Foodies!: Ink Pasta

For my beloved cousin Jennifer’s birthday, us ladies ventured out to Bacaro, a complete hole-in-the-wall joint; so much that there isn’t even a sign outside to indicate that we arrived to the correct location. We were led to their downstairs portion of the place and to all of our surprises, it felt as if we were entering into a mystical cave as confirmed by their rock and wood interior. Since reservations are not accepted, we were lucky to be seated right away, however at a communal table. It wasn’t as intimate as we would have liked for it to be but seat and table nonetheless.

I initially read about this place on Serious Eats NY and was immediately intrigued by their cuttlefish ink pasta (see image below). My first experience with ink pasta was Soccarat’s Arroz Negro and it was fantastic. We ordered the stuffed artichoke, fried rice balls, spicy fried meatballs, creamed codfish over polenta, and the pasta with cuttlefish ink. The stuffed artichoke, fried rice balls, and the pasta were excellent! The spicy fried meatballs and the codfish were whatever: the meatballs were too small, hence the portion was practically nonexistent, and the codfish dish was confusing because it didn’t really have an identity as to what it is supposed to be. The stuffed artichoke is great if you like artichoke, like me, because I ended up practically eating the whole thing and using the bread to wipe the bowl also. The fried rice balls (see image below) was to perfection as it is filled with cheese that is oozing out with bits and pieces of vegetables and rice. The pasta is definitely not a dish you should order if you’re on a date because not only is the dish literally ink black but so will your teeth, your lips, and the napkin you use to wipe your black lips and teeth. What helps a bit is that the place itself is dark so that the blackness would be as visible in comparison to one eating at a brightly lit place. The taste itself is full of warmth. Prior to us going, my friend asked how cuttlefish ink tasted like and the only adjectives that I can use to describe it is that it’s warm, comforting, smooth, and hearty. If you can imagine anything to taste warm and comforting rather than the texture feeling warm or comfortable, this is it.