Date: Fri 12-Sep-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

snapshot-Sam-Chowdhury

Full Text:

SNAPSHOT FOR 9/12:

SAIFUR "SAM" CHOWDHURY

Occupation: Chef and co-owner of Mona Lisa Restaurant at 43 South Main Street.

We serve mostly northern Italian food and some southern Italian as well. I

also own another restaurant in Danbury called Taj Mahal, where we offer Indian

and Italian food.

How long in Newtown: I am a native of Bangladesh and I have lived in the

United States for 15 years. My wife, Zannat, and I lived in Sandy Hook but now

we live in Danbury to be near the other restaurant.

We have a son, Shawn, who is almost 3.

Pets: Since we live in an apartment, we can't have pets. But Shawn loves dogs

so we're looking for a house in Newtown, where he can have one.

Hobbies: I enjoy going to New York City and visiting other ethnic restaurants.

In Stamford, my favorite restaurant is called Euttrucci's. It's very good and

is run by very nice people.

I also like to write poetry and short stories in Bengali. Perhaps sometime

I'll publish them.

I have time to do that because my partner, James (Jim) Antonopolos, and I

split our duties here.

Biggest change in Newtown: We've had Mona Lisa Restaurant for nine years. We

expanded once when we built the garden room, which I designed, but we are

still in need of more space for the overflow.

There is a lot of competition in Newtown these days. I am grateful for my

reliable clientele and even when a new restaurant goes in, they may try it for

a few months but they usually come back here.

The town is definitely growing. They're building bigger houses than ever.

Personal philosophy: Be consistent. Try to accommodate a customer's special

requests, be ready to work just a little harder.

I have an excellent chef who cooks very well, but when I make the brandy or

the marsala sauce myself, my regular customers know it. Even the waitresses

know it.

If they say something is different about the marinara, I taste it and try to

find out why. Sometimes it's whether or not tomatoes are in season.

When I first came here, I worked for a nice Italian man in his restaurant and

I put out a lot of effort, always did more than my share. He liked me so he

showed me all his sauces.

I'm still learning.

Why did you choose the name "Mona Lisa"? It's a beautiful Italian name and a

beautiful Italian painting and painting and dining go together.

Also, I had owned a restaurant in West Haven in 1985 by that name.