[ Alma De Cuba
| Bleu | Buddakan | Capital
Grille | City Tavern | Fountain
Restaurant ]
[ Le Bec-Fin | McCormick & Schmick's |
Morimoto | Morton's of Chicago ]
[ ¡Pasion! | Pod | The Prime Rib | Roy's
| Vetri ]
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for meetings in Philadelphia
Alma De Cuba
Against a backdrop of high ceilings, tropical palms and gleaming
wood, Alma De Cuba conjures up visions
of pre-Castro Cuba in all its scintillating glory. Entrepreneurial
executive chef Douglas Rodriguez offers a menu of modern Cuban classics
in the making. Red bean soup with pumpkin and chorizo, toasted sweet
corn empanada, octopus escabech, and crisp roasted pork with traditional
sour orange mojo served with congri and sweet plaintains are just
a handful of the house specialties. Head to the atmospheric downstairs
lounge for a pre- or post-dinner libation. The mojitos, a creation
of rum, sugar, lime juice, seltzer, and fresh mint are outstanding.
Alma de Cuba
1623 Walnut St.
(215) 988-1799
www.almadecubarestaurant.com
Bleu
A brightly colored bistro overlooking Rittenhouse Square, Bleu
is a magnet for the cell-phone chatting, designer dressed, mile-high
Manola-wearing crowd. Once located off the lobby of the former Rittenhouse
Sheraton, the splashy restaurant flies solo amidst a backdrop of
reconstruction, and still remains a cheery, tasteful place to enjoy
modern brasserie fare and a reasonably priced bottle of French wine.
Standouts include the salmon tartare, duck and shiitake spring rolls,
Cobb salad with Roquefort cheese, and the Bleu burger, with (what
else?) Bleu cheese and bacon.
Bleu
27 South 18th St.
(215) 545-0342
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Buddakan
You don't have to be hip to fit in at Buddakan,
but it helps. Wear black and you'll blend in at this always busy
modern Asian fusion eatery, one of the hottest tables in town. Start
with a sake martini, and let your server make suggestions. The Pacific
prawns with spicy tomato salsa, delicate adamame ravioli, Asian
Caesar salad with cashews and broiled Japanese black cod with miso
glaze all come highly recommended. Under the watchful eye of a ten-foot
high gilded, golden Buddha, a serene presence overlooking the onyx-topped
communal table, allow yourself to be enlightened. Be advised: portions
are meant for sharing and the food is served family style like at
your average Chinatown cafe. But there's nothing average about Buddakan.
It's the coolest.
Buddakan
325 Chestnut St.
(215) 574-9440
www.buddakan.com
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Capital Grille
Downtown Philadelphia's Capital Grille
is renowned for its dry aged steaks, oversized portions of fresh
seafood and outstanding customer service. The restaurant is decorated
ala Ernest Hemingway--lots of dark gleaming woods and animal trophies
hanging on the walls. Besides its burgeoning 24-ounce Porterhouse
specialty steaks, Capital is also known for its award-winning wine
list of more than 400 international offerings. It's not a dining
experience designed for the budget-conscious consumer, but it certainly
is a satisfying meal of hearty proportions. Don't leave without
trying a Stoli-Doli; vodka infused with fresh pineapple is the restaurant's
signature cocktail.
Capital Grille
1338 Chestnut St.
(215) 545-9588
www.thecapitalgrille.com
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City Tavern
City Tavern, the city's first
fine dining experience, made history as the tavern that fed and
watered our founding fathers during the Continental Congress. A
modern replication of the original 1773 restaurant right down to
the servers' tradtional-style suits, City Tavern serves fine Colonial-era
cuisine highlighted by authentic West Indian pepper pot soup, tavern
pork pie, stewed rabbit, smoked chicken hash, and pork tenderloin
in oatmeal stout. Located in Independence National Historical Park,
City Tavern also serves a mean pint of George Washington Ale, an
exclusive brew not found anywhere else.
