Boothbay Lobster Company is opening its first bricks and mortar location at Harbor Point in Stamford in the upcoming months. To give the community a taste of what to expect from super-fresh Maine lobster, the company is periodically parking its Boothbay Lobster Company truck 100 yards down the street from the restaurant, serving two types of Lobster Rolls, a BLC sandwich, Lobster Mac & Cheese, plus a few non-lobster items. On a beautiful afternoon CTbites visited the truck to sample the newest addition to the Harbor Point neighborhood. As I approached the truck I noticed a sign stating that the lobster were caught the previous day…this was an ultra-fresh product.
CTbites was invited to a lunch at Del Frisco’s Grille in Stamford, the pubbier version of the nationwide steak house, representing the twenty-second Grille opening and its first location in Connecticut. The single, main dining area is extremely open and airy, with a soaring ceiling, reclaimed woods, large murals, and light fixtures giving an industrial-hip, NYC vibe. Seating includes tables, banquettes, and a long bar, all with leather backed seats and bar stools. The large open kitchen is situated in the rear of the dining room.
Chef Nick Martschenko’s (South End) newest venture, SE Uncorked, is already creating an incredible buzz throughout New Canaan for its great food and great vibe. Inspired by the speakeasies of the Prohibition era and taverns in the UK and Australia, Chef Nick told CTbites that his vision is for “guests to be comfortable and relaxed in a heavily beverage, comfortable environment with foods designed for a pub versus restaurant theme.”
Located at 15 Elm Street, both the exterior and interior have been completely redesigned. The brick-faced exterior features a drop-down wood shelf, windows at eye-level and a wood carved sign announcing “Uncorked” with the familiar South End circle-logo with the additional prelude... “Snacks & Taps.”
Vespa Restaurant recently introduced its new culinary team, Executive Chef David White and Pastry Chef Susanne Berne to create a vibrant menu to complement the relaxing décor and wonderful water view. The duo will collaborate in creating a menu for the full dining experience, from the first bite of Antipasti to the last bite of Dolci. In addition, the restaurant recently unveiled its lunch service, a new dessert menu and the commencement of “Apertivo Hour” from 4-6PM, offering half price beer, wine, $8 select cocktails and a small plates menu.
Chef David joins Vespa from The Inn at Pound Ridge, where he was the Chef de Cuisine. Prior to working with Chef Jean-Georges, he sharpened his skills in Europe before returning to the US to further refine his talents with award-winning Andrew Masciangelo at Savona. Chef Berne’spassion for the culinary arts was sparked by a pastry course in college before receiving her Grande Diploma in Pastry Arts in 1999. She subsequently won back-to-back ACF Florida Pastry Challenges in 2003 & 2005.
CTbites recently visited Vespa to sample a variety of the new culinary team’s Italian-inspired creations.
The heck with “Veni, vidi, vici,” my return visit to Hoodoo Brown BBQ in Ridgefield was more we came, we saw, we ordered and man we tried. And when I say we tried…we tried EVERY meat on the menu and we tried to eat every ounce of meat on numerous trays. If this was a gunfight with Hoodoo Brown in the 1870s we would be full of holes, he won.
Armed with a reservation for the “BBQ Room,” twelve of us ventured to Hoodoo Brown. As our group congregated, I placed the initial appetizer order plus a round of beers, sodas and lemonades. To warm up our appetites, this initial order included two large BBQ Nachos (one with chopped brisket and the other with pulled pork), a dozen Bourbon Teriyaki Wings and a couple of Strawberry and Arugula salads. As we waited, super Pitmaster Nestor Laracuente wandered into the room to offer his humble thanks to all of us for coming and wished us a great meal. He was heading back to Queens for the evening before beginning the return voyage the following morning at 4AM.
The food truck craze continues and I visited Crazy Taco-Mex. The simply decorated truck includes a Sombrero with the rim in the shape of a handlebar moustache. The menu includes Tacos ($3.50) Quesadillas ($6), and Burritos ($7). I was interested in Tacos and ordered three, a steak, a carnitas and a chicken. The menu states that each is topped with onions, cilantro and salsa verde.
In a town that offers the best gelato in Fairfield County, New Canaan has been void of the same quality ice cream. That has now changed as Gingerbitz on Elm Street is now selling scoops ofAnnabelle’s Ice Cream from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. When I heard the news I headed straight to Gingerbitz to sample.
Nestled alongside the cakes, pastries, woopie pies and the Stumptown coffee, Gingerbitz offers four rotating varieties. With the scorching temperature this past weekend, there were several people lined up to order a cone or a cup of the current selections; Triple Chocolate, New Hampshire Pure Maple Walnut, Raspberry Chocolate Chip and Salty Caramel. A quick look on Annabelle’s website describes the ice cream a “super premium, 16% butter fat, kosher®, natural ice cream with NO additives or artificial colors.”
Each of them were extra-creamy, dense and full of great flavors. The chocolate was my favorite. The richness of the chocolate was elevated by chocolate chunks and a dark fudge.
