Vetri, Philadelphia PA

With Amis and Osteria setting the stage, Marc Vetri's eponymous temple of contemporary Italian was "THE" destination restaurant of my visit to Philadelphia. Opened in 1998 and consistently named as one of the 40-best restaurants in the country by Gayot the intimate 40-seat space (occupying the original Le Bec Fin) serves as host to a Beard Award winning chef, wine program, and service staff...it has also been called the best Italian restaurant in America by both Alan Richman and Mario Batali. With such high praise Vetri had been number one on my "to visit" for approximately 8 months - in other words, since I dined at Per Se (although obviously there were many a great meals in between.)

Raised in Philadelphia and trained both locally and overseas Vetri's concept is the sort you cannot help but respect - high focus on bold flavors while utilizing the very best ingredients with the "simplest techniques to convey their purity." Combining this concept with award winning service and a menu of classics as well as seasonal updates plus an environment intended to replicate dinner at a friend's house Vetri seemed like everything I want from my dining experience. Explaining via E-mail that I hoped to experience as many signatures as possible I was assured that this could easily be accomidated whether I attended for the Degustazione or a weekday meal. Obviously opting for the signature Friday Degustazione the expectations were high to say the very least.

Making my way up to the tiny row-house on Spruce I couldn’t help but think of Babbo or VOLT, but on making my way in the door the feel was more French Laundry – a small entry way with a rather simple hostess stand and lovely flowers. Greeted promptly and pleasantly by one of the nearly entirely female staff I was led to a small table in the main dining room. Chair and table pulled out for me I took a seat and once my water selection was confirmed the hostess returned to station as the restaurant was already filling up despite opening only 5 minutes earlier.

Greeted next by one of the 5 female servers I was offered a glass of Prosecco to welcome me – while I don’t normally consume alcohol I’d never tried Prosecco so I agreed. Dry and sweet with hints of citrus; in my opinion better than champagne I have to say it was a welcomed flavor. Greeted next by the Sommelier he explained the wine pairing and when I stated I most certainly couldn’t handle that much liquor and asked what he recommended as something that would pair best with the later courses since I planned to nurse my Prosecco he surprisingly recommended the most affordable per-glass item on the menu, a lovely Rose title Librandi, Ciro Rosato 2008 with hefty hints of strawberry, cherry, and spice.

Greeted next by my captain for the evening the menu format was explained and my requests for “mostly” classics confirmed. For those unfamiliar with the Degustazione there is only one menu with 4 sections, each section containing 3-5 options. From that list the diner is served, at the chef’s discretion, 2 Antipasti, 2 Pasti, a Secondi, a palate cleanser, and a dolci. One can substitute a cheese course for the dolci or add it on for a mere $10. Both diners are not guaranteed the same menu, but likes and dislikes are accounted for. Stating I was not opposed to any of the options I was met with a smile and left with great anticipation.

Sitting solo my neighbors decided to chat with me, an older couple celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary. Nice folks I use them as a reference with regard to the sound level at Vetri – it is quiet enough that you can hear the table next to you, but loud enough that the buzz of the restaurant can provide more than enough privacy. Browsing around the room at the lovely florals, hard woods, and yellow walls everything felt very “Vetri,” after having been to the other two restaurants. Also similar to Osteria and Amis was the fantastic service; though obviously a bit more refined at the flagship it remained humble, conversant, and formal without feeling stuffy.

Seated for approximately twenty minutes my amuse du jour would arrive – or, actually four of them. Beginning right to left my first taste of Vetri would be spicy house made Calabrese salami with hefty porky flavors well tempered by pepper, paprika, and onion. Next up, a lightly fried Zucchini fritter with a supple and aromatic interior tasting of cinnamon and cheese – crunch giving way to creamy. Skipping to the end of the platter I next sampled the Rabbit Rillet – expectedly gamey and cut with just a hint of chives and toasted bread it was good, but unmemorable compared to the rest. The final bite, a Vetri classic, would be the Foie Gras Pastrami with peach mustarda on brioche. Smooth as butter, spiced precisely like pastrami, and accented by the sweet compote – a beautiful bite that I could have certainly tolerated in greater abundance.

