Tag Archives: Match Burger Lobster

Roundup: Saugatuck Caroling, Westport Lifestyle, Jersey Boys …

Posted on December 11, 2022 | 2 comments

A wonderful tradition returned to Saugatuck yesterday evening.

The Saugatuck Caroling Crawl came back, after a 2-year COVID-induced absence.

Six Staples Orphenians moved from one restaurant to the next, singing holiday songs and making spirits bright. They hit 14 spots in all.

(Photo/Matthew Mandell)

Carolers began their rounds at the Boathouse. They headed to Parker Mansion, Kawa Ni, The Whelk, Tutti’s and the Black Duck, before making their way to Railroad Place to sing at Tarantino, Harvest, Romanacci and Allium.

They finished by entertaining diners at Match Lobster Burger, Rizzuto’s, Viva Zapata and Dunville’s.

Grateful thanks to Orphs Sophia Betit, Zoe Schwartz, James Dobin-Smith, Alyssa Lee, Deneil Betfarhad and Ethan Tober — and the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce, which sponsored the event.

Missed it? Click below for a “taste” at Match Burger Lobster.

=======================================================

Christian Siriano’s new store, The Collective West, was the site of Thursday’s Westport Lifestyle party. The magazine honored all 2022 Readers’ Choice winners.

With catering by Marcia Selden and The Home Cook, music by Drew Angus and decorations from Blossom + Stem — plus Santa Claus — it was a great way to show off the noted designer’s recently opened place.

Enjoying Westport Lifestyle’s party: Sholeh Janati (abstract artist) and 
Courtney Davis Schlesinger (comedian). (Photo./John Videler for Videler Photography)

======================================================

The curtain rose yesterday on “Jersey Boys” at the White Plains Performing Arts Center next month.

Staples High School Class of 2015 graduate Jack Baylis is part of the cast. He’s not a 4 Season — but he does sing a great number in French.

The show runs through January 8. Click here for tickets, and more information.

Jack Baylis, at the White Plains Performing Arts Center. (Photo/Cara Baylis)

=====================================================

Yesterday’s Roundup piece about the local connections on “In With the Old” — the Discovery+ series highlighting transformations of abandoned structures — mentioned Westonites Brian and Megan Austin Philpott, and former Westport Planning and Zoning Commission member Al Gratrix.

But there’s much more detail

Brian Philpott is a project manager for The O’Dell Group. The local construction firm put together a team of 20 people to frame that addition in one day.

He’s just one of 4 project managers with Staples ties. Owner Chris O’Dell, Lukas Van Zanten and Chuck Hilman graduated from high school — and so did Philpott’s wife.

PS: The celebration at the end of that day was catered by Matt Storch — another Staples High grad, and the owner of Match Burger Lobster and Match restaurants.

From left: Chris O’Dell, Lukas Van Zanten, Brian Philpott, Chuck Hilman.

======================================================

Congratulations to Barry Kresch.

The Westport resident and EV Club of Connecticut president will be honored by the Connecticut Southwestern Area Clean Cities Coalition as EV Evangelist of the Year.

He has spoken on several panels, for example discussing a financial analysis he did for the Westport Police about electric vehicles. Click here for a blog post he wrote on the department’s Tesla.

The celebration is Tuesday (December 13, 11 a.m., Fodor Farmhouse, Norwalk).

===================================================

Winter arrives on December 21.

This guy — the subject of today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature — is getting ready. He’s no fool.

(Photo/Marisa Lambert)

=======================================================

And finally … in honor of Jack Baylis’s “Jersey Boys” show (story above):

(‘Tis the season to support “06880.” Please click here to help — and thank you!)

 

 

 

2 Comments

Posted in Environment, Local business, Restaurants, Saugatuck, Staples HS

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Matt Storch Gets Chopped

Posted on April 22, 2018 | 2 comments

Matt Storch is a hometown hero.

The 1995 Staples High School graduate has won raves from area diners with restaurants like Match in South Norwalk, and Saugatuck’s new Match Burger Lobster.

Now the rest of the country can see the chef’s magic too.

This Tuesday (April 24), he’s featured on the Food Network’s Chopped. The battle begins at 10 p.m.

But you don’t have to watch it alone, curled up with a gallon of ice cream in front of the TV.

Match in SoNo is hosting a viewing party. A late-night happy hour begins at 9 p.m. At 10, they’ll show the show on a big-screen TV.

The show was taped a while ago. Of course, Matt is not allowed to tell anyone how he did.

But win or lose, Westport knows the rest of the country is no match for Matt Storch.

Matt Storch is ready to rumble.

2 Comments

Posted in Media, People, Restaurants

Tagged , , ,

Day Tripper

Posted on December 8, 2017 | 6 comments

Yesterday’s New York Times NY/Region section included a “Day Trip” feature to Westport.

