A seedling of potential at The Beer Garden @ Harbor Point

Dan, Volter, Kristien, and Dennis meet up! Great guys!

The upstairs bar

Tip: sit here to get served. It’s a much more calm experience.

The downstairs bar

Food trucks and brews….ah!

It’s a Friday night, mid 70s outside, and there are just a few little clouds in the sky. Could there have been a better day to hit up the brand new Beer Garden @ Harbor Point? No, probably not. Unfortunately, it seemed that everybody in Fairfield County agreed, but we still managed to find a killer parking spot just right outside of Walgreen’s. There’s also a huge lot nearby that they have devoted to Beer Garden parking, too, if you can’t find any street-side spots.

Before we even entered, we were amazed to see this building that was empty  just a few months ago, turned into a massive party scene. Maddy’s food truck and Lobstercraft were outside, with about 50 devoted followers ready to get their grub on. That is one of the great things about this Beer Garden: although you can’t get food inside (yet), they’ll have food trucks there for you to get your nom on.

Pop by PopShop Market for food, brews, local goods, and more!

You might have heard of pop up restaurants, springing up in empty spots or abandoned places.  Here one week, gone another.  You know…that’s so 2012.  PopShop Market, though, is taking things into 2013 with their pop up market.  For each pop up event they’ll have 50 or more vendors, a mini farmers’ market, they’ll feature a local brewery, and they’ll have a bunch of CT’s best food and food trucks available for your noming needs.  The first PopShop Market is being held on June 1 from 9-3 at the Fairfield Theater Company‘s warehouse and parking lot.  There’s no cost at all and there is live music, too.  Here are the details for the first event:

Two Roads Brewery Has Some Serious (Meat)balls this Weekend

Get your mind out of the gutter, people.  We’re talking about Two Roads Brewery having The Local Meatball shop on hand for their Saturday food truck experience from 3-7 on 5/11, the start of CT Beer Week.    Since TLM launch on 4/20, Mike’s been gaining quite a following of ballers.  There’s no doubt that Mike will be serving up some Serious meatballs, his standard formulation made with Saugatuck Craft Butchery beef and other local ingredients.  Here are descriptions from his site about the meatball choices (there is usually Serious and one other on special):

SERIOUS:  made with the finest ground beef from Craft Butchery, we use only the best local ingredients. Soaked in our traditional sauce, they are like no other. These balls burst with flavor and are our version of the classic.

Future Specials

KICK IN DA:  made with the most tender local pork around and some hot cherry peppers to give them just the right kick. Served in a chunky, spicy sauce, they’re a win-win.

IN THE BUFF:  fresh ground chicken and our own buffalo sauce—these are the perfect combination of heat and flavor.

HONEY’S:  honey BBQ sauce from a local favorite and a tender, juicy pork ball…who needs ribs when you’ve got balls?

JEWELS:  these salty, sweet creations are what we like to call a “breakfast ball.” Made with delicious ground beef, sausage, bacon and chunks of melted cheddar cheese. Topped off with the tastiest local maple syrup on a soft, light and airy snowflake roll. They’re jewels.

Here’s how to do it:

1)  Place your oder.

2) Grab your slider, Average Joe, or Grinder.

3) Head upstairs to Two Roads Brewery  and down those meatballs with some old cold brews.  We highly recommend the saison.

4) Fill up some growlers or growleritos (they are so cute and tiny).

5) Get some more meatballs before you leave.

Two Roads Brewing Co.

1700 Stratford Ave

Stratford, CT 06615

Phone:  (203) 335-2010

Greenwich Library Book Sale Weekend Party, Food Truck Takeover + More

After we had moved into our new place in Greenwich in December, one of the first things we did was head over to The Greenwich Library on West Putnam Avenue.  We got our library cards and explored.  We saw thousands upon thousands of new books, DVDs, CDs, magazines, computers, help desks, an art gallery, and even an art loan program.  Plus, we loved just gathering up our CDs and books on Ireland and checking ourselves out…nice and simple.  Having all of these great features, hosting awesome events and programs, and keeping up the library isn’t easy at all, so The Greenwich Library is hosting a Book Sale Weekend from May 17-19.  Books (and more) will be on sale including audiobooks, biographies, children’s books, DVDs, cookbooks, fiction, romance novels, young adult literature, and more.  Here are the Book Sale Weekend details:

May 17, 5-8 pm:

