The Dish

THE DISHGoing out to dinner? Here’s the word on what’s heating up the dining scene

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Fairfield County is home to some fabulously good restaurants, catering to every taste and serving good eats prepared by some of the top chefs in the business. Whether your menu favorite is farm-to-table, international cuisine or small plates, the following pages will deliver what’s new and what’s hot in our local kitchens. BON APPETIT!

64 STAMFORDMAG.COM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONTHE DISH

The hottest thing at my restaurant now is… the bar environment. I liken the atmosphere to the Oak Room at the Plaza. It’s a warm and comfortable place, particularly in the cooler months. Another hot feature is our mozzarella bar. Fun and inviting, it’s beside the open kitchen, so customers can sit there and interact with chefs while we’re pulling cheese.

I’m hoping… that we will be able to open more restaurants in locations where we feel like we’re an integral part of the neighborhood and invested in the community.

My favorite dish on our menu is… the Harlan Burger, which really sets the tone for the restaurant. The burger is made with three blends of meat and served with bacon onion jam and cheddar ale sauce on a Portuguese muffi n. It’s topped with Japanese barbeque sauce. We take something as simple as a burger and layer it with a variety of great fl avors. That’s how we approach every dish on the menu.

Best change to Stamford in the last decade… has been the evolution of the Harbor Point area into a real neighborhood. Stamford residents want better food, and we are elevating cuisine to meet that demand.

Stephen LewandowskiOwner/Executive Chef

HARLAN SOCIAL 121 Towne Street, Stamford203.883.8000 | harlansocial.com

Customers here will always fi nd… a great atmosphere, knowledgeable staff, and creativity coming from the kitchen and bar.

Three words to describe my restaurant are… inviting, friendly and hospitable.

The “personality” of my restaurant is… upscale and energetic while remaining a true neighborhood place. We’ve encouraged feedback from our guests so that together, we continue to build a restaurant that satisfi es the local appetite while surprising with new fl avors and ideas.

Biggest change in my restaurant ... occurs from hour to hour and day to day. The energy here is always different, because we cater to so many types of people. We’ll have business professionals in for lunch and happy hour during the week, and we’ll see the locals who live here coming in for dinner on weekends. So we’re constantly working to meet the demands of a diverse audience.

My fi rst job was... and I learned... at the Gotham Bar and Grill in Manhattan, where I learned how to organize a kitchen and run a restaurant effi ciently.

Person I’d most like to meet is… the Pope. I’ve cooked for a lot of famous people—Bruce Springsteen, Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela, which was a huge honor. It would be an amazing experience to cook for the Pope.

Best advice I ever got was… while working with restaurateur Drew Neiporent. He always said, ‘the proof is in the pudding.’ I believe that what you put into something is what you get out of it. That holds true for everything from cooking to relationships

I’m always inspired by… I have a team of amazing chefs and we constantly explore new dishes and push each other. That’s where great new fl avors come from.

Stephen Lewandowski

MARCH/APRIL 2015 STAMFORD 65

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION THE DISH

has grown tremendously. Customers are loving our wines, and the demand has allowed distributors to import a wide variety of Greek wines into Connecticut. Also our catering has increased dramatically, which lead us to purchase Bank Street Events.

The hottest thing at my restaurant now is… Saganaki, literally “the hottest”: it’s cheese that we light on fi re!

I’m hoping… to expand my catering and design business.

My favorite dish on our menu is… hard question since I eat there every day! I love Greek salad with grilled chicken and grilled octopus.

Best change to Stamford in the last decade… the opening of more great restaurants as well as beautiful high-rise buildings, bringing more activity to the great city of Stamford.

Person I’d most like to meet is… Martha Stewart. I would like to follow her career path from caterer to product developer.

My fi rst job was... and I learned... when I was thirteen years old. I had a summer job at a local produce store. My job was to husk corn, bag the ears of corn, and put them in the produce

Nikki Glekas

Customers here will always fi nd… an entire Greek experience. Authentic Greek cuisine paired with a wide variety of Greek products from the wine, signature drinks and beers to desserts and coffee. If we had an ocean view, you would feel like you were in Greece.

Three words to describe my restaurant are… fresh, modern and healthy.

The “personality” of my restaurant is… energetic, family-friendly and welcoming!

Biggest change in my restaurant is... since we opened in 2008, our Greek wine list

Nikki Glekas, Jimmy Glekas and Dina Glekas LoukrezisEOS GREEK CUISINE 490 Summer Street, Stamford 203.569.6250 | eosgreekcuisine.com

Nikki Glekas BANK STREET EVENTS 65 Bank Street, Stamford 203.325.2739 | bankstreetevents.com

Phot

ogra

ph b

y An

drew

Sul

livan

display. I learned that New Jersey eats a lot of corn and that each job in a business is very important.

