NY Times Reviews Estia's American: 'Excellent'

, a Darien restaurant which opened in April in the back of the 1020 Post Rd. building, just snagged a positive, if brief, accolade from the New York Times' regional restaurant reviewer, Patricia Brooks.

The review described three restaurants—Estia's, the New Canaan Diner in that town, and L'Escale in the Delmar Hotel in Greenwich—as eateries that "offer excellent meals in a range of styles."

Brooks pans the atmosphere inside the restaurant, calling it "a little bland inside, with Formica tabletops and a few Americana artifacts."

Owner Colin Ambrose had spent quite a bit of attention of the place, hanging works by artists he knows and even helping to design an American flag artwork with books. Volumes are also featured on shelves, ready for browsing by diners. (You can judge for yourself: Pictures of the restaurant are attached to this article.)

The Times reviewer appeared to like the "unusual menu" featuring breakfast dishes with "generous portions, some with a Mexican touch," and customized omelets.

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Editor's note: This article is scheduled to be featured in the "Patch on Pix" during the News at 5 program at 5 p.m. Monday on WPIX, Channel 11 (Cablevision customers may not be able to receive that station due to an ongoing dispute between WPIX and Cablevision.)

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Darien Patch recently asked readers for their in town, and new-restaurant-on-the-block Estia's was beat out by such decades-old stalwarts as the , and the somewhat younger . But a review from the influential New York Times could tempt more restaurant-goers to give the newer place a try.

Previously, the restaurant was noticed by the OMNOMCT blog, by CT Bites. and  in the Stamford Advocate.

Brooks' of a Darien restaurant was of . Before that, she reviewed two other Darien restaurants in the previous two years: (on Nov. 12, 2010) and (on Aug. 27, 2010). Other Connecticut restaurant reviews from the Times are available on the newspaper's website.

Estia's