You can tell when the weather is nice again because Capriccio Café on Bedford Street in Stamford is poppin’! People sitting outside buzzing with conversation, enjoying some nice Italian food and wine, relaxing, and people watching. Yeah, seeing the crowded outdoor dining on Bedford Street is a way better indicator of spring and summer than weather.com.
After we got to check out Zaza with Nick Racanelli Jr., we were jonesin’ for some food. Capriccio Café has always been a nice go-to spot for dependable food in a nice atmosphere, so we were down to enjoy the beautiful night. We started with one of our favorites, the antipasto misto. A nice mixture (misto) of prosciutto, dry sausage, bresaola, speck, parmigiano, arugula, olives, and roasted peppers that’s big enough to share with two people. Our favorite thing to do is take little bits of meat and cheese then stack that on the fork with the olive or the roasted peppers, then take a sip of wine.
For our meals, Kristien had the Gravina bruschetta and I had the Boscaiola pizza. As our ritual, we take some shots of the food to make OmNomCT look oh so pretty. Well, a funny thing happened. One of the owners came by and said he just saw us talking with Nick Jr. at Zaza down the street. We are pretty sure that he thought we were secret agents, working for Nick, ready to steal the recipes of Capriccio Café. We assured him that we were just taking pics for our blog, but we’re still not sure if he believes us. Do ya believe us now?
So, the Gravina! Kristien’s face dropped in defeat after uttering the words just a few minutes before, “This will be a nice light dinner.” Hahaha, no freaking way. The thing was piled high and only cost $9. I’ve got to hand it to her, she had lots of self control and didn’t knock it all down. The bruschetta crust was nice and doughy, served cold, and was piled with gooey glops of goat cheese. Fresh tomato chunks, soft cannellini beans, onions, and arugula all jived well together on top. This dish would have been top notch if a real nice aged balsamic was sprinkled on top. Instead, it was a good dish that could use a flavor spike, not a great dish.
My pizza, however, rocked it. Ever since going to Italy, I’ve been obsessed with arugula and will even eat it alone now just for that peppery, earthy taste. Whatever–don’t judge, don’t hate. :) Also for $9, you get a nice pie, served with tomato sauce, mozzarella, sausage, portobello mushrooms, and–damn skippy–arugula. The crust was thin and crispy, setting off nicely with the earthiness of the mushrooms, the savoriness of the sausage, and the peppery taste of the arugula. I had no problems at all devouring it. They were light on the sauce, but I like it that way. Too much and I feel like I’m swimming.
Later, when we finished, we talked with the same owner again because we noticed that Volta gelato was on the menu. DING DING…after going to Bar Rosso we were mystified by Volta Gelateria Creperia next door. Well, Capriccio Café is opening up Volta next door and we got a glimpse into what it will be like.
So, what it comes down to is you can always count on having a nice, quick, pretty cheap bite to eat at Capriccio Café. Enjoy the nice spring, summer, and fall days sitting outside and watching the people stroll down Bedford Street.
Noms: 3.5
Cost: $$
Address: 189 Bedford Street
Stamford, CT
Phone: (203) 356-9819
Site: http://www.capriccio-cafe.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/Capriccio.Cafe
Dan and Kristien Del Ferraro
OmNomCT 
This is one of the plcaes i like in the summer also!
Ummm, i have a scoop, i think, the restaurant at the Mill in is now an Indian resaurant and will have its Grand Openning soon, But they are serving a Northern Indiam=n menu that my Indian friends say Rock!
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Yeah, it’s a summer must visit. :) Also, wow, you are a font of knowledge! Did I just say font of knowledge? Sorry. :) That’s really awesome, thanks for the scoop. We’ll definitely have to check that out, SWEET!!! You rock.
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That is soooo funny. It kind of shows that the owner is not aware of the local blog scene, actually. If he was, he’d know we all gossip about food! Pics are so helpful because it helps others make a more informed decision about dinner. I still find it very amusing that he got all “Homeland Security” on you!
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Yeah, it was surreal but so damn hilarious. :) I still giggle when I think about it. You know, it was kind of a cool feeling. I always wanted to be a spy. ;)
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Also, when we went to a charity event, the owner of Colony Grill was there. We had just written a review and we told him about that, but he didn’t seem to know what a blog or a review was. :) Then again, I don’t know if Colony needs people to review it. ;)
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