Filtering by Tag: Tacos,SONO

Guide To Best Tacos in CT: Happy National Taco Day

Restaurant Tacos Mexican Best of CT Delicious Dives Norwalk Hartford Stamford New Haven Bridgeport Homepage

Stephanie Webster October 04, 2017

Here's our list of our favorite Taco Restaurants & Trucks in Connecticut. Feel free to add your favorites to the list below.

Rincon Taqueria (493 Connecticut Ave., Norwalk) From the owners of Bistro du Soleil in SoNo comes a menu that includes Huevas Rancheros, Burritos, Chilaquiles, Tacos, Empanadas, Tamales and a Chicken Quesadilla. All of their dishes pack great flavors. Mix and match the tacos, from Baja fish to pork, empanadas, generous portions. Fresh ingredients and complimentary yellow rice and beans. Pretty small deli-like space and BYOB.

Tacos Mexico (82 Fort Point St., Norwalk) Enchiladas, grilled specialities, lots of shrimp dishes, chipotle chicken tacos and the hot sauce is HOT-consider yourself warned, so you made need an Orange-Ginger Mojito (muy bueno). Plain from the outside, but pleasant inside, and very reasonably priced. Parking can be tricky. http://tacosmexicollc.com

Chango Rosa (1 Union Pl, Hartford ) This fun casual restaurant and cocktail bar serves a fusion of authentic Latin American street foods and the popular smoked meats from Bear's Smokehouse. The menu features foods such as empanadas, enchiladas, arepas, and tacos! The meats are divine. https://changorosa.com/

Bartaco's Ancho Steak Taco Recipe

Features Recipe Recipe Tacos Bartaco

Stephanie Webster September 09, 2017

Ever wondered what makes that steak taco at Bartaco taste oh so good? We've got the word on the secret seasoning right here. Heat up those tortillas and get the grill going because this is the perfect end of summer dish. For best results, we encourage you to source your Pico ingredients at your local farmers' market.

Top Ten Burgers In Southwest CT: 2017 Edition

Restaurant Best of CT Comfort Food Stamford Greenwich Westport Norwalk SONO Homepage Burgers

Lou Gorfain June 11, 2017

2017 was a good year for burger lovers in Southwest CT. A closing (Fleisher's Craft Kitchen) and a fire (The National) have sadly removed two of 2016’s winning burgers from contention in our 2017 edition of Top Ten Burgers in Southwest CT. Nonetheless, the local burger scene remains vibrant, inventive, and ever evolving. So we happily welcome three new, mouthwatering iterations to our 2017 Top Ten Burgers list.

We sampled over 75 burgers to arrive at this list. Our rankings this year are focused exclusively on the sandwich and its ingredients alone, not the accompanying sides.

Herewith, the Winners….

Harlan Publick Still Kicking Up the Flavors in South Norwalk

Restaurant Norwalk SONO Caribbean Outdoor Dining Bar Cocktails Pub

jeffrey schlesinger May 25, 2017

The day started with snow flurries in Denver, pre-dawn, long week, long flight, two hours from Kennedy to CT. When my wife asked where we should eat, the temptation for a culinary transport to the Caribbean was too much to resist. After a quick drive to SONO, we were seated at one of my favorite restaurants, Harlan Publick, where Chef Kamal Rose is still creating magical combinations, balancing the spiciness of the Islands, with a delicate focus on subtleness.

Killer B Opens in South Norwalk w/ Beer, Bourbon, Bacon and Burgers (+ Decadent Milkshakes)

Restaurant Comfort Food SONO Norwalk Cocktails Lunch Kid Friendly Bar Homepage Burgers

Jessica Ryan April 16, 2017

There are those who say pigs don’t fly…. They’ve never had Killer B’s Bacon Flight where thick cut strips of bacon arrive attached to a clothing wire, juices dripping, only to come flying immediately off. I really intended to have just one bite…

Killer B recently opened in South Norwalk, and stands for Beer, Bourbon, Bacon and Burgers – and with that I will tell you that this bacon, offered in such flavors as bourbon, butterscotch, fire, honey and orange, was indeed “killer.” Take a bite and you soon realize this ain’t no grocery store bacon.

Taco Loco's Party Truck: Turn Your Next Event Into a Party sponsored post

Restaurant Food Truck Catering Mexican Tacos Gluten-Free Kid Friendly

CTbites Team March 09, 2017

Are you ready for food truck season? With summer right around the corner you can bet on seeing the Taco Loco Party Trucks cruising through your town. If you are hosting a party this year the Taco Loco Party Trucks are a must have! Imagine not having to worry about shopping, setting up, cooking, or cleaning. All you have to do is invite your friends and family and we will take care of the rest!

