dee Cuisine

Westchester Magazine's Third Annual Wine & Food Weekend

2013-05-13T09:42:00.002-04:00

Westchester Magazine's Third Annual Wine & Food Weekend will be held June 6-9, 2013 at The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester in White Plains, NY. As the premiere wine and food experience in the county, the Wine & Food Weekend will feature some of the region's most celebrated chefs, critically acclaimed restaurants, hottest specialty food products and some of the wine world’s most sought-after vintages.

Foodies and oenophiles alike will enjoy four days of pure heaven savoring some of the area’s finest food and the world's best wines. Experience restaurants and gourmet/specialty products; Celebrity Chef demonstrations; wine, beer and spirit tastings; wine seminars; a Winemakers Dinner; and a Burger & Beer Bash. The Wine & Food Weekend, whose title sponsors are The Journal News and The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester, is not to be missed. New this year to the event is Zachys as Wine Partner.

Some of the events planned are as follows:

BURGERS, BBQ & BEER BASH – On Thursday evening, June 6 from 6-10pm, 30 local restaurants will serve up their signature burgers at this opening event at the Kensico Dam Plaza. Complementary beer pairings by Manhattan Beer Distributors and cocktails by Pernod Ricard will enhance the foods, and live music by Mary C and The Stellars will set the tone for an exciting weekend to come. Proceeds from the Burger Bash will benefit Friends of Westchester County Parks.

THE GRAND TASTING – On Saturday, June 8 (11:30 am-3:30 pm) and Sunday, June 9 (noon-4 pm), a gastronomic showcase will give attendees the opportunity to sample the best of Westchester’s restaurants, one bite at a time. A gathering of 60 of Westchester's best restaurants (30 per day) will present their finest foods. In addition, more than 220 wines from across the world and select top-shelf spirits will be available for sampling in the beautiful Grand Ballroom at The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester.

EXPERT WINE SEMINARS & COCKTAIL CLINICS – Wine expert Kevin Zraly, who was Wine Director at Windows on the World in the World Trade Center from 1976-2001, will be returning to the event to teach three exciting seminars: Kevin Zraly’s Best Wines Under $30, Grand Cru Vineyards of New York, Oregon and Washington, and new, this year, Zraly will offer a Connoisseurs/Master Tasting of Brunello Di Montalcino. Spirits seminars will be announced shortly. Wine seminars will take place during Grand Tasting sessions.

SPARKLING SUNDAY BRUNCH – A Sparkling Sunday Brunch will be held on Sunday, June 9 (11:00 am – 2:00 pm) at 42 The Restaurant, Westchester’s stunning restaurant perched atop The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester.

CELEBRITY CHEF DEMONSTRATIONS – Food TV comes to The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester! Enjoy a rolling program of live cooking demonstrations by famous chefs preparing some of their signature dishes in person. Learn cooking secrets directly from the masters and sample their freshly cooked food, get cookbooks signed and more. Chef demonstrations will also take place during Grand Tasting sessions and are accessible to guests who have purchased a Grand Tasting ticket. Confirmed demo chefs include Eric Gabrynowicz and Stephen Paul Mancini of Restaurant North, David DiBari of The Cookery Restaurant and Michael Psilakis of MP Taverna.

THE WINEMAKERS DINNER – A formal, sit-down dinner catered by Westchester’s best chefs will honor The Livanos Family of Livanos Restaurant Group and Adam Strum, founder of Wine Enthusiast Companies. Set amidst the luxury of the Grand Ballroom of The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester, attendees will enjoy a rare, fine dining experience of food and wine pairings created and prepared by five of the Hudson Valley's most distinguished chefs and led by Honorary Dinner Chair, Chef Peter X. Kelly. Seating will be limited for this very special occasion.

Tickets and additional details for the event are available online at www.westchestermagazine.com/wineweekend and will be announced as they become available. For more information about Westchester Magazine's Wine & Food Weekend, or to become a sponsor, please call 914.345.0601 at ext. 112 or email pr@westchestermagazine.com.

Spanish Brunch at Sala on Hudson

2013-05-10T00:36:00.002-04:00

Croton's newest Spanish tapas bar and restaurant Sala on Hudson (sister to NYC's Sala One Nine) recently introduced their weekend brunch. The menu features tapas, a variety of bocadillos aka "sandwiches," and brunch classics with a Spanish twist.

Torrijas (French toast)

We tried several items on Sala's brunch menu, starting with the Torrijas, a plate of French toast served with Pedro Ximenez syrup and an apple compote. The French toast is crispy on the outside, and creamy inside. Drizzle some of the sweet Sherry syrup and you'll be indulging (and Mmm-ing) in every savory bite. If you like paella, we highly recommend the Revuelto de Paella, a chicken paella made with scrambled eggs and served with a piece of pan tumaca).

Revuelto de Paella

The Huevos Estrellados is an excellent dish to try. It starts off with a layer of perfectly cooked poor man's potatoes topped with a fried egg and strips of Serrano ham. The savory Huevos al Horno (Saffron tomato sauce, Idiazable cheese, pan tumaca) is also a great meal.

Huevos Estrellados

Huevos al Horno

Brunch isn't complete without an alcoholic beverage. All dishes can be paired with homemade sangria, Spanish boutique wines, draft beer or cocktails, including Salamosas, a delicious blend of sangria, orange juice and cava. Another great item is El Durazno, made with Cava and peach. If you prefer a drink with some bite, try their version of a Bloody Mary - the Moorish Maria, made with Blat (Spanish) vodka, and a spicy moorish mix.

Brunch is offered Saturdays and Sundays from 11-4pm.

