| Ten years ago, Captain Mike Harden, a Coast Guard Captain and licensed lobster fisherman, introduced Connecticut’s state sandwich, the hot buttered lobster roll, to the coastal community of Norwalk, CT with his LobsterCraft food truck. LobsterCraft was an instant food sensation, amassing a local fan base of hungry consumers looking for their next lobster roll fix. Today, the brand has grown into a thriving brick and mortar Restaurant Group (the first location opened at 107 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich, CT), a fleet of food trucks, and a catering business, with 3 locations in CT, one in Sarasota, FL, and Block Island, RI set to open on June 15. LobsterCraft’s signature lobster roll, the “Coastal Roll”, which has been featured on Food Network and Flavored Nation as “The Best CT Style Hot Buttered Lobster Roll in the Country”, is how it all began. The recipe remains – the best soft toasted buns filled with the freshest and sweetest claw and knuckle lobster meat bathed in butter. Lobster roll cravings are also satisfied with customer favorites such as the Heat Wave laced with serrano and habanero pepper infused butter, the LBLT filled with lobster, bacon, lettuce, and tomato, and topped with garlic aioli, and the Dirty Maynard, a Maine-style cold lobster salad roll dressed in a seasoned mayonnaise. And no matter the style, the lobster remains front and center. Lobster mania specialties include tacos, sliders, creamy mac-n-cheese, grilled cheese, pot pie, bisque, and scratch-made creamy New England/Newport style clam chowder brimming with locally sourced Copps Island clams from Norm Bloom & Sons in Norwalk, CT. While the LobsterCraft brand expands upon its concept, its deep roots within the lobster/fishing community remain. Sourcing from local fishermen is a company standard. Captain Mike and his crew continue to make those long hauls up and down the coastline, sourcing the best, sustainable, cold-water lobster possible from Montauk to Maine. Celebrate LobsterCraft’s 10-Year Anniversary with 10% Off our signature Coastal Roll. The offer is available Monday, May 30 thru Sunday, June 5. All locations (except Block Island – Opening June 15) 107 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich, CT 1814 Post Road, Fairfield, CT 981-a Farmington Ave, West Hartford, CT 28A South Boulevard of the Presidents, St. Armands Circle, Sarasota, FL133 Ocean Avenue, Block Island, RI (Opening June 15) |
Have you ever dreamed of a private chef coming to your home and spoiling your guests as well as yourself? Look no further than Creative Rajni of Cooked with LOVE. Chef Rajni is amazing and she offers the private chef experience, serving South Indian-inspired creative dishes in your home as well as fabulous cooking classes for her clients.
I recently hosted one of Creative Rajni’s dinners for a few amazing local Influencers. The food was perfection and Chef Rajni was a dream to work with. From planning the menu to pairing wine with the courses. I loved collaborating with her on this private chef dinner.
The outcome was a beautiful and exquisite dinner party!
Our menu consisted of vegetable crisps with a creamy garlic dip, Malabar chicken Biriyani, spiced peas with onions and coconut milk, and spiced beet yogurt. And our amazing dark chocolate cake with chocolate ganache from @mixingbowlnyc, beautiful centerpiece by @lavishgardener, and the incredible charcuterie by @traychictreats!!
Cooking has always been a passion of Chef Rajni. She grew up seeing her mom and grand-mom cook for her huge family in her hometown- Kerala, South India. They would be in the kitchen for hours together grinding, sauteing, seasoning, and cooking up her amazing creations of mostly coconut-based food with a ton of vegan options. Rajni has been cooking for over 18 years which includes getting hands-on experience working at the Michelin star chef Jean George’s restaurant kitchen. She has also trained at the Institute of Culinary education, NY for fine dining.
Creative Rajni is all about creativity in food, being fearless in the kitchen, and most importantly- COOKED WITH LOVE. She strives to combine fashion and food on a plate. Her belief is that creating delicious food is a work of art. All her meals produce chic and elegant plates of food inspired by South India.
