Above, Church Apperitivo's interior offsets the exposed brick of the former Pentecostal
church setting with contemporary lighting and furnishings. Below right, menu selections
offering a taste of Italy from Calabrian chef Fabio Sacca.
with Aperol, prosecco and soda ($12), and
the Trinity: gin, Campari and Carpano
Antica ($15).
This past summer's best seller was the
Ascension Lemonade, a cocktail of vodka,
simple syrup, fresh muddled raspberries,
lemon juice and soda that sells for $14. The
drink might have been so popular because
Church's guest-base currently skews a bit
more heavily to female guests.
Bitter drinks pair better with foods,
Cassaro says, while sweet aperitivo drinks
are best enjoyed on their own. The foods
offered with the cocktails, prepared by
Calabrian-native chef Fabio Sacca,
include authentic Italian antipasti and
stuzzichini—roasted pepper, fried rice and
cheese balls, salumi and crostini.
Church Aperitivo's dinner menu
includes an 8-oz. Angus Strip Loin
sliced with grilled asparagus, mixed wild
mushrooms and shaved parmigiano for
$25, and whole roasted Branzino with a
side of arugula and orange salad for
$28. Pastas, which include gnocchi in a
www.cheersonline.com
tomato sauce with burrata and basil pesto
and pappardelle in a wild boar ragu, can
be ordered as a single serving (ranging
in price from $15 to $18) or to feed four
people (priced from $50 to $62).
Cassaro says the average guest spends
$8 to $15 during Happy Hour (whish is 5
p.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays), often ordering
from the aperitif list or Peroni bottled
beer (both $5 during happy hour.) "And
while some guests just come in for the
aperitivo, I'd say about 50% to 60% then
stay on for dinner," she adds.
Looking ahead, Cassaro is excited
about promotions such as Church's
special occasion chef tastings at which
each night is inspired by a different region
of Italy. She also thinks the new emphasis
on Chef Sacca's house-made pastas and
sauces may bring in more men.
Monica Kass Rogers writes about
food and beverage for several national
publications and her vintage revival blog
LostRecipesFound.com.
OCTOBER 2013 |
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