Friday, March 5, 2010

Farewell to Il Falco

A tiny ad in today's Advocate reads "Il Falco Ristorante. Thank you for your generous patronage over the past 24 years. We have enjoyed being one of the top Italian restaurants in Fairfield County, thanks to you! We will be closing after March 6th, 2010."

It is always sad to see an long standing institution close, and I am no fan of newly emptied spaces. I wonder though if Il Falco spoke to a bygone era in Stamford. I'd been there for work events, and the space seemed dated. The food was oily and inelegant, and it never crossed my mind to come back off the clock. The people were friendly, and hey, the drinks were free - but the whole place was of an era that didn't include me. I hope they reinvent themselves with some light, bright and modern touches in both the atmosphere and the cuisine. If they do, I'll let you know.

10 comments:

Unknown said...

Dang. A retired friend of ours & co. visiting from Mass asked specifically to eat at Il Falco with hubby this past week!
From 'another era', we are, I guess....Rev Barb Sexton

Unknown said...

I am afraid I never liked them and the open back door with the bugs flying in with no screen always skived me. I also was not that impressed with there food, but it is only my take on it.

Unknown said...

Do not know where that comment went, but here it goes again.
I never did like Il Falco and the open door in the back with no screen always skived me. The food was not my idea, but that is my own taste. I am not sorry to see them go, but i was sorry to see Mona Lisa go.

Anonymous said...

There was a time when Il Falco had great food, but when the competition kept getting more and more intense, they didn't seem to know how to stay in the game. As patronage fell, the quality of their ingredients took a nosedive. I guess it was an attempt to save money, but it only led to fewer customers and a final spiral downward. Perhaps there was no way to save the place--the world had just passed it by. The owners, the Cordaros, are lovely people, and it's sad to see a Stamford institution disappear.

Unknown said...

I agree. Il Falco needs a make-over if the owners want to make a comeback. My husband says the food, at least, was good the other day, but the place is going, or has gone, downhill, as you suggest. Still faithful patrons will return over and over again to retry places they once loved. I miss the old Rusty Scupper at Harbor Plaza, but our exorbitant rental prices drove them out from what I heard. I also miss La Hacienda downtown. Waaaaaahhhh.

Poems in Search of Pictures said...

Wait, wait, wait Rev Barbara - how can you say both "From 'another era', we are, I guess...." and "I agree. Il Falco needs a make-over...the place is going, or has gone, downhill" - what?

Unknown said...

I was agreeing with Anonymous in my latest comment. The 'another era' comment I made initially was VERIFICATION of what you were musing about: YES Il FALCO & IT'S FANS ARE FROM A BYGONE ERA. Having lived in Stamford for 32 years, I can testify to that and have seen LOTS of restaurants come and go.

Poems in Search of Pictures said...

Ah ha! Makes sense

anne said...

I hadn't been there since 1987, when I went there (as a teenager) with my parents and a business associate of my dad's, and the waiter gracelessly insinuated that I was fat (I wasn't) and tried to guide me toward lower-fat foods to order. Very awkward. Longtime family boycott ensued.

Streets of Stamford said...

I don't know if it's related, but the Rich company wants to demolish that whole building (TD Waterhouse, Daddy's Guitars, etc.) and build something new. Probably something expensive and fancy and bland, just like every other new building in town.