marigold revisited, ex-Salt

[katbert]

This is from a listserv mssg that quoted a direct email to someone else.

disclaimer: I have no affiliation whatsoever w/ the Marigold restaurant, its kitchen, its staff, or monkeys, etc.

----------------------start of blurb----------------------

Thank you for your continued interest in the opening of the Marigold Kitchen, formerly the Marigold Dining Room. It was a pleasure speaking with you on the phone yesterday; here are details regarding the information we discussed and the open-house on October 5th:

The restaurant will be re-opening its doors for business on Wednesday, October 13th under the name the Marigold Kitchen. In the six months since its close, the restaurant was purchased by Steven Cook, a chef formerly of Twenty Manning and Salt, both in Rittenhouse Square. Steve was trained at the French Culinary Institute in New York and is a graduate of Penn's Wharton School of Business. It is his vision to blend a current trend in modern-American cuisine with the century-old tradition of University City.

Through considerable re-design of the dining room and kitchen, we have taken great strides to create an atmosphere that is beautifully modern while still reminiscent of the restaurant's rich history. Also, the first menu is intended to be inviting to long-time visitors to the Marigold as well as exciting to those guests, perhaps the same, who are seeking a more innovative cuisine.

On Tuesday, October 5th, the Marigold Kitchen is opening its doors for one evening to give Marigold enthusiasts a first glimpse of the restaurant's interior, as well as an opportunity to view the menu and meet the management and staff. The doors will be open from 5:30 to 9:30, our normal operating hours, and light refreshments will be served.

Again, I appreciate your interest in the Marigold. Please feel free to contact me with any questions at any time.

Jonathan Makar

General Manager

The Marigold Kitchen

PH: (215) 222-3699

jon@marigold-kitchen.com

-------------------------------------end of doohickey

[chowfun]

I havent been to Marigold in about twenty years. It had old fashioned comfort food before comfort food was trendy. I remember having roast chicken dinners and ice cream cake roll for dessert.

[Holly Moore]

In the six months since its close, the restaurant was purchased by Steven Cook, a chef formerly of Twenty Manning and Salt, both in Rittenhouse Square.  Steve was trained at the French Culinary Institute in New York and is a graduate of Penn's Wharton School of Business. 

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Interesting educational background. I wonder which came first, the French Culinary Institute or Wharton, and if there was a master plan that envisioned both institutions of learning?

It is his vision to blend a current trend in modern-American cuisine with the century-old tradition of University City.

Boy, I had totally forgotten about Marigold. I rank Marigold right up there with the long gone Strolli's. I think Marigold, I think meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy. And I think walking away stuffed, mellow and happy, my pocket a-jingling with change back from my ten dollar bill.

A "modern-American cuisine" approach to comfort food could be really interesting if that's where he's heading, though probably not based on his training and work experience.

[Rich Pawlak]

Interesting educational background.  I wonder which came first, the French Culinary Institute or Wharton, and if there was a master plan that envisioned both institutions of learning?

Boy, I had totally forgotten about Marigold.  I rank Marigold right up there with the long gone Strolli's.  I think Marigold, I think meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy.  And I think walking away stuffed, mellow and happy, my pocket a-jingling with change back from my ten dollar bill. 

A "modern-American cuisine" approach to comfort food could be really interesting if that's where he's heading, though probably not based on his training and work experience.

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Marigold was one of my favorite places to eat off campus during my college days at Penn and afterward. One of the very first places I remember taking a bottle of wine and doing the BYOB thing. I even mentioned it in my first piece for STYLE magazine. I really loved their meatloaf, too, Holly, and the chicken fricasee. I'm now dying to see what they do with the place.

[KatieLoeb]

I remember treating myself to a "nice" dinner at Marigold several times with my roommate whist still an undergrad at Penn. It was like going over to Grandma's for dinner and we both loved it. I'm delighted that it's coming back and am eagerly anticipating this latest incarnation.

[GregD]

Went to their open house, where they served some appetizers and truffles and chatted with people who wandered in. The interior is quite different. There's a bathroom downstairs! A big change. And there's an effort to make things a little sleeker and more metallic, both on the interior and in the exterior signage. Though the space is essentially what it is and was.

