Fiesta on Main, Stamford CT

It was freezing outside, but definitely warm and cozy sitting at a high top table inside the Fiesta on Main Restaurant. We’ve been here several times before and I have been meaning to write a full review for some time. I am far from a connoisseur of Peruvian food; as a matter of fact, I can’t say I’ve been to more than a handful of Peruvian restaurants ever. So don’t consider this a review on the authenticity of the restaurant, but rather the experience.

Fiesta on Main is a bright, warmly lit restaurant with a well presented decor and always cheery wait staff. This trip was no exception. Dinner starts with a bread basket accompanied by one of my favorite restaurant dipping sauces. It is a slightly chilled yellow Aji sauce. Side note: it took me forever to finally figure out what this sauce was called; I should have just asked. I plan on trying to make some at home in the not so distant future.

The menu is well laid out with a good variety of options. The portion sizes are very large. Actually; we have found splitting a meal and an appetizer still leaves us with some leftovers to take home. Our go-to entree is the Chicken Choufa. It is a Peruvian fried rice dish, packed with some very flavor-full chicken and egg. This is a perfect fall/winter dish; as its both hearty and warming. We also had an order of the fried calamari for an appetizer. The calamari was tender and well fried, but in a different, slightly thicker batter than I’ve had before. They served this with some extra Aji sauce, and let me tell you; I didn’t even think about not having marinara sauce.

Pro Tip: the red sangria is pretty darn good. For $24, we definitely recommend sharing the pitcher which comes filled to the brim accompanied by two glasses of ice/fruit for you to serve amongst your table. Conceivably, we could get a carafe of sangria, and split a choufa and both leave extremely satisfied for a bargain price in downtown Stamford.

Highly recommend giving this place a try if you are in the downtown Stamford area.

Quattro Pazzi, Stamford CT

I’ll be the first to admit, I hadn’t been to Quattro Pazzi in a while, and did not intend on going there this day either. We were actually heading to a different downtown Italian eatery. It was around 8:30pm on a Saturday night, and we found out the hard way that you might start needing to make reservations downtown on certain nights. Truth be told; there are only a handful of places I’ve ever considered making a reservation for, but I think its time to start planning ahead a little better.

We still wanted Italian, and walked to Quattro Pazzi on the corner of Bedford Street. When we walked in the front door, we were asked if we had a reservation; at this moment, I feared we would be bringing planet pizza home with us, or getting pizza rolls from CVS. Fortunately there was a pair of seats at the upstairs bar we could sit at. I have always had a fondness for the barstool seats at restaurants. I used to travel a lot for work, and learned quickly that sitting at the bar was a good way of having more social conversations vs. sitting alone.

Our bartender/server was very friendly and constantly made sure we had enough to drink. I can think of a time when neither my water glass, or wine glass wasn’t always full. The service was quick, and the food we ordered was delicious. E ordered the Gnochi Bolognese. The ricotta gnochi was perfectly tender, and the veal bolognese was incredibly flavorful and hearty. I ordered the Rigatoni Buttera; a pasta dish with hot sausage, peas, in a creamy tomato sauce, with a riccota clump on top. My pasta was cooked to a great al dente feel, and the combination of creamy tomato sauce with the riccotta mixed up created a great flavor profile.

The beer selection here is ok, but not tremendous. I am happy they do serve the classics and have Two Roads as their local selection. The wine selection is definitely far better (I guess this is common sense for an Italian restaurant, but my love for beer did leave me wanting a little bit more).

We had a great experience at Quattro Pazzi, and honestly it’s probably a shame we have come here so infrequently. It’s definitely back on our radar, and in a way I’m glad I learned my lesson about making reservations.

Kyushu Ramen

It’s winter, its cold, It’s snowy (actually hold that though; it has not been snowing), but most importantly, it’s ramen/pho season. Neither E or myself have gone for ramen in Stamford yet, but all of that changed recently when we decided to stop at Kyushu Ramen on Bedford Street.

Kyushu is small little restaurant down towards the bottom of Bedford street near Lucky’s. The interior is well lit and despite the fridgid temperatures outside, the interior was extremely warm and inviting. The table setups are mostly low (lower than a normal table); with a few high tops. It makes you feel like you’ve stepped into a new world for your time at dinner, because your are eating at a slightly different perspective than usual.

We decided to order an appetizer to share, and try two different ramen style bowls. For our appetizer, we ordered the Okonomi Yaki. This is a Japanese savory pancake, made from shrimp, calamari, cabbage, egg, and topped with some homemade sauces. It comes served on a hot cast iron skillet. The smell coming off this ditch is incredible, and it was flavorful and very savory. I’m honestly not sure what qualifies this as a pancake, but after having it, I’m not sure I really care what it is called; I’d definitely have this again.

