Living in Philadelphia poses a certain set of risks to someone hoping to remain under the radar. Our high standard of living coupled with the limited selection of good restaurants/boyfriends/apartments make dodging familiar faces (or a snapshot on a well-intentioned photog’s society blog) quite a feat. Our answer? Conshohocken’s tasty BYO, Blackfish.
DISCLAIMER: We know Conshy isn’t exactly uncharted territory, nor is it known for top-notch cuisine. But given the 20-mile gap between this little business district and the city, I figured I’d be the only urbanite making the Tuesday evening trip on an all but gridlocked 76 westbound. With that in mind, all it took was a quick Google search for the nearest liquor store (44 Ridge Pike, in case you’re wondering) and a bit of OpenTable action to seal the deal.
The decor is exactly what you’d expect from a seafood restaurant that recently opened a location in the swanky shore town of Stone Harbor. White-washed walls, large windows and wide plank flooring give it a summery feel, while low lighting and close-set tables take it from quaint to de riguer in one fell swoop.
We were seated at a little table against the wall, the perfect spot amidst a sea of raucous business execs fresh from work, but already two bottles past sober. Within moments (seriously, I hadn’t even put my BlackBerry on vibrate yet) our Sauvignon Blanc was iced and uncorked, the fresh bread sliced and served and our specials meticulously outlined–always an impressive feat in a busy restaurant.
Before I move onto the food, let me preface my critique with this: my dining partner is a steak and potatoes kind of guy. He doesn’t like deciphering hard-to-pronounce menu items and if there’s no bread basket, you can pretty much bet that he’ll ask for one… appropriate or not.
The menu was broken down in conventional three-course fashion, offering an array of light dishes that piqued my (mostly) vegetarian appetite. I opted for the asparagus soup, which was slowly poured over what can only be described as a crostini, yielding equal parts crunchy and smooth. My dining cohort decided to forgo course one to chow down on bread, a decision that he later regreted. Tip: If there are three courses, you should order one of each in order to leave sated.
The second course was tasty, but then again, I’ve never seen a restaurant go wrong with risotto. A bit of effort and some serious stirring always seem to yield scrumptiousness from this dish, so though happy, I was unimpresssed.
When the final course arrived, I was slightly nervous. Feeling brazen, I’d opted for the salmon– a dish I generally consider too "fishy" for my taste. Luckily, my selection was well-recieved on every concievable level. The fish was not… fishy, for lack of a better word; rather, it was smoky and tender, a perfect balance for the tangy arugula and savory sauce with which it was paired.
Ah, the mark of a truly great restaurant: the confidence to serve salmon (not some safe grilled veggie dish) to a non-meat eater who wields a sharp-tounge and a byline on a food column. Overall, I left Blackfish full (not sick), happy (not drunk) and perhaps most importantly, totally unnoticed. And my date? Any guy who abadons his usual "manly" dish in search of culinary variety is fine by me.
AroundPhilly Staff
