July 15, 2019

Outdoor feast at Le Virtu will include more than 40 courses

The nine-hour meal is being offered al fresco for the first time

By Sinead Cummings
PhillyVoice Staff

Courtesy of/Le Virtu

The outdoor garden space at Le Virtu.

If you have yet to visit Le Virtù on Passyunk Avenue, it's an Italian restaurant that brings the spirit of the Abruzzo region to Philadelphia.

This summer, you can fully immerse yourself in classic Abruzzese cuisine during an epic nine-hour meal that will feature more than 40 courses.

Normally, Le Virtù throws the feast during the winter. This is the first time it will be offered al fresco.

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Only 35 seats are available for the exclusive, all-day feast on Sunday, Aug. 25. Reservations for parties of six or less can be made starting Tuesday, July 16, by calling (215) 271-5626. The price is $375 per person, excluding tax and gratuity.

In addition to favorites from the restaurant's annual wintertime feast, guests can expect new dishes on the menu, from traditional Abruzzese fare to specialties from elsewhere in southern Italy and across the Mediterranean. A selection of eight wines will complement the diverse menu.

Below are some of the dishes diners can expect, as provided by the restaurant.

• Crudo of scallop, tuna and fluke
• Squid marinated in seppia ink with pepperoncino
• Panino di Polpo, chef Damon Menapace's interpretation of the grilled octopus sandwich found in Bari and Salento
• Capocolla e Burrata, cured pork neck and shoulder from Puglia with the region's famed burrata cheese
• Tonnarelli alla Trapanese, thick ribbons of pasta with almond-basil pesto, garlic, tomatoes, pecorino and olive oil
• Pesce Spada, swordfish with lemon and capers
• Eggplant Caponata, a Sicilian specialty

Diners are free to take breaks to digest, but in keeping with tradition, each diner is urged to at least sample a bite from every single course.

There will be three distinct breaks between courses. During one break, guests are invited to take shots of a house-made Italian digestivi drink from two ice luges. During another break, there will be live folk music.