Butcher & Singer Review [2]

The GF and I have been to Butcher & Singer several times for dinner and have reviewed their Restaurant Week lunch as well. I realized I had never highlighted their dinner on the blog though. So when it was her dad's birthday, I figured it was the perfect excuse to celebrate and cross another Philadelphia institution off the list! 

Bread Service

While you take in the cavernous ambiance of Stephen Starr's Mad Men-era room, a warm ciabatta roll is served with room temp (thank the heavens!) pat of butter. 

Onion Soup au Gratin [$12.50]

The GF was in the mood for French onion soup and this was the perfect iteration. The sweetness of the caramelized onions was well-integrated with the rich broth. The croutons within still had some texture to provide some contrast. The gruyere cheese cocoon? Nothing short of amazing. Pretty sure I scooped up more than my fair share off the GF's plate! Sorry, not sorry! 

Crab Cake [$20]
 

Butcher & Singer's crabcake was nicely moist, sweet, and thankfully without much filler. The crust on the exterior was spot on. An herbaceous aioli was hidden beneath and the dish came with julienned Granny Smith and a few tangerine slices for bright acidity. 

8 oz. Filet Mignon [$42]

The GF's filet was wet-aged and nicely tender. The steak was well-crusted and seasoned, yielding to the requested medium temp. 

Delmonico [$48]

My delmonico ribeye was a nice hunk of fatty, deicious, medium-rare beef. 

A perfect contrast in pink tender fattiness and well-seasoned crust. 

Stuffed Hashed Browns [$15]

If you're at Butcher & Singer, you can't *not* order the stuffed hashed browns. It's the perfect side for your steaks. 

We're talking about a huge plate-sized disc of hashed browns, with a well-crisped exterior opening up to a pillowy melange of potatoes, onions, and sour cream. 

Asparagus [$12]

Looking for some greens with your beef? The blanched asparagus are tender, with some bite, and served with hollandaise. Simple, yet classic. 

Baked Alaska [$12]
 

One of the reasons I love coming to Butcher & Singer on steak nights? The nostalgic Baked Alaska, not oft-seen on menus these days. The bits of banana, orange, browned meringue, and ice cream allow for a wonderful meal-ending bite. 

For dinner, expect a dark and intimate setting that's old school. There are no excess frills like the truffle mac n cheese you might find at Barclay Prime, Starr's other Philly steakhouse. But if you're looking for pure beef enjoyment, I think Butcher & Singer is at the tops in terms of juicy steaks that are well-seasoned. 

Wine School of Philadelphia Review

For part of my birthday gift, the GF got us tickets to a cooking demonstration and wine tasting at PA School of Wine. It's a cute setup, with several two-tops up front and a larger community table taking up the main expanse of the room. Chalkboards took the place of the walls, replete with the names of wines as well as the ingredients and directions for the dishes that would be created on this night. 

We had Chef Keith for our culinary class and he was busy prepping when we arrived 15 minutes early so we could grab a seat near the front. We appreciated the mirror above him, which allowed us to see his prep station. 

Apologies in advance for the cell phone pics! We started off the meal with some background on the Wine School and the meal we were about to enjoy. Walnut crisps and a pour of white wine kicked things off while Chef got started on the first dish. 

Our starter was a salad focused on carrots. While the carrots were beautiful and fresh, they were definitely too large and hard to cut with the salad knife we were provided. The vinaigrette was also a bit too acerbic, though I appreciated the use of walnut oil, which was a nice touch with the hazelnuts. I did enjoy the tips Chef offered. Salt, pepper, lemon - amazing what a few ingredients will do to amp up your boring salads at home! 

Our next dish was a mushroom farro, which had a great essence from the stock and was paired with another white wine. The salty hits of shaved parm on top were much needed to offer up some salt and richness to each bite. Pro-tip here? If you're cooking hearty grains, don't use just water. You should always have a few boxes or cans of chicken/beef stock on hand! 

Our final dish came in the form of nicely cooked filets with a Bordelaise red-wine sauce. Steaks were prepped in advance via sous vide, with a final sear with a blow torch! Roasted asparagus accompanied the steaks, along with a pour of red wine.  

As we left, there were a tray of chocolates for us to enjoy as a final bite. 

So if you're looking for a fun, culinary date night, I'd recommend checking out Wine School of Philadelphia. Tickets are typically around $75pp, so it's a discount if you're not ready to splurge on the level of an Audrey Claire Cook class.

