Review: Cucina Pazzo in St. Louis

Editor's note: Cucina Pazzo has closed.

Corner bars, four-way stops, Italian restaurants. St. Louis is loaded with them, especially that last one. Think The Hill and newer spinoffs like Pastaria, Marcella’s Mia Sorella, Sugo’s, among the 200-and-counting Italian eateries in town. So how crazy was it for the guys behind OG Hospitality Group (The Corner Pub & Grill, The Tavern Kitchen & Bar, The Shack PubGrub) to unveil yet another Italian restaurant … and in the building that, until recently, housed Duff’s, one of St. Louis’ most iconic and cherished restaurants? Not full-blown crazy, but it sure took some palle.

Yet, Cucina Pazzo (PAHTS-tsoh, Italian for “crazy”) fits comfortably in its new Central West End address. While the facade, including the gorgeous stained glass Duff’s signage, has been replaced, remnants of the old space remain: the beautiful brick archway, the two dining rooms adjacent to the bar area, the pressed tin ceiling, the oddly leveled floor and the noise level on busy nights. Extensive renovations, however, have brightened and opened up the once warren-like interior with an overhaul of the bar and a striking open kitchen buzzing with activity. Executive chef and co-owner Justin Haifley is used to cranking out myriad dishes at a frenetic pace from a kitchen that is essentially a fishbowl on display (At The Tavern, I would sit at the kitchen bar watching what seemed like utter chaos as Haifley and his crew reeled out dishes with remarkable coordination.). One addition to Cucina’s space I can’t understand is the flat-screen TV hanging on the wall in the far dining room where Bill Kohn’s sprawling diptych painting of the Grand Canyon once hung; when the TV is turned on – even muted – it’s a visual insult.

Like the renovated physical space, the extensive menu is rooted in tradition with an eye toward modernity, even whimsy, working to appeal to a broad audience. When done well, as Cucina Pazzo is doing, this notion is what defines the essence of a neighborhood haunt. Think of it as an Italian gastropub. Italian, yes, but you won’t find tired old-timers like toasted ravioli and spumoni. Rather, there are nuggets of battered mortadella corn dogs and golf ball-sized spheres of ricconi. The former is a lighthearted take on the classic carnival food served with Moretti beer cheese and jalapeño honey mustard for dunking; the latter, three balls of fried ricotta sitting in a pool of brightly flavored tomato confit with slices of crispy pepperoni and basil blossoms (“Think deconstructed pizza,” the server suggested.). Both were unexpected versions of the expected, but I found the ricconi far more flavorful than a couple bites of Italian bologna lost in translation.

While not explicitly labeled as such, most of the menu is laid out in the typical Italian three-course format – antipasti, primi piatti, secondo piatti – even if the options aren’t all that typical. In addition to corn dogs and ricconi among starters, there were pork rillettes with crispy bits of smoky pork belly confit spiced up with more of that jalapeño honey mustard and balanced with the acidity of pickled red onion. Two thick slices of cured, roasted pork belly glazed with maple syrup and black pepper made up the Pancetta di Pazzo. The tartness of the accompanying apricot-cherry mostarda paired perfectly with the subtle sweetness of the meat.

The pasta portion of the menu would be the primi piatti in most authentic Italian restaurants. According to my server, the house-made pappardelle is wildly popular, and I can understand why. Tender, beefy short ribs are braised for 16 hours in red wine, with carrots and celery, and served in a sauce of cipollini onions and roasted mushrooms. Unlike a lot of fresh pappardelle I’ve had elsewhere, these broad, flat noodles weren’t overcooked into a gloppy mess. Linguine with shrimp and clams consisted of three plump, juicy grilled shrimp atop a tangle of beautifully al dente house-made noodles, while bits of clam meat, slivers of soppressata salami and hot chile flakes added another layer of taste, texture and subtle heat. Cucina’s open kitchen is smaller than The Tavern’s but just as entertaining and informative; grab a perch at the counter and chat up the cooks while watching them execute your order – it’s where I learned cream and butter were incorporated into the linguine to help tighten the sauce, as well as add silky richness.

My entrees from the piatti pazzo portion of the menu (or the secondo piatti if we’re keeping count in Italian) were no less satisfying. Pork Vicenza combined two mustardy flavors common in Italian and French cooking: a pear mostarda (candied fruit cooked in a white wine-mustard seed syrup) and Meaux mustard sauce (a creamy pan sauce incorporating a grainier Dijon-style mustard). Far from being overwhelming, the savory Meaux bathed the pork – a bone-in porterhouse brined, prepared sous vide and grilled – while the sweet-tinged tartness of the mostarda proved a worthy counterpoint. Swordfish Salmoriglio sounded fancy but was presented simply: Quickly grilled and bearing perfect crosshatch marks, the meaty fish retained moisture and flavor from a salmoriglio marinade of lemon juice, fresh herbs, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and a splash of lemon-caper butter sauce. Several sides are available, including a notable creamy polenta made with Anson Mills ground corn and rich Italian sausage ragù.

But before any of these courses, there is soft rosemary focaccia baked in a miniature cast iron-pan and served hot from the oven with Sicilian “butter,” an enticing dipping sauce made of balsamic vinegar, Parmesan, honey, chile flakes, olive oil and straight-up raw garlic. Whereas so many restaurants now charge for bread service from the get-go, here, the first pan is complimentary.

Cucina’s wine list is understandably heavy on Italian and surprisingly underwhelming, with about twice as many reds as whites and a handful of each available by the glass. Bottle pricing follows industry markup standards, meaning above my pay grade. The house reds and whites are a smarter choice at $7 a glass, even if they are commonly available at most grocery stores: Toscolo Chianti, Rex Goliath pinot noir, La Terre cabernet sauvignon. Desserts are fine, even fun, like the lemon ricotta fritters: five airy pillows of fried sweet dough served with limoncello lemon curd and blueberry compote dipping sauces.

While I thoroughly enjoyed my meals, Cucina Pazzo isn’t breaking any new culinary ground – just solid cooking with enough variety and panache to make it a perfectly sane dining choice.

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Where
392 N. Euclid Ave.,
St. Louis, 314.696.8400, oghospitalitygroup.com

Don’t Miss Dishes
Swordfish Salmoriglio, Pork Vicenza and pappardelle

Vibe
Vibrant, casual, urban and chic with lots of exposed brick and noise on busy nights

Entree Prices
$11 to $36

When
Mon. to Sat. – 11 a.m. to close, Sun. – 4 p.m. to close; Brunch: Sun. – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.