On Tuesday I was invited to the grand opening party of Bocca Di Bacco's fourth location in Chelsea, in the old Il Bastardo space (191 7th Avenue). The restaurant is wide open and full of light, and definitely ready to party.
From the elaborate black crystal chandeliers to the rich wood ceiling beams and the pink banquettes to the exposed brick, the main dining room displays soothing luxury with a flirty urban opulence. The space is big enough that the restaurant plans to host corporate events and weddings.
We sampled one of the party's signature drinks, The Butterfly, with fig vodka, Champagne and raspberries. It was a bit on the sweet side, but would be a great brunch drink. Speaking of brunch, Executive Chef Kristin Sollenne assured us that Bocca Di Bacco will be keeping the tradition of the raucous brunch previously promoted by Il Bastardo.
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All of the food coming out of the kitchen smelled great, but some of the party guests were acting a little vulture-ish and so we didn't get to taste much. However, what we did taste--the mushroom and crab cake sticks, the mushroom and truffle flatbread and the risotto balls--were delicious.
The restaurant is officially open as of yesterday so check it out (I'm definitely curious about the brunch!) and let us know what you think.
Great review, and spot-on! I admit I was a vulture. Other samplings included their prosciutto/tomato/cheese crostini (available as part of the Crostini Misti), and skewered shrimp (Gamberoni). I understand that the delicious crabcake-stuffed mushrooms were created for the event, to represent their crabcake with warm wild mushroom salad (Tortino Di Grancho). I'll be ordering this in the near future!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I saw both the crostini and shrimp go by and they looked great. Thanks for reading!
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