Pat Bombino’s

27146577

Memory sometimes plays funny tricks on me. I am trying to remember the first time I met Chef Al Paris. It has to be at least 15 years ago and since that time I have enjoyed his many talents working with a number of cuisines. His French fare is glorious, as is his twist on American bistro. Now that he has opened Pat Bombino’s at Ninth and Catharine streets, Philadelphia foodies can sample his Italian heritage.

Edward and I enjoyed a hearty dinner on a cold, windy night. The restaurant is BYOB so we toted along a bottle of Pinot Noir to enjoy. Named in honor of a young man who died at a young age, the eatery is warm and welcoming inside with colors of autumn — gold, brown and orange. I particularly liked the antique mirrors adorning the walls.

A complimentary platter of olives, roasted peppers and pickled onions arrived along with a loaf of warm bread as we perused the menu. It’s a mix of classic and modern Italian cucina.

From the antipasti I selected a dish that turned out to be one of the finest and most unique I have sampled in recent memory. It consisted of grilled radicchio with proscuitto ($7) and its preparation and flavors sparkled. Chef Matthew DiNatale, who owns Pat Bombino’s along with Paris, took a head of radicchio, wrapped it in imported Proscuitto di Parma, drizzled on the right touch of aged balsamic vinegar and grilled it. The contrast of tastes and textures was outrageously delicious. Radicchio is slightly bitter, but when paired with salty proscuitto and the light, sweet flavor of balsamic vinegar, you have a winning dish.

Edward warmed up with a steaming bowl of minestrone ($5), brimming with fresh vegetables and tomatoes. The soup was rich and not a bit watery.

We wanted to share a pasta dish and it did not take long to select one from the 14 options on the menu. Edward and I like the richness and full flavor of roast duck, so we went for pappardelle with duck ($18). Pappardelle is a ribbon pasta made with eggs and this one was obviously homemade. The noodles were enhanced by a Barolo — a big hearty red wine — along with a m�lange of heady portobello mushrooms and a dusting of fresh herbs. The pasta was thoughtfully split in the kitchen.

Our meal ventured into Sicilian cuisine with an entr�e of swordfish ($19). Sicilians are fond of this plentiful, meaty sea creature and it turns up in a number of recipes. At Pat Bombino’s it is cut into chunks, rolled in herbs and saut�ed in a light parsley, white wine and lemon sauce. Roasted tomatoes came with the platter.

Shrimp agrodolce ($18) was tasty and aesthetically appealing. The shrimp were good-sized and grilled. They shared the plate with a vermicelli cake, which was a small pancake of cooked thin noodles, beaten eggs and bread crumbs that was quickly fried. A mound of saut�ed spinach, topped with lemon juice and a scattering of pine nuts, was placed next to the shrimp.

Just as we were finishing our entr�es, Paris entered the restaurant. He recognized me and came over to chat. He then sent desserts ($6 and $7) to our table. Much care and thought went into the dolce. Nonni’s orange cake is a classic recipe and was toped with a Sambuca reduction. One of my favorite ways to end an Italian dinner is to tuck into a tartuffo. This one was unique, made with gelato rolled in a cookie crust and served with an espresso sauce. A slice of chocolate terrine was laced with Amaretto and topped with a raspberry sauce. We also enjoyed a light cheesecake enhanced by limoncello and strawberries.

Service was excellent throughout the meal. Aric, our waiter, took good care of us as he watched the table, filled our water glasses and changed the flatware for each course. I noticed each guest received the same fine attention as we did.

Much care was taken in the planning of the menu at Pat Bombino’s with dishes from Venice, the Amalfi coast and Abruzzo. There are dozens and dozens of Italian eateries in our city, the majority of which serve the same tried and boring dishes, but Paris and DiNatale went above and beyond, creating a new and unique addition to our burgeoning restaurant scene.

Three tips of the toque to Pat Bombino’s.

Pat Bombino’s
Ninth and Catharine streets
215-238-6555
Credit cards accepted