Step Out for Stepping Stones with Wine, Brews, and Bites

Update:  unfortunately, Step Out has been postponed.  We’ll give you more info when we get a new date.

Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk is a fun place to be, especially if you’re a kid…or a kid at heart.  They have an amazing amount of exhibits for children all the way from birth to 7 and up, they provide educational classes, they are always up to something new like Dinosaur Revolution, they have tons of events, and they are a favorite stop for schools.  Fun like this isn’t easy to provide, so that’s why Stepping Stones is holding their 8th Annual Step Out Wine & Food Tasting fundraiser.  This vital (and tasty) event is being held in partnership with our friends over at the Young Professionals Network of the Business Council of Fairfield County.  Here are all the details for you:

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:

Bambou Asian Tapas + Bar: Not Your Typical Sushi Spot – Greenwich, CT

Chef’s Special Roll, Crispy Melt Goat Cheese Roll, and Crunchy Wasabi Tuna Roll

Perfect little dumplings

Basket of various fried sweet potatoes

The plate, the plate, the plate is on fire…

Crème brûlée and ginger/green tea ice cream

A few years ago, before we started our blog, we tried Bambou Asian Tapas & Bar in Greenwich and really enjoyed it. Now only minutes away from where we live, we decided to head back and see if things were as good as we remember.

Just looking at the menu, we were excited because of the variety of flavors and choices. The decor, too, is pretty simple and zen…relaxing. So, let’s take you through our meal and show you why Bambou just might be your next stop for unique tapas and creative sushi.

Basket of various fried sweet potatoes

Sweet Potato Tempura Fries with Honey Soy Dip

Awesome plating with a fry basket displaying the fries.  While the outside was crispy, the insides were raw and needed more cooking.  The dip added some sweetness and there was a slight tartness from the soy.  The darker fries were thicker and had a deeper kind of flavor. We probably wouldn’t get this again.

Perfect little dumplings

Veggie Dumplings

We got ours steamed, though you can get them fried if you’d like.  One of the things that we hate most about dumplings is how some Asian restaurants use a super thick, flour-y wrapper on the dumpling so all you taste is starch.  Well, they’ve got it down here at Bambou because they use nice, thin rice paper…just like they should.  Inside the dumpling were big chunks of veggies and the soy vinegar sauce for dipping was a bit tangy. Very good!

Deals @ 18 Restaurants During Eating Greenwich and Port Chester 2013

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Back in October 2011, we told you about Eating Greenwich and Port Chester:  a restaurant week that spanned two states.  Well, these two neighboring buddies are back for more action two years later!  But, this isn’t your typical restaurant week and you can thank New England Culinary Group for that.  Starting off, one of the restaurants below might give you a deal on a three course lunch for $12.13/$18.13 or dinner for $20.13/$30.13.  Restaurants also have the option of offering up a special killer deal that will get you there and save you some serious dough.  But, here’s the gem in the crown of this event:  the “Keep Eating” program.  When you chomp away at any of the restaurants that are participating during Eating Greenwich and Port Chester, you will receive a Keep Eating 20% off gift certificate to be used at any participating restaurant from March 10-27, 2013.  The certificates are valid from Sunday through Wednesday and don’t include alcohol, just be aware.

Make sure to check out NECG’s site and this post for updated info, deals, and pricing points.  Here are the restaurants with their locations from 3/3-3/7:

1. Alba’s in Port Chester
2. Arrosto in Port Chester
3. Avenue Cafe
4. Bistro Latino in Greenwich (a must for tapas, review on the way)
5. Centro at the Mill Restaurant in Greenwich
6. China White  in Purchase (we’ve heard amazing things, Greenwich opening around spring)
7. Coals in Port Chester (yeah, love the grilled wings, pizza, and beer selection here)
8. eleven14 Kitchen in Greenwich (we want to try)
9. Greco’s Bella Cucina in Greenwich
10. John’s of Arthur Ave. in Port Chester
11. Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar in Greenwich (we’ve been to Red Lulu, but not here yet)
12. Morello Bistro in Greenwich (excellent Italian)
13. Polpo in Greenwich
14. Sonora in Port Chester (love this Nuevo Latino spot!  Same chef/owner as Bistro Latino)
15. Tandoori in Port Chester (when we lived in Rye Brook, we loved going here.  Will have to try again)
16. Tarry Lodge in Port Chester (excited to try)
17. The Ginger Man in Greenwich (great beer selection)
18. The Willett House in Port Chester

