Casual Rustic Dining

Barbuto, an airy Italian restaurant bustling within sprawling garage-style doors, looks onto a charming stretch of Washington Street in the Far West Village. With its industrial yet inviting décor, Barbuto’s open kitchen sports a wood burning brick oven that consistently turns out crispy roast chicken, reputably known throughout the city for its perfection. A relatively small menu at Jonathan Waxman’s restaurant evolves with the changing of each season, depending on what food is the freshest, yet always focusing on rustic Italian cuisine. Each dish is carefully crafted using a few ingredients that produce simple yet colorful and tasty creations. For example, he turns three simple ingredients; bread, squash, and pecorino cheese into a crunchy, silky, and savory plate of roasted butternut squash puree with melted pecorino on toast. If you are in the mood for a pasta dish the crispy gnocchi with an in-season vegetable and accompanying cheese (currently on the menu: parsnips and parmesan) is a great dish to warm yourself up on a cold winter evening. Barbuto features a chef table located in the kitchen where a group of 14 people can dine on a three or four-course pre fix dinner ($60.00 per person before tips and selections from the bar or wine list) while watching the chefs in action. Overall, this delicious spot is a welcoming respite from traditional Italian eateries, and we’re anxiously waiting for Spring to see what beautiful culinary concoctions Mr. Waxman will whip up next.

Barbuto (775 Washington St. at W. 12th St.)