Must Eat Monday: Bar Taco, Westport

Are you a Bar Taco fan?! If not, you have NO IDEA what you are missing out on. And as a mom of a toddler, I am always incredibly grateful for Bar Taco as they are family-friendly and their staff is exceptional with kids!

I learned something new this visit- I can order a kids guac and chips and there's no spice added to it! #winning over here with that! Then I got myself the tomatillo salsa and mixed it for me.

Little sticky fingers always has to have one more chip.

The Bar Taco location in Westport has the BEST views as it's right on the water. Just beware, their parking is minimal so you often have to park across the street then walk. But that view is totally worth it!

OK. The kids small tray is always more than enough food for more kids. They get a quesadilla, a taco of their choosing, a corn on the cob plus a fruit skewer and drink. WHAT?! And it's only $6. Why do get a happy meal when this meal makes everyone HAPPY!

I tend to stick with my one-of-each-method when we go for lunch because I usually end up eating some of his food too! But my favorites are the baja shrimp, the fish, and tuna lettuce wrap. I always try a secret taco and this time it's a marinated cod which is delectable. When we go back in two weeks, because I'm sure it'll happen, I'm getting 4 secret tacos!!

After lunch there, we also take a walk on their little boardwalk. But this week, we had a little dance party. Because, well, why not?! 

Have you been to Bar Taco yet?! 

Must Eat Monday: The Place 2 Be, Hartford

The Place 2 Be catered a super-fun blogger event I recently attended and I cannot recommend them enough. But first, check out this awesome event!

The tablescapes were simply stunning yet simple with some beautiful blooms.

You know bloggers, always snapping a good shot to share with their followers! Me?! I'm the on with the iPhone snapping pics!

The Place 2 Be, what a spread! We were treated to so much deliciousness I couldn't eat it all! I know, high class problems, right?! Strawberry salad, buffalo chicken mac n cheese, and some YUMMY chicken and waffles. 

And did I mention the build-your-own mimosa bar with what seemed like 150 different juice options?! 

SO GOOD!

I have been following The Write Board on IG for quite some time and have been dying to take one of her classes! Well, now I have the physical proof of just how talented she is! 

I mean, how cute is my new tote bag?!

As part of the Connecticut Bloggers Collective, I have been so blessed to meet some seriously amazing and incredible bloggers. DO you know them?! If not, you should!

Lydia from Chic on the Cheap. And that dress?! I die!

Hangry Italian Girl. And I mean, anyone who can rock overalls MUST be my new bestie, right?!

 Nonee from Nonee's World. I adore her. Adore. Adore. Adore

And the cutie patootie, Caitlin, from Confessions of a Northern Belle. Isn't she so stinkin cute?! But alas, her kids are even cuter!

Now, if you haven't noticed, my blog is in the beginning stages of just trying to figure out what I want to do with it. I love sharing style tips, affordable finds, my love of food and eating out, and my fun happenings and discoveries with my toddler. Is there anything in particular you'd like to see? Let me know- I'm open to ideas!

xoxo

Must Eat Monday: Heirloom, New Haven

I am 99% sure I've blogged about Heirloom in New Haven on more than one occasion. But hen you find a great place, you go to that great place.

My book club was looking for a brunch spot in the greater New Haven area, and when in doubt, Heirloom is always delicious.

This might be my favorite reason for going. I mean, when you order a cocktail that has champagne in it, you get a mini bottle to finish off. Seriously, the BEST!

While I am just about 40 years old, I do love a good avocado toast. Heirloom did not disappoint. Toasted bread with a fried egg (oozing goodness, I might add) with grilled asparagus, salsa verde, cilantro, lime, and queso fresco. Yum. 

I meant oozing, didn't I?!

Dessert MUST have been paired with a dessert cocktail and their espresso martini is not only beautiful, but goes down VERY easily! 

If you only get one item on their menu, it should be their hot caramel apple doughnuts.  Served with a yummy vanilla anglaise sauce, the chunks of fresh apple in the doughnuts make you feel as though you're eating something healthy. Just keep your eyes closed and the calories don't count!

Have you been to Heirloom? Do you have a go to spot for brunch in New Haven?!

Must Eat Monday: Bar Americain, Mohegan Sun

We like casinos. Not that we love gambling, but we like casinos. And we LOVE Mohegan Sun. It's classy, clean, upscale, and makes for a great night out! When we go there, we almost always hit up Bar Americain.

We have good friends that live outside Boston and Mohegan Sun is a great middle meet up spot! Plus, they love food like we love food. It's a win-win.

Steak tartar. A little bite to it and the plate was licked clean.

Potato chips with blue cheese. My husband hates blue cheese but loves this. THAT is a compliment!

I ordered the lamb chops. They were HUGE. Like bigger than my head huge.

See what I mean. Huge.

Cedar plank salmon. Hubs loved it. I'm not a salmon fan...

Manly steak. The guys LOVED their steaks.

Fried chicken. I rave and rave all about the fried chicken at Bar Americain and my friend Kyle got it this time and she totally understands me now!

 

Dessert! If you are able to make it to Bar Americain, PLEASE get the souffle. It's magical. I'll leave it at that so suspense builds.

Candied maple walnut profiteroles. Need I say more?!

Have you ever been to Bar Americain?! Where do you do when you're at Mohegan Sun?

Must Eat Monday: El Sugundo, Norwalk

We have a family membership to the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk and we're always on the hunt for a fun new restaurant to go for brunch or lunch before and/or after our time there. This time we tried out Stepping Stones museum (on a holiday weekend I will add was a BAD idea) and a new restaurant we haven't tried before, El Sugundo.

