ADULTS ONLY!
That’s exactly the policy Martin Bates put into effect on January 4, 2023, at his Downtown Stamford hotspot, Quartiere.
Greeting someone in Connecticut with an enthusiastic “Aloha!” or flashing them with a very chill hang loose hand gesture isn’t really our deal in the Nutmeg State. But on Tuesday afternoons at Bar 140, it’s totally rad to let out your inner Hawaiian during Umebroshi Food’s weekly pop-up.
Each year, the CT Restaurant Association recognizes the exceptional ability and talent of Connecticut’s restaurant community in the prestigious CRAzies awards. We are excited to showcase the nominees for 2022’s CRAZIES AWARDS “BEST CHEF OF THE YEAR” in this 5 part series. All the candidates worked incredibly hard to receive this nomination, and while many of you may know some of them, you probably don’t know all of them. We sat down with each of these talented chefs to learn a little bit more about what makes them do what they do. This week, we feature Jared Sippel of Restaurant L’Ostal in Darien, CT.
Each year, the CT Restaurant Association recognizes the exceptional ability and talent of Connecticut’s restaurant community in the prestigious CRAZIES awards. We are excited to showcase the nominees for 2022’s CRAZIES AWARDS “BEST CHEF OF THE YEAR” in this 5 part series. All the candidates worked incredibly hard to receive this nomination, and while many of you may know some of them, you probably don’t know all of them. We sat down with each of these talented chefs to learn a little bit more about what makes them do what they do. This week, we feature Chef David Standridge of The Shipwright’s Daughter in Mystic CT.
[Voting is still open. Vote for your favorite folks in the CT culinary industry here.]
Chicken-n-beer may be the title of a 2003 Ludacris album, but it’s also a spinoff concept brought to you by a Danbury mainstay, Empire of the Incas and owner David Aliaga.
At Po-Yo, the savory focus should be easily guessed is you’re familiar with Peruvian cuisine and one of its popular dishes, pollo a la brasa. We even dig that the restaurant’s name teaches the masses how to properly pronounce “POLLO,” although, those who’ve watched enough Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are likely well-versed in its pronunciation.
Beef Bourguignon. She was not supposed to be able to do that. Prepare it. Cook it. Cook anything, much less make lunch for a few aristocratic types, members of Parliament, the diplomatic corps. The Royal Family.
London, England. 1976. The British Press Association. High noon. The chef had just resigned. More to the point, retired. “My daughter can jolly well do it,” her father exclaimed. The report is that Karen countered with a startled, “Me?”
Though brought up ever so polite and proper, Karen showed little to no interest in finer British manners, and well, “off you go!” Perhaps the nuns could shape the morals of this wild young thing, set her right, mold her— or so her parents hoped, but that’s a another story. Unclassified, but still a story.
But executive chef for royalty? She had no culinary training, no experience in a kitchen, although she has admitted her parents were, “quite the cooks,” but right there and then, she decides to, for lack of better words, just “wing it!”
If you’ve walked through the doors at The Norwalk Art Space, chances are you’ve had a bite or a caffeinated pick-me-up at the Art Space Cafe.
Under the direction of chef/restaurateur Bill Taibe, the food at the cafe is nothing short of spectacular. The sandwiches aren’t only stacked and satisfying, they’re photogenic, too. And the fresh baked biscuits and other random weekly specials are made with love and care. To boot, there’s plenty more in terms of eggy options, salads, soups, and stunning coffee creations.
But executing all of the goodness you’ve had (or will have) at The Art Space Cafe is head chef Caitlin McGowan. For McGowan, food holds a special place in her heart as it’s deeply rooted in old school traditions and closely related to the bond she has with her family.
I don’t want to give away too much, as I’d prefer you read the answers to a few of the subjects we talked about, including her upbringing, culture, her culinary journey up to this point, and homemade jam.
