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Vetri's Osteria

Vadouvan

By Vadouvan
in Pennsylvania: Dining

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KatieLoeb

KatieLoeb

Posted
Posted

Have you tried any of them, or is that just a snarky stab?

If the latter, please refrain or qualify your post a bit better. We need to be discussing our options in a way that translates to useful information for everyone, not just dissing others for the sake of it.

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

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philadining

philadining

Posted
Posted

More hype:

gallery_23992_4247_79840.jpg

Antipasto

(Fingerling Potatoes, Salsify, Beets, Roasted Tomato, Brussels Sprouts with bacon, Roasted Peppers, Golden Beets, Parsnips.)

gallery_23992_4247_99638.jpg

Pizza: Polpo

gallery_23992_4247_136434.jpg

Cotechino with Polenta and Egg

gallery_23992_4247_1782.jpg

Braised Pork Ribs and Sausage with cabbage and soft polenta

gallery_23992_4247_40567.jpg

Kale with Anchovy and Raisins

gallery_23992_4247_35490.jpg

Tangerine Zuppa Inglese

gallery_23992_4247_125106.jpg

Blood Orange Sorbetto, Pineapple Sorbetto, Pistachio Gelato

gallery_23992_4247_124850.jpg

I'm running a little short on time, so I'll save commentary for later, except to say that it was all quite delicious again, and service was very friendly and professional as well. I think the Cotechino with Polenta and Sunny-Side Up Egg was the standout for me. Or maybe that smoky pizza... or maybe those tender ribs...

"Philadelphia’s premier soup dumpling blogger" - Foobooz

philadining.com

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KatieLoeb

KatieLoeb

Posted
Posted
Jeez  Katie......  :smile:

Not a stab at all...just saying prices are in line with what's being charged in town.......

I have had Mercato's pastas.......good but nowhere near O.

Just maintaining my reputation here as the host with the friendliest forum and easiest job. Don't make work for me... :biggrin:

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

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philadining

philadining

Posted
Posted
Awesome Phil, is it obscenely busy on saturdays already    ?

It was shockingly easy to get a seat at the bar right at opening (5pm) and there were still spots there until almost 6. It got pretty jammed by the time we left, all tables were full, and there were a few folks waiting for seats at the bar. I'm sure it was only more jammed later...

"Philadelphia’s premier soup dumpling blogger" - Foobooz

philadining.com

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philadining

philadining

Posted
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Wow, Jeff that pizza looked great. Gotta get over there, preferably mid week. What's on top of that pizza? BTW, everything else looked equally good, nice pics, thanks

That pizza had grilled octopus, smoked mozzarella, tomato, and hot chile flakes. It was really delicious.

"Philadelphia’s premier soup dumpling blogger" - Foobooz

philadining.com

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shacke

shacke

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If the weather holds out I want to visit them this afternoon

Do you want you gulleteer card revoked? I will be there at 6 even if I have to shovel the door open my damn self :biggrin:

Maybe I will see you there.....

Dough can sense fear.

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MarketStEl

MarketStEl

Posted
Posted
More hype:

Pizza: Polpo

gallery_23992_4247_136434.jpg

That pizza had grilled octopus, smoked mozzarella, tomato, and hot chile flakes. It was really delicious.

Hype? Sure.

Okay, I don't care if we have to eat at the bar. We. Must. Give. This. Place. A. Pizza. Club. Evaluation.

This Saturday, if at all humanly possible.

Sandy Smith, Exile on Oxford Circle, Philadelphia

"95% of success in life is showing up." --Woody Allen

My foodblogs: 1 | 2 | 3

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shacke

shacke

Posted
Posted

OK. I'll add another log on the hype fire. Osteria was really really good.

Cotechino

Arancini

Pizza parma

Octopus salad

Candele with boar bolognese

Truly outstanding was the pasta and the octopus. I mean I never had octopus like that before. It was flat out stellar. The cotechino gives new meaning to sausage eggs and grits, man.

There was a teeny bit of a screw up as our original server left after we ordered because of the weather and never told the kitchen we wanted a pizza. I mentioned this at the end of our meal and at that point we were beyond stuffed and were telling them to forget it but they said "oh it's coming out in 5 minutes" and so it did. They did in fact forget. It wasn't that great, a bit underdone and I wouldn't have chosen this particular pizza in the first place. I won't judge the pizza because I don't think it was a good example of what could have been. I will leave it up to my trusted friends upthread and their esteemed opinions of the pizza potential.

