Big changes at Pazo
(Chiaki Kawajiri/Sun Photographer)
Pazo, Cindy Wolf and Tony Foreman's Fells Point tapas restaurant, has a new chef and a new format. Michael Costa took over as executive chef a couple of weeks ago and he's made some major changes in the menu...
Tapas is still part of the mix, but there are now also main courses to choose from. Here's a link to the new menu.
The official line is that the change is simply to make guests happy with more choices. But the owners of the Charleston group of restaurants are savvy enough to make me wonder if the tapas craze has peaked. Maybe things are starting to trend the other way, back to more traditional ways of having dinner.
I hope to speak to Costa after the long weekend, and when I find out more, I'll have an item in my restaurant news column, Table Talk, which appears in the Wednesday food section. He's been in Pazo's kitchen for about a year, and before that worked in Paris and in Citronelle in DC.
By the way, Costa takes over as executive chef from Tony Foreman. As the pr woman said to me, "Something not widely known, that Tony is a chef."
Comments
Bah. Figures. Once I like a place it either closes forever or changes dramatically. Pazo will never hold the same appeal without their eggplant dip.
Posted by: Kathy | May 24, 2007 10:43 AM
I have to say this makes me happy. While I love the decor and atmosphere at Pazo, I have never really enjoyed the food. I'll try it again now that they have some new items on the menu.
Posted by: Christine | May 24, 2007 11:28 AM
I ate at Pazo's and let me tell you.....the food tasted like (word deleted). After I left I had to stop by Mc'd's and get a real meal. I was so hungry.
Posted by: Jason | May 24, 2007 12:53 PM
They need to change the layout. I know everyone loves it the way it is, but eating food with a stranger's (backside) in your face is not "fine dining" to me.
Posted by: Bill | May 24, 2007 1:36 PM
KATHY you will be pleased to know that eggplant dip is back on the menu. Eggplant had gone out of season but now its back. Enjoy!
Posted by: Michael Costa | May 24, 2007 2:30 PM
Do you know what happened to Pete, the old chef? Thanks, Kate
Posted by: kate jakobsen | May 24, 2007 2:33 PM
Pete Livolsi is at Pazo. He shifted roles a while a go and is now working in the morning. He remains a part of the Pazo kitchen.
Posted by: Allison | May 24, 2007 5:34 PM
Interesting that tapas may have peaked. I was starting to feel that tapas "jumped the shark" when chain tapas places like La Tasca started opening. I am not familar with the harbor location, but I found the one in Alexandria, VA to be awful in both food and service.
Anyway, I would curious if Tapas moves from the what's hot to the what's not will it be due to people getting tired of small plates, Spanish food, or both.
If people are tired of the small plates concept, I would be curious as to what concept would be next. Tapas seemed to overtake comfort food a couple of years ago, and comfort food overtook stacked or towered food and foams. Maybe tapas will replaced by its opposite: Chef's Tasting Menu. Tapas was all about giving people freedom to mix and match. Maybe people will be more willing to give up control to the chef.
Now, if the end of Tapas is more about growing tired with Spanish food, it seems that Greek food may become the new flavor of the month. There is an interesting article in "Gourmet" this month about how Greek restaurants are starting to go beyond Moussaka and into both authentic regional dishes as well as some new Greek fusion dishes.
Posted by: Robert | May 24, 2007 10:51 PM
I'm slightly disappointed in the menu changes at Pazo. What I loved about Pazo was the opportunity to sample a number of different items. It's like the tapas menu was cut in half. My favorite tapas - the malloreddus- is only available as an entree which is too large to enjoy other items. That's too bad.
Posted by: Sara | May 31, 2007 4:30 PM
There is an interesting article in "Gourmet" this month about how Greek restaurants are starting to go beyond Moussaka and into both authentic regional dishes as well as some new Greek fusion dishes.
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