Coquette Bistro & Raw Bar

[KatieLoeb]

D'oh! I'm ashamed I didn't know the name of my former employer's new place of business. I've passed by while it was being built. The interior looked interesting.

We should give them a little time for the inevitable shake out before passing judgement. It's never fair to judge before a little time has passed to allow them to get into the groove...

[Greg Ling]

The chef is David something, He was last at Loie, I think his wife is doing baking there.

[Mummer]

cary neff.

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No question the boss knows his oysters...

Google him for something very funny!

[serpentine]

It's never fair to judge before a little time has passed to allow them to get into the groove...

Meanwhile, someone should put some red ink on a copy of that menu and slip it in their mailbox.

[rlibkind]

cary neff.

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No question the boss knows his oysters...

Google him for something very funny!

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I couldn't find anything obviously funny, Charlie. Are you talking about the "Naked Chefs With Their Blenders" Vita-Mix ad with our Cary Neff and the other Chef Cary Neff from the West Coast? I downloaded a copy four or five years ago, but lost it when I switched operating systems. It used to be in the Vita-Mix web site, but isn't there anymore.

[Mummer]

That's the ticket, Bob, two chefs Cary Neff.

As I recall, the chef of color had a really big blender.

[indiebil]

It's never fair to judge before a little time has passed to allow them to get into the groove...

Meanwhile, someone should put some red ink on a copy of that menu and slip it in their mailbox.

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Greetings all.

No need to slip the menu in the door, we (I am a server here at Coquette) have read this thread. Thanks for the input and make sure to say hello if you drop the ax and come by for a visit. Only kidding, about the ax that is.

B

[philadining]

Welcome, Bill!

Please tell us stories! How's it been going? Any dishes people have been liking especially?

[cinghiale]

Showed up about 8 tonight, and it was pretty full. The space is cool. The old hex tile, so typical of S. Philly, has bee revealed after years of covering. They've peeled away all of the window shrinkage, giving way to a brasserie feeling with the floor-to-ceiling windows, wrapping around the corner, out-and-out demanding attention to what's happening inside. The customary interior darkness is mitigated by a plasma displaying French avant garde/Dada/sci-fi flims. At first put off, I noticed when out for a smoke that the display serves to beckon. On the strength of the ambiance, a number of passersby stood outside and debated coming in. House sits maybe 40.

As they yet to have their LL issued, there was plenty of space at tha bar, my preferred seat anyway. License notwithstanding, I was immediately offered OTH wine: a pinot grio, a syrah, something else. Nice gesture. Red was much too warm, though. Hope they get good wine service when the LCB delivers.

Upon ordering, I was served in-house bread -- eggy white, firmer dark, standard peasant -- with, lordy, a golf ball of butter and one of pate. This hooked me -- no fru-fru infused oils, composite butters. Just great fat. And it was really quite good.

First up were Cape May salts. Shucker is late of FLA and Newport. He knows his craft. Oysters were fresh and mildy briny, excellently opened for taking shell-slurp. Didn't try the mignonette or the other sauce. Plain were fine.

Next duck rillette. Comes as laid down -- a cute, shot-glass-style canning glass, complete with clamp-down lip. Perfect for sampling with the knife tip -- how else, pray tell? A sweet/tart currant compote and a tangy/pickle-y slaw accompanied. While quite respectable, they overwhelm the otherwise underseasoned duck (fatty/stringy quotient was good). The "toast" was amateur -- blackened on the edge, limp in the body. Had to ask for, and promptly received, properly grilled, toasty bread.

Steak frites. Served ala plancha. What gives? Wood retains 0 heat, and the steak was cold within minutes. Ditto the fries. The steak was well-seasoned, with a garlic kick. Steak sauce was passable. Fries need work. The center was well-cooked, but the outside was fried only passably, resulting in a limp frite. Rather bland mayo accopanied.

Baba for dessert was my highlight. A delicious brioche, with just the right amout of soak. Light but rich cream with golden currants. Delicious.

Dinner is currently served until 10. I was told they hope to go to midnight on weekends, once the liquor license arrives.

[indiebil]

Welcome, Bill!

