Barbaresco restaurant bar, the revved up ambiance, meshed with the Tuscan-Italian grill and solid wine list, gives San Antonio foodies a new reason to boast.

At 9715 San Pedro, Barbaresco, the once location of Maggie’s, underwent a major renovation when bought buy the restaurant owners, Michel Adib and his partner, three years ago.

“We just about tore down everything, we just left the core, and almost from scratch we started over again,” Adib says. “It took us almost two years to have everything done, and the reason is we started with a very old building remodeling.”

The art deco décor with its elaborate wood motifs and oversized colorful murals makes you feel you just stepped in to a fabulous big city restaurant. However, when you sit down and peruse the menu you immediately feel the warmth and charm of a small Tuscan villa.

The menu is full of flavor. Seared scallops topped with prosciutto-orange butter and black peppercorn-orange sauce; artichoke soup with black truffle essence and mushroom ragu; house-made ravioli rich with veal, spinach and ricotta cheeses swims in even richer Alfredo sauce, slow-roasted tomatoes and a veal reduction; pan-seared snapper filet in a quicksand of cannellini bean puree, green peas and tomato juice reduction.

A personal favorite and a house specialty is the Tuscan Macaroni. It is unlike any you have probably ever seen or tasted. The macaroni is about 4 inches long, topped with warm melted parmesan and grilled to perfection. It will exhaust your taste buds and leave you wanting more.

“Our seared scallops are delicious and also the Branzino, the Italian sea bass. The sea bass is not as big as the regular striped bass. It is a smaller bass, but the flavor is very unique. It is flown in every week and is one of our best dishes,” says Adib.

The "New York Fiorentino" - a whopping, 14-ounce New York strip is homage to Bistecca alla Fiorentina. Barbaresco's version is bathed in rosemary garlic olive oil and served with an eggplant torta. Real Bistecca all Fiorentina is cooked rare on the grill with not a lick of pepper, oil or seasoning - showcasing the delicious, primal quality of a beautiful piece of beef, whether Italian Chianina or American Prime.

NSIDE food and wine reviewer Felicia Gonzales says, “My top picks on Barbaresco's menu are the French offerings: Provencal chevre caserole and Basque-inspired rack of lamb.”

Barbaresco delivers on many levels. Service is prompt and pleasant. Noise levels are reasonable. The wine list is solid. Since a month ago Barbaresco opened its doors for lunch, offering a delectable menu at an affordable price. It’s a great place to take a client to lunch. There is also a lovely terrace to sit back and enjoy the wine, the weather and the company.