Back to Tria

Philly has a number of great restaurants, but I've found myself returning to a select few so far to get to know them better. So it was no surprise that after a rainy Sunday spent in the movie theater (I will not divulge the movie we saw in order to protect innocent male parties), AP, MS, and BH and I found ourselves gunning for wine and food at Tria.

We ranged widely over the wine list, from zinfandel to pino & toi (which was my choice-- a bit of a thin and unmemorable white wine). A glass for each of us was just the right way to ease into Sunday evening.

Pino & Toi

And then a few bites to continue: some rosemary marcona almonds to start, which were decent but nothing to return for.

Almonds. Not quite spicy, not quite warm.

MS and AP shared the warm Tuscan white bean spread with baguette. There was some sort of spice on the toasted baguette (paprika?), and the dip appeared a tad oily, but AP especially seemed to enjoy it.

Looks almost like creme brulee with pink bread

Then there was the brie and strawberry bruschetta. The portion was tiny, but it was rich and very tasty. Oozy brie, sprightly strawberries, crunchy bread... nothing beats that.

Classy!

My choice was the beet and goat cheese salad, which I'd promised to return for when I saw it last time. I ordered it without the onions, and it was really good. There were enough beets so that the salad was substantial, and enough goat cheese not to be outmatched by the beets. The dressing was bright, and the bits of toasted almonds added nice crunch and heft. It's a really good salad, especially with a glass of wine.

Chee-EE-eese mountain

Is there really any better way to wind down a weekend than food and wine with friends? Don't think so. Tria made it happen, and I suspect we'll be back.

Tria
18th Street and Sansom
215-972-TRIA

Dipping into the Philly wine bar scene at Tria

During my week to settle in before classes started, I met up with my cousin AB for drinks and bites at Tria, a highly acclaimed Center City wine bar that was close to both of our apartments. When I arrived, AB had snagged a sidewalk table, so we got to dine and people-watch at the same time. Score! That means I can't comment on the decor of the place inside (I literally haven't been in), but they do have a few sidewalk tables that are quite nice.

The menu at Tria is extensive and amusing. There's a solid selection of small plates as well as a long list of wines by the glass, beers, and cheeses, all divided into whimsical subsections (e.g., "stoic" vs. "racy" cheeses--?). We both chose glasses of prosecco, perfect and bubbly on a warm summer evening.

To eat, AB got the beet salad (a girl after my own heart, eh?). With a very generous portion of tender beets complemented by goat cheese, crushed almonds, thin red onion, and a tangy vinaigrette, this salad was very flavorful (I had a bite) and is definitely something I will return for.

Mound of cheese!

I got two cheeses to pair with my wine. From the "clean" section of the cheese menu, I got a wedge of Humboldt Fog goat cheese, which had a crumbly middle as well as an oozy layer just under the rind. It was very tasty, and I loved the interplay of textures, although it got a little salty by the end (or maybe I was just experiencing cheese overload at that point). I also got a hefty wedge of Malvarosa, an "approachable" cheese that our spunky server described as very salty, but in a good way. I actually didn't find this cheese all that salty at all (it was the Humboldt Fog that turned out to be the salt bomb); it was slightly chewy, kind of like a more crumbly Swiss cheese, with a mild emmenthal-like flavor. It was appealing but perhaps not something I would get again, simply because it wasn't especially special. Oh, and the cheese board also came with small ramekins of glazed almonds (for the Malvarosa) and some sort of compote (Humboldt Fog), which tasted slightly of beets to me, to be scooped by the tiniest and cutest spoons I've ever seen. The almonds were munchable on their own, while the compote actually did complement the Humboldt Fog quite well. The bread, planks of squishy, chewy, and almost stale baguette, was plentiful but utterly forgettable.

Really big portions of cheese, too

Overall, our first experience with Tria was a high-three-Offset-Spatula success. I hope to return soon to sample more of the wares-- from snacks to salads to bruschetta to more cheeses, the menu has quite a bit to offer...