Please tell us stories!  How's it been going? Any dishes people have been liking especially?

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Thanks for the welcome.

I'll get back to you soon on the highlights and all that jazz.

I have been on my feet all night and have little energy left to type.

The trout and scallop dishes have been selling quite well...

B

[TarteTatin]

Four of us on Tuesday night.

Cary Neff didn't know who we were, but we smiled, and came over to talk to us, thinking he knew us...a nice goodbye as we left as well. His wife and 11 week old baby and his wife and other relatives were there eating as well.

Two of us had frisee salads. OK. A bit soggy.

Then there were these huge sardines, an insipid onion soup, a good looking beet salad.

I had 6 british columbia oysters that were ok, and 6 small clams, one was bad and the rest not great...one person had monkfish piperade, ok. Another had steak frites. Slices (I hate when they slice it and you only get 4-5 slices, seems so small and not a steak). The frites were double fried, pretty good. The best dish of the night was the classic roasted chicken. Good taste, good portion, good price. Classic for a bistro.

Desserts were okay. My lavender and basil ice cream tasted the same, but pretty good.

Choc and Raspberry Napolean very sweet, American tasting. Baba Au Rhum advertised with rhum raisin ice cream, came with rum raisin cream and wasn't saturated with enough rum. Creme brulee was just ok.

Bread is baked there, there was a corn bread thingy that was ok, and a liver pate and flavored butter to go with it ....

They opened our wine ok.

$100 per couple, brought our own wine.

We had a super time with our friends, the place was very french brasserie like, but that made it. The food was incidental.

[jelly]

Four of us on Tuesday night.

Cary Neff didn't know who we were, but we smiled, and came over to talk to us, thinking he knew us...a nice goodbye as we left as well. His wife and 11 week old baby and his wife and other relatives were there eating as well.

Two of us had frisee salads. OK. A bit soggy.

Then there were these huge sardines, an insipid onion soup, a good looking beet salad.

I had 6 british columbia oysters that were ok, and 6 small clams, one was bad and the rest not great...one person had monkfish piperade, ok. Another had steak frites. Slices (I hate when they slice it and you only get 4-5 slices, seems so small and not a steak). The frites were double fried, pretty good. The best dish of the night was the classic roasted chicken. Good taste, good portion, good price. Classic for a bistro.

Desserts were okay. My lavender and basil ice cream tasted the same, but pretty good.

Choc and Raspberry Napolean very sweet, American tasting. Baba Au Rhum advertised with rhum raisin ice cream, came with rum raisin cream and wasn't saturated with enough rum. Creme brulee was just ok.

Bread is baked there, there was a corn bread thingy that was ok, and a liver pate and flavored butter to go with it ....

They opened our wine ok.

$100 per  couple, brought our own wine.

We had a super time with our friends, the place was very french brasserie like, but that made it. The food was incidental.

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Went Saturday night. Very nice atmosphere. I though the bread was very good. Had a nice cold pea soup. Onion soup was burnt. They have to work on their onion soup. Isn't that a bistro staple?

Went up the street to Ansill and had a terrific saffron cheesecake for dessert.

[mattohara]

Turns out I know a couple of people who work here. You might recognize a few faces from Ansill. Karen and I stopped by on Sunday for a delicious and very filling brunch. They're still w/o license but we were offered complimentary mimosas. A very nice idea but one I think they should skip unless they're willing to pony up for better champagne/OJ. They were free and we drank them though!

The Spread:

Crispy Duck Confit:

This was interesting. The duck was almost like hash browns, it was so crispy. Two soft-yolk fried eggs on top and some diced potatoes on the site.

Eggs Florentine:

Cooked in a ramekin! I can dig that but the presentation could be spruced up a bit. This and the duck came with the delicious homemade bread (white and wheat, no rye that day). Maybe the bread could spruce up the presentation if given in some nice thick ole slices. The dish itself was eggs and spinach and a creamy sauce, not sure what, maybe Mornay. Very mild.

Cheesy Grits:

Boy these killed. I always have grits with syrup but these didn't even need it. I think the cheese was Comte but I'm not sure. I did ask for syrup though and it made it even better.

