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Barcelona hosts Memorial Day BBQ and pig roasts all summer long

15 May

Memorial Day and BBQs…they are inseparable like peanut butter and jelly, Batman and Robin, Lewis and Clark, Ren & Stimpy, bread and butter, and even pasta and sauce.  Perhaps they go so well together because BBQ’n brings family and friends together outside for good times, good fun, and good eats?  In essence, the grill unites people and connects us through our basic needs of friendship and food.

But, what do you do if you don’t have a grill or just want to go out and celebrate?  Easy…you head over to Barcelona Wine Bar & Restaurant in Fairfield on 5/27 from 1-9 pm.  For just $20 or $10 for kids (that’s a nice deal, btw) you’ll get a BBQ buffet that consists of sliders, kebabs, ribs, grilled veggies, salads, and their famous suckling pig.  For the beer lover, they’ll also have tastings from one of our favorite local breweries, Captain Lawrence.  They’ll have face painting for the kids (or that cool hipster) from 1:30-4:30, they’ll have outdoor games (cornhole please!), and they will even have a lemonade/popsicle/ice cream stand.  And, what’s a BBQ without live music?  Barcelona will have Rick Reyes & The Pasonfino Social Club playing from 2-6 while you chat, chew, and chill.

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Ginger Man + Coalhouse Celebrate American Craft Beer Week

13 May

American Craft Beer Week

Two of our favorite spots to get brews and grub in Fairfield County have lots of fun ahead for American Craft Beer Week.  ACBW kicks off today, 5/13, and goes until 5/19.  The focus of the beer week has always been on smaller batch brews, a focus on fine details, and more of a hands-on approach to beer.  Now, it’s no coincidence that Ginger Man in Norwalk and Coalhouse Pizza in Stamford live and breathe this philosophy year round, but you know they have to step up their game (is that possible?) to celebrate American Craft Beer Week.  It’s kind of like the Super Bowl of the beer world.

Coalhouse Pizza is featuring a week of tap takeovers:

Flights at Coalhouse Pizza in Stamford CT

Flights at Coalhouse Pizza in Stamford CT

Monday, 5/13:  Sebago

Tuesday, 5/14:  Half Full (see a full week of special Half Full events here)

Wednesday, 5/15:  Harpoon

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A Burger a Day in the Month of May in Fairfield County

29 Apr

May is National Hamburger Month, so what better way to celebrate than talking about hamburgers?  Ah, so many styles, so many toppings, so many meat combinations…so much antacid.  What we’ve done is create a list of hamburgers that you just might want to try, organized by each day of May, not organized by favorite.  So, by the time this month is through, you better make sure you’ve had every single one of these burgers.  We’ll be checking your receipts!

We’ll update this list every day in May, so check back daily for your burger fix.  But, let’s say we missed your favorite spot…just let us know.  No biggie.

May 1:  Station Eats of New Canaan and Stamford.  Try their burger (shake and dog, too) of the month and see what awesome combos they have next.  They use fresh, never frozen, grass-fed beef.  And, starting Mid-May, they’ll have their own biergarten.  Guten tag indeed.

May 2: Luc’s Cafe of Ridgefield.  Aside from some killer frites with the burger, they make it right and make it one way:  hormone free home ground burger with (or without) Swiss cheese or bacon.  You can add Roquefort for $2.50 more.

May 3: Melt Mobile food truck of Stamford and Greenwich: aside from sophisticatedly awesome grilled cheese sandwiches, there’s a reverse cheeseburger that they’re dishing out:  The Insanewich.  On the outside they have two of their Original Melts, packed with Gruyere, Tillamook Cheddar, and Monterey Jack.  Nestled inside is a beautiful grilled 6 oz. Angus burger served with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and Melt sauce.  If you can finish this bad boy, you are worthy of our admiration!

May 4: Mr. Frosty’s of Stamford (Harbor Point).  We were sick to our stomachs when we learned from Anthony that Beach Burger in Norwalk had closed, but then we felt optimistic again because we knew that Mr. Frosty’s in Stamford would still be serving burgers.  The burgers here are great and come in some awesome varieties.  Don’t overlook their fries and their milkshakes, though.  There are tons of tables out now around the park, so checking out Mr. Frosty’s and even getting a celebratory ice cream afterwards is the perfect way to enjoy spring and summer.