Sala on Hudson
44 Maple St
Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520
Phone: (914) 862-4100
www.salaonhudson.com

The Beer Garden at Harbor Point is open

2013-05-09T00:00:00.000-04:00

The 6,000 square foot beer oasis called The Beer Garden at Harbor Point is now open. We stopped by for their soft opening on Wednesday and were impressed by the space. There are 300+ seats on two levels both inside and out, featuring a spectacular private bar room with its own outdoor terrace on the second floor with gorgeous views of Long Island Sound. Outside are rows of picnic tables (reminds us of other beer gardens in NY - like the Bohemian and the Standard).

On draft are 24 craft beers, including local Connecticut brewers Half Full, Thomas Hooker, and Two Roads Brewing Co. The Beer Garden also features a reserve list of large format bottled craft brews. If you fancy other drinks, order your favorite cocktail, or have one of their bartenders prepare a refreshing drink for you as you chill and soak up the views. You can even catch the sunset while you're there.

Parked along the Beer Garden's driveway will be a rotation of food trucks. For their soft opening, Maddy's Food Truck and Lobstercraft were present. You can also expect to see Skinny Pines, Hot off the Grill, and Melt Mobile rolling by with their tasty food.

The Beer Garden at Harbor Point will be open Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays from 4pm until last call and Saturday and Sundays from 12 noon until last call.

The Beer Garden at Harbor Point
15 Harbor Point Rd
Stamford, CT 06902
Tel: (203) 316-9044

beeratthepoint.com
facebook.com/TheBeerGardenAtHarborPoint
Twitter: @HarborPtBeer

Recap: Dishcrawl Greenwich

2013-05-08T17:00:00.000-04:00

Last night we attended the inaugural Dishcrawl Greenwich event. Dishcrawl takes food lovers on a gourmet Dishcrawl to four distinctive restaurants in one night. 48 hours prior to the event, we only knew the first stop. The other 40+ foodies had guesses on where we'd stop but the other 3 were a mystery up until the point where we got to the place.

First stop: Barcelona Wine Bar

The first stop was one of our favorite restaurants, Barcelona Wine Bar. We tried a few of their popular tapas: Cod Buñello, Shishito peppers, and Dates wrapped with bacon stuffed with blue cheese.

The next stop was the newest food truck in Stamford, Maddy's. Maddy's serves Haitian and American food. We sampled a Grilled Cheese sandwich made with Smoked and regular Gouda, bacon, roasted tomato, and a Creole remoulade. The second plate was Fried Conch with a spicy tartar sauce. Reminded us of past trips to the Caribbean where we dove for our conch.

Grilled Cheese @ Maddy's Food Truck

A Caribbean classic was the Griot, Haiti's #1 dish made of Crispy Pork Chunks and spicy Pickled Cabbage. We learned that it takes one month for the cabbage to pickle. And where does the heat come from? Pickled habanero.

Griot @ Maddy's Food Truck

The third stop was Sundown Saloon, a bar further down Greenwich Ave. We had chicken and pork wraps/tacos, along with boneless buffalo chicken strips. Not my favorite, but the food was good with a refreshing glass of Magic Hat #9.

Final stop was Méli Mélo for dessert, where Jay and I had a scoop of Banana and Nutella and Suzette (Vanilla, orange, peel and Gran Marnier) gelato.

Banana and Nutella Gelato @ Méli Mélo

So what did we think? Fun night - mostly good food and a great crowd.

For more information about Greenwich's upcoming Dishcrawls visit dishcrawl.com, check out their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter @DishcrawlGre.

Graze Delivers Fresh and Delicious Food

2013-05-07T15:54:00.001-04:00

With our busy schedules, we hardly have enough time to head out to the grocery store. We've resorted to buying our groceries and prepared foods online. The latest food delivery service we've tried is Graze.

Graze is a weekly farm-to-fridge online delivery service which brings fresh, wholesome and sustainably produced foods directly from Vermont's family farms to your front door.

At Graze, you can purchase heat and serve meals, ready-to-cook food, pantry items, fridge staples, and more. We tried out a week's delivery and were impressed by the quality of the food. In our week's crate were a container of Dinner for the Kids, a One Skillet Meal, farm fresh eggs, yogurt, quinoa salad, and turkey cold cuts.

When I think of a kids meal, I think of fried food or burgers - well, at least from what I usually see at restaurant menus. Graze's Dinner for the Kids is on the healthier, and tastier side - Chicken Teriyaki with steamed broccoli. The meal is already cooked, so all you have to do is "heat and serve."

The One Skillet Meal for the week was Pasta Primavera with Sweet Italian Sausage. Cooking the meal was easy - cook the pasta, brown the sausage, add veggies. Mix together and top with shredded parmesan cheese. The best part about cooking this dish - the prep work was already done. The veggies were pre-sliced and placed in labelled Ziploc bags. The meal was delicious. It was enough for 3 adults, plus we had enough for leftovers for work.

The Stir Fry Veggies was also great. We just cooked it the way we normally do - fire up the wok, heat some oil, add garlic and throw in the veggies. Because the vegetables were already sliced, the cook time was a mere 5 minutes. Time saver for us so we could catch up on other things.

Other items that came with the delivery:

We loved the Quinoa Salad. Already prepared with dressing on the side, it's great as a side or even a snack.
We cooked the eggs in an omelet with the nitrite/nitrate-free turkey cold cuts.
And the yogurt, eaten as a morning snack.

When ordering on GrazeDelivered.com, you'll notice some abbreviations next to some of the product names. Graze caters those with special diets, so be on the lookout for these letters:

'V' stands for Vegetarian
'GF' stands for Gluten-Free
‘P’ stands for Paleo-Friendy (A diet mainly consisting of lean meats and cage-free eggs, veggies. No grains or legumes.)

