First Look at Barbuzzo

We paid a visit to the baronesses of 13th Street’s newest venture the week after it threw open the door for business. For the ladies who own businesses up and down the block, we were very curious to find out what this place has to offer with its Mediterranean style menu.

Chicken Liver and Foie Gras Mousse with Brandied Cherries, Pistachio Salt and Crostini

This was so good. Great flavor, very smooth texture, good density, did not have that over the edge taste that usually comes with liver dishes. The brandied cherries provided such a harmony to the mousse and were just phenomenal when eaten spread on the crostini. So good!

“Pig Popcorn” with Apple Cider Vinegar Powder, Espelette Chile & Horseradish Aioli


I have never seen fried pig skin in such large pieces! It was crunchy, it crumbled in the mouth, and it was not greasy. It should have been called “pig candy” instead. The skin could have used a tad more seasoning but the slight lack of it did not not make this a perfect snack for those who are carbo-phobic but not cholesterol-phobic. The Aioli was good but I wasn’t too sure it if was supposed to go with the skins. It seemed to be too mild and with the wrong taste profile with the texture and the grease of this fried goodie.

Roasted Marrow Bones with Persillade, Lemon & Pickled Onion Jam.

The addition of the persillade and the lemon and pickled onion jam gave this dish such a different dimension. The marrow was done perfectly for spreading, and with the flavoring from the sauces and add-ons, it was phenomenal on the pieces of slightly toasted bread. This was a dish in which the sum was greater than the parts.

 
 
 
 
 
 

Caciocavallo Stuffed Meatballs with Oregano, Chile and Caperberry-Pepper Relish
 
The dish was OK. I liked the texture and graininess of the meatballs but I would have liked a bit more flavoring in the meat. I could not taste the cheese or the chile that was supposed to have been stuffed into the balls. I also found the sauce to be a bit too sweet, and bland. Nevertheless, the meat balls were filling (I also ate almost all of the previous three dishes).

 
 
 
 
 

Cured Meat Board
 
Clockwise top left: La Quercia prosciutto rossa, chorizo picante, rosette de Lyon, jamon Serrano 12 month, house pickled vegetables, Barbuzzo grissini.

For some reason, I thought Barbuzzo was curing its own meat therefore I was surprised to see the meats served were procured rather than cured. For those that were made in-house, I liked the pickled vegetables but I did not like the grissini. It tasted like something from a box from Walmart. May be, that should have been procured.

Housemade Botifarra Sausage with Wood Braised Beans, Catalan Style Chard, and Pomegranate Molasses

We liked the texture. It was moist. The meat was grinded to a good graininess. But again, it could have used a bit of a kick in the flavor department. It was a good but not fantastic sausage. The chard was good.



 
 
 
 
 

There are always risks in going to a brand new restaurant within weeks of its opening. As seasoned operators, the risks could be mitigated for this couple’s third restaurant venture.


The room was nicely done in a mixture of hi-tech and rustic decor. We were seated at the kitchen counter with a bird eye’s view of the action. However, being close to the kitchen and the expeditor did not ensure food would come in a timely or orderly pace. Our first three items arrived within minutes, then everything stopped. Our waiter was quite friendly and seemed to be a nice guy, but he was also a bit clueless and absent-minded. He never came back with an answer for Tourist Tree’s food allergy and had no idea that 3 of our 6 plates never showed up when he was ready to hand us the dessert menu. Our first three dishes were outstanding while the other three were, like the service and the kitchen, a work in progress.


Barbuzzo, 110 S. 13th Street, Phila., PA 19107
http://www.barbuzzo.com/