Toward the end of the meal, the guy next to me got the rabbit which I am definitely getting next time. Oh the wandering green eye!

Dough can sense fear.

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KatieLoeb

KatieLoeb

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How big was your serving of octopus? Without naming names, someone I know and trust went to Osteria and was the first bad report I've gotten from anyone. I was told there were four tiny pieces of octopus on the plate for $16! :shock: That's highway robbery by anyone's standards, I'd think, I don't care how good it tasted.

It seems to me the problem with Osteria is the same problem that Brasserie Perrier has - and it's not semantics. If you call yourself an "Osteria" or a "Brasserie" then you should understand what that really means. Both places are far too "fancy" and the price points are too high to qualify to be what they describe themselves to be. Whether there is good value there isn't my argument. But over $20 for pizza is not a price point you'd find in any osteria in Italy, nor are $30+ entrees a price point you'd find at a true brasserie.

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

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shacke

shacke

Posted
Posted (edited)
How big was your serving of octopus?  Without naming names, someone I know and trust went to Osteria and was the first bad report I've gotten from anyone.  I was told there were four tiny pieces of octopus on the plate for $16!  :shock:   That's highway robbery by anyone's standards, I'd think, I don't care how good it tasted.

It seems to me the problem with Osteria is the same problem that Brasserie Perrier has - and it's not semantics.  If you call yourself an "Osteria" or a "Brasserie" then you should understand what that really means.  Both places are far too "fancy" and the price points are too high to qualify to be what they describe themselves to be.  Whether there is good value there isn't my argument.  But over $20 for pizza is not a price point you'd find in any osteria in Italy, nor are $30+ entrees a price point you'd find at a true brasserie.

Well I don't recall but it was octopus salad with greens and potatoes, not just straight grilled polpo like at Dimitris. There were more than 4 tiny pieces and although I can't remember, it seemed like a good sized plate. Yes the pizza is over $20. However you slice it, the place is costly. The plates above, with a dessert and two espressos also was $130 for two - not including tip. That unfortunately means a lot of people will relegate the restaurant to a special occassion destination only. But to me, there is expensive and over rated and there is food that is worth the price tag. Osteria is the latter.

On a lighter note, one thing I do remember from alst night that I didn't post earlier was the cute phrase painted on the oven. It's in Italian but it says "God created food. The devil, the cooks."

Edited by shacke (log)

Dough can sense fear.

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Vadouvan

Vadouvan

Posted
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Posted (edited)

Katie, your point is correct but I think it has to be noted in context.

First of all regarding the analogy, Brasserie Perrier not only isnt a brasserie by nature of it's interior design, it never actually served brasserie food until it started responding to that criticism. Even after that, it's only a few bar menu items and plats du jour.

Osteria does at least strive to serve mostly simple style fare.

By the way I believe only one pizza is $20 and most hover at $16.

Regarding the issue of prices and nomeclature.....

Contextually one cannot expect to pay the prices that one pays in Italy or France at either Osterias, Trattorias or Brasseries or Bistros.

Those restaurants do not have the labor and real estate costs that a similar restaurant in the average American city would have to bear...........THUS.......the concept description is always a romantic notion. I think Osteria makes a credible attempt at remaining within that realm of food but the question is can they be profitable if the prices drom to true "Osteria" prices.

I dont think it's that possible with that large a staff.

Issue then becomes product mixing, people clearly arent complaining about $16 pastas at places like Mercato or Melograno (which arent anywhere nearly as good).

I feel like it ultimately comes back to the Italian bias, and the proliferation of so many Italian BYOBs. Ultimately the restaurant should be judged by the quality of the food and the integrity of the cooking, at the end of the day does any restaurant in Philadelphia offer Osteria's food either better or at a cheaper price.....i can confidently say no.

Edited by Vadouvan (log)
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Andrew Fenton

Andrew Fenton

Posted
Posted

I was at Osteria last night, too; soon after Dr. Shack, I think. Everything was good. A couple of dishes were very good.

the TRIPE was great: mild, almost sweet flavor, tender (something that's very rare for tripe). This was one of my two favorite dishes of the night.

