Cooking Classes with Indian Master Chef Prasad Chirnomula, The Scholar of Spice Features Indian Cooking Cooking Classes New Canaan New Haven Kristin L. Wolfe January 14, 2020 In addition to blazing trails with restaurants (Thali, INDIA, Indian Kitchen) Chef Prasad has begun to make his fans swoon on a more intimate level with a regular cooking school series. What a special treat. I recently went to one of his Sunday classes and came away with a whole new passion for Indian cuisine. And believe me, I’ve already been a giant fan for years. (Jackson Diner, Queens anyone? I lived in Jackson Heights for ten years). Read More
Shout Out: What Type of Restaurant Do YOU WISH We Had In Connecticut?? Features CTbites Shout Out Q & A Stephanie Webster January 11, 2020 It’s 2020. In 2019 we saw some notable CT restauants close, and we saw new spots come to life. Perhaps it’s just me, but I find myself sitting in restaurants in other states or countries, turning to my dining companion and saying “God, I wish we had a restaurant like this in CT.” I’ve also had ample opportunity to speak with many CT chefs who would love to get inside the heads of their customers. CT, let’s help ‘em out. What type of restaurant, cuisine, menu, or price point do you think we are missing in CT? CT Chefs…I hope you’re listening….COMMENT BELOW. ONE LUCKY READER WILL WIN SOME SICK CTBITES SWAG! Read More
Experience the New TASTING Series at Prime Stamford (sponsored post) Features Restaurant Pop-Up Dinner Stamford Chef Talk Chef's Tasting Jessica Ryan January 11, 2020 Earlier this week a few of us from the CTBites team made our now seasonal pilgrimage to Prime in Stamford. This time to experience the restaurant’s new TASTING menu.The summit of cuisine at Prime, the TASTING series is a re-imagined experience in dining. Small tastes are presented in a unique rhythm and play to Chef’s sensibilities on a weekly basis. In what feels like a restaurant within a restaurant, TASTING places you in the inner sanctum of the kitchen, with the Chef as your guide. The four course TASTING menu is a truly unique table experience. Read More
Half Full Brewery Opening 2nd Stamford Location (via Hey Stamford!) Features Stamford Brewery Beer Garden CT Beer Openings Hey Stamford! January 11, 2020 I remember it like it was yesterday, the doors would open a few days later and I had just left my first interview and brewery tour with founder and “Chief Hoptimist,” Conor Horrigan. Between his passion for the brand and the fact that Stamford was about to get its first craft brewery, I remember being really excited! Cut to today. Not only has that little Waterside brew pup been churning out some fantastic award winning beer, they’ve also become a key member of the Stamford community. So, what’s next for Conor’s team? How about an expansion! Over the holiday break , Half Full Brewery announced that they have signed a lease for a second Stamford location at 575 Pacific St. Read the complete article on Hey Stamford! Read More
Nibble: Tasty CT Food Events For Week of January 12-19 Events Features Events News Emma Jane-Doody Stetson January 09, 2020 Tickets are on sale for the Great Mac & Chili Challenge at the SoNo Collection, which will take place on January 26 from 11am-3pm. Purchase tickets online at www.MacAndChili.com.Litchfield Saltwater Grille hosts a pop-up Cigar Dinner on Sunday January 12th at 4pm. $40 gets you 3 courses with their regular cigar menu. RSVP quickly!Tavern On State’s Sunday Supper Series returns on January 12th with a dinner From the Sea! Their friends at Opici who will be pairing wines with each of the 5 courses. Hartford Restaurant Week is here and it continues through January 19th! Participating restaurants throughout West Hartford will offer special fixed price multi course menus at $12 for lunch and $20, $30 or $40 for dinner. The CT Wine Train is officially open! Read More
Shepherd's Pie Recipe from Dirt Road Farm & The Westport Farmers' Market Features Recipe Recipe Comfort Food CTbites Team January 08, 2020 What’s better than a Shepherd’s Pie on a long dark winter night? Westport Farmers’ Market and Phoebe Cole-Smith of Dirt Road Farm have nicely shared this comfort food favorite with CTbites. We’ve made this many times already, and it never fails to please. Enjoy. Eat up! Read More
Terrain Cafe & Amis Trattoria Teach Seasonal & Sustainable Cooking Class Series Features Ingredients Cooking Cooking Classes Education Stephanie Webster January 07, 2020 Join the culinary professionals that lead the kitchens of Westport restaurants Terrain Cafe and Amis at Stamford Museum & Nature Center as they show you the joys of sourcing and cooking with the best in seasonal and sustainable ingredients. From salads and appetizers to entrees, pastas and desserts, this six-part series (January 27 through March 9.) takes you through the methodology of creating show-stopping dishes as you also learn how to source the best ingredients right in your own backyard. Read More
