From pepperoni pizza to garlic bread and chicken Parm, most of what we consider iconic Italian food in the United States is more of a construct created for Americans than something you’d actually find in Italy. In fact, Italian cuisine has become so popular and ubiquitous in the U.S., it’s almost as American as apple pie. Rare is the restaurant that actually feels like it holds an Italian passport.

Enter Limoncello, located on the first floor of Anthem House in Locust Point, with a sister spot in St. Michael’s. This southern Italian restaurant focuses on the cuisine from the Campania region, where its three owners have their roots. And the general manager (and chef’s first cousin) Vincenzo Schiano, who also hails from the region, likes to joke that, having recently moved to America, he “just got off the boat and still has salt on his skin.”

But while the restaurant itself arrived only a few months back, thanks to polished service and perfectly executed plates, it feels incredibly established. Of course, it helps that this is chef-owner Gennaro DiBenedetto’s 10th restaurant (others include Bacco Italian+Wine Bar in Abingdon and Rockfish Grille in Chestertown). “I want this to be the best, my legacy,” says DiBenedetto.

To that end, Limoncello is all about insistence on authenticity and a celebration of an agriculturally rich region whose waiters teem with an astounding array of fish and shellfish. “No corners are cut,” explains Schiano. “If we can’t make it, we import it from Italy.”

This means that delicious aged mozzarella di buffala, known as “white gold,” is air-shipped daily from Campania. Ditto the prosciutto di Parma for the paninis and mortadella ground into the meatballs. Even the boxed Barilla pasta, while available locally, is shipped from Italy, because it’s better than what you can buy stateside and, with its higher starch content, ensures the sauce sticks to the noodles. The authenticity also means that the namesake liqueur is made with whole-grain alcohol (not vodka as it is with the Americanized version), which allows the citrus to shine.

Full disclosure: As a critic, I waiver between ordering what I want and what I think I should get. But with a menu focused on two of my favorite foods—fresh seafood and pasta—I can, quite happily, do both at the same time here.

On my first visit, a busy Saturday night in November, my dining companion and I ordered a lineup of terrific appetizers from Italy’s version of comfort food, thin slices of fried baby eggplant in ragù with mozzarella, as well as an order of the marvelous meatballs made with kobe beef, mortadella, and ground pistachios. My favorite dish of the night was a luscious pesce al brodetto (fish stew), chock full of clams, calamari, head-on shrimp, scallops, and fish swimming in a soupy saffron bisque that offered great fishy flavor.

Similarly, the head-on branzino, dressed with salt, pepper, and a splash of oil, was a paragon of the less-is-more style of Italian cooking. It was served with lovely fingerling potatoes, a tomato, and escarole salad. A pungent olive oil, lemon, and garlic sauce for drizzling was served on the side. With both dishes, though not for the squeamish, I was impressed that the fish and shrimp were served with the head on—and, yes, that was me chowing down on a shrimp head. That’s really where you find the flavor.

The meatball appetizer.

A craft cocktail.

A second visit was similarly successful, though there were minor missteps. The bread, made in-house daily, was somewhat stale, and the Sicilian-inspired arugula salad with fennel and blood orange accidentally arrived undressed and a bit wilted. That said, when we asked for “more” dressing, our server delivered it promptly.

Despite the slow start, we took our server’s advice and ordered her favorite dish, the pappardelle zafferano, fat ribbons of house-made pasta bathed in a golden yellow saffron cream sauce and topped with a tangle of shrimp, scallops, and lump crabmeat. It did not disappoint. The addition of saffron lent a floral note and accentuated the sweetness of the shellfish.

We also enjoyed the grigliata di mare, grilled seafood including whole calamari, head-on shrimp, chargrilled octopus, and swordfish, with the same olive oil, garlic and lemon sauce served on the side that was paired with the branzino. Again, the simple preparation of of this dish and its high-quality ingredients made for a perfect example of letting the seafood stand on its own.

Beyond the food, the yellow and blue décor, echoing sun and cerulean sky, a lemon tree, lettered lights spelling out “Ciao,” and driftwood mounted to the wall are an attempt to invoke Italy’s coastal region. Okay, so the Patapsco isn’t exactly the Mediterranean, but once you eat that first tender tentacle of charred octopus, you could be convinced. “Our goal,” says Schiano, is “to express ourselves through our food.”

Mission accomplished.

