Bodegón, a restaurant specializing in Argentinian cuisine, operated by Silvina Rodriguez and her husband Lucas De Cesco of Domingo Sausage, opened its doors in Carbondale on Dec.17. It’s been met with soaring reviews from community members who’ve stopped in.
Located at 46 North Fourth Street, where Axkawa was formerly located, the new restaurant owners have narrowed down their seasonal menu after sifting through a plethora of culinary ideas.
The two got their start in the business in Argentina. De Cesco learned his skills while working at his parents’ restaurant in Patagonia. They moved to Colorado in 2019.
The signature sausage recipe was created in 2020, when the family started making the links for themselves and loved ones. They were encouraged by a friend to share the cuisine with the larger Roaring Fork Valley.
Over the summer, Domingo Sausage began the catering part of the business, explained Rodriguez. “That’s how we started growing. As we started catering, we started doing huge events, private dining and selling our four-links packages at the markets. People liked that.”
“Since we moved to catering, people have been asking for a place where they could have our food year-round,” added De Cesco. “We felt that having our own restaurant was a need.”
Rodriguez explained that the signature sausage recipe originates from her and DeCesco’s respective family backgrounds. Rodriguez’s grandfather, for whom Domingo Sausage was named, as well as De Cesco’s grandfather, immigrated from Spain to Argentina. Both of these men also happened to be butchers.
“We mixed recipes from our families and built our own sausages,” stated Rodriguez. “I really love cooking, and we knew from the beginning that we wanted to open an Argentinian place where we could introduce people to our food, our culture and bring something from Argentina here.”
When discussing their menu, the couple shared their excitement to be able to provide a unique option in the Valley.
“I think that people appreciate having another option, and I think Carbondale is at a great gastronomic level. We have all of these great restaurants and chefs, and we’re glad we can join this wave,” De Cesco said.
“I like to say that we’re playing on nostalgia not only for Argentinians that live here, but for those who have visited,” he continued.
The nostalgic aspect is found within the name of the restaurant itself. Bodegón translates to “still life,” and in the world of art refers to a painting representing common, everyday items in life — mainly food. In addition to the food, the family is looking to create an atmosphere similar to Argentinian taverns, which are very communal.
“I want people to find this place as somewhere to meet their friends not just for lunch and dinner, but as a cozy place that they’ll continue to want to be in,” Rodriguez stated. “We have many places like that in Buenos Aires.”
De Cesco added, “That’s really the spirit of Bodegón. It’s a place where you can stop by and have united spirits and a place you can keep returning. A place where you can read the newspaper, have a meeting; a place where you can always find a friend.”
The crew is taking a break for the holidays, but will reopen Sunday, Jan. 7. General hours are weekdays from 7am to 2pm, and weekends from 8.30am to 2:30pm.
Stop by for a bit at Bodegón at 46 North 4th Street. Call (970) 274 2735 or visit www.domingosausageco.com for more information.
