Steak Frites Steak Frites

Grilled steak served with crispy golden fries and a side of herb-infused butter sauce.

Lacroix At The Rittenhouse

Lacroix At The Rittenhouse

210 W Rittenhouse Sq, Philadelphia I-19103-5726, United States

French • American • Vegetarian • Gluten Free


"My husband and I opted for the four-course prix fixe menu at $135 per person, which turned out to be a great deal and surprisingly well-priced. After enjoying some of the bread, I felt much better. The brioche was presented in a cube shape; while it could have been softer and more buttery inside, it was still enjoyable. For our first courses, we both had the salad. Each chicory leaf was carefully arranged, with slices of celery root and citrus layered in between, creating a perfect bite along with the soft, creamy cheese at the bottom. For the second course, my husband chose the langoustine (an additional $10) while I had the pike dish. The pike quenelles were like delicate fish cakes served with a rich, savory sauce that was divine. The langoustine was also excellent—I highly recommend both. For our third courses, I had the risotto and my husband had veal sweetbreads. The risotto was not traditional risotto but rather potatoes shaped to resemble it. The flavors were good, and the generous serving of caviar added to the dish, but it would have been better if it had been the real thing. My husband’s veal sweetbreads were incredibly tender and flavorful. For our final courses, my husband had quail and I had venison, which was cooked perfectly to medium rare. We both enjoyed our choices immensely. Even though we were quite full, we managed to save room for dessert—a millefeuille topped with cotton candy, which was a fun twist on a classic dessert. Before we left, our server brought us complimentary chocolate truffles. Presented under a cloche, these truffles were shaped like black truffles but filled with raspberry ganache. I have to say, I was thoroughly impressed by Lacroix. The food execution is world-class, the menu is well thought out, and the prices are comparable to other local favorites like Friday Saturday Sunday and Her Place Supper Club. Dining at Lacroix feels like eating at a genuine 2-star Michelin restaurant. We will happily return again and again."

The Gander

The Gander

15 W. 18th St., New York 10011, 10011-4612, United States

Wine • Dining • American • Contemporary


"I was a big Jesse Shenker fan. My husband and I both loved the food at Recette, where we dined on a number of occasions. The menu was creative, the presentation outstanding and the food delicious. I was disappointed when Recette closed, but had high hopes for The Gander. I had dinner there a number of months ago, and basically enjoyed it, without being wowed. Last Saturday night my husband and I dined there with a friend. We sat in the Bar Room. We ordered an array of dishes to share among the three of us. The charred cauliflower was delicious, but the anchovies that were to top the dish (which we mercifully asked to be served on the side were awful (and we are anchovy lovers . They were oddly fishy and did nothing to complement the cauliflower. We ordered the salt cod fritters, which we ordered almost every time we ate at Recette, where they were always presented in a small cast iron pot. They were served in a bowl (ok and just weren 't as good as they have been in the past (I had ordered them the last time I ate at The Gander. . Something seemed different about the lamb ragout and it was really disappointing. It wasn 't as flavorful as usual. The beef tartar was tasteless a tremendous disappointment. It seemed to be a jar of chopped meat, with no visible quail egg and no other added seasoning at all, as traditional beef tartar generally has. The fork and knife Caesar was also disappointing kind of flavorless. The bucatini, which I expected to love was not very good the bottarga, which usually adds a slightly salty taste to pasta was fishy tasting rather than salty. The Bronzino was not bad, but again was a rather bland preparation. Our reservation was for 9:30 on a Saturday night. The Bar Room was almost empty and the dining room was only partly filled. Maybe The Gander does better on weekday nights, with an afterwork crowd. If not, it doesn 't look as if it will survive much longer. Jesse needs to be true to his talents. He can do much better than this!"