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Bespoke
266 College St.
New Haven
Chapel Street, Crown Street
203-562-4644

By LINDA GIUCA

Courant Food Editor

Published December 7, 2006



Building a restaurant usually takes longer than the owner hopes or plans, but Arturo and Suzette Franco-Comacho might have set a record.

The owners of the successful Roomba in downtown New Haven, the couple began work on their second restaurant four years ago. Legal issues with the building delayed the project, but the new restaurant, called Bespoke, is finally open - and the Franco-Comachos couldn't be happier.



"We almost gave up on ourselves, but once you start something, you want to finish it," says Suzette Franco-Comacho, who keeps the dining room humming while her husband leads the kitchen.

A lot of things can happen in four years, including both a name change and design overhaul. The couple decided to forgo their choice of the original name - Dish - because they felt they needed a fresh start. They also liked the word and meaning of "bespoke." "A lot of people don't know what it means," Suzette says of the word, used primarily in the United Kingdom to denote a made-to-order item. "It's the idea of British tailoring, of a man having a suit custom-made for him."

The Franco-Comachos feel the word symbolizes not only the made-to-order menu but also the custom design of the restaurant, including uniforms designed by Kara Janx, a designer featured on Season 2 of the television show "Project Runway."

The restaurant operates on three levels. "We dug out the basement to get full ceiling height," Suzette says of the space that houses a lounge, which will open in a couple of weeks, and a kitchen. On the main floor, there's a bar, whose walls are paneled in Brazilian koa wood; a fine dining room that seats 85; and a wine room. The mezzanine, with 45 seats, overlooks the street and features a fireplace. Attention to detail is evident in the backlit onyx fireplace, the Danish and Italian lighting fixtures and the black slate bar.

Entry to the restaurant is through double 12-foot-tall doors of woven steel and glass. To the left of the entrance is a wooden box that projects outward from the façade. "There are two levels of glass and windows that fold up like an accordion," Suzette says of the design.

Arturo Franco-Comacho's menu is equally eclectic. "It is modern American cuisine with global influences, a lot influenced by Arturo's travels while cooking on the QE2," Suzette says. Appetizers ($8 to $15) include Moroccan spiced shrimp with braised fennel, and Thai-style duck confit with tamarind and scotch bonnet sauce and crispy citrus ragout. Entrees ($26 to $33) are an equal mix of fish and meat choices, such as chorizo encrusted Chatham cod, Niçoise-style striped bass, fennel and garlic crusted pork tenderloin, and Wellington of venison loin.

The couple also now live in the building. Their original plan was to convert the upper floors into a boutique hotel, but legal issues prevented the conversion. "The only way we could use [the space] was as a single-family residence," Suzette says. "So we sold our house, turned [the space] into a three-level loft and moved in two years ago. Now my husband gets to tuck my kids in every single night."

Although living in one's workplace ensures that Arturo Franco-Comacho can't get much distance from his job, that doesn't bother him or his wife. "At the end of the day, we're just so happy that we finally opened," Suzette says.

Hours: Dinner Tue..-Thu., 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 5 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Sun., 5 p.m-8:30 p.m Lounge Mon.-Wed., 5 p.m.-midnight Thu.-Sat., 5 p.m.-1 a.m. Sun., 5 p.m.-11 p.m.

Extras:

Attractions Clubs Bestsellers Moroccan spiced shrimp & Thai-style duck Clubs Nightclub Cuisine Other (global influences including Moroccan and Thai ) Meals Served Dinner, Late-night Payment Method Visa, MasterCard Price Range Expensive Reservations Recommended Services Private Parties Spirits Full Bar Website http://www.bespokenewhaven.com