Norwalk Now - The Norwalk City Hunt

Join Norwalk Now 

in a City-Wide Adventure

 -The Norwalk City Hunt -

Saturday, April 28, Meet-up 10:30 AM, 
Norwalk City Hunt 11 AM-1 PM, 
Norwalk Now After Party 1-3 PM

It's time for a community wide celebration of fun! Join the folks at Norwalk Now, the collaborative marketing group comprised of local Norwalk businesses who have come together to promote their city, in their "Norwalk City Hunt", an interactive, “amazing race” throughout the Wall Street and SoNo neighborhoods of Norwalk, Saturday, April 28. Meet-up 10:30 AM, Hunt 11 AM-1 PM, After Party 1-3 PM 

YOU

can take part in this

entertaining and interactive afternoon 

of clues, challenges, and a 

RACE TO THE FINISH LINE

with an after party to follow!

Participants (adults only) are put into teams of four and are guided through the hunt on the City Hunt phone app. From there, a series of clues, challenges, and tasks are tackled with the successful completion of these activities being recorded or photographed on the team leader’s phone. 

Meanwhile, at City Hunt home base and the unknown location of the after party, City Hunt officials are monitoring everyone’s progress. Participants will be walking, running, or catching a Norwalk Now Circulator Van, shuffling them between neighborhoods. The vans will continue to run throughout the day/night as part of a special promotion and trial run for future use.

Norwalk Now Director Linda Kavanagh, a huge fan of City Hunts throughout the country, views Norwalk as an ideal location for such an adventure. “I have participated in these crazy mad dashes across cities such as New York, Boston, and Charleston. You really get to know a city and find yourself doing things that only social media should be allowed to capture!”

Destinations are comprised of Norwalk Now businesses, supporters, and public domains. The final destination is found by solving the clue. 

Upon completion of the Hunt, winners will be announced and the after party begins! Prizes include a $500 Norwalk Now gift card package and Free Parking gift bundles. Norwalk Now Circulator Van will continue service throughout the night and discount parking for the day will be offered. Go to the Norwalk Now Facebook to obtain the code.

How can you participate and sign up for Norwalk Now? 

Tickets are $40 per person and include the City Hunt challenge and phone app, NCH swag, and the after party. 

Sign-up solo and form your team at the meet-up or sign-up your foursome at www.norwalknow.org

About Norwalk Now:

*Norwalk Now was launched in October of 2017. Sponsored by the Norwalk Parking Authority, Norwalk Now is a non-profit organization with vested participation from Norwalk businesses. Norwalk Now is managed by MaxEx Public Relations, LLC. 

Get Ready for National Burger Month with Plan b Restaurants

National Burger Month at Plan b Burger Bar -

Plan b Announces Multiple Events 

to Launch National Burger Month

Photo Courtesy Plan b Restaurants

You know them. You love them. 

They're the staple of every great picnic and barbecue, and restaurants that do them well need to be appreciated and celebrated!

We're talkin' 'bout the burger, baby! 

Because May is National Burger Month!

And nobody knows burgers better than Plan b Restaurants! They know that burgers are special and so are YOU, the people who love them. So Plan b is celebrating both YOU and THE BURGER throughout the month of May with a series of events designed to honor the burger lover while also honoring our nation's veterans.

It all starts April 16th, when guests will have their chance to “Build a Better Burger” by submitting their best burger recipes in-store and online. 

Four recipes per store will compete online and and via social media from April 30th through May 6th for a chance to go head-to-head the following week.  

The burger that has the highest in-store sales and online votes will be featured on the menu from May 18th - May 28th (one winner per location). 

The winner will also receive one free burger per week for the remainder of 2018, in addition to having their name and photo displayed on the wall of that location.  Say What!?!

Along with the “Build a Better Burger” contest, Plan b will partner with Budweiser to celebrate veterans.  

A $10 “Big Mini” and Budweiser special will be available every Monday at all CT and MA locations for the entire month of May, with a portion of sales going to Folds of Honor.  

Limited edition t-shirts will also be on sale for $20, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Folds of Honor charity.

In addition, Plan b and Budweiser will be hosting a Vets Day Out at the Ball Park on May 6th! Kicking off with a BBQ tailgate at sister restaurant, Butchers & Bakers, a group of 30 veterans and their guests will be hosted for a tailgate party, party bus, and Yard Goats game.  