Tsuki Sushi Review

It was weekday night and the GF and I weren't in the mood to cook. So we hopped on our local delivery app and decided to order up some sushi. We had not tried Tsuki yet, so figured we'd give them a try. Delivery was 15 minutes earlier than the estimated 45 minutes so that was a +1 from the start! 

Sushi Regular [$15.95]
Salad, sushi or 7 pieces of nigiri, California roll 

We decided to get a regular sushi combo, which came with salad, sushi or nigiri, and a California roll. 

Salad

The salad was fairly standard, but fresh, with crisp cucumbers, Romaine, and shredded carrots. The prototypical ginger dressing was on hand as well. 

Tuna Nigiri
 

We asked for tuna and salmon nigiri and Tsuki obliged. The rice was perfect - lightly vinegared and slightly warm despite delivery, with fresh fish on top. Nothing wrong here! 

Salmon Nigiri
 

The salmon was creamy and fatty - really hit the spot! 

California Roll
 

I typically eschew these, but the GF loves the clean flavors of the California roll. Creamy from the abundant avocado and lightly crisp from the cucumber and imitation crab, these were better than most! 

3 Roll Special [$11.95]
 

I love a sushi place that offers 3 roll specials. And at less than $4 a roll, Tsuki has got you covered at a bargain to boot! 

Yellowtail Scallion

The standard yellowtail scallion roll was decent, with plenty of meaty yellowtail, though the scallion did not come through at all. 

Spicy Tuna Roll
 

The spicy tuna roll was only slightly spicy, but there was plenty of minced tuna within. 

Sweet Potato Roll
 

We always need to order a sweet potato roll to satiate our sweet tooth (teeth?). Sadly, these weren't our favorite iteration. The sweet potato was still starchy and the texture was disappointing, without any crunch. 

Volcano Roll [$8.95]
Tempura rice, spicy tuna, special sauce

I felt the need to be extra gluttonous so ordered a specialty roll. The volcano roll was a bit soggy for having tempura rice, but when you have a roll drenched in special sauce for delivery, it's almost to be expected. If you're looking for Americanized sushi flavors, this will hit the spot. 

Overall, I'd order from Tsuki again - sticking with nigiri and standard rolls. For obvious reasons though, Tsuki cemented my theory that you can't expect good sushi unless you're dining in.

Bar Volver Review [2]

This is for a series of posts related to Iron Chef Jose Garces including:

Amada, Distrito, Rosa Blanca, Bar Volver, Bar Volver [2], Buena Onda, The Blue Anchor, PHS Pop Up Garden, JG Domestic, Tinto [1], Tinto [2], and Village Whiskey.

Located in the Kimmel Center, Bar Volver is Iron Chef Jose Garces' more approachable and modern concept when compared to the multi-course tasting at Volver. Previously, that meant smaller bar bites and a myriad of tartares & tartines. Starting Wednesday, September 7th, Bar Volver re-opens with an expanded dinner menu. This includes large plates to satiate diners looking for a quick, yet elegant pre-theater dining experience. 

The Bar Volver space is intimate, yet inviting and comfortable. The bar is the focal point, with 30+ wines available by the glass, along with a variety of globally sourced craft beers or artistic and innovative cocktails. 

Chef's Garden
Gin, citrus cordial, rosemary, basil, thyme, chili oil 

My favorite of the night had to be the Chef's Garden. Wonderfully floral from the gin and basil, the rosemary and thyme helped to temper the bright, yet sweet citrus cordial. I enjoyed the addition of the chili oil, which surprisingly didn't distract. 

Oh Sandy 
Pisco, green apple, sherry, absinthe, lemon 

This drink was light, with the green apple bringing forth some acidity, and the absinthe and sherry providing a subtle backbone. 

Champagne Cocktail 

Sparkling wine, angostura bitters, sugar, lemon twist 

Bar Volver's sparkler was a nice interplay between sweet and dry, with the sugar and lemon balancing out the the effervescent wine and bitters. 

Charcuterie

As you might expect from any Garces establishment, Bar Volver has a stellar mixto of cheese and charcuterie. From Andalucian lomo iberico to La Quercia prociutto, you know the cured meat game is strong with the Iron Chef. Perfect to pair with Acacia honey and a variety of artisanal cheeses. 

From there, I was able to head to the Volver space to meet Chef de Cuisine Dave Conn and try the new large plates at Bar Volver. 

Ricotta & Herb Ravioli
Charred eggplant, fresh tomato, basil, ricotta salata 

Pasta lovers rejoice - Bar Volver offers ravioli, filled with creamy ricotta. Charred eggplant and salty ricotta salata provided some heft to each bite, with the freshness from the tomato and basil offering some balance. 

