Marc Vetri, the award-winning chef out of Philadelphia who placed his own stamp on Italian fare, opens his eponymous restaurant Vetri Cucina in the former Alizé space at the top of the Palms, with its view of the city unfolding to the east.
Vetri initially opened his cozy Italian fine dining establishment in a Philadelphia townhouse on Spruce Street in 1998 and quickly became known for his outstanding pasta dishes. He earned accolades from Food & Wine two years later as one of the nation’s “Best New Chefs” and by 2005, he won the James Beard Award for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic.
Below, the opening menu:
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ANTIPASTI
SHAVED RAW BABY ARTICHOKE SALAD with lemon and arugula 16
FISH CRUDO FISH CRUDO DEL GIORNO mp
THINLY SHAVED PORCHETTA with tuna sauce and celery 22
VEAL TARTARE with crispy sweetbreads and hazelnuts 24
SQUID AND ARTICHOKE GALLETTE with lemon 22
WILTED GREEN SALAD with egg and pancetta 18
PASTRAMI FOIE GRAS with brioche and mostarda 28
SWEET ONION CREPE with white truffle fondue 20
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PASTA
SWISS CHARD GNOCCHI with brown butter and ricotta salata 30
ALMOND TORTELLINI with truffle sauce 30
CASONCELLI MEAT FILLED BERGAMASCAN RAVIOLI with amaretti sage and pancetta 32
FAZZOLETTI “PASTA HANDKERCHIEFS” with mushrooms 32
TONARELLI GRANO ARSO “BURNT FLOUR SPAGHETTI” with seafood 38
SPAGHETTI with san marzano tomatoes and fresh basil 26
MALFADINI with wild duck ragu and olives 34
CHESTNUT FETTUCCINE with wild boar ragu and cocoa 34
SQUASH ROTOLO with blue cheese fondue and ginger confit 30
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SECONDI
MESQUITE WOOD GRILLED FRUTTI DI MARE MISTO “GRILLED SEAFOOD OF THE DAY” 48
STUFFED GUINEA HEN with mushrooms and jus 48
WHOLE ROASTED SMOKED BABY GOAT with fresh milled polenta 55
SALT CRUST BRANZINO FOR TWO with truffle sauce and charred brussel sprouts 90
“BISTECCA FIORENTINA” MESQUITE GRILLED RIBEYE FOR TWO with heirloom beans and radicchio 195
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DOLCI
VETRI CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE with vanilla gelato 18
SICILIAN PISTACHIO FLAN with milk chocolate gelato 18
PEAR ALMOND TART with honey gelato 14
BOMOBOLONI “FRIED DONUTS” with huckleberry jam 14
RICOTTA GELATO with dark chocolate shell, warm orange olive oil 14
POLENTA BUDINO with gianduja mousse, candied hazelnuts 14
GELATO AND SORBETTI 10
Vetri Cucina, Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Road, 702.942.7777; opens at 5:30 p.m. daily
• Marc Vetri Teases His Italian Dishes Coming to the Palms [ELV]
• All Coverage of Vetri Cucina [ELV]