Grab Your Glowsticks, Because this one's a Rave: Bistro V in Greenwich

A fixture on Greenwich Avenue in Greenwich, CT since 1980, Bistro Versailles & Patisserie has been in the capable hands of Marc and Evelyne Penvenne, who also own Méli-Mélo Crêperie & Juice Bar across the street, since 2014. The couple hails from the Bretagne region of France, and have brought a freshness to the atmosphere and cuisine at Bistro Versailles. The interior feels like an upscale yet relaxed French cafe, and the food is both delicious and beautifully presented. 

Get ready for a rave review; each course topped the last, even when it had seemed like nothing could possibly be more delicious than what was already in front of me.

My evening began with a novel 

apéritif; 

a splash of Byrhh (fortified wine flavored with herbs and cinchona bark, a natural source of quinine) added to crisp champagne. The combination was unexpected and refreshing, and paired nicely with the warm garlic parsley wafers that arrived as our group filtered in. 

We were also treated to smoked salmon on rye with dollops of tart crème fraîche, and toasts topped with Pâté and cornichons. The evening was off to a tantalizing start, but the magic was yet to begin. 

First, something i had never experienced: watermelon and ricotta salata salad with candied watermelon rind. Lighly drizzled with tart lemon vinaigrette, this was a refreshing dish and the rind was unexpected but I loved it.

The chilled poached Maine lobster, drizzled with cilantro emulsion and accented by hearts of palm, was a mix of textures. I had some tail and some claw; the claw was sweet and tender but the tail was less so. I mention this only because I fear a reviewer who only tried the tail might be unimpressed with this dish, when the claw was actually excellent. I was particularly a fan of the hearts of palm in tandem with the cilantro.

Now I'll start raving. Once the next dish, crispy skinned Branzino, arrived, I was blown away from the first bite to the last nibble of dessert (and this was the consensus at my table as a whole, it seemed). 

The fish was sweet, flavorful, tender, moist - all the words we use to describe something delectable. The skin was perfectly, completely crispy. The shaved fennel underneath was laced with lightly sweet citrus that offset the savory fish beautifully. 

This course was paired with a Lebanese white wine, Ixsir Altitudes, that was excellent and unlike any wines I've had in the past. Every course, in fact, was expertly paired with a wine that enhanced the experience. Wine is always good with food, but sometimes wine can take excellent food and make it transcendent. This was the case at Bistro Versailles. In addition, I had the pleasure of sitting across from Anatoli Levine, who is not only a food writer but a wine connoisseur, and his insights made for an educational evening (you can check out his website here.)

Steak tartare is a favorite of mine and I was excited to try it at a restaurant that was proving to be quite a special place. No surprise, it was wonderful. Executive Chef Erik Erlichson, a classically trained French chef and graduate of New York Restaurant School, blends the traditional tartare accoutrements, mixes them into the meat, and then adds them in chopped form for texture. This method made for a richly flavored tartare.

My favorite dish of the night, difficult as it is to choose just one, was the crispy Hudson Valley duck breast with a salad of confit, snap peas, and carrot ginger dressing. The table fell silent (except for a few delighted sighs) while we cleaned our plates, and then erupted into excited commentary about how excellent this dish was. Two people at my table said they don't even like duck, but loved this dish. 

Dinner ended with a giant platter of steamed mussels, bathed in white wine, lemon, garlic, parsley, and thyme. I would have drank the sauce straight if only I had no sense of social graces. So good. We were also presented with hot, perfectly oily, house made pommes frites, which disappeared at lighting speed. 

Dessert was a chilled fruit soup and tart frozen yogurt which was light yet satisfying, and very refreshing.

If it isn't abundantly apparent already, I'll reiterate: this was one of the best meals I've had in a long time.

Bistro Versailles is a must visit restaurant. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay informed of specials and events. They are located at 339 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich, CT.

All photos are copyright me, Adeline Crites-Moore.

Ticket Sales for my Favorite Food Event of the Year are Open!

I was so excited to receive this year's Greenwich Wine + Food Festival info! 
Check out my coverage of last year's festival, and 2013's festivities. 