Alaskan Halibut 
Chanterelles, watercress, celeriac emulsion, truffle jus

A gorgeous hunk of Alaskan halibut is featured with earthy chanterelles and a truffle jus. It's paired with bitter watercress and celeriac emulsion. 

Organic Fried Chicken
Buttermilk fried chicken, corn puree, parsnip remoulade, biscuit 

Chef's take on an American classic was a standout. The crisp, yet light batter offered enjoyable texture, which yielded to incredibly moist and juicy chicken. Paired with a bit of the biscuit, the sweet corn puree, and the parsnip remoulade of cole slaw, this was picnic nostalgia encapsulated in a single bite. 

Lamb Frites
Lamb chops, fries, feta, rosemary, lamb gravy

Elegantly frenched lamb chops were perfectly mid-rare and well-seasoned. The smokiness of the shishitos and rosemary added some depth along with the salty feta. The fries were crisp and thick-cut.

Beef Tenderloin

Loaded heirloom potatoes, charred broccolini, JG steak sauce 

Steak was as tender as could be - perfectly seasoned, with a nice sear and mid-rare within. Finished with salt and compound butter on top. Charred broccolini had a smoky bitterness that was enjoyable and the loaded heirloom potatoes were heaven. 

So if you're looking for the right place to take your date pre-theater, look no further than the Kimmel Center itself. Heck, don't limit yourself to theater nights - stop by for Happy Hour or for dinner. I normally don't order the fried chicken on a fine dining menu, but I'd highly recommend Chef's take on it! Pure modern nostalgia. 

Also - be sure to follow Chef Garces' Estudio on Instagram. Chef was kind enough to take some time to talk to us and apparently it's his new test kitchen! Working with the entire Garces team, he's creating some of his most inventive dishes at Estudio. You never know when he'll randomly open the doors to the first few guests with the special password! More to come on this ...

FTC Disclaimer: I was invited to this Media Preview as a guest. Regardless, my opinions are mine alone and, therefore, unbiased.

La Viola Bistro Review

Philly's filled with Italian BYOs and one of the most attended has to be La Viola. In fact, it's so popular that a second location across the street was opened (La Viola West), where a more expanded and affordable menu is offered. 

From what I hear, the West location also accepts credit cards unlike the original Bistro location. 

The GF and I decided to go to the Bistro, mainly because we wanted to try the spinach gnocchi, which isn't offered at La Viola West. Being that it's a BYO, we brought along a bottle of prossecco. The dining area was a single room - homey and fit the bill for a Philly Italian BYO.

Bread Service
 

Bread service entailed nice, crusty Italian bread, along with olive oil-balsamic. 

Insalata Trecolore ($9)
Radicchio, arugula, Belgian endive, shaved parmigiana, lemon dressing

 

The GF enjoyed the three color salad, which came with bitter radicchio, pepper arugula, Belgian endive, all lightly coated in a lemon vinaigrette and topped with huge slices of shaved parm. Not bad for under $10! 

Pepperoni Arrosti ($9)
Homemade sweet roasted peppers, Gaeta olives, anchovies, EVOO

I opted for a heartier starter of homemade sweet roasted peppers, along with briny Gaeta olives and anchovies.

Gnocchi al Filetto di Pomodoro ($14)
Homemade spinach gnocchi, ricotta cheese, fresh tomato basil sauce

Obviously, Vetri, this was not. However, the gnocchi were pillowy and imbued with a light spinach essence. The tomato sauce on top was sweet and studded with fresh ricotta. 

Penne alla Caruso ($14)
Pencil point pasta, vodka and tomato sauce, peas, pancetta

The penne were nicely al dente, with thick bits of pancetta that ate more like pepperoni. The sweet peas were a nice touch and I also appreciated that the vodka sauce didn't overly drench the pasta. But don't worry - there was plenty of leftover sauce to mop up with bread. 

Vitello Pomodoro ($18)

Breaded veal cutlet, fresh mozzarella, plum tomatoes, tomato sauce 

Sure the veal cutlet was huge, but sadly more than a bit dry and tough. Topped with mozzarella and plum tomatoes, this veal pomoro didn't do it for me. It lacked in flavor and execution. The dish also came with roasted potatoes and snap peas hidden underneath. 

Cappuccino ($3)

Faux pas be damned, the GF ended the meal with a cappuccino.

Overall, I can see why this Italian BYO is popular, especially with the younger demographic. While there were a few misses, it's affordable, the ingredients are fresh, and you get the sense that everything's homemade.