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LIMONCELLO 900 East Fort Ave., 443-708-1540. HOURS: Lunch and weekend brunch 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; dinner: Mon.-Thur. 4-10 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 4-11 p.m., Sun. 4-10 p.m. PRICES: Appetizers: $12-22; entrees: $10-39. AMBIANCE: Italian coastal.

COMING SOON

Rituals: Since it was announced that the Windup Space was closing last month, the arts community has been taking its time to mourn the loss of the inclusive haven in Station North. But the tears were wiped away this week with the news that veteran bartender Émile Joseph Weeks has stepped in to take over the venue. Though its name will change to Rituals, the bar will remain a DIY performance space designed to bring the community together.

In a recent interview with Baltimore Fishbowl, Weeks—whose resume includes stints behind the bar at Pen & Quill, Parts & Labor, and Ida B’s Table—mentioned interior upgrades and a refreshed cocktail program featuring classic Manhattans, Old Fashioneds, martinis, and boilermakers. Other than that, the ethos of the space will carry on the legacy that former proprietor Russell De Ocampo established throughout the past decade. “I am honored and humbled to be able to continue creating more memories and serving the local DIY and arts community,” Weeks posted to Facebook. He is planning to give locals a sneak peek of Rituals during Pride weekend and Artscape, and expects to be open full time in September. 12 W. North Ave.

Burgerim: Rounding out the roster of retail tenants at Anthem House in Locust Point will be this gourmet burger chain. Setting up shop in the vacant space on the corner of Lawrence Street and Fort Avenue, the eatery will specialize in worldly options like Spanish beef, Hawaiian salmon, Greek lamb, and Mediterranean falafel burgers. The menu also lists milkshakes, onion rings, crispy chicken strips, and signature scalloped fries. When it debuts in early 2020, Burgerim will join Amber, Jazz + Soju, and yet-to open tenants Pure Raw Juice and Limoncello in the mixed-use development. 900 E. Fort Ave.

OPEN

Panda BBQ: In only about a month since opening on the corner of Preston and Morton streets in Mt. Vernon, this Chinese barbecue restaurant has already gained a reputation for its specialty skewers, sizzling hot pots, and massive orders of spicy Ma La crawfish—one of China’s most popular summer dishes. The restaurant also features traditional dumplings, scallion pancakes, and fried rice—but the skewers (in varieties ranging from beef and lamb to goat kidney and king mushrooms) seem to be the stars of the show. If you can’t make it to Mt. Vernon, the spot also offers delivery via GrubHub. 7 W. Preston St. 310-894-3736

Hanover & Hughes Collective: A new coffee shop joined the scene in South Baltimore this week. Located behind the Vision coworking complex in Federal Hill, Hanover & Hughes doubles as a private events venue and shares its space with an attached barber shop. Step inside the garage-style doors to check out the modern design featuring a thriving green wall, stark pops of white, stained wood, and lounge seating. The drink menu uses Ceremony Coffee for its espresso, Americano, lattes, cold brews, and pour-overs. 12 W. Montgomery St. 301-442-7800

The Verandah: The staggered openings continue to roll out at Broadway Market in Fells Point, and the latest addition is this stall highlighting Indian street food. The satellite location of the Hampden-based restaurant is now officially open, serving up classics like tikka masala, chicken curry tacos, and portobello mushroom wraps. Opening just in time for summer, The Verandah also offers refreshing sips like mango lassi and ginger-mint lemonade. 1640 Aliceanna St.

EPICUREAN EVENTS

TO 6/16: Big Softy at R. House
The rotating pop-up stall at R. House has been hosting some popular purveyors lately. On the heels of a weeklong residency from college chef Jesse Wu of Jade last month, the space has now transformed into a temporary home for Big Softy—the soft-shell sandwich shop from Craig Falk of The Lunchbox Lady. Falk says this time he’s “pushing the envelope” with new soft-shell varieties (think Buffalo and Nashville hot flavors), po-boys, shrimp salad sandwiches, and uni and crab toast on brioche with radish flowers. Fans of The Lunchbox Lady can also be on the lookout for the catering company’s signature citrus chicken salad. 301 W. 29th St.

6/8: Crawltimore Donut Bike Crawl
There’s no better way to celebrate National Doughnut Day (even if it’s technically one day late) than with this annual bike crawl. The eight-mile glide through the city starts off bright and early at Roosevelt Park, and stops at multiple different shops along the way. Riders will sample sweets at places like Full Circle Artisan Palace in Hampden, Diablo Doughnuts in Federal Hill, and Terra Cafe in Charles Village—which sells Blondie’s Doughnuts. A portion of proceeds from the $25 registration fee will be donated to research at Johns Hopkins’ Wilmer Eye Institute. Roosevelt Park, 1221 W. 36th St. 8:30 a.m. $25

The strength of Jazz + Soju, the new Korean-influenced eatery in Locust Point’s Anthem House apartment building, lies not in its jazz or soju (Korean vodka), though those are perfectly satisfying aspects of the concept. Really, there should be another plus sign in the name, with the word “chicken” following it.