City Tavern
138 South 2nd St.
(215) 413-1443
www.citytavern.com
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Fountain Restaurant
One of Philly's most nationally acclaimed restaurants, Fountain
Restaurant at the Four Seasons offers a fine and traditionally
French dining experience accentuated by gorgeous views of the Swann
Fountain in nearby Logan Circle. The restaurant's interior is engulfed
in elegance where wainscoting and shades of gold trim accentuate
the intimate lighting to bathe each diner in a warming glow. An
evening at the Fountain Restaurant has special occasion written
all over it, from the arrival of a scallop topped with salty gems
of ossetra caviar to the savoring of a creamy Mont Briac cheese
paired with a fig tartlet in an aged Balsamic vinegar. Every note
of flavor is a pleasant resonance, and the service and surroundings
make every single diner feel like a VIP. Best bet: The Spontaneous
Taste menu, which features six inspired courses for $110.
Fountain Restaurant
One Logan Square
(215) 963-1500
www.fourseasons.com/philadelphia/vacations/dining_53.html
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Le Bec-Fin
Georges Perrier could have set up shop anywhere, but he opened
his world-class French restaurant Le Bec-Fin in Philadelphia
more than 30 years ago and has stuck with the city ever since. And
it's proven the perfect match for the city and the AAA- and Mobil
top-rated recipient. Le Bec-Fin is the premier French dining experience
from the letter-perfect food to its opulent surroundings of a late
19th century salon setting bathed in marble and silk. A seasonal
menu that may include cassolette of snails in a champagne and hazelnut
garlic butter sauce, poached salmon in olive oil, veal medallions
and sweet bread with celeriac, porcine and white asparagus fricasee
natural jus, is served with a European-style attention to detail.
Prix fixe specials are set at $54 for lunch, $138 for dinner and
$165 for the degustaton menu.
Le Bec-Fin
1523 Walnut St.
(215) 567-1000
www.lebecfin.com
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McCormick & Schmick's
While seafood is always on the menu at McCormick & Schmick's,
where more than 30 varieties are featured, your best bet may be
to try one of the offbeat seasonal fish featured on the menu, like
blue nose bass, wild sturgeon, grey cod, chum salmon, and wild coho
salmon, along with tasty cold water shellfish like West coast oysters,
Manila clams, Alaskan King and Dungeness crab. A dense, nutty carrot
cake is a favorite for dessert and chocolate is ever present--used
in cakes, tortes and creamy mousses. Located in the heart of the
city directly across from City Hall, M&S serves up a comfy dining
experience of comfort foods set within a lofty space and affordably
priced menu.
McCormick & Schmick's
1 South Broad St.
(215) 568-6888
www.mccormickandschmicks.com
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Morimoto
Morimoto, Masaharu Morimoto's collaboration with Philly
restaurant scene stealer Stephen Starr, delivers East-meets-West
cutting edge Japanese fusion cuisine. Morimoto was the executive
chef at Nobu in New York as well as a star of the Iron
Chef cooking show on the Food Network. Best bet: the omakase,
a multi-course chef's tasting menu available for lunch or dinner
to experience the many exotic mixtures present in the main dishes.
Expect to be surprised by just about everything you find including
such stalwarts as Morimoto's tempura and the Kobe shortribs and
yuzu poached lobster. Be prepared to be wowed by both presentation
and the restaurant's striking design, accented by bamboo ceilings
and pale light illumination.
Morimoto
723 Chestnut St.
(215) 413-9070
www.morimotorestaurant.com
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Morton's of Chicago
Morton's of Chicago is the original;
at least it's the oldest continuously operating beefhouse in town.
Morton's boasts a large bar with televisions tuned in to sporting
events, a clubby dining room that accommodates 100-plus and private
dining for up to 100, plus a happening crowd for happy hour. What's
not to like when the cart rolls out with your choice of perfectly
cut steaks, giant lobsters and chops made to order, then accompanied
by sizable side dishes like creamed spinach, one-pound baked potatoes
and sauteed wild mushrooms? While the vegetarians and the non-carnivores
of the world will be pleased with the non-meat dishes, it's the
beef that is the draw here--porterhouse, sirloin, rib-eye, filet
mignon. If it's steak, Morton's serves it, all USDA prime and aged
at least two weeks.
