The Busalacchis are the first family of Italian cuisine in San Diego; they have been for as long as I can remember. When I was first married, before children, my wife and I would enjoy dinner at Busalacchis up on Fifth in Hillcrest, then later at Cafe Fantastica and Zucchero in Little Italy. When Italian food was what we were craving, it was a matter of choosing which of this family’s restaurants we would end up at. Life got busy, children entered the picture, and dining out was not as frequent. Fast forward to the present day, and I now eat out quite a bit. Barbusa has been on my radar for quite some time, and they are celebrating their 10th anniversary. I thought to myself that this would be a great time to check it out. I made plans to have lunch with my daughter Sasha on a recent day off. This was a great choice, as lunch is a more subdued experience, and as luck would have it, the Busalacchi boys and their father were there having meetings in the restaurant. While I had never met these men, I have known the family for 20 years, as the matriarch, Mrs. Busalacchi, was not only my neighbor when I lived in Del Cerro, she was a customer as I ran a small neighborhood gourmet shop called 3 Squares Gourmet.
I told my waiter Giuseppe that I was writing a story, and it didn’t take long for Michael Busalacchi to come to the table. He was charming and very helpful in answering my questions about the space, the Sicilian cuisine, and the family history. PJ, Michael’s brother, also stopped by the table and chatted us up. I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to see a family present in their restaurants; it makes all the difference in the world. Presence is everything in this business.Â
I was very interested in the family’s Sicilian heritage and what that meant to the menu. Giuseppe, our server, is from Sicily, he helped us order something off the menu that reminded him of home.Â
We chose the pasta Bolognese Al Forno, Fiori Di Zucca (fired squash blossoms), and later on Michael brought us some Sicilian Meatballs. Oh, I can’t forget the famous Busalacchi garlic bread made with the same garlic butter they have been using in their restaurants since day one. This old favorite brought back memories of past dining experiences in this family’s lovely restaurants.
Let’s start with the Bolognese Al Forno. I asked Michael what made this Bolognese different from other versions I may have experienced elsewhere. What he told me was fascinating. To start with, the sauce leans sweeter, less savory, which was fun and delicious. There were three meats in the sauce: pork, beef, and my beloved pancetta. They don’t list the pancetta on the menu, so we may have just gotten a family secret; sorry, Michael, I can’t be trusted. The pasta shape made me smile, as I had purchased this shape from Mona Lisa a while back and haven’t gotten around to making it yet. This shape is so fun; it is called anelletti, which means “little ring.” They look like a larger version of SpaghettiO’s. My idea was to make a leveled up, great-tasting, version of SpaghettiOs and meatballs, and there I was getting a master class on how to do it properly. My daughter Sasha immediately started threading these little rings on her fork, and I followed suit. I couldn’t stop smiling. Who doesn’t like a little bit on whimsy. The other thing that Michael told us was that the Bolognese contained peas.Â
The peas were fascinating to me as I thought they might have arrived in Sicily via the Spaniards; I see peas in paella a lot. I couldn’t have been more wrong. A little research told me that sweet peas are native to Sicily and have been used as a filler in meat dishes as meat was, and is, expensive. The peas have always been present and helped provide protein and flavor when money was tight.
Michael also explained that this dish was a family favorite and was traditionally served as a baked dish on special occasions and holidays. The presentation we experienced was adapted for the restaurant.
The squash blossoms (Fiori Di Zucca) were a pleasant surprise as well. I love fried squash blossoms as they scream summer to me. I love seeing these flowers piled up at the farmers’ markets. Typically, they are stuffed with ricotta cheese and dipped in a very light tempura-style batter that lightly covers the blossom; you can see the colors of the flowers through the fried coating. When the blossoms arrived, I was taken aback as the batter was more akin to what you would see on a Baja fish taco. Thicker, not light, and fried to a golden brown. Three were lined up on a cutting board atop a delicious apricot chile jam, which added a wonderful sweetness and a bit of a kick to the dish. I dove right in and cut that sucker in half. The first bite was heavenly. I loved the thick fried coating; it was a nice counterbalance to the delicate flower. I asked Michael about the Quattro Formaggi in the filling. He rattled off three common Italian cheeses, not four, so I asked what the fourth was, and he smiled and told me it was a secret. I love a good secret. I will be back and order these again and again until I figure it out.
The meatballs are made with sirloin; of course, they were so tender and flavorful. They were served in a slightly sweet sauce with pecorino and Carpino (a goat’s milk cheese). These went right on top of my anelletti pasta to complete my leveled-up Franco-American vision.Â
The garlic bread is simply divine and was used to mop up all the goodies; my motto is always no sauce left behind.
PJ, Michael, Giuseppe, l thank you for your time and your generous hospitality; Michael, PJ, your family has always provided great joy to me. I am so glad we met, and I was able to make the connection about your grandmother. I can’t wait to experience Barbusa at night, as I know it is quite the spot after dark. Barbusa is a magnificent space, beautifully maintained. Comforting doesn’t begin to describe it. I hope you take a trip to one of San Diego’s most charming cultural neighborhoods and receive a big dose of hospitality at Barbusa. This family will take care of you.Â
Barbusa
1917 India Street
San Diego,CA 92101
Hours
Sunday-Thursday 11:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