May 5: Bobby Q’s Pit Stop in Greenwich.  So, check this burger out:  your choice of a regular, double, or local beef patty served with Joey B’s rich and spicy chili, white cheddar, and…Fritos!  Oh, the Fritos make it.  The burger (a double) came out juicy, the chili was fantastic, and was great with a Chocolate Mallomar Milkshake.  BTW, there’s a milkshake with bacon on the menu.  Just sayin!

May 6: Black Duck in Westport.  People have been going here well before Guy Fieri stamped his bite of approval on this famous floating restaurant.  There are lots of ways to get your burger here from the classic cheeseburger, to a burger with bacon, or a cheeseburger with bacon…but then there’s the bleu cheese stuffed burger, oozing with flava.

May 7: The Fez in Stamford.  You need to order The Fez Burger.  Quite the unconventional and unexpected burger, but sooo good.  We’re talking a mixture of lamb and beef together, uniting as one.  Sometimes lamb by itself can be too gamey and overwhelming, but the beef balances it out.  It’s served with crispy lettuce and tomato, served with roasted onions and peppers.  Oh, and they throw on a fabulous green spiced sauce to bring it all together.

May 8: Super Duper Weenie in Fairfield.  SDW is an obvious choice if you’re looking for some hot and freshly made wieners, but they’re also a great choice if you want a burger.  You can choose between their 4.5 or 6 oz. burgers that are hand-made grass-fed/organic/hormone free/antibiotic free/certified Angus.  They serve it up on a potato roll.  Yes, when you go there the last thing you think of is a hamburger, but we had the opportunity to try their burgers at an event with the SDW truck.  The meat itself was fresh and full of flavor and was cooked nicely.  The patty kept that juiciness that makes any burger a treat to eat.  Plus, they have lots of great add-ons at the restaurant such as their hand-made toppings like the relish.  Go with the hot relish, though. ;)

May 9:  Napa & Co. of Stamford.  The Napa Wagyu Burger definitely has a cult following, but there’s a price to way…$26 to be exactly.  While some might scoff at paying such a premium price for just a burger, it’s not just a burger.  It’s more of an experience.  They take premium Wagyu (aren’t those two words basically the same thing?) and top it with onion jam, aged Gouda, and black pepper mayo then serve it on a brioche roll.  When we tried the burger it was cooked exactly how we like it:  medium rare.  The patty was juicy and was amazingly full of flavor.  You get garlicky french fries with that burger, too…don’t worry.

May 10:  Coalhouse Pizza in Stamford.  Again, although you might not think of burgers when you hit up Coalhouse, you should give one a shot.  Like their pizzas, they come in great varieties, named after blues and jazz legends.  Starting off, all burgers are 8 oz. prime beef patties.  We had the Classic Coalhouse which simply has Romaine, tomato, and red onion and is served on an English muffin.  The burger was definitely cooked nicely (pink or some pink like Plan B) with a good amount of pink hanging around.  It was definitely juicy and full of flavor.  We’ve also had many specialty burgers that have been made for beer dinners and they have been awesome.  The next time we come by for one of their 52 brews on tap, we’ll try the Stevie Ray Vaughan which includes a fried egg, bacon, tomato, pepperjack, and Texas mesquite on a brioche bun.  Sure…that counts as breakfast. ;)

May 11: Plan B Burger Bar in Stamford.  Although service time from the kitchen has been a consistent issue in reviews, we’ve never had a bad burger at Plan B…but it’s certainly not for every burger lover.  The patties here are different than most other burgers than you’ve probably had.  They pack them very loosely here and this warrants their “some pink” or “no pink” ordering.  This frustrates people and it confused us at first, but it made sense after our waitress explained it:  because they freshly grind the burger meat each day and pack it loosely, it’s very tough to serve it the exact way that you want it.  We’ve been by a few times and tried some of their classic menu items such as Kristien’s go-to, Tavern Classic,  the Chili burger with jalapenos and jack cheese, and the Squeeler with a half pork/half beef mixture.  And, we’ve also experimented with their burgers of the week, munching on a killer mac & cheese burger.  Plus, it doesn’t hurt that they have a wicked good bourbon selection to wash that burger down with.

May 12:  Ginger Man in Greenwich.  While their sister restaurant in Norwalk might have more brews on tap, the Greenwich location is still impressive, boasting 26 draft lines.  And, you know what that means?  You need some burgers to wash all that down with.  When we went for St. Patrick’s Day, we sat upstairs and took the less traditional route.  We ordered their lamb burger with feta and a nicely mild tzatziki sauce on top.  The lamb was cooked perfectly, still pink inside, still juicy, and was full of that beautiful gamey flavor that only lamb can bring.  Plus, the tabouli on the side was actually really good.  We didn’t know what it’d be like and were a bit hesitant, but we actually enjoyed it.  Definitely a nice solid choice for the pub-grub here.

