Radicchio Cafe

[get_in_my_belly]

Has anyone tried this place yet? Was there last night on the spur of the moment thing and had their seafood linguine. It was good and so was the service. Do they have any stand out dishes?

[herbacidal]

tried it a few weeks ago.

quite good.

right now, best italian byob, possibly best italian restaurant in city, as far as style and food, not service or ambience or whatnot.

can't recall what i had though, but everything was good, so you should be fine.

[Capaneus]

KatieLoeb, Mottmott, Saxchik and myself were diverted to Radicchio last night (my towering stupidity prevented us from the planned Sovalo trip - they're on vacation through Wed.)

As we all muttered between mouthfulls, it is *amazing* that this place manages to fly under the radar as much as it does. The food is terrific, well-executed traditional Italian, the service is brisk and professional (and the accents don't hurt), the prices make it one of the best values in the city, and the outside tables (momentarily displaced by minor construction) are extremely pleasant - and obviate the problem of an extremely loud dining room.

In fact, not everyone is as clueless as we worried about being: among the patrons, we found Marc Vetri, Shola, and a bevvy of other restaurant professionals familiar to Katie, though not to me. Clearly, they think highly enough of the place to eat here on their one night off.

It isn't really terribly relevant to pick among menu items - everything was *very* good - but Barbara's langoustines, Katie's calamari appetizer and lamb chops entree, as well as (from previous experience) the nightly whole-fish special, are particularly delicious. Shola had with him a delicious lemon oil and balsamic, both of which he was willing to share, and which added a little extra zing to many of the dishes, particularly the calamari.

I would say the place compares favorably to L'Angolo, and both are among the best in this particular category.

Now on to Sovalo soon.

[Mottmott]

KatieLoeb, Mottmott, Saxchik and myself were diverted to Radicchio last night (my towering stupidity prevented us from the planned Sovalo trip - they're on vacation through Wed.)

As we all muttered between mouthfulls, it is *amazing* that this place manages to fly under the radar as much as it does. The food is terrific, well-executed traditional Italian, the service is brisk and professional (and the accents don't hurt), the prices make it one of the best values in the city, and the outside tables (momentarily displaced by minor construction) are extremely pleasant - and obviate the problem of an extremely loud dining room.

In fact, not everyone is as clueless as we worried about being: among the patrons, we found Marc Vetri, Shola, and a bevvy of other restaurant professionals familiar to Katie, though not to me. Clearly, they think highly enough of the place to eat here on their one night off.

It isn't really terribly relevant to pick among menu items - everything was *very* good - but Barbara's langoustines, Katie's calamari appetizer and lamb chops entree, as well as (from previous experience) the nightly whole-fish special, are particularly delicious. Shola had with him a delicious lemon oil and balsamic, both of which he was willing to share, and which added a little extra zing to many of the dishes, particularly the calamari.

I would say the place compares favorably to L'Angolo, and both are among the best in this particular category.

Now on to Sovalo soon.

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What he said.

[KatieLoeb]

There was a veritable Who's Who of Philly restaurant folk having dinner at Radicchio last night. In addition to Shola and Marc Vetri were one of the partners of Cuba Libre/32 Degrees/Brulee as well as the chef at Pod who is moving to NYC to open the Manhattan branch of Buddakan later this year. It speaks highly of the place that so many professionals dine there on their evening off.

How this place is flying so under the radar is definitely an interesting question. I confess I had eaten there once before and enjoyed it, but hadn't been back in a couple of years. No real reason, but I swear this place has gotten *better* because I didn't remember it being quite this stellar or I'd have been back sooner!

Everything we had was fresh and well prepared. Even the complimentary bruschetta were just right. I particularly enjoyed my grilled calamari that had chunks of fresh tomato, olives and capers on the plate with it. It was even better with a drizzle of Bartolini Lemon Oil ($12.99 @DiBRuno's) and Villa Manodori "Artigianale" Balsamico ($42.99 @DiBruno's) on it. Gotta love a man that carries his own condiments with him to the BYOB. Thanks for sharing Shola!

MottMott's Langoustine were particularly impressive as well, and three of them to the serving was even more so. SaxChik's Mozzarella salad and perfectly al dente pasta was delicious and the veal that Capaneus had looked really good too. Lots of good wines for sharing amongst ourselves and Shola and his lovely dining companion capped off what was one of the most surprising and enjoyable meals I've had in a while. Reasonably priced as well. Total for two courses each with a generous tip came to $35 per head. Not too shabby.

They'll be seeing more of me at Radicchio in the future.

[john b]

I think Radicchio is the offspring of NJ's Laceno, of which I am a big fan. Two Laceno apps are memorable, but I don't know if they made their way onto the Radicchio menu--shrimp/asparagus/canellini beans served in a radicchio leaf, and smoked mozzarella (slightly melted and browned) over a bed of sauteed mushrooms and radicchio.