Best advice I ever got is… to be a successful restaurant owner, you should learn how to do every job yourself, from dishwasher to cook and everything in between. Advice I give to people wanting to open a restaurant: be prepared to work and to be present every day. No one will care about your business the way you do, and customers will appreciate your presence and hard work!

I’m always inspired by… people, seasons and color! A color can inspire an entire event and/or menu.

I couldn’t live without… obviously my family; not only do I work with most of them but their support keeps me going. Also I would have to say my phone. Being a mother of four children and business owner, my phone allows me to multitask and to always be connected. I’m always working!

The best thing about my customers is… loyalty and trust! Loyalty because we have had customers at EOS who have been coming since the fi rst year we opened; some dine once a week if not more often. Trust because when I am designing an event at Bank Street the best client is one who trusts my vision, and allows me to create an amazing experience for their guests, from the menu to the fl owers!

A truly great day includes… all four of my children in school; no one home sick. EOS packed with customers, no staff calling out of work, no alarm going off, no water leaks, and Bank Street hosting a successful event.

Anything else you want us to know? Tell us here:EOS Greek Cuisine has taught me so much as a business owner, especially a woman in business. The success of EOS lead to my recent purchase of Bank Street Events. I love my job. It’s a dream for me to be able to create a unique event for each client.

66 STAMFORDMAG.COM


Mary SchafferNAPA & CO 75 Broad Street, Stamford 203.353.3319 | napaandcompany.com

Mary Schaffer

A truly great day includes… a very busy day! When all three shifts, breakfast, lunch and dinner, are cranking is when we are all at our best and happy. Then I go home and enjoy a glass of wine and an episode of Homeland.

My biggest vice is… my phone. I’m really trying to disconnect more.

My least favorite food is…lobster still in the shell. I can’t dig for my meal.

A little-known fact about me…I’m more shy than people realize.

The moments I’m most proud of…when my daughter Devon volunteered at an orphanage in the Dominican Republic. That my daughter Samantha never gives up even though speech is difficult for her given her special needs. When I see my friend, Seth and his family, and I realize that my donating a kidney gave his sons more time with their father.

Phot

ogra

ph b

y W

illiam

Tau

fic

As answered by Mary Schaffer

Three words to describe my restaurant are… adventurous, food-centric, comfortable.

The “personality” of my restaurant is… urban wine country. Fun, relaxed place to enjoy a great glass of wine and a truly home-cooked meal.

Biggest change in my restaurant is... soon to have outdoor seating!

The hottest thing at my restaurant now is… our cocktail program! Our French bar manager is like a chef behind the bar. He takes interesting, esoteric, but always fresh ingredients and blends, ages or shakes them into some of the best cocktails I have ever had!

I’m hoping… to travel more and get a chance to see wine regions in New Zealand and Portugal.

My favorite dish on our menu is… wild mushroom farrotto, sunny-side egg, truffle oil. I love the nutty crunch of the farro balanced with creamy egg and the earthy mushrooms. Pair it with a glass of pinot noir and that’s my dinner!

Best change to Stamford in the last decade… It’s become more cosmopolitan—there’s been huge growth and the landscape of the town has changed so much. The city is alive with action. It has truly become a great destination for people to live, eat, shop and go to a show!

My first job was... and I learned... delivering newspapers. I learned to work hard, manage money, and that it’s hard to get newspaper ink off of your clothes!

Person I’d most like to meet is… Mikhail Baryshnikov. I’ve always had a big crush. I’d love to spend a day watching him dance. Best advice I ever got is… “Put your money back in. Don’t let customers see you stop investing

in your brand.” I was told this when I was twenty-seven with my first restaurant, and I still believe it’s true. Whether it’s paint, new candle holders, new plates or aprons, you have to constantly evolve.

I’m always inspired by… The creative efforts of people in the hospitality business as a whole—as a business it’s very competitive and is constantly evolving. How someone has designed a space or reimagined a cuisine or even a wine label. It inspires me to rethink what I already know and to constantly push myself in my work and my life in general.

I couldn’t live without… In no particular order or importance: my daughters, cheese, pizza, my cell phone, Google, Mad Men, movies and a good laugh!

The best thing about my customers are… they are willing to try new things, whether it’s a staple dish that we’ve decided to change or a wine region they’ve never heard of…they are willing and adventurous.



Mary SchafferNAPA & CO 75 Broad Street, Stamford 203.353.3319 | napaandcompany.com

Mary Schaffer

A truly great day includes… a very busy day! When all three shifts, breakfast, lunch and dinner, are cranking is when we are all at our best and happy. Then I go home and enjoy a glass of wine and an episode of Homeland.

My biggest vice is… my phone. I’m really trying to disconnect more.

