Date Night at Buca
Posted in Firsts, Food, I Wasn't Paid to Write This, True Story on Jul 3rd, 2008
(Note: Those following “The Keys Are In It” may continue with Part Three at my story blog.)
Somehow my wife didn’t fully appreciate my taking my DSLR camera into the restaurant Tuesday on date night. I got my shots quickly and stopped — well, except for one right there at the end, but that was nowhere it could embarrass her.
Directly.
(click any pic to enlarge)
Whether you appreciate the pics or not, if there’s a Buca di Beppo near you and you haven’t tried it, then do so at least once. Their menu features items sized for two for about $16. They also have meals sized for four and, at the other end of the delicious spectrum, Buca Mio. That’s Italian for “loner.”
Besides the food, there was the ambience. Designed to look like the basement where the restaurant started in Minneapolis (you know, where all the Italians live), none of the dining areas have windows, and the ceilings are standard height. Nearly every square inch of wall space is covered by black-and-white photos and shelves bearing funny trinkets.
It’s a great place to go, and neither of us could believe we’d never heard of it in our three years here.
On Wednesday night, we let Benjamin open the presents we bought him for his fifth birthday. The big party is this weekend.
Wow… never seen a place like this.
What kind of food?
Oh noes!!! It’s the four horsemen of the apocalypse!
AND PRINCESS PETAL-HEAD!!
I sure hope the food was good enough to stave off the sheer terror of the ambiance.
Oh yum, I love Buca! Yes, I can’t believe you’ve never heard of it. They have the yummiest salad!
Well Happy Birthday to Ben. Five years old. That seems very old to me with my own only reaching 2 later this month. But I know she’ll be there quicker than I expect. Well…she’ll be there in exactly 3 years, I know…but you know what I mean.
We don’t have a Buca near us, KC is the closest. But I have heard of it before. And we’re going to Minneapolis next weekend…so maybe we can give it a shot.
They got food and alcohol right? What’s not to like?
Dave - I think the word “Italian” was in there more than once, but in case that wasn’t a tip-off, it was Italian food. You probably have lots of little hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurants where you are.
Simon - Was that a sly attempt to correct my spelling of “ambience?” Because, it can be spelled either way, ya smarmy, amphibious wanker.
Trinity - In fact, the salad was the part Shannon raved on and on about. The chicken cannelloni was delicious, too.
Mokkin’ with Dokken - It seems old to us, too!
Buca is worth a stop if you’re ever near one.
Charles - Not only that, but a combination of the two that sounded amazing (dessert-like drink).
I need to go there! I keep hearing about it from family! It sounds wonderful! Have a wonderful 4th Mark, Shannon and Ben!
Actually, no, I wasn’t trying to correct any spelling. Just going for an “odd” post. So you basically called me smarmy (among those other things you called me) for no reason at all.
I’m taking my ball and going home now to pout.
Si - Even if you weren’t being intentionally smarmy there (which I’m not quite sure I believe)…surely you accept that you are smarmy often enough to deserve the label.
Moksha, if I were smarmy enough to deserve the label then I would also be smarmy enough not to admit to it.
Si - Which renders your opinion on the matter moot, since you clearly would defend the same position no matter what the truth may be. So, I stand with Mark, convinced that you are an amphibiously smarmy, manly armey (yet alarmingly charmy) wanker Mr. Simian Farmy.
Ann - ‘Tis worth the trip.
Moksha and Simon - I can count on you guys to keep things active around here while I’m out of the house.
Nice rhymin’, Moksha.
You guys really should take your comedy show on the road!