Vernick

So much hype about this place the last few months. People haven't been this excited about an opening in Philadelphia since Donovan McNabb was traded. A chef with a golden pedigree. A Rittenhouse Square (almost) location. Swanky drinks. And...toasts? Seriously, toasts? Be prepared when you walk in to spend $14 on a piece of bruschetta. Truth. 

Granted, the toasts are pretty good. The kitchen staff apparently spent months searching for just the right bread and grilling method to get them perfectly crispy. And their hard work shines through on many of the samplings we tried. The mushy peas and bacon was delicious - a near on perfect rendition of the English staple. The beef tartar with freshly grated horseradish was also stellar. Superbly tender beef and the bite of that horseradish was memorable.  

Less interesting was the fromage & kumquats (doesn't that word just sound dirty?).  Maybe I'm just not a kumquat kind of guy. The cheese was nothing spectacular and not nearly strong enough to counter the sour/bitter taste of the fruit. We also like the pumpkin with brown butter and sunflower seeds. The roasted pumpkin has a great earthiness to it, but it's a stretch charging $7 for this. 

The drinks are hand crafted (read "slowly prepared") and also on the pricey side. I had a pretty solid old fashioned, but charging $11 for Old Grandad takes cajones.

A charred brussels sprout salad with green apple & smoked chili was decent, but not earth shattering. The sprouts weren't charred enough, leaving them a little chewy and without the proper crunch to balance out the greens or sweetness to counteract the radish. 

Probably the best thing we ate all night, and certainly some of the best cauliflower I've ever had. The black pepper roasted cauliflower was surprisingly good. I think I have been converted to start liking this most hated of veggies. Roasting seems to coax out an entirely different and utterly complex cast of flavors from this weirdly albino broccoli cousin. Vernick's simple preparation is deceptive. There are so many layers of flavor going on here you won't believe you're eating something that is vegan approved. This would put some of the dishes at Vedge to shame. 

Tuna poke (salad) was bright and refreshing. Good size chunks of ahi mixed with sliced onion, radish and macadamia nuts and dressed with sweet soy and sesame seed. A beautiful plate, if nothing else. This is the level of sophistication that I was expecting here. 

The second best thing we ate was certainly the house made mozzarella with mango. Kind of an odd pairing, but the sweet mango goes so well with the salty mozzarella. Drizzle some basil oil and sea salt and you've got a winner on your hands. Think about all those proscuitto & melon appetizers you've had, and you're in the same ballpark. The salty/sweet contrast is just so good. The mozzarella was crazy tender and tasted like it was pulled just minutes before. 

The grilled black sea bass was cooked crispy and yet still nicely tender. The broccoli and "fire roasted" tomato sauce was less exciting. Describing something as fire roasted is seems unnecessary. How else would you roast something? It seemed more like an accompaniment you'd see at Bertucci's.  

The blueberry pie was great. I always lean towards the savory side for dessert, and this was the perfect finish to a meal. The pie was something close to a crumble, with blueberries so luscious they tasted like they were just picked on a hot summer day. 

Overall, I think Vernick is a good restaurant. They are serving some interesting plates in a trendy, hip space. The prices they are charging though are beyond what the market should be bearing. The fact that it is so trendy let's them get away with the price tags for now, but I wonder how long they'll have a full book. For $70 per person, I want a dinner that really impresses, leaves me wondering "how did they do that?", and has me raving to everyone that "you have to try this place". Maybe the kitchen is still finding its way, but I think they have a ways to go to live up to their potential, and all the hype. 


Food Baby Rating: Only Child

Vernick Food & Drink

2031 Walnut Street

Philadelphia, PA 19103

267-639-6644

vernickphilly.com

Burger Challenge Round 12: The Butcher Burger

Ah, the end draws nigh to this most epic of challenges. We've laid waste to burgers large and small. Brioche buns shiny with their egg wash. Beers, too many to count. Barely a french fry left to tell the story. It has been an epic adventure - our fellowship never broken.  Over the course of a year and a half we've sampled the best of what Philly's burger world has to offer. Our feet may not be as hairy as a Hobbit's, but we've certainly eaten like them. And now, our final round to declare a winner. One burger to rule them all! Ok enough nerdy Lord of the Rings references.  

