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!

A Feast of Classic Rustic Italian with Modern Flare @ Bar Sugo – Norwalk, CT

Prosciutto wrapped truffle fries

How’s this for a greeting while you’re waiting at the bar for your table?  A manager comes up to you, gives you a plate of prosciutto-wrapped truffle fries, then gives you the following message from the chef:  ”It’s about damn time.”  Yeah, it was about damn time we got down to Bar Sugo in Norwalk and Chef/owner Pat Pascarella had the right to call it like it is!  He had invited us several times and had even invited us to the inaugural Vinsotto wine event, but the world always seemed to conspire against us going.  Yet, here we were at the cozy and rustic Bar Sugo, ready for what would be a meal of epic proportions.

We decided that we’d take it easy, sampling a few things on the menu.  Starting off, we’d go with three cicchetti (Italian for small snacks) that were $7.50 each, 3 for $20, or 5 for $30, we’d go for three mozzarellas (same pricing as the cicchetti), the meatball sampler, and we’d end up with the cavatelli that both Mark Famous and Andrew Dominick recommended when they saw our check-in.  It’s cool to have foursquare friends who love to eat!  Well, that was the plan anyway.  Yes, we got our dishes, but Chef Pat provided us with even more so we could get a full taste of what Bar Sugo was all about.  By the time we were done, we tried 24 different items on the menu (that includes the Barrel Aged Negroni and the wine).  Ugh, we think we’re still full! Ready for the most epic review ever captured on our blog?

Asparagus with duck prosciutto, and black pepper

The asparagus came two ways:  raw and pickled.  Having both on the dish was a nice idea, but we really loved the vinegary pickle vs. the bitterness of the raw.  The duck prosciutto was really great and wasn’t overpowering despite the saltiness you expect from a cured meat.

Rabbit loin with lentils, prunes, and mustard oil

Bar Q B.B.Q.: OmNomCT Noms on the Menu, Bite by Bite – Stamford, CT

This post has been updated as of 8/12/12. After our second visit we found a lot of the opening kinks were worked out and the food was even tastier. Giving credit where credits due, we upped Bar Qs score to 3.5 noms!

When we broke the news about Bar Q B.B.Q. back in February, people couldn’t stop talking about what Bob LeRose had in store for Stamford.  What could be better?  Snack and tapas sized portions of BBQ mixed in with drinks that you wouldn’t be able to get enough of.  Well, we thought not much could be better, so we decided it would be a great way to kick off our Memorial Day weekend. And, we knew it was such a great concept, we had to go back went back during the summer to update our review.

Starting off, we love the menu.  It’s pretty simple:  one side has food, broken down into snacks, BBQ, and fixins. The other side has beer, cocktails, bourbon, and wine.  Let’s give you a taste of what we got a taste of…

Drinks

An impressive 26 brews on tap, with a good bunch of those being local.  Drafts are divided up into 5 categories, too: Pilsner, Imperial Pint, Weizen, Beer Shifter, and Seasonal.

Dan decided to go with a super refreshing Huckleberry Lemonade.  It was made with Huckleberry 44 North Vodka and fresh lemonade.  They served it with a sugared rim and fresh blueberries inside.  From the second you drink, you get a nice berry taste, then the lemonade.  The liquor wasn’t overwhelming at all, so this is a nice choice if you want an alcoholic beverage that is still a nice cool glass ‘o summer. Kristien went with the Allagash White Weizen.

Sauces (ranked mild to spicy)

Bourbon X:  good, you get the bourbon and some mesquite.

Vinegar XX:   tart at first, but then finishes with a very subtle heat.

Bold XXX:  just a bit spicy, smoky.

Snacks

Spicy honey chicken and waffles: this was our favorite of the night.  A thickly breaded bit of fried chicken sits atop a tiny waffle.  Add a spicy honey drizzle all over the fried chicken and you’ve got a bite of deliciousness you could just keep poppin’!  The kick from the honey actually does hit you a bit…it’s a nice touch.

Baked jalapeño brush poppers:  just like at Bobby Q’s, these are pretty tasty with creamy cheese and bitsof sweet corn stuffed inside.  Definitely on the spicy side, so be prepared.

Southern Egg Rolls: Sound bizarre? Oh, they are. Pulled pork, pulled chicken, collard greens fried up egg-roll style topped with a mustard BBQ sauce. Yeah, totally bizarre, but totally awesome. Our waitress said these are customers #1 favorite and we can see why. Very unique, very flavorful.

BBQ

Sausage:  there was a nice crisp to the skin and it was flavorful as one would expect of sausage.  But, the meat, itself didn’t have that snap you come to expect from bbq.

Brisket:  this was nice and tender and full of flavor. Cooked very nicely. We liked the BBQ jus that it was on top too.  That brought an added flavor and warmth to the dish.

Candied pork belly:  there was a nice smokiness and a mesquite taste.  The flavors jived well with the fattiness of the pork belly.

