Philadelphia: Checking In: Dante & Luigi's | Dine (Restaurants)

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Checking In: Dante & Luigi's
April 8, 2008
By: Kristin Munro
kmunro@aroundphilly.com

Before getting to the business at hand--the crusty bread! the too-many-to-count-pasta dishes!--I think I owe Dante & Luigi’s an apology. Like most Jersey transplants, I mistakenly thought that that other Italian restaurant (you know the one, right, that also goes by a first name and is about three blocks away?) was the oldest restaurant in Philadelphia. Turns out that D&L’s owns that title, churning out over a century's worth of Old World standbys since 1899 from within two converted town homes in the Italian Market nabe of the city.

You don’t need to know that biographical footnote to make dinner there any more enjoyable, but it does lend to the experience in its own way. It’s like you’re right on par with the Italian immigrants that used to show up here, with the restaurant name and address pinned to their lapels, only you’ve got a reservation and Mapquest directions.

The smallish main dining room looks like it was a living room in another life with its low ceilings and fireplace. It's cozy without being overwhelming, even with the kitchen doors swinging back and forth at a regular clip as the waiters carry trays (we know--when was the last time you saw those?) over one shoulder. Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett standards hang in the air above the dozen or so white-linen-covered tables for four.

Dante & Luigi’s played host to a full dining room starting at around 8:30pm on a recent Thursday night. A survey of tables showed that virtually no one skips a first course, like the sharable antipasta plate or Caesar salad.

For dinner, build your own pasta dish by picking the noodle and accompanying gravy, or chose from 10 that are already on the menu like fettucini filetto, with sliced filet mignon, shitake mushrooms and sun dried tomato with Italian gravy.

There’s a handful each of traditional meat and seafood dishes, and like any good Italian restaurant, lots of veal. Of note is the baked stuffed pork chop which oozes proscuitto, spinach and mozzarella cheese topped with mushroom demiglasse, and seafood cioppino, a five-fish assortment with lobster tail served over linguini in a kicky marinara.

For dessert a dense, thickly iced Italian cream cake or a reliable ricotta canoli with chocolate chips is a must.

Hopefully, D&L’s will accept my apology. It’s not healthy to hold onto a grudge after you get to be a certain age anyway.

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Previous "Reviews" Articles:
Review: Le Castagne
Reviews: Bindi
Review: Supper
Reviews: Belgian Cafe
Checking In: Dante & Luigi's

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