Moshulu

For weeks, I have been waiting for a break in the brutal heat so my husband, Edward, and I could dine under the stars. Relief finally came and we invited friends Ellen and Milt to join us.

I have eaten on the Moshulu a number of times since the 100-year-old tall ship re-opened during the late 1990s. We always headed for the formal dining rooms, but this time we wanted to dine on the deck.

Several months ago, executive chef Ralph Fernandez created a grill menu for the Bongo Bar & Deck. It is outfitted with comfortable rattan chairs and white tables. The Moshulu does not take reservations for outdoor dining, but we were in luck. We got the last table for four.

It is truly breathtaking to dine on the Delaware River. We watched the sunset and enjoyed the lights on the Battleship New Jersey, the Ben Franklin Bridge and the Philadelphia skyline. During dinner, we delighted in the Calypso band as it played lively music at a perfect decibel.

Edward and I enjoyed our usual martinis ($10.25), while Ellen sipped a Bay Breeze ($7) made with coconut rum. Milt ordered a beer ($4.50) and we discussed the menu.

The Bongo Bar & Deck menu has something for everyone. You can order soup, salad, a sandwich or an entree. Ellen and I began with a delightfully fresh Boston Bibb lettuce salad ($7). We each received a good-sized head of this buttery green, which was separated into leaves and topped with grilled asparagus, chopped cucumbers, baby red and orange heirloom tomatoes and not-at-all sweet, homemade candied almonds. It was topped with a light honey mustard vinaigrette.

Edward’s Caesar salad ($8) was a heart of crisp romaine topped with homemade Caesar dressing, a grilled toasted garlic crouton and long shavings of Grana Padano. Although it was well prepared, we felt it could have been a bit larger.

Ceviche has become all the rage in the past five years or so with the rising popularity of South American cuisine. Ceviche can be made with any fish, but it must be immaculately fresh as it marinates in lemon and lime juice. Fernandez’s version ($12) was prepared with shrimp and topped with small, thin rings of perfectly fried onions and a few crispy fried plantains. There should have been more shrimp, but we enjoyed the taste combination.

Wines by the glass are moderately priced and a glass of Italian Pinot Grigio was just $6. It went well with our entrees.

Edward’s striped bass ($24) consisted of two mid-size slices of fresh, sweet fish grilled and served with Fernandez’s version of succotash. The executive chef mixes sweet, ripe white corn with snow peas instead of lima beans.

Our waiter recommended the grilled tuna ($19) and, since I have not enjoyed tuna in many months, I decided to try it. I ordered it very rare and it arrived well done. No problem. Our waiter whisked it away and within minutes placed rare tuna before me. The only problem was, though rare inside, it was not seared on the outside. It also lacked flavor. The sliced tuna sat atop a mound of baby greens mixed with haricot verts and summer vegetables. Milt and I both ordered the tuna and we agreed there was too much dressing on the salad. The entree would have been better with wasabi and ginger or simply dipped in crushed peppercorns.

Ellen’s grilled flatiron steak ($18) was tender, but buried under a mound of watercress topped with bits of Maytag blue cheese and red onions. The steak’s portion should have been more generous. A three-cheese quesadilla arrived with the dish. I wondered if the grill had lost heat because the tuna and Ellen’s steak did not arrive properly seared.

Desserts ($8) were well done. We sampled three scoops of homemade pistachio and sweet peach ice cream, which sat upon two homemade crispy tuilles. Tuilles are marvelously light, thin cookies enjoyed with ice cream in France. Key lime pie was made with key limes and topped with whipped cream, but the portion was too small.

Service was perfect. We never waited more than 10 minutes between courses even though the place was packed. We toured the ship after dinner, took a stroll along the river past the Olympia and toward the Hyatt. We agreed dinner was OK, but the surroundings were spectacular.

Two tips of the toque to the Moshulu.

Moshulu
401 S. Columbus Blvd.
215-923-2500
www.moshulu.com
Credit cards accepted
Wheelchair-accessible Open for lunch, dinner and $29.95
per person Sunday brunch buffet