Philly 50 is a blog for the discussion of the best restaurants in Philadelphia and it's suburbs. From time to time the spotlight will shine on other cities fine dining establishments.
Fire Creek had teased Chester County foodies for months but is now finally open for business.
We've been driving past the elegant old stone paper mill building along the Brandywine River eagerly awaiting a glimpse of the inside. It was set to open in January but zoning issues kept pushing the date back, eventually opening it's doors in early April. We were hoping Fire Creek would became the area's finest new restaurant, as the Philly suburbs are way too crowded with crappy chains like Ruby Tuesdays, Bonefish, etc and can definetly use a great non-chain dining option.
The Mrs. and I went for a late dinner, 8:30pm on Friday night 4/10/09. There was a 30 minute wait for a table, however we did find a high top bar table and remained there, as the menu is shared between the bar and the restaurant proper.I order Steak Frites and was able to swap out the Peppercorn Sauce for the Sauce Bearnaise. While the Bearnaise wasn't homemade, it didn't seem, the steak and the garlic/parsley fries were fantastic. Cooked perfectly with a juicy pink center and served very hot, it was one of the best steak frites plates I've ever had, including those I enjoyed in Parisian bistros. The Mrs. had the Left Coast Chicken sandwich and it was only okay. The chicken was littered with black pepper and the promised Avocado amounted to a smidgen of avocado spread. The delightful server brought additional spread and the Mrs. was able to remove much of the peppery outer layer, so the sandwich was able to be enjoyed.
For dessert we shared the Apple Cider Donut Bread Pudding, with donuts from a local farm, which was absolutely delicious but was more of a Donut Cake than bread pudding.
Go try Fire Creek in Downingtown, while they've only been open a couple weeks, it seems many of the kinks have already been worked out. I have a feeling Fire Creek may end up being the western suburbs finest restaurant.
Free valet parking on weekends! The outdoor patio along the Brandywine River is gorgeous and will be a popular space come the warm evenings of summertime.
One shouldn't expect any different. After all, the Birthday email coupon did clearly state that the holder of said certificate will receive one entree free when another is purchased, up to $25. Why then should a couple think the restaurant would discount their bill in some form or fashion when no entree was purchased? For starters, because the couple enjoyed multiple appetizers, each priced in the low-to-mid teens, a bottle of wine and a couple salads. The pre-tip bill topped $100 even without a proper entree. Secondly, and more importantly, the last thing a business should be trying to do right now, in this economy, is turn off customers. Yes, the bill was going to be paid regardless, with or without discount, but the likelihood of a return visit was greatly diminished after the hard line stance taken by Sotto Varalli last week.
Would it have been better, in the long run, for Sotto Varalli to knock, say, $10 off the bill as a sign of goodwill and a thank you for dropping $100 in the restaurant that night. The coupon brought them in, for a birthday dinner, but several of the appetizers sounded more, well, appetizing to the couple that night.
I say Sotto could have extended an olive branch to the couple. Instead, they probably lost a couple of loyal patrons, not because the pair feel as though they deserved the $25 off but because the "no" was so curt and unaccommodating.
No doubt this couple will be selecting Bliss, across the street, or Osteria a few blocks north for future Broad Street-area dinners.
Avalon Restaurant is a neighborhood gem that continues to be one of the best restaurants, not only in Chester County but also within the entire Delaware Valley. The food is inventive, delicious and reasonably priced (probably because it's a BYOB). The space manages to be both warm and inviting AND sleek and modern at the same time. The outdoor patio is secluded and can be extremely romantic, especially if seated near the little fountain as my wife and I were during lunch a month ago. At dinner, the place really comes to life with a blazing fire and intimate lighting. The staff is top notch, paying attention to the small details (like the old fashion touch of folding your napkin while you visit the restroom). During our last visit for dinner, last Friday, the kitchen whipped up a brand new appetizer, had the wait staff sample it and then 5 minutes later we were being offered it. 'Twas creative and fantastic!
On Jan 9th, I had the Braised Beef Agnoloti in a Cabernet Demi Sauce over top Broccoli Rabe Holy cow, it was incredible. The beef was so tender and succulent. I look forward to every visit, knowing I'm going to be treated to a great meal and taken care of with precision. As a bonus, you can often get a street parking spot right out front, but worst case there is a nice big lot a mere 3 blocks away on High street.
Finally!
