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Buca di Beppo: Pass the Pasta And Say Hi to Frank & Sophia | |
| By Anne Wilson -- Special To The Tribune | 11/23/2001 | |
| Buca di Beppo is not designed for the white-gloved set. It is messy, chaotic and gaudy, from the hundreds of photographs that don't always show people at their best, to the garish statuary and fake flowers in colors never found in nature. This burgeoning restaurant chain -- 67 stores in 24 states -- is an intentional anachronism, a throwback to an era (think 1950s) when family-style Italian restaurants were a natural consequence of immigration. Anyone who grew up in a large family, whether Italian or not, will suffer deja vu while dining at Buca di Beppo. This may be good or bad. Utah is a natural market for Buca di Beppo, born in a Minneapolis basement in 1993. (Buca di Beppo means "Joe's Basement" or more literally, "Joe's hole in the ground.") The idea was simple: serve large portions of Southern Italian food family style -- in dishes passed around the table. The ambience is casual, which is where the photos come in. Each restaurant has its own collection, with poses ranging from raunchy to touching, plus a few obligatory movie stars -- Frank Sinatra, Sophia Loren, etc. While it is above ground, the Salt Lake Buca feels like a basement: it has hallways running into rooms and more rooms, all filled with booths and tables covered with red and white checkered cloths and all of them windowless. The menu is painted on the walls among the photos. (Printed versions are available for diners who might have to turn their heads 180 degrees to read the wall.) The prices seem shocking at first: Who would pay $10 for a "small" portion of spaghetti and meatballs? Make that meatball: a single, softball-sized meatball, weighing in at half a pound, and a bowl of noodles big enough for three people, unless they eat like "Big Joe" himself (you can't miss his picture near the kitchen door, because everyone traipses to their table through the kitchen). The large portion of spaghetti is made with two pounds of pasta and three of those Big Joe-sized meatballs. Every dish comes that way, which is why eating at Buca requires a crowd. The food is not the best Italian you've ever eaten, but it's pretty darn good, the kind of food you would expect if you went to Nona's for Sunday dinner with 40 other relatives. The pervasive red sauce tastes like tomatoes and the pasta is cooked al dente. The salads and meats look and taste fresh. Start your meal with a salad, either the Caesar ($10.95 and $12.95) or the mixed green variety with prosciuttos and Gorgonzola ($11.95 and $13.95). The greens are fresh in both and the Caesar even has anchovies on top, although the dressing isn't as garlicky as it should be. The mixed salad has crumbled Gorgonzola, a few exotic olives and a wealth of chopped prosciuttos, all dressed with a lively vinaigrette. Pair it with garlic bread with mozzarella, a focaccia-stye bread topped with cheese and sliced roasted garlic, and you have a fine meal. But, wait, you haven't eaten enough! Add the prosciutto rollato pizza, which is dough rolled around a filling of goat cheese, ham, mushrooms and two kinds of cheese ($18.95). (Make a mental note: this would be great picnic fare.). Or try the veal parmigiana ($19.95), five pieces of breaded and sauteed veal, layered with ham and cheese and topped with marinara sauce. It's not the highest quality veal, but quite acceptable at that price. Ditto with the linguine and seafood ($19.95). There is a fair amount of fish in the dish, but the mussels are tiny, the clams even smaller and the calamari pretty skimpy. But it is nicely seasoned and the fish is fresh. Desserts range from tiramisu made with rum ($8.95) to spumoni with chocolate sauce ($6.95), each of them big enough to share with two or three friends. By this time, you either will be better friends or will never share a table again. If food and fixtures aren't enough to keep your group entertained, consider reserving the table in the kitchen or in the "Pope's Room," where the centerpiece is a pontiff-like bust. One place that shouldn't be missed is the women's restroom, which is filled with outrageous '50s stuff, like a framed brassiere and printed rules of etiquette for dealing with someone else's flatulence. This decorating job puts the men's room to shame. For a place that only opened at the end of September, Buca's service is impressive. Servers are friendly, knowledgeable about the menu and the company's history, and strangely upbeat, considering the table messes they deal with daily. Buca di Beppo is a kick in the pants, a concept that appeals to our need for togetherness and what we believe (probably mistakenly) was a simpler time. Like life, it's loud and messy. Of course, some people go out to dine to escape that sort of thing. Buca di Beppo won't be their cup of Joe. Buca di Beppo 934 E. Fort Union Blvd. Midvale, 561-9463 Hours: Monday through Thursday, 5-10 p.m.; Friday, 5-11 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 11 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 10 p.m. Prices: Entrees from $10 to $23 Liquor: Yes Reservations: Yes Child's Menu: No Takeout: Yes Wheelchair Accessible: Yes Outdoor Dining: No Parking: On site lot Credit Cards: All major Anne Wilson is The Tribune's restaurant reviewer. The newspaper covers the cost of meals at restaurants reviewed and there is no connection between reviews and restaurant advertising. Wilson welcomes food and wine news, comments and suggestions at wilwrite99@aol.com. |
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