With amuse plate cleared the bread man (always my favorite staff member unless there is a mignardise cart) arrived and presented a plate of freshly pressed olive oil along with three styles of olives. Salty and smooth I managed to go through 2-bowls of the savory fruits paired with the warm house made breads of the evening - Semolina Focaccia and Tuscan Wheat. The first salty and dense, the second airy and mildly bitter, but both a nice pairing with the olives and oil.

Almost as if reading my mind the tasting menu proper would begin with a seasonal selection - the Squid and Artichoke Galette. Fried gently and drizzled with olive oil and lemon the dish was as much fritter as galette and the creamy texture of the artichokes balanced nicely with the succulent and slightly savory squid. A solid opening act, but undoubtedly the weakest of the evening...which says a lot for everything that would follow.

Arriving next would be the first in a succession of Vetri classics (and per many his most wonderful,) The Sweet Onion Crepe with truffled parmesan fondue and parmesan gratinee. Utilizing caramelized golden onions rolled with cheese into the form of a crepe and then sliced the round is then topped with grated parmesan and broiled. Subsequently plated onto an inverted bowl in a shallow pool of truffle accented fondue the presentation is actually quite subtle – but the flavor is anything but. Aromatic without being pungent, salty without overpowering the nuance, crispy on the exterior and smooth within – perhaps the best thing ever done with an onion outside the famous “000” at Restaurant Eve…perhaps even better.

Having sopped up every drop of fondue with the focaccia it was a surprisingly short amount of time before my next course would arrive. Potentially my most anticipated dish since Achatz's Black Truffle Explosion the Spinach Gnocchi in Brown Butter was everything I'd hoped for and more. Having been told jokingly by a friend the day before that I should keep my hands above the plate to make sure these perfect dumplings didn't float away my first bite awakened me to exactly what he meant - light as a cloud yet so densely packed with flavor that they did not even seem real. Made of only sieved spinach, egg, and a "spot" of cream the four balls rested unassumingly in a pool of scalded butter with shredded smoked ricotta atop yet somehow the whole was much more than the sum of its parts - the best gnocchi I've ever had, even if they contained none of the ingredients of traditional gnocchi at all.

Again returning a clean plate to the kitchen and again receiving my next course within ten minutes, my second pasta would prove nearly as lovely as the first. Once again featuring a restrained and simple plating, Almond Tortellini was anything but simple and restrained - as a matter of fact, its complexity given the minimalist ingredients was perhaps more impressive than the gnocchi. Packed to almost bursting the pockets of pasta were soft and smooth while the interior of risotto and creamy cheese provided a nuanced contrast. Topped with crunchy toasted almonds and lightly sauced with a reduced white truffle sauce the entirety of the plate was everything Vetri promises about ingredient purity and simplistic technique of preparation - flawless.

Not yet nearing satiety (yes, I know...) I was a tad worried when I was told my main course would be arriving next - thankfully there would be a twenty minute delay and some more bread as my stomach caught up with my brain. Arriving shortly and impressively plated would be "Capretto" or Baby Goat on soft golden polenta. With crispy skin giving way to smoky grilled loin (I was told I got "the best piece") the flavor of the goat was much less meaty than the version at Komi and the skin was far less crispy - it was almost like a different animal. Pairing the mesquite grilled flavor with the buttery smooth polenta was a nice variation in texture, but overall I think I fancy a less refined approach for goat.

Having seen the cheese carte on entry I was somewhat disappointed when cheeses were selected by the staff and served on a cheese board, but with that said the selections were excellent. Served with local wildflower honey and fig marmalade plus raisin toast the board consisted of four selections in ample portion for the mere $10 supplement. Amongst the selections were Ubriaco del Piave (cow’s milk cheddar with red wine,) Pecorino Tartufo (sheeps milk with truffle shavings,) Verde Capra (Goats' Milk Blue cheese,) and Moliterno (raw sheeps milk with black truffle.) Usually a fan of mild fromage I have to say I was most taken by the Verde Capra and its creamy texture with pungent flavor and the Moliterno with its earthy aromatics and sharp taste.

