Philadelphia Bar & Restaurant

May 12, 2011

50336599

The dish the server placed before me was a thick, beautifully seared piece of rock bass nestled on a bed of fresh spring ramps bathed in a brown butter sauce laced with almonds. It was perfectly cooked. The skin was crisp and the flesh a bit translucent.

It was a typical dish that is enjoyed in a Paris bistro, but Edward and I were not in the City of Light. We were dining at Philadelphia Bar & Restaurant in Old City and watching a repeat of the Kentucky Derby followed by the Phillies game.

When baseball season began, I decided to dine in an array of restaurants to watch the games. I thought Philadelphia Bar & Restaurant’s menu would consist of typical boring pub fare. I was in error. I paid two visits, and although the mussels on my first visit were just so-so, every other dish I sampled was spot on.

The chef is Jordan Sauter, who purchases many of his fresh ingredients from local farms and makes his own charcuterie and duck confit. When Standard Tap opened, the menu helped to set the standard for new American pub fare. This new restaurant is right up there with it.

I sipped a Rob Roy on my first visit and tucked into fried cauliflower ($8), a new menu item. Bite-size bits of fresh cauliflower arrived free of grease along with three homemade dipping sauces: sweet and spicy chili sauce, onion jam and horseradish cream. I liked how disparate the sauces were in flavor and texture.

The mussels ($10) imparted an odd, creamy texture although they were perfectly cooked. The sauce was a tomato base spiked with Bourbon, but cooking them in beer or ale would have been better.

Edward and I sipped a martini and sampled three types of Sauter’s charcuterie ($16) that were all winners. A large wooden board was brimming with thin slices of duck confit, duck prosciutto, crisp pork belly, slices of French bread, sweet kumquats, caper berries, some microgreens and a generous dollop of coarse Dijon mustard. Edward made petite sandwiches while I asked for some olive oil for dipping. This appetizer was like one found in an upscale restaurant. I wondered why so many people were sipping beer or wine without ordering any food. As our dinner progressed, some people went for a burger or the fried cauliflower.

Our next dish consisted of two short ribs with a smear of Gorgonzola, wrapped in puff pastry and baked ($6), which were tasty. The viscous dipping sauce made with honey was a bit too sweet, but this was a matter of personal taste.

Since I ordered the rock bass ($19), I asked if the chef could select a glass of wine to enhance my dinner. I sampled the chef’s choices and decided on the J. Lohr Riesling. It was the perfect choice. The wine was crisp with a touch of sweetness, which set off the richness of the fish, the delicacy of the ramps and the brown butter almond sauce.

Edward’s duck confit came with potatoes roasted in duck fat ($16). I was in duck fat heaven. Legs of duck spend time in their own fat before being cooked to perfection. Edward enjoyed a glass of beer with his entrée.

I salute those who supports local businesses. When I noticed Tastykake bread pudding with cinnamon semifreddo ($6), I had to try it. It was a bit sweet, but who cares? It was downright inspiring to use butterscotch krimpets. The cinnamon semifreddo rivals any I have sampled.

Service was excellent and the number of beers on tap and in the bottle was dazzling.

Sauter knows his ingredients and has a true culinary instinct for putting together dishes that truly sing.

Three tips of the toque to Philadelphia Bar & Restaurant. SPR