The menu's extensive offerings and descriptions further emphasized the vibrant Mediterranean feel of Barbuzzo. No two things on the menu sounded similar, which made the process of ordering rather difficult; everything sounded delicious! Finally, though, we settled on four dishes to share -- it's tapas style -- and our waitress assured us that we had made good selections.
The first dish that came to us was the Goat Cheese Board. In addition to the five cheeses, which I will discuss in a moment, the board -- literally a piece of wood with a handle -- arrived with an assortment of condiments for our cheese. The condiments (is that even the right term to use here?) included pomegranate molasses, fig jam, Marcona almonds, quince paste, dried cherries, and pieces of baguette. Even though we had these delicious additions to our cheese board, the main ingredient was decadent enough to enjoy by itself. Furthermore, each type of goat cheese was so different in taste and texture that it seemed unnecessary to add even more flavors to what was already so new and unique.
Before I elaborate on the individual cheeses, I feel that I owe it to you, dear reader, to explain the method to my madness. I. Love. Goat. Cheese. Period. It might even be one of my most favorite foods and for that reason, I give you permission to skim this section if deep cheese analysis isn't your thing. I don't judge. Or take offense.
Ok, so if you're still reading, you know what you're in for and I won't feel the need to hold back. The first cheese that I tried was the Young Honey Goat Cheese from Belmont, Wisconsin, which was like the typical goat cheese with which I was familiar. As I write and reminisce, the Young Honey Goat's light texture and sweet taste linger, leaving me yearning for more, but knowing that I can never have enough to fully satisfy myself.
The second, more interesting cheese, was the Mont Cabrer from Catalunya, Spain. This cheese was tangy and bitter, but creamy inside a charcoal-rubbed tough exterior. The Mont Cabrer was especially good atop a piece of baguette lined with pomegranate molasses because it absorbed some of the bitterness that a sweet-tooth like myself doesn't especially love.
Next, I tasted the Hubbarston Blue from Westfield Farms, Massachusetts. This was a chevre-type cheese that is easily spreadable and salty. I enjoyed it spread on a piece of apple because the crunch from the fruit enhanced the creaminess of the cheese.
After the Hubbarston Blue, I went for the Pantaleo from Sardegna, Italy. The menu describes this cheese as a "unique aged goat cheese with a sweet, clean, floral finish." Interestingly, my perception of the Pantaleo was not at all similar to the menu's description. Perhaps my taste buds aren't refined enough to decipher a "clean, floral finish," but I tasted saltiness from the Pantaleo. Nonetheless, as all goat cheeses are delicious, the Pantaleo didn't let me down.
Finally, it was time for the cheese that I had been waiting for: The Verde Capra from Lombardi, Italy was staring up at me from the wooden board waiting to be devoured. I put a little bit on my fork, lifted it to my lips and pursed them around the cheese. Yum. Before I could think about what was happening, my whole body was enveloped by a chewy, slightly salty, and tangy paste. I added more to a baguette and chomped my teeth down. Mmmmmm. I couldn't get enough and basically ate all of the Verde Capra before my companion was able to get any, oops. She understood and it was totally worth it.
Once we licked our board clean, our Roasted Heirloom Squash and Parsnip Salad arrived. This dish included arugula, shaved grana padano (which is similar in texture and flavor to the common parmesan cheese), spiced pumpkin seeds, and was dressed with vincotto and lemon. The salad had a nice balance of sweet and spicy, the pumpkin seeds gave it some sweetness, while the cheese added a slight kick. The heirlooms and parsnips were roasted and soft, which gave the salad a heartiness that filled us up, but didn't leave us full and heavy. Finally, the dressing was simple and light, but cohesive, as it tied the entire dish together.
Next up were our entrees: Casarecce and Grilled Bronzino. The Casarecce is a fat, curly noodle that is filling, but bland. The menu said that the dish was served with olive oil, wood fired hen of the woods mushrooms, arugula, preserved lemon-walnut pesto, and ricotta. All of these ingredients were in the dish, but it was surprisingly tasteless. For one, the temperature was a little weird. The noodles were warm, but the ricotta-pesto-arugula-mushroom mixture was cold. The juxtaposition between the warm and cold components were distracting and not necessarily pleasant. Had I not be distracted by the confusing temperature, I probably would have enjoyed the dish more; all of the ingredients were clearly fresh, but the lemon-walnut pesto could have been more flavorful. The next time I eat at Barbuzzo, I probably won't order the Casarecce again, but the Chestnut Ravioli sounds like it could fill the void...
