Barcelona - Muddled Drink Class - July 24, 2012

Before I even begin to write about our fantastic experience in the “Cocktail Classroom,” I want to send a shout out to Summer Street in Stamford, CT. This little stretch of road is home to so many restaurants that are worth a look. Fortunately, to entertain ourselves before class, we could grab gorditas and mojitos at bartaco right next door.

The class was held in a private room. Gretchen Thomas was her usual great combination of charisma and knowledge. The first cocktail demo was Caipirinha (made in the classic style). The class was interactive – having three volunteers work on each drink. The Aye Cukarumba was very crisp tasting, as long as you like the taste of cucumber. It was a refreshing second drink. We closed with the Hot Dahlia. The habanero-infused tequila added so much spice that it was an interesting close to the night. The drink was spicy and flavorful.

Aye Cukarumba

Chef Scott Quis took us on a tour of Brazil/Portugal with the food accompaniments. The Conch Ceviche was very tasty. Honestly, I added a bit of salt, but that was my personal preference. The Marinated Shrimp was excellent. I liked the flavor, since I like cilantro. The Churrasquinho was extremely tender and flavorful. The Tapioca Olinda was an amazing surprise. I was not expecting a chorizo/cheese final course. This was fantastic. The cough was very tasty and the filling was cooked perfectly. It also paired well with the spicy Hot Dahlia! It is important to note that some of the courses are shared with your neighbors.

Overall, I would highly recommend the class. Gretchen is extremely knowledgeable and gives the class an opportunity to ask questions. The bar staff (at the actual bar and Olivia in the room) were helpful and exhibited skill. The food was very tasty and the cocktails gave us an opportunity to explore flavors that we wouldn't normally opt for at the restaurant.

www.barcelonawinebar.com/stamford.htm

Stamford, CT

Sharpe Hill Vineyard, July 6, 2012

Wine at lunch

So, we had some time to kill and figured that this would be our only opportunity to head to Pomfret (and we were glad that we did).

Upon driving up to the property, you are greeted with a very interesting fence that would clearly ward off intruders. The property is stunning and really makes a perfect backdrop for a lovely day if wining.  Entering the tasting area, we were told that we had lucked into a lunch seating and could split our tasting around the meal. The staff was knowledgeable and the outside bar/tasting set-up was nice.  They watched the time for us (helpful) and we made our 12:30 seating.

Shrimp Creole at Sharpe Hill Vineyard

For lunch, Chris had the Shrimp Creole and I had the Chicken with Herbs de Provence. Chris enjoyed his shrimp and they had a bit of heat to them, which is nice. The chicken was beautifully seasoned and all of the herbs (including some flowers) that were on the plate are edible. Our waitress was attentive and nice. Her engagement level was fine by certainly paled in comparison to out taster/bartender. To complement our meal, we opted for a bottle of Ballet of Angels, which was lovely. The temperature was perfect and we ended up buying two bottles for home.

After the meal, we continued our tasting. The whole place was nicely appointed. The bathroom was very kitschy and shouldn’t be missed. Reservations are highly recommended and often require a deposit. This is a nice place to go for a quiet meal or an afternoon out with friends. The seatings are timed by the restaurant, so you never feel rushed out. Overall, the food and wine are both tasty. You can easily make a day out of the trip.

Melon snack at Sharpe Hill Vineyards

sharpehill.com

Pomfret, CT

Part of the CT Wine Trail

Heritage Trail Vineyards, July 5, 2012

Heritage Trail Wine

“Why is everything here called Heritage?”….wait, that was last time.

Okay, the wine is satisfactory. I am never compelled to buy (or drink) a bottle but the trip is still worthwhile. I enjoy the full pairing where I get to enjoy a variety of cheeses and accoutrements, as well as a taste of the wines. The pizza is very tasty and the staff is always enjoyable.

I believe that we come here just as much for the snacks as we do the wine, which is fine. It is a casual eatery that also serves wine – enjoy it for what it is!

Heritage Trail Vineyards, Dining Room

www.heritagetrail.com

Lisbon, CT

Part of the CT Wine Trail

Ballo, July 5, 2012

While in the casino area, there are many options for dinner. We wanted to try something new and were looking for a nice restaurant. We ended up choosing Ballo at Mohegan Sun. because of pleasant aesthetic and accessible menu.

We were greeted by a nice hostess who gave us options on whether we wanted to sit on the inside or on the “patio”. We opted to go inside. There were some crumbs on my chair, but one quick brush of my hand remedied the situation. Our waitress greeted us pretty quickly and took our drink orders. I had the Toscarita, while Chris had the Sangiovese(s). The waitress was very nice and was able to provide a knowledgeable assessment of both Sangiovese options.

Tagliatelle with Lobster at Ballo

There were several appetizer type foods that interested us and we went with the arancini. There was some good flavor, but they had a bit of a fishy undertone that I didn’t like. We opted for pizza and pasta. For the pizza, we had the carne (and wow, it was carne). There was zero skimping on the meat and (not as though I can believe I am saying it) it was almost too much. The flavors were almost competing with each other. I would suggest a little less meat to make a clean layer as opposed to a pile. For pasta, we went with the tagliatelle with a lobster tail on top.   The fra diavolo had a nice heat to it and the lobster was perfectly cooked, if a bit scary looking.

