Food - Courant.com

A Transformation At L&E In Chester: A European-Inspired Bistro

By MARYELLEN FILLO, fillo@courant.com — Thu, 31 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

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When seasoned restaurateurs Everett and Linda Reid purchased the former Restaurant Du Village on Chester's picturesque Main Street nearly three years ago, they changed the name and the concept into the Restaurant L&E , barely more casual than its predecessor and featuring a menu that was just as creative, but a bit more eclectic and affordable.

Want Peruvian? La Kerencya Opens On Franklin

By LEEANNE GRIFFIN, Special to the Courant — Thu, 24 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Family Business Offers One More Option In Greater Hartford Follow CT Lifestyle & Entertainment News On The Courant's Features Buzz Facebook Page

When it comes to Peruvian food, Greater Hartford can rest assured – it's ahead of the curve.

Connecticut Strawberries, Blueberries Expected Early

By LINDA GIUCA, Special To The Courant — Mon, 21 May 2012 21:53:00 GMT

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In the past nine months, Mother Nature proved again to Connecticut farmers that she calls the shots.

The Lepris Opens Steak, Seafood Grill In Tolland

By MARYELLEN FILLO, fillo@courant.com — Wed, 16 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

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While much of the restaurant world is doing the best it can to hold on during a shaky economic period, well-known Hartford couple Deb and Frank Lepri are seeing it as an opportunity. And here they grow again.

Connecticut's Wine Trail Opens New Season

By LEEANNE GRIFFIN, Special to the Courant — Thu, 10 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

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As soon as the little blue books arrive at Connecticut's farm wineries in early May every year, it's on. Wine lovers pack into tasting rooms from Brookfield to Woodstock, swirling estate Chardonnay and rosé in etched souvenir glasses and dreaming of an exotic trip to the Mediterranean.

Vietnamese Made Easy At Pho 75

By LEEANNE GRIFFIN — Thu, 10 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Windsor Locks Restaurant Shows First-Timers The Ropes Follow CT Lifestyle & Entertainment News On The Courant's Features Buzz Facebook Page

A bowl of pho can be mystifying to a first-timer. At many restaurants, the Vietnamese noodle soup arrives with a plate full of accoutrements: fresh herbs, bean sprouts, lime wedges, chopped peppers — without explanation. And what exactly are you supposed to do with that tray of sauces?

A New Twist To Coffee: Fiber

By ANNE M. HAMILTON, Special to The Courant — Fri, 04 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

A Glastonbury business is promoting a new way for people to add more fiber to their diet, and it's already part of just about everyone's breakfast.

Mother's Day Buffets, Brunches And Specials

By MARYELLEN FILLO, fillo@courant.com — Thu, 03 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

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She endlessly toils on everyone else's behalf, cooking, cleaning, organizing, fixing and comforting, usually while also working outside the home as well. That's Mom. And her day,Mother's Day, is May 13. That means stepping it up and getting her out of the kitchen and pampering her. Area restaurants are offering a myriad of ways to wine and dine mothers, girlfriends,and any special women who go above and beyond for others.

It's Shad Season, And Chefs Are Adding This Favorite To Menus

By LINDA GIUCA, Special to The Courant — Wed, 02 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

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Spring's delicacies are fleeting. Tulips and daffodils, fiddlehead ferns and native asparagus make their appearance for a few weeks, then fade away until the next year.

'Lobster Shacks' Compiles Best Of New England

By LINDA GIUCA, Special to The Courant — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:31:00 GMT

Old Saybrook Travel Writer's Book Includes Several In Lobster Joints In Connecticut Follow CT Lifestyle & Entertainment News On The Courant's Features Buzz Facebook Page

Give Mike Urban a chance to dream — or better yet talk — about his favorite shore dinner, and watch him smile.

Foodies Gathering At Wesleyan University To Talk Food

BY LEEANNE GRIFFIN, Special to the Courant — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:17:00 GMT

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Some people eat to live; others live to eat. If your shelves are overflowing with cookbooks, your camera is always at the ready during restaurant meals and you follow a slew of celebrity chefs on Twitter, you'll fit right in at Foodstock.

Recipes To Make Margarita Magic

The Hartford Courant — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:41:00 GMT

What more can possibly be said about the margarita, perhaps the world's most popular cocktail? After all, it's just tequila, orange liqueur and lime juice in a salted glass, right? You can't mess up a margarita, no?