St. Louis Cut Sticky Ribs: Our favorite of the meats. A nice, slightly sweet BBQ sauce glazed these soft, tender, flavorful ribs. Quite tasty!

Fixins

Fried green tomatoes:  thick breading coated the tomatoes.  We felt this dish was a little bland on our first visit, however Bobby informed us that they improved the recipe and has been getting some excellent feedback. We’ll have to try them next time.

Mac  & cheese:  ahhh a nice crispy cheesy layer atop a warm, creamy bowl of cheesey macaroni yumminess. The new and improved mac & cheese is DELISH! We couldn’t get enough.

Fiesta Cornbread:  some cheese, corn, and jalapeno all mixed up into thick cornbreadyness.  We would have loved more kick from the peppers, but all in all it had a lot of flavor and was just the right amount of moisture for cornbread.

Hush puppies:  yummy bites with bits of corn inside.  The hush inside was just right…not dry, not soggy.  It had a nice give and take and was moistilicious. Delish!

Sweet Potato Crumble:  We were very excited for this dish on our first visit, because who doesn’t love mashed sweet potatoes with a nice buttery crumble on top?  Unfortunately, the spices were too overwhelming, namely the nutmeg.  However, this, too Bobby says has been addressed. We wanted to order this again on our second trip but had no room. Next time for sure!

Overall thoughts

After being open for a couple of months now,  Bar Q has made a good amount of improvements in the food and the service. Although the service was friendly on our first visit, it was quite slow. On our second visit the service was the way it should be–both friendly and attentive.  And, as you can see, the food was quite good to match.

We’re thrilled to see this improvement because the concept of taking all that we love about BBQ and serving it up in small plates is absolutely brilliant. We definitely recommend Bar Q as a nice place to meet up with friends, graze on some tasty BBQ and small plates, chill at the bar, or just hang out.

Bar Q

Noms:  3.5

Cost: $$$

Address:  15 Clark Street

Stamford, CT 06901

Phone: (203) 316-0278

A World of Flavors, Local Flare @ Harlan Social – Stamford (Harbor Point), CT

What to look forward to:  all photos by Evan Sung

Grand Opening – Tuesday, August 7th!
- Lunch service begins Wednesday, August 8th
- Brunch service begins Sunday, August 12th

Executive Chef Stephen Lewandowski has been all across the world, and has honed his culinary skills at some of the best restaurants in NYC.  We’re talking about Executive Chef at restaurants such as Tribeca Grill and the Myriad Restaurant Group.  As the opening of Lewandowski’s new spot drew near, we began to wonder about his new gig over at Harlan Social in Harbor Point, Stamford that would be opening in mere weeks.  How was construction going, what is his philosophy on food, what would be the focus of Harlan Social, and what would Harlan Social add to Stamford?  Well, we took our questions and released them upon a very kind, enthusiastic, and passionate Chef Lewandowski.

International Local Flavor Factor

Stephen has made it clear that he’s in love with travel and food from across the world.  On the Harlan Social Site, he says that he’s been to over 30 countries.  When I asked him about his favorite cuisine, he hesitated a bit.  “I can’t pinpoint my favorite, but I did enjoy Vietnam a lot.  The history, the culture, and the different flavor profiles of the food over there are amazing.”  Another great trip he had was to Southern Bulgaria, in a small mountainous farm area.  He relaxed and ate freshly made cheese with cucumber, tomato, and just-picked basil.  “The food was so simple,” Stephen excitedly shot out, “but so great.  Simple food.  They use the environment around them to craft their meals.”

This passion for local food shines through with the menu at Harlan Social.  The menu will change based on the season, but Chef Lewandowski doesn’t want to be limited to just that.  One of the greatest joys for him is changing up the menu whenever he wants.    Another great joy?  Translating the flavors and cuisines from his travels into amazing dishes such as plays on bánh mì and a braised short rib pierogie.

Snacks and Small Plates

Getting down to more of the food, Kristien and I noticed that the menu at Harlan Social is full of snacks and small plates, though there are entrées available also.  I asked Stephen why this was and he said that he loves a variety of food and choices.  “I want to take people out of the classical, ordinary, three course meal, ” Stephen proudly stated.  “You just order, food comes out…order a bunch of things, we’ll pace it out for you.”  There’s also a nice nod to vegetarian food because his wife, Heather Rae (Harlan is her maiden name), is veg herself.   Plain and simple, Harlan Social is taking a typical restaurant experience and is cooking outside of the box.

Events, Brunch and the Cheese Station (OMG)

At Harlan Social, they’ll be pulling some fresh mozzarella three times a day at the 13 seat cheese station.  Expect an amazing variety of other cheeses, too, that you can snack on while sipping on some wine, beer, or cocktails.  As for the events, get ready for some cooking classes that will teach you techniques, special food pairings, cheese nights, roast pig nights, wine tastings, and a natural chef’s table that makes it feel like you’re in the kitchen.  Harlan Social will also have a brunch that might prove to be a game changer.  Stephen told me there would be a big emphasis on the brunch.  “The cheese bar will turn into a crepe/waffle station and there will be one set price.”  We want brunch and cheese now…when can we start?