May 13: Burger, Shakes & Fries of Darien and Greenwich.  Although we first tried the burgers, shakes, and fries at the Darien location, we’re happy to say we live within walking distance of the Greenwich location.  Perhaps one of the things that we love the most about the burgers at BSF is how they are served on fluffy buttered (oh so buttery) toast.  The toast itself is awesome, and the patty is excellent, always cooked to medium rare (unless you ask of course).  Toppings are great and can be customized.  Favorite combo?  Bacon, fried egg, and hot peppers.  It’s important to note that the Darien location has more room, while the Greenwich location is smaller and dive-ier.  We actually like the Greenwich location more…especially because you get to see the charmer Kory Wollins, charming owner and burger-lover.

May 14:  Burger Bar & Bistro in Norwalk.  Although there have been some reviews of quality going down here, when we went, we had a great time and enjoyed our burgers.  Perhaps the star of the show for Dan was the B.E.C. Burger, served with applewood smoked bacon, a fried egg, two slices of American cheese, fries, and a spicy ketchup.  If you look back up to the start of this post you can see this burger in all its glory.  And, you can also upgrade to Kobe beef for an even better burger experience.  Yes, the fries are actually served ON the burger.  If you’ve got a pup, you should take advantage of the outdoor patio because there’s a menu just for dogs, too.

May 15:  Dairy Inn in Stamford.  Sometimes you don’t want a gourmet burger and just want to get down and dirty.  And, Dairy Inn at 1092 Hope Street (seen during a scene in the movie, Let’s Talk about Ryan) fulfills your need for down and dirty grub.  They are grilling up dogs, red hots (Dan’s favorite), and flame-broiled burgers…plus they have lots of sides like jalapeno poppers and other tried and true American fast food favorites.  This was always our favorite alternative to going to a place like McDonald’s or even the much disappointing Jake’s Wayback Burger down the road.  Yes, it’s not a gourmet burger, but it’s always served hot and juicy with your choice of toppings.  Plus, you can have some ice cream with that burger. ;)

May 16: MacDuff’s in Greenwich.  Maybe you’ve never heard of MacDuff’s, but we were looking for a nice Irish pub in Greenwich when we moved.  And, it’s kind of a requirement to order wings, burgers, and fries when you go to a pub.  Looking back after actually being to Ireland, you do get that authentic kind of vibe by going there.  The burger is made with 8 oz. of Prime Hereford beef topped with farmhouse cheddar.  The burger was very fresh and had that manly meaty taste that you crave in a burger.  There was nice grill marks and it was cooked to a perfect medium rare.  This was all served on a poppy seed roll.  Perhaps the most fun thing to do was dip the burger in the onion whisky sauce that comes with the burger.  That stuff should be illegal.  The housemade chips that also come with the dish were crispy and had that nice crunch that you crave.  If there was a tiny bit more seasoning this could be one of our favorite burgers ever.

May 17:  Shake Shack in Westport.  Again, we’re not burger snobs, so we can really go for any kind of burger.  It might be a simple patty, a more complicated version, or maybe even a chain burger.  What matters is that ya like it and you enjoy it.  Waits might be long here at Shake Shack, but the burger is worth it in the end…and so is the outdoor seating.  When we tried, Kristien got her standard toppings:  lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, ketchup, and extra extra extra pickles.  She asked for it medium and she got it medium.  It was full of flavor, had nice girth and thickness, the bun was fresh, and the patty had that nice char and crispiness on the outside while it was nice and juicy in the middle.  It’s really easy to throw on lots of crazy toppings and say a burger is great, but to keep it simple and have it still be great is a completely different issue.  Plus, um, we love the shakes. :P

May 18: GRAND of Stamford.  Chef Nick Biello came to Grand a few years back and helped them to rework the menu of this trendy nightspot.  The menu soon became a burger lover’s dream with so many great choices.  Although Dan loved his Elvis burger (peanut butter, banana, bacon), they have since taken it off the menu.  Seriously, how could you do that to us?  Even still, their other classic burgers are still available with the choice of grass fed beef, free range turkey, or homemade veggie.  Both our burgers were perfectly cooked to medium rare and you could tell that the meat was fresh and of very high quality…not like eating pink slime from McDonald’s at all.  Some burgers to try out are the Bacon Egg Burger (bacon, deviled egg, peppers), the Bing Burger (cherry preserve, fresh mooz, sea salt), Slow & Low Burger (robiola cheese, braised short ribs, bbq), and the Grand Burger with bleu cheese, caramelized onions, and fig balsamic.