La Taqueria Opens in Greenwich: Killer Tacos & More Restaurant Mexican Greenwich Tacos Lunch Openings Fast Casual Andrew Dominick January 05, 2020 If you turn onto Greenwich Avenue and blink, there’s a chance you blew right by La Taqueria, one of the street’s newest additions where tacos are front-and-center. Before we dive into the stellar tacos at La Taqueria, you should get to know some of its backstory. That all starts with chef/owner Dennis Lake, who, like his restaurant, is a newcomer to Greenwich as a resident, but not as a stranger entirely. Years ago, he was a sous chef at Restaurant 64 before it was The Ginger Man. Read More
Nibble: Tasty CT Food Events For Week of January 5-12 Features Events Events News Emma Jane-Doody Stetson January 04, 2020 Join SoNo1420 for a Bi-Coastal Winter CBD Infused Dinner on January 11th. Cocktails prepared by SoNo 1420's Blake Poon, 5-Course CBD Infused Dinner Menu highlighting ingredients from both East and West Coasts. Presented by Executive Chef Ronald Santos coming from New York City & Celebrity Chef Michael Montano visiting from Los Angeles. Link to tickets: http://bit.ly/CBDDINNEROn Tuesday January 7, get ready to be a part of the mystery. Brewport hosts a Murder Mystery Party from 7-10pm. With your ticket, you will be given pizza, two beers, a commemorative case study notebook, and the opportunity to solve a murder! Read More
It's A Woman's World: Saray & Noemi Ruiz of Gaudi Tapas & Wine Features It's A Woman's World Interview Chef Talk CTbites Team January 03, 2020 Connecticut is full of trailblazing women, particularly in the culinary world. Which is why we felt compelled to honor the pioneers among us. Our ongoing series, “It’s A Woman’s World’ is devoted to CT female influencers who’ve forged their own paths, often in food-related fields long dominated by men.Whether farming the land, bringing healthy food to the masses, feeding an entrepreneurial spirit or injecting feminism with food, these groundbreaking ladies have set a new definition of women’s work, creating new paths and setting examples for those who follow. How'd they do it? Read on. This week, we feature the talented Chef/Owners Noemi & Sarayy Ruiz, two sisters who own Gaudi Tapas & Bar in Danbury. Stay tuned to see who’s next. And feel free to send suggestions for your candidates to steph@ctbites.com. Read More
Dough & Co. Cafe & Bakeshop: Georgetown Just Got a Whole Lot Sweeter Restaurant Bakery Cookies Dessert Lunch Breakfast Georgetown Gluten-Free Special Dietary Needs Natalie Levitt January 02, 2020 The journey to Dough & Co. Cafe & Bakeshop and Georgetown has been an adventurous one. After taking a brief break to welcome her son into the world, Christina heard that a Baking Company in Rowayton, CT was looking for a pastry chef. To date, her background had been focused specifically in savory, however she knew that with her passion and creativity, she could translate her skills to pastry and she said YES YES YES to the job! She tapped into the foundational courses she had taken, the internet, books, and Food Network shows to learn how to make pastries like french macaroons and fancy chocolates. The Baking Company in Rowayton started out as a baked goods and healthy salads eatery and eventually became Dough & Co. in 2008 with a rebranding in 2014. Read More
CTbites Staff Picks for Top Eats of 2019 Restaurant Best of CT Homepage Stephanie Webster December 27, 2019 2019...Ah, what a year. As we welcome in the roaring 20’s, full of promise, and hopefully, less national division and drama, it is important to celebrate the restaurants, chefs, dishes, and dining experiences that helped shape the 2019 CT dining scene (and kept us sane). 2019 heralded some great openings from both chefs we know and love, as well as some newcomers. Here's our list of Top Eats for 2019 from the CTbites staff. Every team member and contributor has chosen their own unique way to throw down their favorites. This is NOT a “Best Of” list as writer, Andrew Dominick states. These are the meals and culinary experiences we remember most fondly from 2019. Enjoy, and start making your reservations for 2020. Read More
Brunch at Barcelona Wine Bar Norwalk: The Secret Is Out Restaurant Brunch Breakfast Spanish Tapas Norwalk New Haven West Hartford Stephanie Webster December 25, 2019 This review has been a long time coming. For the past year, my family has had a standing reservation either Saturday or Sunday morning at Barcelona Wine Bar’s Waypoint location. We have been regulars at their evening Tapas service, truly enjoying Chef Kaline Capps’ ever evolving but consistently well executed menu. However, the morning we walked in for Brunch, our weekend breakfast game was forever changed. Barcelona serves a 12 piece curated Brunch menu that knocks the socks off of most local breakfast menus, and the prices…well…there is only one item on the menu over $8. Scrambled Egg Montadito with Manchego and Serrano ham will run you $4.50. Migas Verduras with Brussel Sprouts, Cauliflower, and Aioli sets you back $6.50, and the incredibly delicious Chorizo Breakfast Bowl can be yours for $7.50. Every time we stagger out the door, full of cured Spanish meat and perfectly cooked eggs, we have reverse sticker shock. The menu features ingredients you know, each with a delightful Spanish twist. Now, I’ve shared my little secret. You know where to find me on the weekends. And I haven’t even gotten to the pancakes… Read More
