Pho 99: Magic Number for Pho in East Hartford and Wethersfield Restaurant Asian East Hartford Hartford Noodles Vietnamese Wehtersfield Lunch Kid Friendly Hope Simmons January 08, 2017 My magic number for pho is 99. There are those who say 501 is better. I say, are you sure? Because, though I used to eat there back in the day, now my money's on Pho 99 all the way. Friendly service, clean, and more varieties of spring rolls than anywhere else I know. For me, it’s the pho gold standard. Not to mention, Chef Peter Nguyen is a sweetheart of a guy who takes pride in what they serve in his restaurants. The smiling man with the infectious laugh is the heart, soul, chef and secret recipe holder within the Pho 99 kitchen. “The soup is a BIIIIIIIIIIIG secret! No one, family even--Mary’s (his business partner’s) husband don’t know! My wife don’t know! My cousins—don’t know! There’s a lot of businesses like us who come ask, what the heck are you doing? Unbelievable! What you put in there? I say, I do the same as you do!” Peter smiles, knowing full well what he does separates him from the pack and is absolutely not the same. Read More
Where Do Local CT Chefs Eat Out? Chris Gonzales, Hapa Food Truck Interview Restaurant Chef Chef Talk Jessica Ryan January 03, 2017 I've always wondered where the chefs from our favorite local restaurants eat when they finally get some time away from their busy schedules. Do they prefer to go home and relax? Or do they like to go out? If the latter, what are some of their favorite places, locally and beyond? Do they might have any secret hole in the wall places and would they be willing to share these with us? This column will be on ongoing feature. We start our series with Chris Gonzales of Hapa Food Truck. Read More
CTbites Staff Picks for Top CT Eats in 2016 Restaurant Top 10 Eats Best of CT CTbites Team December 31, 2016 2016 was another great year for restaurant dining throughout CT. We asked the CTbites staff to share some of their most memorable meals, go-to spots and varied dining experiences from this past year. Here are our favorite meals and restaurants of 2016. Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger My favorite dishes in 2016 ranged from a chicken sandwich to pasta with crab and sea urchin butter. The food was smoked, braised, quickly seared, fried, raw, served between two slices of bread, on a porcelain plate, in a bowl, on an aluminum tray and a paper plate; all were bold and balanced. It was quite a diverse year for me. My Top-10 alphabetically. Ch’i Public – Tuna Tartare - The diced tuna was encased in a ring of thinly sliced cucumbers, topped with thin wedges of avocado, small mounds of red and black fish roe, micro greens and plated with dollops of wasabi cream, yuzu and cucumber-lime sauce. The array of differing and complementing flavors was flawless. The Cottage – Wagyu Steamed Buns – Take a couple of sweet and delicious steamed buns, add slices of outrageous fall-apart tender brisket and top with a little spicy Napa cabbage kimchee, a delightful aioli and you have the perfect start to the meal, plus a side of duck fat potato tempura. Read More
The Cottage in Westport Expands With New Bar & Larger Dining Area Restaurant Brunch Cocktails Farm to Table Westport Bar Stephanie Webster December 30, 2016 Chef Brian Lewis' The Cottage is spreading its wings just in time for the new year...or rather its footprint, with a beautiful new expanded bar area. Lewis has taken over the adjacent space, once housing a barber shop, and has spent the last few months building out the perfect drink haven. The new bar area will have full service dining at the 10 seat bar alongside creative cocktails, local draft beer and an expanded wine program. Another addition is bartender, Ralph Leon who has been in the business for over 18 years, and has some very exciting new drinks planned for 2017. Read More
Barcelona Wine Bar Opens in Waypointe Norwalk Restaurant Cocktails Norwalk Spanish Tapas Wine Bar Bar Lunch Opening Stephanie Webster December 23, 2016 After 20 years as a Sono institution, Barcelona Wine Bar has moved up the street and officially opened its doors in Norwalk’s new Waypointe complex. Their new home looks and feels much like the creative dining spaces guests have come to expect from Barcelona’s five CT locations, but as SVP Adam Halberg says “ Waypointe will feel familiar, but there are some key areas that make this new location quite unique.” The open kitchen, massive 40 seat bar, and a new menu approach will take their authentic and distinctive Spanish tapas menu even closer to the markets and restaurants of Spain. Read More