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Mediterraneo opens a second location in Norwalk @ Hotel Zero Degrees

26 Apr

Terra of Greenwich.

Sole of New Canaan.

Acqua of Westport.

Aurora of Rye, NY.

And Mediterraneo of Greenwich AND Norwalk.

Bellinis and margaritas...ah, the perfect way to start a lazy Sunday ;)

Bellinis and margaritas at Mediterraneo

Now, let’s play a guessing game.  What do you think these all have in common?  They all serve Italian?  Well, kind of.  They all feature seafood?  Well, kind of.  They all have been created by Ramze Zakka of Z Hospitality Group?  Good answer, good answer team.  You guys and gals are on top of things!

Goat cheese tartlets

Goat cheese tartlets

It’s pretty cool to say that we’ve been to every single one of those restaurants, but now we have another one to try starting on Monday, 4/29, for dinner.  On that day at the brand new Hotel Zero Degrees in Norwalk, the second Mediterraneo in Connecticut will be open.  From there, according to a recent press release on Stamfordplus, they’ll be easing into things with dinner only until May 7 and having Sunday brunch starting on May 12.  At that brunch you can enjoy a celebratory Bellini or Mimosa.

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Ridgefield resident signing copies of her book Rock and Vine at Stew Leonard’s Wines in Norwalk

25 Apr

If the world kept doing the same thing over and over, we’d never grow and evolve.  We’d stagnate and get caught up in the same ol’ routines of life.  But, one of the great things about our world today is our quest for knowledge, for change, and for growth.  This can especially be seen when you look at various vineyards throughout Napa and Sonoma Valley.  In fact, there are a handful of people at these vineyards who have revolutionized winemaking and they are the highlight of a new book called Rock and Vine.  The book is written by Ridgefield resident Chelsea Prince, who is also the publisher at Chelsea Print & Publishing.  It is edited by Christy Canterbury, Master of Wine, and photographed by Mary Steinbacher.

As we mentioned, Rock and Vine highlights “Next generation changemakers in America’s Wine Country” from Napa and Sonoma…eleven of them to be exact.

Chelsea Prince, author of Rock and Vine (from http://chelseaprintandpublishing.com)

Chelsea Prince, author of Rock and Vine (from http://chelseaprintandpublishing.com)

The people who are featured in the book are:

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Forever Sweet Bakery Finds Their Forever Home in Norwalk

25 Apr

You’re all in for a real sweet treat.  Forever Sweet Bakery (formerly Sweet Endings) has set up their very own location in Norwalk at 4 New Canaan Avenue.

You might remember we wrote about their awesome cupcakes, cookies, and treats when they were at Stamford Town Center.  While they moved out, they took up shop and based themselves out of Scoop Cafe in Stamford.  During this time, they were able to get their cupcakes placed in many restaurants and were able to make lots of custom cakes and grow a steady customer base.

Frances Mercede, baker/owner extraordinaire, recalls what it was like to see the building at 4 New Canaan Avenue:  “When Sky showed me the space, I knew this would be a great home for Forever Sweet Bakery.”   But, that doesn’t mean it was easy to get things rolling.  Sky (co-owner, husband of Frances, media specialist, awesome guy all around) immediately got to work with friend Ted Sihpol and built a wicked awesome bakery.  One of the Forever Sweet Bakery customers said, in fact, “This is the nicest looking bakery I have seen.”

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Brewmaster Dinner with Brewers from Italy + Denmark @ Ginger Man SoNo

24 Apr

BrewMasters

Good beer is worth writing and talking about.  And, do you know what else good beer is perfect for?  Drinking, duh.  So, it only makes sense that beer dinners are great because you get to drink the beer and you get to learn about the beer.  Sometimes a rep from the brewery will be present and sometimes if you’re lucky you’ll get the owner or head brewer to present.  But, in the case of the Brewmasters Dinner at Ginger Man SoNo on Monday, May 6 at 7 pm ($85 pp includes tax and tip), you’re getting much more than that.

