Happy Hour at Basso Café in Norwalk Restaurant Cocktails Norwalk Bar Amy Kundrat February 05, 2016 Basso Café exudes an easy intimacy that comes with a chef-owned restaurant whose reassuring presence is felt both in and out of the kitchen. Chef Renato Donzelli has built a loyal following of customers at his Norwalk restaurant who come for both his creative Italian-meets-South American dishes, as well as his charming hospitality and boundless energy. And now, they are coming for a newly added bar menu and cocktail list. During a recent renovation, Basso Café invested in a new bar area with seating for about twelve, and a special menu of cocktails and snacks, thanks to a hard-won liquor license after eight years in business. Although you can still BYOB, Chef Donzelli has crafted a happy hour menu that can be enjoyed Tuesday through Friday from 4 to 6 pm, as well as a mini happy hour from 11 to 12 noon each day for lunch. A self-described “hot blooded Italian” who grew up in Venezuela, Donzelli focuses his creative energy on a menu that blurs the lines between dishes from those two countries, creating his own unique cuisine. “I start from the back,” is how Chef Donzelli explains his approach to his menu. The new cocktail and wine list are meant to compliment the food, and long-time diners will be rewarded with a solid selection of shaken and stirred, classic and contemporary cocktails, as well as wine and beer. Read More
For The Love Of...10 Unique CT Valentine's Day Gift & Events Ingredients Restaurant Gift Guide Holiday April Guilbault February 02, 2016 Oh, for the love of....! How do you typically finish that sentence? We here at CTBites have a lot of love to share and would like to complete that thought with a whole flurry of creative ways to wooooo your special someone. Show the person you love (like/lust) that they are the peanut butter to your jelly, the mac to your cheese, the frosting to your cupcake. We offer you these delish restaurants and take out spots, seductive surroundings, heavenly drinks, gratifying classes, tasteful gifts...hell, we are making this holiday easy for you. You should send US a Valentine! Take a peek and enjoy Valentine’s Day everyone! Here are 10 totally unique local CT Valentine's Day Gifts for your loved one... Read More
King & I Thai Kitchen in Hartford and Manchester: A Family Affair Restaurant Asian Hartford Hartford County Thai Hope Simmons January 31, 2016 Blink and you can easily miss the little white house as you drive down Park Street in Hartford’s Parkville section. So keep an eye out, because it’s home to a fine family business specializing in Thai and Lao dishes—generous portions, reasonably priced. And if you head east of the river, you’ll find the exact same menu and great food in Manchester. There are many choices closer to home when it comes to Thai, but when the craving hits, I make tracks for King & I. It’s changed management over time, but the food remains just as delicious as it ever was. In fact, it’s amazingly consistent. How is that even possible? The secret to their success starts in a tiny kitchen with their cook. Behind the scenes, the same woman has been busy stirring up deliciousness for the past 10 years. When the previous owner sold the restaurant four and a half years ago, Hongkham Munesaleum was already part of the kitchen. But now, with her husband, Lam, washing dishes, and his daughter Lilly, serving the front of the house (literally!), it’s all in the family. Read More
Michael Hazen Named Executive Chef at Pearl at Longshore Westport Opening March Restaurant Chef Talk Westport Opening CTbites Team January 28, 2016 Michael Hazen has been named Executive Chef at the highly anticipated new restaurant, Pearl at Longshore in Westport, Connecticut. Hazen, an innovative chef with over 20 years experience, most recently launched the concept for the successful Bartaco restaurants and prior to that spent years building the Barcelona restaurant brand. Chef Hazen has designed a menu influenced by fresh seasonal and sustainable cuisine, while honoring the stunning Westport waterfront and the community’s focus on a healthy lifestyle. “The menu at Pearl is centered around the food people love to eat, but also has that element of surprise, something a guest didn’t know they wanted but are glad they had it,” said Hazen. “I wanted to create a restaurant that was simple and delicious, yet adds excitement to Westport’s restaurant scene.” Read More
