You just did it all this holiday season. And by that, I mean...cookies became a food group. Mixing, stirring and shopping had you working your “muscles” (how to polish something, right?). Real exercise resided in the back seat, crammed in between boxes and bags and wrapping paper. Your sanity was also wedged in there, too, now that you think about it. Thank goodness that a new year is upon us because you weren’t quite sure you could take another week, chaotic and fun as it may have been. And yes, there was much good in the holiday season...but it’s all....tiring. So now, after the decadence and gluttony, let’s reset. Recharge. And for the love of Pete, put down that cookie.
Here we offer, as your first gift of the New Year, some great resources, including juice cleanses, yoga joints and healthy eats, to get your body and mind back on track and ready for action in 2014!
In search of my culinary Dulcinea, I heard there was a new "cocinero" in the town. So, instead of hopping on a faithful nag, I got in my fickle Mini Cooper and headed to the Greenwich Barcelona for the culinary offerings of new head-chef, Michael Lucente. Chef Michael comes to Barcelona after 10 years of experience, starting as a graduate from the Culinary Institute of America. He has been Sous Chef at BLT Steak in Westchester and Napa in Stamford and head chef at La Promenade des Anglais in New York. He had the exciting opportunity to Sous Chef on Iron Chef America in April of last year and joined Barcelona Greenwich in November. Greenwich, you're in luck. And so are Barcelona patrons everywhere as the revamping of Barcelona's signature menu is making tapas-cravers everywhere muy feliz.
The culinary landscape of New Canaan now includes the vibrant cuisine of the Iberian Peninsula with the opening of Picador, the second restaurant of owner Alan Basaran. Located on Elm Street in the space formerly occupied by Harvest Supper, the interior’s décor offers a warm and inviting environment as backdrop to the region’s vibrant cuisine. Copper-topped tables and a wrap-around leather-covered banquette fill the entire back and side walls with additional copper-topped tables with dark leather chairs occupying the remainder of the space. The walls are adorned with plates, mirrors and sconces; reminiscent of the region.
Acclaimed chef, author and restaurateur Rafael Palomino recently opened Bistro Latino in the space first occupied by Boxing Cat Café and then Greenwich Tavern in Old Greenwich. The vast dining room has been done over indark wood flooring which is flanked by racked walls that flaunt an extensive portfolio of international wines.
Palomino won his food-star stripes when he opened Sonora in Manhattan almost two decades ago, introducing Manhattan to Nuevo Latino cuisine, and earning raves from the city’s food critics. Sonora's wild success inspired Rafael to bring his unique cooking style to satellite restaurants in New Haven, Tuckahoe, and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Sonora now lives in Port Chester.
Despite its name, Greenwich's Bistro Latino is not really Nuevo Latino since the dishes are more of Spain than Latin and South America. Rafael has created a menu that features European tapas and paella -- which he anoints with flavors from his Columbian and Queens roots. "Spanish bathed in Picante Style," is how the restaurant describes it. As a result, Bistro Latino is really more about invention than tradition.
Most of the time at restaurants, I have no idea what to order because there are so many great choices. At Cadiz, however I can choose many different dishes. I can even order ten and share with friends and family.
Cadiz is a place where you order several tapas and share among the group. Don’t be fooled though. It is located in the Bethel movie theater but that doesn’t mean it's cheap diner food. Plus, there are some great gluten-free options.
My family started out with a basket of bread, a small plate of hummus with baked pita chips, and a bowl of Greek olives. The bread had a crunchy and flaky crust with a soft and warm inside. It tasted amazing; a great way to kick off the meal.
If you're in the neighborhood and like your bubbles, don't miss the "Cheers to CAVA Wine Dinner" on Thursday, April 12th at Barcelona Restaurant in West Hartford, 7pm.
Champagne is one of the world’s most profound and expensive wines, usually only drank in times of celebration. However, Spain has its own popular sparkling wine created in the exact same style as its French counterpart, called Cava. While never bearing the generally high price tag as to Champagne, Cava is just as enjoyable and inspiring. As a self-declared “bubble head,” Gretchen Thomas, Wine & Spirits Director for the Barcelona Restaurant Group, is throwing a wine dinner showing off her favorites from several Spanish regions and their uncanny ability to pair well with even the heaviest and most flavorful dishes - a good thing since their Executive Chef, Adam Greenberg, is known for his creativity. This promises to be one of the most eye-opening food and wine pairing event of the season.
$45 per person, plus tax and gratuity.
For reservations, email gretchen@barcelonawinebar.com
WIN a FREE DINNER for TWO at Barcelona Restaurant and Wine Bar. Here's how..