Lithos Restaurant opened in April serving an array of Greek specialties from a house made hummus to individually prepared crocks of Moussaka to a full selection of dinner entrées including fish, meats and chicken. Located at the eastern edge of Darien in the building that formerly housed Anthony's coal fired pizza, Lithos redecorated the interior to a lighter feel with blues, taupes and fixtures to inspire a Mediterrean softness. There is a long bar in the rear of the dining area, tables, booths and a large dining table that seats 10-12 to the right of the space that can be secluded by a sliding curtain. This month the restaurant commenced lunch service with a fixed price ($16 on my visit) 3-course special that includes an appetizer sampler, a choice of entrées and a dessert of yogurt, honey and fruit.
On a beautiful evening, sixty wine-and-cheese lovers gathered at the Pequot Museum in Fairfield for an education on five specially selected cheeses and wines chosen by Laura Downey and Chris Palumbo, the owners of Fairfield Cheese Company and James Beard Award Winner Max McCalman. For two hours McCalman guided the group through the wonderful wines and delightful cheeses and masterfully conveyed his insight and passion. McCalman is a leading promoter of artisanal cheese production and was America's first restaurant-based Maître Fromager. He was conferred the title of Maître Fromager as designated by France's Guilde des Fromagers and is the author of Cheese: A Connoisseur's Guide to the World's Best, which won a 2006 James Beard Award.
It’s that time of year again. Restaurants have opened their patios and added new menu items to highlight the newly arriving spring bounty. With the warm weather finally upon us it is time to release the 2015 list of my Top 10 Burgers in Southwest Connecticut.
The burgers just keep getting better. This year I decided to return to a single list and celebrate the best of the best. Over the last year I re-visited previous winners plus sought out many other locations (three are new to this list) to taste their creations. The list was finally reduced to my favorite burgers and at the end of the day and after much soul searching and return visits, it was a tie.
There’s a new food truck in Stamford and it is well worth the visit. HAPA Food Truck rolled onto Bell Street this week serving three types of tacos, Korean short rib, Philippine chicken adobo and Nonny’s sweet peppers, burgers, both beef and Ahi, plus bowls of poke and chicken adobo. CTbites stopped by to sample a few tacos and meet the owner.
Several years ago I sampled Chef Pat Pascarella’s Pasta Bolognese and it was one of the best Bolognese I had ever tasted. Since that time, Pascarella opened Bar Sugo on Wall Street in Norwalk and I have enjoyed many of Chef Pat’s creations. He recently introduced his full-table Pasta Tasting menu and invited CTbites to sample the five courses…from a straightforward tomato and basil to a complex lobster, morel and truffle. The incredible Bolognese that Chef Pat served me several years ago was a prelude to the fantastic five courses that I enjoyed with wine pairings from Sommelier Megan Pacarella.
For our readers that have longed for real Texas BBQ, the wait is about to end when Hoodoo Brown BBQ opens for dinner in Ridgefield next Friday, May 22rd Friday, May 15th. CTbites was invited for a sneak peek to meet the owner Cody Sperry and Chris Sexton, spend some time with renowned pitmaster Nestor Laracuente, and most importantly sample some of the outstanding slow cooked meats that will be offered.
Cody (on the left above) and Chris (on the right above) were friends growing up in Ridgefield and had the dream of bringing real BBQ to their hometown. For the last 17 years they researched all aspects of this fantastic cuisine, from the smoker to the meat to the pitmaster. They eventually drove to Georgia and personally transported the 108” long Lang smoker. But it wasn’t until the final, and most important, piece of the puzzle was put in place that their dream would become a reality. Chris was engaged with renowned pitmaster Nestor Laracuente (pictured left with beef ribs) on social media and when the opportunity was presented to Nestor to move to CT from his native Queens, he visited Ridgefield, discussed the vision of Hoodoo Brown and decided to bring his craft to Fairfield County.
Chefs are introducing their new spring menus and restaurants are returning tables to their patios for guests looking to enjoy ‘al fresco’ dining. On a semi-crisp April evening I ventured to Locali in New Canaan to sample Chef Mogan Anthony’s newest additions to the spring menu, plus his version of the quintessential CT pizza - the clam apizza.
There were several delicious additions to his small plates.
This Friday May 1, 2015, elm restaurant in New Canaan will introduce its new Executive Chef Luke Venner and his new, completely revamped menu. CTBites was invited to meet the new chef and have a glimpse of the changes that elm’s guests can expect from the new chef whose philosophy is "I prefer simple compositions with an emphasis on technique and seasonality.
