Baccalà
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Dominic Armato | |
The restaurant, not the foodstuff... well, a little of both, but for today, mostly the restaurant.
John Bubala, of Thyme/Timo fame, recently brought this new operation to Bucktown, just around the corner from home. It's been a hotly anticipated opening in this household, so we gave them a couple of weeks to get their feet under them and then snuck in this past weekend to give it a try.
My previous experience with Bubala had been a little frustrating. Through three or four visits to Thyme/Timo, once in the former and the rest in the latter incarnation, the food was always excellent. But while I'm rarely put off by service issues, we had problems -- significant ones -- every time. I was assured by fellow diners whom I trust that my experience was exceptional, which I'm perfectly willing to believe. Sometimes you just have bad luck. But all the same, when you've been burned three times in a row, it's tough to muster the will to return.
Enter Baccalà: my opportunity to approach Bubala in his new environs with a clean slate. Apparently he's been traveling Italy quite a bit, evidenced not only by Thyme's metamorphosis and his subsequent decision to open a second Italian establishment, but also by the scads of Bubala's photographs that adorn the walls of Baccalà; taken, I understand, by his own hand. It's a comfortable, cozy, inviting little room of wood and brick, and the menu matches. Though there are a couple of pastas to be found, the menu is primarily composed of heartier fare with emphasis on pork. I thought the menu was nicely structured, composed a third of appetizers, a third of entrees, and a third of dishes that can go either way by request. As it turned out, this was almost a matter of necessity. The three dishes we tried were... well... read on.
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Dominic Armato | |
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Dominic Armato | |
This dish was so overpoweringly rich, it almost destroyed me.
I am the guy who scoffs when somebody complains that a dish is too rich. I am the guy who, upon first traveling to Italy at age 10, quickly decided that Tortellini alla Panna was my favorite dish and proceeded to eat it for dinner almost every single night for three straight weeks. I am the guy who appreciates the use of all cuts of meat, but pines for the fattiest of the fatty. Hell, just look two posts back to see where I stand on rich dishes. And let me tell you, I barely finished. It was too rich for me. At the hands of John Bubala, I have discovered a limit that I previously thought nonexistent.
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Dominic Armato | |
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Dominic Armato | |
All in all, a delicious meal and despite the shock to my system, I do feel compelled to return. I'm curious to know if we happened to choose heavier dishes, though I suspect this may be par for the course. There's no denying that these are beautifully executed dishes, but I find myself wishing he'd dial them back just a bit. I say this, of course, but you know I'll end up trying the porcini tortellini with lardo on my next visit. Just consider going for the small plate options, when available. You won't be able to eat as much as you think.
Baccalà | |
1540 N. Milwaukee Ave. | |
Chicago, IL 60625 | |
773-227-1400 | |
Wed - Sat | 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM |
Hmmm...sounds bogus.
Posted by: Joe Bruno | January 25, 2010 at 01:02 AM