With the economy (and by extension, my bank account) in a state of emergency, it’s tough to justify dining out anywhere near/in the not-so-budget-friendly Rittenhouse Square. Luckily, a dear friend of mine forced me to throw caution to the wind and try a little place called Snackbar. With a trendy name, chill atmosphere and easy location, it may have been the best excuse for bankruptcy this girl has seen.
Since they don’t take reservations (and it was 6pm on a Friday), we were very fortunate to have scored one of the eatery’s coveted tables almost immediately upon entry. Despite the bustling crowd, our waiter managed to fill our water glasses, explain the pronunciation and contents of the The Montparnasse cocktail, and take our drink orders in the first 45 seconds of our arrival. Chalk it up to us being two pretty girls in a sea of coupled-up patrons or the man’s attempt to get us spending money as soon as possible, but we were still impressed.
Being the nightlife enthusiast that I am, there’s always a question in my mind as to whether or not an establishment’s bar scene could stand on its own. In this case, I vote yes. The cocktails are inventive, the wine list extensive, and the beer list nothing short of perfection. Besides, any bar that stocks St. Germaine earns an "A" in my book.
Snackbar, in a nutshell, is comfort gone glam. The chairs are straight out of Minima (yet they’re comfy), the name is trendy (while decidedly unintimidating), the waitstaff is way cooler than you (but they’re attentive and warm), and the menu is a well-chosen collection of dishes that have undergone a well-deserved makeover. I mean, really, who doesn’t love a place that serves up gourmet versions of comfort foods such as corndogs or mac n’ cheese?
Hoping to get a feel for the restaurant’s true flavor (probably not found in corndogs), we opted for the ricotta gnocchi and pan-roasted snapper. We also ordered french fries, just to balance our decidedly refined entree selections. While delicious, the dishes lacked something I am almost embarassed to comment about: size. Having gotten used to the army-sized dishes served in chain restaurants across America, I was thoroughly surprised when a small bowl of gnocchi arrived, claiming to be my dinner. Luckily, I quickly realized the error of my ways when I found myself pleasantly full 20 minutes later. Pleasantly full, not clutching my stomach in downright pain wishing I’d stopped eating much, much sooner.
With a newfound appreciation for the "quality, not quantity" adage, my girlfriend and I ordered dessert. The chocolate bread pudding was definitely what heaven would taste like, if it came in food form. The "coffee and doughnuts" plate was an adorable little collection of coffee panna cotta with cream cheese doughnuts, a perfect ending to our evening of indulgence and utter disregard for our waistlines.
Though it wasn’t exactly cheap (I will never be happy about spending $10 for a glass of wine), Snackbar more than proved their worth through delicious dishes, expertly mixed drinks and an attentive waitstaff, who struck the ideal balance between being informative and being polite. In a perfect world, those soft pretzel- wielding snack bars would follow suit, but for now we’re content with visiting the square every once in awhile.
AroundPhilly Staff
