If a recession is the ultimate test of a restaurant scene's soul, 2009 proved that Philadelphia's virtue as an eater's paradise is growing as dynamically as ever. Yes, revenues on the whole were off. And, yes, we witnessed the pillars of another era's glory days begin to tumble, as Walnut Street's Restaurant Row saw Brasserie Perrier, Susanna Foo, and Striped Bass close.
But what filled the void – aside from a mini-stampede of upscale new steak houses - was heartening. We saw the promising rise of such new stars as Pierre Calmels (Bibou), Anne Coll (Meritage), David Katz (Mémé), Lee Chizmar (Bolete in Bethlehem), Lee Styer (Fond) and Robert Halpern (Marigold Kitchen). Old favorites came back better than ever. The Fountain reaffirmed its four bells under its new exec-chef, Rafael Gonzalez. Konstantinos Pitsillides payed homage to rustic Cypriot fare at Kanella. New chef Terence Feury led Fork to three bells. A new generation of Minks lent their Oyster House a bright update. Melograno made a seamless move to a bigger space. And Brauhaus Schmitz brought a much-appreciated return of brats and great bier to a city that had nearly lost its German roots.
The Brauhaus fits perfectly into a city that continues to be joyfully obsessed with beer, from our ever-growing roster of gastropubs (like Lucky 13 on thriving East Passyunk Avenue) to a bigger-and-better Beer Week festival. Jose Garces continued his march - with two new hit restaurants and the newly earned title of Iron Chef - to become one of the city's dominant restaurateurs.
As for the year's hit flavors, prime steak might have grabbed the early headlines. But as chefs looked for inventive ways to get the most out of their increasingly value-centric menus, pork was their inspiration in all its many forms, from the now-ubiquitous belly to increasingly sophisticated explorations of charcuterie and fun with pig trotters.
But I also discovered Shanghai juicy buns and silky scallion pancakes at a new Chinatown favorite (Sakura Mandarin), gorgeous sushi creations at Umai Umai, fiery Szechuan hot pots in Royersford (Han Dynasty), FedEx-fresh genuine mole at Que Chula es Puebla, and a sublime new burger idol (with a wall of bourbon!) at Village Whiskey.
Fun, indeed. A year of economic challenges brought out the best from our chefs. And with them lies the promise of a tasty year to come. But first, let us retoll the bells and highlights of 2009:
Revisited Restaurants
Every year, I revisit a handful of restaurants that I suspect underperformed during their initial reviews. It's a second chance to mark improvement, a major change, or, occasionally, a decline. This year, two of the five revisits produced upgrades (Mémé, Alison Two), and one (Del Frisco's) slipped a rung.
SUPERIOR
FOUNTAIN RESTAURANT
Four Seasons Hotel, 1 Logan Square, 215-963-1500; www.fourseasons.com/philadelphia
Newcomer Rafael Gonzalez has taken the executive-chef wheel, but his veteran crew has maintained a seamless consistency at Philly's palace of posh. The Fountain still purrs like a luxury cruiser in gastronomic overdrive, with the finest ingredients cast in beautifully inventive contemporary plates, delivered by some of the smoothest service in town. It's still a gold-plated splurge, but prices have actually been lowered recently a karat or two. There have been rumbles of a potential Fountain closure since the review, but the local Four Seasons staff adamantly denies that talk as rumor. Reviewed June 7.
EXCELLENT
BIBOU
1009 S. Eighth St., 215-965-8290; www.biboubyob.com
Pierre Calmels has traded in the haute-cuisine trappings of Le Bec-Fin (he was night chef there) for a cozy little Italian Market BYO where he's cooking the most soulful and polished French bistro fare around. His wife, Charlotte, also runs the dining room with grace, making this perhaps the best successor possible to the former Pif - and Philly's hottest new BYOB period. With a little noise control and a shade less restraint for the limited, ever-changing menu, Bibou can be even better. Reviewed Aug. 30.
BOLETE
1740 Seidersville Rd., Bethlehem, 610-868-6505; www.boleterestaurant.com
The farm-to-table movement has a rising star in Bethlehem, where chef Lee Chizmar and Erin Shea have elevated a colonial-era stagecoach tavern into a destination that's drawing from well beyond the Lehigh Valley. With stellar New American fare inspired by the bounty of local farms, personal service from Shea's team, a smart wine list, and the building's quirky historic charm, this is a complete package worth a weekend jaunt. Reviewed Oct. 11.
BUTCHER & SINGER
1500 Walnut St., 215-732-4444; www.butcherandsinger.com
A gilded bull has replaced the big fish in Stephen Starr's transformation of Striped Bass into a palace for luxury steaks with retro shtick. It actually works, from the tufted half-moon booths and plaid carpet to the superb prime meats and throwbacks like lobster thermidor and baked Alaska. The management can be intrusively chatty, but the hard sell isn't necessary to see that this grand space is now among the city's elite chophouses. Reviewed Feb. 15.
CHIFA
707 Chestnut St., 215-925-5555; www.chifarestaurant.com
Chef Jose Garces adds another small-plate star to his ever-growing constellation with this ambitious Chino-Peruvian-fusion palace on Chestnut Street's new restaurant row. The wide-ranging Latin-Asian menu is a shade less focused than his tapas and Mexican concepts, and the rambling, moody room has some undesirable seats. But the talented kitchen turns out so many gorgeous, intricate, and stunningly tasty dishes, from pork-belly buns to one of the best chickens in town, it's hard not to be impressed. Reviewed May 24.
FORK