The Philly Mag 50

6. James

Kristina Burke, who runs the front of the house at James, is all enthusiasm, greeting customers, not as if they were old friends, but as if they were actual celebrities. (Admittedly, they sometimes are.) Jim Burke, who runs the kitchen, is all reserve, letting his subtle but stylish cooking speak for him. And it’s this balance that makes James so successful. The Burkes could have opened a little BYOB, like so many restaurant couples before them. Instead, James walks a well-designed line between storefront BYOB and Starr extravaganza. It’s a perfect stage for the kitchen’s delicately delightful dishes — the much (and justly) praised risotto alla Kristina, briny with oysters; the top-notch roasted Four Story Hill Farm poularde; the duck ragu topped with dark chocolate grated tableside; even the desserts, with classic, but not common, combinations like chocolate, olive oil and sea salt. The bonus: a bar with as much culinary talent, shaking up cocktails like the orange-and-spice James-hattan and cool cardamom cosmo. Make a reservation now

7. Vetri

What do you do after Bon Appétit asks of your restaurant — yes, we’re going to repeat it again — “Is this the best Italian restaurant in America?” Admirably, if you’re Marc Vetri, you change things up. (Though not in the dining room, which could use just a few of-this-century touches.) He moved many of his classic dishes — the spinach gnocchi, the sweet onion crepe — into a permanent “hall of fame” category, leaving room on the menu for new Vetri chef Brad Spence to make his mark on the miniature Center City kitchen. Spence’s sensibilities are not, of course, far from Vetri’s, and you can still expect elegant pastas (recently, tagliatelle with assertive tuna bolognese) and deeply flavored meats (think guinea hen bathed in mushrooms and cream, venison balanced with quince and bitter chocolate) as well as an unexpectedly affordable, mostly Italian wine list. All that, and we’ve got Vetri at number 7? He’s just got more talented competition than ever before — including his own new restaurant. Make a reservation now

 

8. Striped Bass

Even after 14 years, two owners and several high-profile chefs, Striped Bass remains a Philadelphia destination. The room is still viscerally thrilling, the grandeur of the towering space defining gravitas. Add polished service, stylish china and an extensive wine list, and you’re on your way to creating the city’s quintessential fine-dining experience. Remarkably, the kitchen has remained as consistent, employing first-rate ingredients and executing faultlessly. Over the years, the various chefs have tweaked the specifics of the predominantly seafood menu, but they haven’t strayed from the standards: caviar, raw oysters, yellowfin tuna, wild salmon, lobster and, of course, striped bass. Current chef Guillermo Tellez’s cooking techniques, saucing and accompaniments are unsurprising, but the results are delicious. His straightforward crabcake is enlivened by a fennel and apple salad. Tender butter-poached lobster, nestled in a bomba rice risotto studded with chorizo, mussels and cockles, is worth the exorbitant price. A banana split seems out of place here, but it’s a spectacular dessert, topped with your choice of just about every other type of confection imaginable. The prices, especially the extreme wine markups, suggest relegating this place to special occasions and expense accounts, but it’s worth it for reliably elegant meals. Make a reservation now

9. Gilmore’s

This tiny rowhome in West Chester is an unexpected repository of classic French technique. Don’t let the ornate dining room scare you off; it’s far stodgier than Gilmore’s modern food. Peter Gilmore’s repertoire, refined during the 22 years he spent at Le Bec-Fin, still includes some old-school French dishes — perfect escargots in puff pastry, escalope de veau in madeira cream sauce — but most of the constructions here have a more contemporary feel. Foie gras ravioli shows masterful control of delicate textures, the slice of foie just barely holding its form within tender pasta. Pheasant poached to a sunset pink is wrapped in vibrant green savoy cabbage. The service, both friendly and professional, is equally adept at treading this classic/contemporary line. The biggest surprise, though, is the prices. Tuesday though Thursday, there’s a bargain $60 five-course tasting menu, and a $35 “Bistro Menu” that offers four courses of only marginally less sophisticated food. À la carte prices are similarly affordable, making this lively, elegant cuisine accessible and approachable. Make a reservation now

 

10. Morimoto

We admit: We’d nearly forgotten about Morimoto. The Iron Chef (whom the restaurant still, unfortunately, promotes by that name) has moved on, and so has Stephen Starr. But we were thrilled to discover that the kitchen has admirably transcended those brushes with celebrity. Oh, this is still Masaharu Morimoto’s cooking — and this is still a Starr restaurant, so much of the menu is unchanged from opening day — but the well-thought-out and often surprising flavor combinations that made the Japanese restaurant a destination are as strong as ever, as is the attention to every detail on the plate. We’re still happily ordering slow-cooked pork belly, fresh tofu, and sweet, dramatic yellowtail buri bop in the energetic dining room, where sashimi comes seasoned with house-fermented soy, real wasabi is grated tableside, and the stylish waiters are well-versed in these essential minutiae. And the desserts are better than ever, blending Japanese and French flavors — miso in an apple-topped shortcake? Yes, and so much the better for it — without a hint of Iron Chef gimmickry. Make a reservation now

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