Former Hell’s Kitchen Finalist Megan Gill is Cooking at Hotel Marcel's BLDG in New Haven Features Ingredients Interview New Haven Restaurant New Haven Sustainable Openings Homepage Chef Hotel Andrew Dominick April 02, 2024 While driving (read, stuck in traffic) along I-95 in New Haven, right by the IKEA, how many of you have noticed the rectangular cubed shaped building with the small windows and the void almost in the middle? You’ve clearly seen it countless times. But if you’re like me, you probably always wondered “what the heck is it?”Designed by modernist architect, Marcel Breuer, the building in question which began construction in 1968 and was completed in 1970, was the home of the Armstrong Rubber Company first, then Pirelli Tire in the late 80s into the late 90s. After Pirelli vacated, the space sat vacant for a long time. IKEA purchased it in 2003—and removed a piece of it— and owned it until 2019 when it was purchased by the development firm, Becker + Becker, who would develop it into a net zero energy hotel, that right now, is operated by Hilton Hotels’ Tapestry brand. But within this hotel, there is a restaurant. And that restaurant has to operate like its hotel does, completely sustainable. And at this restaurant, that’s named BLDG, they needed a chef at the helm who believes in all of this through and through.That’s where Meghan Gill comes in. Read More
Border Crossing for Barbecue: Br’ers BBQ in Bedford Hills Features Ingredients Interview Road Trip Restaurant barbecue BBQ Bedford Bedford Hills Westchester Homepage Andrew Dominick March 29, 2024 Barbecue is one of those things that people will travel for. Just over the Connecticut line, specifically in Bedford Hills, is a small, mostly takeout BBQ “shack” in a residential neighborhood, that’s actually not too far of a drive for folks in Stamford, Greenwich, Ridgefield, New Canaan, and their surrounding areas. Read More
Carnitas + Family: Taco Guy Dishes About His Father’s Spot Super Taqueria Las Salsas in Bridgeport Interview Features Restaurant carnitas tacos Bridgeport Hidden Gem Mexican Andrew Dominick March 19, 2024 If last year’s article on Taco Guy was the first “movie,” Super Taqueria Las Salsas is the sequel that’s actually a prequel. I’ll explain.Taco Guy’s owner, Adrian Hurtado—who for this I’m going to use his middle name, Christtian, because that’s what he goes by if you know him—introduced a group of us to his father, Gil Salvador Perez Hurtado, back in March of 2023 at his dad’s restaurant, Super Taqueria Las Salsas. Christtian, you see, wanted us to know where he came from, where he learned his hard-working ethic from, and to introduce us to carnitas, something that has been in the Hurtado Family since 1931 in the Mexican state of Michoacán, where their family is from, and is also the birthplace of carnitas.“My grandfather, Salvador, started it, but in the restaurant industry, I’m second generation,” Christtian says. Read More
Mason Street BBQ Pop Up Launches in Greenwich Features Interview Restaurant BBQ barbecue Greenwich Pop-Up Homepage Andrew Dominick March 12, 2024 On certain days on or in the vicinity of Greenwich Avenue, take a whiff of the air and the woods you smell are in fact oak and hickory. Get a little closer to Mason Street and you’ll spot blue smoke coming off a Lang and that smell won’t just be logs, it’ll be…meaty. Read More
It's a Woman's World: Andrea Clark of Little Gem Bakery Interview It's A Woman's World Interview Bakery Baker Baked Goods Andrew Dominick March 05, 2024 Towards the end of the 2023 edition of summer, Emily Mingrone’s restaurant, Tavern On State, posted a strikingly beautiful ube tart set in a vanilla cookie crust, topped with a dollop of whipped yogurt and grapefruit segments, stating that “it’s the most addictive item on our dessert menu.”The creator of the purple pie slice that received a lot of Instagram attention in terms of likes and comments is Andrea Clark of Little Gem CT. Read More
Momma's Tacos: Mexico City in New Milford Features Interview Restaurant Tacos Mexican Interview New Milford Litchfield County Homepage Andrew Dominick March 04, 2024 Once you try Alejandra Aguilar Gonzaga’s food at Momma’s Tacos in New Milford, you’ll sense the soul that’s in it. Talk to her even ever so briefly about her story and you’ll get a glimpse of her strong will, determination, and passion.Catch Alejandra in her soon-to-be three-year-old restaurant. She’s in the back cooking her mostly Mexico City inspired recipes, she’s always smiling and talking to her several regular customers, and frequently asks for feedback on the food served at Momma’s Tacos. Read More
