Le Virtù

[Mummer]

1927 East Passyunk Avenue 215.271.5626

...gonna dream now...

[mrbigjas]

so how was it? i think we're heading over early next week. i've been once, but i didn't write up anything b/c it was a preview thing and i didn't know how well it would reflect the final menu.

but the parts that did: note the lack of oil spots on the paper with the fried stuff. now that's someone who knows her way around a deep fryer.

[mattohara]

yeah scott case and i want to go soon. i have to take out the guy that i threw under the bus at osteria. :\

[zeffer81]

I visited a few weeks and enjoyed a satisfying meal there (albeit no beautiful pictures to share!) We started with what I think they called carpaccio & crudo which was comprised of salmon, tuna and swordfish crudo sprinkled with sea salt and olive oil with a side of greens, tomatoes and olives. Light and tasty. My boyfriend got the ragu--I think it was veal--with fresh papardelle. I don't eat meat so I had to take his word that it was fresh and delicious. I got the gnocchi with pesto cream. It was an interesting take on gnocchi that I've never seen. Rather than a heap of small gnocchi, I got four larger ones, about the size of an egg. I'll take it however I can get it, they were still light and fluffy and I scraped the last bit of sauce from my plate.

We had a cheese plate for dessert. Eh, I've had better. Surprisingly, the cheese was cold and kind of boring. I forget what it was, maybe a camembert, parmiggiano and some sort of blue? It came with a fruit preserves (it's been a few weeks so my memory is lacking.) We had to ask for a knife and bread.

Wine list was impressive and very reasonably priced. Of course I forget what I drank but it was mighty tasty!

Oh yeah, the fried dough was a great twist on your normal bread plate. Overall, I think they're still working out some kinks but the food was solid and service pleasant.

[Rich Pawlak]

1927 East Passyunk Avenue  215.271.5626

...gonna dream now...

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Any descriptions/captions for these pics?

[Mummer]

I don't see an edit option anymore, so I guess I need to repost. I sent an e-mail to the owners to get some details on the specials we had, but I'll give you what I can.

1927 East Passyunk Avenue  215.271.5626

Affetato Misto.  In addition to the charcuterie there were three crostini - liver in the back, pesto and the mystery pink one up front, our first fried dough filled with cheese, a slice of cheese and a bunch of greens in the center.  I especially liked the meats, even the mortadella with pistachios.  And my DP let me eat all of the greens.

Linguine al Cartoccio.  Calamari, mussels, clams and shrimp sauteed in oil and garlic then steamed in parchment with the pasta.  We shared this one, but I kept the parchment so I could finish the juices with my spoon.  I really enjoyed this one - subtle garlic & oil, nice shellfish and fresh pasta.  They told me they get their fresh pasta and bread from Nino's.

The bread (2 kinds) with oil was really tasty.  I think it's the wooder.  The oil was almost sweet, like biting into a good Granny Smith.

They serve fried dough with all the secondi.  Some has cheese and a scallion inside.  Very nice and, as mrbigjas noted, not at all oily.  A terrific lagniappe.

I had the bronzino special that was also available grilled with vegetables.  Since I chose the steamed with shellfish, they presented the fish before it was finished.  So I shot it even tho' it had been steamed.    While there was a bit of prep duplication with the pasta, the fish was so tasty that I didn't even think about that until I looked at my photos.  DP fishes for most of his meals at his place in Nantucket; he said it was as good as any fish he'd ever had.

DP ordered the Fritto Misto Ascolano.  The menu says this is the traditional dish from the town of Ascoli Piceno.  Rabbit, lamb, stuffed olives, cremini (fried cream) and veggies.  I had a small taste of each meat and a bit of the veggies.  I preferred the meat breading, but the veggies I had were still crisp and flavorful. 

Chef Luciana also does the desserts and I had this Pizza Dolce.  Like a rum cake - I liked it!  It wasn't out of focus when I ate it.

They offered panna cotta with saffron or in the more traditional version DP had. 

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There are about 10 wines by the glass, an extensive SLO wine list and 5 or 6 beers on tap - none of that yellow crap. The place is gorgeous with attentive service on a Wednesday night. Since I know the owners from the music world, I wasn't a guy coming in from the street, but I don't think that made any difference. They certainly weren't fawning over that guy from the fourth estate at the expense of the rest of us.

This food, with an iced tea and two cappuccinos, was $95 before tax and tip.

Hope to go back soon. I had a multi-layered dish at one of the soft openings, I think it's called Timballo di Scrippelle, that I want again.

[Mummer]

Here are some additional details about our meal, from a follow-up e-mail:

"The fried dough is called pizza fritta - we've been serving it plain and, time allowing, sometimes filled with a little cheese and/or sage and/or a little anchovy.

The shellfish prep is really her personal flourish on the acquapazza ("crazy water") presentation, for visual interest. The branzino and shellfish are sauteed.

The bread is from Nino's, but the linguine you had (al cartoccio, with the shellfish in parchment paper, yes?) is dried pasta from Abruzzo (DeCecco!). Typically, dried pasta is used in conjunction with seafood, as the toothiness of it stands up well to the flavor and texture of seafood. The olive oil is an organic DOP from Loreto Aprutino in Abruzzo (the producer is a friend whose farmhouse we use as a tour stop: www.lemagnolie.com)."

The tour stop refers to the proprietors' travel business -http://www.goabruzzo.com/ .