While serious foodies may joke (even poke fun at) Philadelphia as the city of the cheesesteak, it's serious business in other parts of the country. In fact, it becomes both a reference point and homage to the City of Brotherly Love, from Memphis to Los Angeles, where various interpretations of the venerated steak sandwich are created and served to the locals.
Impresario of the city's restaurant industry Stephen Starr with chef Todd Mark Miller premiered a decadent spin on the basic Philly cheesesteak with a gourmet version, priced at $100, at his newest restaurant, Barclay Prime, located inside the high-rise residence on fashionable Rittenhouse Square, at the opening on October 4.
No argument that the most expensive sandwich in the city and perhaps the most talked about detail of Starr's (lucky) 13th restaurant in his exploding Starr Restaurant Organization is a brilliant public relations stunt. (Remember that his origins are in the nightclub business!)
Miller's cheesesteak, made with shaved Kobe beef, foie gras, triple cream tallegio and caramelized shallots on an artisanal bun, has garnered a genuine buzz among the local and regional media, and has already been written about in CNN"s "Offbeat News" column. I predict national magazines like "Gourmet" and "Food and Wine" to follow.
"What we've created is a classic steak house, but redefined for the twenty-first century," says Starr of Barclay Prime, decorated to resemble a rich, library setting, "The location is spectacular, the interior is stunning and the menu and chef are equally impressive."
A veteran chef for 15 years, Miller will oversee the culinary operations at Barclay Prime.
Highlights of Miller's menu will feature a raw bar and seafood cocktail selections, such as oysters, caviar, shrimp cocktail and lobster cocktail; appetizers such as oysters Rockefeller; foie gras PB&J, kobe sliders and beef tartare; entrees such as gachot and gachot prime ribeye, dry
aged porterhouse, Kobe hangar steak and Amish organic chicken; and seafood selections such as butter poached lobster, wild salmon, seared scallops and sushi grade tuna.
Not to worry if you can't spring for the cheesesteak for you and your date, you can always hang out at the be-and-be-seen bar.
