212 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106 (215) 238-0499
Date Reviewed: 3/29/14
Nestled on the corner of 2nd and Walnut, this Italian restaurant specializing in seafood, fresh fish and crudo (Italian sashimi), is an unpretentious rare treat among Philadelphia restaurants. The huge floor to ceiling windows let in lots of natural light and the blue themed "underwater" theme decor strikes a nice contrast to the open air views afforded by the all glass walls. Definitely a romantic spot and not too pricey to boot.
Entrance Way
Immediately we are invited into the restaurant by the ocean themed, modern elegance of this restaurant. The hostess was friendly enough and the hostess stand was well done.
The Bar
Interior Dining Area
My Cocktail: Tango Dress
Pinot Noir Cava, Solerno, Blood Orange Foam. Served with Mint leaf in champagne flute. Not a bad summer cocktail, which is a bit premature considering we are in March. However, it was a big hit and definitely worth a second round (or two). The blood orange foam was particularly tasty and added a unique texture to the drink.
Primo: Pan Seared Day Boat Diver Scallops - $10
French Radish Salad, Granny Smith Apple Puree. Not bad. Not bad at all. Radish blended nicely with the apple puree rendering a sweet finish to the scallops.
Butternut Squash Risotto - $16
Roasted Butternut Squash Puree, Pumpkin Seeds. Served under a bed of risotto. Well prepared, the risotto adopted a creamy consistency while still being prepared al dente still with the presence of separate grains. The butternut squash was neither too sweet or salty and complimented the risotto well. Some stirring was required to mix the ingredients but it did not disappoint.
Zucchini Crabcake - $20
Jumbo lump crabmeat, herbs, spices, roasted peppers with spinach and lemon butter sauce. Excellent and well presented dish.
Roasted Veal Tenderloin - $21
Wrapped with Prosciutto, Mushroom Confit, Natural Jus. The prosciutto (dry-cured ham that is usually thinly sliced and served uncooked) nicely complimented the tenderloin. Mushroom confit I could have done without and the natural jus tasted a bit old. The cut of tenderloin was nice and tender and cooked to a perfect medium however, which served to redeem this dish.
Nutella Filled Crepe, Coffee Ice Cream
Served with chocolate syrup and raspberries. Decent desert, nothing special you couldn't make at home however. The coffee ice cream tasted like a premium store bought brand (Häagen-Dazs?). It still tasted good and the sweetness of the nutella was balanced by the crepe.
Unique Things to Check Out: THE BATHROOM. LOVE the design, fixtures, and decor.
John Ryan has a great handle on this place. He is dead on! I plan on checking out his blog more often!
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