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The fried oysters got me from the start. Served in an oyster shell, the crisp oyster shared a bed of creamy guacamole with a bit of grapefruit and a whisper of radish. Gastro Bar, which opened this summer in Stamford, is more than a Mediterranean wine bar. The “gastro” approach to the food elevates it beyond same-old-same-old small plates. The menu sounds so delicious you have to go there with a big group of friends.

In warm weather, Gastro Pub offers coveted sidewalk seating at Live at Five Concerts. In colder weather, sun streams through the front wall of windows overlooking Columbus Park. The design is industrial, warmed by a bare brick wall, punchy aqua seating and a long bar.

I’ve been to Gastro Bar twice, once anonymously, and last week as a guest at a press/blogger dinner hosted by restaurateur Mario Lopez. On both occasions, the food was excellent. Lopez, a co-owner of Bianco Rosso in Wilton, is a warm, funny and attentive host.

Chef Fernando Gomez is not afraid of flavor. He spices up salmon tartar with jalapeños, shallots and cilantro, and makes it fun and crunchy with potato chips. The meatballs are lamb with minced baby kale, garlic, parsley, and ricotta, but no breadcrumbs. They have flavor and pleasing texture. Figs and proscuitto are dressed up. The figs are stuffed with manchego cheese, wrapped in proscuitto and drizzed with vin cotto, a sweet, reduced wine sauce.

Patatas Bravas might not sound immediately interesting, but these spears of potato are roasted in duck fat and seasoned with paprika, then coated with spicy tomato salsa and served with saffron aioli. It’s particularly appealing late at night (the kitchen closes at 11 p.m.) And pizza here is not an also-ran. It was crisp-bottomed and topped with sweet fig jam and salty slices of prosciutto, drizzled with a thick, sweet balsamic.

Gastro Pub offers mild dishes too. Baked eggplant oozed mascarpone. Traditional crab cakes were served with cherry pepper sauce. A new fall pasta is panzotti – triangles of homemade pasta filled with butternut squash and ground biscotti. They’re sauced with brown butter and topped with toasted almonds.

There are a few entrées. King salmon was seared, then baked, and served topped with chopped beets and braised celery, a nice touch. The paella for two was bountiful and beautiful with clams, shrimp, chicken, mussels, calamari, chorizo and peas in saffron rice.

To drink, the banana mojito was full of refreshing mint and lime. The Gastro Mule, a blend of gin, pineapple, triple sec, St. Germain and rose wine, got mixed reviews.

For dessert, the chef transforms cheesecake into cheese tart. It’s the two-layer cream cheese and sour cream type, and the proportion of plump blackberries and syrup was just right with the light filling. Espresso brulée was as good as it sounds.

>>Gastro Bar, 78 West Park Place, Stamford, is open Monday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Sunday, 5 to 10 p.m. Information: 203-817-0392 and gastrobarstamford.com.