Nominate your Favorite Veteran!

Plan b is accepting nominations for deserving vets from April 20-29 at: 

http://burgersbeerbourbon.com/nominatavet

About Plan b Restaurants: 

Plan b Restaurants is an award-winning casual restaurant chain focused on quality burgers, beer, and bourbon. The company was founded in 2006 around the simple belief that great food and drink brings people together. Over the last decade, it has expanded to nine locations across four states as part of the Hartford-based Locals 8 Restaurant Group. It has been voted Best Burger, Best Restaurant, and Best Beer Bar by numerous local and national publications and was recognized globally for excellent job creation. 
For more information, please visit 
www.burgersbeerbourbon.com

Plan b Restaurants has six locations across CT, as well as Springfield, MA, Ashburn, VA, and Washington, DC. 
For menus and specific locations visit their website:
http://www.burgersbeerbourbon.com/

About Folds of Honor:

Folds of Honor is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization that provides educational scholarships to families of military men and women who have fallen or been disabled in combat while serving in the United States armed forces. Their educational scholarships support private education tuition and tutoring for children in grades K-12, as well as higher education tuition assistance for spouses and dependents. Founded in 2007 by Major Dan Rooney, an F-16 fighter pilot in the Oklahoma Air National Guard who served three tours of duty in Iraq, Folds of Honor is proud to have awarded more than 10,000 scholarships in all 50 states, as well as Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, including more than 2,200 in 2015 alone. 
For more information or to donate in support of a Folds of Honor scholarship, visit www.foldsofhonor.org
.

Tree House Arcade - Family Friendly Entertainment at Foxwoods

The Tree House Arcade Returns to Foxwoods Resort Casino!

Foxwoods® Resort Casino, the premier resort destination in the Northeast recently celebrated the grand reopening of  their Tree House Arcade, which is now located in the Great Cedar Hotel lobby. 

Photo Source: Foxwoods Resort Casino

The arcade opened its doors in mid-March 2018, welcoming guests of all ages to enjoy a wide range of exciting games, from arcade classics to the latest interactive games featuring mind-blowing graphics and interactive controls. At Foxwoods, gaming doesn’t always mean blackjack and roulette. The best video games of yesterday and today are all there at the Foxwoods Tree House Arcade. At the Tree House Arcade you can play the games you grew up with, including arcade classics and pinball ... or try the latest interactive games with all the mind-blowing graphics and interactive controls. You can even win tickets to redeem for prizes. It’s perfect for the kid in all of us!

Get your game on at the arcade during your next visit.

This family-friendly spot is where you can try your hand at popular games such as Jurassic Park, Big Bass Wheel, Wizard of Oz and many more. 

Best of all -- The renovated arcade also features a bigger redemption area for players to redeem tickets, as well as an impressive new selection of the hottest prizes. Additionally, you can enjoy the benefits of their upgraded FunPass, which is among the most generous bonusing programs in the country. 

Hours of operation are:

Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., 
Friday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to midnight. 

For more information and details on special FunPass promotions, please visit www.foxwoods.com/arcade/.  

FOXWOODS RESORT CASINO

350 Trolley Line Boulevard
Mashantucket, CT 06338

1-800-FOXWOODS 

Photo Source: Foxwoods Resort Casino

About Foxwoods Resort Casino

Since 1992, Foxwoods Resort Casino has offered guests The Wonder Of It All as the premier resort destination in the Northeast. As the largest resort casino in North America, Foxwoods offers a vast array of gaming in six casinos; AAA Four-Diamond hotels, restaurants from gourmet to quick service, world-renowned spas, award-winning golf, state-of-the-art theaters, exclusive retailers and free-to-play online casino games at FoxwoodsONLINE.com. Perfect for both recreation and business, Foxwoods provides modern and versatile convention and meeting space to infuse new life into any meeting or event. Foxwoods Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. For a comprehensive look at Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation visit Foxwoods.com.

OKO Restaurant to Open in Westport

OKO Restaurant - Westport CT

Great news for residents of Fairfield County! 

A new restaurant is coming to Westport CT  this spring! 

The OKO Restaurant. a Japanese inspired restaurant from Chef Brian Lewis, will be located in the historic Vigliant Firehouse.

