Details on Cinquecento, Opening Later this Month

The South End restaurant will offer porchetta, Italian wines, and brunchified bruschetta.

By | Chowder |

Photo courtesy of Facebook/Cinquecento

At long last, Cinquecento, the latest concept from the Aquitaine Group (Aquitaine, Gaslight, Union) will open soon in the South End. As we told you many months ago, it’s a Roman-influenced Italian concept, and is replacing Rocca at 500 Harrison Ave.

The restaurant will open mid-month, to be quasi-exact, and we’ve got some more details on what to expect. Per a press release, chef/owner Seth Woods describes the restaurant (pronounced Cheen-quay-chen-toe) as “a comfortable, inviting restaurant reminiscent of neighborhood trattorias found in Rome.  A place where friends will come several nights a week, no matter where they are coming from or going to. The menu will be steeped in the Roman roots of simplicity, custom and comfort.â€

This translates to an inaugural menu divided into traditional sections of “Antipasti, Zuppa e Insalate, Salumi, Pesce e Carne, and Contorni.” Expect dishes like warm ricotta with olive oil and grilled bread; borlotti bean soup with smoked ham and kale; gnocchi with wild boar, golden raisins, pine nuts, and Pecorino; veal saltimbocca with Marsala and cabbage fonduta;  and porchetta with roasted parsnips.

Brunch items will have a more loose Italian affiliation, with hangover-appropriate fare like a fried egg-and-pancetta-topped breakfast bruschetta and a porchetta panino with mostarda.

And then there’s the vino: the 100-bottle all-Italian wine list will be divided up by glass, quartino, carafe, and bottle. There will also be Italian cocktails (we’re expecting a whole lotta negronis), beers, and plenty of amaro, perfect for diners who’ve indulged in too much porchetta for dinner.

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Source URL: http://www.bostonmagazine.com/restaurants/blog/2012/11/07/details-cinquecento-opening-month/