Well, it’s about time for yours truly to be hosting a tablehopper party in the East Bay, right? Looks like it will be my turn to cross the bridge on Friday October 6th, and I hope you can join me for a very special event, Apericena (more about what this means below). I will be cohosting this opening party for DONATO & CO., the new, upcoming contemporary Italian restaurant from Donato Scotti (of Donato Enoteca and CRU in Redwood City and Desco in Oakland) and his chef-partner in this and future projects, Gianluca Guglielmi, who is coming from Italy to open Donato & Co.
In case you remember the news from my original post about this (or not!), Donato & Co. is opening in the former The Advocate space in Elmwood. It’s a big space, so this is going to be quite a festa.
I don’t know if you’ve ever attended any of chef Donato’s events and parties, but they are legendary for their fantastic wine and food—like a true Italian, he loves to put out a great spread! You’ll be the first to taste some dishes off the upcoming Donato & Co. menu, from housemade pasta to meats off the rotisserie and live fire—I hear there will be quail lollipops and we’re going to have a roasted pig! There will also be salumi, plenty of antipasti, and vegetable dishes aplenty. Gianluca, who used to be the executive chef at A.G. Ferrari Foods, is also known for his sweet tooth and skill with desserts, so expect some dolci as well. (Yay.)
The party name is Apericena, in honor of a trending style of eating in Italy: a dinner (cena) comprised of antipasti and ample bites and small plates (which is what you find during aperitivo time). It’s one of my favorite ways to eat, and it’s something Donato and Gianluca will be encouraging and bringing to life at Donato & Co., especially since they have that full bar. Consider this your first apericena!
To accompany all those tasty bites at the party, we’ll also be pouring some wines (prosecco, white, rosé, and red) and a couple of cocktails, including an aperitivo cocktail, probably something on the spritz side of things.
Donato and Gianluca are excited to be a part of the neighborhood and will be making a donation to our charity partner for the evening, The Bay Area Outreach & Recreation Program (BORP). It’s an impressive nonprofit organization working to improve the health, independence, and social integration of people with physical disabilities through adaptive sports, fitness, and recreation programs, and it is based in Berkeley.
Tickets are only $45 (plus a ticket service fee), which will get you three drink tickets and access to all the delicious food! (Additional cocktails/wine will be available at a very affordable price.) And a donation will be made to charity partner BORP! Apericena will run from 6pm-9pm. Get your tickets now, these are gonna fly.
I’m having fun putting together the playlist that we’ll be running on the state-of-the-art Constellation and Libra acoustic system from Berkeley’s renowned Meyer Sound they inherited with the space. You may have an Italian accent by the end of the evening (if you don’t already)!
See you on Friday October 6th! Festeggiamo!
2635 Ashby Ave. at College, Berkeley. @donatoandco
Oh you know there will be cheese. All photos: Nadia Andreini.
Event Info
Friday Oct 6, 2017 6pm–9pm $45 (plus $1.75 ticket service fee) Tickets Donato & Co. 2635 Ashby Ave. at College, Berkeley
