Philadelphia Brasserie Fare

[rlibkind]

Johnny Apple's NY Times article Wednesday about Jean Joho reminded me how much I miss true Brasserie fare, i.e., the Alsatian hearty plates like Choucrout and onion tart, all sorts of simple pork and veal dishes and other not so nouvelle foods that go so well with beer, including oysters, hanger steak, etc. Whenever I'm in Chicago or Boston, I try to visit Brasserie Jo. I wish we had a place like it here in Philadelphia.

As much restaurant variety as we have here, I'm hard-pressed to think of a Center City and environs spot that fits the bill. While other restaurants offer some of the items some of the time, there seems to be no one that is dedicated to classic Brasserie fare.

Am I missing one? The restaurant at the Sofitel made a half-hearted stab at it, but Craig Laban's review must have made them revamp their menu. Brasserie Perrier calls itself a brasserie and probably comes the closest, but the ambiance is all wrong, though the steak frites are on target.

In any event, which restaurants do you think do the best job with some of the classic Brasserie dishes?

[Rich Pawlak]

Johnny Apple's NY Times article Wednesday about Jean Joho reminded me how much I miss true Brasserie fare, i.e., the Alsatian hearty plates like Choucrout and onion tart, all sorts of simple pork and veal dishes and other not so nouvelle foods that go so well with beer, including oysters, hanger steak, etc. Whenever I'm in Chicago or Boston, I try to visit Brasserie Jo. I wish we had a place like it here in Philadelphia.

As much restaurant variety as we have here, I'm hard-pressed to think of a Center City and environs spot that fits the bill. While other restaurants offer some of the items some of the time, there seems to be no one that is dedicated to classic Brasserie fare.

Am I missing one? The restaurant at the Sofitel made a half-hearted stab at it, but Craig Laban's review must have made them revamp their menu. Brasserie Perrier calls itself a brasserie and probably comes the closest, but the ambiance is all wrong, though the steak frites are on target.

In any event, which restaurants do you think do the best job with some of the classic Brasserie dishes?

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Caribou Cafe at 12th and Walnut nails the brasserie ouvre very well, with good wines, beers and spot-on food, including, coincidentally, Alsatian dishes, owing to the birthplace of owner/chef Olivier de St. Martin. he'sa stickler for a good flamenkuche.

[rlibkind]

Caribou Cafe at 12th and Walnut nails the brasserie ouvre very well, with good wines, beers and spot-on food, including, coincidentally, Alsatian dishes, owing to the birthplace of owner/chef Olivier de St. Martin.  he'sa stickler for a good flamenkuche.

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Forgot about Caribou Cafe, they certainly have a couple of interesting items on the menu, though at least on their website there's no mention of the flamenkuche.

I'll have to get back there, but I wouldn't go so far as to say it "nails the brasserie ouvre very well". They are more of a bistro than a brasserie. Nice beer choices, though, and that's certainly required for a brasserie.

But sausage and and pork dishes, as well as choucroute, are missing (at least from the current web menu) and they are essential for a brasserie, to my mind.

[KatieLoeb]

Forgot about Caribou Cafe, they certainly have a couple of interesting items on the menu, though at least on their website there's no mention of the flamenkuche.

I'll have to get back there, but I wouldn't go so far as to say it "nails the brasserie ouvre very well". They are more of a bistro than a brasserie. Nice beer choices, though, and that's certainly required for a brasserie.

But sausage and and pork dishes, as well as choucroute, are missing (at least from the current web menu) and they are essential for a brasserie, to my mind.

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Bob:

By your strict definition I think you'd be hard pressed to find anything "authentic" outside of New York City, and even there I can't really find an Alsatian restaurant listed as such. There's Hallo Berlin which would qualify as a Brasserie by virtue of it's beer seleciton and varied sausage dishes, but Ludwig's here in Philly would be similar. I can't think of a single place that regularly has choucroute on the menu. If you find one let me know. I'd be happy to join you since the portions are always humongous! I'll even bring a bottle of Alsace Riesling.