That’s right beerologists, you’ll be getting a major treat.  We’re talking about two brewers from Italy and a brewer from Denmark.  The guests of honor, along with their breweries, are:

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Arik Bensimon Joins LeFarm, Carlos Baez Takes over The Spread

17 Apr

Rich, fatty, earthy...excellent pork belly atop French lentils

Rich, fatty, earthy…excellent pork belly atop French lentils at The Spread

Life’s kind of strange, isn’t it?  Chef Bill Taibe who started LeFarm and The Whelk became very well known in Connecticut when he cooked at G/R/A/N/D in Stamford, he started his own spot called Relish Food & Wine, and especially when he took Napa & Company to new heights.  When he left Napa in 2009, a chef named Arik Bensimon came in and took the reigns.  He was a chef who had received major praise from his experiences at Le Cirque and Picholine in NYC and La Panetiere in Rye.  LeFarm was born soon after.  And, from day one, Executive Chef Arik Bensimon made a name for himself again at Napa & Company plating food with heart, soul, and reverence for local food.  We were treated to an amazing dinner that Chef Arik prepared and we were really blown away…course after course.  Then this past summer we found out that Chef Arik had left Napa & Co and we all wondered…what was he up to next?  Well, he took Fairfield County by storm a second time by becoming Executive Chef at The Spread in Norwalk.  Again, we had a meal there and we really loved Arik’s rich and hearty dishes that were sprinkled with simple complexity, and vowed to come back time and again.

Local duck egg with black truffle at Napa & Co in Stamford CT

Local duck egg with black truffle at Napa & Co

And, now onto the life is strange part.  Chef Arik Bensimon has left The Spread and is now Executive Chef at LeFarm in Westport, owned by Bill Taibe.  We wish lots of great success to Arik and we’re so happy for him.  He’s the kind of guy who deserves the best.  Being Executive Chef at LeFarm, for him, will be a perfect match and can only push LeFarm to even greater culinary heights.  Seriously…make your reservations now.  You’re not going to be able to get in the door.

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Oak + Almond Opens with Chef Jeff Taibe – Norwalk, CT

16 Apr
Oak and Almond Logo Norwalk

The cutest logo in existence EVER!

If you’ve gone into Tuscan Oven Trattoria of Norwalk any time in the past few weeks you probably noticed a big change…namely that it’s not Tuscan Oven anymore.  The restaurant has been reworked and retooled and sitting at the helm is Chef Jeff Taibe, brother of Bill Taibe from LeFarm and The Whelk.  First, let’s start with the name:  Oak + Almond.  Oak and almond wood are used in their wood burning stove.   As many of your BBQ enthusiasts know, using different kinds of wood gives off and imparts different flavors to whatever you’re cooking.  While the oak does have a strong smoke, it doesn’t end up taking over dishes, and the almond wood gives the meat a sweet nutty flavor.

As for the food, you can expect a great portion to be cooked in that beautiful oven, leading Chef Taibe to more traditional ways of cooking.  Along with the oven, you can expect a down to earth kind of vibe and approach to the food, too.  Food will be made from scratch, they’ll be using fresh, organic, and seasonal ingredients, and they’ll be serving it up on a simple menu.

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Dishing out Compassion: Community Plates Now Rescuing Food in New Haven

10 Apr

Community Plates started January 2011 in Norwalk, rescuing food from restaurants, bakeries, and grocery stores that would otherwise hit a landfill.  Then, from there, volunteers would deliver the food to local shelters and food kitchens throughout Fairfield County.  As time went on, the restaurants and stores started to add up, so did the food collected, and so did the volunteers.

The Community Plates mission only grew from there, with them expanding their food rescuing through volunteerism into Columbus, Ohio and Albuquerque, New Mexico.   Getting food onto the plates of the hungry is no easy feat, but the GoRescue app that they developed has made it easier.  In fact, in under two years, they have rescued over one million meals that were transferred to over 300 volunteer drivers who then delivered them to over 40 receiving agencies.  Now New Haven is on board, too, helping the food insecure.  Executive Director Kevin Mullins explains why New Haven was an ideal location:  “We selected New Haven as our next launch site due to the high incidence of food insecurity and proximity to our headquarters in Fairfield County, but those were not the only reasons.  We are about communities helping their own communities, and New Haven has a rich tradition in grassroots organizations which is critical in this first phase as we sign up volunteer food runners, food donors and receiving agencies.  We just knew this was the right place.”

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