Myrna's Mediterranean Bistro
866 East Main Street (Route 1)
Stamford, CT
203-325-8736

 Mediterranean Fare With Warmth and Hospitality

I love a “find”. You know, those tucked away places that don’t seem to garner much fanfare but never cease to amaze when it comes to fabulous food. My latest find is Myrna's Mediterranean Bistro in Stamford. Owners Myrna Yanni and her cousin/chef Pierre Zahoud opened this corner store eatery in July of 2002. With its modest 25-seat interior, Myrna’s was quickly a neighborhood darling, especially to a large local Middle Eastern clientele. While the foods of the Mediterranean encompass various regions such as Italy, Greece, Spain, and the like, Myrna’s mainly pulls from the ingredients and preparations of Lebanon. Eager to learn more about this cuisine, we sat down with Myrna on a rainy spring evening and ventured into this flavorful world.

Warmed (paper thin) pita served with a silky chickpea based hummus and roasted eggplant baba ghannouj were both perfectly prepared with tahini (sesame paste) and fresh lemon juice. Other light and refreshing appetizers ($5.50-$6.25) include a yogurt and cucumber salad with fresh mint, and their award winning grape leaves stuffed with rice, chickpeas, tomato, parsley and onions, all tied together with fresh citrus, a main ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine. A vegetarian version of the popular Greek entree moussaka is presented cold to room temperature, almost like a capponata, with stewed eggplant, tomato, onions, and more of those tender chickpeas. The spices in Lebanese cooking are subtle, using very little garlic, and more aromatic spices such as mint, sumac, cumin, cinnamon, and allspice, but nothing overbearing. I tried labné for the first time and was instantly hooked on this creamy pasteurized cheese topped with fresh mint and a robust, fruity green olive oil from Lebanon. Dipping the pita bread in all of these wonderful accompaniments was, in itself, a great way to start the meal.

Hot appetizers ($5.50 - $7.75), once again, use traditional Mediterranean ingredients such as pine nuts, beans, olive oil, bulgur wheat, minced meat such as lamb, and simple leafy herbs such as parsley and cilantro.  Falafel, decadent and healthy at the same time, turns fresh pulverized chickpeas, fava beans, and spices into a crunchy deep fried patty, served with tahini sauce and homemade pickles. This was such a treat, as were the house special “kibbé”, patties of ground beef, bulgur wheat, spices, onions and pine nuts – baked or fried – is out-of-this-world!  Myrna’s also makes their own lamb and beef sausages, spinach pie, as well as meat pies, a baked pastry stuffed with minced meat, tomato, onion and pine nuts. The contrast of textures is really something in all of these dishes, and the various dips and sauces are fun to mix and match with every dish. There’s cohesiveness to everything that really makes this cuisine fun.

On to the kebabs! ($12.75 - $16.75)! No fancy preparations here. Fresh chicken, beef, and lamb, lightly seasoned and brushed with olive oil and citrus, are charcoal grilled and served with rice and salad. Once again, the freshness of the food shines. No wonder Myrna’s menu is dubbed “South Beach Diet Friendly”.  The Kafta, a minced lamb kebab, is, for lack of a better description, almost like a seasoned meatloaf – a comfort food of sorts.  Couscous, light and fluffy grains of pasta, is served vegetarian style or with your choice of kebab. Shrimp scampi is another popular dish, prepared with cilantro, garlic, and lemon juice, a slight twist on the Italian version.  Most of the appetizers come in entrée size portions or can be served as a pita sandwich as with the beef shawarma, grilled sirloin slices with lettuce, tomato and tahini sauce.

Salads are fresh, clean preparations of the traditional taboulé (chopped parsley, tomato, scallion, and bulgur wheat tossed with lemon juice and olive oil), Greek salad with feta cheese, and fattoosh, a Mediterranean salad of lettuce, cucumber, tomato, radish, green pepper, toasted pita, and sumac – a peppery spice with a hint of celery flavor, all dressed with olive oil and citrus. Thin crust pizza ($6.25 - $17.75) is another feature at Myrna’s. There’s a simple style Margherita pizza with mozzarella cheese and tomatoes and even Myrna’s special combination of mozzarella, filet mignon and onions topped with béarnaise sauce.

For dessert ($2.00-$4.50), and to go with my Turkish coffee (wow!), we dove into four types of baklava pastries; pine nut, cashew, walnut, and pistachio. My favorite has always been the more traditional walnut baklava, layered with buttery sheets of phylo dough, sugar syrup and minced walnuts. Knéfé, a pastry made with shredded phylo and slightly sweetened ricotta cheese is a delicious dessert served warm. Rice pudding infused with rose water was another pleasant surprise. All were worth passing around the table, even if just for one bite after such a wonderful meal.

Price points are extremely reasonable, portions are more than ample, and, most of all, the hospitality is genuine. Take-out is available. Catering is another large aspect of the business. Beer and wine are also available. Myrna and Pierre have created something truly special for their customers, offering Mediterranean cuisine that they themselves grew up loving, and I, myself, have now grown to love.

  
Linda can be reached at linda@maxexposure.net.