The intermezzo of the day would be a watermelon Gelee w/ Prosecco. Instructed to make sure I mixed the two layers well I did exactly that and consuming the single shot of liquid provided a taste and texture not dissimilar from a jello shot with significantly more watermelon than alcohol.

Prior to dessert proper I was offered coffee - La Colombe once again. Stating that I'd love coffee, especially if dessert was chocolate based (after Amis and Osteria I knew this to be wise,) I was assured that the dish would indeed be chocolate. Consuming three cups from an elegant French Press La Colombe once again did not fail to impress with its bold caramel high notes and thick cocoa finish.

Having noted only one chocolate dessert on the menu I knew what would be next and I was not disappointed when the signature Chocolate Polenta Souffle with Vanilla Gelato arrived. Not technically a soufflé in presentation the dessert was fantastic in smell and taste, but most interesting in texture. Utilizing Italian cornmeal in the almost "lava cake" presentation the interior was not precisely molten, but more like the interior of a soufflé while the exterior possessed a crunchy coating not unlike a canele. Paired with creamy vanilla gelato that tasted almost as if it were yogurt based this was classic "chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream" done, like everything else, simply and expertly.

Happy and impressed but still wanting more I was very happy when the mignardises arrived with another refill of coffee. Featuring a dense Chocolate torte, Pistachio brittle, Blueberry pate a fruit, Yuzu tarts, Honey Macaroon, and Tiramisu opera cakes each option was quite nicely done but the brittle and macaroon stood out most - both were among the best mignardises I've had since Alex or TRU.

The final treat of the evening would arrive with the hand-written bill - a take home bag, signed and painted menu, and two lemon muffins for "breakfast" - or, the walk home. Surprisingly mild the polenta based muffins were actually quite lovely and their toothsome texture bested either of the table breads by some degree. Before leaving a veritable parade of persons including the chef du cuisine, sommelier, hostess, and waitresses would stop by to ask how I enjoyed the evening - a very nice touch indeed.

When it was all said and done I made my way from the final stop on the tour of Vetri very happy but at the same time thinking that when (not if, but when) I come back I would likely not go for the Degustazione again. While a great deal at $145 for 9 courses plus Prosecco, amuses, mignardises, and take home muffins (essentially the same number of courses and gifts as The French Laundry at $240 and Per Se at $275) there is a certain kind of "plate envy" that occurs when you see a menu with 15 options that sound great and you only get 8 of them - a nagging part of me that wished I'd have offered to pay double to try everything, or to go during the week and order the grand tasting plus multiple supplements. Some may call the previous statement gluttonous...that's okay, I'm fine with being labeled as such when every single course at three different restaurants was good to great while the service and setting was equally grand. Rumor has it Vetri will next be opening a spot in Atlantic City...I haven't been there yet...but I bet it will be excellent.

Osteria, Philadelphia PA

As a visitor to the City of Brotherly Love I guess I didn’t realize just how far the city itself spanned – as it turns out the walk from Carman’s Country Kitchen to the Art Museum is nearly three and a quarter miles. Happy for the morning breeze and an Ipod loaded with Interpol the walk went quickly and the museum itself (plus the Late Renoir exhibit) was exemplary…even if I didn’t run the steps Rocky-style like many other visitors. Full on culture and low on fuel I would soon turn east and march yet another mile to my lunch destination – the second Vetri establishment on my tour, Osteria.

Helmed by Jeff Michaud, a Beard Award winner who actually began his cooking career as a youngster at a pizzeria, Osteria has gathered quite a following since its opening despite being rather far from the rest of the city’s fine dining. With extensive training first at Vetri and then in Michelin Starred restaurants across Italy and especially fond of rich, bold, and rustic foods it was actually as much Jeff’s menu as Marc Vetri’s that I had enjoyed at Amis – that fact alone had me excited for my visit.

