We’ve lived in Downtown Stamford for many years, and just recently dined at Quattro Pazzi for dinner. Located on the corner of Bedford and Forest Street, Quattro Pazzi is an Italian restaurant known for its fresh, homemade pastas which can also be made gluten-free. They also serve other Italian classics, like crispy fried calamari served golden brown with a spicy marinara sauce. The PEI mussels are presented beautifully in a bowl with fresh tomato tucked inside each shell. The sauce of basil, garlic, oil, white wine sauce is delicious and great for dipping your bread into.
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| Fried Calamari |
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| Prince Edward Mussels |
The pasta menu is divided into two categories: fresh and artisan. Off the fresh menu, we tried the Fettuccine Mitty, Quattro Pazzi’s most popular dish and easily our favorite too. It’s made with chopped scallops, shrimp, lump crab meat, and a pink cognac sauce. The seafood was fresh and added so much flavor to the pasta.
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| Fettuccine Mitty |
The Orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe was the special of the evening. It’s a perfect balance of bitterness (from the rapini) and sweetness from the sausage with a tad bit of heat from the chili flakes.
The Gnocchi Bolognese is another amazing dish that we highly recommend. It’s not as heavy as traditional gnocchi which is typically made with potato. The gnocchi is made of ricotta and dressed with beef and veal ragu and a touch of cream. The sauce is rich and savory, and one of the best we’ve had in the county.
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| Gnocchi Bolognese |
The Veal Sorrentina is made with medallions of Veal, eggplant, prosciutto, mozzarella, sherry wine sauce, and a touch of marinara. Each bite is packed with robust flavor.
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| Veal Sorrentina |
The Chicken Scarpariello is another great dish to try. Mushrooms, hot peppers, onions, potatoes, rosemary, lemon, and chicken breast are cooked to perfection in white wine. It’s got a little bit of heat but tastes wonderful.
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| Chicken Scarpariello |
For dessert, we recommend trying their homemade Tiramisu. The espresso-drenched sponge cake wakes up your palate and light mascarpone cream gives the sweetness you’re looking for in a dessert. Each bite will leave you smiling. After sipping our cappuccinos and espressos, we sat back and nodded to each other in satisfaction. This was a great meal.
Every dish we tried at Quattro Pazzi was delicious. Portions are generous. The prices are great. Service is excellent. Our dinner lasted nearly 3 hours but we did not feel rushed. Like the saying goes in Italy, “piano piano.” We ate slowly, slowly and savored every bite. There are plenty of Italian restaurants in Downtown Stamford, but this is by far our favorite. It’s great for couples, groups, and families.
Quattro Pazzi
269 Bedford St
Stamford, CT 06901
Tel: (203) 324-7000
www.quattropazzi.com
Open daily for lunch and dinner. There is also a location in Fairfield at 1599 Post Road.
