Ever been
to Dinardo's? I didn't think so. Unless you're a baby-boomer you're more than
likely blissfully unaware of it's 30+ year presence on Race street in old city.
They were around before Vetri and Garces had even walked into a culinary school
kitchen. They were around before Staar
bought his first property. And if you walk through the doors you will realize
that not much has changed since they first opened.
I have
recollections from my childhood of my father walking through the front door
with a tray of crabs on a Friday night, dumping them on the newspaper lined
kitchen table and my parents going to
town with bowls of melted butter at the ready. I remember being slightly
dismayed watching the crabs being dismembered and then delighted when I would
get a piece of the buttery meat. It was such a spectacle. When I saw a Groupon
pop up advertising $75 worth of seafood for $35, I figured it was worth a
gamble.
Now I
have to say, the food wasn't terrible. But it wasn't exactly great either. It
was more like a trip to Red Lobster than the fresh tastes of Sansom StreetOyster or Luke's Lobster or even Route 6. Just about everything comes broiled,
stuffed or fried. That's pretty much the extent of their culinary
repertoire. Straight out of 1974, each
plate is served with an enormous piece of lettuce as a "garnish".
The crab
appetizer was a highlight. Massive hunks of crab meat piled high with a lemon
wedge and a decent cocktail sauce. They definitely don't skimp on portions
here. This would be an entrée size serving at any place not in the suburbs.
Garlicky crabs were also tasty, even if there were a bit on the small side. The
pool of garlic butter they are floating in though is a recipe for disaster with
anything resembling a decent shirt. They should serve this with a side of club
soda and a Tide-to-Go stick.
Stuffed
mushrooms were filling. That's about all I can say. The bready/crabby stuffing
was like a bad crab cake and the mushrooms had a strange rubbery consistency
that is anything but appetizing. A squirt of lemon juice is not going to save
them. The fried platter is just that - every reasonably healthy piece of
seafood on the menu, breaded and fried into oblivion. I wish I could tell you
there was a taste difference between the scallops, shrimp flounder & crab
cake, but I'd be lying. The menu claims the french fries are "Award
Winning". They were pretty much just normal fries. The side of broccoli
was pretty tasty though, and it was nice to see something green other than the
lettuce garnish.
Sadly,
Dinardo's days as a seafood destination have long such passed. The restaurant
renaissance of the last 15 years has gone largely unnoticed here. The floors
are carpeted. Adorning the walls are nautical themed decorations - think
fishing tackle, nets, and fake seagulls. The best beer they have on tap is
Yuengling. The smell of frying oil
permeates everything. The servers are nice enough, but none of them are under
50. I'm pretty sure they were here when my dad was buying crabs in '87.
This is
not fine dining - and maybe I should not have expected that. It's more
reminiscent of the overpriced seafood houses down the shore that you grew up
eating at. If you fry it, they will come. I do have to give them some props for
keeping the lights on and a steady crowd of customers coming through the
door. Like La Buca off Washington
Square, this place is a dinosaur that has managed to stick to it's guns and
still turn a profit. Three decades on,
that is something impressive on its own. Wonder if Route 6 will still be
serving blue fish dip in 2043?
Food Baby
Rating: Only Child
Dinardo's
312 Race
Street
Philadelphia,
PA 19106
215-925-5115