Though Graze's prices are on the higher side, you're paying for locally sourced food of great quality. Even better, the food comes prepped, so the time you save is priceless.

There's also a Graze referral program. Just put "Dee De Castro" in their referral box when you sign up. When you place their first order, you will receive our Rotating Veggie Mix, free of charge. Nice!

Graze also has a CSA program. All organic, local Vermont Farms, NO overloading of any one item because they work with a co-operative of farms. Plus, it's home delivered free of charge, and you get to add eggs and bread. Learn more about Graze's CSA program on their website.

Learn more about Graze on their website, like Graze on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter @GrazeVT.

Disclosure: We received a one-week delivery service from Graze. The opinions expressed are my own and I received no further compensation from Graze or their representatives.

Dishcrawl comes to Downtown Stamford - May 29

2013-05-04T22:30:00.001-04:00

Calling all Fairfield County foodies... Dishcrawl kicks off in Greenwich in a couple days, then Old Greenwich in June, and now, there's a new event set to hit Downtown Stamford on May 29th from 7 to 9.30pm. Dishcrawlers will get to taste specialty dishes from four area restaurants. Reservations are $45 per person and can be purchased at www.dishcrawl.com/stamford.

Sliders @ EOS

For more information about Stamford's upcoming Dishcrawls visit dishcrawl.com, check out their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter @DishcrawlStam.

Greenwich Dishcrawl Returns In June By Popular Demand

2013-04-22T07:58:00.001-04:00

The response from the Greenwichites has been incredible. In the beginning of April tickets were released for the inaugural Downtown Greenwich Dishcrawls scheduled to take place on May 7th and May 8th; within five days both events had sold out. All local foodies have expressed that they are hungry for more!

And so Dishcrawl Greenwich returns on June 11th for more fun in a different location. They will be exploring Old Greenwich this time around, and you can bet there will be tons of surprises along the way.

Reservations are $45 per person and can be purchased at http://dishcrawl.com/oldgreenwich/

Flat Iron Pie at ReNapoli in Old Greenwich

Participating restaurants are kept secret until two days before the event, at which time the
first location is revealed to ticket holders.

For more information about Greenwich's upcoming Dishcrawls visit dishcrawl.com, check out their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter @DishcrawlGre.

Mad Sq Eats Returns May 3rd

2013-04-17T14:07:00.000-04:00

Mad. Sq. Eats, Madison Square Park’s seasonal pop-up food market, is returning for its tenth year. Mad. Sq. Eats is located at Worth Square, across the street from historic Madison Square Park, and features approximately 30 merchants. Opening on Friday, May 3rd, the market will run from 11am - 9pm daily, and conclude on Friday, May 31st.

Guests have come to expect a perfectly curated blend of old standbys and buzzy newcomers; the Spring 2013 vendor line-up is no different. Exciting new vendors include Third Rail Coffee, Dreamscoops Ice Cream, Sunday Gravy NYC, Mrs. Dorsey’s Kitchen, Eleni’s New York, MMM ENFES, Mason Jar NYC and Seoul Lee Korean Bar B Cue.

Here's a full list of vendors participating this Spring.

New Vendors

Third Rail Coffee
Dreamscoops Ice Cream
Sunday Gravy NYC
SEOUL LEE KOREAN BAR B CUE
Eleni's New York
Mason Jar NYC
Mrs. Dorsey's Kitchen
MMM ENFES

Returning Vendors

Arancini Bros.
ASIADOG
Bar Suzette
CALEXICO
Charlito's Cocina
Graffiti / Mehtaphor
Hong Kong Street Cart
ilili
La Sonrisa Empanadas
Macaron Parlour
Mayhem & Stout
Melt Bakery
Mexicue
Mighty Balls
Mimi and Coco NY
Momofuku Milk Bar
Nunu Chocolates
Red Hook Lobster Pound
Roberta's
Stuffed Artisan Cannoli
The Cannibal
people's pops

For more information, visit madisonsquarepark.org.

TOMĀTO TOMÄTO in Stamford

2013-04-16T01:00:00.000-04:00

TOMĀTO TOMÄTO opened in Stamford in early April. We stopped by a week after their grand opening, and the place was packed with folks enjoying pizza pies and beer.

On the menu are several starters like calamari, burrata, and meatballs, salads, and entrees. The most important items on the menu are their signature pizzas and brew. A great combo when watching the game on the big screen televisions by the bar.

Fair View pizza

They cook their pies two ways: Traditional (with a layer of melted mozzarella cheese - what you'd get at a regular pizzeria) or Old World Style (with slices of mozzarella). A fan of the Old World, we tried two pies cooked in this style. The first was the Fair View made with grilled shrimp, pancetta, arugula, topped with shaved Parmesan and a balsamic reduction. Not a bad mix. The shrimp was an interesting addition to the pie, though it needed some seasoning. The crust - chewy, with a bit of crunch, and the perfect thickness.

The other pie we tried was the Stamford, made with grilled chicken, roasted tomato and goat cheese atop a layer of mozzarella cheese. We'll admit we were thrown off a bit with the combination of the two cheeses, but overall, the pie was good.

Stamford

Next time we stop by, we plan on trying the pie dubbed the Rockledge made with sweet sausage, goat cheese, and fresh basil.