Thank you to: @whats_in_westchester_ny @westchesterblogger @standupfoodie @stacyknows @kebellabeautycare @914popups @yummydomain
#nycfood #indianfood
Have you been to the new Granola Bar in Rye? The newly renovated beautiful space had its grand opening earlier this month. One of the unique features of the expanded menu is that they are serving the most delicious brunch menu every day. In addition, they have expanded their hours to include an extensive dinner menu and a fabulous cocktail menu. I was lucky enough to join the amazing owners, Dana and Julie for brunch this week. OMG!!!! You are going to be blown away. The new space is the most incredible. It is so chic. For more information on The Granola Bar Rye, click HERE. And check out the photos from our great meal….
| Spring 2022 Hudson Valley Restaurant Week runs from Monday, March 21 – Sunday, April 3, 2022. Restaurants will be offering 3 course, prix-fixe lunches at $29.95 and dinners at $39.95. Hudson Valley Restaurant Week is a popular bi-annual event taking place each Spring and Fall. Participating restaurants span eight counties in the Hudson Valley (Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Ulster, Orange, Sullivan, Dutchess and Greene counties) and offer a wide variety of cuisines. Past participating restaurants served an estimated quarter of a million patrons and reported an average 25% increase in business, collectively generating an estimated economic impact of $10.2 million in sales revenue. Among the many new restaurants joining the lineup this Spring are Apropos Restaurant at The Abbey Inn, Peekskill; Alba’s Restaurant, Port Chester; Autumn, Sparkill; Jason Patrick’s on 44, Poughkeepsie; Le Jardin Du Roi, Chappaqua; One Seventy Nine Bar & Grill, New Rochelle; New York Restaurant, Catskill; Red Onion, Saugerties; Savor Ristorante & Bar, Mahopac; Tavern At Beekman Arms, Rhinebeck, and Picanha Brazilian Steakhouse, West Nyack. Reservations are highly recommended at all restaurants. For more information on HVRW, visit www.hudsonvalleyrestaurantweek.com. |
Yesterday I was invited to a special lunch organized by 914 Pop’s to experience the incredible chef Anthony Gonclaves Portuguese fare. Kanopi is a serious gourmet’s dream. The intimate restaurant on the 42nd floor of the Opus hotel in White Plains serves a weekly chef’s tasting menu Wednesday thru Saturday.
The space in itself is spectacular. The room boasts 360 views of Westchester and the Hudson Valley. There are only 7 dining tables each with its own amazing cityscape.
With chef-led tasting menus, boutique wine pairings, and an intimate dining experience, Kanopi offers a unique farm-to-table culinary experience unlike any other. Chef Anthony Gonçalves, his wife Andreia Goncalves, and the team capture the essence of Portugal while remaining firmly rooted in the Hudson Valley through seasonal menus comprised of old-world flavors and local farm-fresh ingredients.
Here are some of the tastings we enjoyed yesterday, for more information or to make a reservation, click HERE.
We started the lunch with the most delicious bread with fresh ricotta, roasted garlic and sardines.
The next course was beets with crispy rice.
Himachi Ceviche with Avocado (this was incredible).
Black Truffle Ricotta with Blue Cheese Tortellini and Cacio e Pepe
Branzino With Enoki Mushrooms
The dessert was a Banana Flan with a Frois Gras Macaroon.
Our lunch group with Chef Anthony Gonclaves
Recently I spent some time at the new SaksWorks Greenwich. SaksWorks is a boutique hospitality restaurant experience in the SaksWorks family of coworking spaces on Greenwich Ave.
Ruby and Bella’s is the SaksWorks’s bar and restaurant and is open to the public. We recently had a wonderful birthday celebration lunch for my friend Andy and we all loved it.
Ruby & Bella’s is a celebration of American cuisine, offering dishes inspired by local and seasonal ingredients and prepared with regional and global flavors, Executive Chef Jason Leckey has curated a menu that showcases an impressive variety of cuisine bound to impress any palate.
- Menu highlights include:
- Jumbo Lump Crab Cake
- New England Clam Chowder with a mini Lobster roll
- Bone-In Filet Mignon
- Tuna Tartare
- R&B’s Signature Lobster Club
- Chicken Paillard
- Whole Roasted Baby Cauliflower
Ruby and Bellas also boasts an intimate cocktail lounge, where guests can relax and enjoy coffee, drink and food offerings.
At SakWorks, Customers can also book events in the private dining rooms or reserve entire areas of the facility with access to the catering menu.
While other locations do have a membership model, the Greenwich location is focused on the fine dining experience.
Unlike the other locations, SaksWorks Greenwich is accessible to the public with customers having the option to book private dining spaces for their needs, SaksWorks members, who have access to all of the locations in New York City, Westchester and Long Island, have free access to utilize the private dining spaces offered in Greenwich.
I am looking forward to obtaining a temporary membership to SaksWorks and returning to Ruby and Bellas!! Stay TUNED!!!!
