Dishcrawl Fairfield County Expands + Launches New Canaan Events

Some of the tapas we sampled at Barcelona in Greenwich for the first Dishcrawl

Prosciutto wrapped figs at South End

Off the Hook: Guinness Chocolate Milkshake! Chili Fries in Back w/ Kristien ;)

When we hit up the first Dishcrawl Greenwich experience, we were excited to meet some great people and try some new food.  First we tried some excellent tapas at Barcelona and had Chef Michael Lucente talk to us about what was on the plate, then we got a huge surprise with the Haitian food of Maddy’s Food Truck.  From there we checked out Sundown Saloon for some tacos and chicken wing bites, then ended up at Meli-Melo with a nice scoop of ice cream.  Throughout the night we met some great people that we had only known online and it left us wanting to spend more time with them all.  While some people thought that the choice to go to Sundown Saloon wasn’t the best and didn’t fit the bill, Jesse (Greenwich Dishcrawl Ambassador) took it as an opportunity to learn and help make Dishcrawl better.  He’s definitely listening and trying to make each Dishcrawl even better than the last.  Case in point will be the Surprise Dishcrawl that he has planned with only 8 tix left…we think he’s got something great up his sleeves.

Now, there are a few things to go through here with you:

Dishcrawl Greenwich and Dishcrawl Stamford merged to form Dishcrawl Fairfield County.  This makes much more sense, especially because they are looking to expand into more cities such as Norwalk, Darien, and now–officially–New Canaan.  Yes, the experience of checking out four restaurants in a night (only the first restaurant is revealed, keeping the rest a mystery), meeting great people, talking with chefs and owners, and enjoying nomworthy food is coming to New Canaan.  Jesse was able to partner with the New Canaan Chamber of Commerce and Taste of the Town Stroll to create a two night event on August 27 and 28, both at 7 pm.

If you’d like to get your tickets, just click here.

If you’d like to learn more about the Dishcrawl concept, check out our first post about Dishcrawl Greenwich.

Again, if you are vegetarian, please note that when you buy your tickets as Jesse can accommodate you.  If you have other restrictions, you can always see if Jesse can help to arrange suitable food for you.  Just contact him at jessel@dishcrawl.com.  Also make sure to follow Dishcrawl on Twitter with their new handle, @DishcrawlFCT.

Where in New Canaan would you love for Dishcrawl to go?  We say elm because we’ve been dying to go there for a long, long time.  :)

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!

Get Comfy with Seasonal Comfort Food at South End – New Canaan, CT

Griddled Fresh Bacon

Heirloom tomato salad

Nonna’s Meatballs

Prosciutto wrapped figs at South End

House Made Orecchiette

Citrus Laced Canoli

Raspberry and Nectarine Cobbler

We’ve been bad bloggers.  See, we’ve been sitting on this review of South End for a while. A looooong while.  And we have no good reason for it because South End was good. Very good. It just seemed that whenever we would sit down to write it, something else came up…until now. In a moment of non-urgency we bring you South End…

Before we get into our meal, we’d like to talk a bit about what South End is all about: Seasonal comfort food. This brilliant idea was born from the passion of two guys who are no strangers to good food. Let’s start with Chef Nick Martschenko.  Back in 1998 he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and worked at Tom Colicchio’s Gramercy Tavern.  He has also worked at Solaia in Greenwich and the old Market in Stamford.  And, most recently, Chef Martschenko did an amazing job at Winged Food Golf Club in Mamaroneck, being honored with an excellent rating from the McMahon Group.  Working with Chef Martschenko as a partner and General Manager is Keith Siskind, who we had the pleasure of meeting.  He built up some major street cred by working on Long Island (represent Strong Island!), and Tarry Lodge in Port Chester.

So, onto the reason you’re all here…the food. Oh wait, no, one last thing before the food. The service – the service here was really good. Quick (but not rushing us out at all), friendly, attentive, and thorough. Overall just a very pleasant experience.

Vote in Caryn Stabinsky of elm as The People’s Best New Pastry Chef!

“After 25 years of naming America’s Best New Chefs, we’re ready for dessert: F&W editors are searching for the Best New Pastry Chefs in the country and you can help us crown The People’s Best New Pastry Chef!”

Yes, you heard that right…now Food & Wine is looking for the newest maven of muffins, the sultan of strudel, the ultimate baker of biscuits, the queen of tarts, the king of key lime pie…The People’s Best New Pastry Chef. There are pastry chefs from the West, Central, and the East up for the big honor. And, when you click through to the East region, you will see an amazing array of skilled chefs who are up for the prestigious The People’s Best New Pastry Chef.  And, there amongst the New York City, Atlanta, Boston, and DC chefs is Caryn Stabinsky, pastry chef at elm of New Canaan, Connecticut.

