The $35 Challenge: Eating For Two At Le Virtu

$35 for three courses sounds like a helluva deal. And that’s what Restaurant Week is built around. But say you want to go somewhere awesome without having to deal with the crowds, the restrictions and the stressed-out wait staffs that are also a part of Restaurant Week. Is that possible?

Yes. And at Le Virtu, with a little bit of math, you can also get a killer Abruzze dinner for two for just $70. And it’s a rather romantic meal, too. Here’s how to do it:

Start on the antipasti menu and go for two of chef Joe Cicala’s best plates–just a little something to get you warmed up.

Scrippelle m’busse $9
Savory pecorino-filled crepes in chicken broth

N’duja $11
Spicy spreadable Calabrese salame, grilled rustic bread, vegetables “agrodolce”

Next, move on to the “Primi” section of the menu and go for the kitchen’s now-virtually-legendary long-ass pasta for two.

Maccheroni alla mugnaia $18 (per person)
Hand-pulled, single-strand pasta, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, hot pepper, pecorino

Now I know… You’re going to have to skip the mains (they’re a bit too pricey to consider with the cap we have on the budget here), but after two apps and two pastas, sharing the most decadent dessert on pastry chef Angela Ranalli’s board won’t be much of a hardship. And it will bring your tab to exactly $70 dollars for two.

Semifreddo al torrone di cioccolato $14
Dark chocolate semifreddo, torrone crumble, salted caramel sauce

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