Overall, the meal went well. The ambience was very nice. The wait staff was knowledgeable and pleasant.

Carne Pizza at Ballo

Arancini at Ballo

www.balloitalian.com

Mohegan Sun Casino

Uncasville, CT

NY Times Review

Tarry Lodge Westport, June 17, 2012

Pizza, Pizza!

So, we have enjoyed the Tarry Lodge in Port Chester several times and this would be our first visit to the one in Westport, CT. The design of the restaurant was very similar to Port Chester. The overall color scheme and décor were the same, with this one being significantly smaller. There are two bars here – one is a pizza bar. The menu has some variations with an emphasis on pizza. The hostess was nice and gave a solid first impression.

We were sat next to a large, open window. We had a good view of the place. To start, our companions had the Tricolore Salad, which they loved and we had the Crostini Toscana. Chris liked it. I found it a bit bland. I would have preferred it be served warm and possibly with some fresh ground pepper. The bread was very tasty and the accompanying vegetables helped the flavor.

For our main course, we went for two pizzas and pasta. For the pizzas, we knew we would be eating the Prosciutto and Arugula (as we have loved it in Port Chester). We asked the waiter about the Burrata with Pancetta and Chili oil and he claimed it wasn’t spicy. I am not sure if he has ever eaten it, but there was certainly heat. Even with the heat, I did really enjoy the Burrata pizza and hope that it will make it to the Port Chester menu. For the pasta, we went with the Spaghetti alla Carbonara, which is possibly the best carbonara I have ever eaten and I love carbonara.

For dessert, we went for the Panacotta, Tiramisu and the Maple Mascarpone Cheesecake. The tiramisu was very good and had distinct notes of both rum and coffee. The entire desert went over well, as did the coffee.

The food was very good, but the service was lacking. Our waiter seemed very distracted and we rarely saw him, even though there were questions. If the waiter support staff is going to have to field questions, they need more vigorous training. The “back-waiter” was excellent and made sure that we had a constant supply of water and bread, even though he had a hiccup with the timing of utensils and whatnot. I feel that the Tarry Lodge in Port Chester is significantly better than the Westport location as far as service is concerned. The service was certainly a disappointment at this establishment. The food, however, was very tasty and as long as you can overlook being potentially overlooked, it can be worth the trip.

Tarry Lodge Westport

Westport, CT

Lolita Mexican - June 2, 2012

I was thrilled to see that this tasty spot was now on opentable.com and that smaller parties were able to make reservations. I only hope that cb5 decides to make one of the river-towns their next home!

The hostess was pleasant, even if a bit uncomfortable and possibly confused. I wonder how many people flake on their reservations, but we try not to do that (she almost seemed surprised when we showed up). We were seated above the bar. My chair was even more rickety than usual, so I made a quick swap (and no one seemed to mind).

Any meal that begins with fantastically presented grapefruit granita and a shot of tequila sounds lovely to me! There are so many great drink choices, but we went for a mojito (Chris) and an eponymous margarita (me). The warm chips came with a few tasty salsas (that are more closely characterized as dips). All three are fantastic. I would be more detailed, but I don’t want to sway you in any particular direction. Our waiter was very attentive and I found him to be the right combination of knowledgeable and patient. His support team was very effective. Our plates were cleared, water glasses refilled, etc…in a very timely manner.

To start, we had the spinach and cheese quesadilla. Ever since the first time we had this tasty treat, it has never disappointed. The spinach is not over-powering and the cheese is a nice compliment. I like to put the hot, mango (red bottle) sauce on them.

For the main course, Chris had the carne asada and I had the garlic lime chicken. I am somewhat wary of chicken when I eat out (and I am told that I make this comment every time I eat chicken), but this was fantastic. The skin was even tasty. The accompanying side was well cooked and had absorbed some good flavors. Chris was also happy with his food. The carne asada is not as spicy as the pollo asada, which has a great flavor if you enjoy hot vinegar. The corn bread side was probably the highlight of the main meal, even though I enjoyed my food. It has such great flavor and would be worth the trip alone.

We didn’t have dessert on this trip. We tried their cupcakes once and they were okay (just okay), so we opted to wait for the cotton candy. The bill comes with little Lolita tattoos (and the aforementioned cotton candy in a green apple flavor).

As a side note, interestingly enough, I am often disappointed with the restroom. For such a funky place, it could certainly be better decorated. Putting chalk out for decorative purposes is nice, but much more could’ve been done to add to the ambiance.

Overall, I always enjoy Lolita (and it is not only because of the drinks). The hostesses are generally nice, even if they seemed a little bothered to be there. The waiters are excellent and seem as though they’d be best suited handing you screenplays, rather than plates. The place is not for you if you want a quite night. There is a bustling bar scene and you can often find large parties chatting it up in the dining room.

lolitamexican.com

Greenwich, CT