Chester County Restaurants

[Natasha]

I had dinner with my husband and some friends at the State Street Grill in Kennett Square on Friday night. The chef and his wife are Long Island transplants, and bought this place in late 2004. I wasn't in the place in its past life, but I understand they renovated for a sleeker look and incorporated an open kitchen. The restaurant is a little stark and I imagine could be pretty noisy if it were full, but overall it was pleasant. The service was friendly and attentive.

We all enjoyed the food. I had a mushroom farfalle with a brandy sauce. This was tasty but was made with a lot of pancetta so it was pretty salty. This is probably a personal preference though and I think that it was well made. My entree was a NY strip steak with carmelized onions and garlic mashed potatos. It was cooked exaclty as I ordered it. My husband had lamb chops that he loved. The desserts are homemade. The standout was a poached pear in port sauce. Very pretty presentation.

I had dinner a few weeks at Sovano Bistro and on a head-to-head basis, this was better. It is BYO and has a fixed price menu every day of the week for $32. Actually, I think they run a special one night a week (Thursday, maybe) when the price is about $10 cheaper.

[percyn]

A visit to Savona Bistro has been on my list for a while and reading Natasha's review bumped it to the top of the list of places to visit when in the area, so we went for dinner yesterday (Saturday).

Not sure they take reservations, so we went a little before 6pm and found the restaurant half empty, but it quickly filled up. The clientel were a mixture of 30 somethings to 60 somethings. Remember to grab your wine, as I don't believe there is a state store nearby.

Wanting to try a few different items from the menu, we ordered more than we could finish (and will have leftovers for lunch today). Appologize for the picture quality in advance as we did not use a flash and even a f/1.8 lens was not sensitive enough for the dim lighting.

Margharita Pizza - Their pizza's are 9" and made in a wood burning oven. I mainly ordered this as I believe a good margharita pizza is a test of how well a place makes other pizzas; plus Laban raved about it. While the crust of the pizza I received was thin and blistery the overall flavor was OK, not great. In fact the edges of a few slices were burned to a char (not in a good way) and there was a little too much sauce, which made the pizza a bit soggy towards the end. Overall, I would buy the Margharita from Peace of Pizza than Savona.

Artichoke and Goat cheese Pizza - My wife likes artichokes and goat cheese so this appealed to her, but she is not a fan of the sundried tomatoes what also accompany the pizza. This pizza had too many things going on for me.

Fire-roasted Quail Stuffed with Apple Breadpudding - This was an appetizer special for the night and probably one of the night's highlights. The quail was perfectly cooked and the fire-roasting gave it that distinctive smoky flavor. The apple breadpudding was buttery and complimented the Quail well.

Wild Boar Ragu - We ordered an appetizer portion and I am we did was this was a very heavy dish and by this time I could not finish even the appetizer portion. This dish was from the regular menu and consisted of a heavy, creamy ragu of wild boar on "brass cut" pasta. A good dish overall.

Hanger Steak - Served with buttery mashed potatoes and Haricot Verts which had a nice snap to them when you bit in. This was one of the most flavorful yet tender hanger steaks (aka onglet) I have ever tasted, including the ones I had in France. I give this dish a 4 out of 5 stars for its simplicity and cooking perfection.

We were too full for dessert of the decent selection of cheese they had, so we ordered coffee which came with an excellent biscotti, perfect for dunking.

While we had a few selection of wines with us, the one we chose was a 2003 Montori Montepulciano, which seemed to pair well with many of the dishes we ordered. While it is a BYO, there was a $5 charge for Liquor Service, which I don't mind paying, considering the alternative. However, not to open the "stemware" Pandora's box again, but I thought that if they were to charge for this service, the stemware could have been upgraded from the generic bowl-ish ones they provide.

Service was good, friendly and semi-seamless for a Saturday evening.

In summary, while our dining experience did not warrant the 3 bells (out of 4) Laban bestowed upon Savona Bistro, it was comparable to some of the other BYOs in the area. I would rate it a 3 out of 5.

Cheers

Percy

Edited October 15, 2006 by percyn (log)

[Capaneus]

In summary, while our dining experience did not warrant the 3 stars Laban bestowed upon Savona Bistro, it was comparable to some of the other BYOs in the area. I would rate it a 3 out of 5.

