Plume

Plume
Third Street and Snyder Avenue
215-551-4100
BYOB
Credit cards accepted
Wheelchair-accessible
Closed Mondays

Philadelphia fish maven Dick Coyne opened Plume at Third and Snyder two months ago. He honed his skills working for Samuels & Son and E. Frank Hopkins, the largest wholesalers of fresh fish and shellfish to the finest restaurants and hotels in the tri-state area.

Coyne grew up on the Main Line but moved to South Philly many years ago. He was always a good self-taught cook, and his charming BYOB has nothing to match it in the heart of Mummerland. The neighborhood needed a moderately priced casual dinner venue.

The restaurant was carved from a turn-of-the-century corner deli. The two dining rooms are trimmed in soft colors and perfect lighting. Coyne retained the old tin ceiling, giving it just a fresh coat of paint.

His wife, Stephanie, traveled to New York City to find the soft persimmon fabric, woven with plumes, for the comfortable chairs. Nostalgia remains in the charming takeout window where children once bought ice-cream cones and water ice.

The menu is unique in these parts and changes according to what Coyne buys on any particular day. My husband and I enjoyed our first visit so much, we returned two weeks later with my mom and my sister.

New England clam chowder ($4) was a hefty bowl brimming with fresh littleneck clams and the right amount of cream. The soup was rich with onions and potatoes, too. Homemade crab bisque ($4) was light with the taste of tomato, fish stock and good-sized bits of jumbo lump crabmeat. Both soups arrived piping hot.

The plump Prince Edward Island mussels ($7) were simply prepared with the right touch of garlic and chopped tomatoes. Caesar salad ($5) was a mound of immaculately fresh romaine hearts in a light, creamy homemade dressing with a touch of anchovy. The perfectly steamed baby clams ($7) sat in their tasty natural juices with sautéed garlic. We dunked fresh, crusty bread into the mussel and clam broth.

When you take your first bite of Coyne’s freshly made jumbo mozzarella sticks ($6), you will quickly forget the ghastly frozen-from-a-box appetizer served in so many places. Plume’s version consists of homemade buffalo mozzarella formed into fat logs, coated in panko breadcrumbs and fried until golden. Panko are Japanese breadcrumbs that look like flakes of toasted rice. You get two logs of cheese to an order – big enough to share – and share them we did, as we all enjoyed them immensely.

Coyne served up an interesting twist on the old veal Oscar of the 1970s, which consisted of a veal cutlet topped with crabmeat, asparagus and hollandaise sauce. He paired veal and crab ($16.50) but kept them separate on the plate. A good-sized escallop of veal was sautéed and finished in a light lemon sauce. The baked crab cake next to it was fashioned with lump crab – no filler – and tossed with a bit too much Old Bay seasoning.

Fresh flounder is a Philadelphia tradition, and Coyne does not use skimpy fillets in his flounder with crabmeat ($16). We received 6 ounces of fresh flounder topped with lump crab – a dish that had been drizzled with lemon juice and white wine and simply baked. The fish was juicy but could have used more pep in the form of fresh herbs.

My sister gave us a taste of her filet mignon ($19.50), which was the most expensive item on Plume’s menu. She received an 8-ounce filet cooked medium-well to her liking, though it was overdone to my taste. Still, Coyne pulled it from the fire in time because it retained a bit of juiciness.

If you’re a rib-lover, go for the barbecue baby-backs ($16). These were exquisitely done, loaded with meat and free of fat. Each rib was perfectly roasted and topped with Coyne’s homemade sauce, which was in perfect balance: not too sweet, not too acidic. The platter was large enough for two.

A choice of two sides comes with dinner. We sampled house fries, made with Yukon golds, dusted with seasonings and baked in the oven. Stewed tomatoes were also homemade; I found them on the sweet side. The slightly overcooked green beans were tossed in balsamic vinegar. A good-sized baked potato came to the table piping hot.

Six desserts were on offer and all were inviting. Amaretto ice cream ($5) was rolled in chocolate chips and almonds – a tasty combination. But the generously portioned Mississippi mud pie ($5) was truly outstanding. The crust, made with crushed cookies, was filled with mocha almond fudge ice cream and topped with a mound of whipped cream, shaved chocolate and sliced almonds.

Because of Coyne’s background in the fish business, I suspect he will add more seafood dishes to Plume’s menu. He is getting to know his customers and their preferences. For now, the menu is on the safe side.

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