16 Restaurants for Super Bowl 50 in CT Restaurant Emma Jane-Doody Stetson January 27, 2016 Super Bowl 50 is Sunday February 7 and game day specials are "touching down" at Connecticut restaurants! Harlan Social and Harlan Publick are celebrating with a Chef's buffet while Blind Rhino is hosting the first ever SoNo Bowl, and Vinny's Backyard has a Super Bowl menu with all the classics. And that's not all! Here are 16 restaurants, bars & pubs for Super Bowl Sunday. Read More
Alice Waters Speaks on "Slow Food Values in a Fast Food Culture" at Yale on February 2 New Haven Restaurant Chef Talk New Haven Amy Kundrat January 26, 2016 Photo: Chez Panisse Chef, author, and food activist Alice Waters will visit Yale University on February 2, 2016 at 4 p.m. to give a talk at the Yale Art Gallery titled "Slow Food Values in a Fast Food Culture." The talk is free and open to the public. Waters is the owner of the ingredient-driven Chez Panisse restaurant that opened in 1971 in Berkeley, a founder of the Edible Schoolyard Project and a recipience of the National Humanities Medal in 2015. For more information about the event, visit Yale News. Read More
20 Restaurants For Great Fireside Dining in CT Restaurant Best of CT April Guilbault January 24, 2016 Baby, it's cold outside, but that shouldn't stop CT residents from seeking out great dining experiences. There are literally dozens of cozy fireside dining venues with hearths and fireplaces all over the state. Whether you're looking for a warm barside cocktail or an elegant 4-star meal, one of these 20 CT restaurants and pubs will keep guests feeling warm and welcome. If we missed one of your favorite spots, please let us know by posting a comment below. Winvian 155 Alain White Road, Morris www.winvian.com Win + Vian...a combination of the previous owners' names, Winthrop and Vivian. True love began it all! On 113 acres, this luxury resort has 18 luxury resort cottages, each designed by 15 different architects. Read More
Parker Mansion Opens in Westport via Dan Woog Restaurant Steakhouse Westport CTbites Team January 21, 2016 This just in on the new Parker Mansion Steakhouse (same owners as Parker Steaks & Scotch in Trumbull) from Dan Woog's 06880 blog. The restaurant gods take away, and then they giveth. Just a day after Post 154 served its last, little-lamented meal downtown, Saugatuck welcomed its newest eatery. In one of its oldest locations. While dining at Rizzuto’s tonight, an alert “06880” reader noticed some activity across the street. He wandered over to see. Parker Mansion — the reverently named successor to Mansion Clam House — is open for business. Read the complete article on 06880 here. Read More
Cask Republic in South Norwalk Reinforces a Resurging Neighborhood's Destination Dining Restaurant Cocktails Norwalk SONO Bar Amy Kundrat January 20, 2016 Washington Street, the epicenter of South Norwalk and a resurging dining scene, welcomes another new dining experience worth exploring. Cask Republic is a modern take on the communal tavern, now open at 99 Washington Street, formerly occupied by The Gingerman. The new restaurant delivers on its tavern promises with chef-driven comfort food and drink – American at its culinary core with an abundance of global influences. Read More
Harvest Wine Bar & Restaurant Opens in Westport Restaurant American Farm to Table Westport Jessica Ryan January 17, 2016 When one restaurant door closes a new one opens. The institution that was Mario's closed last year, but this week I had the privilege of attending an intimate event celebrating the opening of Harvest Wine Bar & Restaurant, at their newest location on Railroad Avenue in Westport. This farm to fork eatery joins the popular Greenwich and New Haven locations as well as Cava, Scena and 55, and is the result of the collaborative endeavor of the Kluber, Nube and Vincente Siguenza sibling team, who have over the past 10 years combined their passion for wine, food and customer service to create some of the area’s finest dining establishments. Read More
Barcelona SoNo Moving to Waypointe After 20 Years Restaurant Norwalk Spanish Opening Emma Jane-Doody Stetson January 17, 2016
