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One of my favorite books by the late Craig Claiborne, The New York Times’ long-time restaurant critic/food columnist, is “Craig Claiborne’s Memorable Meals.”
I have had many memorable meals throughout the country and abroad. In 1998, Marc Vetri opened Vetri, the finest Italian restaurant in the city, and Stephen Starr gave us Buddakan, which set a high city standard for Asian fare.
The same year, Kristian Leuzzi quietly opened his Passyunk Square restaurant that bore his name. I clearly recall the marvelous dinner Edward and I savored at Kristian’s. The salads were crisp and beautifully presented, pastas imparted fresh, clear flavors and the osso bucco was as fine as the one I prepare from Marcella Hazan’s recipe.
Leuzzi closed his restaurant but recently reopened it as Kris, a more casual version of Kristian’s, with executive chef Gregory Dooner. I could not wait to see what was in store for Edward, Sandy and me.
A group of revelers were at the bar. We settled in and the menu immediately intrigued me. I wanted to sample almost every dish. I sipped a fine Bombay Sapphire martini ($9.50) while Sandy ordered a glass of Sauvignon Blanc ($8) and Edward sipped a Malbac.
Our server brought us thinly-sliced, fresh Italian bread along with a dish of cool white beans bathed in olive oil. Sandy sheepishly placed a spoon of the antipasto on her plate and immediately asked for more. Our waiter obliged with a smile.
Among the specials were grilled sardines ($12), which I never pass up if they are fresh and grilled. My antipasto consisted of two fish served head-to-tail and simply grilled with olive oil and fresh herbs. I squeezed on some fresh lemon juice, took a bite and imagined life on the sun-drenched Mediterranean. Several grilled leeks were included on the plate, which I scraped clean.
I used to think Dmitri Chimes at Dmitri’s, 795 S. Third St., grilled the finest octopus in town. I think I found one better at Kris ($12). The mollusk was marinated in olive oil, herbs and lemon juice and grilled so beautifully. It was charred slightly imparting a smoky flavor that Edward and I liked. Pickled vegetables, a specialty in the Italian repertoire, were a fine contrast in taste and texture to the octopus.
Sandy played it safe with grilled radicchio ($8), which she never had tried before. Three small mounds of slightly bitter radicchio were slightly grilled, served warm with bacon and blue cheese.
Huzzah! Sandy gave me a taste before she cleaned her plate.
Two entrées — free-range chicken cacciatore ($17) and grilled venison osso bucco ($23) — were immediate standouts simply because it has been years since I’ve seen them listed on restaurant menus.
Sandy and I shared the chicken in the hunter’s style. Three tips of the toque to one of the most outstanding dishes I have devoured within the past year. The chicken was organic and farm-raised. It was simmered on the bone for added flavor in a rich, homemade tomato sauce laced with sautéed onions. The fowl was so tender, it fell off the bone. Small ovals of creamy polenta were scattered around the chicken.
A meaty shank of Cervena venison was lovingly braised in a heady, rich stock and served with risotto cooked with tiny cubes of butternut squash. It cannot get much better than this. Like the chicken, the venison fell off the bone. Edward and I enjoyed each forkful with the toothsome yet creamy risotto. The combination was a blend of savory and slightly sweet.
Do not miss the dolci ($7). We polished off three ricotta cheese donuts with a fresh berry compote and a slightly sweet panna cotta topped with fig jam.
Service was perfect. Waiters at Kris watch the tables, fill your water glass and offer fresh flatware and plates for each course.
Leuzzi has a gem here. Kris is among the best new restaurants of 2011.
Three extra-ordinary tips of the toque to Kris. SPR
Kris
1100 Federal St.
215-468-0104
krisphilly.com
Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.
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