Currently celebrating its 10th anniversary, Cora Cora Peruvian Restaurant and the Ludena family that own it, are finally getting the recognition they deserve. All of their hard work and dedication to serving traditional, authentic Peruvian food handed down through family recipes has helped not only them, but Connecticut also, gain recognition on the national food scene with not one, but two nominations by the James Beard Foundation. First for Outstanding Restaurant, and second for Best Chef: Northeast.
Each year, the CT Restaurant Association recognizes the exceptional ability and talent of Connecticut’s restaurant community in the prestigious CRAzies awards. We are excited to showcase the nominees for BEST CHEF OF THE YEAR in our new series. All the candidates worked incredibly hard to receive this nomination, and while many of you may know some of them, you probably don’t know all of them. We sat down with each of these talented chefs to learn a little bit more about what makes them do what they do. This week, we feature Emily Mingrone of Tavern on State in New Haven.
Each year, the CT Restaurant Association recognizes the exceptional ability and talent of Connecticut’s restaurant community in the prestigious CRAzies awards. Restaurant owners, operators, chefs, and vendors come together to celebrate the success of the industry at Foxwoods Resort Casino on Monday, December 6. While a panel of more than 25 food writers, critics, bloggers, and social media influencers created a list of nominees, YOU VOTE for the winners.
We are excited to showcase the nominees for BEST CHEF OF THE YEAR in our new series. All the candidates worked incredibly hard to receive this nomination, and while many of you may know some of them, you probably don’t know all of them. We sat down with each of these talented chefs to learn a little bit more about what makes them do what they do. This week, we feature Joel Gargano of Grano Arso in Chester CT.
Each year, the CT Restaurant Association recognizes the exceptional ability and talent of Connecticut’s restaurant community in the prestigious CRAzies awards. We are excited to showcase the nominees for BEST CHEF OF THE YEAR in our new series. All the candidates worked incredibly hard to receive this nomination, and while many of you may know some of them, you probably don’t know all of them. We sat down with each of these talented chefs to learn a little bit more about what makes them do what they do. This week, we feature Michone Danae Arrington of The Art of Yum in Waterbury & Southington, CT.
Each year, the CT Restaurant Association recognizes the exceptional ability and talent of Connecticut’s restaurant community in the prestigious CRAzies awards. Restaurant owners, operators, chefs, and vendors come together to celebrate the success of the industry at Foxwoods Resort Casino on Monday, December 6. While a panel of more than 25 food writers, critics, bloggers, and social media influencers created a list of nominees, YOU VOTE for the winners.
We are excited to showcase the nominees for BEST CHEF OF THE YEAR in our new series. All the candidates worked incredibly hard to receive this nomination, and while many of you may know some of them, you probably don’t know all of them. We sat down with each of these talented chefs to learn a little bit more about what makes them do what they do. We begin with Chef Ashley Flagg of Millwrights, in Simsbury CT.
I got to meet Chef Beca Tuinei last year after trying her wonderful creations for Nala’s Kitchen. Being apprehensive to try dishes from organizations promoted as “healthy food services,” fearing a massive pile of black containers filled with dry, bland chicken and broccoli, I was truly surprised and impressed. For those diving into more measured, health conscious, and ingredient-focussed food service, Nala’s Kitchen will blow you away with flavor. Believe me, I’m still a fan of meals like chicken and broccoli, but you can have these high-protein, low calorie, diet-forward products AND STILL HAVE FLAVOR! Chef Beca will amp it up with a creative use of spices and sauces without piling on the extra calories. It is a fine line to walk but she does it so well. Not only does she do it well, but her talent has landed her a position with the WNBA, now responsible for feeding the hungry athletes of the Connecticut Sun!
onnecticut is full of trailblazing women, particularly in the culinary world. Our ongoing column, “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
It’s impossible to leave Mystic without falling in love. From the adorable hotels and shops, to the views along the water, the drawbridge, and THE FOOD, you will undoubtedly leave it with a scrapbook (even a virtual one) of memories. And, for such a small town, Mystic is brimming with incredible places to eat. One of the best is at Oyster Club with Chef Renee Touponce at the helm. I’ve had numerous dishes by her over the last year, and it's just never enough. Every plate is full of flavor, yet light. For me, they conjure summer sea breezes with a dash of cozy home dinner.