27 Restaurants Participate in 2013 Stamford Restaurant Weeks, Yes Weeks

What’s better than a restaurant week? Well, yeah…restaurant weeks, as in two

weeks in a row. This gastronomical extravaganza begins on Sunday, 2/24 and

goes until Sunday, 3/10, so that’s a total of 15 days of steals and deals.While

there are some classic Downtown Stamford choices, there are also some new

restaurants involved this year such as Bar Q, Hudson Grille, and Rodizio Grill

for you to try.Like we just did for Darien Restaurant Week, we’re putting our

ratings next to the restaurants that we’ve been to in order to help you make

some choices. :)Need more incentive to go? The first 3,000 nomers will get

a voucher for a free medium popcorn when they purchase a ticket at the Avon

Theatre (good until 5/31/13).  Also, if you see an * next to any of the

restaurants in the poster above, they are offering healthy and nutritious

lunches for $6.95 and dinners for $9.95 as part of the Kids’ Fans 5-2-1-0

program put on by Stamford Hospital.

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How many restaurants do you plan to hit up during this extended

dining experience?  Let us know!

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$10.13 Lunch and $15.13 Dinner

Bobby Valentines Sports Gallery CafeVolta Gelateria Creperia (4 Noms)

$12.13 Lunch and $20.13 Dinner

Bar Q Stamford (3.5 Noms)

BUtterfield 8 Restaurant & Lounge

California Pizza Kitchen

Capriccio Café (3.25 Noms)

Fin II Japanese Restaurant (2011 OmNomy Winner Best Asian)

2nd Annual OmNomys Celebrates 2012′s Best Food in Fairfield County

Last year we brought you the 1st Annual OmNomys:  awards that celebrated the Best in Food in Fairfield County.  Well, we couldn’t just let another year go by without giving out a new set of awards, could we?  No, we can’t.  That’s why we’re writing this post. But first, a quick refresher course on the OmNomys:

• We only select restaurants that we’ve been to in 2012, so it’s important to remember that the restaurants here are not necessarily the best EVER, but the best we had in 2012.

• If you don’t like this list, that’s cool…whatevs.  It’s just our favorites of 2012.  You’re welcome to create your own or comment below and let your love of local restaurants show.

Best Ambiance: Dolce Cubano, Stamford

Sleek and sexy red leather (like Zaza) can be found throughout Dolce Cubano, one of Stamford’s newest hot spots.  Combine that with a chill bar (inside and outside) and waterside dining and you’ve got the perfect spot to hit up. Don’t forget the fireplace, either.  

Best Asian:  Bambou Asian Tapas & Bar, Greenwich

We don’t typically eat much Asian and have cut back on our sushi intake for 2012.  That being said, we’ve had some decent sushi, but a recent meal at Bambou was quite impressive.  The sushi rolls were very creative, especially a roll that featured goat cheese, mango, and salmon wrapped in a crispy spring roll.  Also, the steamed veggie dumplings were some of the best that we’ve had with nice chunks of fresh vegetables wrapped up in a thin layer of rice paper.  And, the desserts (which isn’t typical for an Asian restaurant) were fantastic.

Best BBQ Sides:  Bar Q, Stamford

We love the concept behind Bar Q, owned by Bob LeRose of Bobby Q’s in Westport:  tapas style bbq.  Well, along with a bbq menu to sample in small doses, you can get some great sides and fixins’ to go with your meat.  Some of our favorites are the chicken and waffles, fried green tomatoes, fiesta cornbread, hush puppies, baked jalapeno poppers, and mac & cheese.  Although we were torn about our first visit, each visit thereafter seems to get better.

