Pub & Kitchen

Brewery Mussels: homemade country sausage & amber lager - Normally I like my mussels in red sauce, but these were delicious. The mussels were soft (far from chewy) and almost sweet, and the spicy sausage was an excellent addition. The toasted bread on top was full of garlic butter (and while it was tasty, there was a tad too much of it). The last time I was at Pub & Kitchen, I ordered the burger (as did two of my friends this time) and it never fails to please.



Roast chicken with mustard greens and Irish biscuit - This dish is one that Pub & Kitchen is known for. The chicken is juicy, yet the Irish biscuit was a little dry (and was almost like stuffing).

Supper

We came to Supper because of the review in both Zagat and Philadelphia Magazine, but as we later found out, both reviews were over a year old. The chef and owner, Mitch Prensky, was nice enough to come over to my table once he saw me taking pictures and asking about the "tapas" brunch that I thought was still served (Philadelphia Magazine may have published last year's article instead). He was very nice and friendly, and his restaurant offers the same vibe. Now on to the food:

Supper Frittata: three egg frittata with tomatoes and bacon, served with potatoes and toast - By the looks of the picture, you're probably wondering where the eggs are: they are dried up and hiding in there. This isn't what I expect to see when I order a frittata; the potatoes should have been on the side, and the eggs a bit more moist.


Housemade Ricotta Blintzes with strawberry compote and sour cream - These were incredibly delicious: sweet, thin crepes, and a beautiful blend of strawberry, sour cream, and ricotta. It wasn't difficult for it to melt in my mouth. However, I was very disappointed with the portion size; for $13, I would have expected more.

James

Of the four dishes I had at James, two of them were truly delicious (and perhaps deserving of Philadelphia Magazine's rank of 3rd best restaurant), but the prices are very steep for the amount of food on the plate. I wanted Wendy's afterwards.

As far as the decor, I was pleasantly surprised to walk into such a modern, trendy, yet calm atmosphere that I would expect to see more of on Rittenhouse Square, not in Bella Vista. It was beautifully, yet simply decorated, with hardwood floors and dark tables and furniture (picture above is behind the bar, not the main dining room).

Swiss chard stuffed quail breast - This was one of the two best dishes of the evening. The quail breast was lean and soft, and the seasoned swiss chard was the perfect flavoring.


Hand cut tagliatelle, duck ragu, shaved chocolate & orange - What a disappointment. Philly Mag said to order this, the waitresses at James said it was the most popular item on their menu,...perhaps I was thus expecting too much. The tagliatelle was thin and obviously homemade, but there was barely any duck, and if chocolate & orange weren't listed on the menu, I wouldn't have known they were part of the dish.


John Dory with onions, apples, and brussels sprouts


Dover Sole "Veronique" - This was the second best dish of the evening. It was simply prepared but my taste buds loved it: olive oil, peeled grapes, and some sort of cream that tasted like hummus. The picture makes it look much larger than it was, but it was more like over-sized sashimi than a filet of fish.


Both desserts didn't taste like anything. I was afraid I had a stuffy nose or a cold, but nah...the desserts were just lacking flavor. Salty Caramel Semifreddo & Pumpkin Tart