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Thursday, December 18, 2008

Philadelphia chef and wunderkind Jose Garces is opening yet another high-concept Latin restaurant in early 2009. Chifa will take over 707 Chestnut St., serving a fusion of Peruvian and Cantonese cuisines. This hybrid was created in the late 19th and early 20th century, when a vast influx of Chinese immigrants came to Peru and began merging their own techniques with local ingredients, creating the style known as chifa.  Amada chef de cuisine Chad Williams, who assisted Garces in his victorious Iron Chef: America bid last year, will helm the kitchen. 

Garces and company hosted a holiday cocktail hour at Amada yesterday, and previewed just a few dishes they are working on for the new restaurant.  

A twist on ceviche featured a bright, luscious slice of big-eye tuna tossed with coconut puree and lime juice, topped with cilantro tapioca pearls and sharp, palate cleansing rounds of pickled jalapeno.  

A bite-size fried scallion pancake was crowned with impossibly tender sous vide pork cheeks, five-spice peanuts and pickled scallions. The Meal Ticket crew tried not to take a second pancake when the servers passed by with more tempting trays, and failed miserably. 

Meal Ticket was also treated to an insider-y tour of Amada's basement prep kitchen, which hums like Penn Station at rush hour. Two young women gracefully managed epic sheets of chestnut fettuccine, while pork cheeks cooked gently in an immersion circulator beside them. The tiny, glorious bites that have turned Garces into a household name are created here, in an underground tunnel crowded with young cooks as sharp as their knives.


Foobooz » Blog Archive » A Hint Of What’s To Come At Chifa
Posted 2008-12-19 11:07:24
[...] Sneak peek of Jose Garces’ upcoming Chifa [...]

Chifa - Philadelphia Speaks Forum
Posted 2008-12-19 12:56:12
[...] A twist on ceviche featured a bright, luscious slice of big-eye tuna tossed with coconut puree and lime juice, topped with cilantro tapioca pearls and sharp, palate cleansing rounds of pickled jalapeno. A bite-size fried scallion pancake was crowned with impossibly tender sous vide pork cheeks, five-spice peanuts and pickled scallions. The Meal Ticket crew tried not to take a second pancake when the servers passed by with more tempting trays, and failed miserably. Meal Ticket :: Blog Archive :: Sneak peek of Jose Garces’ upcoming Chifa :: Philadelphia City ... [...]

Frank
Posted 2008-12-23 16:13:26
Great story. http://www.philly.eshopbeautystuff.com/

Fabi
Posted 2009-01-09 12:53:10
Peruvian cuisine is one of the best in the world. I hope he doesn't ruin it with dramatic changes like adding coconut puree to ceviche.

Zack
Posted 2009-01-14 19:42:17
My wife is Peruvian. Had chifa in Peru. Best food in the world!!! I only wish that there were more Peruvian restaurants around. Philadelphians don't know what they are missing.

Lauren Herbert
Posted 2009-01-27 08:46:38
My name is Lauren Herbert. I was told about your restaurant by a friend. I attend the restaurant school at walnut hill college for restaurant management. If so possible i would like to possibly work for you i will call or find another way to contact you if i can. I have experience in several restaurants , please call me. 484 942 8614 Thank you, Lauren Herbert
Posted by Felicia D'Ambrosio @ 5:45 PM  Permalink | File Under: Chef Salad | | Openings | Post a comment
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Founded in October 2008, Meal Ticket is a City Paper blog about food, drink and assorted other things that make you go mmm. We do recipes, interviews, restaurant news, commentary and much more. We don't do restaurant reviews herethose are handled in print, mostly by our critic (and Meal Ticket contributor) Adam Erace. Got a tip, question, thought or concern? Just want to say hello? Please shoot a note to drew.lazor@citypaper.net.

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