Django, Philadelphia

[shacke]

I am happy to report that I had a great meal at Django this weekend and, having been so accustomed to Jeff being around to take photographs, I forgot to bring my camera to document what were some visually exciting plates.

I would like first to dispense with the elephant in the room by firmly and unshakingly stating that Laban’s recent review of Django was a flat out hose job. If it has an impact now, it will fade. The food rules and the kingdom is safe. Let’s dismiss and move on from this unfortunate blip……

I had been to Django once way way back when they first opened and was one of the few who were not impressed by the hype. Looking back, it could be that at that time I was still seasoning my own palate. Come to think of it, it may have been the first BYO visit of mine ever (!). Regardless of this past experience, I am enamored with Django after this past Friday and I have plans to retry Vetri for the same reason.

The service was top notch and the servers were all very knowledgeable about what was in each dish – surprisingly so. How they remember all those cheeses deserves kudos in its own right.

After an amuse of deviled quail egg, we opened our wine and ordered for starters:

Goat Cheese Gnocchi, House Smoked Salmon, First Crop Peas, Oven Dried tomatoes, Vermont Crème Fraiche Really an early taste of spring or a nod to the warm winter, this was a light pleasing dish with nice flavor combinations. Not very cheesy but with pleasant goat-y notes. Our server knew what kind of cheese was in it upon prodding. Impressive.

Venison Carpaccio, Tangy Tartare, Reggiano Fingerling Crisps, Whole Grain Mustard Aioli I ordered this being a sucker for all things deer-y. Small portion of beautifully presented thin slices of venison served with a more hearty heap of diced spicey chunks reminiscent of the dish I had at Ansill recently.

Butter Poached Escargot, Oley Valley Shitakes, Sweet Garlic, Pancetta, Puff pastry Buttons There's escargot and then there's ESCARGOT. Buttery, smokey, melt in your mouth texture. Crikey these were terrific! There was an extra pot of bread requested to finish up the sauce.

Crispy Veal Sweetbreads, Truffled Potatoes, Asparagus, Peas and Spring Onions, Truffle Vinaigrette I had fleeting moments of commiting patricide as my father smartly ordered this winner. Luckily he shared. These were just perfectly cooked and in this case there was enough on the plate to raise your LDL noticeably. Damn good fare.

Despite my attempt to diversify the entrée choices among the crowd, three out of four folks ordered:

Wild Striped Bass, Dungeness Crab Salad, “Hay and Straw” Fettucine, Artichokes, Roasted Peppers While this was well received by two of the three who ordered it, both myself and my wife thought that the menagerie of well conceived ingredients in the bowl of pasta was overshadowed by the dominance of tarragon. This would depend on your like of the herb so just beware if you have a chance to order it. The bass was so perfectly cooked and delicious. I just can’t imagine being able to cook like this at home.

I had the Meadow Run Farm Lamb Chops, Lamb Arancini, Spicy Broccoli Rabe Gratinee, Lamb Demi Glace. I will happily take home the medal for best entrée here. My plate was beautiful and outstanding. If not the tender lamb, then the glorious arancini filled with ground lamb. When was the last time you had arancini in the US without making it yourself, slaving away for days? If you’re like me the answer is never. Maybe if you know a Sicilian grandma perhaps. Not to be ignored, a cheesy peppery side of broccoli rabe lay close by – not too bitter but not shy either. This also was a perfect accompaniment to one of the wines we brought which made it even better.

One thing on the menu I was hoping someone would order was the smoked paprika pork loin, chorizo-shrimp paella and saffron clam broth. Alas, you can’t have everything.

For Dessert came the……

Artisanal Cheese Plate with House Made Madeleines, Croustades and Pistachio Brittle. In reading about Django, it seems that every time someone mentions the name of the place, “cheese plate” inevitably follows and so I ordered it. A great variety of small pieces, lined with a sample for every hour on the clockface, ranging from all over the globe, raw v pasteurized, sheep v cow v goat, mild tasting v “harpies”. I couldn’t keep up with the descriptions but one of our many servers was glad to repeat once I had tasted the ones I liked. (St Maure goat – now that was really my favorite).

“Banana Split”: Chocolate Brownie, Banana Ice Cream, Dried Cherry Compote, Chocolate Sauce, Wet Walnuts Although it sounded fairly ordinary in description, it was a delight.

Surprisingly, dinner was reasonable too. About $200 complete.

In closing, I will add that I really enjoying Ross Essner’s cooking at the Chairman’s Selections dinner at Rx last fall. Both my wife and I agreed that his cooking at Django was clearly trumped up a few notches in the interim.

Rest easy Greg, the kids are alright.

Edited March 19, 2006 by shacke (log)

[Capaneus]

I would like first to dispense with the elephant in the room by firmly and unshakingly stating that Laban’s recent review of Django was a flat out hose job.  If it has an impact now, it will fade.  The food rules and the kingdom is safe. Let’s dismiss and move on from this unfortunate blip……

One thing on the menu I was hoping someone would order was the smoked paprika pork loin, chorizo-shrimp paella and saffron clam broth.  Alas, you can’t have everything.