Jeff Taibe Opens Southeast Asian Concept “Next Door” Inside of Taproot in Norwalk Features Interview Ingredients Restaurant Southeast Asian Asian Openings Homepage Jeff Taibe Norwalk Andrew Dominick February 25, 2024 Jeff Taibe had a big 2023. Not only did Taibe relocate his six-year Bethel restaurant, Taproot, to South Norwalk, he received much deserved recognition at December’s edition of the CRAzies Awards in the form of a “Best Restaurant Fairfield County” win. Read More
Zesto Market & Juicery in Newtown: Vegan, Organic, Locally Sourced & Delicious Ingredients Interview Restaurant Vegan Newtown Smoothies Healthy Eats healthy Health & Wellness April Guilbault February 21, 2024 We’ve all walked into rooms that hum with energy. That special kind of vibrancy you can feel in the air, or in the spirit that pours from the people in your midst. In my recent travels, this inspiring energy was felt within the space that is Zesto Market & Juicery in Newtown.Zesto Market & Juicery is, with its colorful logo and window art, a small establishment that one could easily pass in their daily rounds as it sits on a fairly busy street. I, myself, whizzed by it on my first trip there. However, one should take note of this establishment because it is dishing out huge helpings of good vibes in the form of healthful food and wellness knowledge. Great vibes, actually. These folks are buzzing with enthusiasm about eating clean, nourishing food and they are excited to share it with the community. Read More
"Neighborhood Bar" Flying Scotsman Opens in Norwalk's Wall Street District Interview Features Norwalk bar barten Homepage whiskey scotch bourbon classic cocktails Cocktails Openings Andrew Dominick February 15, 2024 A few days after I interviewed owner and bartender, Alan Heron of the Flying Scotsman, he posted one of the portraits I captured of him on Instagram along with the caption, “Mediocre service guaranteed.” Read More
The Torta Shop Opens in Bridgeport Serving Epic Mexican Sandwiches Features Interview Restaurant Bridgeport Openings Torta Tortas Mexican Sandwiches Andrew Dominick January 16, 2024 Go up or down Bridgeport’s North Avenue roughly a mile or so before or after the Fairfield town line and you’ll notice a neon blue awning with an emoji-like sandwich logo paired with the words “The Torta Shop” printed on it.What’s not new, however, are the owners. Mariella Garcia and her husband Jose Santiago previously owned the bodega since 2017. Around a year and a half ago, the couple decided to flip the concept into something different.“We’re originally from Oaxaca, then we came to Norwalk, and my husband and I moved to Bridgeport in 2016,” Garcia says. “In 2017 we got the grocery store and thought about switching it up over the years and wanted to make a bigger change. We wanted to bring this to Bridgeport. And there are a lot of Mexican restaurants here, but we wanted to focus on tortas, Mexican sandwiches. Other places do it, but we want to be known as a tortarilla.” Read More
Chef Dan Kardos Opens Café Melba in Milford Features Interview Restaurant Milford Openings Homepage Interview Andrew Dominick January 12, 2024 No outside signage. No phone number. No problem.Aside from a fair number of whiny complaints (you know who you are), Dan Kardos’ newly opened restaurant, Café Melba, is doing just fine. Read More
It’s A Woman’s World: Chef & CIA Instructor Roshara Sanders Features Interview It's A Woman's World chef Chef Talk Andrew Dominick January 09, 2024 One of the definitions of the word “force” is as follows: a person or thing regarded as exerting power or influence.It’s fitting to say that Roshara Sanders is just that, a force. And at just 34 years old, the Bridgeport native has quite resume. Read More
Connecticut Restaurant Confidential: Strange Stories, Odd Orders, + Twisted Tales in the Industry Vol. 2: Pizzerias Features Interview Restaurant Homepage Pizza Restaurants Chefs Customers Andrew Dominick January 02, 2024 It was about time this ridiculous, limited (but slowly working on more) series returned to bring you more of the weird, bizarre, and funny tales in the restaurant industry.And while edition number one was a hodgepodge of stories from chefs that you know in the general area, this version has a focus…PIZZERIAS!This one’s got a few longer stories that I promise are worth reading, a Wu Tang sighting, one video of a chef busting his ass, and plenty of weird customer orders.And if you’re wondering what volume three might look like, we’re hitting up bartenders because we know there’s plenty of tea there.But for now…PIZZAAAAAAA! Read More
John Nealon Opens Crust Issues in Norwalk Featuring Pan Pizzas Features Interview Restaurant Norwalk Pizza Homepage Interview Italian Andrew Dominick December 21, 2023 Roll into the former Davinci’s Pizza (or Cosmos if we take it back to 1985) at 60 Connecticut Avenue, and it’s a way different vibe than it used to be.Quirky artificial intelligence cartoons, featuring pizza, are pasted in the entryway. Sawed off cookbook bindings are the art on the walls. A black and white photo of Marco Pierre White stares at you if you glance to your right. Read More
