Stamford Lunch near Fairway

[lukshen]

We are coming to Stamford for a meeting and need a good place for lunch. Looking for good food and decent atmosphere. Casa Villa sounds great, but I think it will be a hassle to find parking.
It's a foodie business lunch, so the restaurant needs to take Amex.
Thanks for any help.

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Casa Villa Restaurant
182 W Main St, Stamford, CT 06902

[mushroomaffairs]

Someone already mentioned Eclissse which is right across from Fairway. I have only been for dinner but I found the food quality to be quite good for what it is (sort of old school but updated family-style Italian fare).

Brasitas is very good. It's just unfortunately in a poo :) area and looks like a cheap canteen but the food very modern and sophisticated. What I think is great about this place aside from the location is that this place's does a great job of putting together a creative if not ambitious menu and plating style of the food. You look at the exterior and you would just never think but for Stamford it's pretty hardcore. The food isn't Cuban but it has that Miami vibe to it.

Otherwise Stamford has two main restaurant row areas, Columbus Circle and Bedford St. For a foodie group, I really recommend Quattro Pazzi. It's not exactly inventive but it's got a mean tortellini with ham and peas.

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Quattro Pazzi Restaurant
165 Fillow St, Norwalk, CT 06850

Brasitas
954 E Main St, Stamford, CT 06902

[lukshen]

I do enjoy my chowhound community, thank you for your passion. Taking into consideration the convenience of Cafe Sylvium, that will have to do. Both Casa Villa and Brasitas look more tempting. Yvngai's directions were so helpful. I would rather not have to deal with downtown, if I don't have to.
Thank you, yngvai for your thoroughness.

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Casa Villa Restaurant
182 W Main St, Stamford, CT 06902

Brasitas
954 E Main St, Stamford, CT 06902

[lukshen]

Thank you for the rec. It was perfect, easy to get to, good service and food. They were serving fried baby artichokes that were amazing. Lightly floured and deep fried fresh, not frozen artichokes. I ordered veal milanese, it was one of the best renditions that I have ever had. My colleagues were all happy with their meals. Thank you again.

[yngvai]

Good to hear! You're very welcome.

[dinerfan]

very good to know. I'd heard hot and cold on Cafe Sylvium, I'll have to go there and give it a shot.

[stukin]

Brasitas is Columbian and, IMO, very good. Colony Grill is, IMO, the most overrated pizza I've ever had. In fact, I'd rather go hungry than eat there! I seem to remember someone telling that Colony doesn't accept credit cards, but that could be wrong.

[dinerfan]

I concur in full, stukin, carry on, my wayward son.

[SteveSCT]

I can 2nd stamfoodie's recommendation for Brasitas. (I recently recommended their Norwalk location on a different thread) It does look rough from the outside, but it's well furnished inside and I would consider it a very suitable place for a business lunch. The food is consistently very good, and the service is professional. The menu is Pan-Latin, which means it can stray a bit, but the dishes are consistently well prepared.

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Brasitas
954 E Main St, Stamford, CT 06902

[stamfoodie]

While Casa Villa on the East Side is good, I'm not sure everyone in a gang of foodies would be happy there. If you're headed that way, a surer bet is Brasitas, a latin and south american gem hat is simply outstanding in a great space -- despite the exterior. They have free valet parking.. http://www.brasitas.com/menus/lunch.pdf

Still its a 5-7 minute drive through some traffic. Closer is Sylvium which is one of Stamford's best Italians in a pleasant setting on Shippan, a couple of minutes away.. Closer still is Eclisse, right across Canal. DON'T BE TEMPTED .. it's always a dissappointment. Colony is fun, unique, and a Stamford insittuion with absolutely delicious bar pizza ... but they've just begun to accept credit cards after 50 years and hunch it will just be Master card Visa. I'd go Syvlium -- close, classy, delish and hassle free, tho more standard and less exciting that Brasitas.

