A new spring menu from Palladino's

Chef Luke Palladino has introduced his first new menu since the December opening of Palladino's on Passyunk (1934 E. Passyunk Ave.).

Eighteen new offerings include seasonal takes on vegetables and meats. Menu is here.

Among highlights: Sweet Pea Tortelli (filled with ricotta, peas and mint, brown butter, shaved parmigiano), Black Spaghetti (made with cuttlefish ink, sautéed ramps, shrimp, bottarga, toasted bread crumbs), Pollo in Porchetta (poussin chicken stuffed with pancetta, garlic, sage, rosemary, fennel pollen, served over cannellini bean puree, broccoli rabe pesto, slow roasted tomatoes and Mixed Grill Spiedino (skewered shrimp, fish, Barnegat scallops, oregano-scented breadcrumbs, salmoriglio sauce).

He also offers New Jersey Asparagus Two Ways (savory asparagus flan, truffled egg salad, shaved asparagus, lemon, Ligurian oil, shaved parmigiano), whose two "faces" compliment each other. It combines raw and cooked asparagus in a presentation that features the smooth and sexy textures of the 'sformato' (un-moulded Italian custard) with crunchy textures of the 'crudo' (asparagus shaved with a vegetable peeler tossed with lemon vinaigrette). The asparagus all locally sourced.

The focaccia menu has two new varieties of flatbreads. Mortadella, topped with thinly sliced mortadella and pistachio pesto, and Carciofi, whose focaccia is stuffed with baby artichokes and finished with shaved Bottarga (salted fish roe) and parsley.

New dessert menu, which includes Ricotta Zeppole, Cheesecake and Fallen Chocolate Torta, is here.