The appetizers and truffles were tasty. The sample menus were laid out--it looks more adventurous and probably more expensive than the old Marigold menu. In fact, the menus looked like they could have been Rx menus. A steak in a sauce, a striped bass, etc. No prices listed. I, too, liked the old Marigold, but these menus looked, frankly, more appealing.

I'm eager to check it out when it opens next week. Will report once I do.

[Greg Salisbury]

Hmmmm....

[KatieLoeb]

Hmmmm....

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Is it time for the big ten gallon hats? Is Spruce Hill big enough for both Marigold and Rx??

Tune in next week as our hero prepares for a West Philly gunfight for the BYOB Championship of the Free World As We Know It, and defends his honor and his turf...

[Mottmott]

West Phila becomes the "Brooklyn" of Phila? Good food is like love, spreading it around makes more of it, not less.

[shinyboots]

I posted my review of the new and improved Marigold Kitchen today on my blog Minor Gourmandry.

In short, the restaurant was very strong and exceeded any expectations for a place that formerly served meatloaf with mashed taters. The price was right and so were the dishes. My review is complete with pix so you can dream about your next visit to this neighborhood cuisine gone haute...

[KatieLoeb]

I posted my review of the new and improved Marigold Kitchen today on my blog Minor Gourmandry.

In short, the restaurant was very strong and exceeded any expectations for a place that formerly served meatloaf with mashed taters. The price was right and so were the dishes. My review is complete with pix so you can dream about your next visit to this neighborhood cuisine gone haute...

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Excellent review, Shinyboots! And your pictures came out great. I too, enjoyed dinner there and thought it was an excellent value for the quality of food and level of professional service. I sent some friends there last night that were looking for "something new" that was also BYOB and got a rave review phone call from them this morning.

West Philly is turning into our Philly's little outpost of great values! Between the wonderful BYO choices like Rx, Nan and now Marigold, and the various ethnic choices like Thai, Indian, Vietnamese, Ethiopian and Senegalese, it's well worth the short drive over the bridge to go exploring.

[philadining]

I was lucky enough to be at that same dinner with Katie and Holly and the prodigious shinyboots, as well as the guys from PhillyLunchbox.com, and I'll echo their comments that Marigold Kitchen is a very promising new restaurant. Everything we had (and we had, well... everything...) was skillfuly done and of a high quality. Of course, some things were more thrilling than others.

At the risk of blatant shilling (Katie promised she wouldn't yell at me) I posted more thoughts about the food at my own humble amateur site, so rather than blather on about every jus and rillette and savory marmalade, you can read more here if you're interested:

Marigold Kitchen review at philadining.com

I'll be curious to see how the winter menu changes. I hope not much! They are doing a couple of tasting dinners for the new menu in the days before thanksgiving, details at their website:

Marigold Kitchen

I'm hoping to make it to one of those, if the transportation gods are smiling.

And although this is surely not the right place for this kind of thing, let me just say hello, and mention how, for some time, I've enjoyed lurking around this forum and benefiting from the accumulated knowledge of this crowd. A few folks encouraged me to stop peering out the window from behind the curtains and come out and play with the other kids, so, umm, well, hey, hi, how are ya? And please don't beat me with that wiffle bat.

[mrbigjas]

welcome philadining. don't worry, there's no wiffle bats here, but we were just starting a game of hide the belt. wanna play? rich is it.

hahaha

i like the look of your website, btw, except for those insanely annoying hoopty yahoo intrusions. there's waaaay cheap hosting out there; you shouldn't have to settle for yahoo taking over big chunks of your pages.

[philadining]

i like the look of your website, btw, except for those insanely annoying hoopty yahoo intrusions.  there's waaaay cheap hosting out there; you shouldn't have to settle for yahoo taking over big chunks of your pages.

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Thanks, and my apologies for the Yahoo ads. To be honest I'd forgotten all about them, I web-surf with Safari on a Mac and it blocks all that pop-up stuff. But you make a good point, I put the site on yahoo when it was merely a whim, and then got carried away, and at this point it probably ought to get moved or upgraded or something. When I have a spare minute...

And yeah, i'm getting pretty good at hide the belt! Count me in.

[KatieLoeb]

<sounds of crowd roaring in approval>

Yay! Stop the presses! Phil A. Dining comes out of hiding! Woo-hoo! Glad I could finally convince you to join us out here on the playground. And neither I nor Holly will yell at you for linking your site from this forum. You've provided a valuable public service that I'm certain others here that didn't have the pleasure of meeting you will truly appreciate.

