In February 2012, I met Avi Szapiro at a sustainability discussion held at Miya’s Sushi in New Haven. I learned that Szapiro and his wife, Meera Laube-Szapiro, planned to open a French-Italian restaurant in the old Hot Tomato’s space. I did not learn the restaurant’s name. It was a bit of a wait, but earlier this month came the opening of Roia, named for a river that runs through both France and Italy.
The space was shuttered for so long that speculation had run rampant throughout New Haven culinary community. So when I was offered a full tour of the restaurant, including the not-quite-finished upstairs, I accepted it—camera in hand. I had heard that the second floor was being torn down—that rumor obviously proved false. I had heard that the grand exposed staircase was eliminated—that rumor obviously proved true. The second floor was now accessed by this more modest staircase at the back of the restaurant.
The grand ceilings were still intact.
There was a bar space near the top of the stairs.
Here’s how the rest of the upstairs space looked,
still with a view to the Shubert Theatre to which the restaurant is so convenient.
These photographs show the restaurant viewed from above.
Here’s how the restaurant looks as one heads back downstairs,
including the restaurant’s single greatest improvement: in-house bathrooms, indicated by this shared exterior washing up area.
Why do I call the in-house bathrooms “the restaurant’s greatest improvement?” Because under prior incarnations of the restaurant, diners had to walk out the back of the restaurant, down a long corridor that women, and even some men, found intimidating, and then use the building’s bathrooms (where once I encountered a homeless person bathing himself).
Resuming the tour on the ground floor, the kitchen remains open to view,
the bar area is convivial,
the view from our table quite appealing.
I took as a good sign as we entered running into wine enthusiast Justin Bothur, whom I knew from Pond House Grille in Glastonbury and the Hartford Club.
And indeed, the service throughout our meal was terrific. Our lovely waitress
brought us nice sesame rolls
and good butter.
Plenty of water was left for the table.
We got glasses of white wine
and red, respectively.
A delightful amuse bouche followed our bread and wine.
The menu did indeed reflect the French-Italian division.
For our starters, we enjoyed a whole steamed artichoke (not the easiest thing to get right) served at room temperature with lemon vinaigrette and aïoli,
an Italian-style leek and Parmesan cheese soufflé with terrific sautéed mushrooms,
and an exhilarating crudo of raw Stonington fluke, pine nuts and truffle lime vinaigrette.
My companion ordered arctic char, which was served over whipped potatoes in a thyme-cipollini vinaigrette
with a side of arugula instead of kale.
I ordered the steak frîtes, grass-fed strip loin with red wine shallot butter
and a watercress salad.
And finally, we had come to dessert.
My companion and I shared a lemon tart featuring Meyer lemon curd served with pine nut gelato.
The check
even came with madeleines.
And then it was on, not to the Schubert, but to Yale Rep where Hamlet was playing.
Roia, 261 College St., New Haven, 203-200-7045, www.roiarestaurant.com