ABOVE: Tim Allabashi slings beef at Tim’s Philly Steaks restaurant in Norwalk. Photo by Brian A. Pounds.
Digging into a fat cheesesteak is just as much a rite of passage for anyone visiting Philadelphia as checking out the Liberty Bell.
There are a few sacred truths about Philly cheesesteaks: Picking a side in the Pat’s/Gino’s debate will divide your entire family, Cheez Whiz is the only acceptable cheese-like condiment, and you can only buy a Philly cheesesteak within the Philadelphia city limits.
Don’t believe me? Check the bible. Ezekiel 25:17: “The path of the righteous cheesesteak maker is beset on all sides by the inadequacies of out-of-state imposters.”
I might be paraphrasing a bit, but you get the idea.
Above: The Pan-seared scallops in chickpea purée at Café D’Azur, one of the participating restaurants in Darien Restaurant Week.
This just in from the organizers of Darien Restaurant Week:
Darien Restaurant Week will offer consumers great deals, the opportunity to experience some new restaurants, and re-visit a few of their favorites throughout the next installment of Darien Restaurant Week, Monday, February 6 thru Friday, February 10, 2012.
“We have had another year of great progress in our local food scene,” says Darien Chamber of Commerce President / CFO Carol Wilder-Tamme,” Darien has grown into a genuine restaurant destination.”
Beginning Monday, February 6 thru Friday, February 10, participating restaurant will offer a special prix-fixe lunch and/or dinner menu during the entire week. Number of courses to be offered is a minimum of 3 (Excludes tax and gratuity)
Some of the participating restaurants include:
Cesco’s Trattoria
Chuck’s Steakhouse
Matsuri, Ole Mole
Phil’s Grill
Robeks Juice
Rory’s Restaurant
Scena Wine Bar & Restaurant
The Goose
Backstreet Restaurant
Café D’Azur
The Melting Pot
and the newly opened Darien Social
(more to come)
“This is great timing,” says Chef Nick Bilello of Darien Social, “My team is excited to introduce our restaurant and what better way to do so than with a specially designed multi-course menu.”
Details and participating restaurant updates: www.darienchamberonline.com or 203-655-3600.
Want bartaco for dinner without having to deal with the overcrowded bar? There’s a way to do that now.
A new delivery service just opened up in Lower Fairfield County, giving residents the ability to order delivery food from city restaurants that don’t actually offer delivery. According to its website, GoWaiter.com ships out food from more than a dozen Stamford restaurants, including bartaco, Bobby V’s, Mary Ann’s and Tengda. There’s also a variety of options in Westport, Norwalk and other local towns.
Here’s how it works: GoWaiter tacks on a $3.99 delivery fee for online orders and $4.99 for phone orders, so the website is your best bet. Enter your zipcode and your options will pop up. Just place your order like you regularly would through other services and wait an average of 45 to 55 minutes for delivery.
Better late than never. Four years after the U.S. Department of Agriculture lifted its ban on the famed jamón ibérico, the most prized of Spanish hams, Greenwich now has its own team of importers.
Greenwich native Josh Merrow and partner Guy Spriggs, featured in a recent profile in Greenwich Citizen, are the brains behind Hamlovers.com, a company that imports Serrano and Iberian hams for $250 to $2,000.
Merrow, who appropriately lives in Barcelona, can’t speak highly enough about Spain’s most iconic of cured meats, including the jamón ibérico, which gets its distinct flavor from black-footed, free range pigs raised on acorns.
“Spanish hams have an indescribable butter taste,” Merrow told the Greenwich Citizen. “You cut the ham in paper thin slices, and savor it like a good caviar. It’s hard to put it on your plate – you want to put it in your mouth.”
Talk about taking catering to the next level. Fairway went all-out to accommodate one Stamford bachelor, who worked with the store to coordinate a sneak-attack proposal on his lovely lady.
Word on the street is Chocopologie is hoping to stay more than just a few months in Greenwich, where the the Norwalk-based chocolatier opened a pop-up shop last week.
The temporary location is scheduled to purvey decadent treats at 30 W. Putnam Ave. until Easter, but we hear Chocopologie is seeking a permanent residence in Central Greenwich. Here’s hoping the signature truffles and unusual flavors like earl grey or lavender ganache are here to stay.
Jewish Family Services of Greenwich invites singles 55+ to light the menorah with plenty of tasty treats Dec. 20 at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich.
Celebrate the holiday of lights with wine, hors d’oeuvres and desserts at the fifth annual cocktail party and “Taste of Chanukah.” The event, part of JFS’s Meet & Mingle program, which targets singles 55+, kicks off at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $36 prepaid by Dec. 15 or $45 at the door. Tickets may be purchased by check payable to Jewish Family Services of Greenwich, 1 Holly Hill Lane, Greenwich, CT 06830, or by calling Tatiana at 203-622-1881 with credit card information. For more information, email jfsmeetandmingle@yahoo.com.
