684 replies to this topic

[lancastermike]

I've seen it, and I believe it.

Of course I'd rather be sitting at the counter eating, rather than believing in it, but FWIW, I'm confident it's imminent.

I cannot, however, Speckulate on an exact date...

Phil is the man who knows it all, so believe him. Simply ignore his lame pun.

[Buckethead]

I've seen it

Seen what? The space? I'm pretty sure what Peter Johnson meant by "it" is a "an open restaurant that I can eat in".

[Peter Johnson]

@Buckethead--you are correct, sir. After two reservations cancelled--the latter on two-days' notice with no explanation--call me a skeptic. But hey, what do I know? :)

[philadining]

After hearing of many plans for a restaurant over the years, I too was in the same camp as Peter and many others: I'd believe it when there was a plate of food in front of me.

I certainly can't blame anyone for being skeptical, but I'm just saying that after having seen the place quite recently, I believe it. They're certainly not the first place to misjudge the date that they can get the doors open.

[lancastermike]

After hearing of many plans for a restaurant over the years, I too was in the same camp as Peter and many others: I'd believe it when there was a plate of food in front of me.

I certainly can't blame anyone for being skeptical, but I'm just saying that after having seen the place quite recently, I believe it. They're certainly not the first place to misjudge the date that they can get the doors open.

Hey Phil,

Do you know if there will be a menu with ala carte dining? Or will it just be one table a night? Will it be more like StudioKitchen or more of a restaurant?

[wkl]

i think the idea is that it will be both a restaurant doing a la carte dining and shola doing studio kitchen in a designated area of speck.

[philadining]

Yes, there will be regular table seating with a la carte items, like a more conventional restaurant meal. There are also 8 seats along the kitchen counter where a "StudioKitchen" tasting menu will be served.

I'm actually most excited by that duality: of course the tasting menus at the old StudioKitchen were amazing, and I look forward to sitting at that counter sometimes, but I also quite like the idea of getting food cooked with that same sensibility, but in a more casual context. One can't really eat multi-course StudioKitchen meals every day. Trust me, I tried.

[philadining]

So, no, I don't have anything actually concrete to report, but some photos might help you better understand why I'm pretty excited, and pretty convinced that Speck's opening can't be too far down the road...

The good news is that Speck will retain much of the appeal of the original StudioKitchen, perhaps even improving upon it in some ways. The main part of the restaurant will have an a la carte menu, from which one can choose one's own array of starters, soups, salads and main courses, as one would do at any contemporary restaurant. But within Speck, StudioKitchen lives on. There are eight seats along a counter that overlooks the open kitchen. At that counter, a wide-ranging tasting menu will be served, featuring the kind of creative and innovative cooking that StudioKitchen was and is all about. A quick scan through the StudioKitchen blog will give you a sense of the kinds of techniques and ingredients one is likely to encounter.

Personally, I'm looking forward to both aspects. On one hand, it will be great to be able to have the StudioKitchen experience without having to wrangle an entire table full of companions, or find an open date in the first place.

But I'm also looking forward to the less-intense Speck dining: just sitting at a table and ordering a few items from the menu. I haven't seen the final version of it, but some early prototypes were very appealing, featuring a wide variety of items that ranged form casual snacks to formal entrées. It will surely be a very different thing than the sequence of polished jewels that is a Studio Kitchen tasting menu, but the ingredients and techniques share the same aesthetic, and the overall style should be familiar.

More pix and blather on my blog: Speckulation>>

[Mummer]

Not that I'm trying to cut, but who's quote is that one, Jeff?

I've had enough Shola meals to know that, unless he steps on his whatever, he will serve magnifgcent food.

I know that he has it for 8 or 10 or 12. Lesse if he has it for every day, every group, every request. 85% is my passing grade. The stoneys wandering from the hip neighborhood don't count.

[Holly Moore]

Nice write-up in "Speckulation." The kitchen looks impressive.

Any idea what has been holding things up? It seems like the space has been ready for a while.

Way back when, getting ready to open my restaurant, I put a sign on the door with the opening date and then kept crossing the last date out, adding things like "definitely next week," "positively by the weekend," "next Monday, guaranteed," with maybe a total of seven or eight new dates courtesy of my contractor and the city bureaucracy. It was a fun opening gimmick, and got us a pre-opening write-up in the Inquirer.

Though such an approach is far too crass for Shola, a bit of public communication on anticipated opening date(s) would be the savvy move. So much of Studio Kitchen has been his interaction with his guests. For a while, through his blog, we were right there with him step by step as Speck progressed. The Q&A Shola ran a few months back was great. But for the past few months, just silence, made more frustrating because, other than the occasional morsel from Phil, there is a sense of being totally shut out from a project we felt part of.

[philadining]

Oh, right, good point Mummer: that was kind of grandiose of me - I was quoting myself!

And Holly, I honestly don't know what the delay is at this point. As you had experienced years ago, I know at various times there have been contractor delays, slow permitting, etc. but I don't know what's holding things up right at the moment.

[philadining]

Sometimes it's not too mysterious: Shola says the primary problem is a delay with the gas hookup. Hard to cook without gas... Trouble is, apparently there are lots of variables around when that work gets done. Hard to predict.

[Holly Moore]

Thank you Shola. Restaurant Take Forever to Open Because...

[Holly Moore]

Another twist from the elusive Speck. For now, at least, the last three posts to the Studio Kitchen Blog, two on Speck, are no more. The post pointed to above, which hopefully returns soon, was a humorous jaunt through the unique frustrations that arise upon pursuing the perfect restaurant kitchen.

