Pif in Philadelphia

[philadining]

You had everything just about right James, so I went ahead and stole your descriptions and put them up with the original photos.

I think Percy was taking wine notes, if not, between all of us, we can probably reconstruct it. (I remember the big Roach with the escargots, Warner Liebenstrauben and a Coteaux de Layon with the foie, Hermann Wiemer Riesling with the scallops, Three Thieves Tempranillo with the pigs feet, then, jeeze, I start getting a little hazy too...)

I agree with Katie that everything was great: food and service. I especially liked the escargots, the scallops and the fig tart, but there really wasn't a bad course all night, I'd be happy to get any of it again. Kudos to chef Ansill who was cooking that night.

Big thanks to Evan for getting it together, and to the whole group for good companionship, and great wine.

BTW - we were having a debate down at our end of the table about the definition of "gratin" and after reading up a bit more, the rabbit was indeed a gratin, maybe should have had a bit more of a crunchy crust to it to be traditional, but there's no cheese required...

Edited July 2, 2006 by philadining (log)

[Andrew Fenton]

BTW - we were having a debate down at our end of the table about the definition of "gratin" and after reading up a bit more, the rabbit was indeed a gratin, maybe should have had a bit more of a crunchy crust to it to be traditional, but there's no cheese required...

I still think "rabbitherd's pie". But either way, it was gooood.

The escargot were also really exceptional: tender in a way that I didn't know snails could be. (Ah, the tender, tender snail: whispering sweet nothings and blinking its eyestalks seductively...) And the foie gras terrine, a mainstay of Pif's menu since the beginning, and still absolutely first rate.

[mrbigjas]

yeah so it was undercooked gratin, let's go with that.

so anyway, wine notes. i managed to scribble down most, i think.

started with that zin that capaneus loves that i can never remember the name of. it's big, over 16% alcohol, but pretty nicely balanced. not to be consumed with (most) food, but a good drink on its own.

also moet white star, brought by andrew, which continued into the amuse bouche.

with the escargot: the aforementioned latour la grande roche, i didn't write down the year.

with the foie gras: a michigan warner liebestrauben, and a 96 d. de ambinos coteaux du layon that i have had and brought to a couple of dinners, and this time was finally drunk--and i have to say a great match with this dish, despite capaneus's previous objections to sweet wine with foie gras. why do they bottle these in 750ml bottles? so tasty, and inexpensive, but way too sweet to drink a whole bottle of, except in a 10+ guest situation.

ahem. anyway....

with the scallops, a finger lakes wine: 2004 hermann wiener dry reisling--possibly better than the good doktor that philadining has brought to other dinners.

with the mullet/roget: 2002 latour mersault, a fantastic pairing

with the pigs feet: 2003 three thieves tempranillo. this is a wine that comes in a jug that looks like a moonshine jug. it's a simple wine, and just right with something like a pig foot terrine--enough acidity to cut through the gelatinous nature of the foot, but not to overwhelm its essential blandness. then we moved on to a 2004 belle glos santa barbera county pinot noir, which was much more interesting, but i don't have notes about, well, in what way it was more interesting. i do remember enjoying it.

with the fig tart: 2002 bolla valpolicella, which was just right for that and the rabbit, i think, although we might have opened something else at that point as well, because, well, then i stopped taking notes, because then we had the moscato, and then... perhaps something else.

damn you birthday overindulgence!

[percyn]

I have some wine notes, which I will post later. Its may not be complete as I was not aware I was the "official" wine scribe.

[KatieLoeb]

I have some wine notes, which I will post later. Its may not be complete as I was not aware I was the "official" wine scribe.

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Percy, surely you realize there was nothing "official" about dinner that evening.

You just always seem to be paying closer attention than the rest of us.

[philadining]

Yeah, Percy, no pressure! I just thought I saw you making some notes, at least more than I was!

started with that zin that capaneus loves that i can never remember the name of.  it's big, over 16% alcohol, but pretty nicely balanced.  not to be consumed with (most) food, but a good drink on its own. 

Edmeades. Didn't notice the year.

Agree about the Coteaux du Layon, a bit intense for most situations, but just right with the foie, or in a small dose with dessert. Liked that one a lot.

with the scallops, a finger lakes wine: 2004 hermann wiener dry reisling--possibly better than the good doktor that philadining has brought to other dinners.

I think you're right, as much as I like the Dr Konstantin Frank Rieslings, I've come to like the Wiemer even more.

with the pigs feet: 2003 three thieves tempranillo.  this is a wine that comes in a jug that looks like a moonshine jug.  it's a simple wine, and just right with something like a pig foot terrine--enough acidity to cut through the gelatinous nature of the foot, but not to overwhelm its essential blandness.