Sayulita: Standout Mexican in South Glastonbury Restaurant Cocktails South Glastonbury Tacos Mexican Hope Simmons January 10, 2016 Step through the door at Sayulita in South Glastonbury, and, right away, you’ll see: this is no ordinary Mexican restaurant. Clean and simple, with lots of wood and natural light, Sayulita features what’s fresh and local from the farms of South Glastonbury to the shores of Stonington. A poster of a surfing contest with a sugar skull, a thick turquoise glass bottle for the water that’s brought to your table. On my last visit, ’50s music played in the background. It’s casual. It’s comfortable. It’s a departure from most Mexican you’ve ever had before. Named after the seaside surfing town north of Puerto Vallarta, Sayulita is the most recent restaurant endeavor of Adam and Bill Driggs, owners of 2Hopewell and Birch Hill Tavern. With Chef Van Hurd, of Hell’s Kitchen fame, at the helm, you’re in for a uniquely tasty adventure here. Sometimes the most excellent feasts can be found at the beginning and end of the menu—appetizers and desserts. Add quality cocktails and out-of-the-ordinary tacos to round it out and what you’ve got is my favorite way to enjoy a meal at Sayulita. Read More
The Inn at Newtown Closes Its Doors After 17 Years Restaurant Newtown CTbites Team January 05, 2016 Photo: Life in Newtown The Inn at Newtown, a long time landmark on Newtown's historic Main Street, will be closing its doors on Sunday, January 10, reports the News Times. Announced on their Twitter account by proprietor Rob Ryder, the Inn at Newtown has been in operation for 17 years at 19 Main Street in the center of Newtown, CT. Read the full story on NewsTimes.com Read More
15 Places to Eat Healthy in CT: Juice Bars, Restaurants, Organic Markets & Food Trucks (2016 Edition) Ingredients Restaurant Juice Bar Juice Cleanse Organic healthy Best of CT April Guilbault January 03, 2016 No partridges and pear trees in our version, but there were.... 12 Frosted Cookies...11 Drinks-a-Drunk...10 Dips-for-Dipping...9 Ice-Cold Cocktails...8 Trays of Hors d’oeuvres...7 Festive Brunches...6 Company Dinners...5 Cooooookie Traaaaays (everybody sing)!...4 Cheese Straws...3 Baked Hams...2 Yule Logs...and (finally)...1 Healthy Meal for MEEEEE!! Time to get back on that wagon, everyone. And thankfully, you have us to help you do it! Happy 2016 to you and may it be filled with good eats and good health! And ok, a good organic wine or beer now and then. Here are 15 Healthy Restaurants, Juice Bars, Organic Market & Food Trucks across the state of Connecticut. Read More
La Esquina Opens in Stamford: Authentic Latin Cuisine Just Around The Corner Restaurant Brazilian Delicious Dives Peruvian Stamford Latin American Sarah Green January 03, 2016 You know that little place, right around the corner? The one that serves just that dish you were craving? The one that serves food you just know comes from a parent or grandparent’s tried-and-true recipe? You know the place, your go-to joint, always reliable, where you don’t have to dress up and you don’t have to spend a fortune? Well, “La Esquina,” literally, “the corner,” is just THAT place, serving up authentic South American yummies with home-style flare and flavors that impress. La Esquina Latin Grill, right on “the corner” at 50 Hamilton Avenue in Stamford, is a labor of love for the young and extremely talented co-owner and head chef, Robert Monegro. Chef Robert grew up in Stamford with his Guatemalan mother and Dominican father, both chefs. He decided that after learning all he could by growing up in the kitchen of his parents’ restaurant, Flamboyant in Stamford, he would put his own mark on the culinary map of Fairfield County. And he is doing just that. Read More
Dinners at the Farm Announces 2016 Season Tickets On Sale Restaurant Farm Dinner Farm to Table Local Farm CTbites Team January 01, 2016 Tickets have gone on sale for the Dinners At The Farm 2016 season! At Dinners At The Farm, each evening begins at 6:00pm, dinner served at 7:00pm. Tickets are per person and are $125 (Wednesdays, Thursdays & Sundays), $150 (Fridays and Saturdays). Upon arrival, guests are greeted with an orchard fruit cocktail and passed hors d’oeuvre and then proceed onto a lively tour of the farm with our warm and engaging farm hosts. Following the tour, guests are seated beneath a tent at long candle-lit tables with white porcelain settings where they will savor course after course of freshly cooked food with ingredients just picked from the fields outside the tent. Guests will break bread and raise a glass with the farmers, fishermen, and others who make up Connecticut’s vibrant agricultural community. Our 2016 season marks 10 years of hosting our celebrated open-air dinners in the fields of Connecticut farms for delightful and delicious evenings of locally grown food, wine, and conviviality. Dates and additional information here. Read More
