Alas, I wasn’t able to get an opening date before hopping on my plane, but ~BARBACCO~ should hopefully be opening over the next couple weeks (check their Twitter feed to keep up with the news). This casual lil’ sis of ~PERBACCO~ is an “eno trattoria,” serving lunch and dinner. Chef-owner Staffan Terje created the menus, and chef Sarah Burchard (previously the sous at Perbacco and a big contributor to the fantastic salumi program) is co-creating and executing the menu. Lunch will have a seasonal and rotating selection of sandwiches, salads, baked pastas, salumi, and entrées that will also be available to go. Some examples include a roasted porchetta sandwich with grapes and grilled radicchio agro-dolce; fried ribollita; and a whipped salt cod sandwich with roasted tomato and arugula (I guess we’ll have to wait until the summer for that one).
For dinner, you can just swing by for a bite, like ascolane (fried olives stuffed with pork garnished with grated pecorino stagionato), or a more fulfilling meal, with dishes like Sicilian meatballs with braised chard, tomato and pinenuts, or hen egg occhio di bue (bullseye) on braised rapini, tomato, and ‘nduja. You’ll also be able to buy house-cured salumi and two-week-old olive oil imported directly from Italy.
Perbacco’s wine director, Mauro Cirilli, has chosen 100 wines by the glass, half of which will be available by the taste, glass, quartino, and mezzo, and all are going to be stored in temperature-controlled cases (hallelujah). The selection will focus on viticulturists embracing the philosophy of producing wine in a natural way—almost all of the wines will be biodynamic and will hail from Italy, its surrounding countries, as well as the North American West Coast, from California to British Columbia. There will also be draft beers from Anchor Brewing Company, 21st Amendment, and Magnolia breweries. The 66-seat eatery was designed by Cass Calder Smith (CCS Architecture), and includes a rich black marble bar for counter seating, a bright yellow wood beverage case, dark grain walnut deuces, and smaller communal tables. Lunch will be served Mon-Fri from 11am-3pm, and dinner Mon-Sat from 5pm-10pm. Take-out will also be available.