The OCTOPUS was also quite good. Very tender (except at the tips of the tentacles, which is to be expected).

the TORTELLINI IN BRODO was disappointing. The capon tortellini (as mentioned upthread, really more like won tons) were plump and juicy. But it's a dish that stands or falls on the strength of the broth, and this broth was only okay; it didn't have the meaty intensity that characterizes the best versions of the dish I've encountered.

I was pretty happy with the PIZZA LOMBARDA, about which much has been written already. They know how to make a good pizza there, for sure.

A little dish of CARCIOFI ALLA ROMANA was outstanding. (It was also $10 for maybe two artichoke hearts. At that price, it had better be outstanding.)

For dessert, we had TORRONE CANNOLI, with a sort of frozen torrone filling with candied fruit. It was okay, not outstanding.

The POLENTA BUDINO, however, rocked my world. It had a rich, buttery, intense flavor; the dessert preparation is a great way to bring out the sweetness of the corn. This is a great dessert.

A couple of minor service issues: the missus ordered coffee and received cappuccino; and one of the waiters kept touching me on the shoulder as he talked to us. I know that this is less formal than Vetri, but seriously: unless you're buying me dinner, don't touch me, OK? (Also, there was a porchetta tonnata special on the menu last night, which the waitress referred to as a Sicilian dish. It's not.)

It's an interesting place. It's not especially "authentic" (whatever that means, I know); for one thing, it's pan-Italian and not regional, and for another, there are lots of concessions made to its American context. That's in no way meant as a criticism: there's nothing wrong with drawing inspiration from a variety of sources, and it only makes sense to acknowledge that the restaurant is on Broad St. and not the Via Garibaldi. In either case, it's recognizably Italian, not Italian-American, which is a good thing.

It's also the best Italian meal I've had in Philadelphia. It's maybe not quite as good as some of the hype would lead one to believe (this is in my opinion, of course), but it is very good. There was nothing I tried that blew me away or opened my eyes to a new experience (except maybe the pudding), but with the exception of the tortellini, everything was solid.

As to the issue of price: yeah, it's expensive. $16 for an octopus isn't cheap, but it's also not highway robbery: it is really top quality octopus, prepared very well. I don't think there's any way to make that dish not expensive and keep the quality. That said, it's expensive enough that while I'm sure I'll go back, I don't think it will be any time soon.

I can't get worked up about the name. English isn't Italian; and you'd never see an Italian restaurant simply called "Osteria"; this name just signals Italian-ness more than anything else. If it were called "Osteria Vetri", I'd be bothered, maybe.

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Vadouvan

Vadouvan

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here was nothing I tried that blew me away or opened my eyes to a new experience (except maybe the pudding), but with the exception of the tortellini, everything was solid.

I would hope not professor, I am jealous about your Italian sabbatical..... :smile:

can't get worked up about the name. English isn't Italian

Unfortunately Jeff Chodorow thought so......... :laugh:

http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/4163...is_italian.html

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mrbigjas

mrbigjas

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Posted

Regarding the issue of prices and nomeclature.....

Contextually one cannot expect to pay the prices that one pays in Italy or France at either Osterias, Trattorias or Brasseries or Bistros.

Those restaurants do not have the labor and real estate costs that a similar restaurant in the average American city would have to bear...........THUS.......the concept description is always a romantic notion. I think Osteria makes a credible attempt at remaining within that realm of food but the question is can they be profitable if the prices drom to true "Osteria" prices.

either we all had this exact same conversation when amada opened, or i'm trippin.

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Diann

Diann

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either we all had this exact same conversation when amada opened, or i'm trippin.

i agree. philadining and i discussed the same thing at dinner -- i'm pretty sure everyone going to osteria understands that it's an "osteria" with extremely broad quotation marks. by no means did i expect the place to be cheap -- just a bit more rustic and a bit less expensive than vetri. i doubt you're going to find an octopus pizza at the trattoria down the street in italy, right?

i think the love and joy lavished upon this place is based mostly on its currently unique status among philadelphia restaurants. i have minor quibbles with the food (ex. i personally like the crust at una pizza napoletana better than the osteria crust) but the fact remains -- there's no place like this in philly, and when i want good italian food, this will be my go-to.

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