Soft and meaty enough to stand on their own, Baulo enhances them with apple butter and vanilla oil, creating a kind of sweet, toasted sea cake that could almost be served at the end of the meal. It manifests in simple ways, like the addition of toasted pine nuts and little shallots to a crisp blue cheese salad. These juxtapositions are most fully realized with the first courses. It’s a lot for such a small space to absorb, but it works to dramatically underscore Repertoire’s vintage aesthetic. The sleekly antique interior-shelves of old books at the entrance, obsolete card catalogues behind the bar, a rotary phone at the host table-features modern touches, such as comfortable neo-mod chairs, industrial light fixtures, and, in the back of the restaurant, a full-length mirror with water cascading over it. It’s hard to imagine a better résumé for a chef devoted to exploring the depth and breadth of American fine dining, and while Repertoire doesn’t turn the cuisine’s conventions inside out, it does playfully alter them. He grew up in New Jersey, savoring the flavors and aromas of his grandmother’s Italian cooking (he started making meatballs at age 8 and graduated to the “gravy” at age 12), began his culinary career in New York City, worked for a few Michelin-starred restaurants in Puerto Rico, did a stint in Vegas, and traveled the country as a restaurant consultant for Harrah’s/ Caesars, all before landing in Florence. Baulo’s path to Repertoire was an eclectic one. This is the stated goal of the restaurant, which was inspired by Baulo’s travels. Traipsing as it does from Kentucky to the Southwest, the menu cuts across America’s flavor-rich regions. strip steak is served with toasted crostini, sticky onions, roasted bone marrow, and asparagus. All of this is great, but what if you don’t want to bring the kids or want a better experience without going to the city?” Repertoire is decidedly not a family restaurant. Chef/owner Chris Baulo says as much on the restaurant’s website: “We are saturated with chain restaurants and ‘hole in the wall’ bars. Repertoire is both a familiar neighborhood spot and an outlier. It sits on a slight hill, overlooking the taverns and chain restaurants of Florence’s main drag. If you veer slightly off Route 42 in Florence, you’ll find Repertoire, in the corner of a secluded strip mall on Haines Drive. Editor’s Note: This restaurant closed in early September 2021, after the September 2021 issue went to press.
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