Why is the new restaurant so popular?
January 2022
Kelly Brennan
Self-described as a retro-chic Italian pizza and pasta bar, the front of Popolari is painted a bright neon sky blue, which makes it stand out against the subdued colors of the main street. Inside the restaurant are five to six small tables close together to give off a close and comfortable feeling. The iron chairs at the tables are painted the same bright blue as the outside of the building, and there are vintage movie posters and a chalkboard with daily specials for you to mull over while you wait for your food.
I just knew that when my mouth started watering at the sight of the Spicy Vodka Pasta on my Tik Tok screen that I had to go there immediately. Shortly after seeing this delicious looking food pop across my phone screen, I quickly booked a reservation for two people on a Saturday night. Finally, the night arrived and I grabbed my bottle of Rosa Regale red sparkling wine out of the fridge for the BYOB restaurant and hailed my Uber to take me down the street to Popolari. When I stepped out of the Uber to Broad Street with my partner into the chilly December air, I could just feel that this restaurant was not only going to make my stomach happy, but make my heart happy, too.
We walked into the restaurant and were greeted by the hustle and bustle of the open kitchen at the back side of the restaurant, and the busy chatter from the patrons. Narrow, long, and crammed tight, the restaurant was loud and crowded with multiple conversations going on over top of each other. We sat at the bar on tall blue stools, placed directly in front of the pizza oven that was imported from Italy and a young chef that was hand spinning pizzas. Wine glasses were brought to us quickly along with menus, water and a waitress who was excited to serve new people here.
After much debating because of how amazing everything smelled, looked and sounded, we decided to split the Spicy Vodka Pasta with breaded chicken and the thin crust Popolari Neapolitan Pizza with prosciutto and burrata. First came the pasta, and I only have one word: WOW. This pasta was not only the perfect level of sweet and creamy with a kick of spice, but the chicken was probably the crispiest chicken I have ever tasted in a pasta dish. Normally, when you add chicken to a pasta dish, it’s grilled chicken, kind of soggy, and flavorless, but Popolari did everything right with this chicken. It was crispy, a tasteful explosion paired with the spicy pasta, and the perfect level of spices added into the breading.
As for the pizza, I can only say: MAMMA MIA! This truly was the best specialty pizza I have ever tasted. A small thin and crispy crusted pizza was adorned with San Marzano tomato, the freshest burrata ever made, Prosciutto Di Parma, perfectly chilled arugula, basil oil and a balsamic glaze that attacked your taste buds because of how strongly flavored it was. The hot crust of the pizza was slightly charred, with the perfect balance of crispiness and chewiness, while the chilled toppings were all kinds of different textures that blended together to give your palate a treat.
The service was impeccable. The waiters refilled our glasses with wine without even having to be asked even though it was a BYOB and talked to us like we were old friends. They were more than accommodating when we asked to split our meals so we could try everything, and brought multiple plates for each course. The combination of delicious food, a nostalgic and chic atmosphere and good company made the night out perfect.
As I walked out and stepped back into the chilly night air, I knew that I definitely wanted to go back and try their fondue next. I would recommend Popolari to anyone who wants a fun night out with friends or their partner. As the neon sign on the wall perfectly said, “Mangia Tutto!” (Eat Everything!)
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