While some hype around the gourmet cupcake trend has faded, there is a bakery just north of Rapallo Avenue in Middletown that keeps taking things one step further. An ever-inventive, ever-decadent line of cupcakes has spilled forth from NoRA Cupcake since its opening in 2011.

Bloomfield seems to be booming of late—or should I say blooming? The town of just 20,000 residents, who in the past have included notable athletes such as K.C. Jones, Dwight Freeney and Nykesha Sales, seems well positioned to draw business from Hartford, from other Farmington Valley towns and from the ’burbs north and east of the Capital.

The Smoked is made with roasted garlic and smoked mozzarella, while the Sunny Side pairs a well-cured pancetta with sunny-side-up eggs. Daily specials offer new twists, like the Baked Brie, which includes pear chutney and walnuts alongside the soft French cheese.

Foreign-born restaurateurs don’t always understand American ways of thinking. For every person persuaded to venture into an ethnic restaurant by the assurance that American food (whatever that is) has been included on the menu, a score of potential customers will wonder if the restaurant is too willing to compromise its authenticity.

Based in Stratford, the company is a newly renovated factory space...

957 Storrs Rd. (Rte. 195), Storrs 860-429-4490 www.altnaveighinn.com.

Pierogi are fairly ubiquitous in supermarket freezer cases, particularly in Hartford County where there are established Polish communities. These dough pockets are commonly filled with savory foods like cheese and potato or cabbage. Finding varieties with sweet fillings, common in Poland, is a little more difficult.

Originally a wholesaler, City Fish started selling retail in the 1960s. The company also added freshly cooked takeout and a dining room, offering selections such as fish and chips, clam chowder, and lobster rolls..