Making my way into the rustic stylized interior of Osteria I have to say it is a beautiful space. Highly polished woods, walls made of broken down boxes of wine, a vintage salumi slicer, and simplified table settings with rustic seating all lent to the feel of something vintage yet refined. Greeted by the hostess I was led to a nice table near the bar and shortly thereafter was greeted by my server, a pleasant and unobtrusive sort of fellow who filled my water and presented me with the menu.

In my traditional fashion of wanting to taste as many different dishes as possible while conserving stomach room I inquired about half orders I was assured that the pastas could be accommodated but told steadfast that half and half pizzas were generally not done. Having spoke to Shane James, service manager, via E-mail I found this strange as I was assured this was common practice and although I did not want to make a big deal of it I must note I had to insist on speaking to Mr. James when my server again refused. A friendly man both via e-mail and at the restaurant Mr. James happened to be in house and after a quick discussion I was assured that a half and half pizza could indeed be done - just not the Lombarda given the manner in which it bakes as compared to the other pizzas (due to the egg.) Misunderstanding resolved I was now presented with the arduous activity of deciding how to narrow my selection from twenty different things to a more reasonable amount.

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While weighing the pros and cons of the myriad fantastic sounding pizzas and pastas my water was refilled and I was presented with a bucolic basket made of a hollowed log. Inside the basket would be warm slices of sea salted focaccia and semolina white bread and alongside an oil can of mildly sweet and glossy olive oil. Not wanting to fill up on bread I would invariably fail in the task – while the semolina white was good, the focaccia was superb; moist, oily, and salty with a great crumb.

Orders placed I would sit back and wait while reading a few e-mails via free Wi-Fi in the connecting building. Seeing my neighboring tables enthralled in their pizzas (a family of 3 on one side and a business meeting of 4 on the other) I grew more excited by the minute. With less than 15 minutes passed my pastas would arrive first. Presented plainly yet elegantly, my first taste would be that of Corn Tortelli with Ricotta Salata. A half portion consisting of six small packets of luscious corn and cream the pasta was more tortellini that tortelli (traditionally round rings) but honestly I did not really care – paired with a simple sauce of clarified butter and shaved pecorino the dish tasted like the creamy equivalent of fresh buttered corn off the grill – a perfect summer dish for the warm weather outside as each pocket burst with dazzling flavor.

My second pasta, served simultaneously with the tortelli, would be the Chicken liver rigatoni with Cipolline onions and sage. This time appropriately titled and served in a rustic bowl the handmade rigatoni was ideally prepared with just a bit of spring in it. Utilizing ground chicken liver sweetened by melted Cipollinie onions and heavy hints of sage the sauce adhered beautifully to the pasta while grated parmesan added the slightest bit of bite. At first somewhat grainy in mouth feel the sautéed liver actually melted on the tongue with minimal mastication and the entirety of the dish was decidedly rustic, but at the same time restrained despite using such heavy hitting ingredients.

With my pasta plates mopped clean using a piece of focaccia they were cleared and my server would stop by to check in and chat – moments later he would return with a refill of my water and seconds later with what was expected to be the star of the afternoon, one of Osteria’s “classic” style pizzas. Featuring a Romanesque thin and crispy crust that was lightly charred and slightly aerated despite its thinness I was impressed by the flavor the wood burning oven imbued. Beginning with the left half as it looked the most interesting I was greeted with a rush of heat, flavor, smoke, and brine as I bit into Polpo. Utilizing wood grilled octopus atop the wood grilled crust and pairing it with sweet tomatoes, coarse red chili flakes, and smoked mozzarella the entire dish had the essence of a hearty cioppino but in the form of a Pizza. Not subtle in the least each flavor fought for the palate’s attention yet none managed to overwhelm the others – a dazzling pie to say the least and I especially loved the presentation of whole tentacles both visually and orally.