Drink Up!

Harlan Social will be featuring local and craft brews on tap, will have a nice wine menu, and will have fun and creative cocktails.  Drink up at your table or at the 55 person bar.  Yeah, that’s so big we can’t even imagine it!   Also, when you order a draft, check out where it’s coming from:  an iron clad draft beer cooler.  Swanky!

The Look, the Feel, of…Harlan

There certainly will be no lack of space at Harlan Social.  5,000 square feet with 20 foot high ceilings.  The dining area will be divided by a massively immense wine wall that measures in at 20 feet by 24 feet wide.  That will be a sight to be behold, but so will the ladder.  Yes, you know those fun ladders that hook onto library walls that can be slid across then climbed?  Yeah, they’ll have that!  The wall will not only be beautiful, but will also break the restaurant up into two parts.  The back half can be used for private dining that is attached to an outside patio.  Al fresco dining, here we come.

Stay Tuned

When we talked, there were a bunch of ideas floating around surrounding the opening.  Stephen talked about offering up special events and soft openings for their Facebook followers.  Some of the plans include a friends and family night and some special spots that might be auctioned off on the FB page.  You can’t get these chances unless you’re following, them, though.  So, keep an eye out for the opening of Harlan Social and check back here for a date, too.

They’ll be open when the timing is just right…you can’t rush culinary perfection.

Harlan Social (by Fairway Market)

Address:  121 Towne Street

Stamford, CT 06902

Phone:  (201) 264-7959

Hallelujah! A feast worth waiting for? Bar Rosso – Stamford, CT

Many people count down the days to, say, a vacation, or the holidays, or  a wedding, a due date, whatever. We… we countdown to restaurant openings. Yeah. So it’s no surprise that every time Bar Rosso in Stamford announced a new opening date, we were on the phone desperately trying to make reservations, only to be bummed out by another false alarm. But, hey, we know how it goes with renovations, contractors, licenses, training, and all that other craziness required to open a new place so no hard feelings. Especially no hard feelings after finally experiencing the divinity last night.

Now we only went to Bennett’s once (the restaurant that use to be in this spot), so we don’t remember exactly what it looked like, but when we walked in we were amazed at how incredibly different it looked. It is so much more open and contemporary. A much younger, hipper vibe with with a nice large bar, funky modern glass light fixtures, a beautiful stone wall, an impressive stainless steel and brick pizza oven, and subtle, clean colors.

We were 15 mins early for our reservation but the host was able to take us right to our table – a nice little two person booth and table set up. Score! Not even a minute into being seated a waiter asked us our preference on water, then no more than three minutes after that another waiter, Fedrico, was at our table asking us if we had any questions on the drink menu. The waiter seemed knowledgeable about the wine menu… impressive.  After ordering the Castello Monaci Piluna 2007 Primitivo, Federico showed up with our bottle in just another two minutes along with some fresh bread and olive oil. Yay! There’s nothing I hate more than having to wait for wine, and then having nothing to gnaw on to go with it. The wine was a nice, full bodied red, similar to a Zinfandel with the taste of dark red fruit. A solid choice to go with a variety of dishes, because after looking at the menu we knew we were going to be trying a whole lotta dishes!

So what about the menu you ask? Wait for it. Waaaaait for it. Overall, the menu was really nice! A large variety of traditional and unique Italian fare including pizzas, pasta that could be ordered in half or full portions (love that), salads, larger entrees, meat and cheese platters, and a ton of small dishes that could be mixed and matched. Oh wow, where to begin?!  After much deliberation (as alwaaaays), we went wild. First, a meat and cheese platter of some of our go-to faves: prosciutto, sopressata, coppa, peccorino (organic) and homemade mozzarella. Then onto small plates: polenta fries (based on the Foursquare recommendation), greens and cherries, and beets agrodolce (because we never say no to beets). Next up, clams and pancetta from the apps menu, cooked in a saffron and white wine, and herb broth. Aaaand last but not least (because there was also dessert) a half portion of the Bucatini pasta with braised pork, tomatoes, olives, and fava beans. Phew, ok, breath.

So remember how I was raving about how fast the service was. Um yeah, that ended after we got our wine… which is an indication that the waiter was probably good, but the kitchen was backed up. Yeah, all in, were we there for three hours. But, we’re not going to judge them on this because it was their first weekend so we have to cut them a break. Ok, back to the food…

The meat and cheese platter came out with a cheat sheet explaining everything we ordered. Cool! They did a great job sourcing the meats and cheeses because everything was fresh, tasty and flavorful. Their homemade mozzarella was semi-soft and quite tasty, though I prefer soft, juicy mozzarella. Everything also came with a delicious strawberry jam. Mmmm.

