Roman Holiday

For Ohio City, something new to chew on.

By Elaine T. Cicora

Published: October 3, 2007

When it came to designing Bar Cento, the upcoming food-and-wine addendum to McNulty’s Bier Markt, chef Jonathon Sawyer says he found his inspiration in Roman enotecas, those small, inexpensive wine bars that dot the city’s landscape. A peek at the menu, scheduled to debut around October 16 (the savvy Sawyer declined to be pinned down further), provides some mouthwatering examples of exactly what that means.

Among the reasonably priced starters, for instance, you’ll find tidbits like house-marinated olives with rosemary and orange peel ($4), and an antipasto platter with cured salumi, cheese, olives, and veggies ($9). Crispy-crusted pizza, with toppings ranging from the traditional (tomatoes, olives, sausage, and the like) to the au courant (potatoes, eggs, or foie gras, say) will run from $6 to $17. And entrée choices include mushroom ragu with basil, leeks, and parmesan broth ($14), and baked ziti with sage, pancetta, chestnuts, and fresh ricotta ($15).

There’ll be $10 daily specials too — including lasagna on Sundays, meatballs on Mondays, and so forth. The bar also will offer a 100-bottle wine list featuring Italian and West Coast labels.

Once it opens, the 70-seat Bar Cento will share both hours (4:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Sunday through Friday and noon to 2:30 a.m. on Saturdays) and an entrance with the Bier Markt, and menu items will be available throughout the joint facility. Find ‘em at 1948 West 25th Street, across from West Side Market; 216-344-9944.

– Cicora