TOMĀTO TOMÄTO
401 Shippan Ave
Stamford, CT 06902
(203) 658-8900
www.tomatotomato.com

The Beer Garden at Harbor Point in Stamford comes in May

2013-04-15T16:53:00.000-04:00

Stamford folks! Great news! A newly constructed 6,000 square foot beer oasis is coming to Harbor Point. According to a press release, the Beer Garden will have 300+ seats on two levels both inside and out, featuring a spectacular private bar room with its own outdoor terrace on the second floor with views of Long Island Sound.

The carefully curated roster of 24 craft beers on draft showcases beer hard to find ales from Dogfish Head, Captain Lawrence, Curious Traveler and local Connecticut brewers Thomas Hooker and Two Roads Brewing. The Beer Garden will also feature a reserve list of large format bottled craft brews for the true connoisseur. In addition, master mixologist Jason Clark has created a collection of hand crafted American-centric cocktails that provide a refreshing alternative to great beer.

A rotating collection of Gourmet Food trucks slotted along the Beer Garden's driveway will provide a culinary bounty that will contribute to the innovative and unique character of the Beer Garden. Lobster Rolls & Crab Cakes from Lobstercraft, Wood Fired Farm to Table Pizzas from Skinny Pines, Sandwiches from Hot Off The Grill and Gourmet Grilled Cheese from Melt Mobile will all be part of the experience. Heil adds, “We will be offering terrific food that is sustainable, local and that compliments the craft beer and cocktail program in a spectacular waterfront setting.

The lmian & BLT design team have worked to create an inviting, casual interior through the inspired use recycled wooden cargo pallets that will evoke a rustic, casual feel juxtaposed against the modem glass and aluminum structure of the building's exterior. The pallets have been collected from the nearby BLT construction projects in the South End and the reclaimed wood will be featured throughout the space as wall treatments, table tops and bar shelving.

Beginning in early May, The Beer Garden @ Harbor Point will be open Wednesday, Thursday & Fridays from 4pm until last call and Saturday and Sundays from 12 noon until last call.

The Beer Garden at Harbor Point
15 Harbor Point Rd
Stamford CT 06902

Brunch at Bar Sugo in Norwalk, CT

2013-04-14T20:49:00.002-04:00

Bar Sugo introduced their Brunch menu last Sunday. On the menu are their usual offerings, including meatballs and pizza, plus an Italian take on the brunch classics:

"bacon and eggs" made with crispy pork belly and sunny-side up eggs
"eggs benedito" - arancini, sausage and poached egg
sausage & broccoli rabe omelette with provolone and spicy tomato
baked egg with polenta and grana padano cheese
goat cheese frittata with onion, lamb sausage and cauliflower
pane perduto (french toast) with local maple syrup, allspice butter and blueberry compote

Craving Eggs Benedict, we tried Chef Pat's version of the brunch classic dubbed "Eggs Benedito." Instead of poached eggs sitting atop English muffins, they rest on two pieces of arancini, Italian fried rice balls. After cutting into the eggs, the yolk runs into the rice balls and gives it a rich, savory taste.

Eggs Benedito

Dee is a big fan of omelettes so she had the sausage and broccoli rabe omelette. The omelette was perfectly cooked. Each bite was delicious - filled with each component - crumbled sausage, broccoli rabe and melted provolone cheese. On the side was homemade spicy tomato sauce, a perfect companion to the omelette.

Sausage & Broccoli Rabe Omelette

To drink we had a round of their spicy Bloody Mary. The drink had quite a kick to it. We like it! They also offer unlimited unlimited Bellinis for $15. Brunch starts at 11, so you could get pretty saucy by early afternoon.

Bar Sugo
102 Wall St
Norwalk, CT 06850
Tel: (203) 956-7134
www.barsugo.com
facebook.com/BarSugo
Twitter: @barsugo

Photologue: Dee's Birthday at Pink Sumo in Westport, CT

2013-04-11T00:00:00.000-04:00

Last week, we stopped by Pink Sumo to celebrate Dee's birthday. Impressed with the sushi and sashimi at their Grand Opening event last December, we felt this was the perfect spot for a birthday feast.

Whenever we go to a great sushi restaurant, we order an Omakase, a series of dishes prepared by the chef, along with several pieces of sashimi and sushi. For Dee's birthday, we kept with our tradition, and ordered some of Pink Sumo's popular dishes. We also shared a bottle of Tengumai "Dancing Goblins," a rich, food-friendly sake. Here's a photologue of what we enjoyed.

Rock Shrimp

Miso Black Cod - grilled black cod, shitake mushrooms served with miso sauce

Selection of Oysters in different sauces
From left to right: Ponzu, Yuzu, Yuzu Kosho (spicy)

Live lobster with yuzu special sauce

Uni Scallop Carpaccio - sea urchin & sea scallops served with jalapeño sauce
It's buttery and melts in your mouth.

Filet mignon with mushroom and zucchini

Lobster roll with avocado and eel

Sumo Boat for 1 - 10 pieces of sashimi, 5 pieces of sushi with a Bollywood roll

The presentation of every dish was beautiful, and every one of them was absolutely delicious. We got out of our comfort zone and tried new dishes, like the oysters, sea urchin and the raw lobster.

We highly recommend checking out Pink Sumo. Fresh fish, excellent service, and a great experience for any occasion.

Pink Sumo Sushi & Sake Café
4 Church Lane
Westport, CT
Tel: (203) 557-8080
www.pinksumoct.com
facebook.com/pinksumoCT
Twitter: @PinkSumoCT

Greenwich Dishcrawl - Night 2

2013-04-10T17:31:00.004-04:00

In case you haven't heard, Dishcrawl expanding to Greenwich this May! Due to to overwhelming amount of support from local foodies and the fact that they've sold out the event in 3 days, Dishcrawl has decided to add a SECOND NIGHT to the Downtown Greenwich Dishcrawl! The second night will be held on Tuesday, May 7th. Reservations are $45 per person and can be purchased at dishcrawl.com.

