25598747
Denim
1712 Walnut St.
215-735-6700
Credit cards accepted
Wheelchair-accessible
The restaurant trend developing in Center City is a bit out of sync with the times. Several new spots place more emphasis on expensive cocktails and wine than on the food. I’m calling them "spots" because they are more like the trendy New York City lounges that Philadelphia entrepreneurs want to duplicate. They are bar-lounges that just happen to serve food.
Philadelphia’s newest "spot" is Denim, on the 1700 block of Walnut Street — but good luck finding the place, as there’s no sign outside. My husband and I noticed two large Parisian-style heat lamps next to Pietro’s Coal Oven Pizzeria and decided this must be the place. We took the elevator to the second floor, where a hostess greeted us and checked our coats. We were shown to a small table for two set with a small candle, which did little in helping me to read the small-print menu. The lighting was very low but the soft jazz playing on the system was just right.
Unfortunately for us, the seats were very uncomfortable. If you’re 5-foot-4 or shorter, the cushy ottomans won’t elevate you to the table. The lack of back support kept us leaning forward.
In the first 10 minutes, a charming waitress brought our drinks and took care of us. My Bombay Sapphire martini ($11) was not cold enough, and at these prices it should be perfect. The amuse-bouche of the evening was a bite-sized and quite tasty tuna tartar.
Two friendly and polite waiters took over for the rest of our meal. The menu, conversely, lacked focus; too many cuisine varieties, including Asian, South American and island fare.
Our waiter brought us rolls shaped like bagels that were cold, not to mention as hard as a baby’s teething ring. Even the whipped herb butter was too cold to spread on them.
We began dinner with sweetbreads ($12) and a shrimp satay ($13). I love sweetbreads, which are supposed to be crispy outside and creamy inside. Unfortunately, I received two small overcooked sweetbreads that were salty and cold. The plate contained a sauté of mushrooms that also was salty and on the cool side. The menu stated they were prepared in a tarragon "gastrique." I’m still trying to figure out what a "gastrique" is, as it means "gastric" in French.
The Yakitori shrimp satay also was disappointing. The three large shrimp threaded on wooden skewers were slightly rubbery because they had spent too much time on the grill. Edward and I could not figure out whether this was a hot appetizer or a cool one, since the shrimp were warm and the soba noodles cool. We found the noodles tasty, however.
We wanted to share the orrechiette prepared with tomatoes, garlic, basil and mozzarella ($10), but the pasta arrived salty and cold. Our helpful waiter placed it before us and returned to the kitchen to retrieve two plates. We each took a bite and politely advised we could not eat the pasta because it was too salty.
Organic baby chicken ($23) was served with fennel, beets and fingerling potatoes. We both enjoyed the freshness of the vegetables but the chicken, particularly the breast meat, was overcooked and slightly salty.
My breast of duck ($25) consisted of small slices of boneless duck breast — each about the size of my thumb — which were supposed to be cooked medium-rare but arrived medium. Although the meat was tender, it lacked flavor and was on the cool side. The duck was paired with baby bok choy and crunchy coconut black rice, which I found unusually delicious.
Denim features eight wines by the glass ($8-$18), and we found that the Duerre Côtes du Rhône ($8) drank well with the chicken and duck.
Since we arrived for an early dinner, the dining room was empty but there were a few people at the bar. Denim comes alive late at night when couples take to the dance floor near the bar. Still, I am wondering why our food arrived salty and cool. There is no question as to the freshness and quality of ingredients used here. But it appears that few people in the kitchen are actually tasting the food.
I also thought the prices were too high for the mid-sized portions. Small plates run from $8 for an organic baby green salad to $16 for pan-seared foie gras. Filet mignon with foie-gras butter is $34 while a 2-pound lobster is $45. A five-course tasting menu is available for $55 and a seven-course tasting is $75.
One tip of the toque to Denim.
