Brigantessa Opens Tonight


Brigantessa opens this evening on East Passyunk Avenue. The second restaurant from chef Joe Cicala and his partners Cathy Lee and Francis Cratil-Cretarola will focus on Southern Italian cooking and a menu built around the restaurant’s wood-fired oven. The bar and open kitchen take up much of the first floor with a dining room upstairs. Cicala will also have a rotisserie and grill at his disposal in the kitchen.

The bar will offer sixteen beers on draft, including several craft Italian beers as well as US craft options as well. Wine will also be available on draft and will focus on wines from Southern Italy.

Brigantessa will initially be open for dinner seven nights a week and lunch will be added later. It is walk-in only for now, OpenTable reservations are available as of Monday, October 20th.

Spuntini

~Braised artichoke heart, bread crumbs, lemon, capers
~Oil poached swordfish, Fresno chillies, orange vinaigrette, fried sardine bones
~Pheasant terrine, chestnuts, pistachios cherry mostarda
~Smoked Duck Rillet, agro dolce pioppini mushrooms, grilled rustic bread
~Sardine in saor, fennel, onions, bay leaf
~Albamele, Digiacamo’s basilacata cheese

Antipasti

~mozzarella in carroza, bagnia cauda, oven roasted cherry tomatoes
~provola impeccata, grilled rustic bread, black truffle
~fagioli al forno, house-made pork sausage, breadcrumbs
~razor clams gratinate
~Wood Grilled Romanesco, neaonata di sardelle vinaigrette, fried caperberries

Salumi

Le Virtu Culatello
Le Virtu prosciutto
Le Virtu soppressata
Wild boar prosciutto
Felino
Bresaola

Pizze

~Marinara San marzano tomatoes, garlic, oregano, extra virgin olive oil
~Regina- Buffalo mozzarella, piennolo tomatoes, basil
~Calabrese- house-made n’duja, roasted peppers, sheep’s milk ricotta, Calabrian chili oil
~Mastu’ Nicola- rosemary, sea salt, lardo
~Croche’ -Potato croquettes, smoked mozzarella, pancetta
~Vongole verace- clams, garlic, chillies, white wine, extra virgin olive oil, parsley
~pizza cannolo- smoked mozzarella, pork sausage, porcini

Primi

~Rotolo di zucca,  chicory, sheeps milk ricotta, brown butter, pecorino, Pizzuta almonds
~black chick pea pappardelle, whey braised lamb, fennel pollen
~Cappellaci dei briganti, butcher’s ragu, pecorino canestrano
~pork trotter filled ravioli trecce, parmigiano brodo, chervil

Secondi

~Squab al mattone, polenta povera, figs
~Grilled lamb saddle, cauliflower, cipollini natural jus
~whole roasted dorade, bintje potatoes, castelvetrano 
olives

Brigantessa [Foobooz]