My least favorite food is…lobster still in the shell. I can’t dig for my meal.

A little-known fact about me…I’m more shy than people realize.

The moments I’m most proud of…when my daughter Devon volunteered at an orphanage in the Dominican Republic. That my daughter Samantha never gives up even though speech is difficult for her given her special needs. When I see my friend, Seth and his family, and I realize that my donating a kidney gave his sons more time with their father.

Phot

ogra

ph b

y W

illiam

Tau

fic

As answered by Mary Schaffer

Three words to describe my restaurant are… adventurous, food-centric, comfortable.

The “personality” of my restaurant is… urban wine country. Fun, relaxed place to enjoy a great glass of wine and a truly home-cooked meal.

Biggest change in my restaurant is... soon to have outdoor seating!

The hottest thing at my restaurant now is… our cocktail program! Our French bar manager is like a chef behind the bar. He takes interesting, esoteric, but always fresh ingredients and blends, ages or shakes them into some of the best cocktails I have ever had!

I’m hoping… to travel more and get a chance to see wine regions in New Zealand and Portugal.

My favorite dish on our menu is… wild mushroom farrotto, sunny-side egg, truffle oil. I love the nutty crunch of the farro balanced with creamy egg and the earthy mushrooms. Pair it with a glass of pinot noir and that’s my dinner!

Best change to Stamford in the last decade… It’s become more cosmopolitan—there’s been huge growth and the landscape of the town has changed so much. The city is alive with action. It has truly become a great destination for people to live, eat, shop and go to a show!

My first job was... and I learned... delivering newspapers. I learned to work hard, manage money, and that it’s hard to get newspaper ink off of your clothes!

Person I’d most like to meet is… Mikhail Baryshnikov. I’ve always had a big crush. I’d love to spend a day watching him dance. Best advice I ever got is… “Put your money back in. Don’t let customers see you stop investing

in your brand.” I was told this when I was twenty-seven with my first restaurant, and I still believe it’s true. Whether it’s paint, new candle holders, new plates or aprons, you have to constantly evolve.

I’m always inspired by… The creative efforts of people in the hospitality business as a whole—as a business it’s very competitive and is constantly evolving. How someone has designed a space or reimagined a cuisine or even a wine label. It inspires me to rethink what I already know and to constantly push myself in my work and my life in general.

I couldn’t live without… In no particular order or importance: my daughters, cheese, pizza, my cell phone, Google, Mad Men, movies and a good laugh!

The best thing about my customers are… they are willing to try new things, whether it’s a staple dish that we’ve decided to change or a wine region they’ve never heard of…they are willing and adventurous.

68 STAMFORDMAG.COM


My favorite dish on our menu is… My mother’s homemade Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna ) with a traditional Greek Village Salad.

Best change to Stamford in the last decade… the development of the Harbor Point area.

Best advice I ever got is… work hard every day, twenty-four hours a day, like someone will come and take it all away.

I’m hoping… to open another location in the near future, and to marry the love of my life!

The best thing about our customers is… they have all become my close friends. I know all of our customers by name. I have seen them grow as people, get married and expand their families several generations.

Moshos Family – Angelo, Helen, Stella and JohnELM STREET DINER 463 Elm Street, Stamford | 203.325.1141 | elmstreetdiner.com

As answered by John Moshos

Customers here will always find… someone they know, and donuts!

Three words to describe our restaurant are… family, quality, gourmet.

Biggest change in our restaurant is... the addition of unique menu entrees and specials.

The hottest thing at our restaurant now is… the Short Rib Grilled Cheese, Nutella Banana Waffle, and our one-of-a-kind Donut Sundae.

My first job was... and I learned... at twelve years old, I was a busboy. I learned so much about the restaurant business at a young age. Most importantly, I learned the value of hard work.

My favorite dish on our menu is… surf or turf! The porterhouse steak with fried onion rings is great, but so is a perfectly cooked fresh Maine lobster. Either one with our Gorgonzola salad and homemade garlic bread!

I’m always inspired by… customer feedback from both old and new customers. Meeting new people helps too!

The best thing about our customers is… they are incredibly loyal to our establishment. When customers come to eat at the restaurant, we treat them as if they’re a part of our family. Our regulars are always sharing their life’s joys, daily activities, and their milestones with us, and we’re happy to hear it.

Giovanni Gabriele, JoAnn Latorraca and Sal LatorracaTHE WATERS EDGE AT GIOVANNI’S 748 Boston Post Road, Darien 203.325.9979 | watersedgeatgiovannis.com

As answered by JoAnn Latorraca

Customers here will always find… a friendly staff and a familiar smile from us. Not to mention a great meal and lots of tasty steaks!

Three words to describe our restaurant are… family-owned, accommodating, welcoming.