[dinerfan]

Love Brasitas, but never thought the exterior rough. I grew up in this town, and can remember when that building was a truly gritty little diner (the shell is the original rounded roofed structure, the rest is added). I used to go there, but not for the food. It had grease stained walls, a cook in a strappy t-shirt and oodles of flypaper all over the place.
The verdict on Colony is not unanimous, there are a wide array of dissenters, in which group I count myself. It is extreme thin pizza, so thin that it occasionally has holes in it, covered with a veneer of sauce and a little cheese. One of its attractions is that one person can devour a pizza, because there is hardly anything there at all. The one pizza I had there had rubbery canned mushrooms, uncooked (the thin pizza can be flash baked) instead of fresh. Horror stories from a former employee confirmed my opinion. A former cook opened Rico's, on Selleck St.. with a similar product and the reports seem to be good.

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Brasitas
954 E Main St, Stamford, CT 06902

[stamfoodie]

DF, don't know if you are sugesting the OP do a business lunch at Ricos, it's basically a takeout place only a couple of tables. If you don't care for Colony's iteration of a bar pizza, Ricos probably won't impress you either. They don't even have a bar. Strike two. And I leave the clam pizza to Pepes...and go for the Colony hot oil and fresh sausage from DeYulio's across the street. Never been disappointed... but unlike you. I've only lived here for 10 years. Brasitas' exterior belies the kewl space and cuisine inside.

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Brasitas
954 E Main St, Stamford, CT 06902

[dinerfan]

Oh, Brasitas is dandy, no argument there. And about Rico's, only saying that if you like that sort of thing, then that's probably the sort of thing you'd like. Thinking that this is a respite from business.
I like the shwarma at Layla's on high ridge, haven't tried the downtown venue for a nice casual lunch sandwich/wrap. No ambiance, however. Can't think of a decent lunch spot downtown, with quality food and decent ambiance.

[dinerfan]

i mean in the neighborhood of Fairway, plenty of downtown spots.

[SteveSCT]

Yngvai is correct about the Casa Villa on the East Side of Stamford. Lukshen, you are correct about parking being difficult at the West Side location. If parking is a concern and this is a business lunch, then I think the newer, East Side location is preferable. I may be opening this up to a big debate, but I think the food is comparable, and the restaurant itself is more comfortable.

Another nearby place is the Colony Grill. I always enjoy their thin crust bar pies, especially the hot oil pie. I'm not sure if they take Amex, though.

Truthfully, I often find myself having lunch in Fairway itself. They have stations with salads, sandwiches, pizza, pasta, burgers, etc., and a place to eat them.

(Note: the board automatically fills in the address of the West Side Casa Villa. The East Side address is 866 East Main Street, Stamford)

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Casa Villa Restaurant
182 W Main St, Stamford, CT 06902

Colony Grill
172 Myrtle Ave, Stamford, CT 06902

[lukshen]

thank you both, it's just that Fairway is an account of ours and fortunately, we are in their stores all the time. How far are CV and Cafe Sylvium from Fairway?

[yngvai]

Here you go - they're both between -1-1.5 miles apart,

Fairway to Casa Villa (East Side):
Map here:
http://tinyurl.com/87l3wfa

Fairway to Cafe Sylvium:
Map here:
http://tinyurl.com/7qw2few

[yngvai]

Thank you on the clarification. I didn't even think of the West Side (original) location as a place for a business lunch!

[lukshen]

thank you, yngvai
So which one would you choose, Casa Villa or Cafe Sylvium?
I know they are totally different, both take Amex. If it was just myself, I know that I would go to Casa Villa, but there are 3 others to think of.

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Casa Villa Restaurant
182 W Main St, Stamford, CT 06902

[yngvai]

You can't go wrong with either one - it just depends upon what your group is looking for. If cost is a factor, then Casa Villa, but other than that there's nothing else that would sway me one way or the other beyond my mood that day.

And chalk another thumbs up for that Brasitas recommendation. Again, I don't know what your budget is, it's a little more expensive than your standard lunch place, but excellent quality.

[yngvai]

I've never seen the lot at Casa Villa get full, but if it does you can always park on the adjacent side street.

Another place the same distance from Fairway you may want to check out is Cafe Sylvium on Shippan Ave.

I cannot say whether or not they take Amex though.