Taste: Dining Out: Where We Are Eating: Sonata

In NoLibs, home of the gastropub, an upscale BYOB is a welcome change of pace. And while Sonata’s menu falls into the same pan-roasted-chicken-breast-and-lobster-mac-and-cheese trap as too many other upscale BYOs in the city, chef/owner Mark Tropea’s execution is more memorable. The chicken lives up to its potential with a perfectly crisp skin, and the lobster mac-and-cheese benefits from the addition of chanterelle mushrooms, which cut the richness of the fontina cheese.
Insider tip: The chef recommends both hearty and light white wines for the menu’s seafood dishes, and a cabernet or shiraz for the heartier meat entrées.
sonatarestaurant.com Liberties Walk, 1030 North American Street, 215-238-1240

Where We’re Eating Contributors: Alex Haas, Ashley Primis and Bridget Salmons.