Out of the Blue

[sockii]

Saw a sign on the door of the former Salt location (on 20th Street) that a new BYOB named "Out of the Blue" would be opening there on Dec 1st.

Anyone got any dirt on it? Just curious as to what to expect...

[Capaneus]

Saw a sign on the door of the former Salt location (on 20th Street) that a new BYOB named "Out of the Blue" would be opening there on Dec 1st.

Anyone got any dirt on it? Just curious as to what to expect...

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It's the project of one of the founders of Meritage (the wine one, I think). Michael Klein had a short mention in Thursday's Inky:

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertain...ng/13130480.htm

[Rich Pawlak]

Saw a sign on the door of the former Salt location (on 20th Street) that a new BYOB named "Out of the Blue" would be opening there on Dec 1st.

Anyone got any dirt on it? Just curious as to what to expect...

←

It's the project of one of the founders of Meritage (the wine one, I think). Michael Klein had a short mention in Thursday's Inky:

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertain...ng/13130480.htm

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Barnaby would be the NON-wine one.

[KatieLoeb]

Saw a sign on the door of the former Salt location (on 20th Street) that a new BYOB named "Out of the Blue" would be opening there on Dec 1st.

Anyone got any dirt on it? Just curious as to what to expect...

←

It's the project of one of the founders of Meritage (the wine one, I think). Michael Klein had a short mention in Thursday's Inky:

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertain...ng/13130480.htm

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Barnaby would be the NON-wine one.

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James Colabelli is no longer associated with Meritage. He'll be taking over for the departing Melissa Monosoff as sommelier at the Four Seasons.

Wonder how long they'll be able to afford the exhorbitant rent at that locale with no liquor revenue. Seems dicey to me.

[aliwaks]

poked my nose in there the other day, all I could get out of the red headeed gentleman I spoke to was that the chef was local

Wonder how long they'll be able to afford the exhorbitant rent at that locale with no liquor revenue. Seems dicey to me.

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[aliwaks]

Had dinner at Out of the Blue last night..it was really quite nice.

The space is calming the fire lovely (though admittedly I nearly tossed half my coat into it...mebbe there should be a screeen or something)

anyway it was a freezing walk over there (all of 3 blocks) and the long gray velvet curtains ( I LOOOVE gray velvet) allow everyone a very dramatic entrance..which of course I enjoyed, perhaps more so than others, "I'm Here!" .

I was quite happy to be seated near the open flame with an excellent view of 20th street and the door (I am so one of those people who cannot be seated with my back to the door, don't like those kind of surprises)

( I just remembered that in my last reveiw I had nearly been burned as well...perhaps thats why my pro chef career has never really taken off, I am an enourmous klutz) I digress

Glassware, plates even wall decor straight out of IKEA, my place was the same . We met the manager/part owner/brother of chef called Evan, he was very nice, and he had explained that the cornish game hen and pork were the most popular dishes to my friend Andrea--who asks questions like that- before I got there, so she had decided that that is what we were getting but I had other plans.

For starters I had a hard time choosing between lamb and chive potstickers and pig trotter ravioli with lingonberry & grainy mustard. I was about to get both and forgo an entree but for some reason Andrea got upset by that ( she has weird food issues and I think thinks who ever she eats with has to order the same amount as she does..whatever).

I was torn but chose the ravioli, Andrea got the Curried Butternut squash soup.

They brought out slightly warmed whole wheat rolls with little triangle of butter sprinkled with sea salt. and we surveyed the scene. The restaurant was nearly empty (it was 6;15 on a sunday so thats fine)

I really really liked my ravioli, the came in a wide shallow bowl with a bouquet of frisee perfectly dressed in mustard-y dressing, the pasta was perfect, the filling maybe a little too salty but porky and chewy and the lingonberries where thankfully tart not overly sweetened. it was the kind of dish I would pick at all day long if I worked there

The curried butternut squash soup had very nice presentation, they brought you a bowl with a small dollop of creme fraiche & chives then poured the soup from a clear glass pitcher...it was lovely. The soup was ok, I may be one of the few people able to resist the allure of butternut squash soup, it does nothing for me also I am not a huge fan of curry after one cooking stint which involved making copious amounst of curried "chicken" salad

(I say "chicken" because it was really deli turkey breast that I had to shred..ooo just thinking about that makes me throw up a little in my mouth)

OK for our entrees Andrea had cornish game hen stuffed with dried fruits that came with bastilla and cous cous...it was ok, the presentation was very nice the hen was served as a roulade (?) stuffed with dried fruits with a vaguesly middle eastern-y sauce, a timbale of cous cous with what looked like a dried herb in it and two triangles of b'stilla.

It was okay, it tasted like something I would make on a whim, the filo for the bastilla was really dry. I adore real b'stilla it is sooo lucious and sexy, this one..eh.. not so much and the cous cous was cold.

I had trout since I could not bring myself to have pork and pork even though braised pork shoulder with pork belly is a wonderful thing:

The trourt was a teeny tiny filet with crispy skin (done perfectly) with very butter-ly fingerling chips, over a pool of fennel foam ..can I yawn at foam now? I would so much rather have had purreed fennel that I could feel, it tasted nice enough but I'm over the foam, There was a great little bundle of vegetables under the fish, haricot verts, baby carrots, artfully cut zucchini even a sliver of garlic. I am always so happy to see vegetables on a plate I love them and I miss them when they are not there.

Since I had a wee fishy I found that dessert was justifed (thought I should have abstained have a new honey and need to shape up for him) but they had Cinnamon Creme Brulee so I had to get it. (Andrea got the apple crisp, the other choices were a chocolate cheesecake, peanut brownies thing and a cheese plate...I wasn't excited by cheeses on the cheese plate but I'm a cheese snob..also see end bitchy note)

Evan brought me a spoon the size of my face which is a reataurant thing I don't get , at home I would never eat dessert with a serving spoon...why do restaurnats think I want to shovel in my dessert..I would prefer an espresso spoon but then again I probably have an eating disorder.

the Creme Brulee was nice and big and cinnamon-y, the custard wasn't as smooth and silky as I like ..a point which I made that our Evan must have overheard, because within moments he was at my side explaining that it was more of a custard than a creme brulee...umm okay.

The apple crisp was heavy on crisp perhaps too much so, and it was more of a crumble the topping reminded me of Drakes Cakes..not that there is anything wrong with that, it came with HUGE scoop of ice cream and raspberry drizzlies.

The Coffee was not good. If you guys read this please please ILLY or La Colombe maybe even Peets something don't buy coffee from Sysco!!!!

Ok I'm going to be bitchy for a second. There was a lot of explanation going on about the ingridients, I know what a lingonberry is, I know what spices are in curry and I know what raclette is i found that annoying but not fatal...

also Evan dollface, lovely man a Quince is not like an apricot, it is more like a pear or an apple...and annatto is not like tabasco even though it is red.

also Gentlemen Please Please Please remove those awful little salt and pepper shakers, FRESH CRACKED PEPPER will do justice to your food, everything was really nice but please put out a ramekin of kosher salt, sea salt, anything but a supid little salt shaker that looks like you swiped it from room service.

All that being said, I would go back its a nice addition to the hood pretty, charming .

(edited for spellling -- I think I got most of the typos)

Edited January 23, 2006 by aliwaks (log)

[Lisa1349]

The curried butternut squash soup had very nice presentation, they brought you a bowl with a small dollop of creme fraiche & chives then poured the soup from a clear glass pitcher...it was lovely. The soup was ok, I may be one of the few people able to resist the allure of butternut squash soup, it does nothing for me also I am not a huge fan of curry after one cooking stint which involved making copious amounst of curried "chicken" salad

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People go for butternut because it's hard to deal with at home. Most don't have a knife sharp enough to weild it. BUT, it has so much water, it takes a lot to make good soup. It should be roasted, and then hung in cheesecloth to remove that water. Then pureed. Then it'll taste like something. I know you know this, Ali, but I figured the average person doesn't.

[herbacidal]

Barnaby would be the NON-wine one.

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I thought they were both wine geeks.

James Colabelli is no longer associated with Meritage.  He'll be taking over for the departing Melissa Monosoff as sommelier at the Four Seasons.

Where is Melissa jumping to?

Wonder how long they'll be able to afford the exhorbitant rent at that locale with no liquor revenue.  Seems dicey to me.

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I concur with everyone else.

[kretch]

Ate there some time between Christmas and New Year's. Don't remember the date.

The music was too loud, and wrong.

The back corner where Salt's bar used to be looks awkwardly, coldly naked.

I nearly got up and left when, after being seated, the server came up to our table (after a runner had silently corked our wine) and the very first words out of her mouth were "So do you guys know what you want?"

We didn't leave. The pork entree I had (a braised pork shoulder, I think?) was absolutely phenomenal. Out of this world. A+.

And when we were leaving, I checked the menu on the front door to double check what the pork dish actually was, because it was that good. I couldn't find it because the previous evening's dated menu was still taped to the glass.

tmk

Edited January 25, 2006 by kretch (log)

[sockii]

Wonder how long they'll be able to afford the exhorbitant rent at that locale with no liquor revenue. Seems dicey to me.

Perhaps the answer was not too long after all...I walked by today and it wasn't open, chairs were stacked up inside, menu gone off the door.

Shame, because I did enjoy the two meals I had there, but the place just never seemed to have more than a few tables filled except on the weekends.

[philadining]

quelle surprise!

I think what that corner needs is a few pots of nice orange flowers of some sort...

[KatieLoeb]

Wonder how long they'll be able to afford the exhorbitant rent at that locale with no liquor revenue. Seems dicey to me.

Perhaps the answer was not too long after all...I walked by today and it wasn't open, chairs were stacked up inside, menu gone off the door.

Shame, because I did enjoy the two meals I had there, but the place just never seemed to have more than a few tables filled except on the weekends.

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[channeling Claude Rains]I'm shocked, shocked to find another restaurant has failed in that space...[/channeling Claude Rains]

What did I say the over/under was on this one? I think I'd given it 4-6 months, so I wasn't too far off.

To quote Queen - Another One Bites the Dust. :sigh:

Cute space but it needs some serious revenue to make rent. Seems fairly self-evident to me. But maybe my past experience juggling revenue and bills for a struggling enterprise in the same 'hood has given me some insights others might not necessarily see as cynically as I do.

Better things to come soon I suspect...

I think what that corner needs is a few pots of nice orange flowers of some sort

There's a reference here I'm clearly not getting. I'm intrigued. Spill.

edited to add:

Oh Duh!! Never mind...

[matthewj]

Katie is right. that space is ridiculously high in rent. . For that small space it is 8,000 dollars a month just for rent. No liquor. You would need to sell crack. to make up your lost revenue. The kitchen is way too small, and you can not turn enough tables. It is a great spot but will never become a restuarant of much if the rent is so high, plus the expense of liquor

[Diann]

I think what that corner needs is a few pots of nice orange flowers of some sort

There's a reference here I'm clearly not getting. I'm intrigued. Spill.

edited to add:

Oh Duh!! Never mind...

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Okay, I don't get it. Explain, por favor!

[Vadouvan]

It's a great Location but it's also a catch 22.

In one sense it's a fully equipped restaurant and the landlord can charge whatever he wants....and he is...reportedly over $5k but on the other hand, the long term success (more than 18 months) of anything that opens there is in question unless there are only two owners and preferable husband and wife....and high volume 2.5X seatings everyday with a $58 at least check average and no more than 28% food cost............which means you cant cook anything really exciting based on volume.

It would be a great place for an Italian BYO that serves simple delicious lunch and dinner.

[Holly Moore]

If it's one thing Philadelphia has not enough of, it is Italian BYOs.

Are there no other viable cuisines?

[Holly Moore]

Center City commercial rents are getting way, way out of line - at least for a restaurant. I can't think of any viable restaurant that could survive in such a small space at $5m a month or 60,000 a year rent - most likely net net net.

Best affordable location for restaurants nowadays is probably South Street above Broad. But lunch business is likely to be an issue that far from the business district.

[Vadouvan]

Are there no other viable cuisines?

Spanish Tapas....would work there.

Not like the Amada-fancy type, more like the casa-mono/Tia Pol down and dirty type.

[Vadouvan]

Dont get me wrong, I like Amada, I just meant more casual, Authentic and cheaper Spanish food without fancy plates and wineglasses.

[Diann]

Dont get me wrong, I like Amada, I just meant more casual, Authentic  and cheaper Spanish food without fancy plates and wineglasses.

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Like...Apamate with an expanded menu?

[Vadouvan]

Like...Apamate with an expanded menu?

Corrrrrrrect Princess D.

You read my thoughts exactly.

[herbacidal]

Are there no other viable cuisines?

Spanish Tapas....would work there.

Not like the Amada-fancy type, more like the casa-mono/Tia Pol down and dirty type.

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But even there, while the volume would work in theory, there aren't enough people in Philly that do that, ie hit a place for an hour, jump off to the next place, a la true Barcelona tapas style (or at least as I understand that dining culture to be.)

So that's why Amada is at the price point it is at.

But it definitely is a Catch 22.

[matthewj]

unless the building is bought outright, and the upstairs in converted to an upstairs facility, you still need the beverage revenue to make the space feasible. The space could be like a small "prune" if one had an avenue to buy a cheap liquor licence, but that is not going to happen in Philadelphia.

[Vadouvan]

Even the owner of the space had a food operation there and it failed, Remember Patina ?

In my opinion, the place is doomed at any rent higher than $2500

[kretch]

unless the building is bought outright, and the upstairs in converted to an upstairs facility, you still need the beverage revenue to make the space feasible.  The space could be like a small "prune" if one had an avenue to buy a cheap liquor licence, but that is not going to happen in Philadelphia.

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Prune! My favorite restaurant in all of NYC.