For true lovers of Italian cuisine, Dante and Luigi's offers a meal that can rival any in the city at a price that will not break the bank.
Located at 762 S. 10th St. (about three blocks south of South Street), Dante and Luigi's may be just slightly off the beaten path for many Penn students. However, the restaurant has been satisfying to those who have come across it since 1899.
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Even for an Italian restaurant, the menu was expansive. Although my guest and I are not usually ones to struggle with dinner decisions, narrowing down the menu proved to be quite a challenge. Fortunately, the decision was accompanied by the old standby at any good Italian restaurant: delicious bread with olive oil.
After lengthy deliberations, and much bread, we ordered the shrimp cocktail ($9.95) and marinated artichoke hearts over eggplant ($6.95) to start.
Main course highlights on the menu included many items to please the palate seeking traditional Italian fare, such as pasta with "Italian gravy" ($14.95) and baked lasagna ($17.95). Numerous exotic choices rounded out the selection. The filet dante (filet mignon with portobello mushroom, shrimp and crab cake, $28.95), and seafood cioppino (lobster tail, calamari, shrimp, mussels and clams over linguini in spicy marinara or bianco sauce, $26.95) sounded particularly noteworthy.
We, however, could not resist the traditional Italian delicacies at a restaurant with such a long history in Philadelphia's Italian Market. On that note, I ordered the tremendous chicken parmigiana ($15.95).
The chicken was cooked to perfection and covered in mozzarella and Italian gravy. As an added bonus, it came with farfalle in a slightly spicy red sauce, which made me wish I possessed the appetite to sample a pasta dish as well.
My guest ordered the gnocchi romano ($15.95). Thick and rich, this dish provided some kick, but was not overpowering. The homemade pasta was cooked to perfection and smothered in a creamy rosetta sauce. Ricotta and locatelli cheeses sealed the deal -- a classic Italian meal in itself.
Although full at this point, we were not quite done and were confronted with another difficult decision: dessert. Once again, the menu did not seem to permit a poor decision. We settled on Italian cream cake with rum and la bomba -- chocolate and vanilla ice cream coated in a rich chocolate shell -- to complete a thoroughly outstanding meal. The $6 treats provided the perfect finish to a satisfying meal.
For almost any occasion, Dante and Luigi's makes a great decision. The food cannot be beat, the prices, while not cheap, are an absolute bargain for the quality. But the real reason you will remember the experience is the excellent service provided in the cozy yet fashionable atmosphere.
If you take one trip down to Dante and Luigi's, we think you'll find plenty of excuses to go back.
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