Next up, the small dishes. The beets agrodolce (meaning sour and sweet) came in a cute little mason jar. And while they were not at all sour OR sweet (weird) they were tasty. A bit too salty (you’ll notice this is a theme) but still quite good. The greens and cherries too had a nice flavor with a pretty hefty helping of garlic (I’m not complaining) and a spicy kick, which we later found out was Calabrian (Calabria represent!) chili oil. While this dish tasted nice, we couldn’t eat too much because they were drenched in too much oil. Now onto the pièce de résistance, the polenta fries. Oooey gooey bricks of buttery, fluffy polenta fried in a nice light batter with salt (again, a bit too much, but it didn’t bother us as much here). OMG, these were frickin’ good. We highly recommend them.

Already a little full, we moved onto the clams and pancetta. Hey, no rest for the wicked! A nice helping of both crispy pancetta and fresh tasting clams in what seemed to be a slightly thickened broth of white wine and a bunch of great flavors really coming through, especially the saffron and garlic. Again a bit on the salty side, but overall a nice dish.

Barely hanging in there, and already a little tipsy, we made it to the last course, the Bucatini pasta. This dish was fantastic with al dente pasta topped with a heavy helping of incredibly tender slow roasted pork that was cooked in coriander for a very unique taste. My only critique here is I would’ve liked more tomatoes, but it was very good regardless.

Ok, I know what you’re thinking. There’s noooo way we had room for dessert, right? Well, you’re right, we had absolutely no room. Buuuuut, we went for it any way. Whatever, go big or go home people! The dessert menu looked too good to resist with hot chocolate cake, honey panna cotta, like ten different gelatos that all looked fantastic, and one of our favorites, pizza frite. Oh fried dough, so simple, yet so very very delicious. This one especially as it came drenched in Nutella and chocolate ganache with a side of caramelized bananas topped with nuts. Um yeeeeah. A perfect dish, with perfectly fried dough that was oh-so ooey gooey (ok, I used that twice in one post – minus 5 points). Washed down with some Illy coffee, it was the perfect ending to our feast.

Yep, a feast that was definitely worth the wait. And once they get all the kinks worked out to speed up the service and if they lay off the salt a bit, they’ll be great! But those two issues aside, the meal was delicious and we think Bar Rosso has a long, successful life ahead!

Noms: 3.25

Cost:  $$$

Bar Rosso

Address: 24 Spring Street

Stamford, CT 06901

Phone: (203) 388-9640

Reservations recommended (also on Opentable.com)

Site: http://www.barrossoct.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001687354172

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/barrossoct

Ending the year on a high note! Red Lulu Cocina & Tequila Bar, South Norwalk (SoNo)

Kristien and I OmNoming it up at Red Lulu

When we were thinking about some great places to OmNom it up for New Year’s Eve, we couldn’t stop going back to our amazing experience at Red Lulu.  With a place that cool, we thought it HAS to be a scene on the craziest night of the year, right? So Kristien called up Red Lulu and was told the chef would be creating some new items for a very special menu, that there would be three seatings, one at 6:00, 8:00 and 10:00, and that they would have confetti and a champagne toast at midnight.  We decided we couldn’t miss out on what was sure to be a fantastic night so we made reservations for us, and our friend, Paul Mueller, author of Abigail and Blueboy, for 8:00PM

To begin, we were led to the most awesome seat in the house:  the head of the beautiful mirrored, cross table just below the brick wall where they were projecting NYC’s Time Square live.  Paul freaked when the granita came out smoking and popped a picture just like we did.  Some things never grow old! :) Our waitress, Emma, brought us our margaritas (HAD to have the Red Lulu and Diablo again) and prepared us for an awesome meal.  Some of the major highlights of the night:

Paul, Emma, and I

1)  The chef’s new guacamole!  It was mixed with thick chunks of smoked bacon… yeah bacon, need we say more?  I just hope this stays on their regular menu. If not, I’m sorry that I just told you about it without hope of you ever achieving oneness through this dish.

2)  The carne asada, once again, was amazing.  It was done up differently when I ordered it last time, so I didn’t feel as guilty for ordering the same darn thing.  There were some nicely grilled onions on the side, with a beautiful strip of beef that was cut into slices and accompanied with some tortillas for wrapping.  A spicy red sauce was there that added great flavor and heat to the dish.  By itself, the beef was amazing, but adding in the red sauce made it great.  Also, throw in some more guacamole and roasted jalapenos, and it’s perfect.  Well, I guess if there was bacon in this guac, too! :)

3)  The service!  It was spot on yesterday.  We were seated right at 8:00 and were well taken care of by the attentive waitstaff and by Emma.  The time we spent at Red Lulu seemed to just drift by as they helped us to celebrate.  Waiters, waitresses, and staff were clad in NYE necklaces and hats, were throwing balloons around, were cranking noise makers, and getting everybody excited.

4)  Both the pulled pork and rib eye tacos.  The meat, in both tacos, was cooked very nicely.  The pulled pork, in particular, was of the kind of quality that you’d find at a stellar BBQ joint.  The pork was just so moist and delicate, that it just seemed to melt away.  Served up with some salsa verde, the pulled pork tacos were a great starter.

