When you go to an Italian restaurant, you expect good food and good service. What you don’t expect is to compete in a sport that’s been around for thousands of years. A joint in Fort Lauderdale is giving diners the chance to roll more than meatballs on their way to a great night out.
At Louie Bossi’s Ristorante Bar Pizzeria on Las Olas, Tuesday nights are a time to eat, drink and show your skill in the weekly Bossi Ball tournament.
Ervin Machado, Louie Bossi’s Ristorante Bar Pizzeria: “Bossi Ball is a tournament that we created to kind of mimic what they do in Italy with bocce.”
Bocce ball is an outdoor game. So is Bossi Ball.
Ervin Machado: “We have a D.J. who comes outside on our piazza, so we set up outside to get that feeling going.”
The tournament is perfect for date night.
Ervin Machado: “So it’s two people per team, and we do up to 16 teams each night.”
For those of you who’ve never played the game, here’s a 10-second explanation of bocce ball.
Ervin Machado: “There’s two color balls, and there’s also a white one which is called the bellini. The bellini’s thrown on any side of the court, and then the idea is to get your color’s team as close to the white ball as you can.”
The closer your balls get to the bellini, the more points you get.
Ervin Machado: “The first person who gets to seven points wins that game and will advance to the next bracket.”
This isn’t a tournament that stretches on for weeks. It only takes a few hours to crown the champs.
Ervin Machado: “So it starts at 9 p.m. and nobody leaves until we’re done. Every Tuesday night, it commences and finishes that same night.”
The spoils of victory include gift certificates to the restaurant and having your name inscribed on a trophy. That comes in handy after a night of imbibing.
Ervin Machado: “At the end of the night, people tend to forget who won. That’s why we engrave your name in the trophy, just so you remember the next morning.”
One of the perks of competing in the Bossi Ball tournament is the chance to chow down on dishes created by the man himself. Louie likes what he sees.
Chef Louie Bossi: “It just adds a unique touch to it and a lot of fun. It’s a good place at night for guys and girls to get together and play a game of bocce ball.”
Louie’s on to something, for sure…
Participant: “Love it. I come here like at least once or twice a month and enjoy the tournament, and we have a blast.”
Tournament time at Louie Bossi’s is every Tuesday — rain or shine. A retractable roof rolls out to cover the piazza if the weather turns bad.
FOR MORE INFO:
Louie Bossi’s Ristorante Bar Pizzeria
1032 E. Las Olas Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
(954) 356-6699
http://www.louiebossi.com/
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