Readers in the tri-state area — around the world, really — learned some interesting things about our town.

The itinerary begins at Match Burger Lobster, Staples grad Matt Storch’s new restaurant next to Fleishers Craft Butchery. Who knew that his kitchen crew shucks more than 500 pounds of lobster each week — or that lobster tastes better in winter, because cold water makes it sweeter?

From the restaurant, the story suggests, visitors can walk over the William F. Cribari Bridge. It’s named, the Times says, for “a beloved traffic conductor,” though “beloved traffic cop” is a bit clearer.

Bill Cribari, “beloved traffic conductor.” (Photo montage courtesy of Paul Ehrismann)

“The short span provides vistas of the nautical town and entree to uninterrupted sidewalks through a Gold Coast neighborhood of mansions that are not above running weekend tag sales,” the paper excitedly reports.

The next 3 paragraphs talk about F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald’s 1920 rental on Compo Road South, near the Longshore entrance. Friends said the couple were “reveling nude in the orgies of Westport,” even though Zelda called the town “unendurably dull.” Imagine what they would have done in a livelier place!

F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald slept — and partied — here.

“Day Trip” moves on to “secluded Compo Beach.” The Times describes it as “rocky (and) shell-studded….Tranquil and contemplative in winter, the sunsets are gorgeous.”

The final part of a day in Westport, apparently, should be a stop at the Black Duck. The paper calls it a “watering hole,” and singles out this feature: the $11 martini.

The martini “may be the biggest on the Eastern Seaboard, a further way to unwind after a leisurely day. Founded in 1978, too bad it wasn’t around for the Fitzgeralds,” the Times concludes, with both lame humor and a dangling modifier.

The best place for an $11 martini. (Photo/Chou Chou Merrill)

(Hat tip: Peter Perry)

6 Comments

Posted in Beach, Looking back, Media, Restaurants, Saugatuck

Tagged , , , , ,

Slicing Up Saugatuck

Posted on September 9, 2017 | 2 comments

The 6th annual Slice of Saugatuck was the best yet.

Perfect late-summer weather; a record number of 50-plus restaurants and businesses, and a large, relaxed crowd enjoyed an afternoon of strolling, eating, music, eating, shopping, eating, kids’ activities, and eating.

Thanks go to the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce, plus the Slice’s many sponsors.

And congrats to the Gillespie Food Pantry: recipient of some of today’s funds.

Here’s what the Slice looked like, starting and ending at Bridge Square:

Owner Bill Taibe (right) and his Kawa Ni staff served Japanese delicacies (and drinks).

Firefighters at the Saugatuck station promoted fire safety (and offered a seat in their very cool truck).

The Whelk offered some delicacies …

… while a few feet away on the riverfront plaza, the Silver Steel Band played.

Matt Storch dished out fries. The Staples High School graduate’s new Match Burger Lobster restaurant opens in 2 weeks.

Socks — a face painter — came from Norwalk.

The Funicello family’s Tutti’s is always a Slice of Saugatuck favorite.

Mersene — owner of the very popular Indulge by Mersene — welcomed Railroad Place Slice-goers with her typically funky goods.

Every kid loves a bounce house.

A tae kwan do place lured passersby with this inflatable guy.

The Slice included Saugatuck Avenue too. Here’s the mouth-watering scene at Dunville’s.

All roads led to the Slice of Saugatuck. If you’re reading this before 5 p.m. — there’s still time. After 5, several restaurants extend the fun with specially priced menus.

2 Comments

Posted in Local business, Organizations, Restaurants, Saugatuck

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Matt Storch’s Burgers And Lobster Come To Saugatuck

Posted on August 7, 2017 | 10 comments

Matt Storch — the 1995 Staples High School grad who has made a name for himself with restaurants like Match — is coming home.

He’s opening Match Burger Lobster, next to Fleishers Craft Butchery on Riverside Avenue.

Matt Storch, and his new logo. (Collage courtesy of CTBites.com)

According to CT Bites, the new restaurant features fresh seafood from Norm Bloom and Son, and “Northeast pasture-raised and humanely-handled beef, ground daily at Fleishers.”

The menu includes lobster rolls, whole lobsters, a variety of burgers, local Copps Island oysters, Fleishers hot dogs, onion rings, donut milk shakes, wine and beer.

Storch’s “Match Burger” is be available in regular and mini versions — plus one that’s butter-dipped.

Fans of the butcher shop and restaurant can walk easily back and forth. Match Burger and Lobster will offer both table service and takeout.

10 Comments

Posted in Local business, Media, People, Restaurants, Saugatuck

Tagged , , ,