It was the last thing I expected from Barbaro an Italian newcomer to Millbrook.
It was described as “crispy squid, herb-cornichon aioli, spicy arrabbiata”.
It was delicious!
It was more than delicious, it’s raised the bar for fried calamari (trust me, days later I turned down the chance for fried calamari at a legendary Boston seafood restaurant).
The squid was incredibly tender, even the little tentacle pieces, lightly breaded and perfectly fried. The two sauces that accompanied it were great—an herbed aioli and a slightly spicy tomato.
Barbaro opened at the end of November on Franklin Avenue in Millbrook and has been doing great business ever since.
Along with the squid, they sent us the hummus with zathar-coated pitas to taste and that evening’s special salad, with bitter greens, blood orange segments and goat cheese. The hummus was good, and the wood-fired pitas added a nice touch.
The salad had a light dressing that complemented the mix of arugula, radicchio, goat cheese, the orange segments and bits of pomegranate.
Since pizzas in the wood-burning oven are one of Barbaro’s specialties, we went for the Bosco, with four cheeses (ricotta, manchego, mozzarella and parmesan) topped with plenty of mushrooms.
Later we discovered that the wood-burning oven was also used to roast the beets in the salad and toast the pitas. Maybe that's what made them so good! They have fun using it for everything from some of the specials to roasted cauliflower, meatballs, and pork chops.
The toppings toppings on the pizza were good, but we thought with another couple of minutes on the fire, would have really made the pizza top-notch.
Keeping in the cheese mood, who could resist the ravioli stuffed with burrata and served with butter and sage? The dish came with three very large ravioli in a pool of melted butter, garnished with fried sage leaves. It’s always been one of my favorite ways to have pasta.
Janet went on a healthier route and opted for the fish special. She had the cod with chick peas, kale, and roasted tomatoes with a saffron infused sauce. The cod was perfectly prepared and went well with the vegetables.
Jessica, the manager, gave us some insider info. Her favorite dishes? The grilled and roasted half chicken or the rigatoni with sausage and creamy tomato sauce. We’ll definitely try them the next time we’re here after noshing on the crispy squid!
Barbaro is open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday. If you want to make sure to get a table, call for a reservation: 845-677-4440.
They are still working on their website so you won't find their menu online. Don't let that stop you, you're sure to will find something you like. They will send you their menu, simply email them at info@barbaromillbrook.com
Address:
3279 Franklin Avenue
Millbrook, NY