You might hear the name The Rockin Chicken (TRC) and think it’s yet another really good chicken-themed joint, like West Hartford’s Chicken Citizen & Donuts, Wethersfield’s El Pollo Guapo, Newington’s Rooster Co. or the Elm City’s Hot Haven Chicken. But you’ll see it’s actually so much more. Since TRC opened in June, 2016 on Franklin Avenue in Hartford, it has been my go-to for Peruvian food, long one of my favorite cuisines.
TRC is owned by Dr. Miguel A. Colán and his wife, Kate. The genial couple doesn’t just own the business but the building as well. For Miguel, a Hartford chiropractor, it was an almost-weekly family tradition growing up in Lima to visit pollerias a la brasa, popular local restaurants specializing in charcoal rotisserie chicken. TRC grew out of his desire to recreate that dining experience for Hartford-area restaurant-goers.
Connecticut is full of trailblazing women, particularly in the culinary world. Our ongoing column, “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.
Sara Oberhammer is someone I’ve personally wanted to feature for a while. Many of you might know her as a bartender at various restaurants around Fairfield County—and if you’ve had several of those mango margaritas with the spicy, salty rim at either location of The Blind Rhino, that was Sara’s award-winning creation.
While you still might catch her mixing cocktails at your favorite haunt, Sara has paved her own path in wellness, offering health coaching, personal training, and meal prepping colorful, nutritious bowls that are vegan, gluten-free, and even the dressings are homemade.
Connecticut is full of trailblazing women, particularly in the culinary world. Our ongoing column, “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 speak with Chef Fran Medina of Rio Salado Mexican Restaurant in Mystic. Stay tuned to see who’s next. And feel free to send suggestions for your candidates to steph@ctbites.com.
In early December of 2010, a friend invited me to the soft opening of a restaurant and would have been exactly on time, if she had planned to be 90 minutes late. I stood, alone on the fringes the entire time, with no real reason to be there, pathetically grateful every time the staff brought a passed hors d'oeuvre or drink my way, when a woman took pity on me and introduced me to her group. The standard "what do you do" included the writing I'd been doing on motorsports, and one of the group turned out to be our own Stephanie Webster.
"Write up a review for me," she said. "If I like it, maybe we'll post it."
Ten years ago, it became my first post for CTBites in an ongoing column titled Friday Froth. Back then, the state had about 6 breweries. By 2020, I was this site's Beer/Editor-At-Large, and the 2020 Connecticut brewery count had reached 100. We were, for a time, in the world or craft beer we'd hoped to see.
Donny Raus of Raus Coffee has been intimately involved with coffee for most of his life. As coffee roasters go, Donny is at the top of his game in the fair state of Connecticut. He also claims responsibility for inventing a drink that every coffee enthusiast should get involved with, a cold brew based delicacy called the Cold Roman, served at farmers’ markets around CT. This blend of hand crafted fresh brewed espresso, a touch of raw sugar, his own “cuore di caffe” natural flavor infusion, served over ice with a splash of cold foam, might be the ONLY way a person should be asked to wake up in the morning. No…seriously. But Donny’s passion goes far beyond the perfect brew or roast. His mission is to “change the way the world drinks, connects, and interacts over coffee, creating a sense of excitement around their daily cup, while also having it serve as a reminder to reconnect not only with those around us, but with ourselves.”
Donny Raus is a true artisan, fastidious and supremely knowledgeable when it comes to his craft and product. Now, you can benefit from his years of training, research and experience with the launch of his new “virtual espresso training workshops.” Home-users and aspiring amatuer baristas can learn how to make proper espresso from their home machines, pull the perfect shot, and get the right grind, via his new private zoom classes. Umm…Holiday gift idea? I think yes.
Connecticut is full of trailblazing women, particularly in the culinary world. Our ongoing column, “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 Chef Ashley Griggs of Millwright’s Restaurant in Simsbury. Stay tuned to see who’s next. And feel free to send suggestions for your candidates to steph@ctbites.com.
