Well, this is coming to you later than I expected…Work picked up in the last months with a mad dash to the finish line, so my life has been a little bit pre-occupied. But not to worry, you’ll get 15 honorable mentions in this post instead. Let’s see if I can get November back on track…
August 2020
1. Blue Cactus Grill – Norwalk, CT
If you are craving a good Philly cheesesteak, Blue Cactus Grill is your pick. Their menu ranges from classic choices (traditional cheesesteak: steak, cheese of choice, onions, and peppers) to a little more out of the ordinary (Chubby Douglas: steak, horseradish, french fries, cheese, and brown gravy).
And if cheesesteaks aren’t your thing, they also offer burgers and wraps. Don’t forget to check out their specials menu each week too!
2. Roseland Apizza – Derby, CT
We’ve heard good things about this place, but it’s been hard to get any info of them. They are located in the middle of nowhere, and it is quite difficult to see their menu online. Their Facebook page is not updated and there doesn’t seem to be anyone monitoring their messages. The Instagram wasn’t as active when we looked. (At the time, the last post was in June 2020) We pooled our resources by (a) resorting to a menu posted in February 2019 on Yelp, (b) stalking the location tag on Instagram, and (c) reading the reviews on Yelp.
It seemed that a very popular pie is their Shrimp Florentine pie. We weren’t as adventurous that day and decided to save it for our next visit (whenever that may be). We landed on getting the Poor Man’s Pie (tomato, garlic, and parm) and the Roseland Special (mozzarella, mushrooms, and homemade crumbled sausage). I’m quite surprised by their pizza. The crust is thin like a good ol’ apizza.
3. Maruichi Market – Stamford, CT
Formerly Fuji Mart in Cos Cob, CT, Maruichi Market has re-branded and taken over a spot on West Main Street in Stamford, CT. They have most of their basic needs – udon noodles, fresh veggies, and a great assortment of Japanese snacks. Despite my quick visit, this is a worthy mention since there aren’t many ethnic markets in the area. Inside the market, there is also hot food made to order. I haven’t had the time to try it out yet, but would love to hear your thoughts. I look forward to going back!
4. Soul Tasty – Stamford, CT
Soul Tasty recently released a breakfast line up and I’m all in for it. It’s one of the best fried chicken spots in this area and I’ll take any excuse to eat fried chicken in the morning. If you’ve never been here, I highly recommend it. I ordered the chicken biscuit with honey and home fries. I do wish I had a gravy to dip it in though…
You can check out my friend’s article here for a more thorough review on their breakfast sandwiches.
5. Stewart’s – Point Pleasant, NJ
I know this one more than a stone throw’s away from here, but I can’t beat a good root beer float. We had a girls’ trip here for a bachelorette party (Hi Anna!) A long drive to the dirty Jerz called for a special treat at 3 in the afternoon.
September 2020
1. The Cookery – Dobbs Ferry, NY
I’ve only come here for dinner in the past because I also can’t resist their pasta. But, I love me a good brunch and The Cookery does just that. They offer a prix-fixe brunch menu for $40. You get a drink, an app, a main, and a dessert. I started with the all egg salad (pictured below), munched on some meatball & egg, and ended it with the infamous stickabutta pie.
2. Dockside Brewery – Milford, CT
Come to Dockside for the brews, views, and chews. Sorry, was that pushing it? Honestly though, great addition to this area. I will say that their set-up is a bit confusing. There is a physical building with seating, but also an extensive outdoor patio that’s portioned off into two tiers. If I remember correctly, their online reservations call it indoors, outdoors, and the beach bar. The beach bar is the bottom tier and the food and drink choices are limited.
We ended up at the beach bar since it was a last minute visit. We sipped on High Noons and beers with got some pies to pair with it.
3. Sherkaan – New Haven, CT
Loved this place so much I went twice in one month. Once with my family, and once with my IG BFF, @juliettiful. Sherkaan is a place I’ll never get tired of. Why? (1) The prices are very reasonable (2) Curry (3) Naan (4) JUST LOOK AT THE PRETTINESS OF THE FOOD!!!
If you’re thinking, “Ew, Indian. I don’t like curry,” then you need to branch out and give this place a shot. Their menu features more than just curry and really emphasizes the street food culture. Don’t let the names on the menu scare you either. It may seem very foreign to you, but the wait staff is more than willing to help you decipher it all. You can also check out my #bootyinnewhaven posts on Instagram and you’ll stumble upon a few of my visits to Sherkaan. Each caption will tell you exactly what I ordered so you can put a picture to the dish.
