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I am always delighted when a new restaurant opens in the theater district. Long-standing fine eateries like Caribou Caf� and Portofino have been taking care of theater-goers for years.
A number of years ago, Pompeii moved from South Broad Street to Walnut Street opposite the Forrest Theatre. The cucina was authentic, with silky homemade pastas and dishes prepared with top-quality ingredients. I cannot remember the name of the chef, but he left and Pompeii soon changed its menu. It featured Italian-American fare along with Asian standards and a quesadilla added for anyone who craves Mexican in an Italian restaurant.
More than a month ago, I received an e-mail Pompeii had morphed into Joe Pesce. South Philadelphia-born chef Joseph Tucker, who wowed me with his talent nearly 12 years ago when he owned a restaurant on Passyunk Avenue, was in the kitchen. Tucker also has a Joe Pesce in Collingswood, N.J.
Edward and I arrived at Joe Pesce for dinner on a cold evening. We were greeted by a young man who showed us to a roomy table. The interior has not changed much. The space is open with looming ceilings and has a cozy bar in the front with a television playing sports. It’s a sleek, understated, modern interior.
My Bombay Sapphire martini ($7) and Edward’s Beefeater martini ($7) were good-sized and a downright bargain. This was the lowest price I’ve encountered for cocktails all year.
An assistant waiter brought us crusty bread and a delicious homemade hummus, which kept us happy as we listened to the nightly specials.
Our waiter was knowledgeable and attentive. Since Joe Pesce is open for lunch, I asked if I could order a Caesar salad from the lunch menu. "Of course you can," he said with a smile. Edward opted for the beet salad ($10).
Unfortunately, my salad fell short. A large bowl was filled with immaculately fresh hearts of romaine tossed in a dressing containing so much vinegar I could not eat it. Caesar salad is normally coated with olive oil, lemon juice, coddled egg and anchovies. It’s creamy, but this version was not. Our waiter happily removed it.
The Mediterranean beet salad, however, was well-executed and downright delicious. Bite-sized cubes of cool, roasted red beets were dusted with bits of imported, creamy Gorgonzola, red onion and served in a light and not-at-all vinegary dressing. Some chopped fresh herbs added flavor.
Eggplant rollatini is one of my favorites in Italian-American restaurants. On the menu, Joe Pesce’s version ($8) states it is prepared with "battered eggplant rolled with a creamy ricotta-spinach filling and baked with homemade tomato sauce." I received a plate featuring a few slices of layered eggplant and I could not detect that it had been battered. There was some cheese-spinach mixture in between the layers along with a cold egg-shaped mound of ricotta, which I found odd. The sauce was so sweet, neither Edward nor I could eat it.
Our waiter asked if I would like something else. He was courteous and professional. I went for the fried calamari ($9). This splendid antipasto instantly removed the odd flavor and presentation of the eggplant.
"I tasted the eggplant," our waiter said as he set my squid down. "It was too sweet."
The calamari rings were dusted in a light tempura-like batter and quickly fried to an eye-appealing light golden brown. They were totally free of grease. The mound of squid was so large, I joked it resembled Mount Etna. Funny thing: this time the homemade, rich and slightly chunky marinara sauce was a triumph. It did not resemble in the least bit the sweet sauce used in the eggplant antipasto. Edward and I did not want to waste a drop. Once the calamari disappeared, we dipped slices of bread into the sauce.
One of Edward’s favorite dishes is veal Milanese. He likes a dry cutlet topped with a mound of arugula and shards of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Since Joe Pesce’s version ($18) is made with tomato sauce and cheese, Edward asked if he could have his done the way he likes. "Certainly," our waiter said. The veal was tender, tasty and required not a bit of salt or pepper. I like to squeeze a bit of lemon on the veal and arugula, but Edward prefers it straight. Both of us enjoyed the entr�e.
I asked for an appetizer portion of pasta instead of a big bowl. Shrimp and crab scampi ($10 for an appetizer portion, $19 for an entr�e) is made with capellini. I substituted linguine instead.
I received a good-sized portion of noodles cooked al dente, then tossed with large shrimp and jumbo lumps of sweet succulent crab. The sauce was fashioned from white wine, garlic and fresh chopped herbs and tomatoes. The portion was generous and just right for my appetite.
With dinner, Edward sipped Belmondo Montepulciano ($8) and I enjoyed Belmondo Pinot Noir ($8). Both glasses were filled to the top.
Service was excellent throughout. The staff watched our table, filled our water glasses and changed our flatware between courses.
Although there were two glitches, the well-prepared dishes we enjoyed made up for them. During dinner we learned Tucker was not in the kitchen. Still, he has a well-trained staff and a funky menu that features Asian and Mexican dishes alongside Italian-American cucina.
Two tips of the toque to Joe Pesce.
Joe Pesce
1113 Walnut St.
215-829-4400
Credit cards accepted
