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In Venice, a bacaro is a workingman’s pub where snacks called cichetti are served in small plates, and wine is served in a commensurately small glass (“ombra” in the local dialect). It is much the same at Bacaro, the Venetian restaurant Peasant chef-owner Frank DeCarlo opened on the eastern fringes of Chinatown. DeCarlo and his wife, Dulcinea Benson, converted a former aquarium into a persuasively antiqued bi-level wine bar and osteria, outfitted with exposed brick, salvaged barn wood, and a warren of romantic nooks and crannies, including a brick-vaulted private dining space located below the sidewalk. DeCarlo’s classic Venetian bar snacks include crostini, fried stuffed olives, and marinated sardines, which he supplements with cured meats, cheeses selected by local legend Lou DiPalo, and pastas like spaghetti with cuttlefish ink. The wine list is Dulcinea’s domain, and focuses on the Veneto and neighboring northern regions. — Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite

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