City: Stamford, CT

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (203) 357-9526

Address: 188 Bedford St.

Description: On the corner in a stone building, Chez Jean-Pierre looks like it belongs in Paris, rather than in the heart of downtown Stamford. A huge mural of Renoir’s Boating Party with the owner painted in will immediately let you know that this is not a stuffy French restaurant, but a place for fun and food. The food is slightly less expensive, too, especially if you go for lunch or a light dinner. Try the grilled hanger steak appetizer and the French onion soup. If you’re there for lunch, go for the crepes, especially the fruits de mer seafood version. For dinner, try the coq au vin, chicken slow-cooked in wine, which is difficult to do right, but Jean-Pierre does an admirable job. Go in the summer when the row of wooden doors opens to the sidewalks, just like in a proper French bistro, and you’ll be transported to the Left Bank (of Stamford).