I'll take the blame for that one: a goofy wine that I couldn't resist buying when I saw its assertively down-scale packaging. These guys even sell decent wine in boxes! www.threethieves.com And simple is right, nobody will mistake it for a fine Rioja, but it is a pleasant enough summer quaffing wine, and in the end, pretty good with that course, as noted, not so big that it stepped on the foot's toes, mellow enough that it didn't fight with the mustardy sauce. I'm not in a hurry to replace that bottle, but it would make a good summer party wine...

then we moved on to a 2004 belle glos santa barbera county pinot noir, which was much more interesting, but i don't have notes about, well, in what way it was more interesting.  i do remember enjoying it.

Agreed, that was a delicious wine. But right about there i started losing the thread as well, not so much from drunkenness as just from sheer numbers. We had the good fortune to be there on a night that Marnie Olde stopped by for dinner, so she and Katie were passing glasses back and forth, so there were even more tastes getting circulated around, and I just got dizzy. I can think of worse ways to get confused.

Good stuff overall, and most importantly, generally very complimentary to the food.

[percyn]

Just kidding Katie

Anyway, James has pretty good notes and I will pickup where he left off...

With the Rabbit Gratin we had a 2000 (?) Rizzi Barbaresco

and the float was made with Cascinetta Vietti Moscato d'Asti.

Also, I think the pairing with the Escargot was a Louis Lator Montagny.

Cheers

Percy

[shacke]

Late in posting, just back from NYC.

The meal was indeed terrific and the companyt equally so.

When I got the menu the night before, it was like a cryptic treasure map. I didn't have an idea it was going to be so many plates but whose complanin'?

The Belle Glos was an 04 Clark and Telephone vineyard. Very much the cali style of pinot noir.

And those Moscato Floats? Katie split the apple on the head with that call.

Ready for 'Episode 2: Revenge of the Pif' when you are

Evan

[KatieLoeb]

And those Moscato Floats? Katie split the apple on the head with that call.

Thanks Evan. I've seriously been waiting almost AN ENTIRE YEAR for the freakin' Honeysuckle Gelato to be back in its short season at Capogiro to test my theory that it would be delicious floated in Moscato d'Asti. The aromatics of the wine are so similar to honeysuckle I was certain it would be rockin', but I thought of it just a wee bit too late last year to make it happen.

My thanks to all of you for your infinite patience with me when I get one of these crazed ideas in my mind's palate (so to speak) and like a dog with a bone, simply won't let it go and have to make it happen.

Sometimes it works really well. Sometimes not so much.

[shacke]

I called today for a reservation and they are only taking reservations 30 days in advance as the building is for sale. I asked if they are planning to relocate or close and got static. Uh oh - anyone have a scoop on this?

Evan

[dagordon]

I called today for a reservation and they are only taking reservations 30 days in advance as the building is for sale.  I asked if they are planning to relocate or close and got static.  Uh oh - anyone have a scoop on this?

Evan

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Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Someone please find out what is happening.

[dagordon]

It sounds like once the building is sold, that's it for Pif.

Just got back from an oustanding tasting menu there. David's cooking just seems to match our tastes perfectly. Everything that comes out of that kitchen is spot on. This is heart breaking.

[mrbigjas]

so what's the deal? is he going to focus more on ansill? is he going to take pif (as a concept, i mean) somewhere else, or is he just going to bail overall?

[dagordon]

so what's the deal?  is he going to focus more on ansill?  is he going to take pif (as a concept, i mean) somewhere else, or is he just going to bail overall?

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My impression is that he's been working a lot and is getting tired, and, in more or less his words, "wants to have a life". Dunno if this means he will be investing more of himself in Ansill, though I doubt it; in any case, it sounds like Pif in any form is done. It does sound like they'll remain open until the building sells, though, so it's unclear how much longer Pif will remain.

[shacke]

so what's the deal?  is he going to focus more on ansill?  is he going to take pif (as a concept, i mean) somewhere else, or is he just going to bail overall?

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My impression is that he's been working a lot and is getting tired, and, in more or less his words, "wants to have a life". Dunno if this means he will be investing more of himself in Ansill, though I doubt it; in any case, it sounds like Pif in any form is done. It does sound like they'll remain open until the building sells, though, so it's unclear how much longer Pif will remain.

←

It was David's intention to open Ansill and leave the cooking to David Kane who left shortly after. Since then, he has been in the kitchen and while that is a boon to us, this is not what he expected and I am not surprised having had a chance to think about it. Since Ansill is doing really well, Pif is probably going to slaughter.

My last two meals there were totally on the mark.

Evan

[mrbigjas]

ok then that's ANOTHER place i have to get to soon. anyone know a good babysitter?

[philadining]

Pif Jan 6, 2007

[Diann]

since Phil and Pedro are slacking off, those pics are of:

1. escargot, roasted garlic, hazelnuts(?) -- my favorite version of escargot ever.

