Nibble: Tasty CT Food Events For Week of January 12-19

Tickets are on sale for the Great Mac & Chili Challenge at the SoNo Collection, which will take place on January 26 from 11am-3pm.Over 20 restaurants will be competing for the title of best mac n cheese or chili.  For just $20, receive unlimited sampling and the chance to vote your favorites in this fan choice event!  The event benefits Food Rescue US.  Purchase tickets online at www.MacAndChili.com.

Litchfield Saltwater Grille hosts a pop-up Cigar Dinner on Sunday January 12th at 4pm. $40 gets you 3 courses with their regular cigar menu. RSVP quickly!

Tavern On State’s Sunday Supper Series returns on January 12th with a dinner From the Sea! Their friends at Opici who will be pairing wines with each of the 5 courses.

Hartford Restaurant Week is here and it continues through January 19th!  Participating restaurants throughout West Hartford will offer special fixed price multi course menus at $12 for lunch and $20, $30 or $40 for dinner.  A portion of all menu sales will be donated to Foodshare, the regional food bank serving Hartford and Tolland counties. 

The CT Wine Trail is officially open!  Pick up this year’s passport at one of the 14 participating CT Vineyards and Wineries to be in the running for over $5,000 in prizes! 

Taco Loco has an all new happy hour Tuesday-Friday from 3-6pm.  There are specials for each day of the week, like 2 for 1 frozen margaritas on Tuesday.  In addition, there are $5 frozen margaritas, $5 apps, and $5 beer specials available every happy hour.

Join Vinted Wine Bar for their first Wine Dinner of 2020 on Tuesday January 14.  Chef Michael Voight will present a five course meal paired with wines by Orin Swift.  It begins at 6:30pm. 

Mike's Organic invites you to kick off the new year on a healthy note with a special smoothie class on January 14 at 10:30 a.m.. Holistic Nutrition Consultant Meredith Geller, HHC, AADP (and Mike’s big sister!) will teach guests a variety of easy and delicious creations to up your smoothie game along with recipes and ingredients to take home.

Black Pond Brews and Mystic Cheese Company are teaming up for a beer and cheese pairing on Wednesday January 15.  Black Pond Brews in Killingly will serve as the backdrop for the evening.  Tickets are $45.   

On Friday January 17, join Thomas Hooker Brewery for a double grand opening: The debut of the Thomas Hooker pizza kitchen and its indoor dog park and beer bar at their neighbors- Dog Star Rescue! Bring your four legged friend and come by for some great beer, food, and play! 

The chef teams from both Terrain Cafe and Amis are lending their skills to a six week teaching and tasting culinary journey at the Stamford Museum!  The theme is seasonal sustainability, and each week a different chef will take students through unique recipes that highlight seasonal and sustainable ingredients. Students will create a diverse range of dishes to comprise a full menu, like a winter salad featuring seasonal fruits and local cheese, an Italian-inspired citrus salad appetizer, whole roasted chicken with sage-honey, roasted pears and sweet potatoes, New Bedford scallops accompanied by bueree blanch, and more.  The series starts January 27 and tickets area available now. 

The entire month on January is “Restaurant Month” at L’escale in Greenwich.  They’ll offer a 3 course prix-fixe menu for $24.20 at lunch and $45.20 at dinner.

Get your tickets now for the annual Mohegan Sun Wine and Food Fest!  Festivities kick off on Friday January 24 with a bourbon tasting, grand tasting preview, and cigar and wine pairing.  The weekend continues with Saturday’s Grand Tasting and the Celebrity Chef Dine Around, and the After Party.  On Sunday, end the weekend with an epic Brunch Battle. 

ARTISAN West Hartford announced it is offering half-priced bottles of wine ($100 or less) on Mondays and waiving its corkage fee (750 ml or less) on Sundays to kick off the decade (limit of one bottle per table). For a limited time, patrons have the opportunity to sample a new wine from Artisan’s exquisite list, or pair a familiar favorite with Artisan’s seasonal menu. Call for reservations. 860-937-2525, artisanwesthartford.com.

Check out a Tasty Yolk truck or their NEW storefront location for their January special: the Just Go Floret!  The sandwich includes 2 eggs, cumin-turmeric roasted cauliflower, kale, cheese, and feta on a spinach wrap.

Taste of Middlesex County returns from January 13-19.  Participating restaurants throughout Middlesex County will be offering two prix fixe three-course meal options, one for $20.20 and one for $30.20 (does not include beverages, tax or gratuity). Taste of Middlesex is available for dinner hours only.  Taste of Middlesex County restaurant week is presented by the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce.