World Food Tour in our own backyard

[shizzle787]

So over the last year or so, I have gone to a restaurant from a different country almost every week. I've been to about 35-40 countries. However, I know I am going to start struggling to find certain restaurants corresponding to certain countries (African restaurants are hard to find for example). I refuse to go to "fusion" places. I wouldn't go to a "Scandinavian" place for instance. I would go to a Swedish or Norwegian place. I am also not going to IKEA for Swedish lol.

My favorites so far include:
Nina's Desi Kitchen (Pakistani)- Southington
Ecuatoriano Rinconcito (Ecuadorian)- Waterbury
El Pulpo (Spanish)- Middletown
Cora Cora (Peruvian)- West Hartford
Avert Brasserie (French)- West Hartford

Does anyone know where to find the following in CT (or MA or RI or NY)? I kind of want to avoid Boston or NY due to parking costs? Keep in mind, no fusion places. Even with Google, some still stay hidden.

Bolivian?
Paraguayan?
Bangladeshi?
Guyanese?
Trini?
Panamanian?
Costa Rican?
Samoan?
Swedish?
Bulgarian?
Iranian?
Iraqi?
Algerian?
Tunisian?
Egyptian?
Australian (No Outback)?
South African?
Syrian?
Mongolian?
Indonesian?
Malaysian?

My next three are likely (in some order) Croatian (Dubrovnik-New Rochelle, NY), Canadian (Chez Ben-Manchester), and Dutch (Dutch shop-Litchfield).

 

[superjohn]

So over the last year or so, I have gone to a restaurant from a different country almost every week. I've been to about 35-40 countries. However, I know I am going to start struggling to find certain restaurants corresponding to certain countries (African restaurants are hard to find for example). I refuse to go to "fusion" places. I wouldn't go to a "Scandinavian" place for instance. I would go to a Swedish or Norwegian place. I am also not going to IKEA for Swedish lol.

My favorites so far include:
Nina's Desi Kitchen (Pakistani)- Southington
Ecuatoriano Rinconcito (Ecuadorian)- Waterbury
El Pulpo (Spanish)- Middletown
Cora Cora (Peruvian)- West Hartford
Avert Brasserie (French)- West Hartford

Does anyone know where to find the following in CT (or MA or RI or NY)? I kind of want to avoid Boston or NY due to parking costs? Keep in mind, no fusion places. Even with Google, some still stay hidden.

Bolivian?
Paraguayan?
Bangladeshi?
Guyanese?
Trini?
Panamanian?
Costa Rican?
Samoan?
Swedish?
Bulgarian?
Iranian?
Iraqi?
Algerian?
Tunisian?
Egyptian?
Australian (No Outback)?
South African?
Syrian?
Mongolian?
Indonesian?
Malaysian?

My next three are likely (in some order) Croatian (Dubrovnik-New Rochelle, NY), Canadian (Chez Ben-Manchester), and Dutch (Dutch shop-Litchfield).

The Dutchman in Litchfield isn't a restaurant. My family has picked up cookies and deli stuff from them since I was a kid but you can't sit and eat there. Nice family fun place.

 

[HooperScooper]

I kind of want to avoid Boston or NY due to parking costs?

Huh? If you're going to drive to either city and go out to eat I would think parking costs would be the least of your concern. FWIW most Boston restaurants have valets or validation of parking for around $10-$15. Hardly a bank breaker in the grand scheme.

 

[McLovin]

Summer Street Restaurant & Bar Stamford | Flinders Lane Kitchen & Bar

Flinders Lane Kitchen & Bar in Summer Street downtown Stamford offers bold, streamlined food made with the best ingredients available with a laser focus on flavor.

www.flinderslane.com

Apparently an Australian place in Stamford. Drank there a few times when I lived in Stamford, never eaten there. Looks good though.

 

[McLovin]

Also these guys do eating around the world in NYC. I know you are opposed to going there, but could probably knock off your entire list if you did…

 

[shizzle787]

Summer Street Restaurant & Bar Stamford | Flinders Lane Kitchen & Bar

Flinders Lane Kitchen & Bar in Summer Street downtown Stamford offers bold, streamlined food made with the best ingredients available with a laser focus on flavor.

www.flinderslane.com

Apparently an Australian place in Stamford. Drank there a few times when I lived in Stamford, never eaten there. Looks good though.

Thanks. I missed this one.

 

[8893]

Syrian?

Mediterranea on Orange Street in New Haven. It is probably best known as a hookah place, and he also sells pizza slices, but Omar, the owner, is Syrian and he makes great Middle Eastern food. I love his falafel and foul mudammas, and sometimes he will make Syrian bread, as well as lentil soup. Great lamb kafta too.

 

[shizzle787]

The Dutchman in Litchfield isn't a restaurant. My family has picked up cookies and deli stuff from them since I was a kid but you can't sit and eat there. Nice family fun place.

I noticed on their website there was a possibility it wasn't a restaurant. Bummer.

 

[shizzle787]

Mediterranea on Orange Street in New Haven. It is probably best known as a hookah place, and he also sells pizza slices, but Omar, the owner, is Syrian and he makes great Middle Eastern food. I love his falafel and foul mudammas, and sometimes he will make Syrian bread, as well as lentil soup. Great lamb kafta too.

Do you know of a Persian place? Saffron Kabab in Bridgeport is only catering.

 

[elmcityboy]

there is an indonesian place in new haven -- toka on state street. i haven't tried it yet, but the menu looks pretty legit.

the owner of rawa in westville is from iraq and the restaurant is named after a region in the country, but they bill themselves as a "mediterranean fusion restaurant" so not sure if that counts.

bobby b's roti shop in bridgeport used to be a trini place in bridgeport, but it closed. such a shame -- it's the only place i have ever had that cuisine.

