Yup. It's Friday. Roll 'em!
This week, photos from a road trip! Last week, Karen and I went out to Minneapolis (yes, Minneapolis, in February) to visit our friends Rosie and Paul. On Saturday evening, we went out to dinner at this place:
OK. I was worried. Look at the phone number: Dial SPA-GETT? Geez...why didn't they just put, "speecy, spicy meat-a-balls" on the flippin' sign!
But, hey, these are friends, and Paulie does know his Italian food. So...in we go.
Here's what we see:
As for ambiance, the place is filled with this kind of artwork:
First, a picture of an Italian woman doing her best to portray our culture's adaptation of the nurturing mother archetype. We specialize in "warm and fuzzy," don't we?
Second, Paul pointing to a bunch of young ladies of the Mediterranean persuasion slurping spaghetti. Elegant. Understated. N'est pas? If you look closely at the other art on the wall in that one, you'll see images of the Pope, more pasta, and a woman admiring the penis of a marble putti.
The Italian word for this artistic genre is "raffinato," or, "refined." For a more complete definition, I refer you to the film, "The Aristocrats."
Anyway, what's the point here? The point is that Buca di Beppo is not just a restaurant, it's an "experience." Experiences are the all the rage in the retail, dining, hospitality, sports, or entertainment industries. Or just about any other, if you think about it. People don't just buy products nowadays, we buy experiences.
What kind of experience did this restaurant aim to provide?
In their words, "immigrant Southern Italian dining." Ah, now I get it! All that, (you'll pardon the expression) "Guinea kitsch" is there for a reason: to introduce what we Sicilian/Neopolitans used to call "the 'Mericaaans!" (aka, white people) to the joys of the Mezzogiorno. That's the region of Italy where much of what America thinks of as Italian food originated...well, at least any Italian food that includes the color red.
OK. Well, how'd they do? Fact is, not bad. Oh, it's a theme park, all right. But the food was good and the atmosphere was, well, fun. Check these out:
That's a bunch of people waiting to get into this place...a big bunch! Place was mobbed. Everybody as drinking and singing and yelling as they waited around...very authentic Southern Italian immigrant experience there!
Then, there was the kitchen. Yes, this is the kind of restaurant where they not only let you see the kitchen, they want you to see the kitchen. Here's why:
See that bread? Pretty good stuff for the Bronx, never mind Minneapolis. And the sauce simmering in that big pan instead of a giant vat, fresh pasta ready to be cooked...it all adds to the feeling of authenticity around the food.
Now, look at this:
This table was tucked away in the corner of the kitchen...as we walked through and saw them, fresh scrubbed and right out of central casting, I said something like, "look at the smiles on those white kids' faces!" They loved it...and they clearly loved Buca di Beppo...and I'll bet they come back to experience this place over and over and over...
OMG - it is mighty white there? good times, good times, glad you enjoyed the trek to the midwest. Now to brace for the nor'easter....
Posted by: Kristin | February 10, 2006 at 09:38 PM
It was a tad pale, but they certainly appreciated the "vowel-esque" experience!
We're hunkered, honey!
Squeeze to Benny!!
Posted by: Tom | February 10, 2006 at 10:32 PM
One thing that amazes me about Buca di Beppo is how they manage to seem like a one-off neighborhood special as opposed to a national chain. When the first one I encountered opened in Palo Alto 10 years ago, I had no idea it was a chain. It became *the* place to go with groups and for special occasions to take visitors to the Bay Area, etc. And we called it "Beppo's"
A few years later I was visiting Minneapolis for the first time and was told by a former local to check out this fave local place called "Buca." I was blown away to see it was the same place, and then found one a few months later in Indianapolis.
Seems like shortly after that they ended up everywhere. We got one in SF as well as the aforementioned Palo Alto. The last place that Phil Hartman went before being killed by his wife was Buca di Beppo (this made the news, and I couldn't help but take notice of it).
Posted by: Steve Portigal | February 11, 2006 at 06:19 PM
Yes, our friends told us it was a national chain but it certainly did have a one-off feel. Obviously, we'd never been in one before. I understand there is some uniqueness from one to the next. The "pope room," for example, is different in each unit.
The big test: Metro New York! The only NY State location is in Albany, definitely a safe distance from The Bronx. But, they have thrived in the Philly area, so I'd expect them to do OK just about anywhere.
Posted by: Tom | February 11, 2006 at 07:21 PM
Buca's is totally fun and kitschy and then when you leave, you're like, "did I just spend sixty bucks on spaghetti and meatballs?" It's amazing how they have made the "party" experience valuable. I have also seen people taking photos in the ladies room... now that's something.
Whenever I attend an event with my local convention and visitors' bureau, there are the guys from Buca di Beppo, pushing their place as the perfect stop for busloads of tourists passing through (Carrying people from New Jersey to Cabela's, for example). And dude, that Pope room is hard to get! Not to mention the Kitchen table.
Posted by: blaugra | February 13, 2006 at 09:43 AM