Cheers

Percy

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Well, LaBan's rating may have something to do with the sous-chef, or chef de cuisine, or whatever Bryan Sikora's title at Savona Bistro is these days. Speaking of which, none of the dishes you mention - except maybe the quail - sound much like his kind of thing. Did you notice anything on the menu, or in the execution, that suggested his influence?

[percyn]

Capaneus, not that I could tell (I had only been to Djanjo once while under Bryan's helm). To be honest, I had completely forgotten that Bryan Sikora had taken over the kitchen at Savona Bistro. There were a few fish dishes which sounded interesting featuring wild stripped bass, etc but from what I recollect, it did not seem overly creative (can't comment on the execution, as I did not try it).

I will be back, just to try a few dishes I could not get to this time and hoping that cassoulet will be on the menu when I return.

[wkl]

b sikora left sovanna bistro some time ago. i'm not completely sure bryan was there when laban reviewed sovanna bistro.

[Capaneus]

b sikora left sovanna bistro some time ago. i'm not completely sure bryan was there when laban reviewed sovanna bistro.

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He was - LaBan mentioned him as "having added an extra layer of polish" by joining them. I guess they should hope they don't get revisited anytime soon.

Any idea where he's working these days?

[wkl]

i do know what bryan's plans are, but i'm not sure he is ready to go public with them yet.

i'm pretty sure he left sovana about mid-august. initially, he was there to bring the skill level of the kitchen up, then maybe make some menu changes. i don't think they ever got to the menu changes/enhancements. the menu at sovana bistro pretty much follows the style that has always been there.

fwiw, i really like sovana bistro mainly because it's a nice escape from the wilmington retstaurant scene. oh yeah, the food is good and it's byo.

eta: i have eaten there pre and post review and notice no real change in the quality of the food.

Edited October 16, 2006 by wkl (log)

[Natasha]

I guess the kitchen at Sovana just had an off-night when I was there. Based on LaBan's 3 bells I was really expecting a top-notch meal, and I think by any standards, they did not achieve that. I'll try the hangar steak next time. That sounds really tasty!

Edited October 16, 2006 by Natasha (log)

[wkl]

as much as i enjoy sovana. i think 3 bells is a bit generous. 3 bells puts it on a par with brasserie perrier, budakhan, amada, gayle, gilmours, etc.

not sure it's in that league.

sovana ,for me, is more about a nice relaxed atmosphere, ability to eat outside, small plates or large plates, pizza or whole fish entree, good service, fresh ingredients, byob, etc..........

[davecap]

We were driving through Downingtown looking for the Mexican/Latin American place that I thought I had seen mentioned here, La Cena or something like that, right near the Diner on Route 30/Lancaster Avenue. It is connected to a Rita's. Anyway, we found it, with brown paper all over the windows. Big bummer.

We did find a mexican/Latin American looking grocery store though further down on Rt. 30. Has anyone been there? Do they serve any prepared food?

[Bluehensfan]

Having eaten at Sovana Bistro before, during, and after the Bryan Sikora tenureship, I must say that the before and after meals were not nearly as good as when he was there, which is interesting because he was not the one doing all of the cooking. Sovana has "grown up" a lot in the past few years (and the prices have too!) but we felt our last meal was no better than the Half Moon Saloon down the street (not knocking them by any means), and the seasoning combinations we found to be rather odd and discordant.

[Natasha]

Dave, look for Post #146 on this thread - that may have the info you are looking for.

[davecap]

Thanks Natasha!

[percyn]

And info on La Cena can be found on this post.

Fortunately, there are a few good Taco trucks that have popped up in the Coatesville area too.

[davecap]

Thanks Percyn. I can't believe it was so long ago I read about La Cena and did not go. Life goes by way too fast.

[gfweb]

Having eaten at Sovana Bistro before, during, and after the Bryan Sikora tenureship, I must say that the before and after meals were not nearly as good as when he was there, which is interesting because he was not the one doing all of the cooking. Sovana has "grown up" a lot in the past few years (and the prices have too!) but we felt our last meal was no better than the Half Moon Saloon down the street (not knocking them by any means), and the seasoning combinations we found to be rather odd and discordant.

