Back by popular demand this spring is our Polipo, the grilled Spanish octopus that has twirled the South Bay around its delicious little tentacles.

If you’ve been a long-time guest of our restaurant, you may remember that this dish was a staple for some time on our menu. With our seasonal menu rotation, we temporarily retired this dish to make room for other creations.

Now that she’s back, we thought we’d give you a re-introduction to this dish – including a behind-the-scenes look at how we get it so tender and flavorful. Just try not to drool as you read this one!

It all starts with a high-quality octopus. We get the freshest fish delivered every morning, and prepare it for cooking the second it swims its way through our doors. When it comes to the octopus, it takes a bit more preparation than the others, but every step is worth the effort.

Our octopus comes to us whole, so that we can ensure it is prepared correctly. We start by removing the head and beak, leaving the tentacles that you know so well as the star of the delicious dish. Next, we bring a pot to near-boiling of water, salt, white wine, lemons, onions, and herbs.

In a very precise and timed process, we dip the legs into the water five times for just a few seconds to curl the legs and give them that beautiful presentation. Then, we simmer the octopus in the water until tender for about one and a half hours.

Once you order it, we place it on the grill to get perfectly cooked on the outside, with a delicious grill char, without taking away any of the tenderness. We then place it over a bed of cannolini beans, mixed with cherry tomatoes and spinach and tossed with butter.

The Polipo is featured on our entrees list, but it’s also great shared as a first-course appetizer for the table. Either way you choose, we know you’ll love it.

Stop by to try our Polipo and other new spring menu items today! You’ll be glad you did, and we’ll be glad to see you around the table.