Bucci's -- What a Gem [Emeryville]

[TopoTail]

When I'm not eating with my wife for one reason or another, I usually seem to find myself at the counter at Bucci's. Every time I go there I tell myself I'm going to get something other than the margherita pizza, which, in my book, is second only to Delfino's, though of a very different style. This time, I finally resisted the allure of the margherita. I ordered a Ceasar salad and Antipasti plate.

The salad (okay, I have had that before) uses nicely chilled, quality romano with garlic croutons, a lemon/anchovy dressing and shavings of parmesan.

The antipasto plate included grilled lamb with charmoula, tuna confit with a Meyer lemon salsa, mussels escabeche, grilled eggplant with balsamic, and a caprese salad in the middle. What a wonderful assortment of quality ingredients with deft spicing. The tuna was the star of the plate, with the lamb a close second. The escabeche sauce with the mussels was great for dipping a crust of bread.

The only disappointment was the winter tomatoes in the caprese. (And I should add that I'm not especially fond of the bread they serve, or the very salty olives.)

But all in all, Bucci's is a gem. The service is always friendly, the prices reasonable, the food excellent.

[escargot3]

I'd like to add that in addition to top notch cooking, and a lovely ambience, there's more than ample parking (at least at nite).

they also have a side room that's great for small parties.

[Rapini]

I go there only once or twice a year, but enjoy it every time. At a recent lunch, my server mentioned that the place is celebrating its 25th year (IIRC) of consistently good food and service. I agree that it's a gem.

[Windy]

I remember eating there when they first opened in 1990 or 1991, one of the first "fancy" restaurants in that neighborhood, along with the Townhouse. Sounds like it's time for a return visit.

Edited: Their website says 1988, along with a lot of fun history:
http://www.buccis.com/history.html

[gordon wing]

It's not totally surprising that the winter tomatoes didn't deliver .... what is surprising is that places would have it on their menu at all when tomatoes are not at their best. the antipasto plate sounds very interesting.

[poser]

And this place is where?

[rworange]

Emeryville

Address and website
http://www.yelp.com/biz/buccis-emeryv...