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Reserve debuts in Old City
The toweringly masculine Reserve (123 Chestnut St.), a top-tier steakhouse, had its grand opening on Saturday night. It's an interesting idea, opening this caliber of meatery in this part of town.
Reserve debuts in Old City
The toweringly masculine Reserve (123 Chestnut St.), a top-tier steakhouse, had its grand opening on Saturday night. It's an interesting idea, opening this caliber of meatery in this part of town. First, there’s the pesky job market and that (thankfully waning) recession of ours. Reserve is taking advantage of the upturn, cooking prime cuts from Lancaster and Montgomery County purveyors without taking too much advantage of your wallet ($24 to $34). Secondly, there's the fact that Reserve is in Old City, which has long had a bad reputation as Philly's ruckus-raising trouble spot. But I love Old City. I lived there when it was just me, two coke dealers, four FBI agents, the Khyber Pass before beer was crafty and Rick D's at Upstairs at Nick's before 32 Degrees. It was great then — and it is great now.
With Zahav, Buddakan, Fork, Cuba Libre, Panorama, Han Dynasty, Zento, Amada and more within yards of Reserve, plus the possibility that Stephen Starr's Tangerine might again do something tony, Old City is making genuine strides toward being a trouble-free food-and-drink destination once again. Reserve co-owner Didier LaFontant and executive chef Ken Deiner made a good contribution to this movement over the weekend. That the grand old location — known in its heyday as Rococo — is back in action, with its long windows, picturesque ceilings and church-y bar, is a joy. (The restaurant shares a building with City Paper.)
I stopped by a press preview Thursday night and the opening party Saturday, giving me a good chance to try the food. (Full menu below; click to enlarge.) The filet and New York strip were wonderful. The appetizers were plentiful and dynamic: duck confit in puff pastry bites, beef carpaccio on crostini, dry-aged beef on challah buns with vidalia and Gruyere. Another thing that was plentiful — maybe controversially so — was the cigar smoke in the upstairs lounge. If I could roll my Rs like Ricardo Montalban I’d tell you in dulcet Latin tones how the rich Corinthian leather couches make for one handsome second floor. The bar made a mean Manhattan and I smoked a tasty Arturo Fuente Grand Reserva from Harry’s Smoke Shop. If that sounds a bit laddish, so be it. Mahogany may be gone, but the idea of a strong drink and a rich cigar after dinner still feels good.
With the struggles of Union Trust made famous, and the power-tie meat mansion idea a bit quaint (Morton's, Barclay Prime, Del Frisco's), I applaud Reserve for making a go at remodeling the idea of the Philadelphia steakhouse.
Apparently the Health Dept shut down the cigar operation. :(
http://blogs.phillymag.com/the_philly_post/2012/03/01/smoking-back/— redsonya75- So.... I went there tonight. Cigar smoking is totally OKAY! Had a nice Tatuaje El Triunfador lancero post a so so dinner. Totally made up for the food.— redsonya75
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