Restaurant Road Trip: Stamford

The long-awaited Bar Rosso, owner Mary Schaeffer's foray into Italian comfort food, opened on Thursday after a soft opening a few nights ago.

The restaurant, which seats 110 inside and 40 al fresco, was to open in December 2010, however, Schaeffer wanted to remain true to her vision and conceptualization of the interior space, which included significant changes to the infrastructure from the building’s predecessor, Bennett’s Steakhouse.

And when you step inside the glass doors set into a layered stone façade, you will see that change can be good thing indeed.

A sprawling bar crafted of stainless steel, which seats 35, spans half the length of the room. Sturdy wooden tables and chairs dot the space, while along the perimeter, banquettes line the wall. The wood-burning oven will be cured and ready to turn out pizzas and other dishes with that distinctive flavor.

While Bar Rosso is Schaeffer's newest "child," Napa & Co. remains her first. As expected, she is very protective of both. “It’s a fine line to co-exist with another brand like Napa, which is very different from Bar Rosso,” she said. “It’s very important because if we don’t succeed here, we hurt Napa, and vice-versa. There has to be a synergy between the two.”

The setting at Bar Rosso is one of openness — it has an airy, comfortable urban vibe, which should play well to the younger demographic Schaeffer is seeking. Where Napa & Co. offers fine dining and is more wine-driven, Bar Rosso will strive to provide a hipper, more food-driven atmosphere.

Schaeffer is pragmatic in her hopes of drawing a crowd. “While we don’t want to alienate the loyal customers that we have at Napa & Co., we do want to fill the void and connect with the demographic that Napa probably isn’t reaching," she said.

When it comes to Bar Rosso’s cuisine, Executive Chef Dan Kardos is setting out to put a unique interpretative spin on Italian fare.

Take, for instance, the Antipasti selections of Formaggio & Charcuterie (three for $14 /five for $20). Diners can choose from the likes of gorgonzola, taleggio, robiola rocchetta, prosciutto, mortadella and speck, to name a few. There are also Pesci, Verdura & Carne (one for $7 or three for $19) options on the menu, which include ricotta fritters, anchovies & peppers, polenta fries, stuffed mussels, saffron arancini, preserved tuna and fried capers, and 18 other plates to choose from.

Bar Rosso’s plates are not entrée-sized driven but designed and served in smaller portions. In addition to the antipasti, the remaining categories are Insalate E Piattini ($8-$17), Pasta (two sizes, $14/$21 - $17-$25), Pizza E Panini ($12-$17) and Secondi ($24-$33).

It should be well-noted that Bar Rosso makes its own mozzarella, provolone, sausage, cotechino, sweet and hot Italian sausage, six of their eight pastas and bread. Additionally, all of the pizzas are Neapolitan-style thin crust.

Other notable highlights on the menu, as chosen by Schaeffer, include creamy polenta soup with mortadella, soft boiled egg, parmesan and Calabrian chili oil ($8), tagliatelle and lamb neck ragu with raisins, harissa, feta, garlic and breadcrumbs ($16/24), and spaghetti and meatballs with extra virgin olive oil and parmesan breadcrumbs ($17).

And the 40 feet of stainless steel is not the only impressive feature associated with the bar at Bar Rosso. Bar Manager Eric Ribero labored for two months to craft his own batch of five different bitters and one each of amaretto, limoncello and orangecello. That is serious dedication. One taste of the amaretto demonstrated a smooth yet sweet flavor, which could lead one to believe Ribero knows what he’s doing.

In addition to various beers, Bar Rosso will also offer 150 different bottles of wine, grouped by varietals and priced from $8-$350, and 30 different wines by the glass, priced at $5-$16.

24 Spring St.
Stamford, CT
203-388-8640
[NOTE: All menu prices quote above are subject to change]