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.

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.

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.

Taco Loco's Party Truck: Turn Your Next Event Into a Party sponsored post

Restaurant CTbites Lunch Events Cocktails Norwalk SONO Bar Mexican Kid Friendly

CTbites Team November 22, 2016

Located in the heart of historic South Norwalk, Zapata Mexican Restaurant crafts authentic Mexican cuisine in an area rich in history and vibrant in color, Zapata Mexican Restaurant proudly contributes to this energetic environment. This is our second location, the original is located in Palisades, NY where our family-owned and operated restaurant has thrived for over 20 years. Many of our customers come in and ask why SONO? The answer is simple, SONO lacked an authentic Mexican restaurant with fresh ingredients, amazing margaritas, and smiling faces. Freshness is what we believe in and what we thrive on. We personally choose all our produce, and all of our ingredients. We are in a society where fresh and healthy is key! To ensure the highest quality, we also cook all of our products with olive oil to keep it healthy and always tasting delicious.

Johnny Utah's in South Norwalk - A Fun Time with a Side of Food

Restaurant Cocktails Delicious Dives Norwalk SONO Bar Comfort Food

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger September 11, 2016

Fairfield County has some great bars with good old fashioned bar food…wings, burgers, fries, onion rings, cheesesteaks, with a wide variety of beers. Recently, many have expanded the menu to include tacos, chili, ribs, chicken and other down and dirty delicacies. When I received an invitation to join a media event at Johnny Utah’s in SoNo I was curious, since this bar also features a mechanical bull (spoiler…not happenin’).

First Taste: El Segundo Opens in Sono Starring The Spread's Carlos Baez

Restaurant American Cocktails Norwalk SONO Venezuelan Mexican Indian Latin American

Lou Gorfain September 02, 2016

Recently the CTbites team previewed the menu at El Segundo in South Norwalk, the newest restaurant from the talented partners who created The Spread just up the block. The concept: Eat the Street. Intersect some of the world’s tastiest street food at the corner of Washington and North Water in SONO.

What began as a tasting quickly turned into a party ... a coming out party for Carlos Baez, Executive Chef of The Spread, one of the region’s most versatile, yet unheralded, chefs.

The menu flaunts Baez’ extraordinary range -- a gastronomic tour de force featuring over 3 dozen dishes curated from the boulevards and back allies of 27 countries on all seven continents, including barren Antarctica. (More about that selection later)

El Segundo Opening in Downtown Sono: The Spread Team + Global Street Food

Restaurant Norwalk SONO Tacos Kid Friendly

Lou Gorfain July 21, 2016

The Spread was the first: hip, smart, happening. Contemporary Sono.

El Segundo, by definition, will be The Second. This time: Street. Urban. Old World Global.

“We’ll have street food from each of the 7 Continents,” said Chris Hickey as he recently gave CTBites a preview of The Spread team’s new joint set to open in early August. Hickey and co-owners Andrey Cortes, Chris Rasile, Shawn Longyear and Executive Chef Carlos Baez envision an international playground for the palate.

“We’re going to have some fun,” Chris promised, grinning.

Open the corrugated metal garage door, and the vista is a courtyard boasting a fountain, storefronts, and looming apartments. A piazza in Naples? A market in Buenos Aries. A food fair in Bangkok.

Inside the restaurant, you’re on a side street. The vibe is almost Third World. The predominant motif is that corrugated sheeting – the humble material that shelters much of the earth’s population. A wall is painted in the brilliant graffiti of Duster, New York’s notorious tagger. On the wall, a subway door and a Number 6 Train to Duster’s Bronx. Its boogie. Its street food.

Burger Review: Prime Burger in South Norwalk

Restaurant Norwalk SONO Burgers

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger June 24, 2016

Are you looking for an inexpensive burger for lunch? Maybe some fries and a soda to join the burger? If they are all offered as a lunch special, even better. With my obsession with burgers, and my annual Best “10” burgers in southwest Connecticut behind me, I decided to try the moderately priced, newly opened Prime Burger in SoNo. Located next to The Spread, one of my Best “10” burgers, the SoNo location is the second in the area, after the original opened in Ridgefield several years ago.

Prime Burger offers beef, salmon, turkey, chicken and veggie burgers from $6.50-$8.00 with free (sauces, onion, lettuce, tomato, etc.) and $1.00 toppings (cheese, chili bacon, etc.), a la 5-Guys. The menu also includes hot dogs, grilled cheese, chicken tenders and salads (you can add a patty or grilled chicken). If you enter from the street your journey begins near the rear, where you place your order. I ordered the $10 lunch special, which included a cheeseburger, fries and a beverage.