E went with the Shio Ramen; which was a chicken base broth, with chicken, bean sprouts, say sauce egg and corn. I went with the traditional pork bone base broth and ordered the Spicy Tonkotsu Miso; Chashu pork, ground pork, onion, bean sprouts, soy sauce eggs, and corn. The presentation on these bowls was incredible (I know its hard to visualize a soup presentation, so I’m hoping the attached pictures give you a better idea).

Both of us thoroughly enjoyed our entrees and couldn’t slurp them fast enough (well actually I slurped a little too fast and burned my tongue a bit). The portion sizes of these bowls were incredibly generous. Both of us ended up taking a full bowl home to have for the lunch the next day. I’ve had some pretty good ramen in my travels, but this place really hit the spot, and will become a local favorite of ours. Hopefully we can come back and visit again soon and bring some friends for the experience. If you are looking for a warm, hearty soup dinner this winter, I can’t recommend a better place in the area.

The Big E

The Big E Fair (Eastern States Exposition) is probably the most incredibly fall fair you can attend in the Northeast.  Over 1.5 Million people attended the fair in 2018 over the three weekends the fair was open.  The fair hosts all the normal fair novelties, but also boasts an incredible food and beer scene (and no, not just fair foods), and several stages with live performances.  The main attraction of the Big E is walking through all of the individual state houses (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT).  Each state house offers a variety of local foods and craft vendors proudly displaying state made items or local dishes.  Several of the state houses also bring local craft beer vendors in.

The Big E is a team event for us.  We usually head up with a large group of friends for a full day trip and will buy and share as many foods as possible.  This is our strategy for not getting too full too fast (a serious risk when combining the likes of lobster rolls, turducken sandwiches, Cabot cheese, and more beers than should be consumed in a day).  No matter how you do the Big E, you will always come out a winner, just skip the scale the morning after.

Food: Our pro tip is to always share, grab an extra fork, split as much as possible.  In all seriousness, only the brave can go it alone and try everything that will inevitable make your mouth water.  The big E offers a little bit of everything.  Some of our personal favorites: lobster rolls, overstuffed CT baked potatoes, smoked salmon on a stick, cheesesteak spring rolls, grilled mac and cheese, turducken sandwiches, chocolate covered bacon, loaded tater tots, and so much more.  This place has something for absolutely everybody

 Beer:  I'll be honest, the beer scene at the Big E is surprisingly good.  If you like craft beer, stick to the state houses, as they bring local craft vendors with them.  VT boasts a long trail tap and CT bring a variety of local craft kegs to distribute at a couple different tables.  They also offer Shipyard Pumpkinhead throughout the fair, and everybody has to get the cinnamon sugar rim.  The beer prices are fairly reasonable, the lines are short, and it's offered everywhere  There are also several vendors doing wine samplings throughout the houses.  This year we purchased some vintage steins from the Budweiser tent and drank from them all day long.

Other Highlights:  Huge Agricultural Halls,, Livestock Exhibits, Pig Races, Better Living Vendor Exhibits, and personal favorite; Budweiser Clydesdales.

2019's Fair will be held September 13th - 29th

Picking our Way Through Fall

2018 Annual Pilgrimage to Lyman Orchards

Having spent the adult years of my life in CT, it's easy to see why fall is one of the most revered times of the year.  Leaf peeping, crisp weather, and plenty of orchards and farms to excite your inner child.  Fall would not be complete for us without donning our best Paul Bunyan and Han Solo Outfits and heading to Lyman Orchards in Middlefield, CT.

There is so much to do at Lyman Orchards; Pick Your Own (apples, pumpkins, strawberries, raspberries, peaches, and pears) depending upon the season, Corn Maze, the Apple Barrel Store, and two 18 hole golf courses. 

You Pick:  

This time of year is basically restricted to apples and pumpkins, but if your inner baker is craving a pie, you probably know its Granny Smith season.  Lyman Orchards is one of the better you pick experiences I've been too, but it does get crowded.  The good news with Lyman is there is a lot of room to spread out.  They also open several picking fields at one time.  This gives you the ability to drive past the first field, or at least walk deeper into the orchard to find plenty of open space to explore and pick some great fruit.  The apples are picked in three different size bags (1/2 bushel, bushel, etc) and start around $10.  You can stuff the bag with as many apples as possible and don't get scolded for having a snack or two along the way.  Your you pick bag is only good at the field you purchased it from, and is marked on your way out.

