What’s on the menu at Bar Buca, Rob Gentile’s new all-day spot at Yonge and Eglinton
Name: Bar Buca
Contact: #5-101 Eglinton Ave. E., 416-599-2822, buca.ca/bareglinton, @barbuca
Neighbourhood: Yonge and Eglinton
Owner: Peter Tsebelis, Gus Giazitzidis and Rob Gentile (King Street Food Company)
Chefs: Chef director Rob Gentile, chef de cuisine Raffaele Ventrone (Bar Buca, Buca Yorkville) and pastra chef Shelby Abate (Bar Buca)
The food
Bar Buca favourites (nodini, gnoccho fritto, spiedini) and a few brand-new dishes, including pizza Pugliese. The restaurant’s front café displays fresh pastries until lunch time when it transforms into a grab-and-go counter that sells salads, pizza al taglio, stuffed pizza sandwiches to-go. And an after-work aperitivo program from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. lets guests enjoy complimentary chicchetti and antipasti, with the purchase of a cocktail. Weekend brunch is a mix of sweet and savoury stuff, including egg dishes, pizza and pastries.
The drinks
Village Juicery juices, Italian sodas, espresso-based drinks, a wine list dominated with Italian bottles, signature cocktails, draft beer and digestifs.
The space
Equal parts bar and café, the Guido Constantino Projects–designed space is outfitted with Italian-inspired mid-century furnishings and modern finishes, like polished concrete and brick herringbone floors. A 60-seat outdoor patio is scheduled to open next spring.
Chefs: Chef director Rob Gentile, chef de cuisine Raffaele Ventrone (Bar Buca, Buca Yorkville) and pastra chef Shelby Abate (Bar Buca)
The food
Bar Buca favourites (nodini, gnoccho fritto, spiedini) and a few brand-new dishes, including pizza Pugliese. The restaurant's front café displays fresh pastries until lunch time when it transforms into a grab-and-go counter that sells salads, pizza al taglio, stuffed pizza sandwiches to-go. And an after-work aperitivo program from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. lets guests enjoy complimentary chicchetti and antipasti, with the purchase of a cocktail. Weekend brunch is a mix of sweet and savoury stuff, including egg dishes, pizza and pastries.
[caption id="attachment_476478" align="aligncenter" width="2047"] Fresh baked goods are available from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_476470" align="aligncenter" width="2047"] Grab-and-go lunch service is available on weekdays from 11:30 a.m. until 3 p.m., and includes things like house pastries, sandwiches, Roman-style pizza, and salads.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_476468" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] Here's a closer look.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_476469" align="aligncenter" width="2047"] And another one.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_476462" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] The Carciofi Alla Giudea Fritti (Jewish Roman-style globe artichokes coated with gremolata) are available only at the Yonge-Eg location. $12.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_476476" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] The Arancia Rossa is a blood orange salad with agrodolce olives and tropea onion. $12.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_476473" align="aligncenter" width="910"] The Gnoccho Fritto are Bolognese dumplings that’s served with warm Calabrian ‘nduja, $14.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_476477" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] Gentile’s take on the traditional pizza Pugliese tops thick 24-hour fermented potato-dough pizza with things like as eggplant parmigiana (shown here). $16.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_476471" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] The Strapazzate, a brunch dish, tops eggs with burrata and black truffle shavings. MP.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_476467" align="aligncenter" width="2047"] Chef de cuisine Raffaele Ventrone shows off some fresh truffles.[/caption]
The drinks
Village Juicery juices, Italian sodas, espresso-based drinks, a wine list dominated with Italian bottles, signature cocktails, draft beer and digestifs.
[caption id="attachment_476465" align="aligncenter" width="2047"] The Latte di Buffalo is made with fresh buffalo milk. $6.95.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_476464" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] The Bicerin Bianco features a shot of espresso with white chocolate ganache, heavy cream and orange. $7.95.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_476475" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] The Negroni al’ Caffe is made with Plymouth gin, Cynar, Martini Rosso, a shot of espresso and orange oils. $15.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_476466" align="aligncenter" width="2047"] Il Campanile is made with Four Roses bourbon, Campari, Averna, and Luxardo maraschino. $15.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_476482" align="aligncenter" width="910"] The Spritz Armonia is only available at this location. It's made with Aperitivi, wine syrup, lemon, soda and mint. $11.[/caption]
The space
Equal parts bar and café, the Guido Constantino Projects–designed space is outfitted with Italian-inspired mid-century furnishings and modern finishes, like polished concrete and brick herringbone floors. A 60-seat outdoor patio is scheduled to open next spring.
){kind=link}