Chef Joe Pruner quietly gave East Sacramento a sneak peek at Bocce, his upcoming neighborhood Italian spot, with a one-day pop-up at Origami Asian Grill on Sunday that drew a steady line of locals. The limited service offered a tight menu and a preview of the pastas, pizzas and sandwiches he plans to roll out once the dining room is up and running, making the event feel like a low-key soft opening for a compact restaurant aiming squarely at the neighborhood.
The pop-up’s tiny menu, featuring three sandwiches, two salads and a single dessert, moved fast as customers started lining up by 11 a.m. Pruner said he and his family spent the previous night rolling roughly 600 meatballs to keep the crowd fed, and neighbors called the chicken parm smash and meatball sub clear standouts, as reported by The Sacramento Bee.
Pruner Lands Coveted Tower Bridge Dinner Slot
The momentum around Bocce jumped a notch when Visit Sacramento tapped Pruner as one of the lead chefs for this year’s Tower Bridge Dinner, the high-profile farm-to-fork gala that typically features already-established kitchens. The roster pairs him with Kate Sutherland of Waterboy, Giancarlo Zapata of Chicha and Francisco Rivera of Hawks Public House, a strong nod of confidence for a restaurant that has yet to officially open, as outlined by Visit Sacramento.
Small Dining Room, Big Take-Home Plans…