My New Year's Eve Cotton Candy Goatee

5)  Last of all, we all shared  a dessert platter.  There was a tequila cupcake with a scoop of butter on top–I ate a big chunk of it with the cupcake thinking it was ice cream.  Nope, it wasn’t, ewwww.  It was butter!  Damn, that was smart of me, but we all got a big laugh out of it.  Also, there were fried banana cheesecake bites that Kristien just loved.   The other two desserts:  a bread pudding (we think… at this point we had quite a few margaritas) and a brownie cake were also very good.  We were even given an extra complimentary dessert platter and some champagne to wash it all down. SWEET!

Red Lulu continues to kick some major culo!  The place was packed, with three dinner seatings and a crowded bar, yet the food came out hot, and the service was superior.  I just wonder when we’ll be back again…maybe next Saturday?

A sensory explosion. Red Lulu Cocina & Tequila Bar, Norwalk (SoNo)

Calling Red Lulu Cocina & Tequila Bar a sensory explosion is an understatement. In fact, as soon as you walk into their mammoth doors you’re hit with the first two sensory explosions: sight and sound. Ok, not just hit, but more like “You got knocked the f@$k out” like Smokey says to Teebo in Friday. Let’s take them one at a time so you don’t get overwhelmed with the awesomeness.

Sight

Wow. No, wow doesn’t even sum it up. This place is freakin’ ridiculous. Dare I say the coolest looking restaurant in Fairfield County? Yes I dare. It starts with the rich, red, velvety, damask wall paper, then moves over to the gorgeous variety of antique/crystal/iron/goth chandeliers dangling from the ceiling, over to the swanky lounge and bar area bustling with trendy locals enjoying concoctions from their fabulous drink menu, along to the cross-shaped mirrored table in the middle of the restaurant next to a giant brick wall showcasing an eclectic variety of movies, ending with the plush, red, velvet seats nestled in cute little dining nooks for a little privacy among friends. Absolutely stunning… sexy even, rarrrr.

Sound

As busy as this place gets, you would expect it to be incredibly noisy. Luckily, the acoustics are excellent (must be all the velvety goodness soaking it up). Instead, all you really hear is fun and energetic music loudly (but not annoyingly) playing throughout the space.  And although we’ve not been to Red LuLu late at night or for a special party, I hear the musical entertainment can get quite intense!

But enough about all that, what about the foooood?! Here we move onto the two very interconnected senses:

Taste and Smell (with a twist of sight)

Once we were seated up on the wrought iron surrounded balcony overlooking the gorgeous cross table, we were greeted by our friendly waiter carrying a complimentary stainless steel bowl of steaming granita, to which he offered a splash of tequila to accompany it. Of course, we obliged! What a refreshing way to clear the palette for what was to be an amazing meal.

Then, we were presented with another complimentary dish of wonderfulness–a HUGE bowl of warm chips and a plethora of sauces and salsas for them to bathe in, including a spicy chipotle cream sauce, a fantastic spicy, sweet habanero mango sauce, an acidic and flavorful green tomatillo, and a nice, smokey roasted tomato salsa. And, to complement this variety of delish, we added one of their three guacamoles–the picante guacamole, with hell’s chile oil and fresh, hot green chiles. Not as spicy as we hoped, but still yummy! Yeah, and we totally couldn’t help ourselves from eating the entire bowl of chips with all of this! Oops.

Next up, drinks! What we thought was going to be an easy decision (margaritas, DUH), was anything but easy. With over 100 tequila choices (who the heck knew there were even over 100 tequilas on the market?), three sangria choices (including a rose, which you NEVER see), a wide variety of beers, and creative variations of margaritas, we weren’t sure where to start! We finally landed on the Red Lulu margarita for myself, an absolutely PERFECT mix of Sauza Hornitos, Patron Citronge, fresh lime, infused imperial cranberry cane syrup, and unsweetened crushed cranberry, and the Diablo for Danny, a harmonious blend of Lanazul Reposado, Luxardo Triplum, serrano chile, blood orange, and fresh pineapple, and strawberries.

Moving on, we have appetizers. As usual, stuck between about 10 different dishes, we picked the tres ceviches. As lovers of all things ceviche, how could we refuse a sampling of three different kids? Our absolute favorite of the three was the sangrita, a glorious combo of shrimp, scallops, tomato, fresh orange, hot sauce, and avocado. OMG. Second favorite was the traditional blend, consisting of grouper, fresh lime juice, serrano chile, and red onion. Very fresh and light. Although Danny thoroughly enjoyed the last one, called coco, the jury’s still out for me. The coco ceviche started with nice, fresh ahi tuna, drowning in coconut milk, a splash of fresh lime, cilantro leaves, and jalapeno. While I absolutely LOVE coconut, I feel like the coconut milk was just too heavy for a ceviche. It wasn’t bad by any means, but perhaps if they were lighter on the coconut milk and heavier on the lime, it would’ve been the perfect mix.

