Louie's a hidden gem in Cos Cob

Melanie Barnard, Correspondent, Greenwich Times

Two nearly hidden Italian restaurants well off the beaten path in Greenwich have almost a cult following.

The first is Polpo, the celebrity hang-out on a tiny lane off the Post Road west of town. The other is Louie's, the best-kept secret in Cos Cob on a tiny lane off the Post Road east of town.

It should come as no surprise that both are owned by Ron Rosa, who clearly has a flair for taking oddball locations and turning them into gold.

Louie's had yet another challenge when Rosa opened the place. It replaced Augie's, one of the best-loved neighborhood corn bars and spaghetti joints in Greenwich history. A lot of people were set to dislike anything that moved in there, especially an uppity white tablecloth place.

But Rosa brought in the tablecloths, upgraded the lighting and added original artwork. But what sold the locals was that Rosa also kept the beloved old bar and mirror and indeed made it the centerpiece of the new restaurant. No so incidentally, he also serves up really good, really classic Italian food in the best of Arthur Avenue tradition.

Formally clad waiters who really know their stuff, perfectly set tables, and a lot of good wine all justify the tab, which is a bit high for a corner bar, but a whole lot cheaper (and easier) than going to New York for first-rate penne alla vodka, scampi arrabbiata, veal Parmigiana, or grilled garlic and rosemary lamb chops.

A meal that starts with great, crusty, warm and yeasty bread is a harbinger of good things. The bruschetta lagniappe highlights the bread as well as fragrant olive oil and ripe tomatoes, and would be perfection if not quite so chilled.

Appetizers are fine renditions of traditional fare. Baked clams are topped with just enough garlicky bread crumbs to enhance the sweet mollusks. Jumbo shrimp are wrapped in thin slices of bacon, sauteed and served with a Sicilian-style orange and wine sauce. Eggplant rollatini are filled with fresh ricotta and sauced with diced fresh tomatoes.

Calamari, though a tad chewy, are very lightly breaded and fried, then served with spicy marinara sauce. House roasted peppers are marinated in good olive oil with lots of fresh herbs. Clams are pristine on the half shell, and mussels are floating in herbed marinara.

Pasta fagioli begins with homemade stock and is thickened only with the vegetables and beans of long-simmering. Big, fresh salads abound with classic Caesar and Italian chopped salad being standouts.

Pastas are hearty and satisfying, whether a big bowl of rigatoni with tender homemade meatballs, fennel sausage, and pork ribs simmered in the sauce, or lobster ravioli with a pink sauce of sundried tomatoes and cream. Spaghetti pomodoro with lots of fresh basil is a personal favorite.

Main courses follow Italian-American tradition, with steak in caramelized onions, pork chops Calabrese, or a light and tender veal Marsala. Chicken breasts with asparagus gratinee and lemon sauce is a house specialty, as is veal rollatini with prosciutto and mozzarella in a rich mushroom and wine sauce.

Unlike many Italian restaurants, the kitchen here makes almost all of the desserts, and the quality is evident. Tiramisu is especially light and with a formidable shot of coffee. Napoleon cake is ultra-crisp puff pastry leaves layered with airy vanilla pastry cream.

Blueberry pie, usually all-American, becomes very Italian with a sweet pasta frolla pastry and lightly spiced crumb topping. Served warm with rich vanilla ice cream, this is a surprisingly memorable dessert. Other options are tartuffo, black cherry chocolate cake, ricotta cheesecake, or chocolate mousse.

Louie's does a brisk business every evening, both at table and at the inviting bar. Unfortunately for you, Cos Cob, this neighborhood gem is no longer a secret.

Louie's

Mary Kate Hogan, MofflyMedia.com

When Louie’s moved into the neighborhood restaurant space across from the Mianus River, it had some big shoes to fill. For years, the spot known as Augie’s was like the Cheers of Cos Cob. Back in the day, it may have been a bit of a dive, but locals loved it for its burgers, fries, old wooden booths and friendly bar scene. In fact, the place has quite a history, operating as a tavern and saloon since as early as 1912.

So could a nicer Italian restaurant swoop in and appeal to that local crowd while also attracting new diners? Could the cuisine be elevated, the décor upgraded, while retaining that everybody-knows-your-name atmoshere? I was skeptical at first. But the answer is a resounding yes.

Ron Rosa, who also runs the ever popular Polpo in Greenwich, has transformed this place into an old-school Italian restaurant with an Arthur Avenue feel. The food is authentic and delicious but never pretentious. Rosa spread out the white tablecloths and upgraded the lighting, but preserved the long red oak bar with the giant antique mirror behind it, which gives the place real character.

On a recent Friday night, a good crowd was already sitting down for dinner at 6:45. Our very courteous waiter immediately brought us bruschetta—a complimentary and tasty hors d’oeuvre—and wine. For starters, we ordered a special salad with arugula, avocado and beets as well as the baked clams appetizer. The clams were substantial and prepared in a classic fashion, topped with bread crumbs yet still tender and juicy. The salad was a mix of bright, fresh greens, large sliced avocado halves, ricotta insalata, orange slices and a light dressing with some beet juice in it. It was refreshing and festive.

In general, Louie’s is all about traditional Italian and most of the basics I’ve tried here are predictably yummy, though certainly not slimming. The iceberg wedge salad doesn’t skimp on the blue cheese or the bacon and the fried calamari is a tried-and-true, lightly crispy version of the standard.

Even as the last seats in the dining room were filled, the noise level didn’t prevent us from easily carrying on a conversation. The lights were dimmed slightly, the space was cozy and warm, and, with the fire lit, perhaps even a bit romantic. This could be a fun date-night spot, though there were one or two families with kids in the room, mine included.

For our main courses, we first selected a penne à la vodka, ostensibly because it would be easy for our young daughter to eat. However, this pasta dish was so luscious—possibly the best penne vodka I’ve ever eaten—that my husband and I devoured most of the hearty, sausage-laden dish ourselves.

The entrées were the best part of the meal, as they should be. I chose a veal rollatini, which our waiter recommended. This rollatini is a swirl of tender, rolled veal with lots of melted mozzarella and prosciutto wrapped inside. It’s all covered in a brown sauce with mushrooms and served with broccoli, carrots and squash on the side. Truly an indulgence! My husband’s seafood ravioli entrée with crabmeat filling, red sauce and scallops scattered around the rim of the dish was equally special.

Other entrées to recommend are the Chicken Romana—a signature dish of Louie’s, which mingles cherry peppers, sausage, artichoke hearts and rosemary with a juicy chicken cutlet—the Lamb Chops Scottadito (order medium rare to ensure a bit of pink), and the Tortellini de Mare with scallops, shrimp and crabmeat in a pink sauce.

I always treat myself to tartufo for dessert when it’s available; ice cream is often all I can manage after a rich Italian meal. However, we also went with the waiter’s suggestion to try the napoleon. It lived up to his accolades with layers of light, flaky pastry and fresh whipped cream. I enjoyed the tartufo too, with its rich chocolate coating. If you love tiramisu, Louie’s rendition will not disappoint: It’s creamy but light, balanced with a bold coffee flavor.

We left Louie’s satisfied by the scrumptious meal, content that one of our favorite neighborhood hangouts is still thriving, and happy that Arthur Avenue-quality Italian is now just a few blocks from home.

Louie’s Italian Restaurant & Bar in Cos Cob

Written by Fran Sikorski
Thursday, January 15, 2009

136 River Road Ext.
Cos Cob, 203-422-2177