Bite of the Best

Wine Tutor – Wine 101: Introduction to Wine Tasting - February 3, 2012

Wine Tutor – Wine 101: Introduction to Wine Tasting is a five week beginner’s class designed to teach all about wine, including differentiating varietals  and more, plus sampling a wide variety of domestic and imported wines including  sparkling and dessert …

Cave A’ Vin, New Haven - January 16, 2012

After seeing My Week with Marilyn — which is not to be missed, as Michelle Williams embodied the sultry star in an Oscar-worthy performance — we headed to Cave A’ Vin on State Street for a nibble and to listen …

Zafra: Cuban Restaurant & Rum Bar, New Haven - January 9, 2012

My first taste of the authentic Cuban food of Zafra was at a lecture at the Cheshire Library this fall when Yale professor Carlos Eire spoke about his writings — “Waiting for Snow in Havana” and “Learning …

The Cocktail Classroom in New Haven - January 6, 2012

The Barcelona Wine Bar and Restaurant will be hosting The Classics on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 7:00 pm (located at 155 Temple Street in the Omni New Haven Hotel). The event will classic and noteworthy cocktail and coordination bar …

Elm City Market Opens - December 31, 2011

My dinner assignments were chocolate chip cookies, croissants, dinner rolls, French baguette and flowers.

I ordered the croissants from a fundraiser and hoped I could pick up the rest from “MY” new grocery store, Elm City Market. I am a …

Michael’s Downtown in Blue Pearl Space, New Haven - December 28, 2011

Okay folks – they just opened so give them some time to get in the groove of things, but Michael’s downtown is in the spot on Court Street formerly occupied by The Blue Pearl. Featuring steaks, fish and pasta, the …

Kellys Restaurant & Bar - December 28, 2011

Met some friends downtown for a midday nibble at Kelly’s Restaurant & Bar in the former Amalfi Grill (and short-lived) Marius on the corner of Crown and Temple just up the street from the Criterion (BowTie) Cinemas.

While looking over …

Prasad Chirnomula at the James Beard House - November 30, 2011

Lucky, lucky me.  I got to attend the incredible dinner earlier this month at the James Beard House in New York City (167 W 12th Street) where Prasad Chirnomula — of Thali, Thali Too and Oaxaca fame — prepared a …

Eating Fairfield: November & December - November 27, 2011

The New England Culinary Group offers a week-long celebration of dining in Fairfield, Connecticut, Sunday, November 27- thru Friday, December 2, 2011 Restaurants participating offer discounted prices on prix fixe menus and special offers throughout the entire week

Unlike your …

Barcelona: Be Sure to Check Your Bill - November 27, 2011

I always look over my bill, as sometimes restaurants make honest mistakes.

Let me back up first. I stopped by Barcelona in New Haven recently on a Sunday evening after a movie at the Criterion. Our waitress informed us that …

NH Restaurant Week Helps Feed Homeless - November 22, 2011

This fall’s New Haven Restaurant Week raised over $13,000 in donations for Connecticut Food Bank.

With over $8,000 in donations from diners along with an initial donation of $5,000 from Citizens Bank, New Haven Restaurant Week was able to feed …

Scena Wine Bar & Restaurant, Darien CT - November 18, 2011

Don’t you just love tripping over a good restaurant? That’s what happened recently on a trip home from NYC, when dropping a friend at the parking lot of the Darien train station. We had enjoyed a huge fabulous lunch at …

New Haven Restaurant Week November 2011 - October 30, 2011

New Haven Restaurant Week runs from Sunday, November 6 – Friday, November 11, 2011,  featuring 36 restaurants offering three course, prix fixe menus at  $16.38 for lunch and $29.00 for dinner.

For additional information or to see a full listing …

New Haven’s Scoozzi Closed After 24 Years in Business - October 28, 2011

Scoozzi Trattoria and Wine Bar on Chapel Street with the unusual outdoor seating, located right next to Yale Rep in New Haven has closed suddenly after 24 years in business.

BOTB had written about dining there both as part of …

Chefs with Heart - October 25, 2011

Join the New England Culinary Group as they present Chefs with Heart — an evening of cuisine, music, and dancing — on Wednesday, November 2, 2011, at the Westport Inn (1595 Post Road East Westport, CT) for a 6:30 pm …

Prasad Chirnomula Cooking at Beard House - October 21, 2011

Prasad Chirnomula and Sommelier Raju Somerpet is returning to the Beard House on Friday, November 4. The restaurateur of New Haven’s Thali, Thali too and Oaxaca Kitchen restaurants designed an elegant and innovative menu that seamlessly weaves together the …

Celebrate Champions at the Hartford Women’s League Center - October 17, 2011

Chobani Champion — the first Greek yogurt for children — has partnered
with KaBOOM!, the national non-profit dedicated to saving play for America’s children to help celebrate what it means to be a “Champion.” Tomorrow as part of the celebration, …

Home Recovery 5th Annual Wine Tasting - October 16, 2011

New Haven’s Home Recovery will host their annual wine tasting event on Wednesday, October 19, 2011 from 5:30 – 8:00 pm at Kelly’s Restaurant and Bar (located at 196 Crown Street). The event will include wine from six vendors, hors …

Bar Bouchee (Formerly Bar Bouchon) in Madison - October 14, 2011

Those who frequent restaurants in the New Haven area are familiar with the food and impeccable service of chef owner Jean Pierrre Vuillermet at Union League Cafe. Earlier this year Jean Pierre opened a more casual French bistro in Madison …

Polytechnic ON20, Hartford - October 12, 2011

Finding Polytechnic ON20 could be a tad confusing until you realize the name isn’t O N 2 0, but on 20 – as in located on the 20th floor of the Hartford Steam Boiler Building. The restaurant, the former …

Mickey’s in Hamden - September 28, 2011

I agreed to meet a friend for a nibble at Mickey’s, a local spot that was convenient and had outdoor seating. My expectations were low. You know the type place where burgers are your best bet.

The waitress described the …

Robeks in Stamford Grand Opening - September 22, 2011

Grand opening tomorrow and Saturday, September 23-24, from noon to 3 pm  Robeks in Stamford’s Harbor Point, 711 Canal St. (south of I-95) across from the Fairway Market.

Live band, Zumba, drawings for smoothies for a year, T-shirt giveways, free …

Carmen Anthony Cakebread Wine Dinner - September 20, 2011

Experience the wines of Cakebread Cellars with Carmen Anthony’s newest wine dinner on Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 at 6 pm. Napa Valley’s Cakebread Cellars is a family-owned and operated winery promoting quality wine, organic food and a healthy lifestyle.  Each …

Arugula, West Hartford - September 6, 2011

Arugula in West Hartford serves Mediterranean-style food blending an amalgam of flavors in unusual delicious ways -  at least from the items I sampled on a recent visit to this quiet and comfy place.

I started with a warm roasted …

Tacuba Taco Bar in Branford - August 30, 2011

Arturo and Suzette Franco-Camache have done it again. That incredibly creative restaurateur team who changed the New Haven dining scene in the late 90s when they opened Roomba the Nueuvo-Latino downstairs restaurant in Shubert Alley, hit their mark with their …