Restaurant Hopes To Put New Spin On American Cuisine

Two men are hoping they can bring a unique offering to the downtown food scene when they open a new Bank Street restaurant on May 1.

Gaspar Stantic and Andrew Clyde Bell have teamed up to launch Gaspar’s New American Cuisine, which will be located at 385 Bank Street. They have been getting together supplies, freshening up the space, and acquiring the necessary licenses in the past several weeks.

Both Stantic and Bell had thought about opening a restaurant, and a friend of Stantic’s in New London told him the city was a good place to start one up. Stantic, who was born in Switzerland and went to school in Vienna, had owned restaurants in Texas for about 25 years. He has also worked as the executive chef in luxury hotels.

The restaurant aims to be a part of the “farm to table” movement by establishing a close relationship with local markets. This would involve getting the best ingredients that are currently in season and purchasing local seafood and produce for the dishes.

“It’s really a French technique using American ingredients,” Stantic said of the restaurant’s name.

Stantic and Bell intend to offer a menu of about 25 to 30 items along with daily specials. They will start by offering dinner and may expand to lunch, and plan to hold food promotions and cooking classes as well.

Bell said he has some catering experience and has lately been working in marketing and advertising.

“Basically Gaspar is running the back of the house and I’m running the front of the house,” he said.

For updates on the restaurant and its opening, visit its Facebook page.

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