Tria
18th Street and Sansom
215-972-TRIA

And we're off: Fork eases us gently into Philly

After the big move down to Philly, my mom stuck around for a couple of days to help me get set up. Thanks Mom! And so of course we made time for some meals, including Saturday night dinner at Fork.

It's a welcoming dining room with a vibrant open kitchen, and especially when it's 100+ degrees out and it's air conditioned inside, Fork feels like heaven. The vibe is casual and slightly eclectic, just on this side of "fine dining."

To start, we were offered a choice of three breads. Mom took the fruit and nut with a devilish look on her face, and she gobbled it down. Mine was a multigrain roll, and it was hearty and studded with all kinds of yummy seeds that I gracelessly picked off the top.

Fruits and nuts inside

Yeah, this is a terrible picture, but you get the idea

To start, we split the baby lettuces salad. This was very simple, with two fried balls of lemon ricotta- surprisingly lemony, and a nice touch. Sadly, the leaves themselves were a touch oversalted, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.

Lettuces, y'know.

For her entree, Mom went for the halibut, with parsley-garlic puree, wax beans, and parisienne potatoes (essentially little potato balls sauteed in butter). She enjoyed it, noting that the fish was well cooked and not dry at all. I do also applaud the kitchen for putting a textbook golden-brown sear on that puppy. Check it out:

Pretty fish

My entree was the pickled beets and garden vegetable salad. This was decent, but it didn't blow my mind; the vegetables (beans, radishes, beets) and tangle of micro-greens were fresh, but there wasn't anything particularly special about the dish. Every now and then, I'd get a bite of pickled beet, and the burst of vinegar was the tastiest thing about the dish.

There are veggies under there

On to dessert. We debated going elsewhere for ice cream, but instead we decided to stick it out at Fork-- which may have been the wrong choice, given that pastry doesn't seem to be the restaurant's forte. Mom went for the malted chocolate cream cake, which packed layers of flourless chocolate cake, caramel mousse, and malted vanilla cream, all enrobed in chocolate ganache and paired with blackberry gelato. This got the job done-- it was chocolatey, after all-- but the plating seemed to be a bit of an afterthought.

I guess?

I went for an order of salted caramel gelato, which came with a cocoa nib shortbread cookie. The gelato was mild and sweet, which was good, but it was the shortbread that was the surprise winner: crumbly, sugary, and buttery, all interspersed with little bursts of bitter chocolateyness from the nibs. I could have gone for just a plate of those cookies, frankly.

Welp, it's gelato. Plus cookie.

So all in all, Fork was decent. We agreed it didn't blow us away, but I'd certainly return if the opportunity presented. So therefore I award fork my inaugural Philly three OS rating, with an eye toward many more ratings to come.

Fork
306 Market Street, between 3rd and 4th Streets
215-625-9425

LWF&D goes to Napa and chills with Michael (Chiarello) (not really)

Our last dinner in Napa was at Bottega, famous chef/food personality Michael Chiarello's Yountville restaurant. It's a palatial complex, a huge house-style restaurant with a lovely semi-wraparound patio for dining outdoors, and it was crowded in the way Cheesecake Factories are crowded... that is, it was enormous, and it was packed with people. Fortunately, we had a reservation, and we were seated at a large table set for four, which meant we had plenty of space for the two of us.

Wine comes in quartinos here, so I chose a quartino of grechetto, a light Italian white, to complement my food. Unfortunately (especially since this was our last dinner in Napa), I really didn't enjoy this wine... it was somewhat insipid and the flavor was flat and harsh. Oh well.

