Popular Syracuse eatery BC Armory Square has reopened after several weeks of renovation. The restaurant, located at 247 West Fayette Street Suite 100, was forced to undergo some repair work last month and took the opportunity to make a few other updates.
“We closed for two weeks in January because we had a flood and needed to replace our flooring,” BC managing partner Ellen Leahy said. “We pulled out all the carpeting and updated with a teak [hardwood] floor in the bar area, meanwhile keeping carpet in the two dining spaces to manage the ambient sound. We also added a couple of rolling community tables to our bar and painted our kitchen and storerooms.”
BC was founded several years ago by Bill Collins, a trained chef and graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) in NYC. After working as a chef in the city, he decided to return home to Central New York. In addition to his work at BC, Collins serves as a professor at Syracuse University.
“Bill started teaching part-time as a culinary instructor at Syracuse University in the hospitality department,” Leahy said. “Realizing teaching was a calling, he reduced his participation in the restaurant and now teaches full-time at SU.”
One of Leahy’s tasks during the renovation process was to hire a new chef; she eventually went with ICE graduate Wayne Cafariella.
“Cafariella has carried on the tradition of balancing great flavors in an all-scratch kitchen,” Leahy said. “He loves braising and grew up on the coast of Long Island, so he really knows about seafood. He has already established several signature dishes such as potato gnocchi with port wine braised short rib, wild mushrooms and truffle oil and his Goodfellas pizza topped with Italian soppressata, a zesty tomato sauce, provolone and mozzarella cheeses.”
The restaurant has introduced a new music series, featuring local musicians every Friday at 9 p.m. in the gallery dining room. It also has plans for courtyard dining, to be opened in spring. But not everything about BC has changed.
“BC continues to serve a couple of Bill Collins’ signature dishes,” Leahy said, “such as the lobster and goat cheese salad with spicy vinaigrette and his Caesar salad topped with crisp calamari. BC’s service is at once efficient and comfortable. People regularly come in frazzled and leave relaxed and content.”
BC Armory Square is open Tuesdays through Saturdays. For more information, check out bcrestaurant.com or BC’s Facebook page for upcoming events and specials. Reservations can be made at (315) 701-0636.
