From Bistro B
Bridgeport, CT - Downtown Bridgeport continues to have new life breathed into it. This past September, restaurateur / real estate developer Steve Montello, most well-known for his part in the creation of Downtown Stamford’s burgeoning dining and entertainment scene throughout the 1990s and well into the mid-2000s, has turned his attention to the fifth largest city in New England, Bridgeport, CT with the opening of Bistro B, American Bistro & Wine Bar.
“I’ve seen the city grow into a bonafide destination for work and play, “says Montello, “and I want to be a part of it. We’re adding to our Bridgeport restaurant group and are seeing more restaurateurs take an interest in this city.
Bistro B, adjacent to Montello’s Barnum Publick House which opened last year, is part French brasserie and part American Tavern. The room seats 45 and includes a large white marble top bar, high-top tables and leather banquette booth seating, subway tile flooring, and like Barnum, a street-side window displayed kitchen. A more refined, French focused wine list includes Alsatian varietals, Bordeaux and Cotes du Rhone, as well as a few added global offerings from elsewhere.
A from-scratch menu is defined by “Plates”; small, green, daily, large and table. Specialties include; house-cured salmon, slow-braised then roasted crispy duck confit, and hand-cut prime steak tartar served with Dijon, Vidalia onions, toasted brioche and caper berries. Classic bistro fare such as frisée salad, local oysters on the half shell, escargot with garlic herb butter and puff pastry, roasted hangar steak with crispy pomme frites, and a potato and onion encrusted halibut with forest mushroom ragout are true stand-outs on this compact, though diverse and flavorful menu.
Jason Milanese, Owner/ Executive Chef
Chef Jason Milanese discovered his love for kitchens with his first job in Baltimore, Md at the age of 17. He soon made his way to Washington DC where he apprenticed in some of the city’s 4-star restaurants which included the Occidental Grill and 701. Milanese moved to Chicago where he would further sharpen his skills at the famous Palmer House. Always missing the east coast, he moved back to the Boston area eventually landing at the world-renowned Chatham Bars Inn as the executive chef of the Beach House Restaurant and Chef’s Table. In 2007 Milanese teamed up with restaurateur Steve Montello to open the popular waterside restaurant Saltwater Grille in Stamford, CT. The two renewed their partnership in 2013 spearheading the development of Bridgeport’s downtown dining scene with Barnum Publick House and now Bistro B. The duo has made a commitment to city of Bridgeport with more projects in the future.
Joseph Italiano, Chef de Cuisine
Early on Joseph Italiano recognized his passion for the culinary arts. After graduating at seventeen from B.O.C.E.S Vocational School, he landed his first apprenticeship in the Doral Arrowwood Hotel and Conference Center in Rye Brook, NY. Three years later he found himself in White Plains, NY immersed in the art of Asian fusion cuisine in the kitchen of Blue Bar and Grill. As his appetite for new culinary experiences grew, Joe decided to fine tune his skills at The Culinary Institute of America where he achieved an A.O.S in culinary arts. While at the CIA, Joe gained hands-on experience in a high volume, fast-paced kitchen at Salt Water Grille in Stamford, CT. He continued on to an internship at the world renown, Eleven Madison Park in Manhattan practicing the art of French cuisine and molecular gastronomy. Joe tried the county club life in Bedford, NY but felt the need for a more personalized experience to showcase his extraordinary culinary talents. He reconnected with Steven Montello and now finds himself at the helm of the kitchen at Bistro B.
Bistro B is open Tuesday-Saturday - 5:00 – 11 p.m.
1006 Broad Street, Bridgeport, CT 06604
www.bistrob.net