La Locanda del Ghiottone

[KatieLoeb]

Friend and I made plans to meet for a BYOB dinner on Sunday evening, and many choices were either closed (Chloe which we both have yet to try) or weren't staying open late enough (L'Angolo). So off we went to Locanda del Ghiottone on N. 3rd Street. Friend was kind enough to bring a great bottle of 2000 Isole e Olena Chianti she'd been sitting on for a short while. We ordered an antipasti to share that had roasted red peppers, potato croquette, several types of cheese, a healthy slice of good prociutto, a bruschetta and a big slice of roasted eggplant. All items very tasty. We also shared an order of a seafood pasta special that had chunks of fish (I don't remember what kind, but it was delicious), scallops and mussels in a tomato based sauce on fresh house made tagliatelle, and also shared an order of oricchette with broccoli rabe and sausage. Both pastas were perfectly cooked and wonderful. We had a great time chatting with our waiters - Giuseppe and Joseps, as well as with the other customers at the next table. The other folks were kind enough to offer us an after dinner glass of grappa they had brought back with them from Chianti. Fabulous and not at all like the paint thinner/rocket fuel one expects from grappa. Very smooth and quite tasty and the perfect digestif. Our dinner with one bottle of water came to $60.00 with a generous tip. I hadn't been to Locanda del Ghiottone in quite some time and had forgotten how utterly reliable and well prepared the food is there. For anyone recently dissappointed in the quality of Italian food in this town (David, are you listening?), I recommend a stop here to remind you how simple and well prepared food with no short cuts taken can be a transporting experience.

[mrbigjas]

$60.00 with a generous tip.  I hadn't been to Locanda del Ghiottone in quite some time and had forgotten how utterly reliable and well prepared the food is there.  For anyone recently dissappointed in the quality of Italian food in this town (David, are you listening?), I recommend a stop here to remind you how simple and well prepared food with no short cuts taken can be a transporting experience.

Excellent! We had a couple of interesting experiences this weekend as well. On Friday it was Pif, which I'm glad to see is keeping up the standards that it started with--I had duck two ways that was perfectly cooked; my father in law got a filet that he was practically licking the plate after finishing (he's on atkins so no potatoes or nothing--just meat for him). The mrs got a skate wing that was super. The funny part of it was that the FIL was given this fork for cutting his meat that was straight out of a junior high cafeteria--just bending all over the place. I couldn't stop laughing.

Anyways, where was I? Oh yeah, Saturday (this is the part that I was reminded of by your post) we had dinner at Cucina Forte, where I had a leg of lamb that was freakin transcendent. And the "maria's dream soup." I mean my god. And the gnocchi? Were everything everyone said they could be. However, it was earsplittingly loud and service was so slow that dinner took nearly three hours. I think I'll go back there on a Tuesday instead of a weekend night.

[menton1]

I've been to this place a few times, and I have felt it was always a nice experience. I was even there in its first incarnation before it burned down. I was very happy to see it reopen after about a year, and they spruced up the decor quite a bit. BYOB is a nice feature as well.

Place has always been packed, need to arrive early, or wait!!

They seem to have played with the name, I have seen "der" as well as "del", don't know which is right. Before the fire, they just called themselves "Il Ghiottone" (The Glutton)

[davidbdesilva]

I am listening Katie! We have been to La Locanda once, years ago when Guiseppe was still alive (that WAS his name wasn't it?) and were impressed. I guess I have avoided going back because of the (then and not now?) no reservation policy and LONG wait for a table outside (where they had tables and would open your bottle for you so you could start drinking before you got in to ease the wait). From what I've heard, it sounds like the place is even better than it was, which means I DO need to go back! After our excellent meal at L'Angolo and our somewhat disappointing meal at Tre Scalini (it was good but not as good as I expected), I'm in the mood for giving La Locanda another try. Thanks Katie for helping me to realize that there ARE some places in Philly serving excellent and authentic Italian fare!

[Andrew Fenton]

And the gnocchi?  Were everything everyone said they could be.

Y'know, I was disappointed by the gnocchi at Cucina Forte. They were cut, not rolled-- which can be okay-- but they were cut into all different sizes. Which seemed weird and a little disturbing to me: why not go for consistency there?

They seem to have played with the name, I have seen "der" as well as "del", don't know which is right.

I've heard people refer to it as "der," but as far as I know, that's just wrong. Del there means "of the": der is the German definite article. I'm pretty sure it ain't Italian.

[KatieLoeb]

Even though Giuseppe (RIP) isn't there any longer, the quality of food and preparations seems as good as ever. I called ahead (remember, this was a Sunday night so YMMV) and asked if we needed a reservation for 2 people and was told to just come on in. I seem to recall that they used to not give out the phone number and NEVER EVER took reservations, so the waits were interminable. However, I found the phone number listed ((215)829-1465) and just called with no problems whatsoever. It's no wonder to me that this place is as popular as it is. The food is straightforward and fresh Italian, as good as I've had almost anywhere.

I am also fond of Cucina Forte, but figured they were crowded after the recent good review. I love their gnocchi - I think they're deliclious and light as a feather. The fact that they're irregular just reinforces their homemade qualities. And yes - the "Dream soup" is dreamy!

[menton1]

I've heard people refer to it as "der," but as far as I know, that's just wrong.  Del there means "of the": der is the German definite article.  I'm pretty sure it ain't Italian.

Yeah, "del" sounds right to me, too. Anybody been there in the old days before the fire when it was "Il Ghiottone?"

[Lisa1349]

Gnocchi consistency isn't hard, I used to make a bunch of sheeps milk ricotta gnocchi. When you say they were rolled... just into a log and cut or rolled on the ridged plank to make them rigate? I should know the proper name for the gnocchi liner... anyone? Some use a fork in place of the roller.

We also made an indentation on top to hold sauce poured over.

Lisa

Edited June 3, 2003 by Lisa1349 (log)

[Andrew Fenton]

What I meant-- and I realize I wasn't too clear-- is that they'd been rolled into a log and sliced off: the result were cylinder-shaped gnocchi, not the ridged or cowrie-shell shape you get when they've been individually formed. And they weren't all the same size either, which bothered me more, because they didn't cook quite evenly.

Edited June 4, 2003 by Andrew Fenton (log)

[mrbigjas]

What I meant-- and I realize I wasn't too clear-- is that they'd been rolled into a log and sliced off: the result were cylinder-shaped gnocchi, not the ridged or cowrie-shell shape you get when they've been individually formed.  And they weren't all the same size either, which bothered me more, because they didn't cook quite evenly.

Yeah, I definitely see what you're saying, although the uneven cooking didn't happen that night. There definitely wasn't a texture issue with these--the ones I tasted (they were my wife's dish, and she thought they were great as well) were all cooked evenly and were light as they could be, which made me not really think twice about the shape. Perhaps I should've, because I see your point. Hm....... something to think about.