It’s easy to see why Joe Cicala, executive chef and co-owner of Brigantessa, 1520 E. Passyunk Ave., is a three-time semi-finalist for the James Beard Award (for his work at Le Virtù), as he is obviously putting his considerable talents to good use at his latest venture. Brigantessa’s menu draws upon the culinary traditions of Southern Italian regions like Abruzzo, Campania and the island of Sicilia for their inspiration, and the results are spectacular.
Brigantessa’s dim candlelit confines are the perfect setting for its adventurous menu. Things get off to a brilliant start on the sputini (Italian tapas) and antipasti menu. The oil-poached swordfish ($8), bathed in an orange vinaigrette with fried sardine bones, had refined and delicate flavors. The wood-oven roasted long-hots ($7), stuffed with sausage and pecorino, weren’t too spicy but left a pleasant, lingering kick to the palette. The braised artichoke hearts ($7), seasoned with breadcrumbs, lemon and capers, were delightfully bright with a nice contrast in textures. The smoked duck rillette ($12) has amazingly potent flavor without the super-fatty richness that one associates with duck, and the garnish of crispy duck skin added smoky depth to the dish.
On to the main menu, it has to be said that Brigantessa makes a damn good pizza. Cicala is enamored with the hard-to-acquire piennolo tomatoes, and buys a lot of them whenever he has the chance to work them into the menu. The Regina pizza ($16) is a simple but effective affair where the piennolo tomatoes and their briny, almost seafood-like flavor are allowed to shine with only basil, a mild and creamy buffalo mozzarella and thin but hearty wood-fired crust sharing the stage. Be warned: Brigantessa’s pizza has the capacity to ruin you for anyone else’s pies.
The piennolo tomatoes were also featured in the distinctive Rustichella Black Spaghetti ($19), with long hots and octopus. The ocean-like flavor profile hinted in the Regina pizza comes to full bloom in this dish with a complex convergence of spicy, briny seafood qualities that make for a comforting rustic experience.
If you are looking for a temporary culinary getaway from the hectic pace of the upcoming holiday season, reserve yourself a table at Brigantessa, uncork a bottle of wine and take someone you want to impress on a delicious virtual tour of Southern Italy.