Bugatti Cafe

I had always been intrigued by Bugatti. Situated on an ever-growing food corner, Bugatti neighbors local favorites Pachanga Patterson, Bareburger, and Il Bambino on 31^st Avenue, with Italian food rivals Bartolino and Portalia on Broadway. Bugatti characterizes itself as a more upscale Italian eatery, seen in its dark wood décor and offering of valet services. My relationship with Bugatti started off on the wrong foot. Having purchased a Groupon to try out the establishment, I was told by one of the wait staff that they would not accept my Groupon on the Friday night I was trying to book, even though there was no mention of this restriction on the Groupon. Conversations with Groupon resulted in this restriction being lifted, but reading Yelp reviews of other Groupon users painted a less than stellar dining experience. Numerous reviews stated that when using their Groupons, patrons were treated differently, charged unfairly, and had an overall negative perception of the restaurant. Unfortunately, it seems as if Bugatti does not understand the point of this service. Yes, restaurants may not see a profit from diners using a Groupon, but the use of this service and other similar services is to gain repeat visits and therefore, more customers. Restaurants that fail to recognize this only end up hurting themselves more when they offer a disappointing experience.

The interior of Bugatti Café features dark wood paneling, with an exposed brick wall and mural covering the main wall. Bugatti has a full bar, located to the right, and has outdoor seating for the warmer months.  Stereotypical Italian music is generally heard to passerbys, but on the evening of my visit, the music choice was the Buena Vista Social Club. While the music isn’t blasting like many other places, it was a bit loud.

interior

interior

interior

Our server was friendly, which helped ease my reservations about the place. A basket of crusty bread was set on our table, served with some roasted zucchini and garlic in olive oil. The bread was fresh , and paired with the vegetables, was a perfect prelude to our meal. For our dishes, my friend and I ordered the Taglierini Con Pesto e Gamberetti and the Nodino di Vitello. I had wanted the Branzino (striped bass) entrée but it was sold out when I ordered. For a starter, we chose the Burrata.

complimentary bread

The Burrata is described as an imported cream-filled Mozzarella served on vegetable caponata and tossed pignoli nuts. This dish blew me and my friend away. A generous pouch of Burrata lay atop a medley of warm chopped vegetables and a bit of fresh pesto. The Burrata was so rich and so fresh, I have never tasted a Mozzarella like it before. Eaten with the seasoned vegetables further brought out the buttery flavor of the cheese. The Burrata is a winning dish at Bugatti, and one that I will be back for.

Burrata

The Taglierini Con Pesto e Gamberetti consists of fresh taglierini pasta with grilled shrimp, basil, and pesto. I thoroughly enjoyed this dish as well  - the portion was perfect, and the pesto was homemade, and very strong. I love strong pesto, but after eating so much of it, it got a bit overpowering. The grilled shrimp was perfectly cooked, and truly grilled, as I could taste the smokiness on the seafood.

Taglierini Con Pesto e Gamberetti

The Nodino di Vitello is a pan-seared boneless loin of veal, served with fresh sage, thyme, and a dry white wine sauce. It comes with broccoli rabe and roasted potato slices.  This dish was heartily enjoyed by my friend. The veal was extremely tender, and the rich wine sauce paired well with the meat. The broccoli rabe and roasted potatoes were both amazing, and well seasoned, making this dish a very fulfilling meal.

Nodino di Vitello

For dessert, my companion and I shared the Nutella crepes, served as two thin crepes rolled with Nutella. It is difficult to mess up Nutella crepes, and Bugatti did a good job in presentation and taste, offering some walnuts mixed in .

Nutella crepes

The owner of the place was sitting at the restaurant while we were there, and did not welcome us or ask us about our meal.  I noticed she catered to the regulars, and made no effort to see how we enjoyed the place, which was a bit disappointing.

Groupon and management issues aside, I really loved the food at Bugatti. We were lucky to get a nice server, and enjoyed our meal. The ambience and typical clientele at Bugatti is not the vibe I gravitate towards when going out to eat, but the excellent food alone makes this a place I will consider visiting again.