Apple Barrel Store:

No matter what adventure you choose to find at Lyman, the trip is not complete without a stop at the Apple Barrel Store.  This place is has something for everybody.  There are all kinds of locally sourced fruits and vegetables, premade meals, baked goods, and snacks.  Everything we have ever had here has been fantastic.  You can also get a wide assortment of food: sandwiches, burgers, barbecue, soups, salads, and even more pastries than can be listed.  Our personal favorites are the Apple Cider donuts and the pies.  If you are looking to try a variety of baked goods, don't be afraid to wait in line at the counter to try one of everything.  I know the line is long, but trust me it moves quickly and it's totally worth it.  The apple cider here is hands down the best I've ever had, its significantly less sweet than anything you might find at the grocery store.  They even started serving homemade hard cider; as if we needed another excuse to stop by.

Golf:

Seriously, a round of golf this time of year here is Instagram worthy.  The Player Course wraps it's way through the orchard, and you can stop and grab an apple (limit 1 per the sign lol).  It's a moderately difficult course, with several blind shots, which can make your first round a little tricky.  The Jones Course is definitely a little more open, but with water features and some moderate elevation changes to keep the round interesting.  The grub at the clubhouse is pretty darn good for a Golf Course, and reasonably priced.  Don't forget to swing by the Apple Barrel to bring some snacks out on your round, or to accompany you on your ride home.

Mansfield Drive-in Movie Theater

If you've never been to a Drive-in Movie Theater in your life, please do yourself a favor and go before it's too late!  There are just under 350 drive-in theaters left in the entire US, and that number seemingly decreases every year.   Growing up as a kid, there were several drive-ins near our house, and half of those are now gone.  I believe there are only three left in CT, and my personal favorite is the Mansfield Drive-in.  Yes, depending on where you live, it is a fairly far trip (especially if you are located in the southern part of CT) but it is totally worth it.  Mansfield has three screens and show pairings of movies each night.  Admission is a super value deal; $11 per person for ages 12+ and $8 per person for ages 11 and under.  That price is for 2 movies!!  Generally the timing works that you can move in between movie pairings without too much hassle if you want to split the showings.

They have a large concession stand in between the screens serving all of your classic cinema favorites at reasonable prices.  There is a liquor store right outside of the entrance in case you wanted to stock up on anything, and I highly recommend stopping at the Bidwell Tavern Cafe.  You can either bring take out with you or dine there if you go early enough.  We split a burger and wings (both were fantastic) before gorging ourselves on popcorn and candy from the concession stand.

Pro Tips:

1) Check the weather for the night you are going; stay away from rain, and make sure to pack blankets as it will get chilly

2) We take a pickup and sit in the bed, but lots of people bring camping chairs if you don't want to stay in your car (also bring a battery operated radio if you are outside your car)

3) Bring Bug Spray

4) It will be late by the time show #2 ends; bring your own coffee (it's literally the only negative I have, but I have high standards)

5) The gates do not open until 7pm; you will sit there waiting to get in if you earlier

Industrial Arts Brewing Company

Location:
Located in Garnerville, NY, just south of Bear Mountain State Park, Industrial Arts Brewing Company sits down a sloped driveway in an unsuspecting historic industrial park.  And yes, I do now realize the irony of what I just said, however, if it wasn't for the giant signs saying "Brewer ==> " you would never have guessed a place this cool (Spoiler Alert) could be hiding just off the side of the road.  We are both huge fans of industrial design and architecture, and frankly they could have slapped a sticker on the side of a silver bullet can and I still would have found a need to go back.  As you walk around the side of the old building you will see string lights hung overhead and walk up upon the entrance and some giant sliding upcycled garage doors. Whoever designed the inside of this place had a knack for little touches. The inside floor is completely covered in hexagon shaped tiles, cleverly matching the hexagon shaped "Beer Elements" in the logo.   The inside of the brewery is wide open with plenty of space, and different size tables and chairs.  When you think of a well though out brewery, this is it.


Beer:
Prior to visiting, I'd tried several of their more popular canned beers, and was a little disappointed to find they do not have tasting flights.  Flights are usually our go to way of trying as many new things from a brewery as possible.  However, the Bar Staff was incredibly friendly and offered complimentary samples of anything on tap prior to making a decision.  We tried almost everything on tap that day.  Our stand out beers were: Corkscrew, Metric, Bloomerang, and Wrench.  Corkscrew, a hybrid sour, was a bright, crisp, and light drinking sour.  I wish I found this during the humid summer we had this year.  It was incredibly refreshing and definitely something you could drink all day.  Metric is one of my favorite local Pilsners; easy drinking with a great gold color.  Bloomerang is a collaboration beer with Two Roads in Stratford and is a super hazy NEIPA brewed with Hibiscus.  This has a slightly redish color and was my girlfriend's favorite on this trip.  Wrench is unarguably the most popular beer offered, and rightfully so.  If you can't find your way to Industrial Arts, you should definitely look up a retailer on their website and pick up a few cans.

PS: if anybody from Industrial Arts happens to read this, I'm still a little bummed you were out of stickers at the time of my visit; holding an empty space on my beer fridge for next time.