Recipe: Turkey Pâté en croûte
November 1, 2012
Editor’s Picks for November
November 1, 2012
After dark, an evening glow permeates Houma’s Il Buco, a place were even a lonely soul could find comfort and captivation in the array of floral arrangements, sculptures, hanging prints and oversized clocks.
Shaded lamps send the dim light cascading through much of the lounge at Houma’s Cristiano Ristorante. The light bounces off the vibrant artwork against beige walls, off the leather furniture surrounding an antique coffee table and off a sculpture comprised solely of work tools.
Cristiano Raffatore, who grew up in Italy and garnered his culinary chops in New York, brought his influences to Houma and opened the restaurant roughly 13 years ago. In its most common utility, Il Buco serves as a waiting area for restaurant tables and a destination to unwind after the meal.
“It’s just a sexy area,” 25-year-old assistant manager Phylicia Dolaway says. “The whole setting is tied together. Visually, you’re not bored, but you’re not over stimulated, either. … It’s a dark, quiet, romantic kind of place.”
It does, indeed, seem to be one of Houma’s prime dating locations. Patrons have the option of eating in the lounge, and, well, its cocktails and relaxing setting are steps away from the dining area.
Liz and Robert Champagne, a married couple in their 40s, are slouched on an overstuffed sofa after their Italian-styled meal, conversing with a visiting friend sitting across from them.
“It’s about the only classy place people my age can come to in Houma,” Liz says between sips of white wine while Simon and Garfunkel’s “Sound of Silence” hums in the background.
“It’s so cozy,” says 28-year-old Lucy, who is relaxing beneath a throw pillow after a meal at Cristiano’s with her date Thomas.
Hunter Haydel and Kacie Benson, celebrating their sixth anniversary, are seated at one of three elevated candlelit tables flanked by cushioned barstools. “The food is just amazing,” 22-year-old Benson says. Haydel, 21, follows: “This is, by far, the best wine selection in Houma.”
For all the details and testimonials backing Il Buco as a dating haven, Dolaway says the lounge isn’t restricted to such. The area and adjoining courtyard are often rented out for parties, and the establishment alters the musical selections on some “rowdier nights,” she says.
Still, nearly every night adheres to a business casual atmosphere. Smoke-free, the bar is distanced from most downtown Houma establishments in more ways than just the four-or-so street blocks.
The lack of a dance floor isn’t an issue; grab a seat, and soak in sociability.
It’s a place to be intimate with close friends, enjoy a rich cocktail while watching sports on one of two televisions and network with members of the community, all while soaking up a blend of classic and modern in an atmosphere with an organic Italian essence.
Hunter Haydel, 21, and Kacie Benson, 22, spend their sixth anniversary at Il Buco, the lounge at Cristiano Ristorante.
