Barbuto

The culinary staycation continues…

One restaurant that has been on “The List” for a while now is Barbuto owned by Chef Jonathan Waxman. We met him at Meatopia a couple of years ago and were rooting for him on Top Chef Masters. He seemed like a real down-to-Earth guy that cooks simple, rustic food very well.

Since they don’t take reservation for parties of two, we went a little earlier than we planned in case there was a wait. We had no other plans that night so if there was a long wait, so be it. Fortunately, it turned out that the wait was only 45 minutes and there was plenty of room at the bar for us to have a cocktail and relax. While enjoying the unique cocktails, the hostess informed us that we could be seated earlier if we sat at the communal table. We were feeling adventurous and agreed to sit there. We were surprised to find that the communal table was empty and although most places would have squeezed at least six people if not eight, they only sat one other two-top during our meal. So we ended up having plenty of space to enjoy our meal!

Instead of bread service, we were given a small bowl of olives. They were quite good especially because they were plump and firm. I don’t like those soft and mushy olives.

Since none of the appetizers looked especially interesting, we decided to share a pasta to start. Rigatoni con Polpetti ($20). The polpetti (meatballs) were made with pork & veal. This was one of the best “simple” pastas I have ever had. The rigatoni was perfectly al dente mixed with just the right amount of tangy sauce. The meatballs were excellent and could definitely compete with the best of them at Meatball Madness. Although I am not Italian, if I had an Italian grandmother her dish would come out tasting exactly the same way.

We decided to share two entrees including the famous roasted chicken and some sides.

Agnello ai Ferri ($27). Grilled leg of lamb, Swiss chard gratin, shaved fennel and pecorino. CT and I both are big fans of lamb. This was an excellent preparation. Simply seasoned and grilled, the Chef let the meat speak for itself.

We were really there for the Pollo al Forno ($19). Roasted jw chicken with salsa verde. Most people I know, including myself, hardly ever order a chicken dish at a restaurant let alone go to a restaurant specifically for chicken (fried chicken notwithstanding). Chef Waxman’s chicken has gotten so many rave reviews over the years that this was the exception. From what I could tell, every table ordered this dish. Lo and behold, it was really great! The chicken was super juicy and was perfectly seasoned with just the right amount of salt and pepper. The skin wasn’t super crispy, but it was pretty great. The salsa verde was very herby and elevated the other flavors. Also, it was a pretty sizeable portion for the price. I think it would be difficult, but not impossible, to eat this yourself. It made for great leftovers too!

I decided on the Verdure ($8) on the side to be “healthy.” It was sauteed greens, chili, garlic and ricotta salata. It was ok, but nothing special. It reminded me of sauteed greens you get at a Chinese restaurant.

CT convinced me that we should also order the Patate ($8). It was crispy potatoes, pecorino, and rosemary. Boy am I glad she did. These were some of the best potatoes I have ever had! Super crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside. It looked like they boiled the potatoes first then fry them up till they explode. I could not stop eating these, that’s how good they were. (As I type this, I wish I had some right now.)

We were stuffed yet still had leftovers to take home. That meant no dessert for us.

All in all, Barbuto was excellent. Our server was very friendly and had a good rapport with us. The food was very, very good. It felt like a real neighborhood kind of place, even when being so close to the horrors of the Meatpacking District. You should definitely put this on your list if you are hankering for some good “home cooking.”