Photo Courtesy OKO Restaurant

Chef Lewis notes, “I have been really inspired by Japanese cooking techniques, culture and ingredients for a very long time, studying and layering Japanese influences into my cooking for many years, but it was the introduction of the Okonomiyaki at The Cottage that was my real ‘a-ha’” moment in defining the direction for my next restaurant."

For those not familiar, the Okonomiyaki is a savory, Japanese pancake filled with seasonally-inspired ingredients, and was was a whimsical addition to the Cottage menu. It's better known as a Japanese street food with some rarefied touches. Guests as the Cottage absolutely loved this dish and it quickly became a Cottage favorite, which will likely stay on the menu as a Cottage Classic.

 However, ordering the Okonomiyaki had proven to be a bit of a tongue-twister for guests and staff, and anyone calling or responding to the ticket would add their own personal ‘flair’ to the word, so Chef and his team finally gave the dish a nickname which really just stuck, calling it simply “oko,” - the dish nickname was used often and with affection, and sometimes a chuckle.  

To pay homage to the spark behind this entire concept, Chef Lewis  excited to share with you that the new restaurant is named OKO. 

Photo Courtesy OKO Restaurant

Since making the announcement last summer, Chef Lewis and his team have been busy focusing on this new concept. and truly feel that OKO is a heartfelt vision and interpretation of the ingredients, cooking methods, cuisine and culture of all things Japanese, paired with both amazing local ingredients from Connecticut and throughout the United States.  

Be on the lookout for OKO to open shortly!

OKO Restaurant will be opening in the treasured Westport landmark, The Vigilant Hose Company Firehouse!

OKO Restaurant

6 Wilton Road
Westport, CT 06880


Stay tuned for updates at https://okokitchen.com/ and via the restaurant’s new social media pages, which are now live:


Facebook:  OKO Westport

Instagram:  OKOWestport

Twitter:  OKO_Westport

The Beach House Cafe in South Norwalk CT

Social Media Promotion: Sponsored  

Brunch at the Beach House Café in South Norwalk CT

There's a new restaurant serving up a delightful brunch in South Norwalk CT - the Beach House Café of SoNo! Located right across the street from The Maritime Aquarium and Museum and the Norwalk Seaport Dock, the Beach House Café features some delicious offerings for brunch on Sundays that are sure to please. We received an invite last week to sample restaurateur Kane Xu's new brunch menu. Fairfield county foodies may remember Xu from the popular French-Asian Fusion eatery in Cos Cob, Nuage). Xu re-opened the Beach House Café in Old Greenwich in the fall of 2016, and also took over South Norwalk’s low-country cuisine locale, Mama’s Boy. Xu made the bold move to convert SoNo's well know Mama's Boy Restaurant and Southern Refuge into another seafood themed Beach House Café, the Beach House Café of South Norwalk!
  

“As bold as it may have seemed to some, for me it made perfect sense to create a seafood restaurant being located in a coastal community, just steps away from the Maritime Aquarium and the Seaport Dock,” explains Xu, “And the seafood concept is really where we shine.”

The Beach House SoNo is nautical in theme, taking a page from an ocean-side hotel bar and restaurant. Dockline roping drapes above the reclaimed wood-paneled bar. Massive boating prints, hanging canoes, mounted oars, and dock master lanterns complete this waterside retreat. 

Sunday brunch, also featuring live music by local artists, and private party capabilities round out the Beach House Café experience. On his brunch menu, Xu also kept some of the 'southern favorites' that the location was well known for, like Fried Green Tomatoes, Chicken and Waffles, and my personal favorite, Shrimp and Grits. 

Here are some of the items we sampled - starting from their creative cocktail menu!

Although I'm typically a Bloody Mary Brunch person, and the Beach House serves a killer one called "Ring of Fire" (uh, YUM!) on this particular day I thought I'd go with something a bit more fruity, selecting the Blood Orange Margarita! Definitely a great choice - smooth and frothy and the perfect tang to clear the palate and start the day!

Blood Orange Margarita
Jose Cuervo Tequila, Thatcher's Blood Orange
Tripe Sec, Fresh Lime 

Here are some of the offerings that my tablemates selected - starting with the aforementioned staple at brunches, the Ring of Fire Bloody Mary.

Ring of Fire Bloody Mary
House Bloody Mary Mix - Jalapeno Peppers
(also available by the pitcher)

If that Bloody Mary causes too much 'heat' - how about a cool Coconut Mojito to simmer down the fire?

