Missing Morocco

Is Novità Bistro overlooking its true calling?

by David Snyder

Michael T. Regan POT LUCK: A recent Novità "tagine of the day" featured tender braised short rib and artichoke hearts.

It's hard to ignore the irony of naming a Philadelphia Italian BYOB Novità Bistro. In the language, "novità" means novelty — but the act of opening up a pasta-and-sauce endeavor in this town stopped being novel a hell of a long time ago.

But chef/co-owner Hassan Zanzoul doesn't want his restaurant to be cast as your typical red gravy parlor. "I am doing something different than that right now," he told me in an interview.

Indeed, there is something unique about Novità, something you won't find at any other Italian BYOB in the city. Look to the bottom of the menu for the "tagine of the day."

Placing this Moroccan dish — typically a hearty stew named after the vessel in which it's cooked — on a European bistro menu is not the non sequitur it appears to be. Zanzoul, a native Moroccan, cut his teeth cooking in Italy for roughly 10 years before attending the French Culinary Institute. And, much like the décor of this 36-seater — artwork featuring Italian and French street scenes alongside Moroccan pots nestled discreetly in dark corners — the menu reflects a triumvirate of influences. "My menu is very open for everybody," Zanzoul said.

But homogeneity has its price. I understand why restaurants continue to be tempted to employ the Italian BYOB model — somehow, after all of these years, it still works. But many Philadelphians are looking for an antidote to the formula. And it's disappointing to see something that could help to meet that need — a stand-alone Moroccan place, perhaps? — be diluted by more of the same.

This culinary buckshot approach would be forgivable if more of the menu were above par. But to be fair, there are dishes at Novità that prove Zanzoul has serious talent. A sweet and tangy balsamic reduction was the perfect bridge between the caramelized sear of sea scallops and an accompanying mushroom mix. What made this plate even more fun was that it gave me the rare opportunity to pair those shellfish with a Pinot Noir. The earthy components and ripe fruit of the 2005 Pessagno "Spring Grove Vineyards" San Benito County Pinot Noir — a $19.99 Chairman's Selection — were a nice complement to the dish's components. And I liked Zanzoul's careful touch with an appetizer of calamari and fierce cherry peppers (he refused to reveal his recipe).

There are two key weaknesses, however, that hold Novità back. At times, there's a seeming lack of focus on individual dishes. On one occasion, the beautifully butterflied Cornish hen (a dish Zanzoul ate as a kid in Morocco) was oversalted, while the beans and escarole cried out for seasoning. Though I loved the texture the Chinese breadcrumbs gave the polo alla milanase, it was woefully undersalted. The homemade gnocchi were overcooked, as was the salmon. The spaghetti con granchio (lump crab meat, tomatoes and basil) would have been more enjoyable had the pasta been better drained.

But the more fundamental problem is that too many of Novità's dishes feature singular flavors without any backbone. The agnelotti di porcini, mushroom-stuffed ravioli in a demi-glace cream sauce, wasn't disappointing, but at the same time, it wasn't very interesting. The linguini with clams was flat. And I expected more from that tagine of the day — braised short rib on one of my visits. I loved that the meat, which takes up to three hours to cook, was so tender you could shred it with a spoon, and the fresh artichoke hearts were a real treat. But aside from the breath of cinnamon that hit you the moment you lifted the lid of the heavy pot, the short rib had little flavor, turning a normally flavorful morsel into a one-note experience.

Desserts fared much better. The crème brülée was outstanding; although it was a tad dry, I enjoyed the ricotta cheesecake. The pot de crème, however, was overwhelmingly rich; one of my dining companions aptly described it as "coffee butter."

If Novità really wants to be different, it might want to stop bowing to the Italian BYOB crowd altogether, and instead focus on delivering the true and varied tastes of Morocco. Now that would truly be novel.

(david.snyder@citypaper.net)

Novità Bistro | 1608 South St., 215-545-4665

Hours: Dinner Mon.-Thu., 5-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 5-11 p.m.; brunch Sat.-Sun., 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Appetizers, $8-$12; Primi, $12-$18; Secondi, $13-$21

BYOB

Cash only

Wheelchair accessible