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A Place You Can Eat and Do Good – sounds pretty perfect right? Attending the blogger event at Bistro on Main was not only a lot of fun, but also a privilege.

A little about Bistro on Main and Ben Dubow….

Ben Dubow is a pastor, GM/exec chef of Bistro on Main, and head of the culinary program at the Manchester Area Conference of Churches, otherwise know as MACC Charities group in Manchester, CT. To say he’s got a lot going on is an under statement, but he brings grace, dedication, and love to every endeavor. At Bistro on Main he focuses on bringing delicious food to his community while empowering others.  Bistro on Main was created to strengthen the Jobs Training program that he runs at MACC Charities. His goals for the restaurant are to “deliver an exceptional dining experience for their guests, while breaking cycles of poverty through transitional employment and work readiness“. Through the MACC jobs training program Ben and his staff are able to help people find employment, enhance their time and money management skills, as well as work with them to develop soft skills, and chef skills. These students can then put their new skills to use working in the restaurant, Bistro on Main.

The theme of the restaurant is “inspired by both classical and modern French bistros“. They focus on supporting local farmers and other local artisans, strengthening their commitment to the community, and sourcing the freshest ingredients available. A French restaurant with a farm to table focus, located in Manchester, CT that gives back to it’s community? Who knew? Well now you do and you should go and enjoy their AMAZING food!

Now on to the delicious food at the blogger event….

OMG what an evening of tasty food and drinks. We started off the night with savory pork sliders on a brioche style bun. A savory beginning to a tantalizing menu.

Next was the “3 Little Ducks” Mac & Cheese. This is a dish that is normally on their dinner menu. Comprised of duck confit, duck bacon, and gruyere cheese, my mouth was watering! A great pairing with the red wine I had. {PS-They have wine on tap! So Fun!}

The next course was Black Pearl Salmon with watermelon radish and pea puree. This was one of my favorite dishes of night. I could totally see myself and friends sitting on the patio enjoying our salmon with a tasty cocktail on summer night. Incredibly delicious and refreshing.

Not pictured here are Mushroom Toast Crisps which are featured on their lunch menu under the name “Toast Au Champipnons”. Wild mushroom toast with truffle essence, brousse cheese, vermouth, spices, and a balsamic reduction.

Finally for dessert we enjoyed citrus white chocolate mouse accompanied by house made macaroons.

Needless to say Bistro on Main has some incredible food options for lunch, dinner, brunch, and desserts. Bistro on Main is like a slice of French Heaven in the town of Manchester. Oh and the events they have scheduled look amazing too!! Personally I have a few of them on my calendar. {Especially Thursday Night 1/2 Price Bottles of Wine!!}

Lastly, let’s chat cocktails and wine…

As I said previously Bistro on Main has a bunch of wines on tap. They cycle these out on a seasonal basis but there is always a great selection. When I was there they had a biodynamic winery – Benzinger Winery – which I thought was very interesting, they had a chardonnay, pinot noir, and cabernet sauvignon on tap as well. In my opinion there was a wine for every pallet and to pair with all of their delish dishes. If you’re looking for a restaurant that truly thinks about which beverages will pair with their foods best, this is the restaurant for you.

Also at the event were reps from Ripe Cold Pressed Juices. These juices are made in small, cold batches out of the New Haven, CT area. They ship to 13 states, are available for purchase at establishments such as Whole Foods, Big Y, and Highland Park Market. All the juices are non-GMO sourced from their trusted farms. The cocktails that are made with these juices wake up your palate. You can tell they use the freshest of ingredients. Another testament of how Bistro on Main partners with some of the most locally sourced and locally created artisanal products.  The cocktails they created were absolutely delicious and I look forward to trying more of their fruit infused creations in the future.

I want to give a big Thank You to Ben and the Bistro on Main Crew, Ripe Bar Juice, and the “A Little Bird Told Me” Marketing Agency. They put on an incredible event! The food was off the charts, the drinks – delicious, and the bloggers I met were so nice! I can’t wait for my next Bistro on Main experience. Cheers!