Vernon: Complete! Rein’s Deli Here is my list of everything I've done in Vernon! I’m very excited to write this page. This is the third of what may ultimately be 169 town completion celebration pages! Yes, of course I am fully aware of how absurd that is. Send your condolences to my wife and children, care of … [Read more...]
French-Canadian: Chez Ben Diner
C'est Si Ben Chez Ben Diner, Manchester Multiple Visits from November 2014-December 2016 (Is a title pun better or worse when it's in another language?) Straight up: I love Chez Ben. I've been several times and it became sort of my "go-to" place for pre-hike food while I descended upon Manchester and Vernon to … [Read more...]
Argentina: Aby’s Bakery
Dulce de Leche Can Get Messi 765 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford Several visits between 1999 & 2016 When I renewed my promise to myself to write as much original content for CTMQ as I can in mid-2016, I also promised to try to do more food stuff. Mostly these hole-in-the-wall specialty ethnic places. As … [Read more...]
Jewish: Crown Market
Where is "Jewish?" Bishop's Corner, West Hartford October 2015 This is my first "food/restaurant" post in the "CT Restaurant Tour of the World" section in which I flew solo. I still don't really know what to do with this section and I darn well know that I'm not qualified to write about food. At … [Read more...]
Food & Drink
Restaurants, Breweries, Wineries, Cheese, Chocolate, Ice Cream, and More! This page now serves as a fairly robust jumping off point for the many food and drink sections of CTMQ. The state has maintained some culinary “trails” over the years and I've added a few more based on some "Best of" books as well as my own … [Read more...]
Portugal: O’Camelo
Oh Oh Camelo! Park Street, Hartford April 27, 2013 This was the first event of the CTMQ CT Restaurant Tour of the World. I did it! I got over myself and my introversion and pushed through to organize and pull-off the very first Connecticut Restaurant Tour of the World dinner! I don’t want to get all … [Read more...]
Connecticut Food Tour of the World
The Most Difficult and Delicious Section of CTMQ CTMQ Ethnic Food/Restaurant Tour Here’s something you may not know: writing about food is very, very difficult for me. I can’t do it very well at all, but at least I’m friends with a few quality food writers. As I embark on these little food adventures “around the … [Read more...]
Polish Plate at Staropolska
Great Place to Polish off a Meal Staropolska, New Britain April 6, 2012 Ah, New Britski. I could write several thousand words on New Britain’s Broad Street “Little Poland” area. I don’t know why it fascinates me so much, as I’ve been to plenty of neighborhoods with fairly homogenous nationalities. But … [Read more...]
Mrs. Bridges’ Pantry (RIP)
Cheerio! Have You Anything to go with my Cheerios? “A Little Slice of Britain,” Woodstock November 7, 2009 Mrs. Bridges' closed in early 2019. I try to limit the stuff I write about in these untamed sections of the blog. I really do. The stores have to be very, very unique or interesting to make the CTMQ … [Read more...]
Polish Food at Polish National Home
ZachwycajÄ…cy! Polish National Home, Hartford June 16, 2009 In researching this write-up I came across the same theme over and over. So I'll follow tradition and dispense with the mild cliché right off the bat - The Polish National Home is one of the worst kept secrets in Hartford. It's hidden in plain sight. I … [Read more...]