On the list: Vernick.
This place has a reputation….all the way to Seattle and has been on my list for some time. I’m glad I finally got a chance to have this experience. Currently one on my top 3 restaurants in the City of Brotherly Love.
Started with a palate cleanser……parsnip soup. Problem with this offering was the amount….I could have had a whole bowl of this stuff. It’s the kind of thing that has you using your bread to get every available drop!
Followed this with a winter salad of mixed greens with peppercorn vinaigrette, popped rice and fried parmesan. The rice added a nice crunchiness and the salad was well done.
Next came the char grilled beets with bacon vinaigrette, citrus and roasted pistachios. This dish was fabulous….the bacon vinaigrette made the dish adding a flavor of BBQ which was made all the more interesting by a slight picante from Thai Chilies. A must have….if you like beets and maybe even if you don’t.
Followed the beets with duck prosciutto served on a bed of sage fazzoletti with green apple and walnut pesto. The pasta was perfectly done and covered in a delightful buttery sauce. The apples added a nice tart but slightly sweet taste that paired nicely with the prosciutto.
Ended with the petite chocolate brownie which was good…and quite petite.
The wines tonight were an orange (blend of pinot blanc and gris) from Germany as a start. Dry with citrus and red fruit notes. This wine is made like a rosé but with white grapes and the skins are allowed a longer contact giving it a light orange cast. The red was a grenache blend from Southern France with moderate tannins and balanced acidity. Finished with a very nice Austrian ice wine. The wine list is very good and heavily European with a few New World examples, mostly from California. I was a bit disappointed that no Washington State wines were offered.
Service was impeccable….like watching a well choreographed dance. The space is relatively small with a downstairs bar and a few tables. The main dining area is upstairs. Ask for a table near the windows and watch Pilly go by below you while you eat.