Best BBQ Meat:  Dinosaur Bar-b-que, Stamford

Although Dinosaur Bar-b-que is a newcomer to Connecticut, they’ve been pumping out awesome bbq for years at their other locations.  The pulled pork is tender and juicy, the brisket is smoky with that perfect pink smoke ring, and the ribs are juicy and delicate, coming off the bone with a slight tug. And their chicken wings, well… see that section below. 

Best Beer Selection:  The Ginger Man, Norwalk

With more than 50 beers on tap, The Ginger Man in the heart of SoNo is a great place to hit up.  When you’re there, check out their creative specials, different each night and be sure to also try their monthly beer dinners.

Sake to Me, Westport: Pink Sumo Sushi & Sake Cafe Rolls into Town

Sick! Love that sign! From Pink Sumo’s Tumblr.

Westport’s quite the dining destination, now isn’t it?  Whatever you’re in the mood for, too, they’ve got the means to feed your need.  You want a burger on a barge?  Check out Black Duck.  You want some ribs to nom on?  Check out Bobby Q’s.  In the need for some seafood served up with a creative flare?  Crack open the doors of The Whelk.  Feel like some great farm-to-table?  Pick Terrain, LeFarm, or The Dressing Room.  Well, you get the idea.  If you don’t get the idea, sorry, we can’t be much more repetitive just for your sake…or is that sake, the drink?  We have to move on.  Seriously, we need to.

So, let’s add another reason to hit up Westport for some cravings:  sushi.  Yes, there’s a new bad girl in town and her name is Punk Sumo Sushi & Sake Cafe.  Well, we guess she’s a girl.  Guys can like pink too, yes, we shouldn’t judge.  We’ve very excited for the opening, slated for 11/26/12 at 11 am.  They’ll be rolling, slicing, and dicing food, and also pouring out sake at 4 Church Lane, right across the street from the YMCA and next to Urban Outfitters (boyfriends and husbands, be prepared for a pre or post shopping trip).

Now, here are some reasons why we’re ready to try out Punk Sumo Sushi & Sake Cafe:

Ocean to Table Sushi that Is Seriously out of this World! Miya’s Sushi – New Haven, CT

Our fascination with Miya’s Sushi and Chef Bun Lai began when we had our first bites of their sushi at The Whole Hog fundraiser for Wholesome Wave.  Bun’s uniquely awesome personality really came through when he talked to us about harvesting his own seaweed and how everything in the sushi roll was made.  We could tell that he had a deep passion for food and keeping things local, which is exactly what made us want to travel into New Haven to check out Miya’s.

It was finally when we were contacted about Bun Lai and Miya’s Sushi being on a new TV show that we got our butts in gear and headed out to New Haven. Plus, it was the perfect place to celebrate Dan’s birthday! We know that New Haven can seem so far away, especially when you’re in the western part of CT, but it’s really worth the trip!

As we sat down, we learned from our waitress about some basics of Miya’s.  First off, she told us that the staff are trained divers and they were going on a diving trip the following day to get seafood for their rolls and dishes.  The DIY philosophy also comes through when they served us their homemade low sodium soy sauce and their homemade ginger that is just de-vine.

Our strategy was to order lots and lots of rolls so that we could try as many flavors and combinations as possible.  This worked out well because most rolls were sliced into four slices, not an overwhelming amount at all.  We also HAD to order a few drinks because they were so incredibly unique. And, despite all the food and drinks that we ordered, we still ended up spending a bit less than we would at other “comparable” sushi joints.  We say comparable because, well, it’s hard to compare anything to Miya’s anymore after eating there.  Dan felt very zen, so he allowed his poetic side to reign and compose haikus (5-7-5 syllables) for each roll.