If you haven’t been to Barbuto yet for Jonathan Waxman’s famous Roast Chicken, there is no better time to venture over to the beloved garage door enclosed restaurant than now. Everyone (me) is in disbelief that the restaurant will close at some point in the near future due to the building because how can this iconic spot really disappear? Anyway, brunch and lunch time are a swell time to dip your toes in there as the lighting is gorgeous when the sun is out, and the open air space takes you out of the city life. On my last visit, I fell in love with a few new dishes besides that chicken. The pizza is unbelievable! It really should have a special name other than pizza because it’s not like any traditional pie. It’s not oily or thin. It’s a personal size with about six little triangular slices. The bread is extremely fluffy and doughy which is where it really differs from any other New York style pizza spot. The tomato sauce is heavenly, and they seasonally. Served at lunch only, there is a breakfast egg pizza for brunch. This is the kind of dish you’d just want to eat everyday after a long day of work or what you would crave as an after school snack back in the day.
Gnocchi + Roast Chicken
The simple Kale Salad with a light anchovy dressing is massaged thoroughly and soft. The pecorino creates this light, cheesy layer which keeps you reaching back for more. You’d eat this salad everyday for lunch and never get sick of it. One of my other favorite items from this lunch were the roasted vegetables with a salsa verde sauce. The long cuts of roasted zucchini and squash with bursting flavors lead you to believe that vegetables can’t really be all as healthy because these taste like crack. At this lunch, I felt like I loved all the greens so much, I could even skip the chicken for once, but I obviously wouldn’t sin like that. It’s that salsa verde game that gets us all. It’s right on point and so simple. No ridiculous or secret tricks– just simple food with care is what’s delivered at Barbuto. This is one of those spots that you can always go back to, and, without a doubt, you somehow have one of the most enjoyable experiences. Then repeat. I hate to see it go, but I look forward to trying Chef Waxman’s new spot which just opened uptown this week: Jams.