Barbuto

We enjoyed watching Chef Jonathan Waxman on the most recent season of Top Chef Masters.  Between his calm demeanor and his ingredients-first approach to cooking (after all, he was the chef at Chez Panisse), Chef Waxman's restaurants soon became a must-try destination for us. We finally got the chance to dine at his restaurant Barbuto and were eager to try his renowned roasted chicken.

Located in the affluent and trendy West Village, the restaurant (with its opened garage door windows) has a nice outdoor patio feel (even when you're dining inside).

Zucchine crude ($11):  Shaved heirloom zucchini salad with hazelnuts and black olive dressing ($11):  This was a clean and tasty summer dish.  It was lightly dressed with cracked black pepper and we loved the crunchy textures between the nuts and cool zucchini slices.  Between this salad and the one we enjoyed at al di la in Brooklyn, we have been inspired to make similar salads at home.  It's a great way to use up all of the fresh zucchini we buy at the farmer's market!  

Paccheri con Salciccia ($19):  Instead of the fresh ricotta that normally tops this dish, goat cheese was used instead (the restaurant had run out of ricotta cheese).  The goat cheese was very mild and silky in texture (very similar to ricotta).  We enjoyed this entree-sized plate of homemade pasta.  We found it very similar to rigatoni with a spicy sausage ragu.

New flatware arrives as we anxiously await our roasted chicken...

Pollo al Forno ($19):  We were waiting for this roasted JW Chicken!  We loved the juicy, well-seasoned chicken with crisp skin and fresh salsa verde.  There was so much food, we definitely did not need sides!  There's something comforting about warm roasted chicken, and the leftovers were perfect for a late-night snack.  We may need to make this at home! (We found the recipe here).

Peach and Raspberry Crostata ($8):  What we liked about this dessert was that the fruit really stood out  instead of being buried in crust and sugar.  The homemade whipped cream was light, airy, and delicate.  This simple dish allowed the seasonal fruit to shine.

Barbuto is located at 775 Washington St (at W 12th St) in NYC.