40-Dish La Panarda Dinner at Le Virtù

“La Panarda is a culinary marathon, not a sprint – it’s a meal with peaks and valleys, what I think of as waves of flavor,” says Chef Joe Cicala.  And what a marathon might be to a runner, La Panarda is exactly that to a foodie. It’s a goal, an exercise, and an accomplishment, all rolled up into one eight-hour, 40-dish feast. Cicala is hosting the lavish dinner on Sunday, December 16th at 2 p.m. The eight-hour feast is available to only 20 guests and costs $200 but includes eight wine pairings from Abruzzo’s Cantina Frentana vineyard.

There are rules to this dinner; certain traditional dishes must be served, and guests must eat every dish presented.  Famously, one early 20th-century iteration allegedly included men armed with shotguns to enforce this rule. That probably isn’t the case at Le Virtu, but who knows what they have in mind. The restaurant’s outdoor courtyard, Il Campo, will be open (weather permitting) for leisurely strolls and drinks by the fire bowls between courses and during pauses in service.

Co-owners Francis Cratil-Cretarola and Cathy Lee would like the guests to enjoy the whole space. Again, it’s limited seating, so reservations are necessary.

To the select twenty that get in: revel in it, because they’ve created quite the evening to remember.

Le Virtu [Official Site]