The Great Northfeast

Rylei is trying to go beyond time-honored staples

by Trey Popp

I don't know how many downtown residents set their compasses for Northeast Philadelphia when the hunger pangs hit, but even as a single-mindedly gluttonous one, I've averaged less than one trip a year and haven't felt like I was missing much. (No amount of pulled pork Sweet Lucy's Smokehouse turns out will transform it into a destination food.)

With Rylei, a pocket-size restaurant on a nondescript block of Frankford Avenue a few blocks from Cottman, chef Jose Vargas is trying to go beyond those time-honored staples. Behind the simple scene set by casually dressed servers and teenage busboys in the dark red dining room, the self-taught cook is blending French and Italian elements into the classic recipe for a Philly BYO.

On a recent visit, that made for a mixed bag of dishes. A small plate of scallops passed the litmus test — perfectly seared and moist on the inside — and the decision to let them stand alone, without a reduction of one sort or another, was spot-on; their flesh was unusually flavorful and I wouldn't have wanted anything else muddling it.

That straight-ahead approach didn't work well across the board, though. A bowl of rigatoni with pesto was just too boring to make for a successful starter. There were a few lumps of crab tossed on top, but their flavor was utterly lost in the rich pesto, which was perfectly good but didn't have anything to distinguish it from a quick summer meal at home. Gazpacho came as a mince rather than a filtered puree, and was served close to room temperature, but the flavors were bright enough to make up for the lack of chill.

The main courses were on more solid footing — benefiting from flourishes that the starters lacked. Vargas deserves cheers for plating Copper River salmon so perfectly cooked that its deep red flesh literally shines. (Salmon stop feeding when they begin their spawning run, so they pack on fat for the voyage. The spawning grounds of Alaska's Copper River entail a particularly taxing journey of 300 miles upstream to an elevation of over 3,000 feet.) This filet was scented with truffle oil, which made the side of parsnip puree all the better.

Lamb chops suffered from a somewhat skimpy portion and excessive burning and crusting over the fire. The side of ratatouille, though, was pleasantly enlivened by plump raisins and pine nuts.

The best dish of the evening was also the simplest. To look at the Hawaiian butterfish steak, plated with rice and vegetable broth, you could be forgiven a frown. But it had been given the most delightful crisp in the sautee pan, and the vegetable broth was so artfully delicious, it deserved a fancier name.

For Northeasters who desire a slightly fancier place, Rylei is a good bet. The menu isn't that ambitious by downtown standards, and there were a few false moves, but Vargas has taught himself well.

(t_popp@citypaper.net)

Rylei

7144 Frankford Ave.

215-335-0414

Wed.-Fri., 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; Tue.-Sat., 5-10 p.m.

BYOB.

Wheelchair accessible.