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I've had some very spotty meals at Sovana. Sometimes its great, sometimes not. Katherine's, a BYO in Unionville (about 5 minutes from Sovana), is much better. The chef tends to spice-up a lot of dishes, but it isn't overdone by my standards (my wife says otherwise). The only deficiency here is the noise level which really needs to be addressed.

[percyn]

I saw Katherine's on the ride back from Savona Bistro, which was followed up the next day with a recommendation from a co-worker, so it is on my short list of places to try in the area.

gfweb, any special items on the menu which are a "must have"?

Edited November 26, 2006 by percyn (log)

[gfweb]

No must haves as far as I can remember, I haven't had a bad meal there. So far it is all good. I'd love to know what you think.

Another place worth a look is The Farmhouse in Avondale. Solid regional cooking with some bistro-ish dishes as well.

[gfweb]

Fairly disappointing dinner last night at Conley-Ward in Wilmington, DE. Lobster bisque was good. Crabcake ap was small, without discernable spices, and served sloppily as it had fallen apart somewhere between pan and table. Brazilian lobster tails tasted OK, but apparently "brazilian" is a synonym for 'small'. Sirloin was OK. Stewed mushroom side order was all fragments, not what I'd expect at a steakhouse with pretensions. Menu was odd in that sizes of steaks are not given. They are either "conley" or "ward" size. Server has to tell you how many oz. for each, and you have to remember all of them.

Wine list is good with lots of great reds eg Silver Oak napa 2001, but plenty of good stuff at lower prices. They have a fairly limited list of whites.

Did we just have a bad night here?

[shelly59]

Nope, that sounds about right to me. I have been there twice and thought it overpriced and unimpressive. I much prefer Harry’s Seafood Grill, which is in the same place.

[gfweb]

Very good meal last night at Caffe Nonna, a strip shop restaurant near Christiana Mall and Delaware Park. Looks like nothing from the outside but inside it is a serious Italian place. Great wine list with lots of good Italian selections as well as a good -by- the glass menu. Veal is fabulous, beef is great. Worth the drive.

Edited December 7, 2006 by gfweb (log)

[eoksala]

Going to be coming home next weeked for dinner with the parents at Ristorante Verona in Frazier. Supposedly it's a relatively new BYO in the area. Anyone been yet?

[Natasha]

Sorry, eoksala, I live near Frazer but I haven't heard anything about this restaurant.

SInce Bryan Sikora was discussed in this thread, I thought I would mention that the Inquirer had a column this week on his current plans. He and his wife and a 3rd principal are opening a storefront in Kennett Square. They will offer prepared dinners for take out, fine cheeses and other "gourmet" items, and baked goods. They have a large table in the shop and will do tastings there, and you can arrange for a private dinner as well. Kennett Square might be become a real destination!

[David McDuff]

SInce Bryan Sikora was discussed in this thread, I thought I would mention that the Inquirer had a column this week on his current plans. He and his wife and a 3rd principal are opening a storefront in Kennett Square.  They will offer prepared dinners for take out, fine cheeses and other "gourmet" items, and baked goods. They have a large table in the shop and will do tastings there, and you can arrange for a private dinner as well.  Kennett Square might be become a real destination!

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Talula's Table is now open. Why not check out the details on my new blog.

[gfweb]

Fair Hill Inn (in Fair Hill MD) just over the PA border in Northern MD has changed hands. It used to be a nice place in the country with solid and predictable continental stuff. Now its been bought by three young folks with culinary ambitions, and from what I ate there last night, they also have the skills to match.

They plan on changing the menu monthly and have a fine and adventurous list of wines and bourbons. I had the mushroom tart, house made charcuterie, and the rib eye a la bourguignon. All were great; each was properly cooked and seasoned. My companions had the bisque, the shrimp and onion carabonara, and the duck...and had similar good things to say. www.fairhillinn.com/menu.php has the whole menu.

Particularly notable was the extensive cheese selection...about 16 I think, that were a fabulous end to the meal. It is too hard to find a decent cheese course anymore. That alone is worth the visit.

The Inn itself is about 250 years old but is in great shape. Dining rooms are big, quiet and decorated with understated whimsey. The service is better than you can expect for a year-old place near Elkton. It was prompt, knowledgable, but perhaps a bit over-friendly for my snotty urban self. In spite of that we'll be back soon.

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