←

I finally got there last night, first time since new management took over. I agree that LaBan's little "demotion" was, at best, problematic, and at worst quite a bit worse than that. My meal was absolutely on a par with anything I've had at any of the many three-star eateries, and a good deal better than many. Having gotten that off my chest...

We started with the oysters and the sweetbreads. The oysters were served with a gelee the exact composition of which I forget, but it added just a touch of acidity and a vegetal note that grounded the bracing brine of the bivalves perfectly. Possible the best oyster preparation I've had in Philadelphia.

We also had the sweetbreads, which came gently crisped, with a side of baby greens in vinaigrette. Perfectly simple, delicious, nice contrasts.

As an entree, feeling unwonted compassion toward poor Evan, I ordered the pork loin, a choice I was really happy with: the pig came sliced into a light pink fan over the paella, and surrounded by clams. First reaction was a wave of homesickness, since pork and clams is one of the favorite dishes of my childhood. Really, though, beyond that there is little resembance, because there was a good deal more thought here than in the very plain Portuguese dish, and a lot more going on, with the chorizo in the paella interacting with the salt in the clams, and the whole thing lending richness to the pork. It was a dish that was clearly at its best when you got a forkful of all the ingredients, which, in my experience, is always a good sign.

The other entree at the table was roast chicken with dumplings and... sumpin else I forget. I got to taste the chicken, and it confirmed my belief that chicken, while frequently deadly dull in the wrong hands, is often a good choice when the chef is as skilled as Mr. Essner. The chicken was seasoned very gently, to let the very flavorful organic Bluefoot flesh shine through. The dumplings I got none of, so i cannot vouch for them except that they created pretty happy noises for those luckier than I. I got to polish off the pot-au-feu-like stew they came in, and that was truly delicious, the vegetables' flavours distinct and vibrant over a rich chicken broth, enriched by... sherry? Madeira? I forget - but certainly delicious and redolent of the dearly departed bird.

We shared a cheese plate, which was exactly as described by Evan above. I will single out for praise the Madeleines, which were the best iteration I have ever encoutered, but evident care had been put into the selection and presentation of the cheeses. It was certainly a broader selection that I've ever had anywhere else, and the quality easily their equal.

The pinapple upside-down cake was delightful as promised, moist, fruity and comforting.

All in all, a truly wonderful meal.

Now, was it four-star-worthy? I liked it better than anything I've had a Susanna Foo's in donkey's years. The food was a match for some of the things I've had from the Fountain kitchen, though perhaps not all. Overall I'd judge that no, but that only because the whole demeanor of the place does not attempt to match those of the four-stars. The place's former incarnation was also, I thought, on a par with most of the other three-bell restaurants in LaBan's list, excellent places like Marigold Kitchen and Matyson, and that remains very much the case.

The fact is that this meal was as good as anything I've had at any of the other Inky Three-Bell-Winners. And, which I think is most telling, it was a damn sight better than anything I've had at any of the two-bells. So yes, there's a disconnect there that irks me a good deal. I hope to see it corrected in due course.

[philadining]

Django 060407

OK, the short version: as reported by others upthread, LaBan got it wrong. I don’t want to get back into that old debate about whether the original deserved 4 bells, but the impression given by dropping his rating from 4 to 2 gives entirely the wrong view of the current incarnation of Django. I’ll admit it’s a little premature for me to make bold pronouncements after one visit, but my sense is that the restaurant is currently operating at as high a level as it ever has. I don’t accuse LaBan of any mean-spritedness, rather I think it was an unfortunate quirk of timing that he was writing about 4-Bell restaurants at a particular moment, and may have visited the new Django a little too early.

I’m always skeptical about the idea of “too-early,” if the restaurant is open and charging customers to eat there, they ought to be up to speed, and it’s not as if this crew was brand-new to the restaurant scene. But I can imagine that it’s always gong to take a little while to get into the groove of a certain space, get the front and back of the house in sync, etc. But that’s the only explanation I can think of for LaBan’s disappointment and resulting demotion of the restaurant in his bell-ratings.

Anyway, enough pompous philosophizing, here’s what we ate:

(apologies to the food-porn addicts, in a rush to fight friday night traffic, I forgot the camera…)

Amuse-bouche: a small shotglass of cold melon soup, dressed with a couple of drops of bright citrus-flavored oil. This was quite beautiful, and just as tasty, an excellent opening to a spring meal. If I have any criticism, it is that it was presented with no ceremony whatsoever. I’m not suggesting that they need a trumpet fanfare at announce their arrival, but it seemed more like an afterthought: here’s your wine, here are some glasses, oh, right, here’s an amuse…

The signature flower-pot bread as better than I remembered it from before, still a little softer and spongier than my ideal, but actually quite good. It was perfect for soaking up some tasty sauces during the meal. And the ceramic bell of soft butter may be a small touch, but a welcome one.

