Le Virtu’s La Panarda in the Washington Post


The Washington Post was at the 40-course La Panarda dinner at Le Virtu. Check out Domenica Marchetti’s recap of chef Joe Cicala’s epic feast.

La Panarda is indeed a marathon, but not the eat-all-you-can-as-fast-as-you-can kind that you find at county fairs or see on bad food TV. The feast is a centuries-old tradition steeped in cultural and religious significance, and in lore. It still takes place in some Abruzzo villages, especially in the mountains, where winters can be bitter and where a celebratory meal that requires days of preparation goes a long way toward providing purpose, not to mention comfort.

For more on La Panarda, check out our recap of the 2012 Dinner At Le Virtù.

La Panarda: Philadelphia restaurant hosts an age-old feast that’s a marathon, not a race [Washington Post]