Bacci
by Frank Quattrone
Buckingham Township boasts one of the best international restaurants in the region. Ostensibly Italian, Baci Ristorante & Heart of Oak Pub offers a nice array of authentic Italian delicacies, combined, surprisingly but quite comfortably, with the kind of comfort food more suited to an English pub. And that’s strictly by design.
That’s because warm and gregarious chef-owner David Husenaj brings his eclectic culinary training and imagination, as well as his keen love of family, to this popular Bucks County destination. Of Albanian descent, David was born in Italy’s stately Siena, when his parents settled there. Despite his Italian birth, it was during a lengthy stay in France that he was first smitten by culinary techniques and ingredients.
Ironically, it was in Manhattan, where he moved nearly forty years ago (first at a fine dining French restaurant, and later, at Lelo, his first experience working in an Italian restaurant), that David finally realized that Italian cooking would be his forte and his passion.
But the historic building he chose for his first solo project, after years of working with his brothers in New Jersey restaurants, happened to be the former Buckingham Steakhouse, situated on the main floor, with a pub on the floor below. Named Heart of Oak by David’s late wife Ziz, who was born in Britain, it was far too popular to disappoint its avid patrons, so David has maintained its cozy cave ambience. Managed by his two sons, Tony and Nebi, Heart of Oak still draws huge lunch crowds and seems packed any time of the day.
The best thing about these two seemingly distinct dining identities, with their diverse clientele (from couples to families to buddies enjoying each other’s company) is that guests are invited to order any item from either menu, no matter which setting they choose. Either way, they can’t lose, as Baci, whose name in Italian (inspired by David’s father’s nickname) means “kisses,” is as charming as you would imagine, with exposed stone and exposed wooden beams, an inlaid stone floor, wrought-iron sconces, and slatted windows that recall David’s beloved Italy.
And like Italy, the restaurants are unabashedly family-driven. Besides David’s two sons, on any given visit you might meet Romina, the lovely Albanian-born wife he married just three years ago, or Selvi Husenaj, his loving niece, who serves at Baci part-time. Most days she teaches classes in art at New Jersey schools. Romina serves as hostess on weekends and does a little bit of everything.
Despite the family warmth exuding from Baci and Heart of Oak, it’s the cuisine that keeps customers coming back. As we did on our first visit a few years ago, Eve and I began our latest meal with one of Baci’s signature appetizers—the mouth-watering Rollantini di Melanzane, tender eggplant rolled, stuffed, and baked with prosciutto and mozzarella and topped with a light pink cream sauce. Next we had Baci’s special arugula salad of the day, laced with prosciutto di Parma and burrata cheese in a light balsamic vinaigrette.
Other appealing appetizers include Vongole al Vino Blanco, or baby clams in a white wine sauce with garlic and fresh diced tomatoes; Cocktail di Gamberi (Shrimp Cocktail); and excellent, tender Calamari Fritti with homemade marinara sauce.
The dinner menu, where all items are made from scratch, is so attractive that Eve and I deferred to David’s exquisite taste. He brought us excellent homemade gnocchi (not on the menu), and then the evening’s masterpiece—his own variation on Surf & Turf: tender shrimp sautéed in lemon butter and white wine and veal pan-seared with white wine and topped with roasted red peppers and capers, with a side of grilled asparagus, broccoli, and carrots. Absolutely outstanding!
We chose to save for a later visit the new Trenette alla Vecchia Maniera, made with trenette, a narrow, flat pasta, served with prosciutto, mushrooms, and peas in a light cream sauce; as well as some of the popular pub specialties, like Shepherd’s Pie, Fish & Chips, and Chicken Leek Pie, tender shredded chicken and sautéed leeks baked in a flaky pastry crust. For dessert, we enjoyed the house-baked apple strudel, the evening special.
Before our delightful evening ended, we asked David to share a personal favorite among his many recipes. He gave us the perfect pasta sauce. He calls it Zingara (or gypsy) Style Sauce (a serving for one. Multiply accordingly).
Chop a clove of garlic. Sauté over medium heat until brown in 2 tablespoons of olive oil with a sprinkling of fresh parsley, which flavors the dish and prevents the garlic from burning. Then add a half-cup of chicken or vegetable broth, with one chopped pepperoncini and an artichoke heart. Salt and pepper to taste. And in a few minutes, he promises a sauce you will never forget.
The Baci building has come a long way from its origin as a stagecoach inn in 1709. But the hospitality that guests came to expect back then has only grown in the nearly quarter-century that David Husenaj and his family have graced this space.
Baci is located at 2559 Bogarts Tavern Road, Buckingham, PA 18902; 215-794-7784; www.baciristorante.com. Baci is open for dinner Sunday–Thursday, 4:30 – 9:30 p.m. and Friday & Saturday, 4:30 – 10 p.m. Heart of Pub is open daily, 11:30 a.m.–2 a.m. Closed for lunch on Monday. Seating available on new balcony, weather permitting. Catering available.