CHIC & SAUCY: Stephen Starr Strikes Gold Again with Serpico

Chic & Saucy covers fine dining in Philly with an equal emphasis on food and flair

This weekend I was looking for a culinary adventure that would electrify my senses. I was searching for something edgy that pushed the boundaries of Philly’s gastronomic scene. But just as importantly, I craved a sexy interior design, a capable staff, and a stellar bar.

Serpico, renowned Philadelphia restaurateur Stephen Starr’s latest restaurant, seemed to fit all my criteria. This contemporary American restaurant, headed by award-winning chef Peter Serpico, has been deemed “the year’s best new restaurant” by Philly’s restaurant critic Craig LaBan and called Philadelphia’s “hot newcomer” by Drew Lazor in Bon Appétit magazine. After some deliberation, I decided I had found my nugget of gold tucked away on 604 South Street.

On Friday, my dinner party arrived at Serpico hyped up and ready for our 8:30 reservation. Entering the dimly lit interior, the décor was simple, elegant, and modern, with black chalkboard style walls, polished bare wood tables, chrome accents, and a bustling central kitchen.

Upon arrival, were politely informed that our table was still not ready, so we set up shop at the bar, and I enjoyed a glass of pinot noir while we waited.

A short wait became a 45-minute wait (despite having a reservation). The hostess and bartender were extremely apologetic and gave us two free rounds of drinks plus a glass of sparkling rosé on the house. $60 of free drinks for the wait? I could live with that. Actually, I’d wait another 45 if they’d throw in a bottle of merlot.

At 9:15, we were finally seated in a cozy booth. The dinner menu was a series of avant-garde plates ranging from raw diver scallops to deep fried duck leg. But to my dismay, the drink menu lacked full-bodied red wines, to which our waiter explained, “more medium-body red wines complement our dishes better.” Glancing at the short ribs and lamb on the menu, I wasn’t buying it. We ended up selecting a bottle of Sangiovese from Tuscany, which was smooth and elegant.

As I scanned the menu, debilitated by all the exquisite choices, a sharp whiff of garlic brought my focus to a nearby table.
“Excuse me, is that the sunchoke kale salad?” I asked the waiter, entranced by the delicately curled root vegetables a top a bed of seared greens.
“Why yes, it’s delicious.”
“I’ll do that.”

The sunchoke salad was savory with piquant tangy undertones, the crunchy sunchoke contrasting with the wilted kale and roasted potatoes. Its sharp flavors came together harmoniously in what turned out to be my favorite dish of the night.

My next dish, the duck breast with sweet potatoes and sautéed shallots, was also a massive success. One of my dinner mates couldn’t stop raving about how “tender” it was.

Although I enjoyed the duck thoroughly (and could have eaten the shallots as a dish on their own), I expected a richer sauce and would have preferred the duck skin crispier.

Despite our joint level of fullness, our table decided that to leave without dessert would be like leaving a football championship game during the third quarter. Essentially, not an option.

After seeing the words “brown butter” and “caramel” together in the same dessert, I easily selected the toasted apple cake.

I don’t know if it was the four glasses of wine or the sheer magnitude of its rich flavor, but upon tasting the cake, my audible yelp of pleasant surprise informed my table that I was enjoying my dessert perhaps a bit too much.

Overall, what began as a protracted start evolved into one of my favorite dining experiences in Philadelphia. Come visit Serpico at 604 South Street and impress your friends (or hot date) with Stephen Starr’s most novel restaurant.

– Raquel Macgregor