Filipindian Pop Up with Sherkaan + Kawit! + More to Come in New Haven Features Restaurant Pop-Up Dinner Indian New Haven Filipino Catering Caterers Kristin L. Wolfe October 23, 2019 At Sherkaan’s first pop-up last Thursday night, the Flipindian Feast, I had to swim through the the hungry crowd and make my way to, literally, the last seat available at the long copper bar. From the pervading tiger logo (Sherkaan means Tiger King in Hindi) and hindi phrases on the walls, to the cascade of bicycles hanging from the ceiling, diners are definitely transported to the packed spaces of a Southeast Asian hot spot. In addition to all the things to look at, pungent spices filled the room; they were so entrenched in the air that my hair smelled of them the next morning. Read More
Nibble: Tasty CT Food Events For Week of October 20-27 Features Events Events News Pop-Up Dinner Wine Dinners Festival Emma Jane-Doody Stetson October 19, 2019 Get egg-cited… the Tasty Yolk storefront opens for business on Tuesday October 22! Check them out at 2992 Fairfield Ave in Bridgeport.From Wednesday October 23 through Friday October 25, Norwalk Now presents CRUSH: A Celebration of Beer, Wine, and Spirits. Norwalk restaurants and businesses are opening their doors for demonstrations, tastings, seminars, and other events inspired by these tasty adult beverages. Wednesday October 23 marks Brasitas’s first Wine Dinner of the season. The five course meal will compliment wines from Napa Valley. Tickets are $75 per person and space is limited. Read More
25+ Connecticut Halloween Parties & Happenings for 2019 Events Features Holiday Halloween Events Emma Jane-Doody Stetson October 18, 2019 Costume? Check. Pumpkin? Check. Candy? Check. Halloween Plans. Check…? October 31 is quickly approaching and with so many fun options to choose from, what is one to do? Connecticut restaurants, farms, bars, and venues are all getting into the Halloween spirit with frighteningly good food specials, cocktails, bar crawls, haunted hayride, and more. Here are 25+ CT spots throwing spook-tacular events to lead up to and close out the holiday. Read More
Photo Recap: The Taste of Fairfield Thrilled Guests w/ 50+ Tastings Features Taste Of Fairfield Photo Gallery Jessica Ryan October 16, 2019 This past Sunday, on arguably the most beautiful day of the season so far, the Fourth Taste of Fairfield took place at Southport's Delamar Hotel. Under a massive tent, the sold out event greeted happy foodies of all ages. This year saw many newcomers who not only brought their A-Game but elevated this year's "tastes," raising the food bar to whole new level. As the food was served, the libations flowed, complementing the many mouth watering bites! Read More
28+ Football Focused CT Restaurants, Sports Bars, and Caterers: (2019 Edition) Features Football Sports Bar Bar Emma Jane-Doody Stetson October 13, 2019 Ready, set, hike! Football season is here! Whether you follow a favorite team or are just in it for the tasty snacks, Connecticut restaurants, bars, and caterers are providing delicious experiences during NFL games. Here is your ultimate guide to all the wings, HDTVs, sliders, beer, burgers, and other gametime specials that you can find across the state. Read More
Westoberfest Downtown Westport Beer Festival w/ Over 50 Craft Breweries, Food & Fun (sponsored post) Events Features Festival Oktoberfest CTbites Team October 12, 2019 Over 30 New England craft breweries will serve up their favorite seasonal beer tastings at Westoberfest on October 19 at 2:00 p.m. in the heart of downtown Westport on Elm Street. Building on a successful inaugural event last year, and in partnership with Westport's newest wine and spirits merchant, The Grapevine, there will be even MORE breweries this year, with more than 50 unique pours of the best local and regional craft beer for three hours of unlimited tasting. Buy your tickets here!The perfect complement to flavorful craft brews is tasty food, and Westoberfest will serve up two local favorites, Kawa Ni and Rothbard Ale + Larder, with options to satisfy any appetite. Line up early to experience traditional brats and pretzels from Rothbard’s or satisfy your culinary craving with spicy miso ramen, tofu pockets, and sesame noodles from Kawa Ni. The always crave-worthy DoughGirls truck will also be making an appearance in the kids' area (yes, there’s a KIDS AREA).What’s on the Menu? Check it out… Read More
NEW Podcast Episode! Chef Plum...Live From Our Dining Room Features Interview Podcast Interview Chef Talk Stephanie Webster October 11, 2019 This week on The CTbites Hot Dish Podcast , we chat with Chef Plum, host of the successful podcast “Live With Chef Plum,” as well as “Edible On The Road” (streaming on Amazon), and finally…the TV series, “Random Acts of Cooking.” What’s on the podcast menu? We discuss the role of food as a connector, the importance of philanthropy, and…well…we laugh a lot. Join the conversation. Listen here. Read More