It occurs to me that the "test drive the winter menu" event at Marigold before Thanksgiving might be a fun and worthy get-together for any interested Philly Pholk. So are there interested Philly Pholk?? I know that's a tough week with people travelling and such, but I'm certainly here that week and if anyone wanted to join me at Marigold for the $45 tasting menu I'd take that as an appropriate training event for Turkey Day itself.

Anyone game??

[mrbigjas]

wish i could, katie, but unfortunately there's no way i can work it out. i'll be up there SOMETIME in the next month though.

[Holly Moore]

One of the "Seasoned Bon Vivants" here who tagged along with ShinyBoots, Katie and Philadining to Marigold last week. Had to be ten years since I last ventured to 45th and Larchmont - then for Marigold's excellent meat loaf or roast chicken. Alas now these are just fond memories. Marigold has shed its starving Penn student trappings and blossomed into a worthy new addition to Philadelphia's world class byo scene.

Marigold isn't batting 100 yet, but they are off to a great start. As ShinyBoots related we were able to try one of everything. Much of what we tasted was very good, the disappointments were few and not all that disappointing, and some dishes earned table wide oohs and aahs.

Pictures of most all we tried can be found in a public gallery at Image Gullet. My favorites follow here.

Of the aps, two stood out. The Shitaki Mushroom Risotto with Butternut Squash

and the Roasted Sweetbreads with Sweet Potato Gnocchi.

Among the entrees, my first and very favorable encounter with Veal Cheeks

and an accompaniment to the Strip Steak, Miso Braised Beef Shin - probably my favorite taste of the enitre meal.

Desserts - extremely creative all. But the Pignoli Cake was the best of the bunch.

Edited November 17, 2004 by Holly Moore (log)

[mrbigjas]

anyone been back here since it opened? still doing well? i'm planning on heading up sometime in the next couple weeks. are they still doing a tasting menu of any sort, or is it all a la carte now?

[shinyboots]

anyone been back here since it opened?  still doing well?  i'm planning on heading up sometime in the next couple weeks.  are they still doing a tasting menu of any sort, or is it all a la carte now?

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Just a quickie...

Marigold still going strong, so I've heard. They changed their menu to match the season -- I believe Sonya Monya-whatever from Philly.com gave the new menu a very strong review. They never really had a tasting menu, at least to my knowledge. If you got the impression from Holly's pics, then you are mistaken. Holly's table simply ordered every friggin dish (I was there).

[mrbigjas]

gotcha, shinyboots. thanks for the info. i read sonya's review, and yours? on phillylunchbox.com, too.

[philadining]

gotcha, shinyboots.  thanks for the info.  i read sonya's review, and yours? on phillylunchbox.com, too.

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Nope, Shinyboots' reviews are at:

Minor Gourmandry

And I think there might have been some confusion about a tasting menu from some buzz here about a special event held a couple of days before thanksgiving where Marigold was indeed offerning a tasting menu as a preview of the (then) upcoming winter menu.

[mrbigjas]

yeah that was the source of my confusion. thanks philadining.

[KatieLoeb]

Assuming the message I've left for a reservation is picked up and accomodated, I'll be heading there next weekend with my Posse of Girlfriends for dinner and much wine drinking. Several of my college friends and other out-of-town girls are all hitting Philly to come out and play next weekend, so since the idea of having dinner at Marigold was so retro and approriate (as I mentioned upthread - the old Marigold was our idea of a super nice night out as bright eyed college girls) I thought it would be great to relive our foolish youth with bigger wallets, better taste and much better wine!

I'll report back what I remember if all goes according to plan...

[MarketStEl]

Marigold still going strong, so I've heard. They changed their menu to match the season -- I believe Sonya Monya-whatever from Philly.com gave the new menu a very strong review. They never really had a tasting menu, at least to my knowledge. If you got the impression from Holly's pics, then you are mistaken. Holly's table simply ordered every friggin dish (I was there).

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Sono Motoyama?

With the Daily News, I believe. That's where she went after the Penn Current.

Holly & Co. followed the "take a large group to the restaurant and have everyone order a different item from the menu" approach. Call this a "build-your-own-tasting-menu" meal. It probably requires lots of passing of plates.

[mrbigjas]

personally i dislike going to restaurants with people who won't do that. but that's me.