4. The Inn at Pound Ridge – Pound Ridge, NY
For those who are unfamiliar with the NY/CT borders, Pound Ridge is actually not far away from lower Fairfield County. If you are in Stamford, keep driving north on High Ridge Road and you’ll hit Pound Ridge.
The Inn has a special place in my heart. For one, it’s absolutely beautiful inside. Secondly, Chef Ron always makes my visit a special one. He’s one of the nicest and friendliest chefs I’ve met through my Instagram journey. Third, they have crispy rice sushi here (see salmon photo below). Crispy rice > any other rice.
Previously, their seating was all indoors. Due to the pandemic, the neighborhood finally agreed to allowing outdoor seating at The Inn. They used this to their advantage and transformed their airy deck into this beautiful patio.
Fig burrata and crispy rice sushi with salmon 
Smoked salmon benedict
5. Amis Trattoria – Westport, CT
I’m ashamed to admit that it took me this long to get to Amis. I’m already a frequenter at Chef Jes’ other spot, Terrain, so I don’t know why I waited. It’s a cozy spot for a date night or a GNO. They have great shareables on the menu and excellent drinks. Surprisingly enough, I think the drink won me over more than the food did. I drank their Apple Pie Flip drink — macerated apple vodka, cinnamon simple syrup, egg white, and smoked nutmeg — basically, boozy apple juice. For food – we got their crispy eggplant chips, fried artichokes, chicken wings, and cacio e pepe fries.
October 2020
1. Oriental Bar & Grill – Uncasville, CT
I cannot tell you the last time I had dim sum before this. Our family used to go out to Chinatown every few months to eat and stock up on groceries. While we didn’t always get dim sum, we should always bring back frozen options to steam at home. Our supply quickly ran out once the pandemic struck the East Coast.
Thanks to my sister’s stealthy searching skills, we found a place near Mohegan/Foxwoods (lol – go figure). This place hit the spot again and again with each plate and steamer basket. They have all the essentials on the menu and are steamed to order. I do miss the novelty of the little Auntie pushing the cart and yelling at us, but this will do. Man…writing about it makes me crave it again…
2. Haruki – Norwalk, CT
If you’ve been following me for awhile, I obsess over this place. (And if you missed my CT Bites article on it, you can read it here.) I think this is the spot I’ve been to the most in 2020. While I had plans to visit them when they first opened, Ms. ‘Rona decided otherwise. Their fall menu was released in October and it gives me crazy comfy vibes. For drinks, I had the rumberjack (spiced apple rum, cider, cinnamon syrup, spiced cherry bitters, baked apple chip). For food, we tried their oyster ponzu (think summer meets fall), chicken karaage bao, oyster mushroom bao, their beef curry, and the spicy tonkotsu.
3. Haven Hot Chicken – New Haven, CT
Haven Hot Chicken is comin in HOT HOT HOT. They’ve brought the infamous Nashville hot chicken flavors to New Haven. I had the pleasure of going to their preview event and trying a bunch of goodies on their menu. Their menu is very simple – you have your chicken and not chicken (aka cauliflower) sandwiches and tenders. Their heat ranges in 5 different levels – country, mild, medium, hot, and haven. My body could only comfortable handle the mild. If I got the medium, I would need a gallon of milk to pair with meal. Make sure you get their fries, because it seems to be pretty underrated.
Note: This is a takeout spot. They do not have tables for dining-in, so plan accordingly!
4. Bailey’s Backyard – Ridgefield, CT
A true hidden gem in Ridgefield. They are the OG of farm-to-table dining. Sadly, with it tucked away in Ridgefield, I never really found myself in the area. I’ve always loved my visits to Bailey’s. Their menu rotates more often than most places to accommodate what’s in season from their vendors.
However, this post is dedicated to the ‘za. New this season, they added in a Forza Forni wood-fired pizza oven in their backyard (hehe). And the pizza is pretty damn great. The dough is so light, you can house like 10 pies and still be hungry. Ok, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but you get the point. See below for my favorite picks (and also for the iPhone photo quality to decline as the night gets older). Pizza is only available for dine-in only on Wednesdays and Sundays, and take-out only on Fridays and Saturdays.
5. B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill – Mystic, CT
Ok how have I lived in CT all my life and never been here? They are known for having the oldest steam mill in the US, and is the only one still standing. Their mill dates back to 1881. The mill only operates on the weekends and there is a viewing area for you to watch the magic happen. They also have an on-site beer garden (weekends only) and wine (all week) for purchase. They have one of the best apple ciders I’ve had and also the best kettle corn. My visit was on a Saturday, so I got to see the operating cider mill AND watch the team make fresh kettle corn. If only you could smell what I smelled that day…MMMMMM.
Foodie with a booty 