CTbites Staff Picks for Top CT Eats in 2015 Restaurant Top 10 Eats Best of CT CTbites Team December 29, 2015 2015 saw an explosion of restaurant openings throughout CT, and team CTbites kept up a strenuous eating regiment to keep up with our talented local chefs. CT continues to draw great culinary talent, but the lists represent the best of the best. We asked the CTbites staff and extended family to share some of their most memorable meals and dining experiences this past year. Here are our favorite meals and restaurants of 2015. Stephanie Webster Kawa Ni, Westport: I crave almost everything on this Izakaya inspired menu, but the Spicy Miso Ramen, Shaved Broccoli & Miso Goma w/ Benton's Ham and Smoked Bone Marrrow are the things dreams are made of. Pho Hong Thom, Bridgeport: This tiny mom and pop shop is the real deal serving authentic aromatic Pho and a Bahn Mi with sliced pork and pickled vegetables that is just the bomb. It's not fancy, but it's darn good. The Cottage, Westport: Brian Lewis' newcomer has received rave reviews of late. While I greatly enjoyed the entire menu, the Wagyu Brisket Steam Buns w/ napa kimchi & duck fat potato tempura as well as the Italian Chestnut Soup spiked w/cognac were two of the most delicious things I've eaten this year. Read More
Five of Connecticut's Best Noodle Houses via CT Magazine Restaurant Asian Noodles Comfort Food Connecticut Magazine December 29, 2015 College students and twenty-somethings everywhere have long sung the praise of ramen (a Japanese wheat noodle dish). Grab-and-go noodle houses specializing in pho, (a Vietnamese rice noodle soup) have been popular here in Connecticut for some time. However, the love of noodle houses seems to have intensified as a by-product in recent years—along with food trucks, craft beer and facial hair—of the hipster revolution. Kawa Ni in Westport, which specializes in various ramen dishes, opened its doors last year and Mecha Noodle Bar in Fairfield recently announced plans to open a second location in South Norwalk. Here are five of our favorite destinations in the state. As always, if we’ve missed your favorite let us know. Read More
Eastend Opens in Greenwich Serving Modernized American Cuisine Restaurant American Greenwich Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger December 27, 2015 Eastend is the latest addition to Z Hospitality’s expanding portfolio of quality restaurants in Fairfield and Westchester Counties, joining Sole, Mediterraneo, Terra, Aqua and Aurora. Located at the bottom of Greenwich Avenue in the space formerly occupied by Primary Restaurant, it recently opened, 25 years to the week after Mediterraneo up the avenue. Overseeing the menu is Executive Chef Albert DeAngelis. Chef Albert joined Z Hospitality Group as Executive Chef in 1989 and has been the creative vision behind the group’s Mediterranean-style bistros. Joining him in the kitchen is Chef Matt McNerny, a graduate of the CIA and formerly the chef du cuisine at Aurora in Rye and Sole in New Canaan. Read More
Can Tiin Opens in Bridgeport: Inspired Dishes with a Vietnamese Flair Restaurant Asian Bridgeport Cocktails Noodles Vietnamese Deanna Foster December 20, 2015 CTBites readers who don’t live in Bridgeport now have an excellent reason to drive and dine there with the opening of Can Tiin in the downtown area. The dishes at Can Tiin (pronounced “canteen”) lead with a Vietnamese influence, are based on French techniques, and incorporate other Asian flavors. This culinary panoply is deftly handled by Chef Brian Reilly, who explained, “We take traditional Vietnamese dishes and honor them, but allow ourselves the latitude to experiment and go out of the box a little. We continually challenge ourselves to push the envelope without getting cute or overly fussy.” The result is neither cute, nor fussy, but fun, inventive and tasty. (Read our opening announcement for details on the management team.) Read More
