Django, Philadelphia

[Holly Moore]

...

I did take some pictures, but alas, was too embarrassed to turn on the flash (didn't seem necessary at the time), which did not do the food any justice, so I decided not to post them here 

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Not to worry re the flash. I asked permission of the hostess and she said fine. Probably best to ask first, but I suspect it won't be an issue when you return.

[wkl]

I ate at Django Sunday night.We are really lucky to have a place so committed to doing things right.It would be pretty easy for Brian and Aimee to move to a larger space to accomodate all the reservations they must turn down, but they are obviously serious about keeping the food at a such a level that would be tough to dupplicate if they had a higher volume to handle.

There were four of us so we all got to sample each others food.For the most part everything was exceptional.My only quibble would be that the bison loin, while perfectly cooked, didn't have a much flavor.The pheasant entree is outstanding.Everybody should try and get a reservation to try it.

[Andrew Fenton]

So we had a late dinner at Django last night. It was fantastic, as always; but you knew that.

What was really surprising was the venison carpaccio appetizer. It came with a "crisp onion and celeriac salad": a little bit of frisee and julienned celeriac, resting on an onion ring. That lone onion ring was one of the best onion rings I've had (and I consider myself something of a conoisseur). Nice and thick, crispy, with a slightly spicy coating.

Which got me thinking that Aimee and Bryan ought to open a hamburger restaurant (call it "Stephane"). How kewl would that be?

[mrbigjas]

that venison carpaccio can be really great. i've had it a couple of times now; the first time, the carpaccio was completely overshadowed by the accompaniment, to the point where you couldn't really taste it. but this past time, when we had the dish you describe above, it was really super.

[Andrew Fenton]

Well, if I'm to be honest, I think the carpaccio was overshadowed in this version, too. I mean, it was good, and I liked it, but I was really blown away by that onion ring. And wondering what a Django version of a bacon cheeseburger would be.

[cjsadler]

We were up from DC to visit someone in Philly for the day on Sun and had dinner at Django. We were able to sneak in since it was during the Super Bowl (Sorry, but what can I say... we're not football fans). Iggles fans on South St. were going nuts.

I had a delicious beer and cheddar soup made with Victory Golden Monkey (a great Belgian style brew). A comfort food favorite of mine taken to a whole new level (I forget the name of the cheese used, though). We had trout and grouper for entrees, both nicely done.

The hazelnut madeleins my girlfriend had for dessert were perfection (jeez-- if some of my guy friends knew I was off eating madeleins during the super bowl I would never hear the end of it). The apple 'trio' I had was really disappointing. A crisp apple and gelee terrine was just raw apples layered with jelled apple-- sorta reminded me of those old jello molds with fruit suspended in them. The apple-maple sorbet was ok and the third part of the trio, a date-apple cake was boring and dry.

We drank some nice Savannah-Chenelle Pinot Noir from CA. No BYOBs in DC, so I love being able to bring a bottle I've been wanting to drink.

[g_camper]

Had dinner at Django tonight - I cannot get over the service, food, and atmosphere that they bring together so smoothly and seemingly effortlessly.

Everything was supperb (except, I could have brought a better wine).

I had venison carpaccio, veal (melt in your mouth) and the wonderful cheese plate. Nothing could have been done better.

SWAMBO had some of the most delectible gnocchi, followed by scallops and almond, almond, and almond dessert.

The pacing was perfect, the waitstaff was perfect, and mon dieu - I LOVE THIS PLACE.

Great value - great food - great people - even the music is great.

Can't wait to go back. Too bad it takes so long to get a reservation.

[percyn]

Just a quick tip for Django (or most places were reservations are hard to get), your chances improve greatly if you are flexible in your dining time and are willing to take a 9:30pm or later reservation.

[TarteTatin]

We had our anniversary dinner there last night.

Excellent.

I had, "Foie Gras Parfait Terrine, Dried Cherry Gelee, Walnut Toast, Duck sauce, and shredded pheasant rillette" to start.

He had, "Sauteed Veal Sweetbreads, stacked phyllo crisps and whipped potato, parmesan, truffle-scented veal sauce".