You all did such a superior job with our recent cocktail contest, we decided to throw the gauntlet down once again. If your Cocktail name is selected, it will be featured on Barcelona Restaurant's new drinks menu & you will receive a FREE DINNER FOR TWO @ any Barcelona Restaurant (+ YOUR new cocktail).
"YOUR NAME HERE" Cocktail Recipe:
2 bar spoons of diced cucumber
½ oz. Simple Syrup
1 oz. Lime Juice
½ oz. St. Germain
1 oz. Vizcaya 12 yr. Rum
1 dash hellfire bitters
pimenton/sugar dipped cucumber slice
Post your submission below (include email) , or if you're shy, feel free to send it to us directly. Cocktail names must be submitted by March 31st.
Hearty souls splashed through the rain Dec. 7 on the way to Barcelona Restaurant in Fairfield, and were rewarded with a tornado of pork. Old world cheeses supplied by event host Michele Buster of Forever Cheese sat on the tables, piled on wooden boards, and would be joined by small blocks of quince jam and a roast suckling pig that ought to be legally classified as a mind-altering substance, but the star of the show, from start to finish, was a shoulder of cured Iberico ham.
Liz Rueven is a CTbites contributor and the founder of a new blog, Kosher Like Me.
The Stand Juice Company opened a second location in Fairfield , CT five weeks ago and they are rockin’ already. Carissa Dellicicchi and Mike Hrizdo, the dynamic husband and wife duo behind the Stand in Norwalk (opened in 2006), complement each other perfectly.
Carissa is the cook and creative force and Mike is the organizer and funny man. They first met in Miami at a raw foods market and bonded over their love for organic vegetarian eats and their passion for exploring the connection between better eating and healing the body.
Yoga devotees and newcomers alike celebrated when KaiaYoga, a complete wellness center, opened in Westport in June of this year. An offer to explore the new center with a deal called “30 days for $30”, enticed 2500 new students of all ages to take classes and explore this new studio. With 10,000 square feet and two thoughtfully designed levels, this location offers a large selection of yoga classes and wellness services for all members of the community. Now members and non-members alike can rejoice again. Husband and wife duo Stan Woodman and Gina Norman have finally opened KaiaCafe, an organic juice bar that offers a carefully edited selection of salads and wraps, in addition to freshly squeezed juices, boosts, smoothies and remedies. Over 20 organic teas are offered by the cup or pot, as are coffee, espresso and capuccino with any kind of milk you can imagine.
Everybody loves a good adult beverage. This fairly safe assumption has inspired this recent Chef Talk mini-series focusing exclusively on uncovering and sharing some of Fairfield County's best cocktails.
You're going to need to break out the shaker with this first cocktail, the Barcelona Blood Orange Margarita.The margarita is one of the most popular picks at the restaurant known for a bustling happy hour and hearty Spanish tapas menu in its four locations in Fairfield County and now an outpost in your house. Cheers!
Parrilada del Mar - Grilled lobster, scallops, shrimp, mussels, fish, baby squid; sate fennel, lime juice and extra virgin olive oil Photograph by Judith PszenicaI am a sucker for drinks with a kick so when I heard that Meigas, an authentic Spanish restaurant in East Norwalk, was serving up jalapeno martinis alongside their tapas, it jumped to the top of my “Gotta Get To” list. For those unfamiliar with Meigas, it is has been around since the 80's (also under the name Meson Galacia). Some may recall (either with fondness or not) the elaborate Nuevo foam and emulsions that graced their plates in recent years. However, the menu shifted in late 2008, when Carlos Hernandez took over the helm bringing with him a return to more traditional Spanish tapas with a modern flair.
Eager to get my hands on this jalepeno martini and to get to the bottom of Meigas' uneven reviews, my friend and I headed over for lunch last Saturday.
The downtown Stamford fun quotient rose dramatically with the early-summer addition of a Fairfield County stalwart -- Barcelona Wine Bar and Restaurant. Having enjoyed many festive, delicious meals (and pitchers of sangria) over the years at Barcelona in both SONO and Greenwich, I wondered if the new Stamford location would compare favorably, or if the restaurant’s sixth outlet would start to feel too much like a chain.
I needn’t have worried. Barcelona in Stamford has a bustling urban bistro vibe all its own, and its energy and warmth spill out onto lower Summer Street thanks to a large, open sidewalk dining area. Handwritten chalkboard menus, warm wood floors and well-trained staff will make this the perfect setting for comfortable eating all year round.