A half-loaf of crusty, flaky bread with a dish of some sort of cheesy spread landed on our table (literally on our table, too; there was no plate for the bread, which sat directly on the butcher paper covering our tablecloth). But there was barely time to eat it, since our shared appetizer arrived barely a second or two after the bread. This was a delicious salad of fresh ricotta, arugula, stewed peaches, pecorino, and some sort of peach gel. There's usually coppa as well, but I ordered it vegetarian-style for the two of us. And while the portion was pretty small, this was a very tasty dish; while the smear of ricotta on the side of the plate wasn't especially tasty, the rest of the ingredients were fresh and vibrant.

Bread on table

Greens on ricotta smear

For entree, Mom ordered the fish of the day, which was a white fish similar to red snapper whose name we both missed. The server came and finished filleting the fish at the table, a service note that is probably better in theory than in practice. But nonetheless, Mom enjoyed the fish.

Without head and tail, too

My choice for entree was the insalata del bosco, which was mixed greens, sliced pear, candied hazelnuts, and pecorino. While the pear wasn't much of a presence in this salad, the hazelnuts especially were quite flavorful. Again, the portion was on the small side, but otherwise this was delicious.

Pretty greens

We also shared a side of asparagus, which was both pretty and tasty, although I ate a little too much of it. But that's my own fault.

Too much asparagus. Hoooooboy.

Finally, we decided to have dessert at the restaurant. Mom chose a simple scoop of salted caramel gelato, which was really tasty. It also came with this slice of peanut-butter feuilletine-fudge-like confection, which I really enjoyed (but Mom, not so much).

Plain, unadorned

My dessert was the tiramisu profiteroles, three puff pastries split and stuffed with tiramisu & sponge cake gelato, all drowned in chocolate sauce (the menu also listed "cocoa puff," but I'm not sure what that is and don't think I had it on my plate). This was a well-executed rendition of profiteroles, although the gelato-- chock full of chunks of espresso-soaked lady fingers-- was too strongly coffee-y with me, especially with the bitterness of the chocolate sauce as well. I definitely would have preferred vanilla gelato, but I'm glad I tried the dish as is. And it was very, very rich; I only downed two of the three profiteroles before having to stop.

Pretty, no?

On balance, we did enjoy the food at Bottega, and the service was friendly and professional. It's worth a stop if you're in Napa. But-- how to put this-- it wasn't the most personal of our dining experiences. For better or for worse, Bottega is so successful that it's perennially packed and feels sort of like, well, a factory, churning diners out in a fast and efficient, albeit tasty, fashion. That said, you can get a great meal there, and if you don't necessarily want to linger or aren't out for a romantic, personalized atmosphere, it'll fit the bill.

Bottega
6525 Washington Street, Yountville, Napa
707-945-1050

LWF&D goes to Napa: More fish and salads at Celadon

The Thursday evening of our trip found us at the Napa Chef's Market, which we wandered around until we were tired of walking. Then we sat on a bench and debated dinner. I wasn't hungry (and my stomach was telling me that probably wouldn't change soon), so we simply went someplace nearby. As we were perched outside the Napa General Store, to Celadon we went.

It turned out to be one of the better meals of our trip, starting, as all good meals do, with good bread and olive oil/balsamic mixture.

Starting on a good note

Then Mom started with the macadamia-crusted goat cheese, served with port poached figs, apple slices, and crostini. It was with this dish that she learned the pleasure of cheese + fruit + bread in one bite; a smear of goat cheese plus a slender plank of apple topped with a piece of stewed fig brought her around.

Positively Parisian

Next up, for Mom, was the special fish of the evening: halibut. The kitchen even graciously substituted mushrooms and eggplant for the vegetables it came with, which didn't delight her. The finished product, however, did.

Hugely portioned AND delightful

My choice was the endive and apple salad with goat cheese instead of blue (sense a theme here)? This was quite delicious, actually, with a tangy vinaigrette and an appealing crunch from the julienned endive. It's a creative preparation for endive that's so much better than the usual plain spear; points to Celadon for that.

