The Bodega Food Truck Hits the Road in Fairfield County!

Beep!  Beep! Bodega expands into the Food Truck Industry!

Bodega Taco Bar continues to make its mark on Fairfield County with the addition of the Bodega Food Truck hittin’ the road this month. The rolling vibrant green mobile might as well be named the party bus as it already being booked for private parties, school functions and outdoor events – and the paint’s not even dry yet! Fans of Bodega’s innovative and edgy, while authentic and fresh cuisine, will now have the opportunity to follow their favorite cuisine to a street corner near them or grab a taco while partaking in a local event. This taqueria on wheels will also be the centerpiece of Bodega’s thriving catering business.

The team has created a catering menu that straddles the line between “fine” and “fiery” with ease. From a Burrito Bar and Taco Party, to passed hors d’oeuvres of Tuna Tataki and Smoked Chicken Albondigas,  party goers are assured to have a unique experience.  Bowls of hand slapped guacamole, pico de gallo, and cucumber mango salsa with fresh corn tortilla chips are a true crowd pleaser, as are roasted veggies with poblano agave yogurt dip and ceviche bowls with vibrant citrus shrimp and scallops. That deli sandwich platter at the office lunch meeting is transformed with hearty “tortas” such as; Argentinian grilled hangar steak with chipotle aioli, greens and queso fresco; Grilled Chicken with black beans, goat cheese and pickled onions; Grilled Portabella with truffle red pepper aioli and crispy kale; and the Baja Fish Wrap with mango cucumber salsa.

On the buffet menu are a wide array of ”platos” including Camarones  Enchilados, Slow Roasted Pork “Lechon”  and Pepita Crusted Mahi Mahi a la Plancha. Fresh “Ensaladas” feature Massaged Kale Salad with kabocha squash, queso cotija, chilified peanuts and lemon-poblano dressing and a healthful Quinoa Salad with savoy cabbage, red jalapeños and smoked peanut vinaigrette.  Seasonal and outdoor event menus highlight the Paella Party, Parrilla Mixed Grill, and of course, Bodega’s popular Whole Roasted Pig Fiesta. Adding to the fiesta atmosphere are Bodega’s signature cocktails;

Traditional Bodegarita, Rosarita with hibiscus, Pomarita with pomegranate, the Mojito, the Alibi with cucumber, and it’s a party now with pitchers of Sangria! Look out for the Bodega Margarita Wagon!

The Bodega team is also sprucin’ up the auto in time for their famous CINCO DE MAYO weekend celebration which starts Friday, May 2 and parties on ‘til Monday, May 5, 2014.

Check out Bodega’s twitter, instagram and facebook pages to find out which concerts, markets and festivals The Bodega Food Truck will be putting it into park and serving up their Mexican inspired fare.

Food Truck / Catering: 203-259- TACO.

Bodega Fairfield, 1700 Post Rd / Bodega Darien, 980 Post Rd / www.bodegatacobar.com

Oktoberfest at Redding Roadhouse in Redding CT

One of the best things about welcoming the fall season in New England is...Oktoberfest!!

Oktoberfest in America is an homage to the 16-18 day event in Germany that starts in late September and goes into the first few weeks of October. Beer flows, music rolls, and hearty and flavorful comfort foods are featured at its core.

This year, to celebrate the autumn season, we traveled to West Redding CT to visit the Redding Roadhouse on Redding Road. (That's alot of Redding!). We were so excited to be invited to this great promotion! What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than to take a drive through Fairfield county and view the beautiful fall foliage in this picturesque area of Connecticut.

Now, let me start by saying, I'm a big fan of any restaurant that calls themselves a roadhouse. 

The name itself conjures up images of great little "local taverns" alongside winding country roads, that feature hearty food, good drinks, and great music. A place where you can get a good meal and have some fun, all in a comfortable setting. And that's just what the Redding Roadhouse is!

The restaurant is owned and operated by Ted Stonbely,Wirt Cook and Karen Cook. Wirt also doubles as the Executive Chef and brings a comfort menu packed with classic favorites and a laid-back approach of New England cooking to the Roadhouse.

I knew I was in for a great time the minute I walked in and was greeted by a lovely Fraulein offering me a pint of Half Full Brewery Pumpkin Ale with a cinnamon sugar frosted rim! And it just kept getting better from there!

We met up with our group in the bar, chatted for a few minutes, and then were greeted by owner and the night's host, Ted,  who escorted us to our tables in the main dining room to start sampling some of the Oktoberfest menu items.

We began our meal with a cured meat and cheese board called the Charcuterie Plate that consisted of pastrami, head cheese, tongue, cornichon pickles and wurst pate, and browsed the special Oktoberfest sampling menu we'd be enjoying for the evening.

And then Chef Karen brought out some lovely made on premise bacon. To say that it was fabulous would be doing it a disservice. It was wonderful. Amazing. Delicious. We could have eaten this all night and been happy.
But then came the potato pancakes. Again, a German classic and these did not disappoint! These were just as good as my friend Oma used to make.

L-R Clockwise
Karen explains the process for the made on premise bacon,
potato pancakes with applesauce and sour cream, and my appetizer plate. 

And because it's an Oktoberfest, right as the delicious Burgoo Stew was being served, the German Oompah Band started up! They were assembled in one of the adjoining tavern rooms, close enough that we could easily hear (and sing along!) - but not so overpowering that it hindered dinner conversation.

We also sampled a few more beers, Octoberfest by Hooker Beer and the Okto Festival Ale by Widmer Brothers Brewing. Each of the evening's beer samples embodied the flavors of autumn.

Burgoo Stew (German immigrant stew)

And then came our entrees and sides! A sausage sampler plate of  smoked bratwurst, weisswurst and bauernwurst, all steamed in beer, and served with sauerkraut and steamed red cabbage. A big bowl of the German egg noodle spaetzle, and a side of homemade spicy mustard, that I could eat out of the glass with a spoon. (And did!)

L-R Clockwise
smoked bratwurst, weisswurst and bauernwurst, with steamed red cabbage and sauerkraut,
spaetzle and homemade mustard

But, no, wait... there's even more!

A deliciously tender Weiner Schnitzel, and, then, hands down my personal favorite of the night, Saurbraten, a Bavarian style pot roast, served with sweet and sour gravy thickened with gingersnaps.

Top L-R Clockwise
Saurbraten, my wonderful dinner plate, wiener schnitzel

And, for the finishing touch of the meal, dessert was served, a wonderfully flaky, buttery, apple streudel aka strudel, with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream.

Apple Streudel

If you're looking for a great place to welcome fall with an Oktoberfest Special, or wonderful meal for every season - the Redding Roadhouse is the place to go! It's a little out of the way if you're not in the immediate area...but definitely worth the trip for a hearty homestyle meal in a comfortable setting.

Oktoberfest is running September 29th through October 27th - but visit the restaurant any time!

We sang - we danced - we had a great time! You will too, at the...

The Redding Roadhouse

406 Redding Road

West Redding, CT  06896

203.938.3388

on the web: http://reddingroadhouse.com/

like them on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Reddingroadhouse

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Have you been to an Oktoberfest this year?

What are your favorite German foods?

I'd love to hear about them in the comments below!

Auf Wiedersehen - Good Bye!

Disclaimer: I was invited to a promotional Oktoberfest sampling at the Redding Roadhouse, however, the views and opinions expressed herein are my own.