Chef Luke joins elm from BLT Fish in NYC where he was the Executive Chef. Born in South Dakota, some of his earliest memories include sitting with his grandfather on the family farm eating buttered sweet corn, cherries poached in syrup and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. He watched Julia Child on TV but his passion for the culinary arts was ignited when he saw “Great Chefs – Great Cities,” a behind the scenes documentary of chefs that included Daniel Boulud and Jean-Louis Palladin. He was one of twelve students in a European-style culinary training program in Colorado, where he was placed in the highly acclaimed Restaurant Picasso where he learned classical French techniques. After completing this four year program he joined Larkspur Restaurant in Vail, CO as the Chef de Cuisine and subsequently moved to Yountville, CA as the Chef de Partie of Redd Restaurant. He re-connected with, and joined, Chef Tyler Anderson as the Chef de Cuisine in the opening of Millwright Restaurant in Simsbury, CT where he was instrumental in the receipt of perfect reviews from every local Farmington Valley publication and the highest rating from the NY Times before moving to BLT Fish
Gates opened its doors thirty-five years ago and continues to offer an array of dishes that keep this “elder statesman” on New Canaan’s Restaurant Row bustling seven days a week. The entrance is guarded by ornate gates and once you enter you are immersed into a large, open dining area with walls adorned by murals by Janet Picard, paintings and large terra cotta planters. Wander to the left and you enter the bar with a long oak bar with 12 seats and several booths. Both areas are normally filled with locals partaking of a drink after work, families enjoying dinner and regulars having a good time with friends.
CTbites gives a very special Shout Out to Bruno DiFabio and his team at Amore Cucina & Bar in Stamford for sponsoring an entire day dedicated to funding breast cancer research. Today the restaurant was packed with pizza lovers to help Amore raise and donate 100% of the day’s proceeds to the Susan G. Komen Race to the Cure for breast cancer research.
CTbites was on hand early to thank Bruno for his generosity and partake in one of his outstanding pizzas. The Ferentini pizza that we enjoyed was all the more special knowing that the entire bill was assisting in the research to eliminate a disease that strikes so many families in Fairfield County and the world. Over the last few months there have been numerous articles written about the outstanding food being served at Amore and we felt it was important to recognize people in the area who give back to the community.
So CTbites raises a glass of wine and a delicious slice of pizza to applaud Bruno DeFabio and his team at Amore Cucina & Bar…nice job!!!
My ongoing Burger search continued into South Norwalk and Donovan’s Restaurant. Located on the corner of Washington and Water Streets, Donovan’s is an historic landmark, founded in 1889 by Jeremiah Donovan. Donovan was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives, served in the Connecticut Senate as well as the United States House of Representatives, before returning to Norwalk as its Mayor. Rumors abound that a number of presidential candidates were seen "taking a break" while making their tours of New England.
When you enter the single dining room, you can understand why. It exudes a relaxed atmosphere with its wood walls, long bar with fifteen stools, a few low tables for a dozen guests, high-top tables for another two dozen and a round table tucked into the front corner. The walls are adorned with several TVs and a collection of vintage prizefighter pictures from former owner "Battling Bat Kunz." The restaurant and bar were restored in 1979 to its original Victorian style when SONO was a far cry from its currently vibrant scene.
Tucked in the rear of a charming passageway on Elm Street in New Canaan is Baldanza Natural Market Cafe. With a large and diverse organic menu, and a blackboard filled with the names of local purveyors, this small restaurant is fast becoming a local favorite. Owners Sandy and Angela Baldanza opened the café last year serving lunches and an occasional ‘pop up dinner’. Baldanza recently expanded the hours to include regular dinner service and partnered with Chef Kender Urena, who many will remember as the Chef /Owner of Bistro Bonne Nuit. Urena was awarded a Grand Diploma in Culinary Art with outstanding honors from the French Culinary Institute in NYC and was one of Bon Appétit Magazine Top 100 Chefs in America in 2007.
Another local chef was successful in winning Chopped this week. Last night Chef Silvia Baldini successfully navigated the April Fool’s style secret ingredient baskets and eliminated three other chefs and was crowned Chopped Champ. Ingredients she was required to re-provision included caramel onions masquerading as a caramel apple and green fondant in the shape of candy. And don’t taste a slice of cake expecting sweet…it was actually meat loaf.
It was a tight competition until the dessert round when she returned to her Italian roots when spent endless hours with her grandmother in the kitchen. She created Canederli, a bread dumpling that is a specialty of Northeast Italy. They are traditionally made with milk soaked bread, eggs and a touch of flour. Hers were good enough for Judge Chris Santos to proclaim, “This is the best dish of the day.”
So congratulations to Chef Baldini and her repurposing the strawberry soup a la tomato soup and winning Chopped.
And for our readers who want to dry the Canederli here is the recipe from the chef.
Boothbay Lobster Company is opening its first bricks and mortar location at Harbor Point in Stamford in the upcoming months. To give the community a taste of what to expect from super-fresh Maine lobster, the company is periodically parking its Boothbay Lobster Company truck 100 yards down the street from the restaurant, serving two types of Lobster Rolls, a BLC sandwich, Lobster Mac & Cheese, plus a few non-lobster items. On a beautiful afternoon CTbites visited the truck to sample the newest addition to the Harbor Point neighborhood. As I approached the truck I noticed a sign stating that the lobster were caught the previous day…this was an ultra-fresh product.
