Last night, I had the pleasure of trying Bacaro down in East Chinatown for dinner, modeled on and named after traditional Venetian "workmen's pubs" that serve small share-able plates and wine. Bacaro is a two floored space -- the top floor is a casual wine bar facing out onto Division Street whereas the downstairs is dark, cavernous, and quite romantic. Owned and run by the chef behind Peasant and his wife, this is a great place for a group dinner upstairs which was what I was part of last night or a romantic night with a special someone down below.
Before I delve into the food, I must tell you that the bartender introduced us to something simple yet fabulous that I most certainly plan on adopting -- infusing sage leaves into rose wine over night imparting an herbaceous quality to summer's best wine. I was already quite impressed with the joint after one sip of wine.
So what did we all split?
Two of their specials -- fried zucchini blossoms with ricotta and a full roasted artichoke with grana padano and bread crumbs. Each was done excellently -- the right mixture of savory, creamy, vegetal, and fresh rolled into one. Great with our rose infused wine and perfect for sharing! Apart from the specials we split their baked razor clams with white wine, olive oil, and lemon -- rustic yet elevated, sensual and delish. Next up, their frittata with cherry tomatoes, grana padano, and spinach -- a classic combination done well.
Then we had two of their pastas:
Spaghetti Nero -- their spaghetti with cuttlefish ink and one single squid on top. Incredibly luscious and silky smooth, a star of the evening!
Gnocchi con funghi -- pillowy light gnocchi served with sauteed mushrooms in a brown butter sauce, decadence in a dish!
Overall the meal was delish, a fun and affordable place with an extensive menu with something for everyone in a nice atmosphere in somewhat of a slightly inconvenient neighborhood but worth the trip. If you do go, look out for 136 Division Street as it surely isn't well signed.
Bacaro
136 Division Street
NYC 10002
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