It’s always a good sign when we have a real problem narrowing down what to order, we wished we had enough people with us to order one of everything.

We started with:

Goat Cheese Gnocchi, House Smoked Salmon, First Crop Peas, Oven Dried Tomatoes, Vermont Crème Fraiche.

This was walking a tightrope, with several bold flavors that could potentially clash, or just result in a dish that was too busy. But I’m happy to report that instead, the very fine ingredients all meshed beautifully, reinforcing one another to create one of the better dishes we’ve had lately. The tiny gnocchi were light and tender, soaking up the slightly tart sauce. The salmon leant a subtle saltiness, the perfect peas some sweetness, the tomatoes and crème fraiche some acidity. Excellent.

Butter-Poached Escargots, Sweet Garlic, Oley Valley Mushrooms, House-Cured Pancetta, Puff Pasty Buttons.

This was quite satisfying even if the result was ultimately a pretty conventional combination. No big surprises, just nicely tender escargots (no rubbery erasers here!) and hearty chunks of mushrooms in a rich, garlicky sauce. The little discrete nuggets of puff pastry were a good, and convenient, alternative to the more conventional blanket of crust, but I could have used a few more of them…

With the apps, we had a bottle of Pierre Morey Meursault 2001, a current Chairman’s selection. We’d tried this at a recent Studio Kitchen dinner where it got steamrolled by truffle syrup, but we suspected it would be a good wine for a different context. And indeed, it was a lovely classic French white Burgundy that only got better as it aired-out a bit, and ended up being an excellent companion for both the starters, and for the cheese plate as well.

Pan-Roasted Duck Breast, Citrus, Goat Cheese and Watercress Salad, Crispy Confit Cigar, Pomegranite Syrup.

The duck breast was perfectly cooked, with great flavor and texture. The tart pomegranite sauce provided a simpatico foil, as did the watercress salad studded with chunks of… hmm… I’m not entirely sure, I’m thinking maybe blood orange? But in what seems like an admirable strength of this kitchen, the second attraction of the plate, the confit-stuffed crunchy “cigar” almost stole the show. I seem to recall that the goat cheese mentioned on the menu had migrated from the salad to the interior of the cigar, I swear I had some cheese oozing out of that tube. This accompaniment seemed to be every bit as well-thought-out as the duck breast, and provided a pleasing textural and flavor contrast. Each thing was good, but the gestalt of the plate truly was greater than the sum of its parts.

Meadow Run Farms lamb T-Bones, Lamb Arancini, Broccoli Rabe Graninée, Lamb Demiglace.

This entrée followed the same pattern: excellently executed main ingredient, accompanied by creative, complimentary components, not merely a starch and veg. The T-Bones themselves were very good, grilled with a nice crust, while remaining juicy and tender. Slices of this were especially nice dragged through the concentrated demi. But what stands out in my mind was the baseball-sized rice fritter, stuffed with shredded lamb. This had great crunch and a creamy interior, not to mention the prize of tasty lamb hidden inside. The lamb T-Bones were good, but hey, it’s grilled lamb… the Arancini was surprising and delicious. The broccoli rabe too was a welcome addition to the plate, giving a slight bitter bite, tempered by a crust of broiled breadcrumbs on top.

With the entrees, we opened another Pierre Morey Burgundy, a red one this time, a Pommard Grand Epenots Premier Cru 2000. And this was a lovely Pinot Noir, one of my favorites of a lot of similar wines we’ve been drinking lately. It’s a little pricier than the Latour Beaune that was a Chairman’s Selection recently, but I think I like it better….

We indulged in the fabled cheese plate, and it maintains the general format: a large variety served in small samples, with very good accompaniments, covering a wide range of styles, origins and flavors. Try as we might, there was no way to keep track of all that cheese, I might suggest a print-out for folks that order this. Having it described as it’s delivered is very nice, but it’s just impossible to keep track of all those names, and we were saddened that we discovered a few that we really liked, but have no idea what they were…. Really, it’s the cost of a few shees of paper, I’ll bet people would like it, both to keep track while they’re eating it, and to take to the cheese shop later. And yes, the madelines were really nice...

And being eGulleteers, we couldn’t resist dessert as well, Many looked good, but we went for the Warm Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, Meyer’s Rum Ice Cream, Dulce de Leche, Vanilla-Ginger Sauce. I liked this a lot, the pineapple mellowing and intensifying in the cake. I’m not sure I detected rum in the ice cream, but it tasted good with the cake, and dragging through the caramel-y sauce added another layer of decadence.

Service was very polished, certainly aiming higher than most BYOBs in town, down to re-folding the napkin of a guest that had gotten up to use the restroom. We were left to pour our own wine, but I don't mind that, I might prefer it actually. We weren’t being ignored, water maintenance was exemplary!