Organika Kitchen Opens in Southport w/ Vegan, Gluten & Dairy Free Menu Restaurant Organic Southport Special Dietary Needs To-Go Vegetarian healthy Vegan Jessica Ryan December 22, 2016 Gino and Cathy Riccio have been an integral part of the Fairfield County restaurant scene for the past three decades, but their newest venture – an organic plant-based eatery – is uncharted territory for the couple. While many alleged healthy eateries have been popping up all over the place, Organika Kitchen takes the idea of healthy eating to a new level. I recently sat down the Riccios to learn about the inspiration behind their latest endeavor. Organika is more than a restaurant Gino explained, “It’s an experience that is as much about the food as it is the customers and the employees.” Organika opened its doors in August to praise from vegetarians, vegans and meat-eaters alike. Cathy expanded on her husband’s thoughts. “We felt that we needed to be eating healthier. We grew up eating healthy, but somewhere along the way processed foods started to enter our diets. Now we have all this modified food and heavy-duty pesticides so even when we try to eat healthy we aren’t always.” Read More
44 CT Restaurants for New Years Eve & New Years 2016 Restaurant Holiday Emma Jane-Doody Stetson December 21, 2016 The countdown is on to the countdown to the year’s end! As 2016 draws to a close, Connecticut restaurants are ushering in 2017 with epic parties, prix fixe menus, special dishes, and signature cocktails. Here is the ultimate guide to where you can celebrate New Year’s Eve and the New Year. Mezon, Danbury: They will offer a 6 course prix fixe menu for $65 per person. Opt for the 6pm or 8:30pm seating. The bar will be open for walk-ins and a special a la carte menu will be available. The Spread, Norwalk: Visit the Spread in Norwalk for an NYE menu with Hamachi Crudo, Lamb Saddle, Seared Scallops, Veal Confit, and Chocolate Mousse. Ordinary, New Haven: Bar Ordinary in New Haven is doing something far from "ordinary," a Retro Ski Lodge New Year's Eve Party! Start your evening at the Tundra Bar for a libation then move your way into the Moose Ski Lodge for some warmth by the hearth! Roia, New Haven: Roia will be serving bites at the bar + all night happy hour. In the dinning room 5 course prix fixe, including truffles, venison, foie, artichokes and other delicacies, plus Jazz quartet playing from 7:00pm onwards. Pearl, Westport: Chef Mike at Pearl in Westport is preparing a NYE menu. There will also be a DJ, dancing, party favors, and a toast. Plus, kids eat free from 12-7pm! Read More
Brunching at The National in Greenwich Restaurant American Brunch Greenwich Bar Lunch Jessica Ryan December 20, 2016 Christmas was in the air in Greenwich this past weekend as the town’s Annual Holiday Stroll offered something for everyone: a chance to meet Santa, a ride in a horse drawn carriage, and for me, the opportunity to try out The National’s Holiday Brunch. I had not yet been to Chef Geoffrey Zakarian’s newest and his first restaurant in Greenwich. The celebrity chef has appeared on The Today Show, Good Morning America, and CBS Morning Show and has starred in many Food Network programs including Chopped, The Next Iron Chef and Cooks vs. Cons, the network’s newest show. Read More
Hidden Gem: El Paraiso Mexican Restaurant in Bridgeport Restaurant Bridgeport Delicious Dives Mexican Lunch Kid Friendly Elizabeth Keyser December 18, 2016 The first thing to do when you sit down at a sturdy wood table at El Paraiso Mexican Restaurant is order an agua fresca. These icy fruit drinks are made to order; the grinding blender drowns out the Mexican t.v. and music, and soon you’re sipping the most refreshing beverage. My favorite is the melon or watermelon, depending on what they have in the kitchen. Mango is sweeter. I haven’t tried the tamarindo. El Paraiso is my favorite Mexican restaurant in Bridgeport. It’s on Madison Avenue, near Capitol. The white gates covering some of the windows make it look closed, but inside, especially on weekends, El Paraiso is bustling and welcoming, the room filled with families with children. The waitresses smile. Speaking Spanish is an advantage, but by no means necessary. Read More
21 CT Restaurants Open for Christmas Eve & Christmas 2016 Restaurant Events Holiday Emma Jane-Doody Stetson December 14, 2016 Over the river and through the woods… to delicious restaurants we go! From New Canaan to Essex to Mohegan Sun, some of Connecticut’s best restaurants are hosting holiday festivities on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day itself. Be sure to make your reservations early… seats fill up quickly! Fresh Salt at Saybrook Point, Saybrook: On Saturday December 24, guests can enjoy holiday inspired dishes like Mascarpone-Butternut Ravioli, Ricotta Meatballs, and Srirachi-style Calamari at Fresh Salt at Saybrook Point. On Christmas Day, they will have an extensive buffet from 12-6pm. Pearl at Longshore, Westport: Pearl in Westport will celebrate Christmas Eve with a Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner. The Whelk, Westport: Open for Christmas Eve dinner with their regular menu and a few specials TBA. Basso Cafe, Norwalk: On Christmas Eve, Basso Cafe in Norwalk will serve dishes off of its regular menu as well as some newly created dishes prepared specifically for the evening. They will be closed on Christmas Day. Roger Sherman Inn, New Canaan: Open on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, they have a special menu in honor of the holiday, which features dishes like a Roasted Filet Mignon and Lobster Thermidore Read More
