May 19, 2016

Visiting South Philly’s Brigantessa

Brigantessa, Forneria Meridionale
Photos by New York Scugnizzo
By Giovanni di Napoli
It was a long time in coming, but I finally made it to Brigantessa, Forneria Meridionale. Named in honor of Michelina De Cesare, a pro-Bourbon freedom fighter who fought and died against the Piedmontese invaders, the restaurant is one of South Philly’s hip dining spots which specializes in southern Italian fare.  
Located at 1520 East Passyunk Avenue, Brigantessa offers a variety traditional dishes drawn from the unforgettable experiences of la cucina meridianale in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Decorated with original photography highlighting the splendor of the Italian south, the first floor—with bar and Neapolitan pizza oven—is intimate and cozy, while the upstairs dining area is roomy and better suited to larger parties. As to be expected from a southern Italian eatery, the staff was warm, friendly and very attentive.
Hanging sign with Michelina De Cesare
For lunch my friend and I started off with the Antipasti Della Casa, a delicious assortment of artichokes, olives, mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, sformato and stracciatella. Mixing it up a little, we also tried the Frito Misto; a literal cornucopia of fried goodies served in a paper cone, including frittatina di maccheroni and polpette di baccalà (typical Neapolitan street fare).

Luckily, the drive from NYC made us pretty hungry, so we still had some room for our main courses. My friend had the Mozzarella in Carrozza Pannini, a new take on an old classic, while I inhaled the Crispy Eggplant Pannini smothered in smoked scamorza, spicy ’nduja and a yellow Piennolo tomato agrodolce. Both sandwiches were served with homemade potato chips.
Naturally, the right thing to do after a meal like that was to take a leisurely stroll and explore the neighborhood. Our experience was so good, my friend and I agreed we would come back for supper before making our trek home. So we made our reservation and partook in some of the many things Philadelphia has to offer. (See upcoming post)
A large photo of Michelina De Cesare also hangs over the beer taps
After our long excursion we worked up an appetite and returned for dinner. Not surprisingly, the place was hopping, so I recommend making a reservation before hand. Promptly seated, we ordered some wine and scoured the dinner menu for the perfect choices, salivating over the enticing selection of dishes to choose from.
For an appetizer we had the insanely delicious wood-grilled Lucanian Sausage with crispy polenta and Lacinato kale. My friend ordered the Regina Pizza, an authentic Neapolitan masterpiece covered with buffalo mozzarella, Piennolo tomatoes and basil, cooked to perfection following the strict regulations of the AVPN* in a famed Gianni Acunto wood-fired oven made with bricks from the volcanic ash of Mount Vesuvius. For my entrée I ordered the Saffron “Briganti Hats,” a delectable macaroni smothered in a cardoncelli mushroom and pork sausage ragu. I think I would have ordered this dish anyway because of the name, but I remembered reading a glowing review by our friend Danielle Oteri over at Feast on History and the choice became obvious.
Photos of southern Italy adorn the walls
They have a nice collection of wines (e.g. De Leonardis Aglianico del Vulture) and spirits (e.g. Amaro Lucano) from southern Italy. We chose a bottle of Ippolito 1845 Ciro Rosso from the oldest winery in Calabria. It’s distinct flavors pared well with our meal. 
Needless to say, our dinner was brought to its climactic conclusion with a piping hot espresso.
If I were a local, Brigantessa would definitely be one of my regular haunts, where I would happily sample my way through the entire menu and seasonal specialties. However, a few friends saw my "status" on Facebook and were disappointed they didn’t get to come, so I may be back soon enough to try some of the other dishes.

* Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana
Antipasti Della Casa, a delicious assortment of artichokes, olives, mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, sformato and stracciatella
Our new pal Andre presents a couple of mouthwatering masterpieces
Crispy Eggplant Pannini smothered in smoked scamorza, spicy ’nduja and a yellow Piennolo tomato agrodolce
Caroline carves up some salumi with a vintage hand cranked Berkel slicer
Saffron “Briganti Hats,” a delectable macaroni smothered in a cardoncelli mushroom and pork sausage ragu
Pizza Regina
Lucanian Sausage with crispy polenta and Lacinato kale
Brigantessa, Forneria Meridionale ★★★★★
1520 East Passyunk Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19147
(267) 318-7341

www.brigantessaphila.com