Morton's of Chicago
1411 Walnut St.
(215) 557-0724
www.mortons.com
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¡Pasion!
¡Pasion!, the name says
it all. Chef Guillermo Pernot, named one of Food & Wine's
10 best new American chefs, mines his Argentine roots with authentic
Latin ingredients and an exotic presentation. Such characteristics
shine through in dishes that include five different ceviche courses,
smoked rib eye served with Moros y Cristianos (black beans and rice)
and Parillada, an Argentinean mixed grill for two with five meats
served on an ox-shaped hibachi. The tropical infused ambiance is
seductively sexy, the cuisine is exquisite, the mojitos divine.
¡Pasion!
211 South 15th St.
(215) 875-9895
www.pasionrestaurant.com
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Pod
The Jetsons collide with Japanese pop culture at Pod,
a tres chic eatery, with its white walls, shiny red foam couches,
light-up bar stools, and lizard lounge music. Best of all are the
three elevated egg-shaped rooms that let diners change the mood
lighting with the push of a button. Then there's the conveyor belt
sushi bar where lines of delectable Japanese dishes like miso-glazed
sea bass and sesame-crusted scallops slide down and around an oval
seating area until they're chosen. The Kaiseki Express menu offers
a variety of stir fry and sushi combinations delivered to your table
in 15 minutes. The food's good, nouvelle cuisine goes Asian, but
the show may be even be better.
Pod
3636 Sansom St.
(215) 387-1803
www.podrestaurant.com
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The Prime Rib
If you like your steak with a side of sophistication and glamour,
The Prime Rib can oblige. One of
the few "jacket required" restaurants in town, this throwback to
the '40s is truly where the elite meet to eat meat. A motif of sexy
Vargas babes, fresh flowers and ebony paneling, with a jazz trio
keeping the beat in the background, all set the stage for a first-class
experience that's received top honors in Zagats. The portions
are huge and priced in kind. From the garlicky clams casino to the
oversized prime rib, perfectly cooked and big enough to feed a family
of four, this restaurant is what steakhouse dining for grown-ups
is all about.
The Prime Rib
1701 Locust St.
(215) 772-1701
www.theprimerib.com
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Roy's
Yet another bank-turned restaurant is home to Roy's, now
in more than 30 locations, for renowned chef/owner Roy Yamaguchi's
trend-setting Hawaiian fusion cuisine. Located in an architecturally
stunning former Fidelity Bank, the bi-level restaurant sports a
spacious, tropical feel, accentuated by a palette of jewel tones
and exotic artwork. Choose from among "Roy's Classics" and daily
specials like roasted macadamia nut mahi mahi or sizzling Hawaiian
style misoyaki. Best bet is the dim sum canoe, which sports generous
portions of six different appetizers to introduce a wide range of
flavors that may include Szechuan style ribs and Kalua pork spring
rolls. For a pre- or post-dinner delight, dazzle your senses with
the unusual, ultimate key lime pie martini. For dessert, plan ahead
for the melting hot chocolate souffle, which should be ordered with
your entree so it will be molten and ready at dinner's end.
Roy's
124-134 South 15th St.
(215) 988-1814
www.roysrestaurant.com
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Vetri
There are 35 seats to be had at Vetri, his intimate Italian
restaurant located in an historic townhouse that was the original
address for Le Bec-Fin. You may wait at least that long in
days when calling in a reservation. Vetri's is a charming dining
experience that's lent to consistency and courteous service. The
seasonal menu features classic and contemporary Italian dishes,
Start on spinach gnocci with shaved ricotta or almond torellini
with white truffle sauce, then try pappardelle with venison sausage
and seckle pears, or pistachio stuffed rack of lamb served with
artichoke stew. Continually ranked among the top three or four Philadelphia
restaurants, Vetri's offers a surprise around every corner, including
the extra virgin olive oil that gives the lavender gelato an extra
shimmer. Try the chef's tasting menu priced at $90 for six courses
or $115 for eight. Saturday nights feature customized multi-course
tasting menus.
Vetri
1312 Spruce St.
(215) 732-3478
www.vetriristorante.com
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