Feel
Italy’s kiss at Baci Restaurant
Where
do you go in the North Valley to eat really
good, authentic Italian food?
Baci
(Italian for kisses) Restaurant recently
opened in the eclectic surroundings of Tuscany
Pointe Shopping Center at the corner of 7th
Street and Carefree Highway.
The
elegant, well‑appointed interior exudes
Old World charm offering a warm, inviting
ambience created to make each visit to Baci
an exciting, memorable experience.
While
Baci is primarily an Italian restaurant, diners
can choose from a variety of international
dishes as well as traditional American fare,
says owner Kelly Toolis.
“We
have dishes from different parts of the world,”
Toolis says. “There’s lamb and chicken, as
well as some steaks, plus a full Italian menu.
We serve lots of fresh fish, too. There’s
swordfish, sea bass, salmon, mahi‑mahi.”
And,
each meat dish is charbroiled to perfection
on Baci’s huge grill.
“A
lot of people aren’t familiar with the differences
between charbroiling and cooking on a flat
griddle,” Toolis says. “The griddle tends
to dry the meat out and make it tough. When
we charbroil, we cook over an open flame and
cook the flavor into the meat. You’ll see
the grill marks on our dishes.
“Most
of our menu features Italian and European
style entrees, though.”
Toolis
chose the decor for Baci, an inviting, yet
subdued ambience, creating a romantic atmosphere
in which to dine.
The
elegant marble entryway connects the bar to
the main dining area, in effect, producing
two separate environments to relax. The bar
is made from glass block with blue backing
lights that emit a soft, soothing glow.
The
dimly lit dining area features intimate booths
that run along the windows with individual
tables in the center. Old World art prints
adorn the walls, lending the environs an Italian
warmth.
Baci
hopes to attract diners from all over the
North Valley.
“When
we want to eat out a lot of times, we have
to go to Happy Valley Road for the closest
restaurant,” Toolis says. “About 35,000 cars
pass by here every day. We’re real excited
about the location.
“The
best part about Baci is our customers don’t
have to feel like they have to dress up in
a coat and tie to come in,” Toolis says. “If
they want to wear jeans and a T‑shirt,
that’s fine, too. Whatever they’re comfortable
in. We don’t care.
“This
is a neighborhood restaurant,” Toolis says.
“There is no pretension here. We want to be
able to greet our customers by their first names.
Everyone is welcome at Baci.”
House
specialties include Linguine Bella with shrimp,
scallops, chopped asparagus, basil, fresh tomatoes
and garlic in a lobster sauce.
Or,
how about Lobster Ravioli? Enjoy fresh lobster
layered with shrimp and scallops in a seafood
lover’s ravioli dish.
Maybe
a veal or chicken piccata would be more to your
liking–cooked in lemon, butter, capers and white
wine and served with a side of vegetables and
pasta.
All
of these dishes and more are prepared by Chef
Salvatore, a native Italian, who brings more
than 30 years of cooking experience to the North
Valley.
“I’m
responsible for choosing only the best ingredients
for our guests,” Toolis says. “We buy only the
choicest meats and freshest vegetables to put
on our tables.”
Baci features the voice of Pat Giamari three
nights a week singing Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra
and Tony Bennett standards, further adding to
the Italian atmosphere. Giamari appears from
6 p.m. to closing, Thursday through Saturday.
Lunch
is served from 11 a.m.‑2 p.m., and dinner
from 5‑9 p.m., seven days a week, each
with its separate menu. Children younger than
6 eat free. Check with wait staff for daily
specials including meat and fish combinations.
Reservations are not required but are recommended
for parties of six or more.
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