Now for course 2 (technically 4 if you count the granitas and chips, man we can eat), the main course! Danny had the carne asada, a grilled, marinated skirt steak (one of my faves) with flour tortillas, salsa roja, grilled red onions, and jalapenos. Holy hell, it was AMAZING (yes, of course I tasted it too)! The steak was perfectly cooked medium rare, which can be a challenge for thin skirt steak. The red onions were slightly spicy with just the perfect amount of vinegar to give it a nice, fresh acidity. And it even came with surprise, nicely seasoned french fries, like we needed that! Next time we go, I’m SO ordering that! And for me, I had the carne de vaca enchiladas from the appetizer menu, which was so huge it was anything but an appetizer. These unique and rich enchiladas consisted of slow-cooked short ribs, Negro Modello red chile sauce, and tobacco onions. While the ribs were cooked to perfection, soft, not tough or stringy at all, I would probably not get this dish again only because the Negro Modello sauce was just too rich, sweet, and overpowering for me. Though I think this is purely a taste thing, and no reflection of the quality of the dish… just look how amazing it looks in that picture. Puuurdy!

And last, but so very, very not least was dessert. Holy crap, where did we fit it? We indulged in the buenos noches, a warm, deep chocolate, espresso bread pudding (my favorite dessert of all time), topped with coffee ice cream, brown sugar caramel and hot fudge sauce. Oh wow, wow, wow, it was fantasical!

Then, just when you thought we were done, they bestow upon us the last of three complimentary dishes, a heaping serving of green apple cotton candy! How can you not fall absolutely in love with a place that ends every meal with a pile of sugary whimsy? You simply cannot, so at 4.25 noms, go here now, and go here often because it is more than a pleasure to all your senses.

Red Lulu Cocina and Tequila Bar
Noms: 4.25
Cost:  $$$

Address:  128 Washington Street

Norwalk, CT 06854

Phone:  (203) 939 – 1600

Website: http://redlulumexican.com

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Red-Lulu-Cocina-Tequila-Bar/114553975261899?ref=ts

Note: Reservations not accepted for parties under 6. Usually a long wait after 7:00PM, so go early if you can’t wait 45 mins +

¡Que Bueno! New Mexican Spot Offers Classics and Twists. Lola’s Mexican Kitchen, Stamford

There’s nothing that makes a long day of jogging on the treadmill and playing Zuma Blitz better than sipping (or gulping) on some margaritas.  Kristien and I had made reservations at Lola’s Mexican Kitchen, a new Mexican restaurant at 135 Bedford Street, which had only been open since December 9.  This restaurant is just a baby, time wise at least.  When you order their food, you’re probably think much different, though! The spot was very simple and elegant.  The atmosphere was lively, and as we ate our meal the crowd scene by the large bar began to grow.

To start, we ordered a pitcher of the Classic Margarita made with Patrón.  You can’t deny the power of Patrón!  They came out a little strong, but the waiter–Cody–had more mix put in and that made it real nice (yeah, we’re wusses).  Our waiter was kind, informative, never rushed us.  He has just finished his culinary training, so we all wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors in Omnomitivity.

Getting back to the pitcher, it cost $25 for the pitcher plus an upcharge of $10 for the Patrón–a very reasonable price comparatively. We’ve paid $40-50 in some places here in Fairfield County.  A nice and warm bag of tortilla chips then came to our table, accompanied by a very fresh tasting salsa.  The salsa had less of the large chunks in it like we like, but was still flavorful.

We then had the Trio of Guacamole.  We got more chips (we were in chip heaven), a bowl of fresh, chunky, tangy pico de gallo (much better), and three very distinct bowls of guacamole.  The black bean guacamole was good, though it tasted more like a black bean dip rather than a guacamole.  We both felt like we wanted more spice and a kick.  The classic guacamole was ok, we think it could have been a lot better and fresher.  Take Riviera Maya, for example:  they make the guacamole right in front of you.  It doesn’t get fresher than that, plus you get to choose your own flavors there.  The last guacamole, mango and habenero, was great, though.  The guac brought me back to summer with its freshness and its bright flavor.  The taste of the habanero was there, though I wish it would burn.  Why do we enjoy being in spicy pain so much?

I had to fight every urge in me, then, not to order too many of my favorite dishes off the menu.  The tacos looked amazing, but I fought the urge.  The burrito platter looked ridiculous, but I fought the urge.  So many classics looked great, but I fought the urge!  Instead, I decided to have a dinner of two small plates.  I really do love ceviche, so I ordered that to even out the heaviness of the Mexican pizza.  When the ceviche came it was presented in a fun way and looked almost too good to eat.  The calamari and shrimp tasted great and weren’t “overdone” as is sometimes the case with ceviche.  My disappointment with this dish was that a fishy taste and smell overpowered the citrusy taste, indicating to me that the fish was not fresh. Kristien had the same issue with her fish taco, which she did not like. She did, however, say the Carnitas taco, with slow roasted pulled pork, Oaxaco, and pickled red onion, was the best she ever had.

