Summer Food 2005: BYOBs

In the beginning, there was a trendlet of little neighborhood joints. Now, ambitious, stylish bring-your-own spots open on a seemingly daily basis, from Kennett Square to Rittenhouse Square. Our guide to which ones merit a $9 syrah, and which beg for a Super Tuscan in your wine tote

Casual

AUDREY CLAIRE
276 South 20th Street, 215-731-1222;
audreyclaire.com
Worth noting: No credit cards; no stemware — stubby water glasses are provided for wine.
Dinner for two: About $75.

Getting a weeknight table is easier now that reservations are accepted Sunday through Thursday. The predominantly young clientele grazes on grilled flatbreads with pizza-like toppings (try the Bosc pear with gorgonzola and crushed walnuts) and assorted small plates, such as green curry-marinated shrimp with citrus-harissa dipping sauce, or pan-seared scallops on caramelized onion blini, topped with tomato chutney. A big bowl of wide pappardelle pasta, portabella mushrooms, arugula and pine nuts will sate heartier appetites, as will the roasted chicken breast with pomegranate molasses, fresh thyme and lemon, one of the best dishes in the house.

AZAFRAN
617 South 3rd Street; 215-928-4019
Worth noting: Lovely garden for outdoor dining; no reservations.
Dinner for two: About $90.

Chilled soups and cold side dishes come out of hibernation in the summer months, when Caracas-born Susanna Goihman puts green mango soup and gazpacho back on the menu, along with fish carpaccio, spicy pickled beef salad, and pumpkin-seed-crusted goat cheese on baby greens with local tomatoes and honey-basil vinaigrette. Look for purple Peruvian potato salad alongside the usual grilled fish and meats. On Sundays, well-behaved dogs can join their owners for dinner in the garden. The cozy dining room, a salsa of vibrant colors, is a pleasant alternative if you find yourself dodging raindrops.

PUMPKIN
1713 South Street; 215-545-4448
Worth noting: No credit cards.
Dinner for two: About $100.

Budget-minded Center City residents jam this sparingly remodeled former deli, hooked by chef Ian Moroney’s fondness for rustic foodstuffs, such as chicken livers and rabbit, and his penchant for changing the menu daily. No one seems to care that the trimmings are limited to butcher paper on the tables, votive candles, salvaged window frames hung as art, and three small paintings of winter squash. Moroney has a nice way with seafood — his mussels with vermouth, shallots, and a spoonful of grainy mustard stirred into the broth are the best mussel dish in the city. There’s usually a grilled whole fish; the black olive tapenade on mine was unbearably salty, and easily scraped off. For dessert, the best bet is the silky dark chocolate pot de crème.

CAFE FRESKO
1003 Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr; 610-581-7070
Worth noting: No credit cards
Dinner for two: About $100.

Street-scene murals, handsome granite-top tables and lively bouzouki music set the scene. The chef casts a wide culinary net — part Greek, part Mediterranean, some Continental — with mixed results. Cafe Fresko is still refining service, reservation scheduling, and its broad menu, which ranges from pizzas and pastas to tuna tartare and roast duck breast. For best results, stick to simpler preparations, such as fried calamari, Greek-style crunchy vegetable salad with feta, grilled whole fish, rack of lamb, and braised lamb shanks. The dark purple olives used in the salads and cooked dishes are ultra-salty.