10 "Must Drink" Cold Weather Cocktails in Lower Fairfield County CT Restaurant Cocktails Recipe Bar Best of CT Andrew Dominick December 13, 2016 It’s been a warm autumn, and while we’ll all hope the same for the upcoming winter season, we know it just won’t last. Chilly temperatures are inevitable and let’s face it, your puffy coat, skully, and gloves may not cut it. You need something else to warm up your soul, something that will always be there for you at various bars in lower Fairfield County…Cocktails. I recently visited my favorite bars around the county to seek out the best seasonal cocktails. While this is MY list, I did try my best to switch up the flavor profiles and the spirits used, otherwise they’d be all bourbon and whiskey based, or it would be a list of Old Fashioneds and Sazeracs. There are some clear liquors involved, as well as warm beverages and seasonal flavors such as apple, cinnamon, clove, and even carrot. I tried my best to include every city or town up 95 from Greenwich to Westport, but that wasn’t the end result. I wanted to go further north but this “research” would’ve stretched into another season. I found that Norwalk and Westport had the most seasonal stuff going on when it comes to booze, so don’t be offended if your favorite bar in your neighborhood didn’t make it. It doesn’t mean I didn’t like it, I just simply met my quota for this list, and my liver told me to “just stop already.” Hopefully this helps with your drinking adventures, and hopefully you have some cold weather cocktail suggestions at your most frequented haunts, because we’re all always looking to warm our souls with good libations. Read More
Ch'i Public House Opens in SoNo - Exceptional Asian-Inspired Cuisine Restaurant Asian Chinese Japanese Norwalk SONO Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger December 11, 2016 Ch’i Public House opened in late November in the space formerly occupied by Ocean Drive and Red Lulu on Washington Street in SoNo. The forces behind the new Asian-inspired restaurant are Rob Moss, Marco Siguenza and Dave Studwell, owners of neighboring Washington Prime. Overseeing the kitchen is Executive Chef Mark Taruna, whose long career spans attending the French Culinary Institute and working as the Sous Chef for Nobu Matsushisa at Nobu. He subsequently joined The Food Network and ran the Iron Chef kitchen where he worked with Morimoto, Mario Batali and Bobby Flay. He brings a new level of creativity to many classic recipes with bold flavors and textures, from the simplest dumpling to the most complex sauces. Read More
Room 112 Opens in Sono: A Modern Day Speakeasy in Connecticut Restaurant Cocktails Late Night Norwalk SONO Bar Jessica Ryan December 09, 2016 Room 112 is shaking up the pulse of the lively SoNo restaurant scene. A modern-day speakeasy with a rock’n’roll edge, and eclectic, modish décor recently opened its doors at 112 Washington Street. Owner Isaac Patrick Camoro’s vision was clear the minute he walked into the then empty space. Room 112 conjures up images of an urban garage meets underground lounge. Eclectic and unconventional this new bar is a truly unique experience; the antidote to the typical Fairfield County bar scene. The main level, framed in exposed brick, offers the perfect canvas for local artists to showcase their talent, thus lending themselves perfectly to the bar’s eclectic furnishings and lighting. Downstairs, a “man-cave” style game room includes a pool table, dartboards, shuffleboard, a jukebox, several HD TVs and a sleek bar. Read More
Art’s Deli in Westport Soon to be Winfield Street Italian Deli Restaurant Deli Italian Westport Lunch CTbites Team December 08, 2016 More exciting Westport deli news from WestportNow. Westport’s iconic Art’s Deli at 13 Post Road West, near the intersection of Riverside Avenue, is under new ownership. Art’s Deli, 13, Post Road West, will become Winfield Street Italian Deli. Breno Donatti, the new owner, also owns Norwalk’s Winfield Italian Deli, 69 Winfield St., and, since February, Winfield Street Espresso & Panini Bar, 4 Railroad Place, across from the Westport Metro-North Railroad Station in Saugatuck. He said the name of the Post Road West business will be renamed Winfield Street Italian Deli once all town-required permits are approved and issued. Read the full article on WestportNow. Read More
BunBurgerBun Food Truck - Gluten, Soy & Nut-Free Burgers, Fries & More Restaurant Food Truck Norwalk SONO Special Dietary Needs Comfort Food Kid Friendly Burgers Maizy Boosin December 06, 2016 Hi, my name is Maizy. I'm 13 years old, love food, and have celiac disease. When I heard about BunBurgerBun, a food truck that specializes in gluten free burgers and fries, I had to go try it out. Arriving at the truck in Stamford, I was instantly impressed by the menu because it had all the favorites. I ordered three things while I was there: The sweet and salties, The Jammer burger, and the chicken tenders with a side of fries. My absolute favorite thing that I ate was the Jammer: A burger on a gluten free peasant bun with house-made pickles and a bacon relish. I love pickles and those on the BunBurgerBun truck are fantastic. They are made with mustard seeds, onions and have this great classic pickle taste, but with a hint of a spicy undertone. When I took my first bite of the burger, the first flavor was vinegar. This came from the pickles, as well as the amazing bacon relish. Read More