I like the décor better than before, especially the interesting modern art on the walls. It’s still a bit tight, but it’s a tiny place, there’s not much to be done about that unless they just eliminate half the tables. And it still gets pretty darn loud in there, especially if some of the parties are getting raucous. It’s not easy to control sound in a space like that, but I’d love to see some softer surfaces to knock some of those reflections down a bit,

I’m not sure what I think about the stemware. The squat little stemless tasting glasses are fine, but I think I might prefer a conventional glass. When we moved to red we were provided with stemmed glasses, but they were rather small, and not especially elegant. In either case, they are WAY better than the old Django’s glasses, so it’s not much of a complaint.

Overall, we left with a very favorable impression of the restaurant.The food was consistently good, often excellent, service was very good in a pleasantly casual way. And the prices are fair: two apps, two entrees, a cheese plate and a dessert added up to $100. I think Django is currently operating in the top level of BYOBs in the area, and I’m eager to go back and try more.

So I certainly hope that diners ignore the LaBan demotion, and go see for themselves that it’s at least as good as it ever was.

Edited April 9, 2006 by philadining (log)

[matthewj]

I am sorry. And I am no means trying to insult Django, the new and and old owners, and also I am not trying to insult said reader, and blogger. Just interject an opinion

I am fine with Laban relinquishing the 4 star rating of Django as of late.

One. the restaurant cannot hope to obtain the rating simply because it maintained the name, and crust of bread baked in a pot, However cute it maybe. Two, I believe that a restaurant needs to be As Laban puts it . Four bells is superior in "Every aspect of the dinning experience." That means Wine service, Wine list, Wine steward, Professional service, cutting edge food, if not impeachable food. This category of restaurant rating should be and is reserved for the highest standard of restaurant dinning from both the stand point of the guest as well as the critic. These rating should be a benchmark of a superior experience not just Attentive water service, new paint, and a bill that is consumer friendly. If this was the case every restaurant could pattern themselves after mediocrity, rather than try to aim for a higher standard. Such as Le Bec, Fountain Room, and Vetri. These are the markers of excellence.

[philadining]

Sorry, matthewj, I'll have to disagree (and no insult taken, nor any intended in this response.)

In dropping the "new" Django from 4 Bells to 2, LaBan didn't do a mea culpa and say that he came to the realization that a tiny BYOB could never really be worthy of 4 bells. When he granted that original highest-rating on Django he was making a statement that, by his rating standards, a restaurant did not need to be in that same tradition of LeBec Fin et al, that there were other paradigms that could achieve the most satisfying heights of the dining experience.

One could argue that point all day, and that's been done to death. But in the sidebar to his recent 4-bells roundup, where he demoted Passion and Django, he didn't say "what was I smoking? They don't even have a wine program!!" He said that the food and service wasn't nearly as good. And even if 2-Bells is meant to indicate "very good" it certainly reads as a precipitous drop from its previous incarnation.

And Im just saying, from one experience, that it's every bit as good as it was before. I liked it under Bryan and Aimee, I still like it under Greg and Ross. I'm not sure that either was/is operating in 4-Bell territory. That has nothing to do with the wine program, more to do with the space itself, and the style of service. I think 3 Bells is more appropriate for both incarnations. But that's not up to me.

I'll reiterate the point from the first paragraph of my original post: "the impression given by dropping his rating from 4 to 2 gives entirely the wrong view of the current incarnation of Django."

Edited April 9, 2006 by philadining (log)

[matthewj]

I can agree to that. that statement. Maybe he is quick to judge. But his appearances and critics of restaurants is not always consistent with time allotted for the restaurant to come unto its own.

I was very tentative including the wine comments about Django, because I did not want it to become a focus of discussion. In saying that, I believe that it should be addressed since I believe on of the major reasons, that the original owners were not able to obtain a liquor licence is one of the reasons that they left. I also think that Laban wanted to see something more, an almost upward evolution of a restaurant, taking the next step. Not just doing the same genre of food, good or bad. I think that BYOB's were originally a means to and end to start a fully operational restaurant. Now they have become a standard, and a solid wine, service, and overall good dinning experience is often overlooked. Many times patrons will l compare stars or bells... with other stars or bells... Four bell Django Four Bell... Fountain... I agree not in the same catigory, but then BYOBS should have a separate rating.

I also believe the original Django owners unknowingly started this paradigm and should have the credit and recognition follow them. Such as when a chef leaves a restaurant in Europe Michelin demotes the restaurant a star. This way the restaurant, and new chef can win on its own merits, and not just the standard of the old establishment.

In any case nice response Philly dinning. Well said

[Capaneus]

I can agree to that.  that statement.  Maybe he is quick to judge.  But his appearances and critics of restaurants is not always consistent with time allotted for the restaurant to come unto its own.