Butcher & Singer is a birthday dinner kind of place. Perfectly cooked steaks, dry aged the old school way. Manhattans and martinis expertly mixed and served without any fuss. A throwback to a lost era, Don Draper could walk into this place and feel right at home. They also serve what is rumored to be one of the best burgers in the city. But only at lunch. And only on weekdays. This was certainly the most difficult burger on the challenge, but absolutely worth the effort.

Butcher Burger...with all the fixins

  

The Butcher Burger is a steal for $10.95. We had burgers for twice the price on the challenge that weren't near as good. It is also a mammothly substantial entry. This thing would tip over Fred Flintstone's car. The beef blend is a Pat Lafreida mixture custom blended for the restaurant. According to the chef - who came out to talk to us personally upon hearing of the challenge (I was giddy like a 12 year old) - they mix in belly meat from the cow that has a higher fat content and gives the patty an incredible lusciousness. They all were cooked exactly per our order. This may seem like a simple and expected task, but we've had to send numerous burgers back along the way. Execution is matter of pride here.

The only complaint would be the burgers cooked rare tended to fall apart after a few bites. This might be the result of the specific beef blend and extra fat content, or just the club hands of a fellow challenger. Mine was cooked medium rare and held up superbly, thanks in part to the absolutely perfect brioche bun, toasted ever so lovingly. On a side note - this was the only bun to get a perfect "5" on the scoreboard from all four judges, and it is well deserved.  Every burger made henceforth should be served on this roll. 

this thing looks like it could eat you

Delicious beef patty -  seared crispy yet still juicy inside?  Check. 

Bun - toasty & buttery?  Check. 

French fries - blanched and fried to golden splendor?  Check.

Toppings, ahhhh the toppings. They can make or break the burger. The Butcher Burger comes with fried onions smothered in English cheddar that is melting over the side like a Salvador Dali clock on a tree limb. The onions were just on that edge of caramelized and translucent, some of the best I've seen on a burger anywhere. For some odd reason though, they serve it with limp iceberg lettuce and tomatoes that were just north of mealy. I know I'm being picky here, but after all the love that is put into the bun, meat, onions, and cheese, why would they just phone it in with the lame veggies? 

Part of the rules we laid down at the beginning of the challenge was that we would eat the standard house burger with whatever toppings were offered. We put our trust and taste buds in the hands of the chef to deliver the perfect mix of ingredients. Don't get me wrong - this is a very tasty burger and sure to induce said food baby. The patty, onions, cheese and bun together are more magically delicious than a bowl of Lucky Charms that is all marshmallows. But do yourself a favor and leave the veggies on the plate. The Butcher Burger was right at that precipice of greatness, but fell just short like an unimpressed gymnast. A silver medal will have to do. 

baked alaska. on the house. thank you very much. 

Any time I mention to someone that I write a food blog, I inevitably get the question "What's your favorite restaurant?" My answer is always definitive and it's always Butcher & Singer.  What puts it onto that pedestal for me is partly the food, but even more so is the service. From the moment you walk in they make you feel special. Attentive hostesses that don't scowl at you and are happy to take your coat. Bartenders that are quick to ask what you're having and know how to make a proper cocktail. Servers that are always there when you want them and can anticipate your needs. 

On our visit we had four different employees ask us about our burger challenge and were eager to know where they ranked. For a restaurant that is established and clearly confident in what they do, it is heartening to know that they still pay close attention to details and care about diners without an expense account. They may not have the absolute best burger in town but there is no where else that I'd rather be eating.

Food Baby Rating: Triplets!

Butcher & Singer

1500 Walnut Street

Philadelphia, PA 19102

215-732-4444

http://www.butcherandsinger.com/