Coconut Mojito
Cream of Coconut, Captain Morgan White Rum
Malibu Rum, Muddled Fresh Mint with Lime, Club Soda

If you prefer something a bit lighter, how about the crisp and clean "Dutch Boy"?

The Dutch Boy
Ketel One Vodka, Fresh Lemon
Simple Syrup, Champagne

Prefer bourbon and whiskey? They have the Nutty Bulleit and the Best Dang Manhattan. Both made with Bulleit bourbon.

Best Dang Manhattan
Bulleit Bourbon, Cocchi,
luxardo brandied cherry

Another traditional brunch drink is the Mimosa, and at The Beach House, they're almost bottomless. Pay $9.50 for your first glass, and refills are only $2.00 (prices are from March 2018). 

Almost Bottomless Mimosa

Another table favorite was the Pear Necessity - another great way to start a brunch day!

Pear Necessity
Absolut Pear Vodka, Elderflower Liquer
Pear Nectar, Champagne

After sipping and getting caught up with one another over cocktails we moved on to our tasting portion of the day, starting with a delicious 'charcuterie' or Meat and Cheese Plate. This fun platter would be great any time of day to sip some cocktails and nibble on some fun flavors!

Meat & Cheese Plate
prosicutta sopressata and capocolla, marinated olives
house select gourmet cheeses

On our visit this meat and cheese plate included a blueberry and vanilla goat cheese that was out of this world good! I couldn't get enough of it - and I'm on the search to find some or recreate it myself!

Then it was time for some starters and small plates like brunch wontons, deviled eggs, and tuna tartare. 

Delicious Brunch Wontons
with cream cheese, lightly fried with pepper jelly

Deviled Eggs

Tuna Tartare
avocado, scallion, masago, spicy sesame soy

After whetting our appetite with these delicious teasers we moved on to the plate portions of the brunch menu, sampling an Organic Salmon BLT, Chicken Fried Steak and Eggs with Sausage Gravy, Chicken and Waffles, Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict (!!!), and a southern favorite, Shrimp and Grits!

Organic Salmon BLT
Grilled salmon, lettuce and tomatoes, bacon,
dressed with cilantro jalapeno aioli,
served with french fried

I love that the Beach House had so many classic southern dishes on the menu, while adding their fresh new spin on the flavor profiles.

Chicken Fried Steak
Tender pounded 'chicken fried' steak (breaded and country fried)
Smoked paprika pork sausage gravy, breakfast potatoes
sunny side egg

Chicken and Waffles
marinated country fried chicken,
fresh made waffle, habanero jelly,
Brookside Farms Maple Syrup

Oh - the Crab Cakes Benedict was a DREAM! This crab cake nestled under the Eggs Benny was a surefire way to win my heart over! As much as I love a classic eggs benedict - this version was equally delicious with a sweet little crab cake accompanying the poached eggs. There was also a "Lobster Benedict" version available that substituted a grits cake with the lobster. 

Crab Cakes Benedict
Poached Eggs, hollandaise, baby greens
Crab Cakes

And how about this creamy delicious bowl of Shrimp and Grits! 

Shrimp and Grits
Slow Cooked Grits, Smoked Tasso (pork) Spring onions
Pimento Gravy

Moving on to our finale tastes of the day were two incredibly good desserts, a Pistachio Cake with the perfect balance of pistachio flavors, and a decadent Gorilla Bread (which is actually on the starter menu - but would make for the perfect "happy ending")

Pistachio Cake

Gorilla Bread
Cinnamon Roll filled with cream cheese,
dulce de leche sauce, praline pecans

I cannot begin to describe how wonderful everything we sampled was, and I'm so glad I'm ending with the Gorilla Bread because it was truly one of the highlights of our sampling. Light and fluffy and so decadently delicious, I could have it as a starter, as a dessert, or anything in between. It was definitely soooo good - and the 'exclamation point' to a fun brunch at the Beach House!

Be sure that you visit the Beach House Café in South Norwalk soon! 

Beach House - SoNo

19 N Water Street
South Norwalk CT 06854
203.956.7171

http://www.beachhousecafe.com/
http://bhsono.com/


Disclaimer: We were invited to Beach House So No by members of their management and marketing team, however, the opinions expressed are entirely our own.