I was very tentative  including the wine comments about Django, because I did not want it to become a focus of discussion.  In saying that, I believe that it should be addressed since I believe on of the major reasons, that the original owners were not able to obtain a liquor licence is one of the reasons that they left.  I also think that Laban wanted to see something more, an almost upward evolution of a restaurant, taking the next step.  Not just doing the same genre of food, good or bad.  I think that BYOB's were originally a means to and end to start a fully operational restaurant.  Now they have become a standard, and a solid wine, service, and overall good dinning experience is often overlooked. Many times patrons will l compare stars or bells... with other stars or bells... Four bell Django Four Bell... Fountain...  I agree not in the same catigory, but then BYOBS should have a separate rating.

I also believe the original Django owners unknowingly started this paradigm and should have the credit and recognition follow them.  Such as when a chef leaves a restaurant in Europe Michelin demotes the restaurant a star.  This way the restaurant, and new chef can win on its own merits, and not just the standard of the old establishment.

In any case nice response Philly dinning. Well said

←

I see it quite simply: if (and it's a big if) the Django-That-Was merited four bells, then the Django where I ate a couple of weeks ago does too. And so does Marigold Kitchen, come to think of it. I'll concede they may not, but the problem was created by LaBan, when he bestowed the original rating. If what he was going for was recognition of historical significance, I can only say I find that horribly misguided. I expect him to evaluate the dining experience, not give out Lifetime Achievement Awards.

But the other side of that problem is that that he dropped them not to three bells, but to two. And when I look at the lists of three-bells and two-bells BYOBs, as rated by the Inky, I find it really easy to see where I'd place Django, both because of what it does and what it doesn't.

Couple that with LaBan's personal relationship with the former owners, and I strongly suspect that someone's biases were not accounted for.

[Mottmott]

Django 2 stars; Villa de Roma, 2 stars.

[TarteTatin]

There's probably 5 search titles under "Django", not sure which one I should post under...

Anyway. Oh, my. Last night at Django. Party of four.

Sloppy, is the word that comes to mind. Both the service and the food.

It's still a good place, and I will go back, and it wasn't awful. It's just that my expectations of what we've had there before made it difficult to accept the many problems...

It all started off with the Champagne. We'd brought this really good bottle that we hand carried back from Reims, Champagne last year. Not only did the waitress grab it off the table (when I was in the business, I handled good bottles with a bit of...care...I think that's the word). But she proceeded to fling open the cork and lots of it spilled onto the floor and chair. She put the bottle down on the table, and took out her rag and wiped the floor and chair. Nary a smile, or an apology, or anything. She then poured it, rather rushed, and proceeded to dribble lots of drops from each glass and over pouring it so that the foam started rushing out of our glasses. Again, just a rushed response, looking over her shoulder as to what else she needed to do. The service was like that the whole night...Champagne glasses remained on the table until we were done with our next bottle of wine and we had to ask for them to be removed, along with the wine bucket from the second bottle of wine....plates were not cleared for about 20 minutes after each course...We still tipped her over 20%, and I kick myself for doing so.

At the beginning, the amuse got spilled. I think that was my hubby's fault, for flinging his hands about in such the tight table space. It was a cold Watermelon and cucumber soup shot. It tasted like Watermelon juice. (The Watermelon and Habanero soup at Tap last week was much more flavorful and interesting).

Now, one of the biggest food issues. I ordered the "Torchon of Foie Gras with Pickled Peaches, Vanilla Hazelnut vinaigrette, Brioche toasts" appetizer. (Probably because Chicago is on my mind!). Two small round discs of cold foie gras pate arrived...with the plastic outer wrapping still on it!!! Yes, you read that right. They buy in this torchon pate, which comes with this sausage like plastic around it, and they forgot to take this outer wrapping off of my foie gras! It was clear plastic, so when I tried to cut into it, it wouldn't cut, and I proceeded to peel it off....Then, they forgot the toasts that were supposed to come with it. I asked the waitress for the toasts. She looked at me funny. I said that the menu said there were supposed to be toasts with it. About five minutes later these really weird round sort of toasts came out of the kitchen, like they didn't really know what to serve as toasts and just made this up with a piece of bread last minute for me. The foie Gras was tasteless. It came with a side of peach compote, (didn't taste pickled)which was good, but with the foie gras it hid even more of the no taste of the foie gras (if that makes sense). No vinaigrette anywhere... There was also a side of fried little onion bits, that had been fried a few hours ago and were soggy. When the waitress cleared my plate, I called her over and showed her the large round piece of plastic that was the only thing left on my plate. Nary a word or apology...

Others had veal sweetbreads for an app, and this lovely beef tartare with fried oyster app. Both liked theirs, although there was a big inconsistency in the two that ordered the former, as one came with lots of plump oysters, and one had a tiny amount...

Now my dinner problem!