The second half of the pizza was one suggested by Shane – he said it was the best pizza in the city. Entitled Pannocchia and featuring blistered corn, grilled scallions, bufala mozzarella and black truffles it would honestly be hard to say whether this or Tacconelli’s white was the best Pizza in the city – in reality they’re both amongst the top 5 I’ve had anywhere. Underlied by the faintly woody charred crust, the flavor of the corn and scallions were perfectly paired while creamy pools of mozzarella accented with olive oil and the aroma of black truffles rose to the palate.

Finishing my pie the server stopped by to ask if I might want to see the dessert menu. Having watched table after the table order gelato I was told that it was the house specialty but having read otherwise I did indeed request the menu – as expected, the item I’d heard a trusted fellow gourmand refer to as the most “shockingly good” dessert he’d ever had was there – I ordered it along with a cup of coffee. Brought without hesitation and refilled thrice the bold flavors of Colombe proved a wonderful brew once again – enough that I’d order it again at Vetri and take 3lbs home from their Rittenhouse store the next day. Aside from the house coffee at Daniel I can’t think of a better coffee to compliment chocolate desserts.

Arriving with my first refill of coffee was my highly touted and unassuming dessert – the Polenta budino with GianduJa mousse and candied hazelnuts. Different from my previous budino experiences this version was nonetheless an absolute masterpiece. Slightly gritty in texture and topped with the characteristic flavors of sweet chocolate and hazelnut in the form of an airy mousse the delicate pudding was sweet, salty, textural, and ethereal in mouth feel. Adding a spoonful of candied Hazelnuts for added crunch and texture completed the picture and formed what is undoubtedly a member of the top 10 things I’ve eaten in 2010 and on par with Vetri’s Gnocchi as my fondest Philadelphia food memory. As an added bonus I will note that after my meal I e-mailed Shane James a thank you and he sent me a copy of the recipe.

When the meal was all said and done it turned out that Osteria’s Credit card machine was down which forced them to run each card by hand (and led to jokes about being BYO and Cash only given the current trend.) A stellar meal from start to finish aside from a small miscommunication about the half-pizza I can only say that Osteria is a formidable contender in my mind for best food memories of the year and that the budino will definitely be making an appearance at a future family get together. With Amis and Osteria now in the books the only logical thing to do would be to complete the troika that night at the flagship.

Amis Trattoria, Philadephia PA

Most epicures are aware of Marc Vetri and more and more are learning quickly of his 2010 Beard Award winning protégé Jeff Michaud. With three restaurants currently running under the Vetri lineup I have to admit that part of the impetus to visit Philadelphia in the first place was to sample what many consider to be the best Italian food in the United States. Having already scheduled the Degustazione at Vetri and a lunch at Osteria for later in the week it seemed only logical that I sample the whole lineup during my visit and as such my first lunch of the trip would occur at the newest of the spaces – Amis, on South 13th Street.

Having heard mixed things about prices and portions at Amis I entered the experience with a clear expectation of what was to follow – a sort of Romanesque Tapas experience, if you will. Collecting on my 1:15 reservation I was offered outdoors or indoors and wanting to watch the action I selected a seat at the bar so that I could watch the kitchen at work. Greeted by my pleasant (and exceedingly helpful) server as well as General Manager Ben Fileccia I inquired about portion sizes and how best to experience as many tastes as possible without filling up too quick. With the restaurant less than 1/4 filled both my server and Mr. Fileccia were extremely helpful in assisting me through the highlights of the menu.

Ordering in sections to gauge my appetite I browsed around the heavy wood and brick room room – rustic yet refined, “bar like” but comfortable and bright, and with enough sound insulation to prevent it from being “loud” I have to imagine the space can get quite noisy when filled. Differing from the contemporary feeling of Osteria and the rustic formality of Vetri there were a few commonalities between the three – specifically the flowered and the service which was all at once pleasant, whimsical, professional, and knowledgeable.