[KatieLoeb]

I think Radicchio is the offspring of NJ's Laceno, of which I am a big fan.  Two Laceno apps are memorable, but I don't know if they made their way onto the Radicchio menu--shrimp/asparagus/canellini beans served in a radicchio leaf, and smoked mozzarella (slightly melted and browned) over a bed of sauteed mushrooms and radicchio.

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I think these were precisely what Capaneus and SaxChik had as their apps. Both very tasty. The white bean, shrimp and asparagus dish looked a bit more deconstructed than how you describe it though. Or maybe I just didn't get a good look at it before it got cut apart and messed about with the fork.

[Mottmott]

...Everything we had was fresh and well prepared.  Even the complimentary bruschetta were just right.  ...

MottMott's Langoustine were particularly impressive as well, and three of them to the serving was even more so.  ... They'll be seeing more of me at Radicchio in the future.

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Katie, you're too kind, you refrained from telling on me-- I all but ate the shells!

[stephenc]

I've been there once. It's small, but pretty good.

[KatieLoeb]

My only complaint with Radicchio would be the noise level. It's quite loud in there, so there's a lot of repeating oneself to their dining companions. Otherwise the place is awesome. Service is gracious, food is serious and the vibe is quite nice.

[shacke]

My only complaint with Radicchio would be the noise level.  It's quite loud in there, so there's a lot of repeating oneself to their dining companions. Otherwise the place is awesome.  Service is gracious, food is serious and the vibe is quite nice.

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The wait can be pretty bad too - no reservations unless that's changed recently. Especially if its cold out. Not a problem in good weather.

Evan

[Diann]

The wait can be pretty bad too - no reservations unless that's changed recently.  Especially if its cold out.  Not a problem in good weather.

Evan

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I think the trick is to go with a smaller party, since I was able to walk in at 6:30 Saturday night without a problem. We shared the shrimp/asparagus/canellini bean/radicchio appetizer -- I plan on making something similar at home soon; it was excellent -- the grilled calamari special (with olives, capers and the most amazing tomatoes), gnocchi, and a side of broccoli rabe. Seriously good food. And you can't beat the complimentary bruschetta. Tiramisu was nice too, though mostly marscapone -- I like more ladyfinger layers. Katie's right, it's always really loud in there, but we saved our talking for after dinner and focused on mopping up every last bit of food and sauce.

[zeffer81]

Hello all. This is officially my first post, although I have been reading your words of wisdom for a short time now. Based on your recommendations, I took my boyfriend's entire family, including Gram, here tonight and it was a hit. We got there around 6 and it was already filling up. Luckily we were there early, because ten minutes later we wouldn't have been able to grab a table for 7.

I had the homemade fusilli positano with jumbo lump crabmeat. The lumps actually were jumbo and extremely tender. The tomato and mozz app was warm and gooey, and the complementary bruschetta was nice and fresh. I had a little bite of the grilled calamari special, which was fabulous--there was a strong lemony flavor to it tonight, and the saltiness of the olives truly complemented it.

I would agree with many of you, however, that the noise level was extremely loud (I felt sorry for poor Gram.) The service was nothing to write home about either. We had to flag someone down to order apps and have our bottles opened. Otherwise, delicious food, will return.

[Capaneus]

Hello all.  This is officially my first post, although I have been reading your words of wisdom for a short time now.  Based on your recommendations, I took my boyfriend's entire family, including Gram, here tonight and it was a hit.  We got there around 6 and it was already filling up.  Luckily we were there early, because ten minutes later we wouldn't have been able to grab a table for 7.

I had the homemade fusilli positano with jumbo lump crabmeat.  The lumps actually were jumbo and extremely tender.  The tomato and mozz app was warm and gooey, and the complementary bruschetta was nice and fresh.  I had a little bite of the grilled calamari special, which was fabulous--there was a strong lemony flavor to it tonight, and the saltiness of the olives truly complemented it. 

I would agree with many of you, however, that the noise level was extremely loud (I felt sorry for poor Gram.)  The service was nothing to write home about either.  We had to flag someone down to order apps and have our bottles opened.  Otherwise, delicious food, will return.

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Service is often better than that, though it's always a bit... rough-hewn and homespun, let's call it. Very Italian, so the little edges actually contribute to my sense of the experience. The best (the only, I think) solution to the noise level is to sit outside, on a nice evening. Glad you enjoyed yourself. And sorry about Gram.

[philadining]

There's no particular reason I hadn't been to Radicchio before, it's just in a location I don't generally think of for food...

We had a fairly good dinner tonight, I'll go back, although nothing really knocked me out.

Pasta e Fagioli was the soup tonight, and it was nice and hearty, but needed salt.

The shrimp appetizer, over beans in a radicchio leaf, looked good, and got a thumbs-up from the DP, but seemed a little light on shrimp.

Loved the roasted peppers with anchovies and aged provolone.