I order the "Grecian Lamb tasting". Great idea, lamb three ways. Asked how it was served, she said medium rare, I said great. When it came, mine was the only plate she said was super hot, and to be careful not to touch it. Okay. It was beautiful. A Lamb chop over a greek salad, three little meatballs in the middle, and a side round dish of moussaka. I cut into the Lamb chop and it was Medium Well. Just a touch of pink. Well, from years of working in the biz, I know what that means. It's also why my plate was hot. My dish was done way before everyone else's, and was sitting under the lights, and, cooking some more. I didn't turn it back...there were four of us and everyone was talking, and...I had already complained once...The lamb meatballs were cute and dense and okay. The Moussakka was delicious. Lamb strips and a great topping. Clearly a winner.

Others had: "Skate and Eggs", despite the title, topped with a single fried egg, which he really liked. Duck breast looked good, which was also supposed to have Foie Gras in it, but he said he didn't taste any...someone else had the veal sweetbread app....Desserts were a Cheese Plate, which everyone always raves about, but a fingernail (literally) full of 5 cheeses doesn't allow you to really taste any of them. Especially for $13... And a lot of condiments and crackers...also a Chocolate Almond Terrine which was good.

So. Django is still creative. Look at those titles! Skate and eggs. Grecian Lamb three ways. Etc.

But for $26, I want my Lamb chop to be cooked medium rare!

Also, re-reading the menu this morning, the descriptions sound so inviting. Listen to this:

"Red-Thai Curry Spiced Angus Beef Tartare, Sesame Crusted Oysters, Coconut-Lime Vinaigrette, Lemongrass Aoli". However, although very good, none of those flavors were distinguishable!

Hubby said he didn't taste any Lemongrass Aoli, or Coconut Lime Vinaigrette, or Sesame on the Oysters, etc. It was all very good! The titles are so busy, but really, it was simply good tartare with good fried oysters...

When the waitress brought the check, she said she had taken off the bill my Foie Gras appetizer. That's really nice.

The kitchen and the service were really off last night. Which does happen! Django is creative. I'd be interested to hear about the next time someone eats there...

Added note: Hubby says its possible they could have made their own Torchon of Foie Gras, (instead of buying it in), but they would still need to remove the plastic it was made in!

[Jeff L]

I'm just wondering why you left a better than 20% tip for this kind of service. There's a discussion somewhere about tipping and why most people feel it's their obligation to tip well even if they encounter poor service. Fortunately, I'm not one of those people.

I'd also let Greg Salisbury know about this if for no other reason than to help your server find a job in another industry she might be better suited for as it seems that she really shouldn't be in this one. I mean the champagne alone would have set me right off and I probably would have snatched the bottle from her after the 1st glass was poured and done the rest myself.

As to the food, any restaurant can have an off night...it's the obvious lack of attention to your table that would piss me off. Just sayin is all

Jeff

[Vadouvan]

1.

Anyone can type a menu and use evocative prose, the trick is to make sure the flavor matches the prose.

2.

If they made the torchon, they would have wrapped it with Saran Wrap or similar thickness kitchen film. If the plastic was thick enough that you could not slice it or clear enough that nobody noticed it, then it is commercial grade vaccuum packaging which means they probably bought the torchon.

It is better sliced with the plastic on so it holds shape however, someone needs to be detailed enough to notice it.

3. Greg salisbury is no longer affiliated with Django.

Direct your comments to Ross Essner.

4. I encourage people to control thier experiences.

When I take special bottles to BYO's I open it myself.

Most waiters in BYO's save for Brett at marigold dont know how to open wine without tilting or shaking it up.

[TarteTatin]

Thanks for both of your comments....Jeff, as far as the overtipping: It's one of those things that we were with another couple celebrating their birthday, then we drank a lot of wine and thirdly, hubby paid the tip. He does that overzealously, having been in the biz himself for so many years. Had it been me...

V.-I do think you are right, it was very thick plastic casing, so probably bought in...and I do agree, we should have insisted on opening our own wine. No excuse for us not doing that, especially as Sam was a Sommelier for years, and I a wine steward. It's just sort of that feeling that we are wanting good service, and that includes wine service. Especially at a place that has earned the reputation that Django has.

I really prefer the "prose" of Standard Tap, where they say, "Boar", or "Mussels and Sausage". If you want to know what's in it besides, the staff will tell you. The other night there, we had "White Peach Ice Cream" and were surprised to deduce that it had Cardomon in it. That's fun too, deconstructing the flavors...

It's all a learning experience!

[Vadouvan]

Especially at a place that has earned the reputation that Django has.

The reputation was based on the previous owners not the current ones.

Not my opinion just so no one gets thier panties in a bunch, just the facts.

[Jeff L]

3. Greg salisbury is no longer affiliated with Django.

Direct your comments to Ross Essner.

4. I encourage people to control thier experiences.

When I take special bottles to BYO's I open it myself.

Most waiters in BYO's save for Brett at marigold dont know how to open wine without tilting or shaking it up.

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I was unaware of Greg's departure. I assume he is still involved with RX?

I do the same with very good bottles. I have had experiences similar to what Susan describes at some other byo's and see no reason to risk it.

