If you love Paris in the springtime, Parc is a veritable grand cru.
With Parc, famed restaurateur Stephen Starr brings a certain je ne sais quoi to Rittenhouse Square. Parc offers an authentic French bistro experience, fully equipped with a chic Parisian ambiance and gorgeous sidewalk seating overlooking the Square.
Cuisine
Parc menu encourages a joyful dining experience, where croissants, champagne and conversation are enjoyed in equal measure.
Sample hors d’oeuvres include salade lyonnaise with warm bacon vinaigrette and poached egg, escargots served in their shells with hazelnut butter and a crispy duck confit with frisée salad and pickled chanterelles.
Outstanding entrées include boeuf bourguignon with fresh buttered pasta and steak frites with peppercorn sauce. A variety of plats du jour are also offered, including a seafood-rich bouillabaisse on Fridays and a sumptuous coq au vin, perfect for Sunday night suppers.
And what´s an authentic French meal without wine? More than 160 expertly chosen varietals are offered by the bottle, with more than 20 available by the glass.
See and Be Seen
With seating for more than 75 at its sidewalk and window seating, Parc has instantly become one of the best places in Philadelphia for alfresco drinking and dining.
The awning-covered seating wraps around the restaurant´s two sides and overlooks Rittenhouse Square, one of Philadelphia´s most popular public spaces.
Atmosphere
The aroma of freshly baked breads fills the air as one enters Parc´s casual front room, which is clad in hand-laid Parisian tiles in shades of ecru and green.
Red leather banquettes flanked by frosted glass offer subtle intimacy, while well-worn wooden chairs, reclaimed bistro tables and mahogany paneled walls give the room a sense of place.
The more formal dining room provides a slightly more sophisticated experience while maintaining the energy and emotion of a bustling brasserie.
To put it simply, Parc is nothing short of an authentic Parisian dining experience – right here in the heart of Rittenhouse Square.
Stephen Starr creative Japanese restaurant has garnered all kinds of national and international attention since opening a few years back. Located a block from Independence Hall on Chestnut Street, Morimoto has an interior – awash in glass and colors – that is both striking and serene in its design.
The restaurant´s namesake and head chef, Morimoto (of Food Network´s Iron Chef fame), has created a menu offering the very best in contemporary Japanese cusine. While regulars flock here for the exquisitely prepared sushi, Morimoto offers diners a broad spectrum of flavors that delve beyond nigiri and sashimi.
In recent years, the restaurant has made it onto Gourmet magazine´s “Best Restaurants in America” list and Conde Nast Traveler magazine 50 Hot Tables in America. Today Morimoto remains one of the hottest spots to dine in Center City and continues to receive rave reviews from regulars and first-timers alike.
That said, be sure to call ahead for reservations.
Insider Tip
The mezzanine level lounge is a great spot to have a pre-meal cocktail while waiting for your table. You can enjoy a sake or try a “Sakura” – a cosmo made with Sake – in the sleek space that overlooks the brilliant restaurant below.
A deluxe hotel like The Rittenhouse deserves a deluxe restaurant, a fitting description for Lacroix, named “Restaurant of the Year” in 2003 by Esquire magazine.
Located on the second floor of the Rittenhouse Hotel, Lacroix features elegant décor and a broad view of Rittenhouse Square, which combine to make the ambiance at Lacroix as enjoyable as the meal itself.
The creative French menu changes with the season and in the past has included favorites like pumpkin soup with fried shallots and tuna steak with salmis sauce. The wine list is excellent and extensive – thanks to the 4,000-bottle wine cellar .
The tasting menus can be catered to your preference – three-, four- and five-course selections are offered at set prices during lunch and dinner.
Sunday Brunch at Lacroix – which features such delectable dishes as baby lamb chops with garlic crust and banyuls sauce, niman ranch smoked bacon, quail eggs with artichoke, golden beet and shiitakes, and french baguette toast with apple, raspberry and rosemary jam – is also highly recommended.
The Experience
A towering gilded statue of the Buddha generates elegant calm in this 175-seat, Pan Asian restaurant with sleek, modern decor. Immensely popular, Buddakan is a restaurant that is great for both large parties and intimate dinners.
Located in the heart of the bustling Old City neighborhood, Buddakan features two full bars as well as a popular (and hard to reserve) 20-person, lit-from-within, community table for sharing food and conversation.
The fare is top notch – appetizers include seared kobe beef carpaccio, endamme ravioli, miso tuna tartare and tea smoked spareribs. For the main course, delve into delicious dishes like Japanese black cod, wasabi crusted filet mignon, roasted ponzu chicken and collosal tempura shrimp. For dessert, the chocolate bento box will please just about anyone.
Be sure to make your reservation before coming to town as Buddakan fills up quickly especially on weekends. Better yet, make your reservation right now .