[Rich Pawlak]

Forgot about Caribou Cafe, they certainly have a couple of interesting items on the menu, though at least on their website there's no mention of the flamenkuche.

I'll have to get back there, but I wouldn't go so far as to say it "nails the brasserie ouvre very well". They are more of a bistro than a brasserie. Nice beer choices, though, and that's certainly required for a brasserie.

But sausage and and pork dishes, as well as choucroute, are missing (at least from the current web menu) and they are essential for a brasserie, to my mind.

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The website has to be dated, Bob; I know I've seen both flamenkuche and choucroute on the Caribou menu recently, and I would take a chance and ask Chef Olivier about it, if indeed the menu has changed since my last visit, which was in August.

[rlibkind]

I'll be heading to Caribou Cafe this season for sure, Rich. I appreciate the reminder.

Katie, should you find yourself in Chicago or Boston, definitely head to Brasserie Jo. It's about as authentic as it gets, even down to the yellowing decor, tile floors and seating, as noted by Johnny Apple in his NY Times article Wednesday. The Chicago original is located on Hubbard street in River North, just around the corner from Frontera Grill. The Boston branch is in the Colonnades hotel a few blocks west of Copley Square behind the Pru Center.

[TarteTatin]

We spent two weeks in Alsace on the wine route about 8 years ago? (can't remember). The food is outrageous, and we've been searching for similar in the States and have yet to find it.

We, too, are lovers of Flamekuche (sp?), and did, indeed have it at Caribou about a month ago. You can only order it at the bar. It's good, nothing like in Alsace, but the closest we've found.

I even posted on NY egullet not long ago looking for a good meal from the region, and no one really responded...

We also read the article this week too about Alsace. We ate at Auberge D'Ill which they mention, and it was super. I remember parking by a canal on a beautiful sunny day, (I think we had lunch there) and eating the best quenelles I've ever had, along with tons of other rich, great items.

I might have the menu somewhere. Have to look for it. The wine was also super.

The wine route from Strasbourg down to Mulhouse (memory?) was impressive. We had a private tour at Hugel and stayed in a Gite in Ammershwir that was lovely.

Ah, memories!

One of the towns looked like Venice....

...and there were tons of Germans crossing the borders on the weekend to fill up their trunks with wine. They like the Alsace wine better than their own!

....and the Fete De Vendage in one of the towns, where they crowned the ugliest girl in town "queen of the grapes". Political, we guessed. Very fun to watch.

Strasbourg was fun, but here I am giving a review of the area rather than the food.

Charcroutre, amazing.

[KatieLoeb]

I'll be heading to Caribou Cafe this season for sure, Rich. I appreciate the reminder.

Katie, should you find yourself in Chicago or Boston, definitely head to Brasserie Jo. It's about as authentic as it gets, even down to the yellowing decor, tile floors and seating, as noted by Johnny Apple in his NY Times article Wednesday. The Chicago original is located on Hubbard street in River North, just around the corner from Frontera Grill. The    Boston branch is in the Colonnades hotel a few blocks west of Copley Square behind the Pru Center.

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Bob:

I've read and heard tell of Brasserie Jo for years and it's high on my list of places to go should I ever find myself near it, in either Chicago or Boston. I haven't been in either city in years but I'm overdue for a trip to either sometime soon. I have no doubt I'd love it.

[mrbigjas]

I'll be heading to Caribou Cafe this season for sure, Rich. I appreciate the reminder.

Katie, should you find yourself in Chicago or Boston, definitely head to Brasserie Jo. It's about as authentic as it gets, even down to the yellowing decor, tile floors and seating, as noted by Johnny Apple in his NY Times article Wednesday. The Chicago original is located on Hubbard street in River North, just around the corner from Frontera Grill. The    Boston branch is in the Colonnades hotel a few blocks west of Copley Square behind the Pru Center.

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rlibkind is dead on with this one. brasserie jo is an excellent place.