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It is unusual to spend a nearly flawless evening in a restaurant, whether it be a neighborhood place or an upscale eatery. But Edward, Sandy and I enjoyed this unique experience at Birra, a trattoria-pizzeria that recently opened on East Passyunk Avenue.
It was a positive experience all around. Ingredients are immaculately fresh, service is the best you can get, prices are moderate and portions are large enough to share.
Birra’s congenial host advised a 30- to 40-minute wait for a table, so we opted for three comfortable chairs at the bar. There are hooks under the bar for bags and purses, which is a nice plus.
Several televisions were tuned to football. I cheered for the Green Bay Packers as I sipped a perfect Rob Roy ($10.50), that the bartender, Greg, expertly mixed while Sandy enjoyed a glass of Malbec ($9) served in a small carafe that Sandy poured into a tumbler, as the Italians do. Edward ordered a martini ($9) and struck up a conversation with a man who insisted we order the mushroom salad ($12). All of the dishes were large enough to share.
The mushroom salad was prepared with baby greens, spicy arugula and baby spinach topped with a mélange of heady wild mushrooms including shiitake and the rarely-seen enoki, which added flavor and texture to the dish. The ingredients were tossed in a flavorful vinaigrette.
Regular readers know my sister Sandy is more than picky. She is not a true foodie and feels uncomfortable in new restaurants because she has little sense of adventure and always plays it safe. I confess the Caesar salad ($7) was about as good as it gets. The romaine was cool and crisp topped with a light and homemade dressing like I prepare at home. The homemade croutons were cheesy and buttery and I loved the addition of a large frico which placed the salad over the top. A frico is nothing more than grated Parmesan which is fried in oil and looks like a lacy cookie.
“I don’t like it,” Sandy said.
“Good. More for me,” I said.
Both salads arrived with baked homemade dough triangles.
Edward and I always look forward to a hot vegetable as an antipasto. You must order the roasted asparagus ($10) because if you don’t, you are missing out on a dish that’s vibrant, fresh and tasty. Six thick jumbo asparagus were roasted with salt, pepper and freshly minced herbs and topped with a fried egg, which, when broken, released a heavenly flavor.
Sandy likes asparagus, but the egg was off-putting. Her excuse: “I had asparagus the other night.”
Next up was a big bowl of steamed mussels ($11) that were squeaky clean and bathed in a tomato broth — enhanced by small, red, slightly hot chili peppers — that was so outrageous, I asked Greg to pack me the broth to go so I could use it as a base for mussels and clams for the next night’s dinner. Two generous chunks of warm French bread, fresh from the French bakery across the street from Birra, made the sauce more seductive as I happily dipped away.
Don’t miss the pizza here. There is a pie or two for everyone. Knowing my sister as I do, my eye immediately went to the putanesca pizza ($13) because she adores anchovies. Think of the ingredients used in this classic sauce that the ladies of the evening in Italy lovingly prepared and your mouth will begin to water. White anchovies, capers, black olives, fresh tomato sauce and cheese were blended on homemade dough and baked until crisp. I prefer a thin crisp dough. Birra does not disappoint.
The white pizzas are unusual at Birra. I had to nix the porchetta because Sandy will not eat pork but goes for bacon on anything. Greg recommended the duck confit pie ($18) and I was so glad he did. Chunks of juicy, boneless duck, which spent some time in its own fat, were placed on the pie along with caramelized onions and cheese. With this in life, nothing, and I mean nothing, is bad.
“What’s this?” Sandy asked as she began to remove the duck from her slice. I begged her to try it, but she wouldn’t.
“Good. More for me.”
Six slices, which I crisped in the oven for lunch, were packed to go.
I could eat at Birra once a week. I am not kidding. I want to try everything on the menu. I wish they would open a second location in Center City.
Three tips of the toque to Birra. SPR
Birra
1700 E. Passyunk Ave.
267-324-3127
Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.
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