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Why would a 34-year-old Main Line woman with a busy catering business and two young children want to own and operate a restaurant?
I called Christine Fischer and asked her the afternoon after my cousin Carl and I enjoyed a delicious Italian home-style dinner at ChriStevens, the restaurant she purchased from the Iovino family last October. The place, previously known as Mimosa, sits at Ninth and South streets.
"I started my catering company in 2002 and I’ve done many weddings, bar mitzvahs, bat mitzvahs and parties," Fischer, who was born and raised in Center City, said. "My catering clients told me they missed me and really liked my food. I just love people. Having a restaurant is more personable."
Carl and I bundled up against the wind and snow and found a quiet refuge at ChriStevens. It’s still a BYOB, but the walls are now washed in a Mediterranean yellow and a big brick oven stands in the corner. (Fischer said she wants to add pizza to the menu.)
I reviewed Mimosa two-and-a-half years ago and the meal was uneven. But this time Carl and I enjoyed a delicious dinner at a moderate price.
Fischer showed us to a roomy table and gave us menus. I always bring a white and a red wine to a BYOB because I never know what I’m going to eat. I brought a white Cotes du Rhone and a Spanish blended red. Our waiter opened the wine and brought a warm loaf of homemade bread, which had a dense interior and a crisp crust.
Carl began with polenta and sausages ($8) and I ordered a layered eggplant dish ($8). I grew up on polenta but we knew it as "Mama Liga," which is what Jewish people call it. This version was piping hot and prepared just right. The texture was creamy, yet properly set and the chef spooned a rich sausage ragu on top.
Restaurant eggplant dishes can be iffy — I’ve tasted my share of soggy, greasy messes. This eggplant was cut into rounds and beautifully baked. It was seasoned and stacked, for eye appeal, and sat in the center of a pool of rich, homemade marinara, which Carl and I devoured using slices of bread. Fischer brought complimentary roasted peppers with our antipasti — a hospitable gesture.
Carl and I wanted to share a light pasta course, because we had our eyes on the veal entrees. Bucatini alla Amatriciana ($12), a classic from the Abruzzo region of Italy, is one of my favorites because it is so simple and flavorful. The sauce is made with fresh tomatoes, crisp pancetta, a sprinkling of hot pepper flakes and Pecorino Romano. Bucatini is a sturdy, slender, tubular dried pasta that pairs well with sauce. The chef split it for two and placed it in soup bowls. Our pasta was piping hot and downright delicious. Fischer offered some grated cheese for sprinkling. I loved the saltiness of the pancetta and cheese and the sweetness of the tomatoes.
Carl went for Osso Bucco, which, at $19, was a bargain. (It’s usually between $22 and $35.) The veal shank was braised for hours until the meat was so tender it fell from the bone. The chef topped it with a few peas, which are used in many Milanese dishes. Carl’s plate contained piping-hot roasted potatoes and sautéed escarole, which was a welcome change from spinach and the watery zucchini so many places pawn off.
There were a few veal dishes on the menu. Since I am researching Roman food, I asked Fischer if the chef could make the classic veal saltimbocca, which is simply veal pounded very thin, sautéed in white wine and butter and topped with Proscuitto di Parma and fresh sage leaves. My dinner ($23) was marvelous. The veal was tender and not a bit overcooked. The Proscuitto added a little salty flavor, which I liked, but I particularly raved about the sauce. The pan juices were properly reduced and did not congeal. It was as smooth as silk and seasoned just right. I also received the roasted potatoes and sautéed escarole.
Fischer brought us complimentary strawberries, sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar, which were served in a pool of homemade chocolate sauce. It was a sweet ending to a fine dinner.
During our conversation, Fischer talked about her multiethnic heritage. Her mother is Italian-American, her father is German-Jewish-American and her stepmother is Puerto Rican-American.
"My Italian grandmother was not a good cook," she said. "My grandfather was the cooker, which is how our family described someone who loves to cook."
Fischer will soon revamp the menu, adding more Mediterranean dishes, such as humus, lamb and kebabs.
It was obvious Fischer truly enjoys cooking. "This is what I’ve want to do my whole life," she said.
Three tips of the toque to ChriStevens.
ChriStevens
901 South St.
215-238-0144
Credit cards accepted
Open for dinner seven days
