First in a series of reports on local limited-time offerings: dishes, drinks and dining experiences that don’t happen every day
Focaccia with burrata and soppressata (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
Focaccia presents nearly endless possibilities. The fluffy yet crispy bread can be the foundation for just about any kind of topping, and each Friday, during that sweet spot between lunch and dinner, 8 1/2 in Church Hill introduces a sourdough special featuring the carb-y canvas.
“I only make about 16 to 20 slices,” says Ryan Jones, a co-owner and manager of the Italian takeout spot.
Jones’ first restaurant gig was during college as a dishwasher at Edo’s Squid. After moving into the kitchen and working there for nearly a decade, he held a brief stint at the bygone Rancho T before joining the team at the new 8 1/2 location in Church Hill in 2018 (the original location on Strawberry Street in the Fan debuted 14 years earlier).
Following a trip to Italy in early 2020, Jones started making focaccia. While seemingly everyone was experimenting with bread baking during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jones was merely reliving his travels.
Originally conceived as an occasional departure from the regular menu, since the beginning of the year, Focaccia Friday has settled into a more consistent flow. (The alliteration is strictly coincidental; Friday happens to be the day the shop has the most staff on duty).
Since then, the weekly pick-me-up has gained a following. While Jones doesn’t have his own social media accounts, every week he routinely, if somewhat begrudgingly, posts photos of the square creations to 8 1/2’s Instagram account. Some posts have been shared over a hundred times, and followers have even inspired offerings including a a halal version with labneh — a soft cheese made from strained yogurt — and sujuk sausage — fermented sausage found in Middle Eastern, Central Asian and Balkan nations — with pickles, mixed herbs, green chutney, garlic sauce and tahini.
Past Focaccia Friday specials have included pesto, pistachio, burrata cheese and mortadella.
Because of 8 1/2’s longevity and established identity as a no-frills joint with a timeless menu and a fanbase of faithful regulars with standing orders, Jones says, “What I fear is taking anything away, because 8 1/2 is what it is, and the menu is dialed in, and people know what they like.” So, while subtraction from the menu could cause an uproar, instead, Jones decided to add.
Past Focaccia Friday specials have included pesto, pistachio, burrata cheese and mortadella, which Jones says only came to life after the purchase of a new deli slicer that could cut the Italian pork ultra-thin; potato, fresh mozzarella, Romanesco broccoli and garlic scape-basil pesto; sausage, ricotta and brocoletti; and saffron focaccia with feta, dried fruit and honey.
“I like the idea of doing things once a week,” Jones says. “It can add a little structure, and as you sit here in these four walls you pay rent in and some days feel a little trapped, and some days are glad you have your own space, and you see all these pop-ups … we can have that excitement of it, without doing that.”