Allow us to explain: When word of the restaurant leaked last year, we couldn’t wait to try its take on one of our favorite comfort foods, Korean twice-fried chicken. We heroically held off until July, about one month after the restaurant opened. That was when our crunch fast finally ended.

The walls of the single-room, high-ceiling, semi-industrial space are dotted with framed album covers from jazz legends such as David “Fathead” Newman, Dinah Washington, and Ramsey Lewis. A huge cabinet filled with actual record jackets and old-time stereo equipment rests against the back wall. The goal, we’re told, is to have live music a few nights a month, though the stage (actually a nook behind the host stand) was silent during our visits. When we came for lunch, curiously, electronica was playing on the sound system. At dinner the next week, the chatter of the crowd drowned out the recorded jazz.

We started that dinner with “soju-tinis,” a twist on the classic variety that uses real fruit, nectars, and soju, the Korean alcohol typically made from rice or sweet potatoes. The strawberry version was tasty but intensely sweet—we preferred the lychee one. (A sign on the front door that boasts “voted best in Baltimore signature soju martinis” made us chuckle—there’s not a lot of competition.) For less adventurous drinkers, there’s a large selection of traditional martinis, cocktails (including a “Korean Donkey” made with ginger beer, soju, lime juice, and ginger), beer, wine, and even mocktails.

Heeding a warning on the menu, we ordered our chicken wings early—they can take 25 to 30 minutes to cook. Before they arrived, we sampled several dishes from the modestly sized menu. Our starters all satisfied. The honey gotchujang sauce on the excellent spicy Brussels sprouts—ordered without the bacon for our vegan friend—provided a subtle kick.

The sweet sesame dressing on the mango salad, with romaine hearts and mixed greens, offered the perfect complement. Fries topped with kimchi and a tangy sauce were a nice take on a ubiquitous dish, but the best of the bunch was the fried mandu. We opted for the pork-filled Korean dumplings (shrimp is also available), which are fried (there’s a bit of a theme here), but not overpoweringly so.

Main courses are less consistent. During our afternoon visit we tried the spicy chicken udon with cauliflower, zucchini, and bell peppers, topped with a Korean chili sauce, which was tasty if not bursting with flavor. Same goes for the bulgogi (marinated beef with Korean barbecue sauce), which was served over rice. Both came with miso soup, which our bartender instructed us to drink straight from the bowl, sans spoon.

While waiting for the star dish to emerge from the kitchen a few nights later, we scooped wedges of seafood pajeon with our chopsticks. The crispy Korean pancakes filled with calamari, scallops, and shrimp were disappointing; the small pieces of seafood were lost in the batter. Next time we’ll try the marinated beef short ribs, which dazzled the dining room as they were served to a neighboring table on a sizzling stone plate.

Our envy was short-lived, though, when our chicken arrived piping hot. We split our order of 10 mini drums and wings between the regular soy garlic sauce and the spicy version. Both were outstanding. What makes this truly a dish to die for is the way the incredible juiciness of the meat melds with the crunch of the skin, which is fried in soybean oil to dissipate the fat. While you have a feeling that what you’re eating falls short of say, quinoa, on the health-food scale, the wings are surprisingly devoid of grease.

Jazz + Soju still has some kinks to work out. The restaurant was out of several wines the night we visited, and the staff was unsure about its own vegan offerings. What some parts of the service lacked in execution, however, waiters made up for in effort. Each one we encountered was friendly and attentive, and seemed genuinely invested in getting things right.

And ooh, that chicken. On our way out we took note: There is room for another word on the sign.

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JAZZ + SOJU 900 E. Fort Ave., 410-244-8600. HOURS Mon.-Thurs. 11:30 a.m.- 2:30 p.m., 4 p.m.–11 p.m. Fri.-Sat. 11:30 a.m.-1:30 a.m., Sun. 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. PRICES Starters: $6-15; salads: $9-14; rice and noodles: $13-16; share plates: $13-19; chicken: $18-23; sushi and sashimi: $6-14. AMBIANCE Jazzy.