100+ Connecticut Restaurants To Celebrate New Year’s Eve & New Year’s Day Features New Years Holiday Special Occasion Homepage Emma Jane-Doody Stetson December 20, 2019
Nibble: Tasty CT Food Events for December 22-29 Events Events News Emma Jane-Doody Stetson December 20, 2019 The Spread Norwalk presents Brunch with Santa on Sunday, December 22nd at 12pm. They’re serving up fun for all ages just ahead of Christmas!The Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce is pleased to once again be sponsoring the annual Saugatuck Caroling Crawl to entertain patrons at all local member restaurants on Saturday evening December 21th.Vita Pasta Lab presents an after Christmas Kids Italian Cooking & Baking Class on December 26 & 27. The class on 12/26 will focus on sweets, with a menu of Chocolate Krinkle cookies, Danish Butter cookies and Chocolate Soufflé. The class on 12/27 will feature the savory, with a menu of Pizza, Foccacia and Pinwheel Pizza. Ages 8 and up. Read More
GIVEAWAY: WIN Lidia Bastianich's Autographed Book, "My American Dream" Features Contest Giveaway CTbites Team December 19, 2019 Happy Holiday! CTbites is GIVING AWAY a signed copy of Lidia Bastianich’s new book, “My American Dream” for one lucky boy or girl who has been good in 2019. TO ENTER: Comment below and tell us why YOU NEED THIS BOOK. Winners must be CTbites newsletter subscribers. You can subscribe here. CTbites was recently invited to a special media tour of the This Old House. The incredible Lidia Bastianich was in attendance on behalf of Clarke Kitchen Appliances in Norwalk (where she films her show, Lidia’s Kitchen)…the company who outfitted the Idea House’s kitchen with Sub-Zero and Wolf Appliances.That day, Lidia was kind enough to sign a copy of her book for one of our readers. May the biggest Bastianich fan win. Good luck! Read More
Tiger Belly Noodle Bar in Granby: Slow-Cooked Ramen Perfection (via CT Magazine) Restaurant Granby Ramen Asian Japanese Noodles Comfort Food Connecticut Magazine December 18, 2019 The first sip of steaming broth at Tiger Belly Noodle Bar in Granby tells me all I need to know.The tonkotsu (pork bone) broth is so dense and savory that it seems like it could cure a cold. Although my ramen bowl arrives a few minutes after I order it, the process of its creation clearly began much earlier. It’s easy to tell this soup was slow-cooked. The broth cooks for 20 to 25 hours, I’ll later learn.“We slow-stew it overnight and then we blast it with high heat the next day when we come into work,” chef and owner Ki’yen Yeung says. “We get it down to the point where the bones melt into the broth. Read More
“Elite Chef” Cooking Competition Showcases CT Chefs Features Competition Chopped Chef Talk Stephanie Webster December 17, 2019 In partnership with Eli's Restaurant Group, CT’s Chef Plum will host and produce a new show. "Elite Chef" will launch in early 2020 as a seven-episode web series, featuring innovative and up-and-coming epicurean talent in Connecticut (with yours truly on the judging team). “I am a huge advocate of CT chefs, and I'm thrilled to be a part of this amazing project,” says Chef Plum. “Having a platform for our local talent to shine has been a massive goal of mine for many years. Huge shout out to the amazing people at Eli's for making this happen! I cannot wait for everyone to see what we can do.” Read More
Bruxelles Brasserie’s European Flavors Infuse the South Norwalk Restaurant Scene Restaurant SONO South Norwalk Norwalk Openings European Hungarian French Comfort Food Brunch Lunch Homepage Jessica Ryan December 15, 2019 Bruxelles Brasserie recently opened its doors on Main Street in the space formerly occupied by Barcelona Wine Bar. The setting is hip - a SoHo vibe in SoNo – the flavors are somewhat more traditional. Chef Roland Olah describes his cuisine as simple, though I beg to differ. While there is a familiarity with every dish, nearly everything we tried also had an element of surprise. At Bruxelles Brasseries, you might find that the expected meets the unexpected. Read More
Nibble: Tasty, Boozy, & Educational CT Food Events for Week of December 15-22 Features News Events Emma Jane-Doody Stetson December 12, 2019 Holbrook Farm hosts a Farm Dinner on Monday December 16. Chefs Jeff Taibe (Taproot), Lucas Proud (The Redding Roadhouse) and Rob Haidar (Taproot) are collaborating on a menu that will highlight both fresh vegetables and those they were able to preserve from the Farm. Tis the season for whiskey and Que Whiskey Kitchen in Southington invites you to a Sazerac Whiskey Dinner on Monday December 16. Christmas pop-up Miracle at Ordinary is happening now! The place is all decked out with spirit and glee and there are 15 brand new Christmas cocktails. Plus, purchase mugs, stockings, and more as gifts. Read More