©  Home Place 2018

LUCAS LOCAL in Newtown CT

Social Media Promotion: Sponsored  

Sunday Brunch at LUCAS LOCAL

If you haven't noticed by now, a good weekend brunch is one of my favorite ways to gather with friends or family. There's just something about a late morning / early afternoon get together that simply demands casual food and fun! When I received an invite to a sample tasting of some of the items featured on LUCAL LOCAL Oyster Bar and WoodFire Cookery's Brunch Menu I knew I would be in for a treat!

And I sure was! At first I was a little surprised by the name pairing of "oyster bar" and "wood fired" - as one name implies 'seafood'  and the other 'meat or chops' - but after talking with owner Vince Capelletti, it all began to make sense. I mean, really, who doesn't love seafood on a wood fired grill? That delicious wood fired smokiness enhances any protein it meets! And who doesn't want to visit a restaurant with a great land and sea combo?!!

Capelletti's love for great food and a relaxed atmosphere 'bistro' all comes together at LUCAS LOCAL! The ambiance is an elevated seaside tavern style - and all re-purposed! The floors are comprised of beautiful wide wooden planks from the barns of nearby tobacco farms from over 100 years ago. Walls have been knocked down, opened up, re-arranged, and re-positioned to expose the original wood stove from the building's former home, and some cute little dining nooks.

Exposed Fireplace Hearth
LUCAS LOCAL Oyster Bar and WoodFire Cookery

In addition, there are the most incredible slated wooden and steel chairs, that were made to be super comfortable (they were!!), and a church pew salvaged from an New Haven church.

Wood and Forged Steel Chairs - So Comfy - Honest!!
Lucas Local

Re-purposed Church Pew
Lucas Local

Now that you've seen a bit of the decor, let's highlight some of the delicious food and drink we sampled. 

Of course, for brunch, you must start with a Bloody Mary, and I took bartender Sarah's suggestions, and ordered her  "Bacon Me Crazy" prepared with bacon, shrimp, mushrooms, celery, and kalamata olives, and had some super-spicy spices on the rim. 

So. Dang. Good.

Others at the table sampled signature cocktails like their Mermaid's Garden, Tito's Moscow Mule, the Sappy Old Fashioned, and the French 48.

Sappy Old Fashioned
Taconic Distillery, Maple Bourbon, Maple Foam

The Mermaid's Garden Cocktail
Sombra Mezcal, St. Germain, lavendar bitters, lime foam

Yup, some pretty good cocktails and a really fun cocktail menu!

Moving on to our food sampling, we stayed with mostly the seafoods that were featured on their brunch menu, like...

'Clear broth' Rhode Island Clam Chowder. 

Rhode Island Clam Chowder
Point Judith Little Necks, Potatoes,
Fresh Herbs, Clear Broth

and Oysters Oregano - a hopefully soon to be brunch staple.

Oysters Oregano

How about this take on Eggs Benedict? Made with some delicious lobster!

Lobster Eggs Benedict
Fresh House Cured Bacon, Poached Eggs,
Hollandaise, Potato Hast and Lobster

Some savory Linguine and Clam Sauce!

Linguine and Clams
Rhode Island Little Necks, Fresh Oregano, and Garlic Infused Oil

This beautifully  plated octopus was as amazing as it looks!

Fire Kissed Octopus
Roasted Eggplant and red pepper hummus,
crisp garbanzos, lemon infused oil

And my favorite brunch staple - Shrimp and Grits!

Down South Shrimp and Grits
Grilled Shrimp
Stone Ground Course Grits, Poached Eggs

Some dreamy good waffles!

Waffle Love
Bourbon Maple Syrup, Vanilla Ice Cream,
House Cured Bacon
Fresh Fruit

Everything we tried was so good! We can't wait to return and try some more items from their brunch menu -- and to return for a nice relaxing weekday lunch or dinner. Be on the lookout for their soon to be opened front patio for some summer dining pleasure!

Note that many of the items we were served were sample size portions so your portion sizes may differ.

Be sure you visit LUCAS LOCAL Oyster Bar and Woodfire Cookery soon!

LUCAS LOCAL Oyster Bar Woodfire Cookery

48 S Main Street

Newtown, CT 06470

203-491-2992

https://www.lucaslocalct.com

Disclaimer:

We were invited to LUCAS LOCAL Oyster Bar and WoodFire Cookery by members of their management and marketing team, however, the opinions expressed are entirely our own.

©  Home Place 2018