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| Baraonda, Bellissimo! by Osha Ana Curran This summer my fiancée and I visited a friend in a small town in Northern Italy called Vicenza. This, our first trip to Italy, left a lasting impression of rich beauty and culture, and a longing to explore and learn more about Italy and its people. Vicenza is the home of the famous Villa Rotunda among other remarkable sixteenth century architectural marvels created by Palladio and the followers of his style. On one occasion we visited a wine bar in the basement of a Palladian villa that dated back to1575. This region is prosperous due to a bustling manufacturing industry, and it shows in the beautifully preserved architecture and smiling people that line the streets. The affluent town of Vicenza abounds with fabulous restaurants and upscale boutiques housed in buildings dating back to the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. One evening we had dinner with our friend Claudio at an Agriturismo. An Agriturismo is a small farm, usually with an inn and a restaurant, which must produce at least 51% of the food and drink that they serve on site. This small farm produced wonderful grappa, a wine made from grape rinds with a very strong taste, proseco, cheese, pasta, wine and meats. I can still taste the amazing pizza we had there, with fresh mozzarella and vine ripe tomatoes. We dined under the stars and looked out onto their vineyard with a feeling of complete bliss. On a particularly blustery October evening back in Atlanta, we ventured out for a late dinner at Baraonda. The restaurant gets quite busy on show nights at the Fox, so it’s a good idea to call ahead for reservations. Dining at Baraonda was a wonderful and welcome surprise; one that took us back to that Agriturismo in Vicenza. The atmosphere here is alive and bustling, full of conversation and laughter. From the friendly waiters to the glowing brick oven where the pizza is made, Baraonda exudes a feeling of warmth and comfort. We were thrilled to see that the menu consisted of an authentic selection of Italian cuisine similar to what we dined on in Vicenza. We ordered a bottle of bubbling and flavorful proseco, the Italian answer to champagne. This sumptuous liquid is a sparkling white wine, with all of the appeal of a fine French champagne. In Italy it was served in pitchers, as a usual accompaniment with lunch or dinner. The proseco paired nicely with the Cozze in Blanco ($9), or mussels in white wine, fresh tomatoes and crushed red peppers. The mussels were simple and flavorful, with a bit of a kick. To accompany them, our waiter brought us a basket of bread that, upon first bite, was quite unremarkable. Yet after a bit of munching, subtle flavors began to reveal themselves in the form of fresh rosemary and olive oil. We enjoyed this sneaky bread so much that our waiter had to cut us off for fear that we would ruin our appetites for the main course. Baraonda offers a full dinner menu including antipasti, salad, pagniottelle, pasta, calzone and pizza, ranging from only $5 up to around $15. For my entrée, I chose the Napoletana Pizze ($8.50), a thin crust pizza topped with tomatoes, mozzarella, anchovies, marinara and oregano. This pizza was an exact replica of the delicious ones we enjoyed in Italy, and quite different from its typical American cousin. While our pizzas tend to be heavy on the dough and loaded with toppings, traditional Italian pizza comes on a very thin crust with simple and minimal toppings. Eating the Napoletana was a sensuous experience. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the fresh flavors of oregano and vine ripe tomatoes as they mingled with the sharp saltiness of the olive oil sautéed anchovies. When was the last time you had pizza that made you lean back and close your eyes while you chew? My fiancée ordered the Pesce del Giorno (market price), or fish of the day. It was a steamed Grouper and vegetables cooked in its own juices with a variety of garden herbs. The fish was very fresh and light, but did not equal the other menu items in outstanding flavor and interest. To finish our evening our friendly and well versed waiter suggested a Tiramisu. As an accompaniment we ordered grappa, wine made from grape rinds with a strong liquor taste. We learned that many Northern Italians put a bit in their espresso, then save about half a shot to mix with the coffee grinds and sugar remaining in the bottom of the cup. This is a tradition that is followed each day by some, particularly for older Italians, sometimes even at breakfast. Grappa is an acquired taste, but it is well worth the effort. It paired beautifully with the light and fluffy Tiramisu and left us with a warm flush that helped brace us against the harsh October winds blowing outside. I’ve found myself missing Italy terribly since arriving back in the Atlanta, but Baraonda helped to ease some of the hunger for the wonderful food and warm people that make Italy such an unforgettable country. Baraonda is located at 710 Peachtree Street just north of the Fox Theater. They can be reached at (404) 879-9962. |
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| from top: Mussels; Pizza; Owners; Tiramisu. |
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