Date: Fri 14-Jun-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

Cheffields-Pastorek-restaurant

Full Text:

w/photos: Mediterranean Elegance Comes To South Main At Cheffields

B Y K AAREN V ALENTA

It is often said that good chefs are not just culinary professionals; they are

artists. Nowhere is that more apparent than at G.P. Cheffields Mediterranean

Grille & Bar.

Marble scuptures by Chef George Pastorek grace the main dining room of this

new restaurant at 97 South Main Street Marketplace in Newtown. Chef Pastorek

sculpts to relax, a luxury he hasn't enjoyed since the restaurant opened on

May 15.

"We opened on my birthday - what a stressful birthday that turned out to be,"

he said. "We've been open every day since then until this week, when we

decided the pace of 100-plus hours a week was too much to keep up and we'd

better start to take Mondays off."

"We" are George and his brother Gregory, the chefs and co-owners. They have

taken over the space formerly occupied by Piccolo Mondo, enlarged it by a

third, and completely transformed it into an elegant restaurant, which serves

a mix of the Mediterranean-style cuisine, drawing inspiration from such

sun-drenched countries as Italy, France and Greece, but also bringing in

elements from all around the world.

George owned Georgies in Shelton for seven years, a 30-seat, dinner-only

restaurant. When he decided to open another restaurant, he checked out some of

the available spots in Newtown at the suggestion of Dan Riccio, who owns

several shopping centers and beauty salons along South Main Street.

"I took a ride up here Christmas day, saw this place and after after some

negotiation - my brother and I wanted the extra unit next door - we signed a

lease on March 7," George Pastorek said.

A complete renovation followed.

"We gutted the whole place, threw everything that was here out and completely

redesigned it," he said.

The new solid mahogany bar was built by Albert Treadwell, son of the late

Timothy B. Treadwell, Newtown first selectman from 1968 to 1973. Now a

resident of New Haven, Albert Treadwell acquired the foundation of his trade

at his father's side repairing and remodeling the Treadwell's Zoar Road home.

He also built and hand-carved the teak sign at the entrance to Treadwell Park,

the park named for his father. (The March issue of Fine Homebuilding magazine,

published in Newtown by the Taunton Press, features an Arts and Crafts kitchen

built by Albert of quarter-sawn oak.)

Like the bar, the chairs at Cheffields are mahagony, with cloth upholstery.

The linen-topped tables are set with heavy plate silver and sterling utensils.

The bone china dinnerware is accented with sea shells and ocean waves, the

theme of the restaurant.

The peach walls - subtly sponge-painted by George - navy blue carpeting

throughout all the rooms and artwork by Ertle and Wenkidu (part of George's

collection), provide an elegant setting for leisurely dining. Accents such as

the hand-painted seashells on water pitchers from Portugal continue the theme

which is reflected in the restaurant's menu.

"We want to be known as a great seafood place," George said. "Every day we

have swordfish, tuna, monkfish, salmon, scallops, shrimp and some type of

shelled lobster. On the weekends we also have specials like grouper, red

snapper, halibut, mahi mahi. Last weekend we offered an appetizer of lobster

with foie gras and one customer liked it so much, he ordered a double portion

as a dinner entree.

"We make fresh crab cakes with no eggs or breadcrumbs, just crab, diced,

yellow and red peppers and scallions, served with a horseradish and roasted

pepper sauce."

There is also an ample selection of veal, beef and chicken dinner entrees,

many cooked on the restaurant's wood-burning grill, such as the 22-ounce

bone-in strip steak and the Chicken Gregory (grilled chicken with pasta,

mushrooms, roasted peppers and smoked mozzarella). Entrees generally range

from $16 to $22 and include both the house salad and a selection of breads:

the restaurant's own foccacia, a Parmesan cheese-coated garlic-pumpernickel

from Uncle Dominic Piccarzi's Frances Pastry Shoppe in Trumbull, a coal-baked

hard-crusted Italian bread shipped in from an Arthur Avenue bakery in New

York, and one of Gregory's own specialty loaves. There are daily specials,

always including a pasta dish.

Appetizers ($7-$9) include such choices as Escargot and Potato (braised snails

with garlic, leeks, shiitake mushrooms, and gorgonzola-filled potato), Chilled

Tuna Napoleon and Pan-Charred Beef Medallions. The beef, coated with George's

own blend of spices, is hot-hot, and contrasts nicely with the cool fresh

mozzarella atop a bed of greens and dressed with a sun-dried tomato

vinaigrette.

The Lunch Menu

The lunch menu allows for both quick business lunches and leisurely dining.

There's an ample selection of appetizers and salads ($3.25-$9), entrees

(mostly $9-$10) and sandwiches ($6.50-$12). The grilled portabello mushroom

stuffed with a creamy vegetable risotto and served with an arugula salad

($8.95) and the "Farmer's Market" sandwich stuffed with grilled vegetables and

fresh mozzarella cheese are popular meatless choices.

Desserts, all made in the restaurant, range from cakes to chilled zabagnoine

with organic wild berries and cinnamon-raisin bread pudding. Cappucino (served

with homemade hazelnut biscotti) and a wide variety of after-dinner drinks

(including fine ports and single malt scotches) are available.

Live music (soft jazz) is planned for Saturday nights, beginning in August or

September. The dining rooms are nonsmoking but cigar-smoking is permitted in

the bar area. There's a humidor at the bar and enthusiasts tend to gather

there after dinner.

"We installed a $4,500 smoke-eating unit to make sure that the dining rooms

remain totally smoke-free," George said. "We're also planning to have

wine-tasting dinners."

A Family Affair

The restaurant is largely a family affair, not surprising since one of the

chefs' uncles, Frank Lombardi, owned the Club TipToe, a famous jazz club that

opened in Bridgeport in 1939, and uncle Dominic Piccarzi owns Frances Pastry

Shoppe in Trumbull (and supplies the restaurant's pumpernickel bread).

George started working in restaurants when he was 14, graduated from the

culinary program at Johnson & Wales in 1982, and has worked at such

establishments as the Helmsley Palace in New York City. He trained his

brother, who is four years younger, at Georgies and they became partners for

this new venture.

Their mother, Grace Pastorek, is the full-time day hostess, while dad, Monroe

realtor George Pastorek, helps out on weekends. Greg's wife, Marcie, a teacher

in the Bridgeport schools, lends a hand as does George's girlfriend, Debra

Vieira, who was responsible for much of the restaurant's decor.

Cheffields is open for lunch Tuesday through Friday from 11:30 to 2; dinner

Tuesday through Saturday, 5 to 10, and Sunday, 5 to 9. Private parties (up to

24) can be accommodated in the front dining room. Call 270-6717 for

reservations or information.