Newly opened La Sera Italiana on South Street is the fulfillment of a longstanding dream of a young chef, writes Ali Mohsen for Billy Penn at WHYY.
The 27-year-old Albert Murraku was inspired from a young age to “open and manage my own place” by a combination of working at a traditional Albanian restaurant owned by his father and the Italian-influenced home cooking of his mother.
Murraku moved to Philadelphia from Tirana, Albania, in 2015 and has been working in the city’s restaurant scene ever since. This helped him build important relationships within the industry and the community.
“I knew that they would support me, so that was a nice feeling to have, knowing that people know you and will come out for you,” he said.
His 40-seat bistro offers pastas made from scratch — outside of the gluten-free options — with highlights that include the seafood-heavy spaghetti capesante, linguini pescatore, and a goat cheese-mushroom-shallot-topped ribeye.
There are several vegetarian options as well, such as gnocchi baked with fresh mozzarella and half a dozen different salads.
The restaurant is open daily with separate lunch and dinner menus.
Only about a month in, Murraku is already considering a second restaurant.
Read more about La Sera Italiana and its owners’ culinary journey in Billy Penn at WHYY.
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