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The enormous Italian-made wood-burning pizza oven is still there. But don’t expect pizza on the menu at Corte Oven & Bar, a contemporary Italian spot opening Tuesday at 1175 Ludlow St., between Iron Hill Brewing and Mi Vida in East Market.
Corte has taken over the former Mulherin’s Pizzeria with a menu built around house-made pastas, roasted meats, and vegetables — but not a single pizza.
That might seem an odd choice for a restaurant whose owners also operate Corio, the Italian restaurant and pizzeria in University City.
The bar at Corte, 1175 Ludlow St.Read moreBondfire Media
But Ryan Mulholland, a partner with chef David Feola and James Smith, said the opportunity to do something different was precisely the attraction.
“We already scratched that itch at Corio,” Mulholland said. “We just envisioned something else for the neighborhood.”
“We have a lot of experience working with wood ovens, and David has a lot of experience working with live fire and solid-fuel cooking,” Mulholland said. “We thought, why don’t we do something different with it?”
The centerpiece remains the Mugnaini oven, a roaring backdrop in the elevated open kitchen, which Feola is using to roast proteins and vegetables while expanding the pasta program that the partners established at Corio.
There are six pastas ($14–$23), including rigatoni with crispy chicken skin and black olive caramel, and Maryland crab risotto with squid ink. Clams in purgatory and crispy halloumi are among the small plates ($12–$21), while vegetables ($13–$15) range from kale salad to blistered leeks with vichyssoise purée (inspired by the dish at New York City’s Via Carota).
One favorite from a preview dinner was the roasted chicken capperi ($33), a whole-chicken version of chicken piccata, with lemon, capers, and anchovy. The oven also turns out sea bream ($31), pork chop ($37), and a 32-ounce ribeye ($119).
Feola’s new mafaldine ($17) combines the ruffled, ribbonlike pasta with broccoli-stem ragù, crispy fennel sausage roasted in the wood oven, and broccoli rabe.
A chicory salad ($15) with creamy Parmesan vinaigrette and arancini is a variation on a more substantial salad served at Corio. Sandwiches — celery root Milanese, tuna confit, crispy pork — hover around $17.
Beverage manager Chris Gueye — who, like all of Corte’s partners, is a veteran of Vernick Food & Drink — has created an acqua pazza-inspired cocktail with tomato water, chili, fennel, saffron, and a caperberry garnish. The cocktail program mixes originals with lesser-known classics. One featured drink is the Corpse Reviver No. 1, a combination of Calvados, brandy, and sweet vermouth that Mulholland discovered in a 1948 printing of Trader Vic’s Bartender’s Guide found in his grandmother’s liquor cabinet.
The plan is to feature a different cocktail every week or two, drawn from a collection of eight or nine books, including The Savoy Cocktail Book.
Corte retains most of the dark-wood, earth-toned interior that Stokes Architecture & Design installed for Mulherin’s. Mulholland replaced the backless barstools and rearranged the dining room.
The enclosed outdoor dining area has roll-up walls for warmer weather and overhead heaters intended to extend its season.
Corte is open for dinner daily. Lunch, featuring the same menu, is expected to begin next week, with a limited selection of brunch dishes to follow.
Corte, 1175 Ludlow St., 267-928-4500, cortephilly.com. Hours: 4 to 9 p.m. weekdays, until 10 p.m. on weekends