Miro Kitchen Opens in Fairfield With Chef From Hapa Food Truck

Restaurant Asian Fairfield Hawaiian Tacos Comfort Food Lunch

Jessica Ryan May 15, 2016

With much anticipation and excitement Miro Kitchen recently opened its doors on Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield. The new eatery is the collective brainchild of Eugene Kabilnitsky, former owner of Tomato and Basil, and Hapa Food Truck’s Chris Gonzales. I recently sat down with the two to talk about the inspiration behind this creative collaboration.

“My wife and I were both working from home and we found ourselves going to the Hapa Food Truck at least twice a week,” Kabilnitsky told me. “We couldn’t get enough! At the time I was set to open another Italian restaurant at this location and was in the process of hammering out details.” But then he started to wonder whether the Hapa concept might work in the restaurant space. He joked that after visiting the truck 100 or so times he shared his idea with Chris, and subsequent conversations led to the current partnership, and Miro, an expansion of the wildly popular Hapa Food Truck, was born.

The best way to describe the cuisine is to say it is a play on Pacific, Asian and Hawaiian street food with an American twist, mixing the exotic with the familiar.

Bartaco Unveils New Cocktails, New Tacos & #bartacosecret: Gretchen Thomas Tells All

Restaurant Bartaco Tacos

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson April 01, 2016

Tacos. And cocktails. A bar. Where people can have tacos. Bar. Tacos. Bartaco!

It seems simple, but the concept is, admittedly, brilliant. Barteca, the restaurant group behind Barcelona, saw the potential in the combination and launched Bartaco in 2010. Inspired by Brazilian beach culture, they opened their flagship location in Port Chester, NY. Popularity followed and they began expanding. Today, Bartaco has 3 Connecticut locations: Stamford, West Hartford, and Westport. They have also received national acclaim, with restaurants opening in Nashville, Tennessee; Tampa; Florida; Reston; Virginia, and three in Atlanta, Georgia.

On Wednesday March 23, CTBites was invited to participate in a blogger’s event featuring Bartaco’s newest cocktails and a selection of menu items. Barteca’s Wine and Spirits Director, Gretchen Thomas, led us through a tasting of three of her latest drinks and provided insights about the “bar” component of Bartaco.

Thomas has a great deal of experience in the restaurant industry, as well as an extensive career with Barteca Restaurant Group.

Taco Loco Launches New Menu in Bridgeport's Black Rock Neighborhood

Restaurant Bridgeport Cocktails Tacos Mexican

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson March 18, 2016

It’s time for a bit of trivia! What was Bridgeport’s first Mexican restaurant? What was the first Mexican food truck in the state?

The answer to both questions is the same and it might surprise you: Taco Loco! The restaurant, which now lies on Fairfield Avenue in Black Rock, opened its doors in 1982 by bothers Miguel and Louis Tomasio. Originally, Taco Loco functioned as a small taco shop located on Main Street. It served inexpensive Mexican Food late into the night. As demand grew, the business transformed from counter service to a full scale restaurant. In 1985 Miguel added a food truck and they moved to their present-day location in 1989. Taco Loco currently seats 100 guests, has a four season patio, and a coveted food truck.

Now, in 2016, Taco Loco is about to undergo another evolution! Miguel, along with his son Zachary Tomasio, are releasing a brand new menu aimed at “authenticity and quality.” With a background in marketing and a fresh perspective, Zachary is ready to explore the latest trends and additional avenues of business.

MECHA Launches Late Night Menu in Sono

Restaurant Asian Noodles Norwalk SONO

Stephanie Webster February 10, 2016

MECHA in Sono is launching their Late Night Menu served Thu 10pm-12pm, Fri and Sat 10pm-1am.

The Late Night Menu will feature special snacks and Ramen as well as cocktails you can only get after hours. To celebrate, they will be introducing the menu and hosting a PARTY Thursday, February 11th at 10PM. Enjoy some special treats from the kitchen (even some complimentary chicken sandwiches) and some amazing cocktails from their late night market menu.

A few highlights from the Late Night Menu include: THIT BO KHO beef brisket jerky, SHOYU BREAKFAST RAMEN w/ brown butter, bacon, egg, and cheese; WONTON MI RAMEN w/ fried shallots, sesame, greens, pork & shrimp wontons $10.

Remember, slurping in encouraged.

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.

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.