Antonio’s Bistro Continues A Long Lineage Of Great Food

Since last June, Antonio’s Bistro at 270 Federal Road in Brookfield has been under the ownership of Chef Mhr Alamgir Budiyan, well known to area diners for his years at Mona Lisa in Newtown and New Sorrento in Danbury. Antonio’s serves fine northern Italian cuisine.

Mr Bhuiyan, who is known as Al, arrived in the United States from Bangladesh in 1985 at the age of 20. He initially worked in restaurants in New York City and made his way to Newtown in the late 1980s. In 1989 he was taken under wing by Sam Chowdhory, owner of Mona Lisa, and within three months had moved from dishwasher to line chef, then chef. He worked at Mona Lisa for more than a decade before moving to New Sorrento and says, “Sam taught me everything I know.”

Antonio’s Bistro’s cozy décor features soft earth tones, with gold walls above green wainscoting. A curtain rod with burgundy valances and a set of curtains defining the entry to the dining room parallels the entry/waiting area to the hostess stand, where Al’s wife Ruma greets guests and handles the takeout orders.

The spacious dining room seats about 66 people and highlights a large fish tank toward the rear. In the warm weather, an outdoor patio can accommodate another 21 diners. There is also an enclosed bar area behind the dining room that can hold about 15 people as well as an extensive wine list to accompany meals.

The lunch menu is varied, offering salads, grinders, burgers and sandwiches ($7.95–$10.95) as well as appetizers, soups, and entrees.

The dinner menu offers a choice about a dozen appetizers, including Caprise brushetta, $5.95, and spicy popcorn shrimp, $9.95 and five soups at $4.95. The entrée choices are extensive, with a variety of chicken ($15.95–$18.95), veal ($18.05–$23.95), beef ($29.95–$39.95), pasta ($13.95–$20.95), eggplant ($15.95–$16.95), and seafood selections ($16.95–$39.95) available.

The menu also features two house specials. The first is zuppa de pesce with shrimp, clams, mussels, calamari, lobster tail, and the fish of the day in the diner’s choice of marinara, dra diavolo, or while wine garlic sauce served over linguini, $25.95 for one, $45.95 for two. The second is lovers choice for two, with two Maine lobster tails, New York strip and grilled chicken finished with a champagne mushroom and green pepper cream sauce and served with rice, pasta, and vegetables, $67.95.

There are dinner specials as well. Recent choices included Al’s seafood chicken (chicken breast pounded thin then filled with shrimp, scallops, asparagus and herbs, baked and topped with a creamy marsala mushroom sauce and served with lobster ravioli), $21; pork tenderloin Casanova (grilled, topped with maderia wine and mushroom sauce), $19; and lamb shank Romano (braised in brown vegetable sauce), $20.

And of course, there is always pizza for eat in or takeout, available in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes, beginning at $10 and $11, respectively, for cheese and ranging up to $16 and $18 for the clams casino special with whole baby clams, onion, bacon, peppers, garlic, oil and seasonings. There is also a selection of gourmet mini pizzas ranging from $9 to $14.

The full menus are available for takeout and Antonio’s Bistro also provides catering services.

Antonio’s Bistro, 270 Federal Road in Brookfield, is open Tuesday–Thursday, 11:30 to 9; Friday and Saturday, 11:30 to 10; Sunday noon to 9; closed Monday. All major credit cards accepted; reservations requested for parties of five or more. For takeout, reservations, or information, call 770-8664.