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A Contemporary Cucina With Old School Appeal
August 18, 2003 By: Kristin Munro kmunro@aroundphilly.com
Beneath a glossy layer of metro restaurant polish and contemporary decoration, Le Castagne, at 19th and Chestnut St., is just a family-owned operation rooted in good Italian restaurant values. Go heavy on the pasta and easy on the customer.
"Any customer is a potential customer for life," says Anthony Masapollo, the manager at Le Castagne.
Le Castagne opened over two years ago with a few more initial obstacles to overcome than most new restaurants ever have to dodge. There was the challenge of having a Rittenesque restaurant, full of imported Italian décor and swanky sidewalk seating, off of Rittenhouse Square. Then trying to set itself distinctly apart from the family's other successful restaurants, La Famiglia and Panorama, while upholding their enduring reputation for dining excellence in Philly. And one month after it opened, 9/11 plunged the nation into an economic downturn making it a bad time to have a restaurant- especially a
new one.
"9/11 made things rough," says Masapollo. "But we've been growing by leaps and bounds since then."
An old school approach to Northern Italian cuisine gives Le Castagne an ambitious, and affordable, edge. The menu is filled with traditional favorites, like pasta dishes and chicken specialties that flirt with seasonal spices and unusual recipe combinations. Chestnuts, one of the most important products in Italy and the meaning of the restaurant's name, are just one of many unexpected ingredients to flavor spaghetti, gnocchis and desserts. All of which are made from scratch, as well as the crusty bread that's served still warm.
"Pasta dishes are very popular with our customers," says Masapollo. "It's great food at a great price and the portions are big."
Ravioli is given an exciting twist by filling the square with rock shrimp, zucchini, and sweet onion served in a saffron cream sauce (14). Tagliatelle, accented by a mild sage flavor, is prepared with sauteed wild mushrooms and white wine (12). Spaghetti, prepared with chestnut flour to provide a mild flavor, is sautéed in a walnut cream sauce topped with cocoa powder (12).
"We focus on northern Italian cuisine but our menu has a flavor of everything," says Masapollo.
Filet mignon rubbed with fresh herbs and roasted garlic butter (25), Cornish hen served with marsala wine and wild mushrooms (19,) and veal prepared with tomato, smoked mozzarella and grilled eggplant in a veal demi-glace are some of the more exciting dinner menu items. A daily fish is selected and prepared at the chef's discretion, and is available at market price.
To accommodate the theater crowd after the matinee or before an evening show, Le Castagne offers a pre-theater menu every day between 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., offering an appetizer, entrée and dessert for $25. Cocktails are half-price everyday during happy hour, with complimentary food on Thursdays and Fridays.
Executive chef Brian Wilson frequently updates the menu to complement the seasons or just to challenge his culinary creativity. His excitement for his craft is evident, from the precise food presentation to trying new recipes out on the staff.
"You have to know what people like and give them what they want," says Wilson, who adds that on his day off you'll probably find him pulling into the drive-thru.
