Enoteca is the hot new word on the street, or should I say Delaware Avenue. It's a word that describes Salvatore Buscaglia's new lounge that is moving into the space that was once occupied by Bellini's Restaurant. What is Enoteca? Salvatore describes it as a tapas-style lounge mixed with chill-out music. The food will be tapas-style in that there is a limited menu that serves small portions of specialty dishes. Tapas originated in Andalusia, southern Spain, so many tapas-style bars are often limited to serving Spanish dishes... otherwise it's not really tapas. Enoteca is almost a vibe. It's become known as a social lounge experience that offers customers a place to experiment with new tastes and sounds.
What is really impressive about the Snooty Fox Lounge is the amount of work that Salvatore and his Pop are putting into the space. Salvatore purchased the building that came with a couple rental units, and is painstakingly renovating it from floor to ceiling. He's also a self confessed jack-of-all-trades. Up until now his specialty was custom woodwork, which is sure coming in handy. He's also going to help out cooking the small plates of food that will be offered served alongside cheese/olive dishes.
The work going on inside the lounge looks impressive. Salvatore showed me a piece of the peacock granite bar that he is installing along with the low comfortable lounge seating that will be placed up front and in back, giving customers a chance to move about and socialize. Bistro-style (deuces) tables will line the walls in-between the lounge areas giving diners a place to sample the dishes and experiment with different wines. The Buddha-Bar style music will set the tone and allow couples to converse while enjoying the scene.
The back of the space will be dedicated to private parties and conferences. A flat-screen will occupy one of the wall spaces, which Wi-Fi enabled laptops will be able to operate. So add a new Wi-Fi club to your list of hi-tech go-tos in the city. Salvatore is also looking into an upstairs 'get-away' bar and rooftop secluded patio digs. Since he now owns the building, he looks at these additions as an investment... something he never would even think about if he were leasing the space.
The front of the lounge will also get a makeover. The flower boxes will be ripped out and a creek bed patio will be laid out in its place. More deuces will be added outside along with a drink rail and floral features. The Snooty Fox Lounge will open mid-summer. If you've been looking for the quintessential place to take a date, this sounds like it could be your place.