Nibble: CT Food Events for Week of October 13-20 Events Features Events News Emma Jane-Doody Stetson October 10, 2019 Get ready to get crazy and “do-nut” miss this event! Friday October 18 is Donut Crazy Flight Night at Two Roads Brewing Company. They’ll even be featuring a Roadsmary’s Baby Donut inspired by the Autumnal Brew. Check it out in the tasting room from 4-9pm. On Saturday October 19, Barcelona Norwalk will hold a pig roast on the patio. From 3-6pm, kick off fall with a roast suckling pig and seasonal tapas prepared by Chef Kaline Capps. Wine pairings will accompany the evening’s offerings. Hamilton Park, located in The Blake Hotel in Downtown New Haven, now offers 50% off all bottles of wine during Monday evening dinner service. The restaurant offers dinner service from 5-9pm.Le Fat Poodle is pleased to present Oktoberfest specials. The Oktoberfest menu includes specials like German beer cheese dip, pretzels, bratwurst, and more. Order a la carte or opt for three courses and get a beer and stein. Read More
Veteran Chefs Drew Nieporent & Stephen Lewandowski To Bring New Concept To Gabriele's in Greenwich Features Restaurant Openings Greenwich Celebrity Chef CTbites Team October 09, 2019 This just in…A star studded team of Industry veterans will be bringing new life to Gabriele’s Restaurant in Greenwich CT. The Church Street staple will be undergoing a redesign in early 2020 that will bring a new concept and cuisine to downtown Greenwich. The partners on the venture include Stephen Lewandowski of Harlan Restaurant Group and Dana Cifone, the current head of operations, and formerly of Starr Restaurants, The One Group NYC, and Douro of Greenwich. Stephen will be working with his longtime colleague and friend Drew Nieporent of Myriad Restaurant Group best known for Nobu, Tribeca Grill, and Bâtard, who will be acting as an advisor throughout the project. Read More
Nibble: Tasty CT Food Events Happening October 6-13 Features Events Events News Nibble Emma Jane-Doody Stetson October 04, 2019 Everyone is Italian on October 12 and 13 when the That’s Amore Italian Street Festival comes to Stamford. There will be plenty of Italian food as well as concerts, games, and Italian-inspired entertainment. TASTE of Fairfield returns on Sunday October 13 at Delamar Southport. Over 25 vendors will offer tastes of their delicious food. There will also be local vendors, wineries, and specialty cocktails to check out. Purchase a general admission ticket or upgrade to VIP for early admission to the event. Cousins Maine Lobster and Bad Sons Beer Company are teaming up on Friday October 11. From 4-8pm, head to Derby for refreshing brews and a pop-up from the Hartford-based seafood eatery. Read More
CT Chefs, Bakers, Bartenders, & Servers Compete For 2019 CRAzies Awards: YOU VOTE! Features Awards Stephanie Webster October 03, 2019 CTbites was thrilled to be a part of the judging process for the 2019 CRAzies Awards Gala presented by the Connecticut Restaurant Association. Each year, the CRAzies recognizes the exceptional ability and talent of Connecticut’s restaurant community. More than 700 Restaurant owners, operators, chefs, vendors and more will come together to celebrate the success of the industry at their awards gala at Foxwoods Resort Casino on Monday, December 2. VOTE here for your favorites. Read More
Fun Foodie Road Trip: 2019 Newport Mansions Wine + Food Festival Features Events Road Trip Emma Jane-Doody Stetson October 02, 2019 At CTBites, we bring you the latest news from Connecticut’s vibrant food scene. The state has a host of must-visit restaurants, farms, and food-inspired events. At the same time, there are wonderful things happening just over our border. Every September, Rhode Island celebrates the last days of summer with the Newport Mansions Wine + Food Festival. Read More
Yom Kippur Savory Mushroom Cheese Kugel Recipe Features Recipe Holiday Recipe Noodles Liz Rueven October 02, 2019 Yom Kippur*, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, is a day of fasting and praying. When the longest day of the year ends (at least for those who haven’t eaten for 25 hours) family and friends gather around a casual buffet that often includes a sweet noodle kugel. Sure, there are bagels and cheeses, cucumber salads and fresh fruit. But it’s the kugel everyone goes for first. Read More
35+ Places for Tasty Tacos in CT: 2019 Edition Restaurant Features Best of CT Tacos Mexican Lunch Food Truck Homepage Emma Jane-Doody Stetson September 28, 2019 October 4 is National Taco Day- and we have so much to TACO-bout before then! Delicious versions of these tasty handhelds can be found all across the state, from classic renditions to creative twists. Whether you’re in search for a hidden gem or a popular hangout, here are over 35 places where you can enjoy some great tacos to celebrate the “holiday.” Read More
Recap: SAVOR Lobster Competition At Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk Features Events Lobster SONO Kristin L. Wolfe September 28, 2019 My arm had to be twisted to join a panel for judging Lobster Bites at last weekend’s (September 22) first SAVOR LOBSTER event at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk. I would be walking around a gorgeous museum filled with things that take me back to the ooos and ahhs of childhood; drinking creative tasty libations; having some of the most delicious bites of Lobster EVA; and judging said bites with slick fellow writer and official realfooddude Andrew Dominick, and the endlessly talented Chef Matt Storch of Match (duh), which just rocked out for its 20th anniversary. You can see how this would be a struggle for a newly single gal on a Sunday afternoon. NOT. Read More
