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Coppia937 Post Road Fairfield 06824 By LORRAINE GENGO Fairfield County Weekly Published: 8/5/05 "Coppia," which means "couple" in Italian, seems an appropriate name for the new Italian restaurant that opened about six weeks ago at 937 Post Rd., in Fairfield, the spot that many local foodies revered as the location of Cafe Rafael. You see, the cafe was renowned for the Provencale and Moroccan fare that were the birthrights of its owners--Jean-Roger and Drissia Rafael--the husband-and-wife team who ran the place for years and who leave behind many loyal customers. The Rafaels returned to Marseilles, so we hear, and they will be sorely missed (as will Drissia's b'stilla and other Moroccan treats). Coppia is run by another culinary couple--Brian and Kristen Cunningham--who both come from restaurant families. This is the couple's first venture owning their own restaurant, and they couldn't have chosen a better way to start than with an intimate room that seats only about 22 people, with a small patio in the back that fits a couple of tables for those looking to eat al fresco. The view of the kitchen one had from the dining room when it was Cafe Rafael has now been obscured by smoked glass, which is too bad, I think. There's something reassuring about an open kitchen. And the decor could use some personality and warming up. But these are merely incidental considerations. After all, it's the food that really matters, and it's here that Coppia demonstrates that its sensibilities are in the right place. Brian's the chef, while Kristen runs the front of the house. Although the night we visited, there was a waiter on duty, and only one other table occupied. He steered us to the anipasti Coppia ($8), an assortment of fresh mozzarella, provolone, thinly sliced proscuitto and bresaole, a cured Italian beef that turned up again on Coppia's signature baby arugula and bresaole salad ($7). There were other handmade delicacies on this antipasti dish--namely housemade roasted red peppers--which showed that the emphasis was on fine ingredients, simply presented. Such was the case with the calamari and shrimp appetizer ($10), which featured rings of tender calamari and nice, fat shrimp that had been poached and marinated in vinegar and olive oil, garnished with celery and black olives. Served room temperature, these are the kinds of clean flavors I crave during hot weather. The salads continued in this vein, with a composition of golden beets, string beans, red onion and vine-ripened tomatoes dressed in olive oil and vinegar ($7), and the aforementioned arugula salad, which, with its fresh-squeezed lemon and olive oil dressing and shaved Reggiano parmesan, couldn't be improved upon one iota. Pay attention, health-conscious diners: This is the way we should be eating all the time! With the emphasis on locally produced, whole foods, fruits and green, leafy vegetables and monounsaturated fats from really good olive oils. Given that last statement, we might have skipped the pasta course--linguine with shrimp and whole clams ($16) sauteed in their own juices with a little olive oil, garlic and a blush of fresh tomato--but it's our vice, and a little pasta never hurt anybody. This particular dish would have been so much better with a little crushed red pepper cooked into it. And a spicy pasta dish wouldn't be out of place on a menu that leans toward recipes from Abruzzi, a region east of Rome that's known for its parks and nature reserves, where 30 percent of the land is protected by environmental laws. Coppia's Vitello Abruzzese ($19) pays tribute to the popular use of chili peppers in the cuisine of this region, with the spicy white wine reduction that accompanies this veal scallopini served with peppers, mushrooms and onions. The other veal dish on the menu was equally as good--though I rarely choose it at restaurants because it's usually way too salty. Not so with Coppia's version of vitello Sorrento ($19), escalopes of veal sauteed in butter and Marsala, topped with prosciutto, eggplant and mozzarella. This was really delicious, with all the flavors vibrantly evident, thanks to the judicious restraint of the seasonings and the fact that it wasn't smothered in melted cheese--a common flaw with such dishes. My sole and shrimp Francaise ($20), done the classic way--coated with seasoned egg batter and sauteed in butter, white wine and lemon--was good, but it didn't hold a candle to the two veal dishes. Holding our votive candle to read our dessert menu was how we ended this meal, which we finished with a double espresso--since we could fit nothing more into our bellies. Hopefully, as word gets out about Coppia, it will be packed with couples enjoying the cooking and hospitality of yet another husband-and-wife team. Map | Printer-Friendly Page | Email to a Friend
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