Colony Grill's Cult Pizza Comes North

By LEEANNE GRIFFIN, Special to the Courant — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Signature Oil Topping Makes Avon A New Hot Spot

Call it a happy mistake — or a stroke of genius. Either way, the "hot oil" topping that graces Colony Grill's thin-crust pizzas happened "completely by accident," says owner Gary James.

Bristol's Popular Parkside Café Reopens

By MARYELLEN FILLO, fillo@courant.com — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

The Menu Has Familiar Favorites, With Some New Flair Follow CT Lifestyle & Entertainment News On The Courant's Features Buzz Facebook Page

For many restaurant owners, a devastating fire might indicate that maybe the business was a risky choice, especially these days.

Gilt Adds Moroccan Flair To New Haven

By LEEANNE GRIFFIN, Special to The Courant — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

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New Haven landmark Bespoke is no more, but there's no need to mourn the beautifully unique four-floor space on College Street. It's still there — just with brand-new Middle Eastern flair.

Connecticut's First 'VegFest' To Promote An Alternate Lifestyle

By LEEANNE GRIFFIN, Special to the Courant — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 14:31:00 GMT

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Your ideal weekend meals might involve bacon and eggs for breakfast, a burger and beer at lunch or maybe a medium-rare filet mignon at dinner. But the organizers of the upcoming Connecticut Vegetarian and Healthy Living Festival are hoping you might rethink those plans, at least for a couple of days.

New Owners Open Arena Patio Restaurant, With Jazz To Come

By MARYELLEN FILLO, fillo@courant.com — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:11:00 GMT

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Paul Lewis made history when he and his wife and business partner, San San, established their Szechuan Tokyo restaurant in Elmwood as THE place for live jazz and an Asian fusion menu.

Lime Bar & Grill: 'American With An Italian Flair'

By LEEANNE GRIFFIN, Special to the Courant — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 04:00:00 GMT

There's a new fruit in town, at building No. 14 of Avon's Riverdale Farms plaza. Lime Bar & Grill has taken over the space formerly occupied by Bosc Kitchen & Wine Bar, and the new restaurant, bar and cocktail lounge, is adding new zest to the area with its fresh fare, signature drinks and comfortable atmosphere.

Easter Brunch And Dinner Specials At Area Restaurants

By MARYELLEN FILLO, mfillo@courant.com — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 04:00:00 GMT

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The traditional harbinger of spring, Easter, is soon upon us and that means restaurants are gearing up to offer a wide array of dining specials on April 8.

Outdoor Dining: Who's Open For The Season

A La Carte — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Have you seen the forecast for this week? We're expecting a wave of glorious sunny warmth, with temperatures in the 70s and 80s.

Corned Beef And Cabbage, And Other St. Patrick's Day recipes

By Liz Kelly Nelson — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 18:55:56 GMT

St. Patrick's Day (March 17) isn't all about drinking. Well, it's mostly about drinking. But it is also a day to celebrate the gift to the world known as Irish cuisine which manages to make much of a few humble ingredients.

A Pond House East Of River

By MARYELLEN FILLO, fillo@courant.com — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Glastonbury Grille Will Seem Familiar, But Has Its Own Identity Follow CT Lifestyle & Entertainment News On The Courant's Features Buzz Facebook Page

The Pond House Café at Elizabeth Park is a well-known dining spot, a place synonymous with fine food and creativity.

Three Connecticut Cooks Make Finalists In Pillsbury Bake-Off

By LINDA GIUCA, Special to The Courant — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 21:28:29 GMT

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In recent years, professional bakers and confectioners have produced some wow results with sweet and salty ingredients. Pairing bittersweet chocolate or creamy caramel with a sprinkle of sea salt became a popular taste sensation. Two enterprising Connecticut cooks picked up on that trend, and the recipes they created have earned them a trip to the 45th Pillsbury Bake-Off in Orlando, Fla..

Tibetan Kitchen Expands Middletown's International Map

BY LEEANNE GRIFFIN, Special to the Courant — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMT

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Middletown's "restaurant row" is a destination for adventurous diners, looking to sample a virtual world tour of ethnic cuisine. And now Tibet is back on that map, with the November opening of Tibetan Kitchen in the city's North End.

The Beloved Brunch At Old Avon Farms Inn Is Back

By MARYELLEN FILLO, fillo@courant.com — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

A Sunday-Morning Favorite Returns Renamed As Belle Terrace Follow CT Lifestyle & Entertainment News On The Courant's Features Buzz Facebook Page

When Avon Old Farms Inn closed in September 2010, regulars mourned the demise of the award-winning Sunday brunch. It was the epitome of lazy-morning fare, a buffet to behold and the place to go for holidays and family get-togethers.