They're famous for the grilled branzino, and it was indeed quite good, in that simple, straightforward way. It was grilled to the perfect degree of doneness, and simply dressed with some oil and lemon. Filleting was not especially elegant, but got the fish on the plate.

Chicken Saltimbocca was not as satisfying. It had a nice sauce, but the meat was a bit rubbery, and there was not much sage flavor despite a few visible leaves. Both entrees were accompanied by some fried/mashed/squished potatoes that didn't look very enticing, but tasted rather good, and that old Italian stand-by: limp snow peas.

Tiramisu and gelato were both good, if not outstanding.

Enough of what we had was good that I'd go back and try more, i suspect that a couple of dishes we had just aren't their strongest offerings. Plenty of things on other tables looked great. I'll try a pasta next time...

Service was actually quite good, and it was not especially loud, but they weren't super-busy when i was there.

Edited November 8, 2005 by philadining (log)

[TarteTatin]

I guess we're just tough customers.

Been hearing for a long time about how wonderful Radicchio is.

Chefs and restaurant people seem to go there on Monday nights, good fish, etc.

We went tonight, Monday night, May 1st. First time.

Yawn.

Bruschetta topped with tomatoes drowned in olive oil was served on bread to start.

Shared an app. of Insalata Mare. Served cold, squid, scallops, clams, mussels, shrimp. Sounds grand, not a lot of anything, served with lemon, olive oil, and celery. Oh, how fennel would have flavored this dish instead of celery! It yearned for fennel! It is the season, so there's no reason to have the bland celery with the bland seafood and no real taste of anything. And in addition to plain lemon juice why not microplaned lemon zest as a garnish?

I wanted the homemade Gnocci, so I asked for it possibly with another sauce besides the Marinara. They recommmended a Gorgonzola sauce. Yum, I said! Yet there was no taste whatsoever of any inkling of a bit of any cheese sauce, let alone Gorgonzola. MAYBE it was a cream sauce with a bit of shallot. BORING. Don't say you'll happily make me a Gorgonzola sauce and then serve a basic cream sauce. And no green! No garnish! All white! It so wanted some chives, or parsley, or something on top to make it look appealing!

Hubby ordered the whole Branzino, as Radicchio has a great reputation for fish, and they filet it at the table. Hubby used to be in the biz. His comment: Fish Mousse. He said if he had filleted it that way at the restaurants he worked at, he would have been sharply reprimanded by the Chef. Yes, its tough to get a filet in one piece from a cooked fish, but that's the reason for fileting it tableside. But one generally is able to get the whole filet or re-assemble the fish on the plate so that it doesn't resemble fish mousse. Bland. The mash potatoes and steam table broccoli and tomato side dishes didn't help.

A biscotti covered in powdered sugar at the end was the hit of the meal.

I'm sorry, but I guess we must be tough, harsh, or missing something????

Normally, I would say, don't go out on Monday nights, don't order fish on Monday nights, etc.

But....

Will we go back? Probably not. The food was plentiful, hot, and there were no off flavours. The atomosphere was pleasant, with some interesting people to look at. But there is, for us, no reason to return.

Edited May 2, 2006 by TarteTatin (log)

[Diann]

FYI, Radicchio's owners have opened Roberto's Cafe on South Street between 21st and 22nd. The menu is almost the EXACT same, and the waiters (owners?) are definitely the same. My neighborhood continues on its path to awesomeness...

Anyways, I had dinner there tonight -- bronzino special with livornese sauce, veal saltimbocca, tiramisu, complimentary limoncello. Do I think it's the best Italian place in Philadelphia? Nooo. Am I overjoyed to have them within a five- or ten-minute walk of my house? Absolutely!

They're open seven days a week: M-Th 4:30-10:00, F-S 4:30-11:00, Sun 4:00-9:00; they are BYO; and everything is reasonably priced (all appetizers under $10; entrees/pastas $13-$25). They also serve lunch M-F 11:45-2:30 if you happen to be in the neighborhood. Currently it's cash only.

Edited July 13, 2006 by Diann (log)

[lfabio2007]

Bringing this back up.

We've been going to Radicchio for quite a while and we've always enjoyed it. The food is very good and not overly elaborate, making it a very good alternative to cooking. Also, as has been mentioned before, the pricing is fairly impressive, especially on the fish.

We went back yesterday after about a year's absence and it's as good as it ever was. The prices got hiked - especially for the fish - but are still very competitive. And the noise is still there, unless you sit outside (which we did).

Otherwise, it's not creative and it certainly won't amaze you, but it's good, consistent and not fussy. Their fish-on-the-grill - both the langustines aka scampi and the branzino/sole/red snapper/whatever they happen to have that night - is particularly commendable in my book. An excellent answer to 'what's for dinner?' when the calorie count at Vetri's sends the scale into hiding.

Edited October 1, 2007 by lfabio2007 (log)