Restaurants tap after-work crowd

Despite the drizzle on a recent Friday afternoon, foot traffic in downtown Greenwich wasn't slackening as the lunchtime crowd went in search of a bite. And the restaurants here are quick to satisfy any demanding palate, whether by offering a quick dish with traditional flavor or a more leisurely gastronomical

Beyond the heavy doors of MacDuff's public house on Railroad Avenue, a few glasses of beer dot the bar counter. A customer cranes his neck to get a better view of one of the big-screen TVs. The lunch crowd is thin, but Arjun Reddy, managing member, said business has exceeded his expectations since the pub opened in December. The pub is a joint venture between Reddy and Scott Slevwright.

"It was a Mediterranean restaurant prior to us and we turned it into a Scottish pub," said Reddy, a welcoming man wearing square-framed glasses.

Part of MacDuff's success could be attributed to its traditional "pub" style. When the stock market closes, the tap starts flowing, as finance and hedge fund employees flock to MacDuff's.

"We get a mature crowd after work. From Wednesday to Sunday, we get a bar crowd early, then a large dinner crowd, and then a late bar crowd," Reddy said.

Reddy, who used to work at a restaurant in nearby Port Chester, N.Y., said he has a following here. 'It's been phenomenal. It met all of my expectations."

Turnover in restaurants

Just around the corner on Greenwich Avenue is the Sundown Saloon and next to it, its sister restaurant, Thataway Cafe.

The crowd at Sundown is more casual than at MacDuff's, said Thomas Ascenzi, the saloon's general manager.

"(Our clients) are younger people in finance and bluecollar workers, the Verizon guys, police and firemen. We get really busy happy hours on weekdays."

The saloon opened in 1997 and its menu comprises traditional American fare. Thataway Cafe offers a global cuisine with Asian and South American accents.

Greenwich Avenue has evolved over the last decade. Ascenzi pointed out that the spot occupied by upscale clothing store Richards was once a gas station.

A transplant from upstate New York, Ascenzi said he has seen a lot of turnover in restaurants over the last nine years. 363 Greenwich Ave. has been the address for at least three restaurants, the most recent a wine bar, Solaia, which opened three weeks ago.

A few doors down, John Montoya, manager of the Putnam Restaurant, sits on the stool closest to the cash register. Established 16 years ago, the restaurant is one of the avenue's veteran establishments.

"There's been a lot of changes (turnover). The rents are too high after the lease runs out, it could go from $8,000 a month to $14,000 or $16,000," Montoya said.

The restaurant-diner offers a traditional menu and most of the lunchtime patrons are familiar faces who work on or around the avenue. The dining room in the back resembles a greenhouse with a skylight and generous plants and the restaurant has upstairs accommodations for parties and meetings.

'Starbucks of the wine world'

Solaia, a wine bar that opened three weeks ago at 363 Greenwich Ave., is below ground and its owner, Mark Mantione, insisted on the cellarlike feel.

"We wanted to be in Greenwich and we wanted to be below grade (below street level), so you have to step down into it and get a cellar feel to it. The architecture was built to look like a wine cellar."

Mantione, formerly a contractor of single-family residences in the Greenwich area, has a tanned complexion that speaks of long hours spent outdoors. Being the proprietor of a wine bar has been a lifelong dream.

"I've been a collector of Italian wine for 15 years and travel back and forth (between the United States and Italy) three or four times a year. I had the idea for this type of restaurant, which are fairly popular in Italy."

The idea? "You come in for a glass of wine and you leave," Mantione said.

"We want to be the Starbucks of the wine world, for people to come in two, three times a week and have a glass of wine."

The 40-seat establishment is first-come, first-served. The wine list is predominantly Italian, but offers some other selections.

"Of the international (wines), we take what the area is known for - shiraz from Australia, sauvignon blanc from New Zealand. Our cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay is from California. Other than that, it's all Italian, so we have a lot of stuff that people don't have."

Solaia gets its name from the Italian word for "sunny," he said, adding "It's also the name of a woman I used to know in Italy."

Casting a glance at the rain-slicked street outside, Montoya said, "Because the weather is still in-between, we're kind of quiet right now. It will pick up in the summer, in June."