While it has only been around for a year, elm has garnered lots of praise and won top honors by becoming one of Esquire’s Best New Restaurants for 2012. And, hopefully after this contest (the voting ends April 8, so chop chop), they will have another award to add to their tasting table.  Why do you need to vote for Caryn?  Well, she went to the Institute of Culinary Education and has been at some great places such as Monkey Bar, WD~50, and Oceana.  And here are just some of the desserts that she has crafted at elm:

¡Ay, Caramba! Where to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in Fairfield County, CT

Some of your taco options at Bodega Taco Bar in Fairfield

Cinco De Mayo is almost at hand, so let’s celebrate by checking out some of our old favorites or by finding new favorites.  We’ve tried to put together the best list possible, but certainly let us know if you have a favorite that should be included on here.  A few prerequisites for this list:  great tacos, burritos, and guac.  Bonus points for margaritas, tequila, and outdoor dining. ;)  Tell us…is your favorite on here?  If not, what’s your fave Mexican spot here in CT?

Bridgeport

Taco Loco:  You’d be loco not to hit this spot up if you’re in the area.  An old favorite when we lived nearby.  Good Mexican all around, plenty of room, and they usually have fun gifts on Cinco de Mayo.

Danbury

Pancho’s Tacos:  Great Mexican food all around here and great prices.  Also, monster margaritas here to quench your thirst.  If you’re insane, try the dish that I did. ;)

Fairfield

Cotton Candy Goatee at Red Lulu

Bodega Taco Bar:  Michael Young from Valencia opened up this spot in 2011.  Great and fun twists on Mexican food and great tacos.  Amazing tequila list.  Plus, there will be fun times, too!  Starting at noon, they’ll have their “Hand Slapped Guacamole,” tacos, and more under the Bodega “Big Top.”  There will also be a pig roast and even a guacamole slapping demo.  Who doesn’t want to slap the hell out of some avocados.  They just look mean and they deserve it, right?  :P  More fun stuff in the evening is going on too:  tequila tastings (is Pee-wee invited?), cocktail specials, live music, and dancing too.

Greenwich

Boxcar Cantina: The greener side of Mexican with locally sourced and sustainable food.  The food is good here, too, though can be expensive.

New Canaan

Tequila Mockingbird:  Instant cred for the Harper Lee reference.  The food is good here, though it’s more expensive than other options nearby.

 Norwalk

Los Molcajetes:  Killer tacos, especially the alambre:  beef and bacon, married in beautiful harmony.  Salsa and margaritas are just basic, though.  Stop in for the tacos and the authentic food.

Tacos Mexico:  Eat and drink cheap here.  Food is average here, but you’ll leave satisfied and your wallet won’t be much lighter.

Red Lulu:  Fun and party atmosphere here.  It’s hard to get a seat here, but the creative spins on dishes and drinks (especially the crazy tequila list) make it worth it.  An expensive meal, but definitely worth it.  Also, check out across the street for the Red Lulu Block Party!  Woot woot.  The party goes down from 12 pm to 2 am with Don Julio margaritas at just $5 until 5 pm.

Riverside

If you have the option, always get fresh squeezed lime in your margarita with Añejo!

El Charrito:   You can pick up food at their to-go spot at 7 Apache Place in Riverside, CT.  Same food from the El Charrito taco truck.

Stamford

Casa Villa:  Amazing tacos, great dishes, fun atmosphere, outdoor dining.  Make sure to ask for your margaritas with fresh squeezed lime.

El Charrito:  People have said they will kill for the food off of this taco truck.  Find them on Richmond Hill Ave.

Lola’s Mexican Kitchen:  In the thriving “heart” of downtown Stamford, Lola’s is putting out some good food.  Although we have heard complaints about service, we did have a good experience.  The churros are excellent here.

Picanté Fresh:  Taco eating contest.  10 people will compete, only one will be crowned El Champion!  The food is decent here.

Riviera Maya:  Our first review ever.  We have sentimental attachments to the good food here.  There are LOTS of fun margarita options here and there is some outdoor seating.

Westport

Viva Zapata:  Long live the shoe?  More like supporting the revolutionary general, Zapata.  Omnomivores have made their feelings clear, so we needed to add this bad boy.  Plenty of outdoor seating, killer margaritas, and good Mexican food here.  Viva la Revolución!