In contrast, our second entree, the Grilled Bronzino, was perfect. The plate comes with arugula pesto, wood roasted mushrooms and artichoke farro, oven dried tomatoes, and salmoriglio. In terms of the fish, the salmoriglio, which is an Italian condiment consisting mainly of lemon, really influenced the flavor, but the the way the fish was seared really enhanced the dish. The other components that made the dish interesting, were the farro and the salmoriglio. Farro was a cool ingredient because it was new to me. After going home and researching it, I learned that farro is similar to rice, as it is the grain of a certain wheat species in whole form. However, there is a lot of speculation about what farro actually is, though I would argue that it's similar to barley in texture and composition. The farro also absorbs flavors interestingly. This particular dish was served with artichokes and mushrooms, but it somehow had a coconut-y flavor that mixed with the vegetables imbedded inside of it. Yum. One bite of the farro and bronzino together quickly made up from anything that the Casarecce was missing.
Just when we thought we were stuffed, our waitress brought out the dessert menu and it was impossible to resist a peek. The first item on the menu is the Salted Caramel Budino, which has a dark chocolate crush, vanilla bean caramel, and sea salt. Naturally, after eyeing a dish like that, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to eat it. As I've probably said already, dessert is my favorite part of any meal and I usually spend close to 15 minutes staring at dessert menus, weighing the options. At Barbuzzo, there wasn't anything to compare the Budino to. Sure, the other desserts sounded good, but, when chocolate, caramel, and sea salt are grouped together, it's pretty hard to make another selection. So when our waitress handed us the menu, I skimmed the paper, looked my friend in the eyes, and knew that we were on the brain wave. When the Budino came we instantaneously knew we had made the right decision. This dessert was heavenly. The texture was mousse-like and every component was a dichotomy: sweet and salty, gooey and crunchy... If you need one reason to go to Barbuzzo, this dessert is it.
I don't know if I would classify Barbuzzo as "Mediterranean tapas," as it's advertised, but I would certainly recommend it to anyone looking for an intimate meal with unique dishes. And... you know how I feel about the cheese and dessert.
Visit Barbuzzo:
(215) 546-9300
www.barbuzzo.com/barbuzzo/
The first dish that came to us was the Goat Cheese Board. In addition to the five cheeses, which I will discuss in a moment, the board -- literally a piece of wood with a handle -- arrived with an assortment of condiments for our cheese. The condiments (is that even the right term to use here?) included pomegranate molasses, fig jam, Marcona almonds, quince paste, dried cherries, and pieces of baguette. Even though we had these delicious additions to our cheese board, the main ingredient was decadent enough to enjoy by itself. Furthermore, each type of goat cheese was so different in taste and texture that it seemed unnecessary to add even more flavors to what was already so new and unique.
Before I elaborate on the individual cheeses, I feel that I owe it to you, dear reader, to explain the method to my madness. I. Love. Goat. Cheese. Period. It might even be one of my most favorite foods and for that reason, I give you permission to skim this section if deep cheese analysis isn't your thing. I don't judge. Or take offense.
Ok, so if you're still reading, you know what you're in for and I won't feel the need to hold back. The first cheese that I tried was the Young Honey Goat Cheese from Belmont, Wisconsin, which was like the typical goat cheese with which I was familiar. As I write and reminisce, the Young Honey Goat's light texture and sweet taste linger, leaving me yearning for more, but knowing that I can never have enough to fully satisfy myself.
The second, more interesting cheese, was the Mont Cabrer from Catalunya, Spain. This cheese was tangy and bitter, but creamy inside a charcoal-rubbed tough exterior. The Mont Cabrer was especially good atop a piece of baguette lined with pomegranate molasses because it absorbed some of the bitterness that a sweet-tooth like myself doesn't especially love.
Next, I tasted the Hubbarston Blue from Westfield Farms, Massachusetts. This was a chevre-type cheese that is easily spreadable and salty. I enjoyed it spread on a piece of apple because the crunch from the fruit enhanced the creaminess of the cheese.
After the Hubbarston Blue, I went for the Pantaleo from Sardegna, Italy. The menu describes this cheese as a "unique aged goat cheese with a sweet, clean, floral finish." Interestingly, my perception of the Pantaleo was not at all similar to the menu's description. Perhaps my taste buds aren't refined enough to decipher a "clean, floral finish," but I tasted saltiness from the Pantaleo. Nonetheless, as all goat cheeses are delicious, the Pantaleo didn't let me down.
Finally, it was time for the cheese that I had been waiting for: The Verde Capra from Lombardi, Italy was staring up at me from the wooden board waiting to be devoured. I put a little bit on my fork, lifted it to my lips and pursed them around the cheese. Yum. Before I could think about what was happening, my whole body was enveloped by a chewy, slightly salty, and tangy paste. I added more to a baguette and chomped my teeth down. Mmmmmm. I couldn't get enough and basically ate all of the Verde Capra before my companion was able to get any, oops. She understood and it was totally worth it.
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| Goat Cheese Board |
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| Roasted Heirloom Squash and Parsnip Salad |
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| Casarecce |
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| Grilled Bronzino |
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| Salted Caramel Budino |
Visit Barbuzzo:
(215) 546-9300
www.barbuzzo.com/barbuzzo/
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