Snack Bar!

[Lateralus]

It is almost upon the.......Snack Bar opening!!!!!!!

[KatieLoeb]

Could we at least wait for the opening for the shilling to begin?

[etalanian]

Hate to sound out of the loop, but what's the Snack Bar????

Eileen

[Diann]

Hate to sound out of the loop, but what's the Snack Bar????

Eileen

←

It's Jonathan Makar's new restaurant. He was the original manager of Marigold Kitchen. Location is the former Out of the Blue / Salt space.

[guzzirider]

Snack Bar? So what can we expect here... "Mike & Ike" entrees, and Juju fish prepared table-side?

Just curious...

__Jason

[Kobi]

Per Philly.com,

"Rittenhouse Square foodies have been champing at the bit to learn the name of the bistro under construction at 20th Street and Rittenhouse Square, in the space that was Salt and Out of the Blue. It'll be called Snackbar, with a menu that owner Jonathan Makar calls "progressive snacks." Opening is less than a month away, says Makar."

- KOBI

[NaFairge]

just snackbar. lower case, one word............

[philadining]

I'm eager to see the menu, but my sense is that the offerings will be a bit more substantial than the term "snacks" might suggest. I expect really interesting small-plates (sorry, I know that's a tired phrase) that one can snack on, or mix-up to make more of a meal. Rumors I've heard seem very promising...

[I_call_the_duck]

Unless I'm confusing it with another restaurant, I think they have also obtained a liquor license, so I'd think it'd be more on the line of small plates rather than "snacks".

[Diann]

Unless I'm confusing it with another restaurant, I think they have also obtained a liquor license, so I'd think it'd be more on the line of small plates rather than "snacks".

←

Karen -- they do have a liquor license -- last weekend on my way to the farmer's market in Rittenhouse Square I made a point of figuring out where snackbar is actually located (I always walk right by, distracted by the giant cheetah at Asta de Blue), and I saw the orange liquor license sign in the window.

[Capaneus]

Unless I'm confusing it with another restaurant, I think they have also obtained a liquor license, so I'd think it'd be more on the line of small plates rather than "snacks".

←

Karen -- they do have a liquor license -- last weekend on my way to the farmer's market in Rittenhouse Square I made a point of figuring out where snackbar is actually located (I always walk right by, distracted by the giant cheetah at Asta de Blue), and I saw the orange liquor license sign in the window.

←

That would be a leopard, I believe.

snackbar will have a liquor license. Last I heard, they planned on being open breakfast through late night. Not sure if they'll change menu through the day or whether they'll have one broad menu for the whole day. Met the chef, ambling along with Jonathan. Seems a nice guy, and I recall being impressed with his background and ideas - though I cannot recall what they were.

Should at least be an interesting place, and actually not something we already have in the neighborhood.

[philadining]

In the City Paper's Feeding Frenzy, Drew Lazor says: "We recently checked out the white-beer-braised pork belly served with poached egg and charred-onion broth."

ahhh....Pork bellies...

[Vadouvan]

We recently checked out the white-beer-braised pork belly served with poached egg and charred-onion broth."

I checked out the Snackbar with uncle phil tonight and indeeeeed the pork bellies were quite tasty. Before I expand ..........uncle Phil with the Paparazzi action ..........???

[philadining]

snackbar Nov 1, 2006

brussels & truffles. marcona almonds.

maitake. negra modelo broth. scallion.

sweet corn. polenta. tallegio. oregano.

black figs in red wine. goat milk. smoked salt.

apples. miso caramel. wasabi peas.

mackerel. fennel. lemon. apple cider.

ocean trout. vanilla pomme puree. cranberry.

escargot skewers. butternut. walnuts

chicken thighs. bbq. daikon.

pork (beer) belly. slow egg. dashi

cheese: crozier. rocastin. chiantino. bouq emissaire.

chocolate cake. licorice. malted coffee

olive oil financier. white chocolate. rose.

Once my head has cleared, I'll try to add details, but for now, I'll just say everything was amazingly delicious. Like, some of the best food I've had in a long time, and not just in Philly. Really.

Adventurous ideas, interesting combinations, assured execution. This is a really exciting new place. Lovely, warm, inviting look and feel to the space, good service.

They're BYOB until November 4, when they should have their liquor license.

Awesome place. Seriously.

Edited November 2, 2006 by philadining (log)

[Vadouvan]

To ad to Phil....

Everything was indeed delicious with the highlights being pork belly, chicken, brussel sprouts, polenta and ocean trout. Apples with wasabi peas were a revelation and addictive.

Definitely a step in the right direction in Philadelphia. I would expect even better as the kitchen gets settled in.

In most cases, we ordered seconds and prices are completely reasonable.