¡Ay, caramba! Tres Leches Shake and Cinco de Mayo Burger, Batman! Station Eats (Filling Station)-New Canaan, CT

Cinco de Mayo (Chorizo) Burger

Update:  June’s burger of the month will be Chili Cheeseburger and the shake of the month will be Strawberry Waffle Maple Milkshake!!!

In honor of America’s obsession with Cinco de Mayo and everything Mexican, Filling Station has put together another OmNom-worthy pairing for May.  First, there is the Tres Leches Milkshake.   It looked like our cups first got a few heavy squirt of some sweetened condensed milk before the shake got mixed in.  This added that sweet, deep flavor you get from tres leches desserts.  You’re talking three different kinds of milk with just the slightest hint of coconut.  We won’t talk about the calories these ingredients added. ;) Kristien was all over this one and loved it.  We still think it’s funny how I can down a large when Kristien struggles to get down half of her small. :)

The Cinco De Mayo Burger is also great and is a sizeable departure from what Filling Station usually does.  That being said, it was a worthy risk because it turned out bueno.  They start off with a chorizo burger patty, press it up real nice, then go to town with the ingredients.  They put on two nice slabs of queso fresco-the real deal here!  Then, put on some tomatoes and lettuce on top.  Finally, slather that hamburgesa with a really smooth and light lime cilantro creama.  Kristien will vouch for me, I’m not a cheese lover or even a crème fraiche or sour cream lover, but I dug in.  For me, it was a very good burger.  You could get a little kick of spice from some cumin that balanced out nicely with the creaminess of the cheese and the tangy crema.  Krisiten raved about hers, too.

Let’s just pretend that’s all we ate.  It’ll be our little secret, okay? ;)

Tres Leches Shake/Cinco de Mayo Burger, Caramel Sea Salt Shake/Bacon Bleu Cheese Burger,

Cap’n Crunch Shake/Guinness Chocolate Shake/Buffalo Wing Burger, Original Review

Noms:  4.5

Cost:  $$

Filling Station

Address:  19 South Avenue

New Canaan, CT 06840-5411
Phone:  (203) 966-4445

Site:  http://fillingstationco.com

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/fillingstationco

Cap’n Crunch and Guinness Chocolate Milkshakes…Gotta Drink ‘Em All! Station Eats (Filling Station) – New Canaan, CT

Off the Hook: Guinness Chocolate Milkshake! Chili Fries in Back w/ Kristien ;)

Dyin’ for some good eats? Well, each month at Filling Station Co there’s a new milkshake and a new burger that have been paired to drop you to your knees and thank God for food. At the end of February we stopped in to get the Cap’n Crunch Milkshake before it was too late and, let us tell you, it didn’t disappoint at all. Kristien had a medium and I was asked what size I wanted. Puh-leeze! What size? Large, of course. When it comes to milkshakes, always order the large. It was thick, and it had the distinctive, yummy taste of Cap’n Crunch, and it rocked our worlds.

Buffalo Wing Burger, 86 the Bleu Cheese!

Behold: The Ultra Joe!!!

We took this time to try their sloppy joes, too.  Read about our first review here.  Kristien had the ultra joe, yummy goodness with station ‘slaw, pickles, and potato chips. She raved about its crispiness, the savory taste of the sloppy joe, and the kick of the slaw and pickles. I had mine with jalapeno and crunchy onions–also so damn good.

When we came back last week with Tom Madia, Kristien’s dad, I knew what I wanted, and I wanted it bad. Guinness Chocolate Milkshake. It’s really hard to explain how awesome this is, so you still have the whole month of March to try it. I can try, though…it’s just the right amount of chocolate, still the right thickness for a shake, then in the back of the flavor you get the maltiness of the Guinness that bursts through. Seth, the co-owner, explained that they boil down 30 bottles of Guinness Extra Stout to a syrup, then they combine that with the chocolate.  Hell yes.   It’s not overpowering, and we think that it’s better that way. I also tried their Buffalo Wing burger, made with their own secret formulation of a ketchup based buffalo sauce. They covered a very nicely cooked burger in the good stuff then piled it with juliened celery. The real deal has bleu cheese on it, but I can’t stomach that stuff. The burger was really great and the sauce added a nice, subtle heat.

I also put my name in to win that year of free lunches. Remember all the awesome stuff that’s going on in March to celebrate their birthday? All this talk of shakes and burgers has made us hungry. Think we gotta head out for some more Guinness Chocolate Shakes. ;)  Soon, too, you’ll be able to fill up in 3 Landmark Square in Stamford.