Starting things off, my first selection would be the daily House Cured Salumi Platter featuring Fennel Salami with Pickled Onions, Duck and Chicken Liver Terrine with Drunken Cherries, and Coppa with Walnut Honey. Served alongside the meats was a lightly oiled warm Foccacia. Beginning first with the hard salami I found the flavor to be appropriately porky but nicely balanced by the aromatics while the onions added a pungency that helped to meld the flavors together. Moving next to the coppa and honey - a delectable balance of sweet and savory with the crunchy walnuts adding texture. Finally, and most anticipated, was the terrine – not fully whipped I have to admit I truly loved the chunky texture and the overall flavor was more foie gras than chicken. Paired with sour black cherries the pate spread nicely on the bread and most definitely served as the highlight of the platter.

Moving on next to the small plates I opted to order a trio – two per my own selection and the other at the suggestion of Ben. Beginning first with the Almond dusted sweetbreads with fennel marmalade I can’t say I was wowed. While the thymus itself was appropriately crunchy on the outside and creamy within, I personally did not taste much almond or sweetbread as the marmalade overwhelmed some of the subtleties of the dish. Having had a number of sweetbread preparations over the years I will note the quality of the product was excellent, but the flavor pairing just was not to my liking.

The following dishes would prove much more successful than the sweetbreads – particularly the Fried lamb’s tongue with salsa rossa as recommended. Minimally gamey but intensely textural and compelling the lightly fried tongue was exquisitely tender and balanced nicely with the sweetened red pepper reduction. Adding lightly cooked red onions served to add a vegetal texture and the entirety of the course was truly enjoyable – a definite must order.

My final small plate would be the charred prosciutto wrapped figs with ricotta. Another exploration of sweet and savory these small bundles featured creamy figs wrapped with razor thin prosciutto slices that were seared black before my eyes before being plated atop a bed of whipped ricotta. Drizzling the entirety of the dish with a thick acidic balsamic reduction and served piping hot I will admit that the $12 price tag seemed a bit steep for only four servings, but the complexity and intensity of the flavors more than justified the expense – honestly, it is always hard to nitpick prices when top quality ingredients are prepared in a top quality kitchen, especially when the result is so good.

For my main course I was informed that half orders of pasta could not be accommodated and I would be forced to make a tough decision between the bucatini with artichokes and pistachios and the fettuccine with pork ragu and stone fruit. Asking the chef closest to me what he’d recommend I was told “the bucatini is good, the fettuccine will blow you away” and with that my decision was simplified. Watching one cook toss the hand cut pasta into the boiling water for what must have been less than 3 minutes while another tossed a handful of chopped peaches, plums, and apricots into a thick pork stock it would be less than 12 minutes before the completed plate would arrive before me – hot, aromatic, and hearty. With pecorinio shaved over the dish before me I plunged a fork into the thick ragu and was met with a subtle mélange of salty shredded pork and the sweet fructose of the fruits. Melding perfectly with the al dente pasta I will say that this dish was the second best pasta I had during my trip to Philadelphia, falling just short of Vetri’s signature spinach gnocchi in “wow” factor.

Sated but not stuffed my next order was coffee – my first of 5 experiences with the La Colombe lineup during my trip to Philadelphia. Cocoa accented with high notes of caramel the coffee was stunning and a perfect pairing for chocolate based desserts (future tastes at Osteria and Vetri only served to confirm this) – I bought three pounds before returning to Ohio. Accompanying the coffee, this time ignoring my server’s suggested dessert, was the daily dessert special of Tiramisu. With lady fingers made in house and the evening’s batch being prepared before me a large slice was presented on a plate and although not avant-garde in any way, the classical preparation was flawless in execution with cocoa, mascarpone, coffee, and rum each presenting prominently.

After chatting with the chef about my eating agenda (and, humorously about his opinions of the local cheese steak scene) I was presented with the bill – substantial to be sure, but not inappropriately so given the quality of the food, service, and ingredients. Full but not stuffed and knowing I had a big meal upcoming that evening I settled the tab, finished another cup of coffee, and bid the team farewell. Looking back in retrospect at the Vetri family of restaurants I can now say that Amis is certainly the least refined and yet not the least pricey. Tapas in its presentation I feel the ideal way to experience it would be with a group, as is their intent, in order to taste as many different presentations as possible – and if I lived locally I’d be looking for a group right now in order to head back for more.