*For the past 52 weeks you’ve read my praises and gripes about all kinds of restaurants–gastro pubs and gourmet to sushi and strip-mall takeout spots–in the suburbs. Now it’s your turn. Send me your comments and we’ll consider them for an upcoming story.
In my car’s console, tucked in next to a few individually wrapped toothpicks and a tin of Altoids, I keep a small journal. Listed on its pages is every restaurant I’ve visited this past year, along with a few quickly scrawled notes about each place.
Within the front and back cover of that little memo pad are sixty-one separate Aroundphilly.com entries, soaring, chicken-scratched highs–"The seven-course meal at Talula’s Table is the ultimate culinary pleasure!" and freezer-burnt lows–"The Flying Pig Saloon should rename its meatball parm ‘cold travesty on a long roll.’"
In this annum, it was a play on contrasts–the tuxedo-clad ultimate-professionals at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse in Radnor, and then, a few months later, going to seed for three-and-a-half hours of eternity, our table forgotten by ink-illustrated biker chicks posing as waitresses at the Fitzwater Station in Oaks.
It has been a year of many memorable meals, of experiencing several notable suburban newcomers, and, as we slid farther through it all, a down-turning economy that has many an industry friend shuddering with uncertainty.
Page one of ’08 began auspiciously enough. My first week of dining included a filet and salmon-y feast at Phoenixville’s Columbia Bar & Grill. A few months later, I ventured down the block to Iron Hill Restaurant & Brewery, and then, for a wonderful four-courser with friends at the exceptional little BYO known as Majolica. Recession be damned in Phoenixville: The restaurants keep coming and so, too, are the curious eaters to fill them. Heck, the borough’s about to get its first Starbucks, so you know it’s really on the map now.
On January 20, my wife and I did another BYOB turn with friends, this one at Bistro M, the bagel-and-a-shmeer place by day, when it’s Murray’s Deli, hanger steak in a red wine reduction at night when the bistro part kicks in–a very city-vibe urban setting within Berwyn’s Main Lined environs.
February had me at Yangming, Bryn Mawr’s long-running (and most consistent) Chinese/American affair. The next month, I paid Nectar a visit–without a doubt, the top Asian-fusion restaurant west of the city. While I was there, I ran into co-owner Scott Morrison, who excitedly unveiled his plans for what would later open as Maia in Villanova: Over 20,000 square feet of restaurant, or, three succinct food-service operations consisting of a high-end counter-service cafeteria, a stylish bistro, and then upstairs, the more formal and finer dining component
I’ve since paid several visits to each part of Morrison’s visionary actualities since he first emoted so enthusiastically to me back then, and each time, I’ve come away with different takes on what has been the biggest restaurant opening of the year for the suburbs.
The upstairs restaurant is truly outstanding and the downstairs bistro is perfect for a tasty lunch, dinner or drinks. The cafeteria, however, though just a culinary colt, still ranges on wobbly legs: Its menu options are now too limited, it’s layout too confusing and the three to five young staffers who ever-linger at the host’s stand are quick to give you and the ladies a "Hey guys!" though they should consider adding some instruction to the confusing mélange that is Maia. I look for great strides as Maia becomes a yearling in 2009.
If gastro pubs and French cafes became a ubiquitous aspect to Center City diners throughout this past year, the trend stopped at the suburban borders. Still, beer and more pointedly, regional craft brews continued to emerge as a reason to travel the Delaware Valley. There’s the daily hopfest that’s Victory Brewing Company (Downingtown), the award-winners being produced at Royersford’s Sly Fox (and its original Phoenixville location) and at such frothy head-turners as TJ’s Restaurant & Drinkery in Paoli, where chef/co-owner Jeff Miller uses the stuff in 90 percent of his menu items’ preparation. The aforementioned Flying Pig Saloon is also worth a visit for its superb draft and bottle selection despite its questionable menu.
I staked out the suburbs’ greatest cheesesteak (my vote: Joey’s Famous Philly in Phoenixville), its best burger (Charlie’s Hamburgers in Folsom) and went wild for wieners (love those Jimmy-John’s dogs near West Chester) in my column on the region’s "good stuff."
I am, however, on the hunt for truly exceptional pizza. Near-nirvana was found close by at Cooper’s Brick Oven Wine Bar in Manayunk, Bruce Cooper’s trendy and contiguous companion to his famed, long-running Jake’s, where the gods of the wood-fires there produce masterful creations from that 1,600 degree forge. But Manayunk is technically in Philly, no? So, I’m still on the search for amazing pizza hereabouts in the ‘burbs.
When it comes to great grapes, no wine program can compare with the viniferous bible they’ll produce for patrons of Savona in Gulph Mills. And in a time when pricing and standards are rolling backward, this white table-clothed fine-dining bastion has, blessedly, retained it place among the top shelf of dining destinations in our region.
It seems as if my pace, if anything, picked up these last two months. During that time, I was fortunate to find an undiscovered Italian BYO near Pottstown, a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it place called Trattoria Vittorio where there’s a chef who has hailed from the famed Il Mulino in NYC; the lush tranquility of the Café at Styer’s, dining civilly amid its Chadds Ford greenhouse; and Alison Two in Fort Washington, without a doubt, my pick for the most exciting new restaurant opening of all this year within the western suburbs. There, chef Alison Barshak and her fine staff have plenty of fun and lots of room to grow, a raucous and moody series of rooms that each showcase elevated aspects of New American fare with just the right amount of whimsy.
As I look forward toward 2009, I keep fingers crossed that the big corporate chains will be held at bay while those indie gastro pubs and button-cute French cafes finally make their way to these parts.
John Mims, who brought haute Creole to this neck of the woods when he ran Carmine’s and Margot, is promising something special (and beery) soon in the heart of Wayne; Firecreek, a steakery/barbecue concept is ramping up for its springtime opening in Downingtown; and, in Limerick, something called Craft Ale House is on any-day standby to start cooking and pouring.
Me, I’m running out to get a new journal for the coming year. I can’t wait to read what tastes will fill it up in 2009.
AroundPhilly Staff
