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Mod Roman Restaurant Antica Pesca Takes Over Old Planet Thai Space In Williamsburg
By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 25, 2012
Modified Oct 26, 2012
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By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 25, 2012
Modified Oct 26, 2012
Share
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You can toss a hipster in just about any direction and hit a "rustic" Italian restaurant in Williamsburg—D.O.C. Wine Bar, Aurora, PT, and Fiore are the first that come to mind. But Antica Pesa, which opened last week in the space formerly occupied by the massive Planet Thai, bucks the trend. The first American spin-off of the popular Roman restaurant of the same name (in business since 1922!), Antica Pesa brings an ambitious contemporary twist on traditional Roman dishes to the increasingly bourgy 'burg.
The Calamaro Arrostito appetizer, for instance, is an old dish favored by crafty Italian fisherman who'd stuff their catch with ground up squid, bread, and whatever spices happened to be available. At Antica Pesa, it's restyled with spinach and a horseradish yogurt sauce that brings a buoyant zing to the stuffed calamari. An entree of Baccalà alla Romana uses the same ingredients as it did when it was made by the current owners' great grandfather, but the presentation is anything but traditional: the salted cod is cooked two different ways and all the ingredients—tomatoes, caramelized onions and carrot almond cream—are layered together in a meticulous modernist tower.
Antica Pesa's ambiance is upscale but festive. Gregarious Italian brothers Francesco and Simone Panella left their other four brothers back in Rome to launch the new venture in Williamsburg, and they say the similarities between their new neighborhood and the old one back in Italy are striking. At the press preview last week, Francesco told us that Rome's Trastevere neighborhood, where the original Antica Pesa has been family-owned for four generations, mirrors Williamsburg's riverfront location and artistic roots, although Trastevere's bohemian resurgence dates back to the '50s.
Now, of course, Williamsburg is home to more condo-buyers than performance artists, and we're guessing they'll feel comfortable here. On Tuesday night almost all of the tables were occupied, with every seat at the marble-top bar taken, including the leather sofas by the wood-burning fireplace. It's an appealing room; designed by Brooklyn-based BArC Studio, the restaurant features dramatic translucent chandeliers hovering like giant eggshells, comfortable horseshoe banquettes, white brick walls and a clear view of the open kitchen in the back. As Francesco and Simone work the room in their jovial way, patting backs, pouring wine into giant glasses, and cracking jokes, Planet Thai seems light years away.
115 Berry Street, Williamsburg // (347) 763-2635
Tagged
antica pesca
brooklyn
new restaurant and bar radar
williamsburg
original
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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