The “personality” of our restaurant is… relaxing and comfortable, familiar, and definitely not pretentious. We focus on providing great food and great service in a warm and friendly atmosphere.



Biggest change in my restaurant is... expansion. I am constantly focused on growth, whether it be a new location, product line, or adjusting the menus to stay ahead of the quality that my customers have come to expect from each of my restaurants: Capriccio, Volta and Bar Rosso.

The hottest thing at my restaurant now is… the outdoor seating. I can stand outside of any one of my three restaurants and see happy customers occupying all the seats. This is a view that reminds me of what I have accomplished.

Best change to Stamford in the last decade… the rebirth of downtown Stamford over the past fi fteen years. Bedford Street is booming!

My fi rst job was... and I learned... barista in Italy at twelve years old. I made coffee and croissants early each morning. It taught me the most important quality—discipline.

Person I’d most like to meet is… Mark Cuban.

Best advice I ever got is… any dream can become a reality with hard work and dedication.

Giovanni Gentile, owner

Customers here will always fi nd… quality, consistency, only the freshest of ingredients.

The “personality” of my restaurant is… It’s casual; it’s trendy; it’s an inviting place with an inviting menu.

I’m always inspired by… a challenge.

I couldn’t live without… my supportive wife Celina and our two daughters, Francesca and Valentina.

The best thing about my customers is… their loyalty.

A truly great day includes… everything running smoothly. Happy customers who feel at home in my restaurants.

Anything else you want us to know? Tell us here:I am always working on expanding. Currently, the two new additions are DiMare Downtown and StamfordSalad.com.

Giovanni Gentile CAPRICCIO CAFE 189 Bedford Street, Stamford 203.356.9819 | capriccio-cafe.com

BAR ROSSO 30 Spring Street, Stamford 203.388.8640 | barrossoct.com

VOLTA 30 Spring Street, Stamford 203.883.8841 | volta.us

Introducing Pizza Al Metro at Bar Rosso Seafood Salad at Capriccio

70 STAMFORDMAG.COM


totally loving the fireplaces—soaking up the warmth and cozy atmosphere.

Biggest change in my restaurant is... transitioning mindsets from the traditional New England Tavern to a more progressive, communal experience with a relaxed atmosphere that is enticing to all generations.

My favorite dish on our menu is… although the menu changes routinely to incorporate seasonal vegetables, fruits and meats, I would choose either the house-smoked grilled rib-eye steak, cooked medium-rare with roasted garlic butter on top, or the IPA-citrus-marinated half-chicken… either way—I win!

I’m hoping for… a beautiful spring so we can open

the floor-to-ceiling ‘wall-o-glass’ (glass doors) and let in that much-needed sunshine during weekend brunches.

House Smoked Grilled Rib Eye

Customers here will always find… an eclectic and globally inspired menu, a world-class and unique beverage selection, and most importantly—a welcoming communal vibe.

Three words to describe my restaurant are… inviting, crafted, authentic.

The “personality” of my restaurant is… optimistic, engaging, progressive.

The hottest thing at my restaurant now is… a table by one of our fireplaces (main or private room). Groups large and small are

191 Summer Street, Stamford 203.348.2275 | caskrepublic.com

Christian Burns Owner, Founder SKÅL Restaurant Group

CASK REPUBLIC

Phot

ogra

ph b

y © S

andr

o de

Car

valh

o

Ridgefi eld, Wilton, Greenwichlittlepub.com

Daneen GrabeLITTLE PUB

Customers here will always fi nd… great food, generous drinks, and a lively pub atmosphere.

Three words to describe my restaurant are… little, lively, loving.

The “personality” of my restaurant is… comfortable, like your favorite pair of old blue jeans.

The hottest thing at my restaurant now is… ghost pepper wings.

I’m hoping… that whoever is reading this

smiles and has a really terrifi c day.

My favorite dish on our menu is… Flowers Chardonnay.

Best advice I ever got is… to ignore everyone else’s advice of “don’t go into the restaurant business.”

I’m always inspired by… the teamwork of the Little Pub staff. And those crappy Yelp reviews.

Daneen and Doug Grabe

339 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich 203.661.6634 versaillesgreenwich.com

Marc and Evelyne PenvenneBISTRO VERSAILLES AND PATISSERIE

Customers here will always find… the classics; delicious French food that is authentic yet sparked with a contemporary flair. And we always use grass-fed meat, organic poultry and organic produce.

The hottest thing at our restaurant now is… our dinner events; once a month we have a special themed menu, and we set the bistro up for a dinner party.

The “personality” of our restaurant is… a jovial Parisian bistro transported to Greenwich.

Biggest change in our restaurant is... our bar scene. Customers take a seat at the bar for a drink and a chat, bistro-style.

The Dish

Documents

Transcript of The Dish