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)

Station Eats Gives Back w/ Their Dog of the Month

Cinco de Mayo doesn’t have to end, especially not at Station Eats.  Starting today until the middle of June, they’ll be featuring their Taco Dog as the Dog of the Month.  Pick your dog (grass fed beef, chicken, or veggie), then they’ll add on tomato salsa, lettuce, shredded cheddar, sour cream, and wrap it up in a warm flour tortilla.  If that’s not spicy enough for ya, just remember that the good guys at Station Eats will be donating 10% of their profits for Taco Dogs to two great causes:  Camp Promise East (giving summer camp experiences to people with muscular dystrophy and ALSTDI (fighting to find a cure for Lou Gehrig’s Disease).  You can get the Taco Dog at either the New Canaan or Stamford locations, btw.

If you’d like a burger and shake to complement that doggie, then check out these specials starting today:  The Steak House Burger and their Coconut Shake.  The Steak House Burger (we’d had it before, it’s excellent) has cheese, Station Steak Sauce, shaved onions, and tomato.  So, make sure to come by a few times and get your Taco Dog!  Also, why not invite your friends, have family reunions at Station Eats, have your next birthday party, too!  A Taco Dog for everybody!

Bodega’s Cinco de Mayo Fiesta’s So Big, It’s a Weekend!

Some of your taco options at Bodega Taco Bar in Fairfield

This is the Cinco de Mayo party that’s too big for just one day.  This is the Cinco de Mayo party to end all Cinco de Mayo parties.  Yeah, seriously…Bodega Taco Bar in Darien and Fairfield are doing it right this year with lots of omnom-like things going down.  First off, let’s start with the times:  Saturday (5/4) from noon to midnight and Sunday (5/5) from noon to 8.  Okay, let’s get into the yummy deets:

1. Tequila tastings (worm and Pee Wee Herman not included.)
2. Pig roast prepared in a custom La Caja China Roasting Box (Saturday.)
3. Taco Eating Contest (definitely Saturday, maybe Sunday.  When you get there, you’ll sign up.  We’ll update this for you when we get more info.)
4. Mariachi Band on Sunday afternoon
5. “Guacamole Slapping” demonstration (maybe you slap it because it’s soooo good, but is fattening?  Interested to see.)
6. Drink specials (you know you have to celebrate with some margaritas, right?)
7. Live music and dancing (agitarlo como una foto Polaroid.)

Local Beer, Restaurants, + More @ A Novel Affair Fundraiser for The Ferguson Library

If you didn’t know, Dan teaches middle school English.  So, it’s no surprise that he values reading, literacy, and the pursuit of knowledge. Hey, life isn’t about just food.  Also, we both value libraries. They educate, they bring the community together, and they move the world ahead. That being said, we are all aware of the money crisis throughout America and we know that libraries often end up on the chopping block. And, being former Stamford residents, we have seen hours cut and worse, but we have also seen people work together to keep the local library system going. For example, local businesses such as Citizens Bank and Pitney Bowes have sponsored Sunday hours at The Ferguson Library.

The three bbq sauces at Bar Q BBQ and Saloon

And, another major source of funds comes from The Ferguson Library’s annual fundraiser, A Novel Affair. This year the food, drinks, music, fun, and auctions are going down on Thursday, 4/25, starting at 6 pm. Tickets are $125 and can be purchased here.  Let’s share with you some of the amazing things that you can look forward to:

Drinks

• Open bar
  

  Conor Horrigan at Half Full Brewery

• Wine and beer tastings from BevMax
• Beer tasting from Charter Oak Brewing Company of New Canaan
• Beer tasting from Half Full Brewery of Stamford
• Beer tasting from Southport Brewing Company of Connecticut

Noms (that’s food in our language) 

The Best Warm Weather Outdoor Dining Restaurants in Fairfield County

Doesn’t that just call out, “summer”?

Dan’s jotting down some notes, I’m taking the pics

Om nom nom nom hot dog nom nom nom

Winter is only one season, but why does it seem so long?  Perhaps this year we can blame it on Punxsutawney Phil who promised an early end to winter, but lied?  Yeah, never trust a rodent, that’s what momma always said.