Here are all the details for this year:

The fifth annual GREENWICH WINE+FOOD FESTIVAL, presented by Serendipity magazine (www.greenwichwineandfood.com) and benefiting Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp and The Greenwich Department of Parks and Recreation, will be taking place September 24 through 26 at the Roger Sherman Baldwin Park in Greenwich, Connecticut. The festival will feature a Dinner Under the Stars on Thursday, the Most Innovative Chefs Gala on Friday and the Culinary Village, featuring Little Big Town’s performance, on Saturday.

The official weekend kickoff on Thursday evening brings the first Dinner Under the Stars to the festival. This intimate event will accommodate 60 guests to enjoy a five-course dinner, accompanied by awarded select wines. More details on this event will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Most Innovative Chefs Gala on Friday evening will feature the 2015 Most Innovative Chef winners from restaurants across Fairfield and Westchester Counties serving an incredible tasting menu (honorees to be announced). The evening will also include elite wines, premium liquor, an exclusive auction and a live musical performance (TBA).

On Saturday, the Culinary Village, the center of the entire GREENWICH 2015 WINE+FOOD FESTIVAL, will offer tastings and demonstrations from more than two hundred food, wine, spirits and product vendors. Culinary demonstration tents and stages will house cooking presentations by celebrity chefs and local talent. Guests will also enjoy sommelier presentations, celebrity chef book signings, the fourth annual Burger Battle, the second annual Top Bartender’s Showdown, Barbecue & Bluegrass, and a live musical performance by Little Big Town. A special ticketed event, Saturday on Stage Dinner, will give 100 guests the chance to enjoy the headliner performance on an elevated stage while enjoying a special dinner (chef TBA), premium liquor, wine and beer. In addition, VIP ticket holders will enjoy a VIP Big Easy Dinner, celebrating the culinary, musical and festive atmosphere of New Orleans. This tented event will feature a traditional Louisiana jazz marching band, the Festival’s Ambassador Chefs serving up signature small plates with a New Orleans Twist, premium liquor, wines and beer, and a private, early-evening concert with the world-renowned band Funky Meters, comprised of Art Neville, Ian Neville, George Porter Jr. and Russell Batiste Jr. VIP ticket holders will also enjoy a premium viewing area for Little Big Town’s performance.

Visit www.greenwichwineandfood.com for more information and updates about the event schedule, participating celebrity and local chefs, musical talent and more. Ticket sales are now open (with the exception of Thursday's evening event) and are available through www.greenwichwineandfood.com or by calling 203.588.1363. The event’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/GreenwichwinefoodFestival, will be announcing restaurant participants and schedule updates, as available. 

GREENWICH 2015 WINE+FOOD FESTIVAL

The GREENWICH 2015 WINE+FOOD FESTIVAL is a three-day event that benefits The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, a nationwide organization dedicated to providing healing to children and their families coping with cancer, sickle cell anemia and other serious illnesses, as well as The Greenwich Department of Parks and Recreation. The festival is hosted by Serendipity magazine in conjunction with other event sponsors.

Photos by me, Adeline Crites-Moore :-)

The 4th Annual Greenwich Wine + Food Festival: Culinary Adventures for a Cause

An exciting combination of celebrity chefs, top mixologists, and incredible food from the region's best restaurants drew a crowd of over 4,700 people to the 4th Annual Greenwich Wine + Food Festival last weekend. All proceeds from the weekend's event, presented by Serendipity, support Paul Newman’s The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, an organization that offers “a different kind of healing” to children and their families coping with serious illnesses like cancer or sickle cell anemia.

Last year's festival was a truly incredible experience, by far my favorite "foodie" event of the year, and I had been looking forward to this year's almost from the moment last year's ended. This year did not disappoint. The Culinary Village, a tented smorgasbord of over 150 opportunities to taste the offerings of top restaurants in the area, was packed with an enthusiastic crowd of appreciative eaters, wine glasses in hand (there are plenty of wine, liquor, and beer representatives mixed in with the restaurateurs). Saturday was a day of indulgence and excitement, and the positive energy was palpable.

  

Clockwise from top left: Octopus from The Spread, short rib from Ritz Carlton, Filet Mignon, Pork belly from Mezon - Tapas Bar & Restaurant, Shrimp w/ ricotta gnocchi and pesto from Hudson Grille CT, Fluke crudo from Fjord Fisheries

It would be difficult to imagine a more perfect day, as visitors lounged by the water in Roger Sherman Baldwin park and basked in the unseasonably warm and sunny day.

