“Abbondanza” is Italian for abundance.
Mario Batali
“Abundant” certainly describes Mario Batali’s empire. The restaurant owner, chef, cookbook author, TV personality and philanthropist has created restaurants — and buzz — in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Singapore.
Now, add Westport to the list.
On Friday, according to Skip Lane of Cushman & Wakefield, Batali closed on the former Abbondanza property. The popular restaurant/speciality food store — across from the Charles Street office building in Saugatuck — closed last April. (It reopened in August, in Fairfield.)
No details on Batali’s newest venture are available yet, such as a projected opening date or name. He prefers Italian names — Babbo Ristorante, Lupa Osteria Romana, Pizzeria Mozza — and of course for nearly a century Saugatuck was a vibrant Italian community.
Something honoring renowned Saugatuck families might work — Santella Ristorante perhaps, or Pizzeria Nistico.
“06880” readers are invited to submit their own suggestions. Click “Comments” above — we’ll pass them along to Signore Batali.
(Posted 12:40 p.m., Monday, Feb. 7, 2011)