Fine and Dandy

My new favorite place in the city, The Dandelion, is highly recommended and worth checking out.  Stephen Starr has hit this one out of the ballpark and across the pond.  Having been three times already for drinks/dinner/snacks, I have yet to be disappointed with any selection, and I am continuously surprised by my findings.  The two-story, double wide restaurant and bar is handsomely sexy and yet still cozy and inviting at the same time.  The stately staircase, tin ceilings, dark wood fireplaces (that actually work), and wallpapered walls all play a major role in the old English charm that The Dandelion exudes.  Whether, I am sitting at the crowded bar and laughing with great company, snuggled up in a corner next to the fireplace with another, or gathered around a large farmhouse table that seats 20, it is a completely different experience each time and keeps me coming back for more. 

The beer and cocktail list is inspired/original/mighty delicious, and although I wouldn’t call myself a very big beer drinker, the Raison D’etre could easily convince me to become one.  The dinner menu is classic/warming/magnificent, and the Duck Bolognese is something to be marveled.  Other dishes like the Fish and Chips (the most incredible I have ever tasted) or the Rabbit Pie are certainly worth licking your lips over.  Smaller dishes like the Salmon and Trout Pate and The Cheeseboard leave no room for complaints either.  The portions are all a great size and can easily be shared.

In addition to the great fare, the crowd is a mix of old and young/very good looking/ oh-so Rittenhouse.  This is the perfect spot for a date or a night out with your favorite guys and gals.  I am anxious to go back and check out their brunch menu or even sit down for a spot of tea, which is served daily between 3pm and 5pm.  A true ace!

Manning it Up

20 manning, fka Twenty Manning, has been a favorite of mine ever since I tried it a few years back.  I revisited this somewhat transformed goody just recently and it still has yet to let me down.  The new dandelion  yellow banquet seating that has been splashed around the dining area adds great function/flexibility/color to the space that I could easily see it transforming to a chic lounge in the later hours.  Besides some new pendant fixtures and artwork though, the restaurant has pretty much remained unchanged.  And, that's a good thing!  It's simple/quaint/cozy and has the perfect level of intimate lighting that I easily find myself not wanting to leave.  The menu has also altered slightly (both dinner and drink) but still no complaints are to be made.  The cocktails are just as good as ever; TMG Old Fashioned is sensational.  And, the food is so very fun/creative/scrumptious! that trying everything on the menu would not be a problem for me.  The butternut squash ravioli and Ahi tuna, either served as an app. or entree, are a must order.  It's always packed during the week and weekend so reservations are a must.  And, with 20 Manning's excellent location in Rittenhouse, it's a superb way to start off an evening of fun in the city.

The King

Mexican cuisine; who doesn't love it?  Easy to eat, always tasty, and never breaks the bank, it's perfect for a quick bite or to indulge in with a group of hungry amigos.  And, that is exactly what I had on the brain when I ventured to El Rey, the latest restaurant to occupy the former Midtown Diner (20th and Chestnut) owned by Stephen Starr.  As with most Starr restaurants, the place was crowded/eclectic/lively, but unlike past dining experiences, I was  provided with a foggy memory of eating french fries and grilled cheese sandwiches at 3 am after a night of heavy drinking.  And what I mean by this is that El Rey is basically still the Midtown Diner, same booth seating/counter/flooring/ceiling/fake stone wall, but it has been mildly transformed with some added artwork/mix-matched light fixtures/wallcovering into a grimy, old Mexican shack.  At the counter, where shots of tequila and margaritas of varying flavors were being poured, I thought I could still detect the smell of coffee that brewed for way too long some time ago.  I didn't happen to mind the minimal transformation, however.  If I had never been to that particular Midtown Diner, I probably would not have even picked up on this fact because it somehow works with the overall varied environment.

Besides the atmosphere, the menu was simple yet still playful with it's offerings so that it's not to be perceived as typical or boring.  With prices ranging on average between $7 to $15 for dishes that are large enough to share between two people, my amigos and I sampled quite a bit.  The guacamole which is large enough to order for a group of four or more was by far the best I have had in the city.  Another stand out item was the Steak Chilaquiles.  A few vegetarian options were offered such as Zucchini Blossom and Corn Quesadillas, which happened to be less desirable than anticipated, but still overall the menu was impressive given the appealing prices that I rarely find at Starr's restaurants.  And, the same held true for the drink menu averaging around $7 for mixed drinks and even less for a beer or glass of wine, which is at the complete opposite end of the spectrum compared to Starr's Ranstead Room, where drinks are typically $12.