Spinach and cheese quiche at Méli-Mélo in Greenwich

bartaco's Spring Promotions

2013-04-09T14:52:00.002-04:00

As the colder weather comes to a close, it’s time to come out of hibernation and enjoy the best of what life has to offer. bartaco has many exciting events going on throughout the spring and summer that you won’t want to miss out on.

Taco Tuesdays: Every Tuesday, from 9PM to close, tacos will be only $1.50! So make sure to end your day the right way with Taco Tuesday!
Happy Hour: 5 for $5 from 5-6:30 at all locations! Each of the following cocktails were specifically crafted for our popular happy hour –

La Ruleta: silver rum, peach nectar, fresh lime juice, and jalapeno
Warsaw Sour: polish vodka, agave nectar, crushed lemon, thyme, celery bitters
Cecilia: chinaco blanco tequila, guava nectar, fresh lime juice
Summer Street Snap: espolon reposado tequila, ginger, fresh grapefruit juice, peychaud’s bitters
Sangria Pera: sauvignon blanc, st. germain, pear nectar, fresh cut fruit, soda

Party Packs: For any upcoming events or perhaps just for a fun dinner, bartaco offers party packs for various sized groups. Instead of dining out, switch it up and bring the bartaco experience home with you!
Cinco de Mayo: Get into the mood with our signature cocktails, great music, and delicious food. Who needs to go to Mexico when you can have just as much fun at bartaco?
Moonshine Slushy: It's everything but your ordinary margarita. It will be making its debut on Wednesday, April 10 only at our Stamford location.

bartaco has locations in Stamford, West Hartford and Port Chester. For more information, visit www.bartaco.com.

Dishcrawl Crawls into Greenwich, CT

2013-04-04T10:16:00.001-04:00

Connecticut folks...ever been on a food crawl, or a pub crawl? Dishcrawl expanding to Greenwich this May! Dishcrawl is a national startup founded on the premise that communities can be brought together through good food and good company. Dishcrawl takes food lovers on a gourmet Dishcrawl to four distinctive restaurants in one night.

Taken at Doppio, Greenwich, CT

Dishcrawlers have been enjoying dining experiences in San Francisco, New York, Montreal,
Ottawa, San Jose, Toronto, Philadelphia, and other major cities. And now Dishcrawl expands into Greenwich’s downtown neighborhood with the mission of building community through a commonality of a passion for food. Dishcrawlers have the opportunity to experience the best of Greenwich’s culinary scene with each other while simultaneously helping local restaurants gain exposure in their respective communities. Reservations are $45 per person and can be purchased at dishcrawl.com.

“Dishcrawlers will embark on a memorable food tour like no other,” says Greenwich
Dishcrawl Coordinator Jesse Leeds-Grant. “Food lovers alike will experience the food culture
in Greenwich and have the opportunity to meet the chefs and owners behind the culinary
creations”.

Participating restaurants are kept secret until two days before the event, at which time the
first location is revealed to ticket holders.

For more information about Greenwich's upcoming Dishcrawls visit dishcrawl.com, check out their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter @DishcrawlGre.

elm Restaurant in New Canaan Celebrates Its 1 year Anniversary

2013-04-02T01:06:00.000-04:00

Elm Restaurant celebrated its first birthday on the first day of Spring, March 20th. Within one year of being in business, the modern American restaurant has earned many accolades including the title of "Best New Restaurant" by Connecticut and Esquire Magazines.

We stopped by to congratulate Chef Brian Lewis and to enjoy the "signatures of elm tasting menu" featuring the year's most memorable dishes.

Amuse Bouche - sunchoke, puffed wild rice, piquillo pepper

The evening started with an amuse bouche of creamy sunchoke topped with puffed wild rice and piquillo pepper served in a small shooter glass. Clean. Rich. Flavorful. Words can't describe our excitement. We knew a great evening was in store for us.

As we eagerly awaited the next course, we enjoyed a glass of Tahitian Bloom, a cocktail made with Champagne, hibiscus flower and syrup. The hibiscus syrup added a nice floral note to the Champagne and brought back memories of our recent babymoon to French Polynesia.

The next course in the tasting was Chilled Kushi Oyster, a small oyster from British Columbia, served with green apple gelée, pickled Buddha's hand, and a yuzu vinaigrette. The taste was refreshing, sweet, and citrusy.

Chilled kushi oysters
green apple, fennel, pickled buddha's hand, yuzu vinaigrette

We loved Chef Lewis's presentation of "bacon and eggs." Served in an eggshell is soft-cooked eggs with a fontina sauce flavored with truffles, maple bacon and chives.

Bacon and soft scrambled egg

The Crunchy Yellowfin Tuna was our favorite - Seared tuna topped with quinoa and toasted sesame resting on puréed heart of palm and brown butter caramel sauce.

Crunchy yellowfin tuna

Chef Lewis's take on porchetta was interesting, and delicious. Instead of pork, the porchetta is made with rabbit and foie gras served with mixed greens and a hazelnut emulsion.

Porchetta with rabbit and foie gras

The wild escargot tortellini is something we've never seen, or heard of, before coming to elm. Definitely a new take on presenting escargot, and worth trying.

Wild Escargot Tortellini

The final entrée was Duck breast sitting on leeks pureé with cippolini onions, squash spaghetti and foie gras jus. Another well executed dish.

Duck breast

The meal ended with two of elm's best desserts - a pre-dessert and palette cleanser, yogurt sorbet with granola and pineapple, followed by sticky toffee pudding, a rich treat served with toffee sauce, crème fraîche.

