Blank Slate
Inspired by Ernest Hemingway, The White Bull brings creative yet familiar fare to Decatur’s historic square
August 2018 [post-views]
Nestled next door to Decatur’s Brick Store Pub, The White Bull, led by executive chef and partner Pat Pascarella—previously executive chef at The Optimist—showcases seasonal and vegetable-forward dishes that source ingredients entirely from Georgia. It’s a menu that Pascarella describes as “farm-forward, nose-to-tail,” where everything from the pasta to the butter is made from scratch, and Pascarella draws from a variety of influences. This approach is inspired by the restaurant’s name, “The White Bull,” a phrase Ernest Hemingway used to describe a blank page. “It’s a clean slate. We don’t want to be tied to any specific cuisine; we want it to just flow,” says Pascarella.
“The simplicity of the design is a reflection of that as well,” adds partner and general manager Gabriele Besozzi. Guests will find items that reference Hemingway throughout the restaurant—fishing poles, books, a typewriter—as well as sleek subway tile, Edison bulbs and reclaimed wood. “The philosophy of The White Bull is to sustain our community of farmers and showcase their products,” says Besozzi. I think Decatur will really engage in our ultimate goal and appreciate the effort.”