Old macdonald may have had a farm.....but young macdonald worked on a farm in northern Spain and it clearly influenced his cooking.

Good stuff.

Pork belly smackdown ???

[murkcury]

Everything looks and sounds great. I can't wait to get down and try it myself.

[matthewj]

good luck John, even Atlanta is pulling for you.

[Dish]

The food looks wonderful. I'm on my way!!

Are they open on Sundays and Mondays?

[jelly]

To ad to Phil....

Everything was indeed delicious with the highlights being pork belly, chicken, brussel sprouts, polenta and ocean trout. Apples with wasabi peas were a revelation and addictive.

Definitely a step in the right direction in Philadelphia. I would expect even better as the kitchen gets settled in.

In most cases, we ordered seconds and prices are completely reasonable.

Old macdonald may have had a farm.....but young macdonald worked on a farm in northern Spain and it clearly influenced his cooking.

Good stuff.

Pork belly smackdown ???

←

Do you have their phone number? What is the cross street? Thanks.

[philadining]

Everything was indeed delicious with the highlights being pork belly, chicken, brussel sprouts, polenta and ocean trout. Apples with wasabi peas were a revelation and addictive.

←

I'll basically agree with V. The pork belly was outrageous, but what really put it over the top was that amazing smoked onion dashi. The perfectly-textured spring egg didn't hurt either! We knew going in that we'd need multiples of this, we didn't even wait to try it, and we almost ordered more afterwards...

The Chicken was not especially unusual, just delicious, enough so that we ordered another.

The roasted Brussels Sprouts were quite tender and tasty, but the shavings of truffle and the almonds, gave them an extra dimension that elevated them beyond simple comfort food.

That roasted corn with tallegio and polenta was out of this world. It was a great combination of textures and flavors. The presentation is pretty wild, but I'm cool with that....

Due to this opening BYOB phase, we were drinking some of that magic Hermann Wiemer Gewurtztraminer (2005) that seems to go with almost everything, but it was just absolutely revelatory with the corn.

The ocean trout was absolutely perfectly cooked - silky, almost custardy in the tongue, its sweetness nicely balanced by the stripe of acidic cranberry. There was a brief fistfight over the satisfyingly crackly skin.

And those apples... what a fantastic combination of sweet and salt and spice and soft and crunch. I would be happy dropping by for a snack of these any time. I'd eat them for breakfast. I'd eat them alongside the pork bellies, or the trout, or anything. The flavor of the wasabi pea crust is more subtle than you'd expect, but it's just right, and the crispness is a great effect. I've decided that I'm coating everything in crushed wasabi peas from now on....

The figs with goat milk were fine, but the overall dish might be too subtle, or maybe the figs just aren't all that thrilling right now. Not bad, but the only thing all night that got a bit of a yawn.

But I'd like to give props to the broth on the mushroom, I could just drink mugs of that. The little gelatinous cubes of cider that accompanied the mackerel brightened the dish by exactly the right amount. The combination of butternut squash with escargot was lovely (and the snails were nicely tender too.) There was some longing for a few noodles in the broth that surrounded the pork belly, and that would indeed be delicious, but I suppose we're just locked into old patterns...

The cheeses were all very interesting, and accompanied by carefully-selected compliments. I especially liked the home-made mostardo that chaperoned the chiantino.

And the licorice overtones to the chocolate cake, along with the slightly salty malted coffee, elevated that dessert well above the same-old molten-center cake. Even so, the financier might have stolen the show, with its subtle flavors.

Almost everything displayed that rare combination of being interesting, surprising, and delicious. Can't ask for much more than that!

[Vadouvan]

There was a brief fistfight over the satisfyingly crackly skin.

I believe the quote was "slide me some skin".......

[HD73]

What were the prices like? Was it hopping on the first night or could I slide in some time soon without a reservation?

[Vadouvan]

Far as I recall, nothing over 13 bucks....small plates.

[Natasha]

I'm curious about the prices as well. The food looks great. I can't wait to try it.

ETA: Oops, I swear your reply wasn't there, V, when I posted. Thanks.

Edited November 2, 2006 by Natasha (log)

[philadining]

re prices:

veggies were $7 or 8

apples were a steal at $5

fish was $9-11

Chicken was $10, pork was $11

Cheeses were $3-4 each

Desserts were $5-6.

Again, these are small plates, but the prices seemed totally reasonable to me.

It's important to note that although we decadently rampaged through the entire menu, this is a limited, opening days selection, there'll be more on the menu eventually.

As for the crowds, it's a tiny place, but there were a few empty seats during most of the time we were there. I doubt that will be the case for long!! I'd go soon.

253 S. 20th St. (Between Locust and Spruce at the corner of... I can't remember)

There's no sign that I could see yet, but just look for the cool orange glow.

Edited November 2, 2006 by philadining (log)