The Mexican pizza, on the other hand, was just plain perfection.  Kristien loves to bother me about my loathing of certain cheeses, which I suppose I have earned.  I decided to go out on a limb with a new cheese (Oaxaca) that  I hadn’t had before, one that I couldn’t even pronounce nonetheless!  The pizza came with a nice medium thickness crust and with Oaxaca smothered and melted across.  Top that off with chunks of spiced tomatoes and some of the smokiest and best chorizo I’ve had.  This is one of those plates you can’t put down and wish there was more of.  You need to order this–it’s a killer!

I was very full and wasn’t sure if there was any more room, but we saw the churros at another table and needed those bad.  When the churros arrived we couldn’t wait to dig in!  The cinnamon and the sugar on the outside was the perfect mixture to coat the crispy crust, yet the inside was still soft. Cody told us, are made fresh and to order.  This explains why they tasted so amazing.  I know they have flan and tres leches, but I think I’d have to order the churros again, as should you.  Really, really great.

So, the lowdown on Lola’s is that this place will most likely become a gem in the crown of downtown Stamford with just a few adjustments.  The really great thing about Lola’s is that they are listening to what people say about the menu and adjusting where they need to and taking chances.  The manager came to our table and shared this with us and told us that one of the best selling items is the Habanero edamame, which I have to try next time.  It’s hard to believe that they’ve only been open for about 9 days because things are running pretty smoothly. Lola’s definitely has the potential to be a 4 Nom restaurant and I’m sure they’ll make it there with their good manager, excellent waitstaff, and a wonderful menu.  Right now they have 3.25 Noms, but hope it won’t be long for that to change.  Definitely check this place out!

Noms:  3.25

Cost:  $$$

Lola’s Mexican Kitchen

Address:  135 Bedford Street

Stamford, CT

Phone:  (203) 674-5652

Site:  http://www.lolasmexicankitchen.com

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/lolas.stamford?sk=wall

 

 

The menu’s promising, but the food ain’t so rosy. Rouge Winebar, Norwalk (SoNo)

I think that the title says it all, but I feel that I have to defend myself here.  First of all, Rouge Winebar is a quiet and comfy place with beautiful brick walls and striking wooden floors.   They really set the tone when you enter as you see a lovely rack of wine bottles, inviting you in.  The bar is also impressive, especially the rouge light setting a halo around the liquor.  The menu, also, really impressed us.  Their philosophy is small plates and, look, we’re all for that.  It was really difficult to center in on just a few dishes, but we picked a select few that would awaken our tastebuds.

To start the party, we invited over a 2006 Marietta Zinfandel that was aged in French oak.  Quite a classy gal with a nice finish.  It’s no party with just one guest, so I asked the Greek Salad to join our table  He was smothered in a vinaigrette, and had some kalmata olives, cucumbers, red onion, peppers, and a dash of oregano.    The salad was good and certainly lived up to expectations.  Enough with the cheesy talk, let’s just get down to business.  We also ordered the Potato and Chorizo Croquette, covered in a garlic aioli.  Kristien wasn’t a fan, but I thought it was pretty good.  My main problem with the dish and many of the others here at Rouge is the lack of seasoning-or in some cases like the beef carpaccio, too much.  The croquettes could have definitely benefited from a bit more spice and kick.

The dish that I was most looking forward to was the Coffee Dusted NY Strip Steak that was draped over manchego mashed potatoes.  Top the steak with some demi glaze and put some sweet and sour onions on the side and you’ve got the golden ticket, right?  Well, sorta.  The steak was cooked perfectly at medium rare and had really beautiful grill marks.  What this dish gained in presentation it lost in taste.  The onions and mashed potatoes seemed to have more spice and flavor than the steak itself which disappointed me quite a bit.  It was still a good dish, but it wasn’t an amazing dish that you beg your dining partner to taste.

Finally, Kristien is a lobster risotto fiend, so when she saw that on the menu, she knew what she had to do.  Again, when it arrived, we were excited and we began to drool at the presentation.  The herbs, sauce, and parmagiano all combined to add a wonderful taste to this dish, but it couldn’t make the overcooked rice taste better.  I was having intense flashbacks to Gordon Ramsay yelling at budding chefs  on Hell’s Kitchen and blasting out, “You overcooked the risotto,” only I had no food or things to throw around.  

If you compared Rouge Winebar with Scena Wine Bar & Restaurant, I don’t think you’d really need to think twice.  Scena was just as nice on the inside, was around the same price, but the food was much better.  Plus, to boot, they are pretty close by each other, Scena being in Darien.  You can certainly have an okay meal at Rouge Winebar, but at that price you probably want an awesome or excellent one.

