Busalacchis Swapping Sicilian Into India Street's Po Pazzo

One of San Diego's founding restaurant families — the Busalacchis — whose Busalacchi Restaurants stable includes India Street's Cafe Zucchero, is gearing up to refresh one of its other Little Italy restaurants.

Po Pazzo Bar and Grille, which first opened in 2004 as a swanky old school chophouse that specialized in Italian-influenced steak preparations and traditional pasta dishes, is going regional and getting a makeover. Po Pazzo will close this month to make way for Barbusa, a modern concept from the Busalacchis that will focus on the food of Sicily. Designed by Eugenio Velazquez, the redo includes a shiny new bar area fashioned from Carrara marble and a special showcase for crudo and carpaccio, with hanging salumi and housemade pasta on display. When Barbusa opens in Late Spring 2016, the 4,200-square-foot India Street space will also feature Andy Warhol-inspired pop art of prominent Italian figures and an outdoor dining section highlighted by a living wall.