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On Monday we dropped mention that Ela (627 S. Third St.), the "artful American" corner restaurant from chefs Jason Cichonski and Chip Roman, would be opening this weekend. Today we ran through the completely refurbished space to snag some photos and food details.
Though it's laid out the same as Ansill, Third and Bainbridge's previous resident (straight-shot main dining room with an equally long bar along the far side; elevated open kitchen tucked in the back), the look is completely different, each and every surface (even the ceilings) ripped up and laid down anew. A necessary move to usher in the detailed-oriented cooking Cichonski, the former Lacroix chef who's so far partnered with Blackfish's Roman to open Mica in Chestnut Hill, is bringing to Queen Village.
"It's the same stuff, but here we're bringing to it a much more accessible environment," says Cichonski of Ela's menu, far more down-to-earth from a wallet perspective ($23 ceiling) than any grand tasting overlooking Rittenhouse Square. No dumbing anything down, though — it's still intensely detail-oriented (and very pretty) stuff. What we sampled, in photo order:
- Foie gras with gingerbread, huckleberry and parsley root
- Popcorn pannacotta (literally puréed popcorn and set into a custard with gelatin) with shrimp, asparagus, smoked roe and olive oil
- Hamachi with apples and horseradish granite (the frozen shavings you see on top)
- Chicken and crab balls with daikon radish and miso mayo (inspired by the banh cam, or Vietnamese sesame/mung bean balls, Cichonski loves at Cafe Viet Huong)
- Green curry-marinated olives (they're toying with the idea of working these into a martini somehow)
- Magret duck breast over pretzel spaetzle (tastes just like Auntie Anne's!), Brussels, smoked butternut squash purée and duck jus
Ela officially opens tomorrow, Nov. 11, at 5:30 p.m. They'll serve dinner every day but Monday for the time being.
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