Noms:  2.75

Cost:  $$$

Rouge Winebar

Address:  88 Washington Street
Norwalk, CT 06854-3077
Phone:  (203) 354-4781

Site:  http://rougewinebar-ct.com/index.htm

Experience the divine trinity: Amazing food, wine & music – The Fez, Stamford

We’ve walked by The Fez several times since they opened this past summer uttering the words, “We have to try that place someday.” But it always seemed that when we had the chance, we’d say, “Hmm, not sure I’m in the mood for Moroccan food.” Now we know, that was a BIG mistake.  With their large and eclectic menu of snacks, small plates, and entrees inspired by a variety of flavors across the Mediterranean, there is something absolutely fabulous for whatever mood you’re in.

So no point in writing this huge blog post to work my way up to our final verdict. Let’s just get it out there now. The Fez is officially our favorite restaurant in Stamford to date with 4.5 noms. Yep, it’s that awesome. Here are the many reasons why:

Upon entering we were immediately struck by the amazing smell of  Mediterranean spices. One quick look to the left revealed the specials of the day on a little chalkboard. Walnut and currant glazed lamb chops with mushroom gnocchi caught my eye. Wow, I’d never seen such a unique combination.  A glance over the left revealed a small bar, intimate little tables, colorful Moroccan decor, and a small stage area for their vast array of nightly entertainment. We knew right away we were in for a great experience.

I know I’ve said this before, but we had an incredibly hard time choosing what to order, to the point where we were asking each other if we were hungry enough to eat six different dishes! We expressed our indecision to our first waitress, to which she offered up the owner and resident wine expert, Eric, to help us choose the perfect dishes and the perfect accompanying wine.  Meeting Eric was a very nice experience–pleasant, passionate, and smart. He informed us that the wine list isn’t up-to-date because they can’t keep up with his thirst for discovering and purchasing new wines, especially from Lebanon and South Africa. Love it! We let him take the reins on recommending a bottle based on our taste. He popped open a California blend that I didn’t love. His response? “No problem, I want you to love the wine, and if you don’t we’ll keep trying options until you do.” The next bottle was ‘the one.’ A medium-bodied blend from Lebanon, the 2007 Reserve du Couvent by Chateau Ksara had forward fruit flavors and a slight spiciness. The perfect pairing to what we were about to enjoy.

Danny and I started off by sharing two phenomenal dishes from the “snacks” section of the menu. The caramelized cauliflower with brown butter sauce, golden raisins, and pine nuts was a delicate and flavorful fusion of French and Moroccan flavors.  I typically don’t like cauliflower, but this was perfecto! Then, we thoroughly enjoyed the Pizzet Aroub, where Italy meets the Middle East– a unique combination of soft and perfectly sweet braised onions, sumac, olive oil, and pine nuts. On to the main dishes. I HAD to order the special I mentioned earlier–walnut and currant glazed lamb chops with mushroom gnocchi. Words cannot explain how intensely delicious this dish was. Perfectly cooked lamb (just under medium), slightly sweet and oh-so savory currant sauce, glazed walnuts, and hand-made gnocchi from the Bronx with an earthy mushroom sauce was one of the most fantastic flavor combinations my taste buds have enjoyed in a long time.  Danny ordered the grilled seven spice sirloin with tomato jam and fingerling potatoes. The sirloin was also fantastically seasoned and perfectly cooked at medium-rare, and the flavorful, but not overpowering, tomato jam was the perfect complement.  We then ended with Moroccan coffee, spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom and the Briwats for dessert, which is basically an Israeli baklava but not as teeth-hurtingly sweet. It was quite delicious!

After sharing our enjoyment with our very friendly and knowledgable second waiter, Thami (who happens to actually be from Morocco), he informed us that before they even opened they had a French chef from a 4-star hotel in Dubai and a Moroccan chef working together to craft and test this perfect menu… and perfect it was.

And, to finish off this divine trinity was the entertainment. We we were lucky enough to be there on a Friday night, which is belly dancing night (as is Thursday). Around 9:00 the beautiful Moroccan music suddenly became louder, then a roar from the diners as the beautiful and smiling Adina danced her way around the tables. I was impressed by her skill level.  And she didn’t just dance up there on the stage for the world to adore her. She also came out to the tables and had a great time dancing with a few willing diners. In fact, when she saw me dancing in my seat a little (I can’t help myself), she came over and wisked me up on stage to dance with her. Of course, after eating all that food, I thought I was going to die, but it was a blast.

By the time we left we discovered that we’d been there for 2.5 hours! The time just flew by, and despite the line of people hoping to get in, they never once rushed us to leave.

Reservations are not just recommended, they are pretty much required on the weekend if you don’t want a long wait.  And be sure to check them out on the weekdays too since there’s entertainment every night, including jazz bands, turntables, and singer/songwriter night (last week they had one of Paul Simon’s guitarists playing).

So no more “not in the mood for Moroccan” excuses, The Fez is a MUST-DO for everyone!

Noms:  4.5

Cost:  $$$

 

 

The Fez

Address:  227 Summer Street

Stamford, CT 06901
Phone:  (203) 975-0479

Site:  http://thefez1.com