[mcwein]

My wife and I have been regulars at Django for the past five years -- and by regulars I mean we go there at least once a month. We are well known to the staff, including Ross.

We love the place, the food, and the staff. Having said that, there's no excuse for the poor service or the inconsistency in the dishes you were served.

Ross is truly a wonderful guy. I'm sure if you write to him, he will get back to you.

Early on in Ross's tenure, I'd say for the first 6 months, we experienced some inconsistencies as well -- mainly food that should have been hotter. However, we've never had anything resembling your experience, which, I'll say again, is inexcusable.

Keep this in mind too, for what it's worth: the staff, for all intents and purposes, is new. I think only two of the original servers are still there. We know the ones who left, and I can tell you that they did not leave because of Ross (actually there's one server who went to Striped Bass, and I don't know why she left Django). As you may know, Aimee trained the stafff when she and Bryan owned Django. Bryan cooked (did he ever!). Now Ross has no Aimee. Christine, Aimee's protege, went to Ithaca to open a restaurant with her husand. Again, I'm not making excuses for the poor service you received -- I'm just giving you the lowdown.

I agree that you should not have tipped well for the shoddy service.

Having said all that, I hope you will get in touch with Ross, and I hope you will return to Django.

My (more than) two cents.

BTW, we love Marigold Kitchen and are regulars there as well. Brett is the best thing that happend to that place. The cooking was always great -- and Michael is out of this world. But it took Brett to make Marigold a great experience time after time, IMO.

[TarteTatin]

Good news, all!

I didn't have the chance to contact Ross yet; but he must have heard about this post.

The other couple that we were with (and whose name the reservation was under), received a phone call today from a very nice man, who I assume was Ross.

He must have figured out where we were sitting, and called.

Our friend said he was extraordinarily nice, apologizing, talking about wine, etc...We will be going back soon.. He said the man couldn't have been nicer, and talked with him for awhile.

We still love Django, and it's obvious that they care very much about the opinions of their customers and want everyone to have a positive experience.

I think that was the gist of the conversation.

[jelly]

BTW, we love Marigold Kitchen and are regulars there as well. Brett is the best thing that happend to that place. The cooking was always great -- and Michael is out of this world. But it took Brett to make Marigold a great experience time after time, IMO.

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Is this the same Brett that used to be at Amada? He's great. We haven't been back to Marigold since Jonathan left but friends were there recently and loved it.

[KatieLoeb]

BTW, we love Marigold Kitchen and are regulars there as well. Brett is the best thing that happend to that place. The cooking was always great -- and Michael is out of this world. But it took Brett to make Marigold a great experience time after time, IMO.

←

Is this the same Brett that used to be at Amada? He's great. We haven't been back to Marigold since Jonathan left but friends were there recently and loved it.

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Different Brett. Brett H. still works with me at Amada as a server/bartender. Brett Meier-Tompkins worked as a manager at Rouge and then moved to Marigold as management.

[jelly]

Different Brett.  Brett H. still works with me at Amada as a server/bartender.  Brett Meier-Tompkins worked as a manager at Rouge and then moved to Marigold as management.

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Thanks Katie.

[RuthWells]

3. Greg salisbury is no longer affiliated with Django.

Direct your comments to Ross Essner.

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Does anyone know what the story is, there? I assume he's still affiliated with Rx?

[the rod]

i'm pretty sure greg is still with RX but not Django. I'm not quite sure what happened there, but it seems to be a long story.

Edited November 9, 2006 by the rod (log)

[RuthWells]

i'm pretty sure greg is still with RX but not Django.  I'm not quite sure what happened there, but it seems to be a long story.

←

Thanks.

[Tim Dolan]

I've always been reluctant to head to a place like Django, mostly because I fashion myself a pretty picky eater. I'm not a big fan of fruits or vegetables of any kind, and in anti-eGullet fashion I'm usually hesitant to try anything new (food-wise). As such, I've always been a little worried that I would run into a menu that would be heavy enough on the veggies that I wouldn't be able to find anything that I like. I've been slowly breaking my "I won't try anything with fruits or veggies" mode over the past few years, and my dinner there last night highlighted something about my rationale that deep down I knew all along. Clearly, I'm a fool.

In short, last night's meal was excellent. It was easily the best dinner I've had in a long time. We started out with an amuse bouche of calamari and chorizo that was simmered in squid ink. The squid came on a crispy, bite-sized piece of flatbread and was nice and tender. The subtle spicy kick from the chorizo was a solid compliment. This was a sign of good things to come.

