Circles

The Warwick Hotel holds special memories for me. Through the years, I have attended numerous weddings, fundraisers and special events in its beautiful ballroom. The hotel opened in 1926 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Radisson hotel chain purchased the Warwick a few years ago and re-christened it the Radisson Plaza-Warwick Hotel. Executive chef Benjamin Young, a graduate of the prestigious Johnson & Wales University, is in charge of every culinary aspect of the hotel.

Hotel dining has changed considerably since The Four Seasons opened 21 years ago. LaCroix at the Rittenhouse and fine dining at The Ritz Carlton have placed Philadelphia on the culinary map. I was curious to see what was going on in the kitchen at the Warwick.

The restaurant is called Circles. It has a lovely red-walled dining room and a cozy bar. Edward and I arrived around 7:15 one evening last week. Since the dining room was empty, we opted to eat at the bar. A woman was enjoying a beer and several patrons wandered in as Edward and I were enjoying drinks. The bartender is a veteran of the Warwick and knows how to properly mix drinks. Edward’s Beefeater martini and my Cosmopolitan, both $9, were an inviting introduction to dinner.

"Want some popcorn?" asked the bartender. "It’s right over there, help yourself," he said, pointing to an old-fashioned popcorn machine in the corner of the bar. Since I wanted room for dinner, I nixed one of my favorite snacks.

Except for a few items, the menu dates to popular dishes of the 1950s. There is nothing wrong in offering simple classic dishes. In fact, the menu is small by hotel standards, but there is something for everyone.

The bartender set crisp white linen place mats before us, along with white linen napkins and silverware. We nibbled on cheese bread, warm from the oven. I piled on the butter and enjoyed.

French onion soup gratinee ($5) was downright delicious. The stock was homemade and free of salt. It arrived in a heavy soup crock and was so hot, even I had to wait a bit before digging in. The soup contained onions, which were caramelized in sweet butter. Chef Young added a slice of French bread, covered it with Gruyere cheese and ran it under the broiler. With soup this good, nothing in life can be bad.

Edward’s Caesar salad ($8) arrived on a large chilled plate. It was made with cool, crisp bite-sized pieces of fresh romaine, topped with shards of Parmesan and a sprinkling of croutons. The salad arrived with two round metal ramekins of Young’s version of homemade Caesar dressing. It was white, yet had the flavor of anchovy and a hint of garlic. It wasn’t classic Caesar dressing, but it was very tasty.

"We always serve the dressing on the side," advised the bartender. "A lot of people like it that way." I agreed. So many salads are drenched in dressing, sometimes to the point that they are inedible.

From the entrées, Edward selected stuffed flounder ($18) and I was in the mood for the 6-ounce filet mignon ($18). Flounder stuffed with crabmeat was very popular in the 1950s and ’60s. It appeared on restaurant menus and was the fish of choice for caterers and banquet dining. This fish was very fresh, obviously caught off the Jersey Shore. At least 8 ounces of flounder were used to prepare the entrée. The crabmeat was of good quality and contained no filler. It was nicely seasoned, too. Before the flounder was broiled, it had been dusted with paprika, affording a nice slightly reddish color. Freshly steamed local green beans and hot mashed potatoes came with dinner.

My filet arrived rare as ordered. It was tender and juicy, enhanced by a fabulous, properly reduced green peppercorn demi-glace, which was most delicious. I also received green beans and hot — emphasis on hot — mashed potatoes. All they required was a bit of butter, salt and pepper.

The bartender cautioned us not to touch the plates.

"Hot food is served on hot plates, cold foods are served on chilled plates," he said with a smile.

Edward sipped a glass of Pinot Grigio with his fish, and I enjoyed a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, both $7 and both filled to the top.

Although Circles offers a limited menu, the food is of fine quality and nicely prepared. Other entrées include a larger filet, a New York strip steak, grilled salmon, chicken Marsala and linguine with shrimp. Entrées hover in the $16 to $18 range. A bar menu of lighter fare is also on offer. We looked at the breakfast menu, which offers an array of buffet and à la carte items.

Edward and I wondered why the bar was almost empty. It is a fine place with two televisions — we enjoyed watching Seinfeld and the Phillies game — but then, the city is packed with restaurants and bars, all seeking your dining-out dollar.

Two-and-a-half tips of the toque to Circles.

Circles in The Warwick Hotel
17th and Locust streets
215-735-6000
Credit cards accepted
Wheelchair-accessible
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days