But, look, we’re beyond it all now!  The weather has turned, we’re at the start of spring, and we can actually feel the sun’s warmth.  By now, you’ve probably already lit up the BBQ and cooked up a storm.  And, you’ve probably been thinking about eating out(side) at a restaurant to enjoy the great weather.  So, we decided to put together a nice list of restaurants in the area that we like that have either al fresco (outdoor) dining or open air dining.  Perhaps you have an amazing restaurant to add that we missed?  Let us know!  Taco Bell doesn’t count, though. ;)

Enjoy the beautiful weather people…you earned it!

Bethel

Ecco rooftop bar/eatery on top of La Zingara (added by N)

Bridgeport

Explore Some More: 2013 Branford and New Haven Restaurant Weeks

Spring is here, so why not celebrate with some great food?   And, why not throw in some great deals and prixe fixed meals?   Yup, it’s everybody’s favorite time…restaurant week!   First off, why not enter to win a $25 gift card to some local Branford businesses and restaurants just by clicking here?  Once you’ve done that, you can check out special deals and prices during their Restaurant Week from April 14-20.   We’ve listed all the info for you (20% gratuity is added to restaurant week checks) and even have a special recco from our friend Edwin Williams Bartlett of the awesome CT Out and About about one of his favorite spots, Home:

“All home runs! I don’t like tomato soup in general, but Home’s is amazing. I either have the patty melt or the Cuban (not on the list) when I am there and it has the same pork flatiron as the special, and it is the best piece of pork on a plate in the state. Their mac & cheese is to die for…I was a guest for the new menu meeting for the staff back in October, so I am very familiar with the whole menu.  I was very impressed with the Artic Char, which I much prefer to salmon, and it’s even wild caught. The pan seared scallops and the duck breast really caught my attention, too.”

• Allegra’s $13 lunch or $25 for dinner
• Assaggio $29 for dinner
• Ballou’s Wine Bar Dinner for two, just $35
• Ben & Jerry’s $1 off any purchase of $3 or more
• Billy’s Pasta Cosi $16 lunch or $29 dinner
• Brandi’s Burgers Buy any speciality dog or burger, get a free small fry
• Campania Ristorante $16.44 (date of Branford’s founding) for lunch or $29 for dinner
• Chuck’s Margarita Grill $25 for dinner
• Darbar India $10.95 lunch or $20 dinner
• Dockside Seafood $13 lunch or $25 dinner
• Donovan’s Reef $10 lunch or $18 dinner
• Eli’s on the Hill $13 lunch or $25 dinner
• G-Zen  $25 for dinner (some of the best veg food)
• Home  $25 for dinner
• Jalapeno Heaven Buy two Karma margaritas, get free nachos or buy two full portion dinners and get a complimentary app.
• La Luna Ristorante $24 for dinner
• Lenny’s $13 lunch or $25 dinner
• Mango’s Bar and Grille $25 for dinner
• Nellie Green’s $13 lunch or $25 dinner
• Parthenon Diner 10% off lunch or 15% off dinner
• SBC $13 lunch or $25 dinner
• Su Casa Mexican Restaurant $25 for dinner
• U.S.S. Chowder Pot $13 lunch or $25 dinner

Greenwich Restaurants Give Back to Fire Police Patrol with Patrol Dine Out

Here’s an easy way to give back to those brave men and women who give their time and put their lives in danger daily…just eat out.  Yup, just eat at some great restaurants in Greenwich on April 4 and you’ll be taking part in Patrol Dine Out.  Just pick any of the restaurants below and you’ll be helping the Cos Cob Fire Police Patrol!  Here’s a bit about this great organization from their site:

“The Cos Cob Fire Police Patrol is a volunteer company which operates under the structure of the Greenwich Fire Department in the Town of Greenwich, Connecticut. The company conducts traffic operations, scene control, salvage, lighting, and other support functions for the fire department at calls for service. The Patrol is under the command of its own Chief.”