Overall, El Rey was a great place to get some Mexican food, appealing, tasty drinks, and browse at the assortment of cultural, old newspaper and magazine clippings, as well as odd movie posters.  It took us about an hour to get a table, and the service at the bar was a bit slow (2 bartenders for the whole joint) but if you have yet to go and you've got tacos on the brain, it is worth checking out.

PBR

A few new bars have been popping up in Old City over the past couple months, giving me hope that the neighborhood could possibly transform into something other than the underage/obnoxious/fist pumping crowd that it usually attracts.  A face-lift, something a little more grown-up and new is what is needed.  A few more great restaurants to go along with the already popular Amada and Fork, and a handful of chic/swanky/cozy lounges where enjoying an expertly made cocktail without getting constantly bumped and spilled on by the crowd would certainly be pleasing.  And, with the addition already of a few new spots I can start to imagine the gradual transformation, but I am not quite convinced that what they're offering is what Old City really needs.

Take Philadelphia Bar and Restaurant for example, a newbie that just opened a few months ago.  From the outside, the place looks great/rustic/charming and also reliable that what's inside is going to be worth the cab ride over to the east end of the city.  However, when I stepped inside I received a big open space, with a dozen or so tables, a few televisions, and a long bar with a handful of old men staring into their glasses.  I was turned off instantly by the scene, but I gave it the benefit of the doubt and took a seat and gave the menu a look.  The food was much more appealing, and the wine and beer selection was pretty decent, however no cocktail list was offered.  I ordered the Eggplant Fries and the Chickpea Burger and both pleased the taste buds favorably.  I also sampled the Fish Tacos which got a thumbs-up as well.  The service was nothing to complain about, and our waiter even entertained us (unknowingly) with a few "eeexcellents" that had an uncanny resemblance of the creepy Mr. Burns.  So, the food/wine/beer list was pretty great, the crowd was almost dead, literally, and the ambiance was seriously lacking on the inside.  The same holds true for other spots that recently opened in the neighborhood such as Crocodile.  I would have to say that a good burger and fries (or free pizza) is not enough to keep me coming back, when I could go to Village Whiskey and have a tastier burger, a cocktail made just for me, and enjoy the atmosphere and company as well (and keep safe from fist-pumpers).  My fingers are crossed however that somehow Old City will clean it's act up and in the near future make it enjoyable for the overage again.

The Corner

No, not the one on 13th and Spruce outside of the Parker Hotel (not that kind of corner), but in fact, the new bar/restaurant that has finally re-opened where beloved APO, formerly Apothecary, once was.  Oh, how I've missed those $13 Immunity Idols.  The Corner offers 3 menus, dinner (a first for the location), desserts, and drinks, and everything is brand new; no repeat drinks whatsoever (bye bye, Idol).  What has also changed is the entire first floor with mild alterations to the second floor.  Let's start with the layout. 

Windows have been punched into the first floor facade creating a more light filled space than before, making the environment more suitable for dining rather than drinking.  Booth and banquet seating make up the majority of the first floor area now.  In the back, the open, narrow kitchen, which used to be the main bar, offers stool seating where you can experience the former chef of Buddakan whipping up dishes such as Masa Tots, Grilled Truffle Cheese Short Ribs, or Grilled Tuna, Eggplant Caponata with an Olive Tapenade.  Mmmm!  Venturing upstairs, the layout has pretty much stayed the same with the exception of an added booth for seating/snacking and some new decor.  Drinks and apps can be ordered upstairs, while the first floor is intended mostly just for dining.

The food menu is small and moderately priced, but it still offers a great array of items to choose from, and with the former chef of Buddakan working the kitchen you know it's tasty.  The drink menu, no surprise, is smashing/creative/inspired.  While happily munching on the Masa Tots, my friend and I eagerly sipped on 4 new goodies; The Final Pillage, Lady Belladonna, Hotel Nacional, and my personal fav, Corpse Reviver #2 which consisted of Plymouth Gin, Lillet, Combier, Lemon, and Absinthe.  It was sensational!

Overall, I was delighted and pleased with The Corner.  The long, narrow space certainly makes better use for dining rather than trying to gather around a tiny bar all the way in the back for those dangerously, delicious drinks.  In the past, the rest of the floor was always unoccupied, making the space seem less lively than it could have been.  My fingers are crossed that the new concept takes off without a hitch.  So, here's to the revival and transformation of my top fav place to grab a great drink (and food now too)!