Café Roma in Bridgeport

Written by Fran Sikorski
Friday, 29 January 2010 11:09

Originally from Bari, Italy, Pino Pace, chef/owner of Café Roma, is among restaurateurs helping to accelerate the revitalization of downtown Bridgeport. Chef Pace worked in restaurants in Los Angeles and Greenwich before opening his own restaurant.

Chef de cuisine Scott Eckenrod, also a restaurant consultant, has been in the restaurant business for 28 years. His culinary credits include Paci and Lianna’s, both in Fairfield, The Homestead in Greenwich, and Cava Wine Bar in New Canaan. Together, the two chefs have created a robust regional Italian menu. Sous chef is Wilson Lopez.

Café Roma is in the same building as the former Bijou movie theater, built in 1908 as an opera house. Renovations now underway will create a multi-media entertainment center for films and a variety of live stage productions.

The restaurant interior is done in red and black that blend well with the original brick walls. A spiral staircase leads to an upstairs private dining room seating 18. Capacity of the main dining room is 40.

While selecting a menu choice, you can easily be enticed by a white Cosmo or the Roma espresso martini.

The Café Roma menu is robust Italian fare. Signature antipasti ($6.50 to $13) are grilled octopus, with cured vegetables, olive oil and lemon; baked asparagus, with prosciutto and mozzarella; and baked eggplant with goat cheese and roasted red pepper sauce.

Salads, $6.50 to $7, are Caesar; tricolore; and burrata fagiolini (creamy mozzarella, green beans, tomatoes, with olive oil). Soup of the day is $7.

Signature Café Roma sandwiches, $8.50 to $10, are tonno Mediterraneo, tuna with sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, arugula and capers; and the Alexandra, with salami, prosciutto, and melted provolone.

Lunch entrees are from $8 for penne pomodoro e basilica and $17 for salmone alla griglia with cherry tomatoes, green beans and roasted potatoes.

Choosing a pasta, $8.50 to $17, isn’t easy. The housemade potato gnocchi is popular with Bolognese sauce or with tomato and mozzarella sauce. There’s also vegetable risotto with portabello mushrooms and asparagus; and bucatini Amatriciana with onions, pancetta, and red pepper flakes; orecchiette Barese with sweet sausage, garlic, oil and broccoli rabe.

Entrees, from $16 to $26.50, are all tempting, especially pan-seared breaded codfish with Sicilian vegetable relish; roasted lamb chops with garlic, rosemary, broccoli rabe, and potatoes; sliced grilled rib-eye steak over arugula and shaved parmesan, olive oil and lemon.

Sides, $4 to $6, are garlicky green beans, broccoli rabe, roasted potatoes, french fries, and grilled potatoes.

Desserts, $6 to $7, are highlights, including tiramisu, profiteroles, and coconut cake with cranberry chutney and marscapone cream.

Café Roma is just a few steps away from the ever-popular Bridgeport Downtown Cabaret Theater.

Café Roma

259 Fairfield Avenue
Bridgeport, 203-333-0055

Serving lunch 12 to 3 Monday through Friday; dinner 5 to 10 Monday to Saturday; happy hour from 5:30 to 7:30; closed Sunday.

Reservations accepted; major credit cards; handicap accessible; children’s menu; full bar, Italian wines, $6 to $12 by the glass; starting at $20 by the bottle; regional Italian cuisine; seasonal game menu; take-out; off-premises catering; upscale casual dress; wine dinners; private functions; street and garage  parking.

Side dishes

Roy Reeves, owner of Deer Park Tavern in Katonah, N.Y., which unfortunately was destroyed in a fire this week, also owns The Bissell House & Bar restaurant at 378 Main Street in Ridgefield. Featuring a contemporary American menu, it’s open for lunch and dinner, serving continuously, from 11:30 to 10 Monday to Wednesday; from 11:30 to 11 Thursday, Friday and Saturday; a la carte Sunday brunch from 11 to 3; and dinner from 3 to 9. Reservations, 203-431-4440, are accepted for five or more. Mr. Reeves said this week that he intends to rebuild the Deer Park as soon as possible.