Edited by Holly Moore, 03 February 2011 - 04:24 PM.

[cdh]

That's sad... the pictures were so pretty. The perils of strong messaging control, I guess.

[Holly Moore]

All better now... The post has returned. Another construction issue or two added. Restaurants take forever because...

[Mummer]

Shola - Life's a bitch & it will kick you in the ass whenever it can. Add Phila - gonna kick you again, and again, and again.

Regardless, lookin' forward to your opening (whenever) and best wishes for your turn for kickin' some ass!

Mummer Charlie

[cdh]

Now that it's back, it is new and improved with even more travails... what a headache it must have been...

[Holly Moore]

Shola is doing another Q & A on StudioKitchen and Speck on his StudioKitchen blog. I have kicked things off with a few questions. Everyone is welcome to jump in with their question(s) by leaving a comment on the blog post at any time over the next few days.

Shola will begin answering the questions on Wednesday.

[hathor]

Anyone have an update? There's regret notices on his blog and references to a guy named Bart.

[hathor]

Anyone have an update? There's regret notices on his blog and references to a guy named Bart.

Just found this: Battle Royale at the Piazza

[percyn]

I was lucky enough to be able to attend the Ideas in Food and Studiokitchen collaboration dinner 4. It was an epic meal with some fabulous wines. Even Shola and Alex said this was one of the most ambitious menu they undertook and from the menu you will see why.



We had guests from NYC, NJ and Ohio, along with a few old faces...I mean regulars. We enjoyed some fabulous wines, thanks for my fellow diners (names withheld to protect the innocent).

Of-course Shola has much better pictures which hopefully he will post soon on his blog here. Unfortunately, I am pressed for time so will not be able to go into detail on each course.


We then enjoyed Bluecoat Watermelon Gimlets as an Amuse Bouche.

Powdered Lovage-Vanilla Ice Cream
steelhead trout roe, celery-jalapeno relish
2006 Clos de la Coulée de Serrant

Made with liquid nitrogen. The Lovage though powerful was subdued by the cold temp, which allowed the salinity of the roe to come through.






Torn Scallops
kimchi, coriander-kosho yogurt, asian pear pickles
1996 Krug Brut Champagne

The kimchi could have easily overpowered any ordinary sparkling wine, but the Krug's immense structure gave it a good fight and stood up to it.




Morel Mushroom Custard
asparagus, sesame dressing
2006 Morey-Blanc Saint-Aubin 1er Cru

This dish incorporated hot and cold temperatures as well as soft/silky and crispy textures. The morel custard was just amazing.




Onion-Lobster Soup
grilled cheddar cheese
2001 Domaine Truchot-Martin Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes

This was not your Momma's grill cheese - it's complex flavor imparted by artisan aged Vermont cheddar. The Lobster-onion soup was over the top, jam packed with umami. I need to make this soon.






King Trumpet Mushroom
speck, grapers, garlic-miso
2001 Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche








Broken Foie Gras
cucumber, smoked worcestershire sauce, honey
Ardbeg Single Malt Scotch
2001 Santa Barbara Winery Sauvignon Blanc Late Harvest Lafond Vineyard

The single malt scotch was an interesting paring as it brought out the smokiness, but I think I still prefer a slightly sweet or off dry wine with my foie.




Carrot Stew
xo sauce, onsen egg, (puffed octopus)
2000 Pico Cesare Barbaresco





Sea Urchin Rigatoni
seaweed butter, duck confit, sea urchin bottarga
2005 Louis Latour Aloxe-Corton



Country Pate
picholine olives, BBQ potato chip gnocchi
2001 Arrowood Syrah Le Beau Melange

The pork from Country Time (who also supplies Verti with his pigs) and most flavorful fat (from another high end supplier who's name currently escapes me) was just magnificent.





Blackened Hiramasa
rhubarb-harrisa, escabeche vinaigrette
2005 Chablis (unfortunately, I did not capture the producer)



Lamb Belly
peas and parsnips, chorizo-soffrito,
1995 Château La Mission Haut-Brion



The Bordeaux was a great match for this dish and made for some very happy fellow diners.






Skirt Steak
roasted grape jus, pine nut praline, Benton’s bacon
1999 Domaine Jean Deydier et Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Clefs d'Or





Another great pairing, even though I was starting to hit the wall by this point.

In case you are wondering why this skirt steak looks so thick, it is because it consists of 2 skirt steaks glued together with Activa.


St. Agur
strawberries, purslane, sauternes saturated raisins
2001 Château Guiraud 1er Cru






Drunken Milk Jam Ice Cream
shaved chocolate chip cookies




French Toast
citrus marmalade, lemon-brie ice cream
1996 René Renou Bonnezeaux Cuvée Anne

The pain perdue had a nice toast on the outside but incredibly light and fluffy on the inside. Wonder how they did that.



After nearly 5 hours of enjoying 16 courses, I was ready to enter my food coma.

Shola and Alex, you did it again - congratulations !!

[Holly Moore]

Futile wish - Shola has set aside a serving of country pate just for me.

Wow. Some spread that was.

[KatieLoeb]

Whoa! Holy Crap Batman! That looks like a Death Row meal to me. Good God how did you all get up from table afterward?? Did they provide wheelbarrows? Sorry I missed this. The wines alone were worth crawling for miles over broken glass on my belly. Fabulous. Looks like a good time...

[docsconz]

Extraordinary! The food being great was a given, but those pairings are incredible. Wish I was there (that was the case even before the wines).