Spring Beer Dinner at Barcelona Restaurant Mon. May 7

Can you think of a better way to welcome Spring than with great beer and great food in an outstanding Fairfield setting? On Monday, May 7, at 7pm, Harry's Wine & Liquor Market and Latis Imports will present a Spring Beer Dinner at Fairfield's Barcelona Restaurant. The guest host will be John Zuluaga, the CT/VT Manager for the Latis brand.

The Menu will include the following:

First course:
Heirloom carrots, English peas and pea tendrils
Palm Amber – Belgian Ale
 
 
Second course:
Asparagus gazpacho, truffle
Steenbrugge Wit – Belgian White
 
 
Third course:
House cured lomo, paprika, fennel marmalade, lemon
Theakston XB – English Bitter
 
 
Fourth course:
Pan roasted duck breast, rhubarb
Rodenbach Classic – Belgian Sour Ale
 
 
Fifth course:
Cana de cabra cheesecake
Boon Kriek –Belgian Lambic

The dinner cost is $42/pp plus tax and gratuity. For reservations, contact:

Barcelona Restaurant & Wine Bar
4180 Black Rock Turnpike,  Fairfield  
RSVP 203-255-0800
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
http://www.barcelonawinebar.com/fairfield.htm

Bar Rosso: Italian Tapas & Pizza in a Chic Setting

Stamford, CT – Bar Rosso has reinvented Italian dining, offering exotic fare in a chic, lounge-like setting.

Located at 30 Spring Street in Stamford, the new restaurant has immediate curb appeal, with a large patio area ushering visitors in under wine red awnings and an exposed stone entryway. To the left, a long bar topped with brushed steel leads to a wood-fired oven. To the right is a private party room decorated with vintage newspaper front pages. A staircase leads to a second level with dining tables and a second party room, looking down on the main level. Wide plank wood floors sweep throughout. Hip music lends a club-like feel.

Dominating one full side of Bar Rosso’s menu are its extensive red and white wine selections. The establishment even offers its own proprietary brands: “Rosso” Chianti showcasing the bold and rustic style of a Sangiovese, and “Bianco”, a crisp and clean 2010 Pinot Grigio.

As to food, a popular indulgence is Small Plates. There are two-dozen of these from which to choose, including fried smoked mozzarella, fried brussel sprouts, porchetta and crispy calamari, averaging $9.

You might also enjoy an exotic soup – Tuscan White Bean or Butternut Squash – or fresh salad. Among the latter, the fennel and pear salad offers an out-of-the-box taste treat.

If it’s pizza you’re craving, there are 10 choices, made in the Bar Rosso’s wood-fired oven. These are tagged between $10 and $16, ranging from a simple marinara pie to one topped with porcini mushrooms and proscuitto.

For something heartier, there are eight house-made pasta dishes, averaging $20. Breakouts include Short Rib Ravioli, Ricotta Gnocchi Primavera and Orecchiette Pugliese, featuring Italian spicy sausage, garbanzo beans and broccoli rabe.

Entrees fall around $26, with favorites being poached salmon, pan seared porkchops and wood oven roasted striped bass.

For more information, call 203-388-8640 or visit www.barrossoct.com

New Restaurant to Open Summer 2012 in Greenhouse Grill Space

"Fairfield will be the destination for one of the liveliest new restaurants to open in Fairfield County this year," according to CTBites.com.

Fairfield County's "guide to great food" posted the following report on its site:

"The original trio behind Match in SoNo, Scott Beck, Matt Storch and Kevin McHugh, are the brains, culinary brawn and co-owners who just inked a deal to build-out and run a soon-to-be-named restaurant slated to open early summer 2012. The new venue will reside in the heart of Fairfield in the former location of Greenhouse Grill on Unquowa Place. 

The restaurant will feature a “global-classics" menu with several small plates to encourage sharing, a lively bar, sidewalk dining, an opening façade and ample free parking...not to mention one of Connecticut’s most talented chefs.  Joining forces to create this new Fairfield spot: Scott Beck, co-owner of Match and The Loft in South Norwalk, and Tavern in Monroe; Matt Storch, Chef and co-owner of Match in South Norwalk; and Kevin McHugh, Co-Owner of Grey Goose in Southport and Spotted Horse in Westport.

With fifty-plus years of collective restaurant experience together under one roof, Beck, McHugh and Storch are excited to announce this deal and begin crafting what they believe will be a unique dining destination in Fairfield County.

“I’ve been looking for the right opportunity in Fairfield for a long time. I’m excited that we were able to bring this team back together, and that we found such a great location for our vision,” said Beck.

Chef Matt Storch will be the talent behind the food, building the menu and overseeing the kitchen.

"The ideas are flowing onto paper, I want this food to make everyone smile, it’s making me smile just thinking of it. Think global classics with the Matt Storch twist. I’ll be creating the menu, overseeing the kitchen and service, and joining everyone for some snacks and beverages seeing that I live down the street!" said Matt Storch, Co-Owner and Chef.

Kevin McHugh, a familiar name in restaurant design and ownership will be overseeing the design and build-out at the Fairfield restaurant along with Architect Rick Hoag.

“Looking at this interesting free standing building with its attached greenhouse, I envision a cottage-like space with reclaimed barn siding, stone, heavy beams and iron gates, all with modern accents. The redesigned warm and cozy atmosphere, combined with the excellent food, will be a fantastic and welcome addition to one of Fairfield County’s most beautiful towns." says Kevin McHugh.

Tabouli Grill Dishes Up Mediterranean Magic

Southport, CT – If you’re looking for exotic flavor sensations and a meal that satisfies without being overkill, pop on over to Tabouli Grill. Opened in the Ole Mole space in April 2011 at 3381 Post Road, Southport, the eatery is a subtle gem worth discovering.

Tabouli is owned and operated by Chef Judith Roll, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and a 25-year veteran of the food industry. Roll’s travels to the Middle East and love of that part of the world’s culture were the inspiration for both the menu and the restaurant’s environment.

Visitors can expect décor reflecting a palette of deep reds, mustard yellows and splashes of mosaics, providing a backdrop for Turkish artifacts, throw pillows and candle pots. Lounge music creates a relaxing vibe as do specialty cocktails like the Taboulitini, made with honey mint lemonade, or the Turkish Martini, a sweet concoction best enjoyed with dessert. These average $8 as do select wines by the glass.

Appetizers range from hummus and Baba Ghanoush to vegetarian chopped liver, falafel and spinach and feta in phyllo casings, averaging $8. The dips can be enjoyed with pita slivers or pita chips served in cone-like receptacles.

Salads price out around $12 and include a tasty Greek salad, falafel salad and Judy’s Chopped Salad. Feta, grilled meats or salmon can be added to any offering.

Main dishes, or Platters, include falafel, chicken schnitzel and various kabobs, from $15 to $21. For patrons looking for something more modest, stuffed pita sandwiches fit the bill and are priced to move at about $9.

To crown the meal, desserts include baklava, havlah ice cream, fudge brownies or cookies.

For more information, call 203-292-9788 or visit www.tabouligrill.com

For a gallery of photos shot at Tabouli, visit HamletHub’s Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.370947952939984.93017.296073370427443&;type=1&l=bcd18b10e1