CTBites hosted their blogger tent again the year, with an impressive lineup of celebrity chef and mixologists sharing their stories with moderator Matt Storch, owner and chef at Match in South Norwalk. Featured speakers included Adam Richman of Man vs. Food, Chopped's Aaron Sanchez (who has recently opened a new restaurant, Paloma, in Stamford), and Bill Taibe, the man behind Westport hotspots Le Farm and The Whelk.

A mixology competition featuring talent from local hotspots Walrus + Carpenter, Napa & Co., Valencia Luncheria, Paloma, and Match was a stiff one, with Adam Patrick of Match in South Norwalk earning the win with his creation "Farewell, My Lovely" (I've tried it, and I have to agree that it's remarkably delicious).

At 4 o'clock, two large tents (dubbed "The Watering Hole" full of beer and liquor vendor began to fill up, and the anticipation grew for the beginning of the BBQ and Burger Battle. At this point, I was too full to reasonably consume another morsel, but of course that did not stop me. There was a competition underway, and I had to form my own opinion! My favorite burger was from Dan Rooney's,  guinness sauced and placed on a pretzel bun, but last year's winner, Plan B Burger Bar, reigned supreme.

As darkness fell, the focus shifted from food to music, with performances by The Bacon Brothers and Alabama. It's an impressive feat to make it through the whole day and stay for the entirety of the music, one that I'll admit I have yet to achieve. Maybe next year. I'm already excited. If you live anywhere near Greenwich and have taste buds, The Greenwich Wine + Food fest is a must-attend event!

Endless food, drink, sunshine, and happy memories at The 3rd Annual Greenwich Wine & Food Festival

An incredible experience, the Greenwich Wine & Food Festival on Saturday, October 5th, wins a solid spot in my list of most memorable and enjoyable adventures. From the moment I walked through the gates, I knew I'd entered a foodie Shangri-La. Bright sunlight, free flowing wine and beer, a waterside view, and true culinary masters surrounded me, as did a milling crowd of people who all share the same passion for good times and good food. 

I must sheepishly admit, I was thrilled to receive a press pass and a CTBites "blogger lounge" pass, and couldn't help but feel like a celebrity even as I wandered around starry eyed myself. The whole CTBites model is one I admire, from the content they put out to their logo and branding, and to be included in their list of guests was a special moment. I've always had a passion for food and cooking, and after starting in the restaurant management realm (AGM at Rizzuto's in Bethel), I have made a happy transition to writing about the culinary world. I do feel a pang of nostalgia for the unique culture of restaurant life, but I don't think the long hours are something I could have kept up for long. 

The atmosphere at the festival was so glowingly happy and pleasant, and the appreciation for both the event and the perfect weather was tangible. There was a silent camaraderie among festival-goers who all knew that the people around them were equally as pleased to be in attendance. Even in an incredibly crowded tent full of people stopping at random moments to take pictures, bumping into each other, and becoming increasingly full of alcohol, there was not a single instance of tension that I could detect. We were all just basking in the glow of a great experience. Who could ever be unhappy in the presence of fabulous food, wine, beer, spirits, and a gorgeous view? 

As the day wore on, people lounged by the water and recharged for a second or third spin through the tents, and by 4pm the Southern Bash tent was ready to go. Burgers (Shake Shack wins my vote for best), BBQ, and beer were in unlimited supply, and even with a full stomach and a rosy glow, we pushed on! 

I departed the festival in a euphoric state (yes, I'll admit my wine glass was rarely empty ;-)), and couldn't help but think to myself that I've found my calling and hope against hope that I can keep doing what I have been doing! I feel like a dork admitting it, but a big moment for me was when a stranger stopped me in the crowd and said "I follow you on instagram!" Social media has created such an interesting world! It's not isolating, it's a way to make connections that relate to real life. I think it's so interesting, and I feel so lucky. Nothing makes me happier than being around food, people who appreciate it, being able to document my experiences, and sharing my enthusiasm with others. I am thrilled to be a part of such a dynamic community of bloggers, reporters, photographers, and food lovers. 

For all 117 photos from the day, click here for HamletHub Redding's Album.