Friday Saturday Sunday
It’s Saturday afternoon and my last night here in Philly before I take the bus back to New York City on Sunday morning at 11:30.
I’ve been debating in my head where I should go for my last meal, and I have a few outlined places in my notepad. I decided to head out to Monk’s bar first for a few hours this late afternoon to watch the round of 16 match between Italy and Austria. I was looking forward to trying the Russian River beer as well.
After a beer and as Italy won over extra time, I paid my bill and slowly made my way towards 261 S 21st Street where Friday Saturday Sunday is located. The place has just recently reopened after some renovations and Chef Chad Williams 8 course tasting menu is offered in the dining room with 2 seating’s, either at 5 pm and 8 pm.
I was lucky enough to be offered a bar seat and the tasting menu this evening thanks to the awesome bar manager Paul Macdonald whose cocktails are superb. The meal started with some snacks consisting of Chicha Morada and some empanadas with caviar. This was a perfect way to open the palette and let the dishes this evening flow.
Cured mackerel with Ají Amarillo, smoked cucumber and puffed rice was the second course. This was a nice and delicate dish that was executed perfectly.
Beet cappelletti was the third course with chives, hibiscus and nasturtium honey. This might have been my favorite bite of this entire trip as the cappelletti just explodes with flavors.
Sweetbread with mushrooms, plantains and poached egg was the fourth course and this was a perfect middle course to break the appetizers and move to the entrée portion.
Wild halibut with buttermilk dashi and turnip was the fifth course and a perfect entrée.
BBQ veal cheek with chermoula and yam was the sixth course, and you can tell that prep wise this was one of the most extensive dishes they had to make.
A lot of careful time and effort into plating each dish to best showcase the integrity of each quality ingredient is the main essence of a tasting menu.
Dry aged NY strip with sweet onion and comte cheese was the seventh course and the steak was cooked perfectly with the sweetness of the onion complimenting the umami of the comte.
Lastly was the bay leaf semifreddo with ver jus roasted rhubarb and crispy meringue to end the meal on a high note.
This was an excellent meal and by far one of the better tasting menus I’ve had in a long time. Thank you Friday Saturday Sunday for welcoming me for dinner and you will always be part of my top Philly memory list…
Before #KULINARYATRAVELS Philly edition end we have to visit Reading Terminal Market and have some goodies…