 

[shizzle787]

there is an indonesian place in new haven -- toka on state street. i haven't tried it yet, but the menu looks pretty legit.

the owner of rawa in westville is from iraq and the restaurant is named after a region in the country, but they bill themselves as a "mediterranean fusion restaurant" so not sure if that counts.

bobby b's roti shop in bridgeport used to be a trini place in bridgeport, but it closed. such a shame -- it's the only place i have ever had that cuisine.

On their website, they say they are thai.

I heard about bobby b's. It is a shame because trini looks good. There is a Haitian restaurant in Bridgeport (Jean's Cuisine) that was surprisingly good. It expected it to be a combo of Jamaican and Dominican but it was different.

 

[elmcityboy]

On their website, they say they are thai.

I heard about bobby b's. It is a shame because trini looks good. There is a Haitian restaurant in Bridgeport (Jean's Cuisine) that was surprisingly good. It expected it to be a combo of Jamaican and Dominican but it was different.

yeah i am not sure why it says that -- maybe because they assume people don't know what indonesian food is? but the owner is indonesian and the menu definitely isn't thai.

NYC? Chicago? No, this restaurant brings Indonesian food to CT

Toka Asian Kitchen on State Street brings something to New Haven that you might otherwise...

www.nhregister.com

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

If you go to Queens, NY, you could probably hit most of these.

 

[shizzle787]

If you go to Queens, NY, you could probably hit most of these.

I know. It's just a long drive and parking is a pain. To be honest, I'm lazy about going to West Hartford due to parking lol.

 

[shizzle787]

Summer Street Restaurant & Bar Stamford | Flinders Lane Kitchen & Bar

Flinders Lane Kitchen & Bar in Summer Street downtown Stamford offers bold, streamlined food made with the best ingredients available with a laser focus on flavor.

www.flinderslane.com

Apparently an Australian place in Stamford. Drank there a few times when I lived in Stamford, never eaten there. Looks good though.

Looks like a legit Australian place from the website. Will make it a point to visit in the next four or five stops.

 

[karstenkibbe]

Just a few suggestions on ethnic cuisine. Highly recommend Teff in Stamford for Ethiopian. Also Navaratna in Stamford for northern and southern Indian vegetarian.

I am also a big fan of Ladle & Loaf in New Haven, which is a kind of Israeli melting pot of cuisines. Lamb merguez, shawarma, Yemenite beef soup and arayes are all delicious.

 

[8893]

Do you know of a Persian place? Saffron Kabab in Bridgeport is only catering.

I don’t.

 

[8893]

I know. It's just a long drive and parking is a pain.

Train solves both of those problems.

 

[shizzle787]

Just a few suggestions on ethnic cuisine. Highly recommend Teff in Stamford for Ethiopian. Also Navaratna in Stamford for northern and southern Indian vegetarian.

I am also a big fan of Ladle & Loaf in New Haven, which is a kind of Israeli melting pot of cuisines. Lamb merguez, shawarma, Yemenite beef soup and arayes are all delicious.

I have already done Ethiopian (Lalibela in New Haven) but this place says it also has Eritrean. I'm not a fan of fusion but there are probably not many places that have Eritrean so I may give it a try.

 

[8893]

I am also a big fan of Ladle & Loaf in New Haven, which is a kind of Israeli melting pot of cuisines. Lamb merguez, shawarma, Yemenite beef soup and arayes are all delicious.

Thanks for the heads up. I‘ve seen the place when I go to Edge of the Woods and wondered if they were in business and what their deal was. I will check them out.

 

[crazyUCfan23]

If you're looking for Brazilian, try Minas in Danbury. It's more of a deli than a restaurant, buffet style, but you can still eat there and its very good. You pay according to how much your dish weighs

 

[shizzle787]

If you're looking for Brazilian, try Minas in Danbury. It's more of a deli than a restaurant, buffet style, but you can still eat there and its very good. You pay according to how much your dish weighs

Never been there but I have been to Banana Brasil in Waterbury and Pantanal, Terra Brasil, and Tropicana in Bridgeport. I like Brazilian a lot.

 

[crazyUCfan23]

I've been to Banana Brazil a couple times, but prefer Minas

 

[storrsroars]

Do you know of a Persian place? Saffron Kabab in Bridgeport is only catering.

If you're willing to go to Elmsford, NY (just before the Tappan Zee/Cuomo Bridge), there's this place:

SHIRAZ KITCHEN & WINE BAR / MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE

SHIRAZ KITCHEN & WINE BAR / MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE a Bib Michelin Gourmand: good quality, good value cooking restaurant in the 2020 & 2021 & 2022 MICHELIN Guide United States. westchester location New York Times Review : Very Good 35 Most Delicious Middle Eastern Restaurants in the U.S.

www.shirazkitchen.com

Seems there is a bit of fusion, but also classic Persian dishes, especially the stews.

 

[shizzle787]

If you're willing to go to Elmsford, NY (just before the Tappan Zee/Cuomo Bridge), there's this place:

SHIRAZ KITCHEN & WINE BAR / MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE

SHIRAZ KITCHEN & WINE BAR / MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE a Bib Michelin Gourmand: good quality, good value cooking restaurant in the 2020 & 2021 & 2022 MICHELIN Guide United States. westchester location New York Times Review : Very Good 35 Most Delicious Middle Eastern Restaurants in the U.S.

www.shirazkitchen.com

Seems there is a bit of fusion, but also classic Persian dishes, especially the stews.

Looks Iranian from the website and it's a Michelin star restaurant. That's pretty cool.