• Arcuri’s Pizza and Salad
• Bistro Latino
• Chicken Joe’s Cos Cob
• Cos Cobber
• Crew Restaurant
• Gofer Ice Cream
• Joey B’s
• Louie’s Restaurant and Bar
• Pizza Post
• Riverside Square Pizza
• Sound Beach Pizza
• Swizzles Ice Cream
• Tomatillo Taco Joint

There are also some restaurants that aren’t participating, but are sponsors and should be thanked:  Beach House Cafe, Meli Melo, Morello Italian Bistro, Pasta Vera, Sundown Saloon, and Villa Nuova.

In addition, there are some awesome event sponsors and they are: Fairway Market, Pepe Auto Group, Greenwich Pharmacy, Rand Insurance, The First Bank of Greenwich, Putnam Shell & Food Mart, Greenwich Bank & Trust, Neal and Karen Neilinger, David and Kerrin Theis, The Joker

Delivery Made Easy with Rewards: Seamless and Delivery.com

One of the most frustrating things about ordering delivery  over the phone (#ConnecticutProblems) is repeating yourself 30 times, or being put on hold, or being transferred to 10 different people.  Yeah, it’s seriously annoying and it’s a big waste of time, especially when there are other important things to do like watch TV, surf the net, watch the kids, or just be lazy.

Plate of bbq, snacks, and fixins at at BarQ B.B.Q. in Stamford, Connecticut

But, two websites are making delivery (or pick up) just a bit easier and giving you some great things in return.  All around, we use Seamless more often because they have a better variety of restaurants for delivery by us, but Delivery.com is still a good option.  Let’s look at Seamless first.

Seamless has a very easy to use interface where you can save restaurants into your favorites and even just order a previous meal with just a few clicks.  You’ll often see restaurants that have deals like 10% or 20% of orders!  Be aware that some restaurants charge a small fee for delivery, but it’s not a fee from Seamless.  Also, Seamless will send out emails time to time with special discount codes that you can enter before your finalize your purchase.  Our favorite part:  add the tip right in and when your food arrives, the delivery person will hand it to you, thank you, then leave.  That’s more time for your to spend gorging yourself.  Right now they are in the Greenwich, Stamford, and Westport areas, but are expanding.

Save Some Serious Dough with Restaurant.com

Our obsession with Restaurant.com (not Restaurants.com) started years ago when we’d shell out $5 and get a $50 pass to restaurants.  The amount of money we saved was awesome and we continue to check this site when we want to save some major dinero.  We use it for local restaurants and especially when we’re on vacation and want to find a quick, inexpensive meal.

Chef’s Special Roll, Crispy Melt Goat Cheese Roll, and Crunchy Wasabi Tuna Roll at Bambou in Greenwich

It works pretty easily:  enter the city and state where you want a certificate then select the restaurant.  The most common option that you’ll see is pay $10 for a $25 certificate, but sometimes there will be bigger incentives like $20 for $50, $30 for $75, or even $40 for $100.  Before you purchase your certificate, just make sure that there aren’t any terms of the agreement that won’t work for you such as, “Only includes lunch,” or “No dinner on Saturday.”  Also, pay close attention to the fine print because some have an order minimum or some include a tip into the amount of the bill automatically.

Hold Your Table and Get Some Cash Back with OpenTable

One of the first things we do when we’re looking for a restaurant to hit up is check to see if it’s on OpenTable.  In just a few clicks you can see lots of restaurants in your area that are taking reservations.  From there, you can click on a restaurant, enter in your party size and time, then you’re on your way to booking your table.  You could even play restaurant roulette and enter a party size, date, and time and see which restaurants in the area have tables nearby.

Dino Poutine is killer, unique to Dinosaur Stamford

Recently, we used OpenTable to get ourselves some nice seats at Bar Sugo in Norwalk and Dinosaur Bar-b-que in Stamford.  Plus, we can’t tell you how easy this site makes vacation planning.  And, wouldn’t you know it, Dan’s Prius has OpenTable built into it?

When you show up for the reservation, make sure you give your name and they check you in before you find your seat.  At most restaurants you’ll earn 100 points for each time you show up and dine out.  There are even some restaurants on the site that will earn you 1,000 points for honoring your reservation.  When you reach 2,000 points you’ll be sent a $20 gift certificate usable at any OpenTable restaurant.

Here are just some of the OpenTable restaurants that you could hit up in just Connecticut: