Biga serves up authentic Italian tastes

A new, fast-casual Italian dining experience is rising up on the corner of 6th and Broadway in the historic, 1920s-era Samuel Fox Lofts building.

Biga, named after an age-old fermentation process used for Italian breads and pizzas, will feature rustic, authentic flavors prepared in true artisan style. Neapolitan pies made from their 200-year-old “mother dough” from Naples is just a taste of what will be sliding out of their two impressive 5000-pound wood-fired ovens.

Owner Tae Dickey said, “Our menu will be ever-changing, depending upon what’s in season and available from local farmers markets and purveyors. You won’t find a canned or previously frozen ingredient in our kitchen. Cheese and sausages will be made in-house, as well as desserts and artisanal gelatos.” Dickey even went as far as sourcing his favorite salami from a small Italian charcuterie shop in New York.

Biga’s interior will feature expansive, white Italian marble countertops separating their demonstration kitchen from the ordering and dining area of the restaurant. Visitors will be able to watch chefs pulling fresh mozzarella and plucking herbs from a 15-foot indoor living wall as part of their preparation process. Diners can order their meals at the counter and take them to go or eat on-site, with meals elegantly presented at each table.

Baked-to-order focaccia sandwiches, bruschetta, salads and wood-fired dishes such as Fried Polenta, local, pasture-raised Porchetta, and Bolognese and Parmesan Bruschetta are just a few of the items Biga will serve. The quality of their Neapolitan-style pizzas will showcase each chef’s symbiotic relationship with the ovens. They must know where the hot spots are and how the flames that lick the top of the oven affect cooking times in order to prepare each pizza just right.

Meals can be paired with beer, wine or Batch Craft Soda. Biga will also feature a coffee bar fueled with beans from Bird Rock Coffee Roasters for their Italian espresso machine.

Dickey believes that Biga will appeal to just about everyone, as the wood-fired aspect brings about a certain romance to the food. Guests will appreciate the primal simplicity and straightforward cooking techniques used with the ovens and handmade processes. His travels throughout Europe inspired him to create this “affordable artisan eatery,” and he says that Biga will offer fresh food at a lower price point than many would expect. Guests will experience Italian cuisine as it was meant to be enjoyed, without the high cost. Pizzas range from $7 - $11, and sandwiches and salads are priced at $9.

Biga is located at 950 6th Ave., Suite C. Learn more at BigaSanDiego.com.

Source: DiscoverSD