2. foie gras torchon -- super-sweet and P&P's least favorite of the appetizers that night, though I liked it a lot. I'm not normally a foie gras person (except at the late lamented Studiokitchen) but this dish reminded me why people like it -- it's like creamy duck butter with a deep liver-y undertone.

3. beets and goat cheese. simple, delightful; with some bread and butter and a glass of wine, what more could you want from the world?

(we also ordered the charcuterie plate -- good pre-appetizer appetizer)

4. the famed and justifiably loved entrecote with anchovy butter. this was nicely rare -- all charred and crispy on the outside but pink-red and meaty inside. also, the dish combines three things I love: ribeye, anchovies, butter. and the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

5. duck in port sauce with an arugula/duck confit salad -- I stole bites from this dish and they were perfect (sweet duck, almost smoky confit, peppery arugula, bright vinaigrette).

6. cheeses -- roquefort I believe (intense!), morbier (ashy!), and something else.

7. poached pear in a fascinating sauce -- star anise, ginger, vanilla(?), cinnamon(?)... the sauce went well with the roquefort, actually.

8. pistachio creme brulee.

whew!

all in all, a truly soul-satisfying meal.

Edited January 9, 2007 by Diann (log)

[Jeff L]

Wow, Diann, thanks for the commentary. Looks like you guys had an outstanding meal. I think this answers the question as to how good Pif is w/out Ansil.

[philadining]

O, whoops, right, Charcutierie!

And there seems to be some confusion: David Ansill IS cooking at Pif, David Kane has been gone for some time. Kibett Mengech is chef at Ansill.

I wouldn't hazard a guess about the future of Pif, but it seems to be going just fine for now.

I thought the food was delicious. I didn't dislike the foie, I just liked the other starters better. The duck was billed as medium-rare, but I thought it was a little less-done than that, and I think it would have had a better texture cooked a little further, but the flavor was excellent, especially in concert with the spicy arugula and shreds of salty duck confit. We were all thinking that we would never normally order a steak at a place like this, it just seems like the skill of the kitchen might be put to better use, but wow, that was indeed a tasty piece of beef.

The poached pear was intriguing, with all sorts of mysterious wisps of flavor swirling across the palate. I'm normally opposed to flavored creme brulées, but this pistachio version was excellent. And along with the roquefort and morbier, the third cheese was an Alsatian Muenster, which was pretty good, but the least distinctive of the three. That roquefort was super-intense, and as Diann mentioned, through a happy accident we discovered that some bread, dipped in the pear-poaching liquid, was the perfect platform for its pyrotechnics.

The food was really quite delicious, and the place, as always, has nice nice casual vibe. The evening was lubricated by:

which we don't want to talk about, because the CdP was freaking awesome, and we don't want you maniacs going out and buying it all up before we have a chance to, and we're not sure how the Cave Springs Riesling got in the state. So let's just keep quiet about the wines, OK?

Forgot to take a picture, but at the end of the meal, we drank a split of Late Harvest Gewurtztraminer from Amity in Oregon, which I liked quite a lot.

Edited January 9, 2007 by philadining (log)

[shacke]

Looks like another great meal there. When I get there next - and hopefully soon - I will try and get detailed instructions on making that sauce for the entrecote. I love that.

Evan

[Capaneus]

What they said: rockin' meal, made better by great company.

David is regularly in the kitchen at Pif. When I expressed my sorrow at the restaurant's imminent demise, he told me to stop worrying. Make of that what you will. He was certainly not talking about being tired, even minded when I mentioned he looked it.

Didn't mentioned the Barbe Rac because it's all gone: our post-dim sum raid seems to have cleaned out the state. Sorry about that, folks. I'm sure there will be another excellently-revued $100 CdP selling for $30 coming along any day now.

[Diann]

Yeah, I specifically didn't mention the wine because there's no point in making me (and others) sad that WE CAN'T GET ANY MORE OF IT.

I really loved all three of those bottles, though. Le sigh...

[HD73]

Yeah, I specifically didn't mention the wine because there's no point in making me (and others) sad that WE CAN'T GET ANY MORE OF IT.

I really loved all three of those bottles, though. Le sigh...

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Just grabbed a bottle of the Barbe Rac at the Wine and Spirits Store between 12th and 13th and Chestnut. It was definitely the last one in the store.

[Capaneus]

Yeah, I specifically didn't mention the wine because there's no point in making me (and others) sad that WE CAN'T GET ANY MORE OF IT.

I really loved all three of those bottles, though. Le sigh...

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Just grabbed a bottle of the Barbe Rac at the Wine and Spirits Store between 12th and 13th and Chestnut. It was definitely the last one in the store.

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Well, there you go: never trust just the website. We did leave one behind, but when I couldn't locate it with the online search, I assumed it was gone.

I should do a SKU search just to make sure...