Special Book Sale Preview Party for $100.  That gets you early access to the books that are on sale and let’s you in on a fun party with food from Burke Catering, Barcelona, and Whole Foods Market Greenwich.  And, yes, there will be drinks…espresso NEAT will be pouring coffee and espresso, there will be wine and liquors from Horseneck Wines & Liquors, and there will be plenty of drinking of the library’s signature “Book-tini” cocktail.  Guests will also get a chance to meet with antique book appraiser Ken Gloss who is a frequent appraiser on Antiques Road Show.  Ken will appraise up to five books and documents for free as part of your entrance fee, plus you’ll be able to hear Ken talk about “Is There Value in Your Old and Rare Books?” in the Cole Auditorium.  Tickets can be purchased by going here https://greenwichlibrary.ejoinme.org/booksalepreviewparty or contacting Sarah Falvo at (203) 622-7957.

May 18, 9 am to 4 pm:

Food trucks take over SM+NC for Spring on the Farm Festival Weekend

You NEED this!

One of our favorite places in all of Connecticut Stamford Museum & Nature Center.  And, this coming Spring on the Farm Festival Weekend it’s about to become our more most favoritest place!  All the action is going down on 5/18 and 5/19 from 11 am to 3 pm.  Yes, their annual party is getting bigger and badder than ever with the addition of seven, count ‘um seven, food trucks.  On Saturday you can get the Caribbean flavors of Maddy’s Food Truck, good ol’ fashioned American fare with Cowabunga, hot pies from Victoria’s Wood Fired Pizza Catering, got your hands on some meatballs from The Local Meatball, and cold and creamy goodness from Skip’s Ice Cream Co.  Then, come back for more on Sunday where you can try the awesome fries and sandwiches of Fryborg, the awesomely organic and oven-to-table pizzas of Skinny Pines, and get more of that ice cream from Skip’s Ice Cream Co.

Aw, we have the same hair color!

But, this weekend isn’t just about food.  Okay, it’s a big portion of it, but there’s other reasons why you’ll love coming by:

1) Check out the baby goats.  It’s all about the baby goats…but there are lots of other animals to ooh and ahh over.

Real Food. Real Farmers. Westport Farmers’ Market Opening for 8th Season!

Here it is…the day that so many have waited for.  That time of year when you can head out, grab fresh produce picked straight from the farm, find great local products, and help support local farmers and businesses.  Yes, it’s farmers’ market season and you’ll be happy to know that Westport Farmers’ Market is ready to open.  Their first day for the 2013 season will be May 23 from 10 am – 2 pm.  Then, every Thursday thereafter up until November 7 they will have their market.  Here are the farms and products that you can expect to see all year:

• Wave Hill Breads
• The Local Catch
• Two Guys from Woodbridge
• Sanskow’s Beaver Brook Farm
• Skinny Pines pizza truck
• Riverbank
• Rose’s Berry Farm
• SoNo Baking Company
• Fort Hill Farm
• Beltane Farm
• Arogya
• Woodland Farm
• Kaia Cafe
• Silvermine Apiary
• Boxcar Cantina
• Sport Hill Farm
• Ox Hollow Farm
• Huckleberry Artisan Pastries
• Du Soleil Fine Foods
• Raus Coffee Company
• Saugatuck Craft Butchery
• Sport Hill Farm
• Muddy Feet Farmer

Here are some of the farms and products that will be on a rotating schedule:

Having a Ball at the Launch of The Local Meatball Food Cart in Fairfield

It was a crisp, spring day this past Saturday when Mike DiStassio launched the much anticipated The Local Meatball food cart. Just the night before he had found the perfect spot on Unquowa Road, right above the tracks at the Fairfield train station, where he could begin slinging meatballs with his brother Alan.

As he was getting ready for his 12:30 opening, people were already lined up, ready to try what Mike had worked so hard on. Featured that day, were two of his five rotating balls: Serious and Kick in Da. After meeting up with Mike’s wife and Kristien’s former coworker, Anne as well as other former coworkers and friends Michael, Bill, Rob, and Lisa, we placed our order. Now, don’t get us wrong, we love catching up with old friends…but the intoxicating scent of tomato sauce was too much to bare. We ordered (and were graciously treated to) three of each meatball on rolls.

