fun in great locations for not much loot. You just have to get used to, you know, eating (and drinking) on, um, the early side. 

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Guide To Kentucky Derby Events & Parties in Connecticut (2023 Edition)

Features Kentucky Derby Events Holiday Cocktails

Carly Terzigni

What is considered by many to be the most exciting two minutes in sports is right around the corner. The 149th running of the Kentucky Derby will once again take place at Churchill Downs, and fans across the country will don sportscoats and larger-than-life hats while sipping on mint juleps with the hopes of winning big. But even for the casual observer, the first Saturday in May is a great opportunity to gather with friends and family to enjoy a bite to eat and a sip of something refreshing.

Restaurants across Connecticut are preparing for Derby Day, May 6th, with exciting lineups featuring menu specials, limited-time cocktails, live entertainment, and more. And yes, many will host contests to see who the best-dressed attendee will be. If you want to watch the big race on the biggest screen you can find, consider one of the restaurants listed below. They are sure to be filled with fellow spectators eager to watch the Run for the Roses. 

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Meraki: Revisiting A Hidden Gem in Litchfield CT

Restaurant Litchfield Sandwiches Breakfast Sandwich Breakfast Lunch Burgers Homepage

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger

It is with GREAT pleasure that I re-introduce you to an old school CTbites writer who has recently moved back to the Nutmeg state (where he belongs). His name is Jeff Schlesinger, AKA “Jfood.” Welcome back!

As you travel through the rolling hills of Litchfield County, you are mesmerized by its beauty, the intertwining of scenic farms, silos and barns dating back hundreds of years nestled amongst wineries, with their vines reminding you of the connection to the land. Surrounding the bucolic town of Litchfield, the gastronomic options are staggering, from brilliant Italian, to farm-to-table dinners that will satisfy your wildest culinary desires to glorious ice cream. About a mile west of the Litchfield common sits a small, unassuming, side of the road, hidden gem, Meraki, serving some of the boldest combinations I have tasted in quite some time. 

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The Wharf Restaurant at Madison Beach Hotel Reimagined with NEW Crow's Nest Lounge

Features open Hotel Cocktails Vacation Madison

Carly Terzigni

Warmer weather is right around the corner, and you may find yourself along the Connecticut shoreline this spring or summer looking for a romantic dinner or a fun night out with friends. With seaside communities ramping up for the busy season ahead, we were invited to check out the re-christening of The Crow’s Nest, the bar and lounge area found within The Wharf Restaurant at Madison Beach Hotel. 

The restaurant and bar have been mainstays at the hotel since the building was rebuilt in 2012, and new this season is the re-imagined lounge area dubbed The Crow’s Nest. We were able to get a sneak peek at the beautiful space ahead of its opening to the general public, and we can safely say that this will once again be a popular summer destination for both overnight guests and those passing through town for the day.

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Fairfield Gets a New Buzzy Italian Hot Spot with Il Pellicano

Restaurant Openings Fairfield Italian Lunch Cocktails Homepage

Christopher Hodson

If you work hard enough and put in the time to learn your craft, then success is sure to follow. Just ask Saul Medina of the newly opened Il Pellicano in Fairfield. Medina’s journey to this point in his culinary career proves that there are many different paths one can take, and if followed, will lead to the same desired destination of becoming a head chef. Born in Puebla, Mexico, he migrated to the U.S., and like so many before him, landed in New York City. He brought with him a deep love of food and cooking, both taught to him at a young age by his grandmother and aunts. Without any formal training, Medina started at the bottom as a dishwasher but quickly worked his way up the kitchen ranks. His strong work ethic, desire to learn, and ability to travel gave him crucial experience and the necessary exposure to many different styles of food very quickly.

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Keep Eating More Walrus: Walrus Alley Celebrates 10 Years & Opens For Friday Lunch

Features Interview Restaurant Walrus Alley Walrus + Carpenter Westport Southern Southern Food BBQ Homepage Interview Live Music Cocktails Craft Beer

Andrew Dominick

“I remember we had just unlocked the doors at Walrus + Carpenter, and the first two customers that came in ordered a Bud Lights and a Coors Light. I heard Adam (Patrick) go, ‘Oh, we don’t have that.’ And one of the guys goes, ‘Fuck you! You won’t last’ That was our first reaction.”

