Encore By GoodFellas: The Curtain Rises on Goodfellas’ Third Act in New Haven

The new Goodfellas is a knockout. At a soft opening for family and friends on April 19, Chef Gerry Iannaccone and partner Andrea Coppola showed off the dramatically reimagined and rebranded restaurant, now known as Encore by Goodfellas. New Haveners have been watching as the building at State and Trumbull slowly shifted shape; what was once an open-air patio on the roof became capped and clad, creating a sudden second floor. New signage went up, casting a golden neon glow. But none of us could have fathomed what was going on inside the building.

 “We’ve been dreaming of this renovation for years, then made it happen in only four months,” said the exuberant Andrea as she welcomed a steady stream of astounded guests. Talk about ambitious: the moody, cushy dining room we’d all come to know has come tumbling down. Gone are the big-screen TVs, which famously streamed gangster movies day and night. (It was possible to glance up and catch a mob hit just as you were cutting into your Filet Cognac.) The spacious new room is centered on a massive square bar, which seats 36 and inspires thoughts of afternoon cocktails and snacks. Above the bar there is… air. So much air! A cut in the ceiling soars up to the new second floor, 29 feet from the ground (according to architect Bill MacMullen), past the balconies, to the very tippy top of the underside of the building, from which a spray of clear glass pendant lamps cascades, visually connecting the two floors and looking like a glowing mobile. (Those lights, I later learned, are custom-made and weigh 25 pounds each.)

The second-floor dining room is creamy and dreamy, and includes a dedicated champagne and caviar bar, plus an elevated stage graced by a grand piano. (We were treated to live music, which managed to be that rare combination of entertaining and non-invasive.) Thanks to all that new space, the restaurant has more than doubled its capacity, going from 170 seats to 350 -- which means there are plenty of unforgettable private functions in Encore’s future.

So: How’s the food? Let’s back up for a minute and remember that Goodfellas’ kitchen has always been top-notch. Over the years, Chef Gerry has employed on-site butchers and a private farmer; the place has been secretly farm-to-table all this time, in spite of its slick image (it was originally inspired by clubby hot-spots in Miami Beach). The new menu includes many of Goodfellas’ greatest hits, including Meatball Salad (Gerry’s childhood favorite, now seen on menus far and wide); the rich and wicked Pappardelle Telefono; and sage-infused Beggar’s Purse pasta. He’s also added some new standouts, such as Duck Prosciutto, featuring truffle cheese, green olives, taralli, and a bit of natural honeycomb, dripping with the sweet stuff. This lovely creation was a collaborative effort between Gerry and his son Joseph Iannaccone, who went from working in his dad’s kitchen at age 15 to graduating from the CIA and working at Michelin star restaurants, including Le Bernadin and The French Laundry.

Chef Joseph is Encore’s not-so-secret weapon. The 26-year-old – who is taking a leave from his work in high-end Miami eateries to help his dad get the kitchen humming -- is the force behind the more luxurious and theatrical offerings at the new restaurant. It is he who masterminded the champagne/caviar bar, which boasts caviar sourced in Sacramento from none other than Chef Thomas Keller (it’s nice to know people); soon that caviar bar will feature, by reservation only, such delicacies as scallops crudo with caviar, caviar devilled eggs, classic blinis, and caviar “bumps” served on the back of one’s hand, which apparently brings out the flavors of the fish roe. It is Joseph who also envisioned the extravagant Petite Plateau and King Plateau offerings, towers of seafood lit from within by LED cubes and featuring the finest gifts of the sea. When delivered to tables, these elicited audible gasps and occasional applause from delighted diners.

Both Chef Gerry and Chef Joseph wanted to revive the kind of old-world tableside service that was the hallmark of fine dining in days gone by. Thus, one of Encore’s star entrées is The Wellington. This creative take on the classic dish is centered on a 16-ounce filet mignon nestled in puff pastry. “An English chef taught me how to wrap it,” explains Joseph, and notes that he added porcini, black truffles, and truffle oil to the traditional mushroom duxelles. “It flips the dish,” he says. Meant to serve two, it is carved tableside, and, since it takes 25 minutes of kitchen time, requires a bit of patience.

Besides new dishes and a new look, Encore is fundamentally different from the old Goodfellas, because it is now a proper steakhouse. There are five USDA Prime Angus steaks on the menu, including a $65 double cut ribeye and a 35-day dry-aged Porterhouse for Two ($130). Sauces and add-ons include Chef Gerry’s Famous Lobster Cognac Cream; sides, such as creamed spinach, whipped potatoes, and a decadent Macaroni al Formaggio with optional lobster meat, are $10-$24. It should be noted that there are 500-plus bottles of wine – Gerry’s a collector – as well as a delightful cocktail menu to accompany the culinary delights (try the Negroni Sbagliato). And don’t forget dessert: Expanding on the tableside theme are Baked Alaska, Bananas Foster, and Cherries Jubilee, all of which are doused in brandy and ignited for your Instagrammable pleasure. Now that’s dinner and a show!

“We think of it as an elevated Italian Steakhouse,” says Gerry of the newly-hatched Encore, and gives credit not only to his son – “Joe is the push behind me” – but to Andrea. “She is the most important person,” he says. “She has the magic and the finesse.” And what does Andrea think? “We’ve always done everything we wanted,” she says with a smile, “and it’s worked out so far!”

Encore By Goodfellas

702 STATE STREET
NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT 06511
203.785.8722

Wednesday - Saturday 4pm - close
Sunday 2pm - close