Joey

At the risk of complete redundancy (and not just because Katie is on this post), I must agree on Striped Bass. My most recent visit was on Valentine's Day, and even with a completely packed house, the service was on and the food was outstanding. In addition to the quality of fish, the portions literally double the sizes of some other restaurants that charge nearly the same price. If you are limited to one "event" meal after Morimoto, I would make it Striped Bass. I also think the Saloon is one of the best Italian steakhouses in the city (on 8th St. in South Philly, close to South Street). It's been around for a while but is still serving great steak and seafood. My favorite Italian BYO of the momemt is l'Angolo. It is a small place, and it is fairly south of center city (15 and Porter), but it serves some of the best, most authentic, affordable Italian cuisine in town. The calamari fra diavolo is excellent (and legitimately spicy). l'Angolo may have even surpassed Tre Scalini, which has always been, and continues to be, near the top of my list of most favorite restaurants in Philly. I agree on the comments re Dmitri's. If you don't want to wait for hours though (which could very well be the case if you go on a weekend), you should try his other location at 23 and Pine on Fitler Square. The menus are fairly similar (if not identical) and what you might lose in quaintness and the knowledge that you are eating in Dmitri's original restaurant, you gain in a shorter wait and a liquor license. Finally, I don't believe the Rittenhouse Square restaurants have been mentioned. Any trip to Philly should include at least a drink at one of these restaurants. They are truly a scene, especially for Friday happy hour. For food, I would put Rouge on the top of the list. If the weather is nice, you can do a mini crawl from restaurant to restaurant, or grab a table outside. Enjoy your stay.

So many great responses already, so I will keep my additions to a minimum. Pif, a French bistro in South Phila of all places, is excellent, and many (including myself) rank it above Pigalle (though you cannot go wrong at either place). I would also add Tre Scalini in South Phila. It is an Italian BYO with very authentic, fresh and reasonably priced Italian. Within walking distance to the DoubleTree, I second Tequila's. You simply won't find better Mexican food in the city. Enjoy!

Steffi--As has been touted by others, Tangerine is excellent, and in my opinion is the best of the Stephen Starr restaurants. As has come to be expected from Stephen Starr, the atmosphere is very unique and the Moroccan/Mediterranean plates are outstanding. For South Phila Italian, I would recommend two places which are completely different dining experiences but which are both excellent: Tre Scalini and the Saloon. Tre Scalini is a small BYO and is my personal favorite. It is often overlooked, but you would be hardpressed to find a better, authentic Italian meal in the city (Vetri included). Saloon is a pricier Italian steakhouse, with great seafood, steaks and pasta. It has been a mainstay of the Philadelphia scene for some time, and justifiably so. Previous opinions on Vetri are accurate. As for Rococco, I've had a few very solid meals there, but it is never on my list of places to go back to again. (I guess that says something). I don't think you will be disappointed but I believe you can do much better. I recently had a delicious meal at Pif (another BYO), but if you are concerned about being cramped, you will not enjoy Pif's atmosphere. If you are unable to get in to any places of first choice, you should definitely check out either one of the Dmitri's (the one at 23d and Pine is larger), since you won't need a reservation. Fresh fish is this restaurant's hallmark, and the grilled octopus and grilled squid cannot be beat. Finally, if you like authentic Mexican, you will love Tequillas on 16 and Locust (in the old Magnolia Cafe building). Their mole sauce is outstanding, the specials are always interesting, and the margaritas are perfect. Hope this helps and enjoy your visit to Philadelphia.