West Sacramento’s Broderick Roadhouse doesn’t really make sense—and owner Chris Jarosz has repeatedly acknowledged it.

The space is weird. It kind of feels like a Western biker bar, but it just happens to serve creative pub fare with farm-fresh ingredients. And the kitchen is crazy tiny.

So, what were we to expect from the new Broderick in Midtown (1820 L Street, formerly Wahoo’s Fish Tacos)?

The restaurant officially opened today and the menu is identical to the West Sacramento post. But the interior is an entirely different story. It’s Broderick the way Broderick is supposed to be–rustic and casual, with a striking number of vintage Edison-style light bulbs strewn around. Huge bar, and more importantly, a much bigger kitchen.

And across the street, Eatuscany (1801 L Street) recently opened as well. Initial reports in Sactown Magazine suggested that the place would be part gelato shop, part Italian cafe and part market, which immediately made me think about the neighboring Devine Gelateria and Italian Importing Company.

But now it’s clear that Eatuscany is chiefly an Italian cafe, with a sizeable menu of antipasti (i.e. burrata salad, bruschetta), pasta (i.e. pesto lasagna, “Italian crepe” with speck), insalate (i.e. caesar salad), panini (lots of cured meat combos on focaccia or ciabatta) and desserts (i.e. tiramisu, cannoli). There’s also imported Italian wine and house-made gelato in traditional flavors. And like Broderick, the interior really impresses—it’s intimate, with just a few tables inside, and feels distinctly European. The all-white color palate feels modern and clean. 

I sampled the Opera gelato, with a base like creme brulee and airy meringue crumbles on top. Delizioso.