On the western edge of the West Village, on the corner of Washington and 12th Streets, Barbuto is a relaxing haven for good food, drinks and people-watching through its glass-paned garage doors that open the restaurant to the Hudson breeze in warmer weather. The open kitchen with wood oven overlooks a candle lit, concrete-floored dining room that used to be a busy auto repair shop.
Frank Bruni’s review in the New York Times inspired a first visit to Barbuto for the chicken. This was my return trip – with high praise, again, for the juicy, tender chicken with salsa verde. The sauce is chock full of fresh parsley, garlic, lemon and basil; the skin is salty and crispy.
The mark of a good restaurant is often in its sides, and Barbuto scored well on this count with it’s roasted, creamy brussel sprouts, beets and black olive salad, and fried polenta with parmesan and herbs. The Italian-inspired menu also includes a number of homemade pastas (wonderful spaghetti carbonara) and pan-roasted fish.
One final note… The meaning of “barbuto”? Apparently it’s “bearded” in Italian! Chef Jonathan Waxman dons a beard himself… but if the restaurant’s logo is any indication, looks like a special furry dog may have inspired the name.
PeanutButterMilk 