Yogurt sorbet, granola, pineapple

Our taste buds, and stomach, went on a wonderful culinary adventure. The tastes of each dish were pleasing to the eyes and the palate. Should you come to elm for the first time, we highly recommend trying the chef's tasting menu.

Elm Restaurant
73 Elm Street
New Canaan, CT 06840
Tel: 203-920-4994
www.elmrestaurant.com
Twitter: @elmrestaurant

Nuchas Empanadas: Hand-Held Goods Made in NYC

2013-03-27T13:47:00.001-04:00

Nuchas Times Square Kiosk

If you're craving delicious baked empanadas, check out Nuchas Empanadas at their kiosk in the heart of Times Square or their food truck roaming through the streets of NYC. On the menu is a selection of meat, veggie, and sweet empanadas with influences from around the globe, as well as other pastries and sweets. You might also find limited-edition empanadas, like the Makers Mark Bourbon Hampshire Pork. These aren't your typical empanadas.

All eight varieties of Nuchas empanadas.
How do you tell which is which? Just check for the letter in the corner.

After tasting all eight flavors, we've narrowed our favorites to a few:

Argentine - Pat Lafrieda's ground beef, onions, pepper, scallions, potatoes and olives
Jambalaya - Shrimp, arborio rice, tomatoes, onion, peppers, tumeric dough
Portobello - Portobello mushrooms, spinach, onion, mozzarella and fresh herbs, spinach dough
Apple, Cranberry, and Nutella - Granny Smith apples, cranberries, pear, Nutella and chocolate, white almond dough

The Argentine is the top seller at Nuchas and we can taste why. The saucy inside is rich and packed with flavor.

Argentine empanada

The Apple, Cranberry, and Nutella empanada is as awesome as it sounds. Be sure to grab one, especially if you see them come out of the oven.

Fresh out of the oven - Apple, Cranberry and Nutella empanadas

Apple, Cranberry, and Nutella empanada

Empanadas are priced at $3, including tax. Nuchas also has a deal for 3 empanadas and a drink for $10.

Nuchas Empanadas
Broadway @ W 44th Street
New York, NY 10036
Tel: 646-477-8247
www.nuchas.com
facebook.com/Nuchas
Twitter: @NuchasNYC

Open daily

Shmaltz Brewing Co. Opens New Brewery in Upstate New York

2013-03-25T17:35:00.001-04:00

Shmaltz Brewing Company, handcrafters of HE'BREW - The Chosen Beer® and Coney Island Craft Lagers®, is breaking with tradition and opening its own New York State production brewery. Located in Clifton Park, NY, 10 minutes north of Albany, Shmaltz's new home boasts a 50-barrel 20,000 square foot brewhouse with 20,000 barrels of annual capacity. The space also touts a 1,700 square foot tasting room, and roughly 800 square feet of office space.

The first stainless kettles were delivered this week and the inaugural brew date is targeted for late-April. Packaging should commence in May and June, and Shmaltz projects bringing 100% of its production in-house by mid-to-late summer.

The first stainless kettles

The heart of Shmaltz's new operation features a custom-made, 5-vessel manual workhorse brewhouse as well as 8 fermentation and 2 bright beer tanks manufactured in the US from Oregon's JV Northwest. The 120-bottle-per-minute packaging line comes from the well respected Italian experts at SBC/BC International. The new Shmaltz brewery will package 12 and 22 ounce bottles and kegs of their diverse core and seasonal favorites. Several new releases and collaborations are on tap for 2013, and Shmaltz will continue their acclaimed exploration of barrel-aging with a current inventory of more than 300 bourbon, rye whiskey, and tequila barrels.

A press event and ribbon cutting ceremony will be announced shortly for late April or early May. The official, public grand opening bash will take place on Sunday, July 7, 2013. Specific details will be announced soon. Following the opening, craft beer enthusiasts will be able to enjoy the nectar of the new brewery gods at Shmaltz's tasting room throughout the year. Brewery tours will be available to the public - times will be announced this summer.

Extraordinary Desserts in San Diego

2013-03-15T15:45:00.004-04:00

Extraordinary Desserts...The name says it all. Karen Krasne's extravagant creations are appealing to the eye as to the palate. We stumbled upon this dessert restaurant, thankfully, by luck. The moment we stepped through the entrance, we were blown away by the display of stunning cakes lined up waiting to whisked away and placed into a cake box. We probably spent 15 minutes going from one display case to the next trying to decide what to savor that evening. As we narrowed down the choices, a fresh batch of desserts were put on display. A kid in a candy store is how we felt.

Here are a few of the beautiful treats you'll see when you step in...

Strawberry-Raspberry Scones

Blackberry-Blueberry Scones

Blackberry Linzer Danishes

Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée

Extraordinary Desserts also has Happy Hour Specials available Monday through Friday from 4-7pm. The Little Italy location's happy hour menu features light bites, including sandwiches and a selection of cheeses, and daily wine and beer specials. It might be worth getting a few items and sharing it with friends. Shall we recommend getting a grilled cheese panini, like the Italian Fontina panini or the Turkey Sandwich which is loaded with baby greens and served with a side of olives. Pairing them with a glass of wine or beer is ideal. But remember, you've gotta save room for dessert.

Panini

Grilled cheese sandwich

It was hard to make a choice on what to have for dessert. We chose the Four Berry Cobbler and Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding. The Four Berry Cobbler is served warm with a medley of fresh berries - strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries - and topped with a crunchy crust, which I think was the best part of the dessert. Cracking the shell is tough but you can break off a piece and use it to scoop up the warm, sweet berry filling.

