The Thousands

In a similar vein to ‘a bull in a china shop’, ‘Buffalo Dining Club’ sounds like it could be an idiom for some reckless smashery and poor table manners. But the former Burgerman site that houses this Table for 20 offshoot is barely big enough to swing a cat, let alone wine and dine a buffalo.

The buffalo in this room is solely present in the use of its milk, and the delicious cheese goods that are produced from it. In fact, the menu is stacked with them. It’s simple – choose either a globe of buffalo mozzarella, or a big fat nonna’s bun of burrata, then choose two sides. Maybe some chilli grilled broccolini, or braised lentils and peppers. They’ll bring out your plate with some bread and grissini and a little nub of Nduja. Personally, I’m pretty happy to eat that as a meal. Or use it as a starting point to venture to something else – say, a buffalo burger, or a buffalo ricotta gnocchi. Pig is the other animal invited to the party – sold in 30g increments, Parma, San Daniele and Pata Negra hams, salami or warmed Mortadella are sliced properly thin and spread out on paper, deli-style.

The one gripe is, that for a place that’s all about antipasti, the pricing of wines by the glass seems out of whack. On their list, a bottle that can be bought for $48, but will cost you $15 a glass. Stick to buying by the bottle, or the $7 a glass house wine (totally drinkable by those popular Two Italian Boys) if you don’t want to be charged, ahem, like a wounded buffalo.