BarVera Modern Mediterranean Restaurant Opens in Stamford

Newly opened in the heart of Stamford’s Bedford Street, BarVera, brings us an authentic taste of the Mediterranean that might just be unmatched in the area. Celebrity chef, Chef Charbel Hayek, created the concept of this coastal Mediterranean culinary journey. Known for his West Coast restaurants Ladyhawk in West Hollywood and Laya in Los Angeles, the Lebanese chef won Bravo’s Top Chef Middle East and North Africa, and has authored the cookbook Lemon & Garlic: Middle Eastern Cuisine (2023). 

Last week I sat down with Pierre Lahood who, along with his wife Myrna, owns the new establishment. Pierre who is Lebanese and French is thrilled to offer fine dining in Stamford highlighting the vast flavors of the Mediterranean. In addition to making the most authentic dishes, they place great importance on sourcing the best and cleanest ingredients to achieve this. Bar Vera aims to bring back the lost art of fine dining in a thoughtful, mindful manner featuring the finest ingredients with recipes that are steeped in tradition, whether they’re Italian, French, Middle Eastern, or Lebanese. These dishes take time to create, without shortcut or substitutes, and the end result is a menu that is carefully executed with dishes that are delicious, vibrant and fresh. Chef Yanni Ntaoulas is at the kitchen’s helm meticulously executing all the wonderful dishes. 

The restaurant’s interior is cozy, dressed in warm woods with ivy-green seating along walls of exposed brick and stunning black and white photographs that invite diners to wander toward the back of the space where hand-painted murals take you on a journey along the countryside, vineyards and cities along the Mediterranean coastline. A small cozy bar invites diners for an aperitif before their meal. 

We began with a Tuna Crudo with a basil coulis, chives, crushed avocado, lime and parsnip before enjoying some wonderful homemade Falafel served with their house-made garlic sauce that was delicious. We then moved on to a trio of spreads that included a rich, creamy Hummus, Babaghanouj made from grilled eggplant that had an intense smoky flavor with a decadent and creamy texture punctuated by sweet crunchy pomegranate seeds.

The Muhammara, a traditional Middle Eastern spread, where red pepper, walnut and roasted red pepper are creamed together to create a dip, that’s savory, sweet and nutty. The spreads were served with homemade Pita that’s unlike the variety that most of us are familiar with, this thicker version has an pillowy center and doesn’t have a pocket. It is wonderful. The spreads also came with crisp crudité for those who prefer. (I urge you to enjoy the pita!) 

The Confit Duck Leg, was flawlessly prepared with tender meat that fell off the bone and melted in my mouth. Prepared in a salt brine, flavor permeated throughout and was well balanced by the sweetness of the poached pear that accompanied it, a combination that I had never experienced, but was delighted by.  The Shish Tawouk, a delicious Lebanese dish features chicken that has been marinated in yogurt, garlic, olive oil and assorted spices, then thread onto skewers and grilled, resulting in a tender, tangy, citrusy (from the accompanying lemon) dish that’s served with a rice medley, pita and garlic sauce. Tender, light and flaky, the Grilled Branzino was superb with its crispy skin served with a vibrant green harissa sauce with pickled shallots, mint and basil. 

One cannot have the full experience without a little bit of dessert, can one? No, of course not, and out of a sense of obligation to our readers I thought I should!

First there was the Riz Bi Halib, a traditional Lebanese Rice Pudding made with rosewater, topped with pistachio and apricot preserves, which was light and fragrant.

The Lemon Olive Oil Cake with whipped ricotta, limoncello, lemon zest was light and moist with a subtle notes from the oil and the bright flavor of the citrus which make it a wonderful ending to any meal. But if you’re looking for something truly special and unique, let me steer you over in the direction of their Affogado. Made with espresso, vanilla bean ice cream and a pistachio brittle, this version brings one of my favorite desserts to a whole other level.  If you decide to order this, you might want to get a few extra spoons for your table – or not…

BarVera seats 50 in the restaurant and will seat an additional 30 on the patio in the warmer months. 

148 Bedford Street, Stamford, CT 06901