Warm Four Berry Cobbler

The Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding is by far, the best bread pudding we've ever had. It's made with a Vanilla Crème Brûlée mixture with layers of bittersweet chocolate and pieces of croissants. It's a very rich and savory dessert, and a must for chocolate lovers.

Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding

It's too bad Extraordinary Desserts only has locations in San Diego. Would love for them to open up in NY or CT. We'll keep drooling at our photos until we make the trip back to the West Coast.

Extraordinary Desserts
Little Italy
1430 Union St
San Diego, CA 92101
Tel: (619) 294-7001
www.extraordinarydesserts.com

San Diego: Leilani's Cafe - Hawaiian food on the mainland

2013-03-13T00:06:00.000-04:00

It's hard to find great Hawaiian food on the mainland. So when we discovered Leilani's Cafe in the Pacific Beach neighborhood, we dined there 3 days in a row during our recent trip to San Diego. Leilani's Cafe is a small mom-and-pop cafe that serves breakfast and lunch. On the menu are bagel sandwiches, brunch items, and Hawaiian plate lunch classics like Loco Moco and Kailua Pork.

Hawaiian French Toast with coconut maple syrup

The Hawaiian style French Toast topped with sliced bananas and strawberries, drizzled coconut maple syrup is a great way to start the day. It's made with sweet Hawaiian bread and each bite is moist and flavorful, and not overly sweet.

A bargain breakfast priced under $10 is My Kalani - a generous serving of two eggs, Kailua pork, rice, Portuguese sausage, and mac salad. The meal is enough for 2 people, or maybe 1 if you're really hungry.

My Kalani - Two eggs, Kailua pork, Portuguese sausage, mac salad and rice

Da Plate Lunch menu has all the classics - teri chicken, teri beef, kahlua pork, and homemade chili - and are priced under $9. Well worth the price because the portions are huge! You can't go wrong with any of the plates. Each dish is delicious.

Be on the lookout for the Da Specials written on the chalkboard by the cashier. One of our favorites was Leeroy's Spicy Chicken, a plate lunch with fiery chunks of chicken, 2 scoops rice and mac salad. If you like heat in your food, you've gotta try it.

Aloha Beef - Kahlua Pork, Teri Beef, 2 scoop rice and mac salad

My Kalani

We're also big fans of the Spam Musubi, grilled Spam on top of a block of rice, wrapped together with nori dried seaweed. For $5.75 you get 6 pieces along with Leilani's dipping sauce. This is great as a snack on the go, or like what we did, packed it up and brought it to the San Diego Zoo.

So what do you drink with all these delicious dishes? How about some Hawaiian coffee, fresh fruit smoothies, or even Hawaiian Sun drinks.

With Hawaiian music playing, friendly staff, and ono grindz, you'll feel like you're in Hawaii. So if you're in the area, do stop by.

Cash only. If you forget, there's an ATM around the corner.

Leilani's Cafe
5109 Cass St
San Diego, CA 92109
Tel: (858) 361-1280
facebook.com/pages/Leilanis-Cafe/

"Taco Tuesdays" at bartaco

2013-03-12T12:39:00.000-04:00

Starting today, bartaco will be hosting "Taco Tuesday" in all three locations (Port Chester, Stamford and West Hartford). All of their signature tacos will be available for $1.50 from 9pm - close.

Need ideas of what to get? Our favorites are the Red Snapper a la Plancha, Spicy Chorizo, and Lamb Barbacoa. But with such a great deal going on, you can experiment and try them all.

"Last Man Standing" Contest at Rodizio Grill in Stamford

2013-03-02T19:25:00.001-05:00

On Thursday, May 9 at 7pm, members of the Stamford Fire and Rescue Department and the Stamford Police Department will compete to see who can eat the most grilled meats! Rodizio Grill's gauchos (cowboys) will continuously serve the participants rotisserie-grilled steak, pork, chicken, seafood and other delicious entrée selections. The last competitor to turn the cue to red will be declared the winner! The victor will receive FREE Rodizio meals for one year* plus a $100 cash prize.

Stamford's Brazilian steakhouse Rodizio Grill, is proudly partnering with the Stamford Fire and Police departments to help raise much needed money for The Stamford Fire Safety Foundation Fund. A portion of the meal proceeds for this special evening will go toward the fund’s new "Alert for Life" campaign. This initiative improves the lives and safety of the local community through fire prevention programs.

The entry donation is $30 per person, and it is open to all Stamford firefighters, police officers, their friends and family members. All "spectators" will enjoy a special meal price of $25.99 per person, Reservations are recommended.

Think you got what it takes? Then register by emailing rodiziogrillct@gmail.com or jamestarzia@gmail.com. You may also register for the competition by calling firefighter Jimmy Tarzia at 203-595-1739.

Rodizio Grill

5 Broad Street

Stamford, CT 06901

Tel: (203) 656-4774

Twitter: @RodizioGrill

Facebook: facebook.com/RodizioGrill

rodiziogrill.com

NYC's new pasta bar, Pastai

2013-03-01T15:53:00.000-05:00

Pastai, a inimitable artisan pasta bar, will open its doors on March 5, 2013 in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood. An Italian term for "the pasta makers", this 32-seat establishment allows its patrons to sip fine wines and spirits while observing the chefs in an enclosed kitchen area creating fresh, homemade pasta daily. Pastas in production will be ravioli with multiple types of stuffing, cavatelli, tagliatelle, pappardelle, penne, orecchiette, paccheri, fusilli, bucatini, spaghetti and more and all hand prepared in-house on a specialized Arcobaleno pasta machine.