We had originally planned on having brunch at The Spread, but a chunk of Norwalk had lost power. So they suggested El Sugundo instead, as it's their sister restaurant.

Their decor is super fun and eccentric. Their menu reflects it too. Lots of apps highlighting cuisines from around the globe.

Their poutine was good. Had a fried egg on the top which made for some yummy dipping.

My husband had a brunch sandwich special that he liked. Didn't evem let me take a pic before he dove right into it.

Chicken and a waffle cone. Yup, that's what it's called. Friend chicken topped with slaw and sauce in a waffle ice cream cone bowl. Yum.

Toddler approved too. I will add there was another family there using a high chair and they only have one, so be prepared for that factor. Also, it was rainy that day so we had to sit inside. Their outdoor seating area is fantastic and very family friendly, including a giant jenga game!

Have you been to El Sugundo? What's your SoNo go to restaurant?!

Must Eat Monday: The Granola Bar, Westport

Must Eat Monday: The Granola Bar is a perfect place for breakfast, brunch, or lunch. Everything on the menu is healthy and just makes you feel good about eating it. Plus, it's kid-friendly which is a big perk for me with a toddler!

I usually hit up The Granola Bar when I drive down to Westport to visit Around The Rosy, an upscale kids consignment store.

A nutella latte. How can you NOT get that when you see it on the menu?!

My friend got a hot chocolate and sadly, it wasn't hot, but still delicious! 

Sweet potato ricotta pancakes. They're supple and yummy and light and just delicious. 

Plus, they're toddler approved!

I am personally obsessed with avocado toast and they have several options on their menu as well as a list of additional toppings. We stuck with the basic one with feta and red pepper flakes. Just perfect. 

The crunchy Elvis parfait. I mean, it's something Elvis would have eaten so we should have too, right?! Their signature yogurt with honey, granola, almond butter, and fresh bananas. Delicious and hit the spot as the perfect balance with avocado toast.

The Granola Bar is also quite affordable and reasonably priced which is hard to say for Westport!

Have you been here yet?!

Must Eat Monday: The Whelk, Westport

Must Eat Monday, this time we're hitting the road down to Westport to go to The Whelk. Hard to get a reservation as it's on of the "hip spots" to go, we ventured down there to meet friends from Greenwich. Westport and Fairfield are the roughly halfway mark for us so we're always exploring restaurants in that area.

Tehnically, The Whelk is in Saugatuck, but that's a whole separate post to explain Saugatuck vs Westport!

Honestly, the hype of this place from friends made for some HIGH expectations from both couples and most of our meal did not disappoint.

The Whelk is a seafood restaurant but they actually have a LOT of non-seafood items on the menu. So it's great for seafood lovers and NON-seafood lovers too.

Their menu is set up super simple, once it's explained. Theres a LOT of appetizers, each categorized by quick bites, raw items, salads, and bigger plates. The center is their raw bar. And the right is entrees.

Our plan was relatively simple, we pretty much wanted just about every appetizer. Thankfully, our friends who went with us are also avid and adventurous eaters!

First up, scallop crudo. The bottom was a chili oil, and yes, it had a kick, with fresh grapefruit on top. Nice and light and simple yet delicious.

Apple and endive salad with blue cheese, hazelnuts, and tarragon. Light and refreshing and even the guys liked it!

Deviled eggs with cornmeal fried oysters. People. Get two orders of this. SO yummy. Like melt in your mouth, flavor explosion, must have, I will be dreaming about these for months delicious.

Mackrel toast. Not a fan. Husband liked it, but no one else did. Not too sure how to explain it, just not my taste or texture or anything. Just nope.

The mushrooms. One of my favorite dishes from the night. A nice mixture of wild mushrooms and an egg yolk in the center that when popped added the perfect addition to the spices and taste. We used the fries to slop up the sauce it was THAT good.

Hand cut fries with homemade mayo and ketchup. Almost a shoestring consistency but crispy.

Barbecued clams. If you've ever been to The Place in Guilford, these are quite similar but they add bacon. Doesn't bacon make everything better?!

The fried chicken sandwich. We ordered it because the people next to us had it and it looked amazing. They raved about it because they had been there earlier in the week for dinner and had to come back for it again. We were all totally underwhelmed. Nothing special.

Pork belly and braised cabbage. Personally, I am not a pork belly fan but everyone else is so we got this. I tried it and actually liked it. The cabbage was the star of the plate though! Slight pickling taste just yummy!

Gnocchi al Romana. FYI, gnocchi from Rome is not potato pasta. It's a big piece of polenta that they bake. We were NOT expecting it. This was good. Not delicious, not something I'd order again, but good. Be warned, it's not the gnocchi you think.

Grilled octopus. Not sure I'd get it again because it was legit crispy, but I blame the kitchen on that one. A popped open potato is served under it with a spiced creamy mayo underneath. Just average.

Quatros leches cake. Not three, but FOUR milks to make this cake. And a toasted coconut top. LIght and refreshing and melts in your mouth. Sooooo yummy and a perfect end to our meal.

Their drinks do not disappoint and I recommend the Lily cokctail which is light and refreshing with fresh grapefruit juice. And I don't like grapefruit juice. That gives you an idea of how awesome it is.

The restaurant itself is NOT quiet and they have several community style tables so you might not necessarily be sitting with only the people you're with. Plus, it's rather loud so don't go in expecting a quiet, romantic corner.

Have you been to The Whelk yet?!