Taste of the Nation New Haven 2013 Vows No Kid Hungry

No Kid Hungry.  That’s the rallying call of Share Our Strength, an organization put together to wipe out childhood hunger.  And, with about 105,000 (13%) of children under 18 in Connecticut being food insecure, you can see how important this organization is.  One of their major fundraisers across the country is called Taste of the Nation that feature local food, chefs, and drinks.  And, we just so happen to be lucky enough to have a Taste of the Nation taking place at The Omni Hotel at Yale in New Haven on 5/22 from 6-9 for regular ticket holders ($85) or 5-9 for VIP ticket holders ($150).  The money will not only benefit Share Our Strength, but it will also benefit Christian Community Action, Connecticut Food Bank, End Hunger Connecticut, and the local chapter of No Kid Hungry Connecticut.  So, not only will you be helping to end childhood hunger, but you’ll also have some great music, treats, and drinks.  Here are the details:

• Honorary Chef Chair Chef Jacques Pepin will be on hand.
• The Elizabeth Dellinger/Tony Dioguardi Duo will be entertaining all our guests in the Grand Ballroom.
• VIP Tickets holders can listen to an Evening Of Song with Tanya Leonard with Derek Monahan on guitar.
• Restaurants will be delighting…
  • 116 Crown
  • Barcelona
  • Bella Bella Gourmet
  • Box 63 American Bar & Grill
  • Bridgewater Chocolate
  • Briq Restaurant
  • Brownson Country Club
  • Caseus Fromagerie Bistro
  • Cask Republic
  • Chocopologie
  • Claire’s Cornercopia
  • Cooking Matters
  • Fig Cooking School
  • Gelato Giuliana
  • Geronimo Tequila Bar & Southwest Grill
  • Heirloom @ The Study
  • Ibiza
  • Ibizia Tapas Wine Bar
  • John Davenport’s
  • La Cuisine Cafe, Market & Catering
  • MIKRO Beer Bar
  • Oaxaca Kitchen
  • Parallel Post at the Trumbull Marriott
  • Savvy Tea
  • Shake Shack New Haven
  • SONO Baking Company
  • Thali & Thali Too
  • The Farmer’s Cow
  • Wheelers Market-Café & Restaurant
  • Willoughby’s
  • Winvian (VIP only)

Go Down Home at Hash House a Go Go at Mohegan Sun

“Is that a meal or a monument?” Dan’s friend Adam asked on Facebook.

He was referring to a pic of the legendary Sage Fried Chicken and Waffles dish at Hash House a Go Go, newly opened in Mohegan Sun.  This dish is famous because the redonkulously amazing Adam Richman of Man vs. Food tasted and loved its epicness at their Las Vegas spot.  You know if Adam Richman put all other chicken and waffles on notice, it has to be good.  So, we did like any other brave and upstanding American would do…we pigged out and got down and dirty.

Spiked Kiwi Watermelon Lemonade

Our first piece of business was checking out the drink options.  While they don’t have any beers on tap, they do have a decent selection of the classics and some craft beer choices by the can and bottle.  Also, there are some wine choices, but their mixed drinks menu is what really shines.  The two drinks that stood out to us were the beautiful Spiked Kiwi Watermelon Lemonade that Dan ordered and the perfectly balanced Champagne Supernova that Kristien drank.  Dan’s was a great balance of sweet, herby, and tart with just the right amount of liquor.  Kristien’s was also nicely balanced with a mixture of two different champagnes, Riesling, mint, lemonade and sugar cane.

Dishcrawl Stamford kicks off with 4 restaurant crawl this May!

Creamy lobster polenta at Zaza Italian Gastrobar

Some of the amazing Coppe Speciali at Volta

•••

Hot outta the oven…Dishcrawl Stamford is official and is ready to go!  Yes, the successful start-up that began in New Haven, then worked its way down to Greenwich has set up in Stamford!  Their inaugural event is on May 29 at 7 pm and costs just $45 (buy the tickets here).  That gets you food tastings at four different awesome Stamford restaurants.  If you’re not familiar with Dishcrawl (if you’ve been following us, you should know this like the back of your hand), let’s tell you some of the basics:

1)  You hit up 4 restaurants in a night.

2) You’re told 48 hours before the event where you’ll meet.

3) The rest of the restaurant crawl is a complete mystery.

4) You get to talk with chefs and owners about their food.

5) You meet great new people.

Elevated, True Farm to Table at Bailey’s Backyard in Ridgefield, CT: Restaurant Review

Some of the veggies that Forrest has pickled for sale

When we talked with Forrest Pasternack (former Executive Chef of Morello Bistro in Greenwich) a few weeks ago, we couldn’t help but get excited about what he and owner Sal Bagliavio had planned for the reopening of Bailey’s Backyard.  A farm-to-table restaurant that would live up to its name, built from the ground, the farm, and garden up.  A restaurant where the chef actually visits local farms and buys food from them.  A full and complete embrace of what farm to table means.  And, after visiting Bailey’s Backyard a few days before opening and being treated to a special preview menu, we know our excitement was well warranted.

The Menu

The menu is pretty easy to handle, fitting on just one (large) page.  In terms of what to order, it’s divided up into a few sections:  snacks, sides, greens, starts, mains, and desserts.  Of special note is that this is a great restaurant if you’re looking for fresh vegetarian options.  You can order whatever you’d like, or have a 3 course meal (starter, main, and dessert) for $27 ($39 with wine pairing) or a 4 course meal (greens, seafood starter, main, and dessert) for $38 ($50 with wine pairing).  In addition, you can even have the special Chef’s Tasting which is a seven course tasting menu for a very reasonable $65 or $95 with wine pairings.  No tasting menu will ever be exactly the same because it’s built daily based on what’s fresh and from the farms.