Located at 186 Ninth Avenue between West 21st and West 22nd Streets with a ‘vintage modern’ feel, Pastai is the second restaurant in owner Chef Melissa Muller Daka's portfolio, following the success of EOLO: Sicilia a Tavola, Chef Melissa's love letter to Sicily. In keeping with Chef Melissa's passion for fresh, organic, local produce, Pastai offers seasonal menus dedicated to southern Italian cuisine sourcing produce from New York producers. Pastai's house-made pasta and sauces will be available for purchase in the restaurant also.

Pastai will be open Mondays to Thursdays from 7 AM-2 AM, Fridays from 7 AM-3 AM, Saturdays from 10 AM-3 AM, and Sundays 10 AM-1 AM. Brunch will be served on Saturdays and Sundays. Once a month in its 950-square foot dining room, Pastai will host wine tasting dinners and children's pasta-making classes. When not in the kitchen, Chef Melissa Muller Daka is a volunteer chef at a local public elementary school as part of the ‘Chefs Move to Schools’ initiative.

For more information about Pastai and it's scheduled March opening, please visit www.pastainyc.com, “Like” Pastai on Facebook, and follow Chef Melissa on Twitter (@ChefMelissa).

Darien Restaurant Week returns February 24 - March 1st, 2013

2013-02-21T12:45:00.002-05:00

Darien Restaurant Week begins Sunday, February 24th and runs through Friday, March 1st, participating restaurants will offer a special prix-fixe lunch and/or dinner menu during the entire week. (Excludes tax and gratuity)

Below is a list of participating restaurants:

Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza - (203) 655-2625
Bodega Taco Bar - (203) 655-8500

Lunch: 2 tacos of guests choice , 1 order of rice and beans & 1/2 order of bodega grilled corn
Dinner: 1 order of house pico and chips, 2 tacos of guests choice, 1 order of rice and beans, 1 order of bodega grilled corn & 1 pot de creme

Cesco’s Trattoria - (203) 202-9985
Chuck’s Steakhouse - (203) 655-2254
Coromandel - (203) 662-1213
Darien Social - (203) 614-8183
Estia’s American - (203) 202-7051
The Goose - (203) 656-2600
Jimmy’s Southside Tavern - (203) 309-5090
The Melting Pot - (203) 656-4774
Rory’s Restaurant - (203) 655-9453 ‎
Sails American Grill - (203) 853-7245
Scena Wine Bar & Restaurant - (203) 662-3226

Check connecticutrestaurantweek.com for more information

EOS Greek Cuisine in Stamford

2013-02-18T23:42:00.005-05:00

EOS Greek Cuisine, located in Downtown Stamford, recently changed their menu after being in business for about 4 1/2 years. We were invited by EOS' owner, Nikki Glekas, to sample the new additions to their menu.

For starters, we sampled a few small plates from their Mezedes menu:

EOS Sliders, ground lamb sliders with caramelized onions and roasted red pepper sauce
Feta Saganaki, sesame and poppy seed crusted feta with peppered honey drizzle
Mydia, P.E.I. mussels steamed in white wine, ouzo, butter, garlic and fresh herbs
Veggie Moussaka, layers of zucchini, eggplant, potatoes, mushrooms and lentils with béchamel cream

EOS Sliders

Each of the dishes were delicious. One of our favorites was the EOS sliders. We've had lamb sliders at other restaurants, but these were the best we've had. The sliders were rich and juicy. They didn't last long on the plate. They can easily be a meal on its own since each order comes with 3. While indulging in each bite, we were planning our next visit to the restaurant where we'd order a few sliders along with a glass of Greek wine and enjoy them at the bar.


Feta Saganaki

Tied with the sliders was the Feta Saganaki. This was the first time we've had feta prepared the way EOS did. Each bite was a joy, especially with the different textures: a smooth inside and crunchy outside. Sweet. Salty. Savory. If we didn't have additional dishes to try, we'd order another plate of it.

Veggie Moussaka

The Veggie Moussaka was a hearty dish with layers of zucchini, eggplant, potatoes, mushrooms and lentils with béchamel cream. Even a meat lover would enjoy it. On the lighter side is Mydia, a great PEI mussels dish - sweet and tasty - that will get your appetite whet for the next course.

Mydia

Kypro Salata

Papia

Lahanodolmathes

Ksifias

The second course, Kypro Salata, was made with mixed greens, grilled zucchini, mushrooms, eggplant, red peppers, haloumi cheese and balsamic vinaigrette. This dish would be great for lunch. It's light and satisfying. I really enjoyed eating the haloumi, a mild salty goat cheese.

For the third course, we were presented:

Papia, char-grilled duck, black cherry and red wine reduction with pine nut rice
Lahanodolmathes, ground beef and rice stuffed cabbage leaves with creamy lemon sauce
Ksifias, char-grilled swordfish kebab with lemon potatoes

Jay's favorite was the Papia. The duck meat was juicy and cooked perfectly. The tart black cherries complemented the meat and the rice with pine nuts added great texture.

My favorite was the Lahanodolmathes. This was more of a comfort food to me. The stuffing reminded me of a Filipino dish I enjoy - torta - an omelette made with ground beef and potatoes. The cabbage leaves topped with the tangy lemon sauce was also delicious. I could easily eat a few of these pockets. Fortunately, three are in each serving.

As if we didn't eat enough, we managed to save some room for dessert and ordered some homemade Baklava, layered phyllo with almonds, walnuts, honey and cinnamon. Truly the best we've had in Connecticut.

Baklava

EOS Greek Cuisine
490 Summer St
Stamford, CT 06901
Tel: (203) 569-6250
eosgreekcuisine.com
facebook.com/pages/Eos