Cuisine: Italian / Pizza
I’m not sure if it’s possible for a restaurant to be adorable, but Popolari makes a strong case. Modeled after what I imagine is a reasonable facsimile of a an Italian cafe — I wouldn’t know, I’ve never been — it gives casual, party vibes with its weathered, but colorful celebration for the… Vespa. Because what is more iconic and breezy fun than a Vespa? It’s all tin signs, indoor vines and twinkle lights. And maybe a disco ball? In other words, it’s all about giving the customer an experience that feels authentic adjacent as best they can off this busy intersection on a crowded block in Bloomfield, NJ.
It goes without saying that Popolari serves Italian food. The dining room, while jam packed with Italian ephemera is itself very small and compact. They have red booths that can apparently move around to make way for larger parties like ours was the night we were there. There is also a long counter that rims the open kitchen, and the seating spills outside onto their front patio during warmer months. They definitely take advantage of every square inch of space to jam in seating, though it feels less cramped than it is due to some high, open ceilings (complete with exposed duct work look). What this means in practice is that the volume level can be on the higher side. Which, in my mind, adds to the celebratory feeling, but if you’re looking for a quiet, intimate night out, this may not be your thing. Granted, our table — and the multiple bottles of wine — may have been the source of much of the noise as we shouted down the line at each other. So, your results may vary if you don’t have a rowdy bunch of middle-aged yahoos trying to have a night out.
Yes, we got calamari fritti. Because what would a trip to an Italian restaurant be without some fried squid? Honestly, I think the Hipster Jrs. think at this point that all Italians eat are sea creatures dipped in batter and pizza. Again, we’ve never been to Italy and there is no Italian DNA between any of us. So, we let them live in that lie and just go with it. Luckily, unlike them, Ms. Hipster and I have a broader understanding of Italian cuisine. Because, yes, they got the tasty fritti and also ordered the individual Neapolitan pizzas that Popolari serves up. They wolfed them too quickly for me to get a taste, but they look appropriately Margherita-ish, puffy in all the right places and probably had that nice char taste with the chew you’re looking for in that type of pie. Speculative, I know, but we’ve had enough pizza to be able to almost tell what something will taste like without even sampling. In the least surprising move ever I ordered the pappardelle bolognese. Because meat sauce on pasta with red wine is just a perfect evening. And this didn’t disappoint. It was appropriately rich, the pasta cooked to a perfect al dente and it all came together nicely in the bowl. I wouldn’t say it was an inordinate amount of food, by any means, but who needs all those carbs at my age anyway? I did originally balk at the $27 price tag for pasta in a joint that presents pretty casual, but I guess everything just costs what it costs now and I have to suck it up and get used to it. Granted, the BYOB situation definitely cuts into their revenue, but also drops our overhead considerably. All in all it was a lovely evening out. The waitstaff was attentive, the food was delicious and the vibe was on point. Honestly, what else do we go out for?
1047 Broad St. – Bloomfield
973/338-0616
lapopolari.com