Let’s start off with Serious, aka the original with ground beef from Saugatuck Craft Butchery.  The sauce was slightly sweet and tangy, but with a warm, rustic taste. The bread, straight from Il Forno in Da Bronx to Mike’s door step, was amazing. Ya know, it’s hard to beat bread from Da Bronx.  The meatballs themselves were good, but we wondered if they were just a bit too dense this first time around. The flavor was good though, with the perfect amount of herbs, and the meat was super fresh.

Getting Saucy: The Local Meatball Cart Launches Saturday, Connecticut Rejoices

From The Local Meatball’s FB Page

We broke the news about the saucy balls of Michael DiStassio back on March 9 and here we are telling you where you can get your first tastes.  Yes, we told you 4/20, but now we’ve got the location and time, too.  They’ll be plopping down on Unquowa Road from 12:30-2:30 just up the hill right by where the northbound train lets out.  He’ll be there rain or shine, but it looks it will be reaching around 60 with just a few clouds in the sky.

By the way, make sure you’ll following Michael and The Local Meatball on Facebook and Twitter.  He’s giving special insight into the meatballs such as this factoid (which Dan guessed correctly, earning him a sandwich):  he has eaten 350 meatballs in preparation for the opening.  That’s a whole lotta devotion!

For more info, make sure to check out our original post about The Local Meatball, how it’s a farm-to-table kind of experience, and what you can order.

The Beer Garden Soon Swilling Brews w/ Food Trucks @ Harbor Point in Stamford

Lobstercraft food truck

Check out lobster rolls fresh from the water

Seconds before this entire sandwich is devoured in a major omnomnom fest.

Bobby Flay preps the tomato soup that will soon be handed out to hungry munchers

$10 for the flight, but you get full pours!

Update:  The Beer Garden @ Harbor Point is now open and here are our first impressions.  

Prost!  And, we’ll be saying Prost! quite a bit when, sometime in early May, Stamford gets its own hot new spot for the beer enthusiast:  The Beer Garden @ Harbor Point.  The Beer Garden is being created through a collaboration of Imian Hospitality and BLT.  And, this is not going to be any kind of puny pub, either.  It’s over 6,000 square feet, has seating for over 300 people, has two levels, has a private bar room, and has an outdoor terrace on the second floor with killer views of the Sound.

As for the beer, they’ll be serving up craft brews with 24 on draft.  According to the press release, they’ll also be pouring hard to find ales from craft breweries.  Some of brews you can expect are Dogfish Head, Captain Lawrence, Curious Traveler, Thomas Hooker, and Two Roads.  We’re sure they’ll be pouring Half Full, too.  But, it’s not just beer on draft, it’s also about larger bottles of craft brews to please the consummate beerologist.  And, if you happen to be one of those people who doesn’t like beer or who just needs a break from some brews, you could check out some “American-centric” cocktails from master mixologist Jason Clark.  Just remember:  Beer before liquor, never been sicker…liquor before beer, you’re in the clear.

HUGE Food Truck Festival, BBQ + Chowder Cook Offs, Demos, and Live Music at Westbrook Tanger Outlets

Dayummm

 

New York has its food truck festivals, Boston, has its food truck festivals, and now Connecticut has a major festival, too. Let’s count ‘em: 15-25 food trucks from Connecticut and surrounding states will show up at the Westbrook Tanger Outlets on 4/27-4/28.  Plus, Westbrook Assistant Manager David DelVecchio says he’ll be updating the list (we’ll update for you, too) every few days as Food Trucks 2 Go brings new trucks in.   There is absolutely no fee for attending, so you can use that saved dough to pig out. Here is the list as of 4/7:

• Away Café
• Away Café BBQ Truck
• Captain Marden’s Seafood (Saturday only)
• Caseus Cheese Truck (Sunday only)
• Chicken & Rice Guys (Saturday only)
• The Chubby Chickpea
• Cowabunga
• The Cupcake Brake
• Food Extrovert
• FryBorg
• The Happy Taco
• High Tide Gourmet (Sunday only)
• Hog Wild
• Lobstercraft
• Munchies Food Truck (Saturday Only)
• Spud Stud
• The Sugar Bakery Cup Cake
• Whey Station (Sunday Only)

 

The food trucks will be there for om noming from 11 am to 6 pm and there will be lots of live music to provide a soundtrack for your gorging pleasure. We’re talking The Red Hill Rockers, The Sin Sisters, The Shiney Lapel Trio, and others.  There will also be live cooking demos from Clarke, Kitchen Aid, Soda Stream, Williams Sonoma, Chef Kashia, and lots more.