Hoodoo Brown BBQ Serves a Smoked Cheeseburger On Sundays and It’s Awesome Features Interview Restaurant Hoodoo Brown BBQ BBQ Burger Burgers Ridgefield Andrew Dominick December 18, 2023 I can count on one finger how many times I’ve had a smoked cheeseburger in our general area.The smoked burger is seemingly elusive. My first came in 2019, in Irvington, at a BBQ joint that’s no longer there. I’m not saying it’s impossible to find one, I’m just saying it’s rare—that’s an on-purpose meat pun.In Connecticut, two spots where you absolutely can find a smoky, beefy, beast of a burger, are Hoodoo Brown BBQ and Hindsight Barbecue that were both recently named in terrific piece on Texas Monthly (link HERE) that you absolutely should read. Read More
It's A Woman's World: Pastry Chef Jessica Spivey of Oyster Club + The Port of Call Interview Restaurant It's A Woman's World Baker Pastry Chef pastry Mystic Interview Andrew Dominick December 14, 2023 Oyster Club in Mystic, its alter ego concept, Treehouse, and their sister cocktail and bites bar, The Port of Call, aren’t only popular in Connecticut, but they’ve received some serious national coverage, including a 2023 James Beard nomination for chef Renee Touponce.Part of the restaurant group’s stellar squad is pastry chef Jessica Spivey, who just received a nod of her own as she was nominated for Best Pastry Chef by the Connecticut Restaurant Association for its annual CRAzies Awards. Read More
Sandra's Next Generation: Southern Cuisine With a Whole Lotta Heart in New Haven Features Interview New Haven Restaurant Soul Food Southern Food New Haven Interview Homepage Andrew Dominick November 30, 2023 If not for her belief of setting “unrealistic goals,” Sandra Pittman’s namesake restaurant, Sandra’s Next Generation, may not have ever been born in the first place.Now in over 34 years with no signs of slowing down as evidenced by our Thanksgiving week visit where we witnessed the crew rapidly filling catering orders and making so much cornbread stuffing and baking hundreds of homemade pies it would blow your mind.And even with an already booming takeout business (the restaurant is mostly takeout, but there’s a patio when the weather is nicer), Pittman’s still finds time to put the SOUL in soul food by consistently giving back to the New Haven community and all its charitable causes.Wait. Did I say 34 years? To tell the origin story of Sandra’s, we have to take it even further back to New Haven’s Edgewood neighborhood where Pittman, whose name back then was Harris, started cooking in the first place. Read More
5 CT Dairy Farms Selling Eggnog For The Holidays: Shop Local! Features Ingredients Eggnog Holiday Local Farm Local Dairy Farm Beverage Stephanie Webster November 29, 2023 We all love Eggnog, but we love it even more when it is sourced from local Connecticut farms. Here are 5 spots to check out for locally produced Eggnog for your holiday table.Arethusa Farm-Litchfieldhttps://www.arethusafarm.com/eggnogThis Eggnog lands on our gift-giving list every because, well, it’s simply a holiday must-have for a good, ol’ fashioned hap-hap-happiest holiday and this is the best one you’re going to get!Mountain Dairy Farm-Storrswww.mountaindairy.comIt’s a farm-to-bottle process for this holiday favorite that is produced at a home farm that has been chugging along for nearly two and a half centuries. This is eggnog the way eggnog should be made. Shaggy Coos Farm-Eastonwww.shaggycoos.farmFrom cow to bottling, Egg Nog made local. This nutmeg and vanilla kissed seasonal drink will have you coo-ing… Read More
40+ Places For Great Holiday Pies in Connecticut (2023 Edition) Features Ingredients Restaurant Seasonal Holiday Thanksgiving Catering Pies Pie Pie Guide Dessert Homepage April Guilbault November 15, 2023 In various rankings online, stuffing generally comes in first place on the Top 10 list of Thanksgiving foods. I personally cannot argue with that for one hot second. Desserts such as pumpkin or chocolate pie have hovered around 5th or 6th place, respectively, wistfully lagging behind mac and cheese and mashed potatoes but ahead of the love-it-or-hate it green bean casserole. Read More
It’s a Woman’s World: Olivia Olsen of ATC South Street Features Interview It's A Woman's World Homepage Interview Bartender Litchfield Andrew Dominick November 15, 2023 As a judge for each of the first two years of SoNo1420’s Blaze Whiskey Competition—that’s four rounds total, by the way—one of the best drinks I tasted came from a bartender I hadn’t heard of before, but from a place I’ve not only been to, but wrote about in the past.Olivia Olsen is the head bartender behind the stick at ATC South Street, Carlos Perez’s hip taqueria in Litchfield. Read More