Derby Day Party at Plan B Burger in Stamford has heart…and bourbon

Gentlemen and gentlewomen, start your, er, horses.  And they’re off…well, off to Derby Day at Plan B Burger Bar in Stamford from 3-7 on May 4.  Yup yup!  You’ll be able to watch the Kentucky Derby at Plan B and get to comment on all the cool horse names such as Charming Kitten, Itsmyluckyday, Fear the Kitten, Frac Daddy, and the number one contender Black Onyx.

But, does anyone really watch the races?  Everybody knows what it’s really about:

Looking spiffy, wearing huge hats that strangely resemble ufos, dressing like a princess (or prince), and drinking lots of bourbon.  And, you’ll be happy to know that at Plan B you’ll be rewarded for your crazy hat and your daper and dressiness with contests.  There’s even going to be a raffle if you can’t find an ugly hat.  But, perhaps one of the sweetest things is that Plan B is giving back to The American Cancer Society.  You’ll be drinking bourbon anyway, so just make sure to order Four Roses straight, on the rocks, or in their mixed drinks such as their Four Roses Mint Julep.

1st CT Beer Week Kicks off with Massive Rising Pint Brewfest

Update:  learn how to get your own CT Beer Week badge by using Untappd! 

Connecticut, we have a beer week!  Actually, the FIRST annual CT Beer Week, brought to you by Connecticut Beer Wholesalers Association.  The brews are being poured out all over the Hartford and New Haven areas from May 11-18, 2013.  On the CT Beer Week Site, you’ll notice a big list of events that are going down.  That list is growing daily and we hope to see some events for Fairfield County, too.  The slogan for this week, as you can see, is “Brew & Buy Local.”  And, that’s part of the focus of this week:  let’s keep making Connecticut a great state for beer by opening up more breweries and buying the brews at pubs, restaurants, stores, and at the breweries themselves.  CT Beer Week also wants to show the Connecticut Legislature just how important beer is to Connecticut’s economy.  We can concur with that, having paid a nice portion of our salaries to Half Full, Two Roads, Charter Oak, New England Brewing, and City Steam.  Oh, and we’ve bought quite a few Hookers, too.

And, in addition to all the events that are happening throughout Connecticut, there will also be a massive gathering of over 60 70 brewers that will be providing samples for over 250 varieties and styles.  The third annual Rising Pint Brewfest is the literal kick off for CT Beer Week and happens on May 11 from 1-5 pm at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.  Tickets are $40 and that gets you free parking, a tasting cup, free live music from Kenny Mehler Band and Musical Monk, and tastes of all brews.  Proceeds will benefit Folds of Honor, who gives back to families of soldiers killed or disabled in battle.

Here are the restaurants that will be at the Rising Pint Brewfest:

Half off Wine Tasting Class at Black Bear Spirits in Westport

From Groupon site…

Sure, wine tastes good, but there’s more to the good stuff than just “red” or “white.”  Where were the grapes grown?  What was the climate like there?  What was the micro-climate there?  What variety of grapes were used?  When was the wine bottled?  How was the wine fermented?  How was the wine stored?

These are all questions that make wine…well…wine.  Specifically, you’ll learn to distinguish wines by grape, vintage, and region as you take a 90 minute class at Black Bear Wines & Spirits in Westport.  The classes are held Saturdays from 1 to 2:30 and normally cost $50 each, but there’s a special Groupon going on now.  You’ll pay just $25 for a wine tasting and class for one or $49 for two people.

Black Bear Wines & Spirits is a great community supporter (they’re pouring at Taste of Westport), has an excellent selection, and is a great destination for all your wine needs.

Mediterraneo opens a second location in Norwalk @ Hotel Zero Degrees

Terra of Greenwich.

Sole of New Canaan.

Acqua of Westport.

Aurora of Rye, NY.

And Mediterraneo of Greenwich AND Norwalk.

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

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.

Get a Taste of Westport’s Best Bites and Drinks: 2013

It’s time again for Taste of Westport (we covered this event last year, too).  What’s great about this event is that you get to taste some of the best food that Westport has to offer and you do good at the same time.  Taste of Westport will be on May 2 from 6-9 pm at the Westport Inn and will cost $75 prepaid or $80 at the door.  You can get your tickets easily by going to the purchasing page or calling (203) 226-7895 x144.  Proceeds are being donated to Clasp Homes of Westport and even more will go to Clasp through silent auctions.  Here’s a little bit about Clasp, from their website:  “Our mission is to provide homes and opportunities for people with autism and other developmental disabilities.  We offer high quality personalized services that enhance each person’s independence, dignity, and continued growth.  As a non-profit community organization we are dedicated to increasing public understanding of the people we serve and their ability to be contributing members of the community.”  

Now back to the food…but, we’re not talking about just great restaurants.  Michele’s Pies, the award-winning and Bobby Flay-throwdown-winners, will be on hand.  Plus, there will be lots to drink like Beaver Beer, local Onyx Moonshine, and even more provided by Black Bear Wines & Spirits, Crystal Rock, and Green Farms Spirits.  Here is all the info.

Restaurants

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

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: