The Moshulu Now

[MarketStEl]

I love dining outdoors by the water. You can't beat a waterside restaurant for atmosphere conducive to a relaxing meal with good friends.

So it may come as a bit of surprise to you all if I tell you that this past Sunday was the first time in my 22-odd years in Philadelphia that I ate at the Moshulu.

Then again, my previous visits to this Penn's Landing landmark were during its prior incarnation, when (if I recall correctly) the ship had a hard-earned reputation for only average food served in a stunning setting.

Then the Moshulu closed, was sold, moved across the river to Camden, was left there to rot, was supposed to reopen over there, didn't, was sold again, moved back across the river to Philadelphia, was refurbished, and reopened with an expanded upper deck bar.

I am pleased to report that the food at the Moshulu is much better than average now.

Our threesome, being of limited means, decided to split an appetizer and main course from the bar menu.

Our appetizer was the Bongo California roll ($12) -- three pieces of sushi filled with avocado and cucumber and topped with fresh lump crabmeat mixed with wasabi mayonnaise. I'm so used to encountering surimi where the crab should be that this last ingredient alone was worth the price. The rolls were served with mixed Asian greens, with soy sauce drizzle and wasabi dots.

The main dish--the grilled flat-iron steak ($18) -- was even better. This relatively new cut was cooked medium rare (and we didn't even have to ask for it this way!), sliced, topped with watercress, Maytag blue cheese, and red onions and served over a three-cheese quesadilla--a little fiesta on a plate.

All this and the Delaware too? What a deal!

I am not pleased to report, however, that it took about 15 minutes from the time we were seated to see the bar menu. For some reason, the hostess who seated us apparently neglected to alert a server that we were now occupying a table, but since the waiters pass among those tables, shouldn't one of them have noticed us sitting there empty-handed? Once we prodded the hostess and got a waiter, the service was friendly and efficient.

I decided to post this as a topic-starter because it appears there's never been a discussion of the Moshulu in any of its incarnations on eGullet. The closest I could find in a search was some posts by its former chef, Tim Olivett, encouraging eGulleteers to pay his establishment a visit. However, his signature now identifies him as ensconced at Rx in University City, so it was obviously not his fare we were dining on. Who is the chef at the Moshulu now?

And does Tim still find time to post?

I hope some of you will share your experiences with the granddaddy of fine waterfront restaurants in Philadelphia.

Edited to correct the prices and some descriptions after checking against the Web site.

Edited August 3, 2005 by MarketStEl (log)

[cinghiale]

I ate recently at the newly opened (I think) Bongo Bar, on the upper deck. Quite affordable, quite good, spectacular views of the Delaware and Camden waterfront. Part of the deck is enclosed with that plastic stuff, so if the weather's a bit inclement or cool, you can still enjoy dining quasi-al fresco.

The food was pretty straight-forward but well prepared. Portions are generous. My only complaint was that my first mojito was ... well, warm(?). I had to send it back for re-icing. That was pretty much the only glitch.

I can't precisely recall, but I believe they're running a pretty sweet happy hour deal, making it worth the trek down after work on a hot day.

Their website's pretty good: click

An adventuresome menu using nature's finest ingredients with a South Seas flair… that's the signature of the great food guests will come to expect at the new Moshulu. Presenting the essence of contemporary American cooking, Executive Chef Ralph Fernandez has created a succulent array of dishes that will make dining on the Moshulu, one of the world's grandest tall ships, a most memorable experience. Chef Fernandez' distinct attitude and flavor are a fusion of years of study in various cooking styles including Southwestern, American and French. A New York native, his career has taken him from the Pierre Hotel in New York to working at the Four Season in Houston.

Edited to add blurb on Chef Fernandez

Edited August 3, 2005 by cinghiale (log)

[lancastermike]

Word I get is that Tim Olivett is now cooking at the Taste of the Brunswick at he Hotel Brunswick in Lancaster. I have not been as they just opended this place. This is better than rumor but Tim's role is unclear to me. He is involved with the place but not sure if he is in the kitchen cooking or just consulting. I will try to verify this.

[philadining]

We were wandering Old City the other day after a movie, or before a movie, or something... and felt like grabbing a drink, and because it was such a lovely day, we had the inspiration to hit the Moshulu's Bongo Bar. I'd read that it was really a nice spot now, a good place to have a cocktail, or grab a light bite, or maybe even a full meal.

We sat at the bar itself, and had something less than that kind of experience...

It was not very busy at the bar, yet it took a mysteriously long time to get served. There's no beer on tap, and a really lame selection by the bottle. Most of the cocktails are cutesy tropical things, understandable what with it being on a ship and all, and it IS called the Bongo Bar, but still...

I ended up with an OK mojito, a little too sweet, but otherwise decent, except that it was in a disposable plastic cup. You know, I'm OK with 2-dollar beers a cup, but if I'm going to pay $9.50 for a cocktail, I'd like it in a glass. The caipirina had banana in it for some perverse reason, but at least it was in a glass. So it's not like they only have cups up there.

But the overall vibe was just weird. On a nice day, it does indeed have a good view, and the tables along the rails or on the upper deck look pretty inviting. But the bar itself was just not working for me, the rickety wicker stools were too high, the geometry of the bar is such that the bartender is often very far away and hard to contact, there was a sense of back-of the house sloppiness, with dirty glasses stacked nearby, etc. And at least while I was there, the feel was kind of like an airport lounge or a conference hotel bar, mostly tourists and businessmen killing time.

In their defense, the food looked and smelled pretty good, although i didn't sample anything myself. On a beautiful day, I might think about sitting at a table on deck and getting some appetizers, and finding something dignified to drink. But I won't be sitting around the bar again anytime soon.

[tim olivett]

Just a quck note, now I'm more of a lurker than a poster and yes I have moved out to Lancaster, mainly to be with my family. I'm flattered that there's still interest. Kevin O'Kane replaced me as Chef de Cuisine with Ralph Fernandez still acting as Executive Chef and Partner. Kevin has amazing experience with the Four Seasons here and in NYC, Tony Clarks, The Happy Rooster and his own sandwich shop that was in Manayunk.

Anyway, I still love the deck at the Moshulu and stay in contact with Ralph weekly. When you think back to what represents the city, whether to it's residents or visitors, a high profile place like the Moshulu was just another 2nd rate tourist trap in a 2nd rate waterfront. I hope that I helped shed that image and bring some vitality back to the waterfront, (along with effort of Ralph and slew of great line cooks who worked on the hottest line I've ever been on-remember, it's a friggin boat with 8 foot high ceilings and no gas, not exactly every chef's dream.)

Rx, in it's own right, is a great restaurant and in it's own way reflects it's own part of Philadelphia. While maybe not as grand or majestic as the deck of the Moshulu at twilight, Greg has created an oasis of food for thinking people and the more adventurous, who don't want to know what to expect, they like the surprise of an everchanging menu. His relationships with farmers comes from a deep passion that I would see him get excited about, especially in the spring when the really great stuff starts becoming available locally. He is also a part of the eclectic community that is West Philly and financially takes losses by using the local farmers and other things like using PECO electricity sourced from wind power. His restaurant is definitely one of the few that has taken the road less travelled and actually survives in this business (hopefully he'll actually get to flourish and not just survive).

Meanwhile, I'm in Lancaster and managed to find some good road side homemade root beer but am still getting my bearings and trying to find some local stuff (there's Lancaster Market, for sure, but it's more fun finding the roadside stands out here in the sticks.

Thanks to all the people in Philly who I got to know through this site and especially all the people who worked so hard for me and with me so that anybody still remembers my name.

[MarketStEl]

Anyway, I still love the deck at the Moshulu and stay in contact with Ralph weekly.  When you think back to what represents the city, whether to it's residents or visitors, a high profile place like the Moshulu was just another 2nd rate tourist trap in a 2nd rate waterfront.  I hope that I helped shed that image and bring some vitality back to the waterfront, (along with effort of Ralph and slew of great line cooks who worked on the hottest line I've ever been on-remember, it's a friggin boat with 8 foot high ceilings and no gas, not exactly every chef's dream.) 

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It's certainly no longer a second-rate tourist trap.

As for the waterfront, I'm not sure I can say it's first rate yet, but I know something the city keeps trying to do that I don't think is needed to make it first rate. You can find out what that is by picking up a copy of Friday's Inquirer and turning to the Metro Commentary page.