Editor’s note: Today I welcome Thom Smith to my fold. The former society columnist for The Palm Beach Post will be reporting from area society events where food and drink are involved. Look for his new column, Society Bites, frequently at JanNorris.com.
New Delray Night Spot, Il Bacio, Opens Off-Avenue
By Thom Smith, columnist
Thom Smith's Society Bites
Interesting gambit. Season’s over. Summer’s almost here. Business is slow. In fact, “Who will bite the dust?” may be the $64,000 question this summer. But no matter the economy, Steve Pellegrino and his family are forging full speed ahead. Call ‘em crazy — maybe crazy like a fox — but they have opened a new night spot. In Delray.
Gracy Attfield and Elaine Meier
Wednesday night the Pellegrinos welcomed some 500 of their best friends, and more than a few gate crashers, to a media-VIP opening party for il Bacio, their restaurant, bar and nightclub. With the off-season launch, Pellegrino can get up to speed gradually, working out any kinks in the food, the bar and the entertainment before the big push next winter.
The restaurant offers a tapas menu, served up by Peter Masiello, formerly at Ristorante Bova in Boca.
Karla Veroned, Ed Sordo, Barbara Marsh
The big plus for il Bacio (“the kiss” in Italian) – it has both indoor and outdoor settings. It’s the space occupied several years back by the original City Limits, and its courtyard – with stage – is ideal for open-air dancing to a DJ and to live performances.
‘First Kiss’ Night
The live decor
Billed as a “First Kiss” night, the party had a Sin City theme, although patrons so inclined left their transgressions outside. Inside nevertheless, they were greeted with ice sculptures of “Il Bacio” above the stage and Martini-pouring vodka bottles in one corner. The scene was spicy, with a hot band, stiltwalkers, op-arty mannequins, and bustier-clad models in giant champagne saucers.
Young and young at heart party
All for charity
Stiltwalker entertains
The Rhode Island-based Pellegrinos (no direct connection to the bubbly water) also offered guests chances on a raffle tickets for a Vegas trip. Proceeds went to the Connie J. Goodale Breast Cancer Foundation which provides direct financial assistance to needy breast cancer patients.
- Il Bacio is located at 29 SE 2 Ave. in Delray. Closed
Mondays and Tuesdays. Phone 561-865-7785.
All photos by Thom Smith.
***
Thom Smith keeps up with the boldfaced names in his Society Bites column here. Contact Thom at thomsmith@ymail.com.
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2 responses so far ↓
1 Thomas Reilly
// Feb 10, 2010 at 12:21 am
Worst Restaurant and Review EVER!!!
2 Natasha Smith
// May 9, 2010 at 10:47 am
When out on Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach, do yourself a BIG favor and avoid Il Bacio. The avenue has enough good music, good food and good drinks that you don’t need to subject yourself to the owner’s “Soprano style” handling of customers who might have some type of complaint, whether it be food, drinks, or service. The father and son “gang,” the Pellegrinos, Steve and Steve Junior, approach customers with a beyond-menacing attitude and keep their hired police officer very busy ejecting patrons, all night long. If you want to be treated with disrespect by less than low class owner/management, Il Bacio is the place. If not, there are many wonderful clubs and restaurants that far outshine this back alley rat hole. One can only hope they will eventually go out of business and leave the area. There is no place in Delray Beach for these hoodlums.
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