Bugatti, Bulla & Bolsheviks
A NIGHT ON THE TOWN MIXES PASTA, VODKA, AND THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION
Clockwise from top left: Bugatti Bistro owner Carlos Amasifuen, guests enjoying the Bulla Mule at Bulla Gastrobar, a special screening of Dr. Zhivago at Gables Art Cinema, and a scene from the film.
I was just a boy when I saw “Dr. Zhivago” for the first time, and it left an indelible impression on me. This bigger than life epic of life set in Russia before, during, and after the Bolshevik Revolution is full of deep romance and profound tragedy; it is also among the most visually stunning films ever made.
When a showing of David Lean’s masterpiece was scheduled for a Saturday night in June at the Art Cinema, I knew I had to go. So did a lot of other nostalgia-bitten cinephiles, creating a sold-out night at the theater on Aragon Street. It was also being shown, coincidentally, on my wedding anniversary.
Before viewing this three-and-a-half- hour film marathon, I knew my wife and I would have to fuel up. So, we stopped for an early bite at Bugatti, the Italian restaurant on Ponce just south of Miracle Mile. We recently learned that it is the oldest continually operating restaurant in the Gables, having originally served as a pasta factory before becoming an eatery in 1985. This is what proprietor Carlos Amasifuen tells us anyway, and we have no reason to doubt him.
Much of the staff at Bugatti has been there for decades, which adds to its authenticity. With its roots deeply enmeshed in pasta, we ordered the Ravioli Bombay and the Lobster Ravioli. The Bombay is a rare curry-sauced pasta, stuffed with cheese and spinach and dressed in bits of apples, raisin, and almonds. The lobster comes with a rich sauce and Maine lobster inside each bite. Both were delicious. With the film starting early (at that length, 7 pm is about the latest you can start), we didn’t stay for dessert. Fortunately, snacks (along with beer and wine) are available at the cinema.
On our way to the movie house, we did dip quickly into Bulla’s busy tapas bar on the corner of Ponce and Valencia. I wanted a Moscow Mule, for a good bite of vodka with ginger beer, to brace myself for the movie. Unfortunately, their version was the Bulla Mule. This had the vodka, ginger beer, and lime, but they add cardamom & currant-infused syrup, and candied ginger. Sweet and ebullient, which fits in with Bulla’s effervescent mood, but not right for the Russian front waiting at the cinema.
The Gables Art Cinema is one of the reasons to live in Coral Gables. Under the direction of their talented executive director Brenda Moe, the film selection on a weekly basis is extraordinary. Foreign films. Indie films. Current releases. Black and white clas- sics. Film series by director. Late night horror flicks. Afternoon family musicals. And so on.
When the lights went down in the theater, the big screen romance between the radiantly beautiful Julie Christie as Lara and the darkly handsome Omar Shariff as Yuri Zhivago unfolded in all its majesty. The experience was everything I’d hoped for… and more. I may have mentioned to Brenda Moe that this particular night was my anniversary. So, she Photoshopped “Happy Anniversary, Lesley & J.P.” onto the opening screen of the film. This is something that can only happen in a community like Coral Gables.