Restaurant notes: Horizons to close
A new direction for the vegan destination restaurant.
Restaurant notes: Horizons to close
Michael Klein, Philly.com
Jim and Kristina Burke are not the only couple deciding to close their fine-dining restaurant (South Philly's James) as they shift to a new concept in Center City.
Horizons, the honored vegan destination on Seventh Street south of South Street, is preparing to move on after five years. Timetable has it remaining open till July 4 or so, pending transfer of the liquor license.
Husband-wife team Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby are staying in the game. They are preparing to sign a lease for a new spot in Center City, as they want to, in their words, "take the next step."
Their new menu will be based on vegan cuisine that's all about beautifully prepared vegetables.
"We don't want to focus on proteins at the center of the plate," says Jacoby.
Landau says he will cook with tofu, of course, but he is on the fence about his future relationship with seitan. (People calling it "fake steak" make his blood boil.)
Landau first made his mark in 1994 with Horizons Cafe, a casual spot inside a Willow Grove health-food store. In their new location, they will assume a different identity.
The new owner of the two-story Horizons building will be a wood-fired pizzeria from Tom Grim and Stalin Bedon, who own the celebrated Nomad Pizza in Hopewell, N.J. No name yet; timeline calls for a September opening.
Grim, who founded and later sold the Princeton ice cream shop Thomas Sweet, started the pizza business several years ago out of Bedon's 1949 REO Speed Wagon, equipped with a wood-fired oven.
"I went to Italy and it was revelation," Grim told me. "I saw local farmers driving up and dropping off vegetables at the pizzerias. I said, Wow. You don't see that in the United States. You see the Sysco truck dropping off cans of stuff. That was such a stark difference. When I got back, I had to have a wood-fired oven in my kitchen. I'd have pizza parties, where I'd invite 50 friends over for pizza, salad, and beer."
Grim promises good beer and affordable wine, and a Stefano Ferrara oven from which they'll turn out pies.
great place— anothervoice- Darn, he may be tired of making it, but his Seitan will be very missed. Horizons is one of the most unique restaurants in the city. This makes me sad.— Ben S
- One of the absolute greatest restaurants in the whole city and I am nowhere near being vegan! Hope the new place opens soon!!— PhillyEsq
- honestly, why don't you (Horizons) just do a combination of vegetables and seitan. People love the seitan dish. It is the best in the world. When you have the best of something in the world you don't dump it. And the Vietnamese taco appetizers are killer!!!! I don't think of the seitan as fake meat or anything, but as great wheat. I'd love to see veggies instead of 2 or 3 tofu dishes. But to eliminate the seitan which your fans love would be insulting. Its kind of a screw you to the fans. Like going to see Paul McCartney and he says, ha, I'm not goint to play any Beatle songs for you tonight cause I can do whatever I want...ha ha ha.....and I don't want to play them even though you want to hear them. Seriously, its rude.— Tommy Witz
- They do have very good dishes, and their recipes are easy to follow and turn out wonderfully. That said, veganism is madness. I know that the popular notion is that it is healthful. It's not - the diet is woefully inadequate in nutrients, especially with regards to children. There's a philosophy of 'natural order' with regards to the diet yet it is necessary to supplement in order to gain the nutrients deficient in this way of eating. Also why does it seem that most vegans eat tremendous amounts of sugar? I understand that most meat is horrendous, produced by factories that look like they are among the most horrible places on earth. Support your local farmers, eat organic meats. And don't do dairy. Alright enough ranting - that BBQ seitan is excellent you should eat it now. I'd drive 20 miles out of the way to eat the Salted Beets.— Murrayman
- Yawn. Your inaccurate rant is boring. Most omnivores should take supplements to help balance their woefully inadequate nutritional intake, but you're not yelling at them. — jennier
- god, I love this place, they need to stay. I'm going to eat...and tell them to stay. they can do the "next" level in that space, it's great.— MichaelZoe
- loved his bbq seitan and the seitan steak with mash. I hope he keeps those at the new restaurant.
- if their plan is to move to cc and they keep the seitan, i'm all for it. good luck at the "next level". we'll make sure to stop by before the 4th, though.— novick7
- how exciting for philadelphia! can't wait to see what kate and rich have planned for us.— dusty flanders
- Haven't been there yet, but am looking forward to it!— OhDaesu80
- Seitan was invented by Satan. Nobody should cook it or eat it if they don't want to. It doesn't taste like steak. It doesn't taste like anything unless you smother it in some sauce. Not my thing.— diva48
- diva48: you OBVIOUSLY have not eaten the seitan from Rich @ Horizons. This guy is turning out some of the best cuisine in the city, maybe the country, let alone it being vegan. Trust me. I know.— MichaelZoe
