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Feb 29, 2008
Rulu’s River Café
26 Mill River Street
Stamford, 203-325-3900

Serving lunch 11:30 to 5, Monday to Friday; dinner 5:30 to 10, Monday to Thursday; 5:30 to 11, Friday and Saturday; 5:30 to 9, Sunday.

Reservations accepted; handicapped accessible; major credit cards; full bar, international wine list; American/Italian cuisine; vegetarian selections; dietary restrictions honored; neat, casual dress; private functions; seasonal outdoor dining; hotel lot and valet parking.
  • Appetizers: $10 to $14
  • Salads: $8 to $16
  • Paninis: $12 to $16
  • Pastas: $19 to $23
  • Lunch entrees: $19 to $27
  • Prix-fixe lunch: $23.95
  • Dinner entrees: $19 to $32
  • Wine by the glass: $8 to $15
  • By the bottle: $23 to $300
  • Desserts: $8 to $9
  • Dessert wines: $14 to $18

Rulu’s River Café in Stamford
by FRAN SIKORSKI
Adding to the revitalization of the Mill River corner of downtown Stamford is the newly renovated Hampton Inn & Suites, a boutique-style hotel in which a new restaurant, Rulu’s River Cafe, offers two large dining rooms, a bar and lounge.

Leather and animal print chairs and sofas and stone-and-tile-topped tables enhance the bar and lounge areas where guests are surrounded by dramatic paintings and prints of movie stars like Marilyn Monroe and Dean Martin. The dining room has been given a classic design with rich fabrics and white tablecloths.

Rulu’s owners are Fairfield County entrepreneur Ruth Jones and restaurateur Janet Basso, with Executive Chef Patrick Tennaro. He was was formerly with Picholine Restaurant with Chef David Burke and Chef Terrance Brennan of Maloney & Porcelli in Manhattan. Before opening Rulu’s, Chef Tennaro was executive chef at Conte’s Seafood Market & Grill in Westport.

In addition to appetizers, salads, pastas and entrees offered for lunch, paninis (pressed Italian sandwiches) are available.

My companions and I introduced ourselves to Rulu’s River Café by enjoying a prix-fixe, wine-paired dinner, starting with hors d’oeuvres of truffle chicken salad on crostini, mini crab cakes, and spicy shrimp in hot oil.

Entrée tastings were beef carpaccio topped with shaved parmesan cheese, arugula and fresh lemon juice; tuna tartar, hearts of palm, avocado, ginger sauce, and balsamic glaze; and cedar-planked salmon with steamed asparagus, patti pan squash, baby carrots, roasted fingerling potatoes and a maple glaze.

A pear and gorgonzola salad with field greens and candied almonds, dressed with herb vinaigrette, was refreshing.

Other courses were herb-crusted New Zealand rack of lamb with sautéed spinach, mashed potatoes and balsamic reduction.

A trio of pasta included fresh goat cheese ravioli with tomato ragu and sun-dried tomatoes; penne with sausage, sautéed eggplant and fennel, crimini mushrooms, mozzarella cheese in a rich marinara sauce; and penne Arrabbiata, sautéed shrimp with plum tomatoes, chiles, garlic and fresh herbs.

Topping off this grand presentation, all menu specialties, was molten chocolate cake with French vanilla ice cream and vanilla sauce.
We agreed that Rulu’s River Café is a culinary playground for Patrick Tennaro and his diners.

Side dishes:  
JP’s Country Cupboard Restaurant, an old-fashioned malt shoppe/café at 17 Elm Street in New Canaan, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, offers a breakfast menu all day; music of the 40s to the 60; beer and wine; take-out with curbside pickup; and Sunday family supper night from 3 to 8 p.m.  The restaurant opens every day at 7 a.m. with continuous serving, and dinner is served Tuesday through Sunday.  For more information, call 203-966-6163.                               


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