Great review of Ralph ‘n’ Rich’s

Ralph ‘n’ Rich’s has been my favorite restaurant for decades.--TG

Not terribly long ago every big city had a place where men in business suits went for lunch, downed a martini or two and took a break from whatever was in their stuffed briefcases.

I am not a man, I do not wear a suit or carry a bulging briefcase and I do not especially like martinis, but I always loved to have a meal at these “Mad Men” style joints. My favorites were the late lamented Caucus Club in Cleveland and the still thriving Army Navy Club in Washington, D.C., that serves the best crab cakes in the world and instead of pinstripe suits the clientele wear high-ranking military uniforms festooned with medals. If they have a briefcase, it probably contains the code to launch a nuke.

So it was a happy find that I found myself at Ralph ’n’ Rich’s, a wonderful restaurant located directly across the street from the P.T. Barnum museum building, possibly the coolest piece of architecture in the state. I had never heard of Ralph or Rich and stumbled upon their downtown Bridgeport restaurant by accident after a disastrous day of reviewing that went from bad to unspeakable. By the time I lurched through the door at Ralph ‘n’ Rich’s, I was frazzled and cranky and did not care if I could review the place or not, I just wanted to sit down and order something to eat.

And what a great surprise it was. I walked into a large gracious eatery, padded and upholstered chairs, crisp linen on the tables, veteran waiters and waitresses who looked like they had written the book on correct service. I was dining alone (yes, the dreaded single customer), but I was not brought to a back table in “Siberia,” but swept with consummate grace smack dab in the center of the dining room. A linen napkin was unfurled on my lap and a menu came right away.

Although Ralph ’n’ Rich’s is what I might have referred to as a “man’s club” it is far more democratic. This is not a Peter Lugar wannabe steakhouse; the menu and clientele are not as limited. Yes, there were tables of guys discussing what happened in court that morning, but also plenty of business women and a family or two. Ralph ’n’ Rich’s is very much a neighborhood cornerstone designed to suit all tastes.

One of the unusual things is that they have menus designed for groups, the feasts are family style, meaning big platters of food comes from the kitchen, and people share. The cuisine is Italian: the unparalleled kind of Italian food our state is best at. Even though this is a pretty upscale restaurant, it still feels like Mama’s dining room.

If you are a group of four you can expect four family style courses, all designed to be shared. The starter is a generous antipasto platter, filled with salami and other charcuterie, olives, cheeses, carrot sticks, peppers and a selection of Italian cheeses. Contine reading at the CT Post by clicking here