Space is a covetable thing in the restaurant biz, so if you can afford it, then we say: go ahead and flaunt it. The guys at DiVino Group are doing just that with their latest eatery at Brim 28 – a high-ceilinged, 8,000sq ft arena with indoor and outdoor seating. They’ve made good use of the expansive room, fitting in special equipment and display shelves stuffed with Italian ingredients.
In the roomy kitchen, the chefs churn out an assortment of rustic dishes. Guests can order salumi and formaggi platters to share (from $199) but there are fancier options, such as black mussels in spicy tomato broth ($148) and maguro tuna tartare layered between diced avocadoes ($138). These are satisfying, though nothing exceptional. You might be enticed by Tonnato-style turkey breast ($108). The preparation is traditionally used for veal but here the blended mayo-anchovy purée adds richness and blasts of caper-induced brine to the otherwise dry and bland bird.
Then there are the pizzas, which are hand-tossed and home-baked. The 13-inch pies boast thin bases that come with a slight chew, distinct flour aromas and a charred crispness just around the edges, with 10 topping combinations to choose from. But the highlight of our meal has to be the spit-roasted Vallespluga rooster ($188). The half bird is perfumed with herbs and is sheathed in evenly crisped-up skin. For dessert, the Sicilian cannoli ($78) with ricotta is dry while the babá ($78) is aggressively oversoaked in rum, so it’s safest to end with a gelato or sorbet ($32) because DiVino Patio really is a great space and it’d be a shame to let a bad babá ruin that.
Dinner for two: around $850.