Everybody Should Have a Lil' Cap'n Crunch Milkshake in 'Em

Tres Leches Shake/Cinco de Mayo Burger, Caramel Sea Salt Shake/Bacon Bleu Cheese Burger,

Cap’n Crunch Shake/Guinness Chocolate Shake/Buffalo Wing Burger, Original Review

Noms: 4.5
Cost: $$
Filling Station
Address: 19 South Avenue
New Canaan, CT 06840-5411
Phone: (203) 966-4445
Site: http://fillingstationco.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fillingstationco

Happy Birthday Station Eats (Filling Station)! Free Burgers, T-shirts, Fries, Sloppy Joes, and a Year of Free Lunch to Celebrate! Filling Station–New Canaan, CT

Damn, that’s a lot of frees that you’re slinging around!   Well, it’s not me, it’s all thanks to the awesomeness of Filling Station Company in New Canaan.  They’ve had over 100,000 customers in the first year of business and I can only imagine how many millions more will walk through those lovely doors.  To celebrate how awesome their food is (remember our post on this?) they’ve put together many fun events for the month of March. Check down below to see how you can take part in the fun activities and get your food on.  Aw yeah!!!  If you haven’t had the chance to get to Filling Station Company, you need to go this weekend, naw, today.  Their burgers, dogs, joes, and shakes are killer, are organic, and come from local sources.  But, you should still come down in March for these events because–trust me–you’ll be addicted by then!  If I win one of those shirts and also won the free year of lunches, I’d probably need to bump my “Medium” up to “X-Large.”  Nothing like being hopeful! ;) 

Noms:  4.5

Cost:  $$

Filling Station

Address:  19 South Avenue

New Canaan, CT 06840-5411
Phone:  (203) 966-4445

Site:  http://fillingstationco.com

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/fillingstationco

Fast food, redefined – Station Eats (Filling Station), New Canaan

I’m just going to admit it:  I cannot live without hot dogs or burgers and I don’t care if the high-class, oh-so-sophisticated foodies knock me.  Besides, when you’re at Filling Station (now called Station Eats) it’s not your average, weak, thoughtless, passionless, grill-um-up-and-spit-um-out burger and dog shop.  This place has chops, character, and a great philosophy behind it:  eat well, eat organic, eat local.

Let me give you a play-by-play of ordering, so you don’t seem like such a noob (which I ended up seeming like ’cause I forgot.)  Take a look at the delicious menu that’s posted on the wall when you enter, order one (or more) of two sized burgers, sloppy joe, or dog by the burger presses, then step on down by the register.  When your burger or dog’s grilled, they’ll ask what toppings and sauce you’d like to add and help you to customize your own bit of nirvana.  You have an arsenal of toppings to choose from, most free, some premium at a dollar per choice.  Oh, it’s worth it.

Well, we both wanted to try the famed Fall Turkey Burger.  You’ve got free range turkey from Lancaster County, tomato, lettuce, fresh sage, thick cut bacon, smothered in a decadent and tangy cranberry aoili sauce.  FANTASTIC! Crinkle cut fries with this did the trick:  they were crispy on the outside, yet soft right in the middle.  Really good fries, and organic too.  Their burgers are fairly sized–not too big or small, just right.  By now you might realize that I can take down my food nicely, so I definitely had to order a hot dog to go with that.  I had two premium ingredients on top:  chili with beef from local and organic Wolfe’s Neck Farm and apple-braised sauerkraut.  To that I added raw onions and jalapenos. The peppers added a nice kick to the pup, the chili gave a nice meaty contrast, and the sauerkraut finished it off with an amazing bite at the end.

I was already in heaven, but you really do need something to wash all that amazing food down.  Sure, they have water, but one of their specialties here are their nice and thick milkshakes.  It just so happens that this month they have a special one that brought me to my knees upon the first sip:  pumpkin milkshake.  The shake was thick, yet very creamy.  The taste was outstanding and spot on.  Have you ever tasted a really great pumpkin pie?  Yeah, that’s this shake.  Well done, because they didn’t overpower you with too much spice.

We got to talking with Seth, one of the owners and he shared his passion for his shop and for burgers in general.  He’s been all over the country, tasting burgers whenever he can.  He has a real love of the restaurant and that exudes from him. Kristien and I talked about coming here when the shop opened when he asked if we had one of the regular burgers and he said that they’ve really been tweaking the burger recipe.  Seth asked if we’d like to try them on him, the new and improved versions.  Who are we to refuse?  Two highlights to my burger:  the fried curly onions I asked to be put on top and the fact that it was approaching medium in terms of being cooked.  That made the burger juicy, fresh, and flavorful.  Fantastic burger!

