A taste of Italy in downtown’s food hall

Rome: On this week’s episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” chef Ben McPherson joins CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler to discuss BOH Pasta, his Italian restaurant that’s part of Bravery Chef Hall.

The conversation with McPherson explaining the career paths that led him from culinary school in Charleston to working in Atlanta. He moved to Houston to open downtown tapas restaurant Batanga and has been part of the city’s culinary world ever since.

BOH allows McPherson to explore his love for Italian food, a passion he says he developed during visits to Italy as a teenager. When it opened this summer, the menu featured familiar dishes like pasta bolognese and pepperoni pizza, but McPherson has been able to expand with more elevated fare like veal osso bucco and lobster ravioli. He also shared an amusing anecdote about the experience that lead him to serve Roman-style pizza at BOH.

“I was in Rome with my girlfriend. We weren’t getting along . . . we were hangry. We get there. We need coffee. We need pizza. There’s a line. It takes forever. We’re not even talking. Finally, we get our pizza . . . She was crying . . . She’s pointing at the pizza. It was an epiphany. It might be the greatest bite of food I’d had in my life.”

Prior to McPherson’s interview, Sandler and co-host Rebecca Masson discuss the news of the week. They begin with Masson sharing details of her decision to relocate Fluff Bake Bar from Midtown to a new place near The Heights. They also comment on chef Aaron Bludorn’s plans to open a new restaurant in the former home of The Pass & Provisions, plus Houston hospitality veteran Lonnie Schiller’s intention to open a new patio bar.

In the restaurant of the week segment, they share thoughts about a recent meal at Buffalo Bayou Brewing Co, where chef Arash Kharat is serving a creative mix of pizza, sandwiches, and bar bites.