The Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa Welcomes First-Class Chef and Exciting New Changes

Located in the heart of downtown Stamford, The Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa combines the pizzazz of New York City with the appeal of picturesque Connecticut.

Tucked inside this lavish hotel is Sam’s Restaurant, a first-class eatery that just welcomed one of Manhattan’s finest chefs.  Appointed as culinary director just four months ago, the former executive sous chef at the Plaza Hotel, Michael Trimarchi, is already beginning to set forth some exciting new changes.

HamletHub joined Chef Michael for lunch at Sam’s Restaurant, an upscale and trendy bistro where travelers and locals gather for everything from a business luncheon to a memorable family meal. And more, this 80-seat venue is open to the public for special events.

This talented chef served each of us three tasty signature appetizers, giving us a flavor of what’s to come for this trendy, new restaurant.  We savored a New Zealand mussel with frisee herbs, a parsley garnish, olive oil and salt and pepper. Next, Chef Michael served us a beautiful salmon tartare on a fresh cucumber bed, with lettuce, basil and sliced tomato. And finally, we enjoyed a shrimp, pesto, and basil mix over a watermelon round.

These delicious, sophisticated bites are a nice sampling of what visitors can expect to find on the innovative menus. Michael is currently in the process of revamping and transforming all the menus to include delicious options for guests with health and dietary needs. Most notably, the new menu offerings will use all locally sourced fish from Long Island fishing communities including Montauk and Oyster Bay, as well as Block Island.

Chef Michael is also bringing his culinary creativity and expertise into his plans for the Northern Lights Bar. “We’re currently in the process of transforming our bar into a tapas bar, serving small plates,” he explained. “These will be American casual as well as a little American Mediterranean twist. It’s an exciting new change for me.” Customers can expect some signature features such as a foie gras, truffle and Kobe beef meatball, as well as fried donuts, churros, and homemade gelatos and sorbets.

Finally, Chef Michael mentioned plans to feature special tastings as well as a weekday cocktail hour.

Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa makes Connecticut a travel destination

Sam’s Restaurant works with the entire Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa to make our small state a real travel destination. Like the restaurant, the Marriott is constantly updating to defend its impressive title as #1 on TripAdvisor. HamletHub spoke with Barri Bialko and Robert Fusco, who detailed some of the more recent renovations to their impressive 502 guest rooms, large function room, and grand ballroom.

The hotel prides itself in its premier service. They host an array of corporate groups during the week, and university teams, associations, religious retreats, weddings, banquets, and other social events on weekends.

Equally important, the hotel's location in the town center provides convenient proximity to attractions like Harbor Point, UConn’s Stamford campus, Chelsea Piers, and numerous popular shops and restaurants. And for those who’d rather not walk, the hotel offers a complimentary shuttle right outside its doors. Finally, for city commuters, the hotel is just a two-block walk to the Metro station. In Stamford, business travel doesn’t have to be a drag!

From our visit, it’s easy to see what attracts business personnel and even off-street traffic to the Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa. And with impressive updates underway, we’re excited for the coming months! HamletHub thanks Michael Trimarchi, Robert Fusco, and Barri Bialko for the wonderful lunch and genuine hospitality.

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Submitted by New Canaan, CT

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