Rye Ridge Deli Opening in Oscar’s Space in Downtown Westport via Westport Now Restaurant CTbites Lunch Events Deli Stamford Westport Comfort Food CTbites Team December 06, 2016 This corned beef related news just in from WestportNow. Westport’s Main Street is getting a Deli back. Rye Ridge Deli will open next year in space long occupied by Oscar’s Delicatessen, 159 Main St. Partners Mike Ventorino and Scott Martin today in the future home of Rye Ridge Deli and Restaurant at 159 Main St.. Partners Scott Martin and Mike Ventorino will open the third Rye Ridge Deli sometime early next year, they said today. Other Rye Ridge Delis – described as a New York Kosher-Style Deli and Restaurant—are in Rye Brook, N.Y. and Stamford. Oscar’s closed in August a week before the death of longtime owner Lee Papageorge after a 42-year presence on Main Street. “I got a lot of calls after it closed, asking me to take a look at it,” said Martin, an eight-year Wilton resident. “We signed the lease around Halloween.” Read the full story on WestportNow. Read More
2016 Holiday Gift Guide For The CT Food Lover Restaurant Recipe Gift Guide Holiday Best of CT April Guilbault December 01, 2016 Festive Foodalicious Finds ...and FAAABulous ones, we might add! For friends, family (this alliteration is getting fun isn’t it?), and frenemies alike. We have scouted and compiled a list of great gadgets, unique tableware, fun and memorable experiences, sugary sweets, and superb savories for all of the gift recipients in your life this season. So have fun while shopping! Buy one, buy two, buy with that perfect person in mind and think of the smiles and happiness you are sharing with them. How perfectly fabulous, right? Here are 20 local CT gift ideas for your favorite food lover. Read More
The Fez, Moroccan in Stamford Gets An Update: Belly Dancing, Live Music and Great Fare Restaurant Live Music Moroccan Stamford Bar Lunch Emma Jane-Doody Stetson November 30, 2016 Ever since its debut in 2010, The Fez in Stamford made a name for itself as an eclectic hotspot. Around the corner from Napa and Company and across the street from Barcelona Wine Bar, the Fez offered an alternative experience: nightclub vibes, live music, crimson walls, esoteric wines by the glass, and Spice Route cuisine. When it closed its doors in the summer of 2015 for renovations, its followers (including me!) didn’t know what to expect. I recently had the opportunity to visit The Fez 2.0 for myself. They invited me to participate in a five-course Chilean Wine Dinner, and I eagerly accepted. It turns out that The Fez 2.0 is largely the same- and I mean that in the best possible way. New owners Fred and Nancy Laist embraced the original features that defined The Fez in its previous era. The menu includes many of the same items. Live music remains at the forefront. (They are already booked up Thursday-Sunday through March of next year!) Kristen tends the bar. The interior, though expanded to include more seating, continues to feels small and intimate. The stage remains at one end of the restaurant, with a handful of tables and booths in front of it. Red walls still complement dark wood and varied upholstery. Read More
Neat & Festivities Now Hosting Custom “Pop Up Parties” at Neat in Westport (sponsored) Restaurant Catering Entertaining Holiday CTbites Team November 29, 2016 Neat, a favorite coffee café in Westport and Darien and Festivities, the award winning special event catering and event design company have joined together to offer “Pop Up Parties." With craft cocktails by Neat and foods by Festivities, party givers can select from several party ideas. From cocktail parties, interactive foods stations or plated dinners and with global traditions to home traditions, Festivities has created offerings that are delicious and fun! (two very important words). Read More
Top Dining Picks for Art Basel Miami via MIABites Restaurant Miami ellen bowen November 28, 2016 Art Basel Miami and Miami Art Week November 29- December 4th welcomes over 75,000 art enthusiasts from around the world for a week of huge tented shows like Untitled, PULSE, Art Miami and Spectrum, gallery and museum shows and private and intimate art shows at private homes. But, Miami also offers an amazing array of dining and late night options, some of which were highlighted in this past weekends, New York Times “36 Hours in Miami”( insert NYT link? ). If you are headed to Miami for Art Basel, here are MIAbites Top picks. Dinner reservations are necessary and should be made in advance if possible. Read More