There is no picture of the brown-sugar bacon because we ate it too fast. It was thick cut and coated in brown-sugary goodness.

All in all very nice and charming, great service, great atmosphere, and very convenient to the Headhouse Square Famer's Market!

[philadining]

Rick Nichols reminds us to lighten up.... (but actually agrees with us now and then!)

[Holly Moore]

It is neat that we have achieved a plateau on eGullet where we can dissect a restaurant even before it has opened.   

...

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Yo Rick,

I said it first.

Edited August 28, 2007 by Holly Moore (log)

[mrbigjas]

i demand an apology for his 'lighten up' comment. i don't think i've posted seriously on the internets since approximately 1995.

expect my lawsuit, with a demand for a photographed, in-person deposition, forthwith.

[Andrew Fenton]

i demand an apology for his 'lighten up' comment.  i don't think i've posted seriously on the internets since approximately 1995.

dood, wtf? everybody knows, the internets is serious business!

[Holly Moore]

Today's lesson, counting to three in French.

Un, duex, trois. That's trois medium count shrimp on my shrimp and grits brunch entree today at Coquette.

I seriously can't think of any other time I have been served only three medium sized shrimp in a shrimp entree.

The shrimp and grits goes for $12. The shrimp are served on a bed of cheese grits. The cheese grits are really good - and reasonably priced as a side - $4. I paid an extra $8 for three medium shrimp.

Edited September 30, 2007 by Holly Moore (log)

[mattohara]

right. but those cheese grits are REALLY good! maybe they slide some extra grits on there as well.

[KatieLoeb]

Holy Shit! Did anyone notice the big piece of plywood on the Bainbridge side of the building this week?? Apparently some fool was trying to get out of her parking space next to Coquette earlier this week (Wednesday-ish) and hit the gas and crashed into the restaurant! Thank Heavens they weren't opened yet or they might have plowed down several sidewalk cafe tables of diners.

I understand that sometimes we make mistakes and maybe accidentally hit the gas rather than the brake, but how freakin' hard do you have to gunning it to jump the curb and not even be slowed enough by that to be able to take out the bottom half of the bricks under the big front window??? Jeebus!

[TarteTatin]

Yeah, I actually heard the car screeches, and just then got to the corner of Coquette seconds after it happened. I was at the Tuesday Farmer's Market, had just gotten back into my car and was driving away....Cary Neff was right outside as it happened. His face didn't register anything, I guess he just was incredulous. The lady was sitting in her car, she just had this look of stupidity on her face. I'd say it was around 4:00 in the afternoon.

[KatieLoeb]

Again, let's thank Heaven that it happened before the sidewalk was full of bistro customers. And let's also hope the driver goes for some driving lessons or learns to control her right foot. Reminds me of that awful story a few years ago where the elderly man drove through the farmer's market and plowed over a mess of people.

I understand all of the news crews were out but I couldn't find anything about it in the local media. Bizarre.

[Peter Johnson]

Any recent visits to Coquette? Thinking about hitting up their dinner or late-night menu this weekend. Thanks!

[KatieLoeb]

I go past Coquette virtually every day either on my way to and from work or running errands in the neighborhood. It's been closed every day for at least the last week or more, including at 7:30pm Saturday night, presumably prime time. Is it done? Is there any word on the local blogs? What's up with that?

Last I'd heard, a couple of weeks ago someone had broken in, cooked themselves dinner, and stolen some wine and beer. They didn't even do their own dishes. Pretty bad manners...

[philadining]

Michael Klein reported that Coquette is subject to a Sheriff's sale in yesterday's The Insider blog>>

Oddly, it doesn't even have anything to do with Coquette's operation, it's apparently related to an old court judgment involving a former employee of Sansom Street Oyster House, owner Cary Neff's previous place.

A sheriff's sale seems like an extreme solution to a relatively small judgment, but..

In any case: drama. So I don't think I'd plan an important dinner there! But who knows, they may still be open. I passed by last night around 10:30-11:00pm and the lights were off, chairs were up on the tables, so they're certainly not doing the late-night thing that they used to. I'm not sure if they were open earlier in the evening.