SAVOR Litchfield Recap: Here's Why You May Wanna Go Next Year Features Events Litchfield Kristin L. Wolfe September 27, 2019 Earlier, on September 8th, SAVOR Litchfield kicked off it’s third year at the beautiful South Farms in Morris. Hot Damn, did they have the most perfect weather. The sun was shining, and there’s just something about the spark of the sun when it hits the corners of a robust farm. Not to mention, as a native city chic, a little jig brews inside me when driving onto a dirt road and make-shift gravelly parking lot. I think of 4th of July with a boyfriend, county fairs as a kid, and the innocence I can never get back...Wait, sorry. That was weird. SAVOR Litchfield. Right... Read More
Growing CT Beer, Part 2: Stewards Of The Land Brewery At DeFrancesco Farm Features Restaurant CT Beer Brewery Beer James Gribbon September 27, 2019 The first step in making an unexpected discovery is getting lost. Investigating the strengthening links between farming and brewing in Connecticut has led me down unfamiliar paths, both in terms of knowledge, and the kinds where I am worried about either running out of gas on country roads or stepping in something. The first piece in this series focused on a brewery that's also a farm, and my plan for this next piece was to show a farm growing hops for use in brewing. I picked a day, began at a farm stand, and found a brewery.This is part two in Growing CTbeer, a look at how the rise of craft beer is affecting agriculture in the Constitution State, and how breweries and farms are working hand in hand to create and restore the growth of Connecticut beer. Read More
CTBites Scene: Greenwich Wine + Food Festival 2019 Features Events Events Greenwich Wine + Food Festival James Gribbon September 26, 2019 The Greenwich Wine + Food Festival sailed into harbor to cap off the summer for its ninth year last weekend, and CTBites was there: awkwardly balancing camera, food, and cocktails, and wishing for a prehensile tail. Bites were eaten, photos were taken, and not overly much wine was spilled on ourselves in the process. Perhaps you will see yourself in the gallery, maybe you'll be inspired to attend next year for the tenth anniversary - either way you'll feel better than we did on Sunday morning - and anyway, it'll be worth it. Read More
Nibble: Tasty & Boozy CT Food Events for September 29-October 6 Features Events Nibble Food Events Food News Emma Jane-Doody Stetson September 26, 2019 On Friday October 4, HAPA's Chef Chris Gonzalez, SoNo 1420 craft distillery, and Ria Rueda of Bread & Butter Marketing are teaming up to bring you the first ever Kamayan style dinner to celebrate Filipino American History Month. A kamayan meal is a communal feast served family-style eaten with a large group of friends, featuring a variety of Filipino dishes served on banana leaves over rice and eaten with your hands. A $75 dinner includes 2 cocktails, dinner, and dessert. 116 Crown is celebrating its 12th anniversary! Join them on Saturday October 5 at 6pm for a cocktail hour, seasonal dinner, bocce, and live music. Return on Sunday October 6 for a “Family Happy Hour” featuring pumpkin painting, cocktails, and more. Washington Prime in SoNo kicks off their fall/winter wine series with a Caymus Wine Dinner on Wednesday October 2. The five course pairing dinner kicks off at 7pm with limited seating. Reservations can be made by calling (203) 857-1314 or by visiting the restaurant. Read More
College Pals Make Great Beer at Little House Brewing in Chester (via CT Magazine) Features Beer CT Beer Brewery Connecticut Magazine September 25, 2019 The story of this brewery begins with a common occurrence: college drinking.It was 2010 and Carlisle Schaeffer and Sam Wagner were new students at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. The famous institution of higher education was founded by Matthew Vassar, who made his fortune as a brewer, so it seemed fitting that the new students were bonding over drinking and making craft beer as home-brewers, even if they were underage.Schaeffer had previously had to hide jugs of fermenting brews from his parents in his closet at home. At Vassar, he ultimately converted his dorm-room kitchen into a lab for new brewing ideas. Wagner had learned the basics of home-brewing from his dad when he was 15 and was eager to expand on that knowledge.“Pretty quickly into our relationship, we started joking about starting a brewery one day,” Schaeffer recalls. “Eventually, we just took that joke a little too seriously.”The result is Little House Brewing Co., a charming, destination-worthy brewery that opened last year in Chester, in a building built in the 1800s that would do Matthew Vassar proud. Read the full article at Connecticut Magazine. Read More
