Modern French Bistro To Open New Location In Norwalk

NORWALK, CT — Appétit Bistro, a modern French eatery tucked within a strip mall in Port Chester, N.Y., plans to expand this summer by opening a second location on Washington Street in South Norwalk.

Edwin Montoya, who co-owns the bistro with Chef Ismael Carias, said the Norwalk location will be very similar to the original Port Chester restaurant in both its ambiance and menu.

"We have been visiting restaurants in the area," Montoya said. "We saw great opportunities here. There's always something going on in South Norwalk, especially on Washington Street, and we love the idea that there are several different restaurants, different styles, different foods, and we thought that we would bring something a little different."

Montoya has worked at a number of restaurants over the years, having began his journey working at L'Escale in Greenwich at the age of 16. From there, Montoya worked at bistros in Scarsdale and White Plains, N.Y., becoming floor manager at the latter.

In 2015, Montoya and Carias opened Appétit Bistro in Port Chester, which quickly proved to be successful. Hoping to more easily reach customers in areas north of Stamford, the duo ultimately decided to expand into Norwalk.

While he could not provide a specific date, Montoya said they are hoping to have the Norwalk location open in August. Both the Port Chester and Norwalk restaurants will offer Appétit Bistro's full menu, which has been scaled back over the past year as a result of the coronavirus crisis.

"Pre-COVID, we had several items because we were busy and everything was moving," Montoya said. "Right now, we have our menu at around 80 percent of what it used to be, but as soon as we open up our Norwalk location, we'll put in 100 percent of our menu and bring it back to Port Chester as well."

Carias, who formerly worked at Crew Restaurant in Greenwich, will present his interpretation of French cuisine at the the new Norwalk location with items such as escargot en croute, duck breast à l'orange, tuna tartare and lemon sole with a caper-brown butter sauce.

Guests can also order cheese fondue, which blends three different cheeses and is accompanied by bacon hunks, toasted bread and potatoes for dipping.

In addition to their food options, the restaurant's bar manager is developing a French-inspired cocktail menu that will further help Appétit Bistro stand out in an area surrounded by bars and restaurants.

"I believe that our food is the star of the show," Montoya said. "We have certainly tried almost every restaurant on Washington Street and we believe that our food is different. So that's what we have to offer. Our chef is very talented, we have an amazing ambiance with great food, we'll have some great drinks, and I think all of that together going to really make us stand out in the area."

According Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce president Brian Griffin, Appétit Bistro's opening comes as residents' appetite for going out and enjoying food in a social environment has increased due to limited opportunities to do so last summer as a result of the coronavirus crisis.

"We are pleased and proud to have Appétit Bistro in Norwalk, and another business import from New York," Griffin said to Patch. "Their French cuisine will be an excellent complement to the other food offerings in SoNo."

In addition to the new restaurant, Montoya and Carias will open a seafood and prepared foods market next door, where customers can purchase fresh fish, produce, pasta, meat and dishes to-go, as well as specialty food products and baked goods.

"About 50 or 60 percent of our full menu is seafood," Montoya said. "We believe that by us controlling our own seafood, it will allow us to get better product and to get consumer a better price on the table."

Fans of Appétit Bistro will also be able to purchase correct portions and ingredients to make some of their favorite dishes at home. Though convenient, Montoya said allowing customers to recreate their favorite dishes at home will not make the experience of dining in any less special.

"Sometimes people want to either cook or do takeout," Montoya said, "but if you do takeout from our restaurants, normally some items don't travel well, so we want to give people the [ability] to prepare them at home. [Customers] certainly are not going to be cooking everyday, so it's not going to be a conflict of interest."

While many customers at the Norwalk restaurant may have previously dined at the Port Chester location, Montoya urges anyone who has not dined with them before to come in and sample a couple of appetizers paired with a glass of wine.

"We're sure that if they do," Montoya said, "they're going to come back to our place, because the food is just that good."