Be on the look out because Filling Station has got some great things in the works…you just might see them open up somewhere else nearby soon.  If it’s any closer than New Canaan, I might have problems.  Serious burger problems!

They definitely deserve 4.5 Noms.  This is the kind of place that you can go to time after time and still order new variations of a tried and true favorite.  I haven’t even tried their sloppy joes yet, so there’s even more reason for me to head back.

Very inexpensive, coming in at only $27! Cash or check only, btw.

Tres Leches Shake/Cinco de Mayo Burger, Caramel Sea Salt Shake/Bacon Bleu Cheese Burger,

Cap’n Crunch Shake/Guinness Chocolate Shake/Buffalo Wing Burger, Original Review

Noms:  4.5

Cost:  $$

Filling Station

Address:  19 South Avenue

New Canaan, CT 06840-5411
Phone:  (203) 966-4445

Site:  http://fillingstationco.com

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/fillingstationco

 

 

Farm-to-table dining, unexpected atmosphere – Farmer’s Table, New Canaan

When you walk into Farmer’s Table on 21 Forest Street in New Canaan, it doesn’t look like much… and I kinda like it that way. An open kitchen, butcher block style tables with flickering candles, and even a refrigerated case makes you wonder:  is it a market? A cafe? A fine-dining establishment? Well, the answer is sort of all of the above.  And, being a design minimalist, I can appreciate that ambiguity.

Upon arriving we were immediately greeted by co-owner Lucia. And what a gracious host she was. Warm and incredibly friendly, Lucia introduced us to her partner, Robert Ublaldo, former chef at Tequila Mockingbird, and told us all about their restaurant, and more importantly, the story of their ingredients. Man, I love it when food comes with a story, don’t you?

As farm-to-table obviously implies, much of the ingredients are hand-delivered fresh that week, even that day.  Most of the vegetables come from Robert’s very own farm in Pound Ridge and many of the meats (notably, the Berkshire pigs) come from his brother, John Ublaldo’s farm, John Boy’s Farm, in Cambridge, NY. And, of course, because they aim to source as many of their ingredients as possible from area farms, their menu has been known to change on a whim. So what you see here today, may not be there tomorrow. Ooo, I love surprises!

The menu is small, with no specific type of food dominating. Despite the limited selection, Danny and I had a very hard time choosing between the pork tacos, chicken quesadillas, angus burger, and duck, which all had a very unique twist or two to them. Ultimately, I landed on the angus burger and Danny, the pork tacos (after a VERY strong recommendation from Amy, our super-friendly waitress).

Before we dove into the main course however, we were given a sample of their “famous” butternut squash soup. We both thoroughly enjoyed the soup’s warm undertones of brown sugar and honey with a punch of spiciness from the nutmeg. Next up was some soft and gooey freshly-baked bread made by Robert himself just minutes before.  And lastly, before the feature presentation, a deliciously fresh mixed greens salad topped with beets, tomatoes, walnuts, and my favorite food in the whole world, goat cheese. Not too much of any thing, nor to little, it was the perfect salad. Now, onto the main course. My angus burger was very fresh, perfectly cooked, and topped with incredibly smooth and sharp Vermont Cheddar cheese, between what seemed to be freshly-baked buns.  My only disappointment was that I think the burger could have been more seasoned… actually, it didn’t seem seasoned at all which made what could’ve been the perfect burger, quite bland.

But fret not, because any disappointment the burger brought was completely canceled by trying Danny’s pork tacos. The soft tacos featured fantastically seasoned braised Berkshire pork that melted in my mouth, plump and juicy red and yellow tomatoes, perfectly ripened avocados, lettuce, a twist of lime, and a chipotle sauce on the side that delivered the perfect kick of spice. FANTASTIC! To end the meal, we shared a piece of homemade pumpkin pie that could’ve used a few more spices, but was very creamy and smooth, topped with fresh-made whipped cream, served with just ground and brewed coffee.

The combination of almost perfect food, attentive, kind, and welcoming service, much lower than expected prices, and a quaint atmosphere add up to a total score of 3.75 noms. Juuuuust shy of a 4, but with definite potential to be a 4 or higher as they grow and change their menu.

Note: If you’re dining-in, don’t forget to BYOB, there’s a $10 corking fee. We enjoyed a nice bottle of Foxglove 2007 Zinfandel from Paso Robles. The fruitiness from the dark berries, the kick of herbs, and peppery finish made it the perfect complement to our entire meal.

Noms:  3.75

Cost:  $$

Farmer’s Table

Address:  21 Forest Street
New Canaan, CT 06840-4702
Phone:  (203) 594-7890