Craveable

Our meal ended, as all good meals do, with more ice cream from Three Twins at Oxbow. But Celadon truly impressed-- the service was kind and friendly, and the food was unexpectedly good. If we'd had more time, we probably would have been back to Celadon for another meal. As it was, it's highly recommended.

Celadon
500 Main Street, Suite G, Napa
707-254-9690

The hidden and quirky Bahr Che

Bahr Che is a curious place. On the surface, it's kind of like any other wine bar in the city: dark-ish, vaguely modern-looking interior; tailored menu of cheeses, charcuterie, and other small bites; laid-back vibe made for lingering. But there are some important differences, primarily that there's nobody there. Seriously. I was there from 8-10PM on Friday night and there were, max, two other parties in the space at any given time. The one server handling the whole room looked almost bored. The lack of traffic is due, of course, to the location, which is in one of the weirder no-man's-lands in Manhattan: around the corner from Aster Place, on a bleak and almost industrial part of Cooper Square, guarded by a tiny, tucked-away door that pretty much nobody notices. And that's a shame, because Bahr Che has its charms and should certainly see much more traffic than it does.

Let's start with the wine, shall we? While the by-the-glass menu is impressively long and varied, here is where Bahr Che makes a misstep, in my opinion. Unless you're ordering a sparkler (which I was), you can't get just a glass-- you can get a carafe, described as around 1.5 glasses, or a bottle. That means, of course, that the prices are much higher-- around $15, give or take--than a single glass at most places, and given that at most bars and restaurants around the city a "glass" pour ends up being about a glass and a half anyway, this ends up being something of a ripoff. But it's easily remedied: Bahr Che, just add a true by-the-glass option, and you'll be fine. In any case, I went with a delicious, crisp glass of prosecco (a real glass at $10), and KS and AC split a carafe of txakolina for $15.

My yummy bubbly

Half the carafe

AC and I also split a five-cheese cheese plate. Our selections were the Selles sur Cher, Tomme Crayeuse, Sharfe Maxx, Pecorino Oro Antico, and Cabot Clothbound Cheddar (this latter an interesting choice for a cheese plate menu, no?). They provided a good variety of bread, a mix of rosemary bread and focaccia, but only a relatively small portion of each cheese except the cheddar, which was a big honkin' wedge. I enjoyed the Selles sur Cher, which was the ash-rinded soft goat cheese, the most; the others were all tasty, but a couple were almost overwhelmingly salty. And while there was a tiny composition of undressed frisee and beet sliver garnishes, that seemed to be more for visual interest than for consumption. There were no accompaniments to speak of: no chutney or jam, no honey, no nuts or dried fruit. For $16, I expected a bit more-- cheese is great, but cheese with the right accompaniments can be transcendent.

Stark cheese

Lotsa bread

So I'll say overall our experience was mixed. Because there were so few other parties in the bar, we could linger as long as we wanted without feeling guilty or being nudged out the door, which is a rare luxury in the city. But also because there were so few other people there, our voices echoed in the high-ceilinged space and it felt a little, well, awkwardly empty. If Bahr Che can fix its menu quirks-- offer wines by the glass, kick up the cheese plates a few notches-- it could be a real gem in a neighborhood not known for relaxed, upscale places to grab a nice glass of wine. I hope then the crowds will come.

Bahr Che
26 Astor Place (but entrance is on Cooper Square)
212-260-2220

Wine in shot glasses at Aria

Last weekend, the girls convened at Aria to celebrate several milestones, a job quitting and a relocation and new job chief among them. The destination was Aria, and as I approached and saw the packed crowd, I despaired of us getting a table. But--glory!--not only did they have seats for us, but they willingly seated me at a four-arrangement at the bar area even before my three companions had arrived. How refreshing!

A few things to note about Aria: It's loud, as most wine bars are. It's handsome, with wooden accents on the walls and a stark white tiled bar filling up the space not taken by wooden communal and individual tables. And the waiters wear suspenders and old-timey shirts, which is a little, well, pretentious.

