My eighth Taste of Hartford visit brought me to Mayor Mike’s Bistro. A few years before, I had reviewed the eponymous restaurant, finding former mayor Mike Peters a most congenial and helpful gentleman, even though I was undercover and he had no idea that he was being written about.
There were a number of people milling around in front of the restaurant,
but I nudged them aside so I could get a shot of Peters’ profile etched into the glass.
My dining companion was Nicholas Simpson, a good fellow who in a few weeks will be training to serve his country on a submarine.
It was the first time I had visited the restaurant since the sad passing of Hartford’s 64th mayor, and I couldn’t help wondering how it might have changed. A couple of changes were obvious. First, the place was now called Mayor Mike’s Bistro, not Restaurant, suggesting somewhat more upscale intentions. Second, The Mayor’s Nine, a photographic tribute to important contributors to the Hartford scene chosen by Peters’ and photographed by talented Carla Ten Eyck, who happened to be at the restaurant on the night of my visit,
was replaced by modern murals depicting Hartford scenes (click on photo to enlarge).
The murals deserve more than passing note. Apparently the work of an exceptional graffiti artist from New Haven named Reo, the main mural of the Hartford skyline looks for all of the world like a photograph,
until one really examines it close up.
Other subjects, while perhaps slightly less persuasive, are nevertheless readily identified,
including the former fireman-turned-mayor’s firehouse.
One thing that remains unchanged about Mayor Mike’s is the closely-knit nature of the Peters family and their staff. Our eager-to-please waiter was Jason Robinson,
and this Dominican sweetheart was Shaterany Diaz.
The conviviality of the restaurant draws the kind of clientele to whom that’s important.
Here you see a couple studying the regular menu.
Soon after, they could expect to be served nice Parmesan-and-olive-oil grilled bread in this intriguing modern holder that even suspends the butter above the table.
But most people will be inclined to ignore the butter and dip the grilled bread in this mixture of olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper and herbs.
From a choice of three appetizers, we passed on the winter greens salad, instead enjoying a Tuscan bean soup
and stuffed squid.
From five entrée possibilities, we reluctantly ignored roasted chicken lasagna, penne vodka and eggplant rollatini, choosing instead a nice stuffed sole Florentine
and a delightfully light Not Your Momma’s meatloaf,
both accompanied by sparklingly fresh vegetables. And from three dessert choices, we passed up chocolate cake in favor of traditional apple pie à la mode
and sinfully rich fried cheesecake.
From what I observed, Mayor Mike’s Bistro seems to be doing Peters’ memory proud. Flanking the restaurant’s namesake from left to right are long-time staff member Sue Skiff, Chris Peters, David Peters and chef Joe Vitanza.
Mayor Mike’s Bistro, 283 Asylum Street, Hartford, 860-522-6453