When I was studying the menu to see which dish had the least veggies, I settled on the goat cheese gnocchi with porcini mushrooms as my app. I figured that the mushrooms would be big enough for me to pick through in a weird, O.C.D. kinda way. The gnocchi were some of the best I've ever had. I've always read about how gnocchi are supposed to be light and airy but I've never had a dish that really delivers that feeling. That is, until last night. Really, my mouth is watering right now just thinking about them. There was one small problem. The more gnocchi I devoured, the more mushrooms remained. At this point, I decided to throw caution the the wind and go after the porcinis. And you know what? I actually liked them. Alot! This was a slightly groundbreaking moment for me. I'm always shocked when I try some new food, no matter how ordinary, and actual enjoy it. Anyway, the gnocchi and porcinis came in a light, creamy sauce that was spiked with the sharp saltiness of good pecorino romano. When nothing was left I went straight for the flower pot for a piece of bread to mop up the sauce, a la mussels in red sauce style. There's no shame in my game. My girlfriend ordered escargot, which were quite good, but I was too enamored with my gnocchi to really pay attention.

Up next was the hanger steak. Three beautiful slices of steak cooked just past rare. Being the carnivore that I am, I pulled a David Copperfield on that steak and made it instantly disappear. But what's this underneath? A bed of greens that normally would've sat on the plate untouched, except these greens were mixed with bits of pancetta. Mmmm, pancetta. I tore into the greens like a miner searching for pancetta gold. So, so good. The steak also came with a side of sweet potato somethingorother that was quite enjoyable (potatoes and corn on the cob are the exceptions to my now crumbling no-veggies rule).

Even better than my steak was my girlfriend's lamb chop, which came with a little pot of what I believe was some type of pulled pork. She was too stuffed to finish her plate, so the pork was sent my way. It had dice tomatoes mixed in, which usually would've turned me off, but since I was shattering my old rules I dove right in. I was so glad I did. The pork was laced with a wonderfully savory sauce and was so tender it filled my mouth with braised goodness. I could eat that all day and night.

Our dessert of a chocolate terrine with almond ice cream capped off our meal perfectly. It was a dense, fudgey slice that would satisfy any chocoholic, myself included.

All in all, it was great. Service was attentive and friendly, the pacing of the meal was right on point. The table sitting next to us enjoyed their meal so much that they asked their waitress to pencil them in for another reservation tonight. And if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go kick myself for not doing the same.

[mcwein]

As a steady customer at Django for the past 5 years, I'm thrilled when I hear (deservedly) great things about Ross's cooking. Ross was presented with a huge challenge when he took over what could arguably be called the best BYOB in Philly when Aimee and Bryan owned the place. I think Ross does a terrific job. Too bad Craig LaBan keeps reviewing the restaurant for what it isn't -- i.e., a restaurant run by Aimee and Bryan.

FWIW, Ross told us about the split in partnership. Not pretty, but it's in the past. We're going there again in two weeks, and as usual, we can't wait.

[Andrew Fenton]

We went to Django last night, for the first time in almost two years, lured in by a March weeknight special: $30 for three courses. That's a great deal.

It seems like they've toned down the menu a little bit-- or rather, the menu has expanded to include more toned-down offerings, like a crab cake, filet and so on. I suppose, too, that six years ago, when they opened, Django was doing something that was really different and out of the box for Philadelphia; at this point, a lot of places have caught up or passed them. What was once really noteworthy has become a lot more straightforward. There's nothing wrong with that, and in fact, it brings the restaurant closer to its original mission as a good neighborhood place.

The food is still good: I was happy with the goat cheese and wild mushroom gnocchi, and liked their duck dish: sliced duck with a wee confit (or maybe rillette, I don't remember) sandwich. Cute! The missus was less happy with her filet, which I agree was a little weird. It looked as if they cooked (not much of a sear, alas) and sliced it, then cooked the individual slices again: the slices were browned on one side. Odd. More goat cheese for dessert: a sampler of three cheeses, and a goat cheese cake. Those were both fine; I wanted cheese and got it, and the cheese cake was about what you'd expect, not socks-knocking-off. (Though our friend absolutely loved her pistachio French toast; it looked pretty great.)

But there were all kinds of little things that went wrong with the meal. Individually, they're pretty minor, but as an aggregate, they really seem to mark a drop-off in quality:

- several typos on the menu, e.g. "mascerated grapes." The worst is the announcement, at around the second line of the menu, that you can order "Al A Carte."

- some issues with service. Our waitress didn't know what everything on the menu was. One of us asked about kohlrabi, and got a blank stare for a few seconds, until the waitress could check the menu. Is it petty that I was annoyed that there was a dish billed as a "spelt tasting", and one of the items was an "ancient recipe spelt bread", but the waitress has no idea what that meant? (Seriously, did they get it off a cuneiform tablet from the Penn Museum?) There were a couple of other issues like this; individually, not a huge deal, but at a restaurant that has as a hallmark a complex menu, they should also have a well-trained staff that can explain those complexities.

- the tables around us were served an amuse-bouche, but we weren't. I assume they just forgot us (and didn't ignore us deliberately), but it feels like something of a slight. Again, I don't know: is this petty? Should I have complained?

So there you go. Nothing was awful (if there was more sloppiness than there ought to be), though nothing was really amazing, either. And $30 is unquestionably a heck of a deal.