Entrees:

Me: "Day Boat Scallops, Handmade Bowties and clam sauce, sweet onion, herbs, buttery chardonnay clam sauce"

He" Seared Pheasant breast, potato-gruyere gratin, braised pheasant leg meat, black trumpets, rich pheasant jus".

Dessert:

Me: "Orange-saffron sorbet, creamy cardamom-honey panna cotta, pistachio brittle"

He: "Goat cheese cake, toasted pine nut-brown surgar crust, tangy lemon curd"

All super.

Total $93.

Of course, we brought a bottle of Castellane champagne and a Crozes Hermitage '99.

Incroyable.

Good grits.

[CherieV]

Finally, finally had dinner at Django!! It was my fiance's birthday and they fit us in at 9:30. Food was amazing! Service was just OK but take into consideration I worked at Le Bec and the Fountain so I am a hard judge of service. The food though will have me coming back!

We ate 4 courses each and every bite was well worth the indulgence. I started with a fish chowder finished with hushpuppies. Really light and delicate is how I can describe it. My fiance started with goat cheese gnocchi in a porchini ivory sauce. Unbelievable! Please order this if you are going in June. Very delicate with sublte mushroom flavor. Second, we had octopus puttanesca salad and a roasted prosciutto salad. Really good too but not my favorite. Entree's were guinea hen and lamb. Really nice and supurbly prepared. I enjoyed the rustic style of the food and the flavor combo's. The chef has a very refined palate and executes his dishes as well as I have ever seen either in the US or France. This meal was well worth twice what I paid for it! Not that I am complaining. Our cheese course was one of the best examples I have seen since Artisnal. They covered all the bases with style, type and pungency. Well done to say the least. Dessert we had a goat cheese cake which was light as air and delightful. I can't wait to return and we are so lucky to have such talent in this city.

Edited June 3, 2005 by CherieV (log)

[bilrus]

My fiance started with goat cheese gnocchi in a porchini ivory sauce.  Unbelievable!  Please order this if you are going in June.  Very delicate with sublte mushroom flavor. 

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I can guarantee that if it is on the menu, I will order that next Friday when I am there. Unless my wife beats me to it.

I do have one question before I go. How does the whole BYO thing work (we don't have this sort of thing in DC)? DO you just walk in with bottle(s) and give them to someone?

Clue me in and help me not look like a tourist.

Edited June 3, 2005 by bilrus (log)

[Andrew Fenton]

I do have one question before I go.  How does the whole BYO thing work (we don't have this sort of thing in DC)?  DO you just walk in with bottle(s) and give them to someone? 

It all depends. If you have a particularly good bottle, you should stride boldly into the center of the restaurant, proudly lift your bottle into the air and shout

"I am Bilrus, King of Kings! Look on my liquor, ye mighty, and despair!"

Then everybody will know just how cool you are.

[mrbigjas]

the most important thing in BYOBdom is to request... no, demand that the restaurant provide you GIANT RIEDEL GLASSES. sommelier series are of course the first choice, but if they insist you could go with something slightly smaller, as long as you huff and sigh a lot. and say things like, 'boy this goat cheese gnocchi with porcini ivory sauce would be a lot better if i had a decent GIANT REIDEL GLASS so i could really enjoy the nuances of my kenwood chardonnay along with it' just loud enough for the patrons near you to hear.

[Andrew Fenton]

No, no, the important thing to do is to make sure your server removes the paper bag from your bottle of Mad Dog 20/20. Then you can ask, "hey, would the goat cheese gnocchi or the fish chowder go better with this fine bottle of Pink Grapefruit?"

[mrbigjas]

p.s. only kidding, bill. just bring your bottle in, hand it to the waitress, and things progress from there pretty naturally. while, as cheriev said, django's service isn't like a super-high-end fancy restaurant, it is definitely casual and professional and you won't be made to feel out of place at all.

[mrbigjas]

No, no, the important thing to do is to make sure your server removes the paper bag from your bottle of Mad Dog 20/20.  Then you can ask, "hey, would the goat cheese gnocchi or the fish chowder go better with this fine bottle of Pink Grapefruit?"

