bruceandkathy's Profile
Place to relax and refuel near convention center (Center City Philadelphia)
Great food at Penang -- authentic, tasty. You'll pick your fish out of the tank. BUT it's insanely noisy. If you want a quiet chat and hang out, Rangoon is a better bet.
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Penang Malaysian Cuisine Resturant
117 N 10th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Avril in Bala
Had a very different experience -- 3 meals here so far, since the summer -- we are giving the kitchen a chance to find its footing. Overall, the reviews seem so polarized that I'm guessing there are two different sets of expectations in play here. If you enjoy following a restaurant develop and are looking for interesting bistro fare, this is a good bet.
Latest visit (last night) it was bustling, warm, and lively. Maybe we've just been lucky with our choices, but we've found the food better with every visit. I like that nearly every component is prepared there (if it calls for pickled onions, the chef pickles his own). And the purchasing is excellent: we had a very fine piece of Black Ruff (South African -- coming a long way so needs to be handled correctly) on nutty, savory faro with herbs and tomatoes.
Our foodie teens loved it -- posted on that before on a different thread. I'm sure that the positive cross-generational dining experience colored our sense of it all.
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Avril
134 Bala Ave, Belmont Hills, PA 19004
Main Line Chowhounds! Avril BYOB opening in Bala Cynwyd tonite!
Avril seems to be hitting its stride. We have gone three times. We're locals, foodies, and our theory is that to dis a restaurant early on, and not go back to find out how it developed, is unfair. Here's what we think overall: This is a lovely bistro -- dishes are tasty and interesting. It seems to be developing a following besides us (we aren’t the only repeats). It's perfect for a dinner and movie – but make reservations first.
Visit 1: went as a couple. Surprisingly, so crowded on a rainy August Saturday that we couldn’t get a table. Risked the rain and sat outside. Enjoyed ourselves. Found the dishes uneven, in some of the same ways reported already. A bit over-wrought and over-attached to strict French principles even where they are clearly wrong. (Never steam Moules Frites in chicken stock: use white wine, shallots, fresh thyme, and the juice that comes out of the mussels themselves.) However, the exquisite lavender creme brulee and a chat with the cheerful owner brought us back for a second try. We’d really like a bistro to thrive in this location, across from the Bala Theater.
Second visit: party of four. Found the room indoors pleasant, elegant and relaxed and the food showed a marked improvement: still a bit fussy, but more consistent. Delicious sausage and lentil starter, Fantastic veal ravioli with a thick mushroom stock and roasted figs. My foodie teenagers (adventurous and pretty demanding) loved the French limonades (lemon fizzy and blood orange -- not too sweet) and gnocchi but were critical of the salad dressing (too sweet, too light) and wished for plain baguettes, not focaccia in the basket. Service was pleasant, welcoming and precise.
Third visit: back as a couple again last night. The kitchen is clearly hitting its stride and the signature concepts are delicious: balanced dishes with long flavor profiles. The duck tartin is a good example: slices of tender duck breast seared quite dark on the outside, almost carmelized; laid across french lentil stew with an earthy, smoky stock anchoring it; the stew is ladled on top of a delicate, buttery pastry shell filled with stewed peaches and carmelized onions. The whole is an effective balance of sharp, sweet, smoky and savory. Lovely texture variations as well -- contrasts, without contradictions. Lavender crème brulee still a hit: similarly effective with separate notes of herbs, cream, and bitter caramel.
