A Closer Look: Eclisse offers Northern Italian Cuisine in Stamford

At Harbor Crossing, a mixed used retail and restaurant complex on Canal Street in Stamford, you’ll find at least one eatery that stands out like no other. Serving large portions in a family-friendly atmosphere, Eclisse transports you from the Gold Coast of Connecticut to the rolling hills of Northern Italy with inspiring cuisine.

All dishes are served in either individual portions or family size. From Antipasti, Insalate and Pizzas to Pasta, Carni & Pesci and Dolci, there is sure to be something on Eclisse’s menu to tempt the palate.

Make no mistake, Eclisse feeds you like family. Large portions usually ensure leftovers, making the already reasonable prices seem even more economical.

Your meal begins with a basket of warm focaccia bread topped with olive oil, garlic and basil, served with homemade hummus. This flavorful way to start the evening sets a positive tone that will last throughout the meal.

Melanzane Rollantini

My starter, Melanzane Rollantini—baked eggplant stuffed with ricotta cheese, spinach and mozzarella—was tasty enough to induce me to lick the plate clean. The cheesy dish resting in a diminutive lake of marinara sauce went down easy.

The extensive menu made it difficult to make a selection. My proclivities ran the gamut from the Pollo Arrosto with roasted chicken, marinated tomatoes and roasted peanuts to Tilapia with Spicy Cognac Sauce. The Mediterranean pizza with sliced tomatoes, spinach, basil, black olives, banana peppers, capers and feta cheese tempted me, as did the Fromaggio pizza with smoked mozzarella, goat cheese, provolone and gorgonzola.

Despite the myriad of options before me, I finally selected the family size Ravioli Affumicato, while my husband chose to dine on a Pollo Pesto pizza.

Ravioli Affumicato

The ravioli was—despite my willing acknowledgement that I was ordering the family size—far more than I expected it to be. The dozen jumbo smoked chicken filled ravioli topped with sun-dried tomatoes caused my mouth to tingle just looking at them. When the first morsel touched my tongue, it confirmed my belief that this would be a meal well worth enjoying.

Pollo Pesto Pizza

The grilled chicken, pesto, sun dried tomato, roasted peppers, mozzarella Pollo Pesto pizza was as colorful as it was appetizing. It did not have a super thin crust, but retained a buttery crunch nevertheless that added to the varied textures of the pizza. The pollo pesto certainly rivals that of other pizzas at so-called pizzerias.

Pear Tart

I managed to escape without doing any more caloric damage to myself, but my husband broke down and had the Pear Tart. I did not need him to tell me how sinfully good it was; one look at his empty plate told me all I needed to know.

Eclisse is one of those rare establishments that actually gives you value for your hard-earned money. Whether individual or family sized portions, chances are the average person won’t be able to finish an entire meal in one sitting. Add to that the wonderful flavors that Chef Jeff Abade and his kitchen staff produce and Eclisse is a winner in my book.

Eclisse is open Tuesday-Thursday 4-10:30 pm, Friday-Saturday 4-11:30 pm and Monday-Sunday 4-10:00 pm. See the online menus for individual and family size prices.

Eclisse
700 Canal Street
Stamford, CT 06902
203-325-3773
ON THE WEB: http://www.eclissestamford.com/