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you're drinking the pink grapefruit 20/20 with the fish chowder? philistine. everyone knows that the kiwi-strawberry night train is the wine of choice for that.

[Andrew Fenton]

No, no, the important thing to do is to make sure your server removes the paper bag from your bottle of Mad Dog 20/20.  Then you can ask, "hey, would the goat cheese gnocchi or the fish chowder go better with this fine bottle of Pink Grapefruit?"

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you're drinking the pink grapefruit 20/20 with the fish chowder? philistine. everyone knows that the kiwi-strawberry night train is the wine of choice for that.

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Dude, I was made to break all the rules. Except, of course, "Pantera Rules!"

[Andrew Fenton]

p.s. only kidding, bill.  just bring your bottle in, hand it to the waitress, and things progress from there pretty naturally.  while, as cheriev said, django's service isn't like a super-high-end fancy restaurant, it is definitely casual and professional and you won't be made to feel out of place at all.

What mrbigjas said, of course. One point: Django is notorious for using crappy stemware. If you won't be happy without GIANT RIEDEL GLASSES or whatever, you could probably bring your own, though I've never seen anybody do that.

[mrbigjas]

do you remember at first pizza club, when that table of people near us at tacconellis had giant riedel glasses? while we were drinking wine out of plastic dixie cups? that one seemed really odd to me. i mean, somewhere like django or marigold where you're bringing something special, sure, but tacconelli's?

given django's reputation for crappy glassware, i wouldn't hesitate to bring my own glasses if i cared that much. fortunately i don't, so that's something less to carry.

[cinghiale]

Yeah, I tried bringing my own Spiegelau in awhile back, bein' all cool and shit. Discovered that one of my bottles pulverized one of my (yes, not very well packed) glasses on the walk over. Like I said, sooo cool was I. So now it's just "gimme the crappy cafeteria ware and I'll suffer in silence."

[philadining]

I think the folks at Django would have enough sense to ask, but the one trick to BYOB wine service concerns multiple bottles. If you've brought more that one, to have some options, or for multiple courses, whatever, overzealous servers have been known to open all of them immediately, even if one of them might have been a back-up. Again, most places will ask.

The problem at Django is that the tables are pretty small, there's not a lot of space for multiple bottles. But if you just put the bottle you're going to drink up on the table, they'll know what to do with it!

I like Andrew's original idea, if you do have a particularly nice bottle, try parading around the room with it, sticking it in people's faces and shouting "how 'bout DAT?!? Prem-yay crew, baybeee!!!" They'll remember you...

If I lived around the corner, and had some really outstanding wine that would clearly be improved by ideal stemware, I might think about bringing something with me, but I've never been all that bothered by less-than-ideal glasses, even the little juice glasses at Farmicia were fine for the level of wines I was drinking. It's a nice touch when they have nice glasses, one thing I like about Marigold, but not all that crucial unless you're drinking something really swanky.

[Mummer]

The first stop for the first pizza club was at Tacconelli's.

A group brought stemware.

I don't think anything was crushed by their wine box.

[CherieV]

I'm glad to see you all were bothered with the stemware too. Besides me (of course) there were some pretty nice bottles being popped and we drank out of the same crappy glasses that we get a bar?! I wonder why they cut corners here? Their food is worthy of great wine and I hate not drinking great wine out of proper glasses. I think bringing your own glasses is tacky and pretentious but I understand if you must.

[herbacidal]

It all depends.  If you have a particularly good bottle, you should stride boldly into the center of the restaurant, proudly lift your bottle into the air and shout

"I am Bilrus, King of Kings!  Look on my liquor, ye mighty, and despair!"

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Shelley, Adapted for the 21st Century.

[Andrew Fenton]

I think bringing your own glasses is tacky and pretentious but I understand if you must.

Well yeah, I never bring fancy-schmancy glasses to a restaurant. But then again, when I'm at home I usually drink out of a dog bowl on the floor, so just about anything is a step up.