And a mixture of pretense and casualness pervades the entire evening. The cocktail menu is printed on a laminated, faux-aged piece of parchment (remember when you used to dip your paper in coffee and burn the edges to make it look old when you were in elementary school? Yeah. That). It is so, so packed that you can't exit your chair-- literally-- without the person next to you, and probably the person next to him or her, getting up and moving their chairs. When the waiter comes over, he leans over one of your party-- very, very close over the shoulder of one of your party-- to explain the specials, which he writes on the menu in ballpoint pen. Why not just print the specials, especially if you have more than half a dozen? And especially if explaining the specials requires crowding your customers' personal space and shouting for several minutes to be heard? Nominally, it's because you "circle" your choices on the menu when you want to order, which also comes off as an affectation in a wine bar atmosphere like this. What's wrong with doing things... normally?

Oh, and there are no normal wine glasses, despite the fact that this is a wine bar. Bubbles are served in small tankard-looking glasses; still wines are served in small rocks glasses, filled to the brim. If you've read this blog before, you'll know my passion for good glassware, so needless to say this doesn't fly with me. Not only does it not leave room to enjoy the wines the way they're supposed to be enjoyed-- you know, smelling, swirling, enjoying the beauty of the wine in the glass-- but it also allows Aria to charge similar prices for smaller pours. I'd estimate that the serving size of the still wines here is 3-4 ounces, rather than the typical 6-8 that a big glass holds at a typical wine bar. Oh, and the water is served in two-ounce shot glasses; fortunately, they leave a bottle of tap on the table, but really, what IS the point of having to refill your water glass EVERY time you take a drink? Sheesh!

19th Century, perhaps?

I mean... really?

Okay, ranting aside. Let's talk about the food and drink. We had two orders of prosecco, one nero d'avola, and one albarino to start. And then came some bread with a few olives in olive oil (I nicked the olives ASAP, and they were quite good).

Typical bread

Luscious olives

And we tried a cheese and several of the cicchetti, which were described as "Venetian tapas." The cheeses, at $5, were quite a bargain; I chose the Humbolt Fog Ashed Goat, which came as a big wedge of flavorful aged goat cheese, along with a handful of walnuts, a dish of honey, and a pot of incredibly, surprisingly delicious guava jelly, which went incredibly well with the cheese.

I ate all of the jelly. And the cheese. Actually, everything.

The ciccetti, at $9 each, range from good value to rip-off, depending on the portion and quality. Some of the better values included the enormous lamb shank, which KS pronounced delicious.

This thing was HUGE!

Slightly less of a good value, but no less popular, were the grilled eggplant stuffed with goat cheese (so tasty that the girls ordered another portion after finishing the first) and the crab cakes.

Eggplant (order #1)

Crabby

The octopus was well-cooked but not well seasoned, and the mushroom bruschetta with montasio cheese wasn't entirely successful-- AC didn't like the cheese, and it became too much like super-bready pizza (although kudos for the large portion).

Pretty, but bland

Pizza? Is that you?

The girls capped the meal with a petite $8 order of tiramisu in a pool of chocolate sauce.

Props for the spoon presentation

And once we were finished, the waiter wasted no time in semi-ungraciously hinting that we should leave. Yes, it was busy-- but the fact that we clearly couldn't linger without ordering more made us feel effectively ushered out the door.

Overall, I think Aria is a bit too precious for its own good. Sure, it's a departure from the normal dark, brooding, romantic wine bar, but the fact that most wine bars follow a specific formula-- great glasses, large pours inviting atmosphere, low-key service-- is simply because that formula is really, really enjoyable. The silly glasses, the "circle-your-choices" ordering, the uneven portioning and quality of the food-- it all adds up to a little less than the sum of its parts. I commend Aria for doing something different, but I think it's just not my style, and it wouldn't be my first choice when choosing a West Village wine bar to return to.

Aria Wine Bar
117 Perry Street
212-242-4233