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Warm Up with Rosa Mexicano's Boozy Mexican Coffee

Features Cocktails Recipe

CTbites Team

With notes of ancho chile, caneia and vanilla, this boozy Mexican Coffee is the perfect spiked treat to warm you up on a brisk winter day. Featuring fair trade Mexican coffee from chiapas, ancho reyes, 1921 crema, milagro reposado, canela-agave, chocolate bitters, kahlua cream, we strongly recommend adding this to your holiday cocktail list. If you haven’t been to CT’s new Mexican spot, Rosa Mexicano (yep the one of NYC fame), check it out.

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Casa Me Opens in Westport with Beautiful Italian Cuisine & A Cocktail Program You'll Want In On

Restaurant Westport Openings Italian Pasta Cocktails Cocktail Lounge Homepage

Jessica Ryan

Casa Me elevates the local restaurant scene with its exceptional Northern Italian vacation-inspired cuisine.

For months Westporters and passersby wondered what was to become of the slightly rundown restaurant in Sconset Square in the midst of a massive renovation and remodel that seemed to take forever. Rumors began to circulate… a Mexican restaurant was coming to town (another?). A Spanish restaurant was moving in. (That’s across the street.) There was also some speculation that a new concept by restauranteur Mario Fontana, owner of the Bodega restaurants both in Fairfield and Darien was going to open. Fontana was indeed opening a new restaurant, Case Me, but the cuisine would be distinctly vacation-inspired Italian cuisine. This time he would be joined by his wife, the lovely Pina Ferlisi, who would take on the role of Creative Director after leaving a long and successful career as a fashion director for such esteemed brands as Henri Bendel and Alexander McQueen.

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Mexicue Opens in Westport: Mexican-American ‘Classics Re-Mixed’ (via Westport Journal)

Restaurant Westport Openings Mexican Cocktails Tacos

Gretchen Thomas

This just in from Gretchen Webster of Westport Journal.

The day after Westport’s newest restaurant, Mexicue, opened at 38 Main St., founder Thomas Kelly said the “contemporary Mexican-American restaurant” was off to a good start.

He and Lynn Wilson, Mexicue’s operating partner, took about a year to plan and open the downtown location, once the site of the Bobby Q’s and Onion Alley restaurants.

The Mexicue in Westport is the seventh owned and operated by Kelly and Wilson. There are three others in New York City, two in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore area and one in Stamford.

Tacos and margaritas are featured fare on the Mexicue menu.

“People like a good margarita with tacos,” and a place that is “fun and vibrant with loud music and strong drinks,” Kelly said.

Read the complete article at Westport Journal.

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My Favorite Dish: Chef Carlos Perez Taps Into His Cuban Heritage with His Take on the Cubano Sandwich

Features Favorite Dish Cuban Cuisine Sandwiches Litchfield

Christopher Hodson

If you don’t thoroughly enjoy a good sandwich every now and then, then this probably isn’t the article for you. But on the other hand, if you are like me and constantly in search of what I deem to be a lunchtime staple, then I may have just found the next sandwich you MUST try.

Every culture seems to have mastered that art of the ‘sandwich.’ There is the Bahn Mi, the Reuben, the Croque Monsieur, the Madame, the Italian Combo, the Turkey Club, the BLT, the Chicken Cutlet, the Philly cheesesteak, the list goes on and on. One particular sandwich however, holds a very special place at the top of my list, and that is the Cuban sandwich.

I’ll first put this right out there. I don’t like Swiss cheese, never have, never will. BUT, when liberally melted on top of well seasoned, juicy roasted pork, with ham, and pickles, and mustard, all on fresh Cuban bread that’s been buttered and then pressed…lights out, game over. Bring on the Swiss cheese because now it’s magical.

Enter Carlos Perez, Chef of At The Corner in Litchfield. He’s Half Cuban. So when I heard he was putting a Cuban Sandwich on the menu, I drove straight to Litchfield and had to see for myself if the rumor was true. Since then I’ve already had three of them and by the time this article comes out, I can guarantee that number will have definitely risen.

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