27019367
Ecco Qui
3200 Chestnut St.
215-222-3226
Credit cards accepted
Wheelchair-accessible
Open for lunch and dinner
Balmy summer evenings enhanced by a gentle breeze call for dining al fresco. A friend recently recommended Ecco Qui, which opened at 3200 Chestnut St. on the campus of Drexel University two months ago. Italian fare goes well with dining outdoors.
Ecco Qui, which means "here it is" in Italian, is a casual, moderately priced addition to the ever-growing University City. If you’re heading over to take in a movie at The Bridge, it’s an agreeable spot for a salad, pizza, antipasti and a glass of wine.
There’s a spacious patio with round tables and umbrellas outside and a pretty dining room inside, all decorated in shades of blue with a cozy bar. My husband and I were fortunate to find a vacant table on the patio.
The wine list, by the bottle and by the glass, is as moderately priced as the bill of fare. There are several bottles in the $22-$24 range. A crisp Pinot Grigio and a slightly floral Trebbiano were just $6. Both glasses were filled to the top.
Our waiter, who teaches social studies at John Bartram High School in Southwest Philly, took good care of us. He brought us a basket of warm bread, including an herb-dusted focaccia that was delicious and probably homemade. Cruets of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and pretty fluted metal cups filled with red hot pepper flakes, oregano and grated Pecorino sat on the table. Tables are set with white linen napkins and deep cobalt-blue water glasses.
My insalata di mare ($9) was a good-sized mound of ubiquitous spring mix topped with cool calamari, tiny gulf shrimp and jumbo lump crabmeat, tossed in a perfect balance of fresh lemon juice, olive oil and a scattering of fresh herbs. Each fish was perfectly cooked and very fresh. The tomatoes, unfortunately, were not ripe and lacked flavor.
Asparagi ($8.50) consisted of several spears of asparagus, along with some goat cheese, wrapped in salty prosciutto, topped with mozzarella and baked in the oven. The antipasto sat in a pool of pureed vegetable sauce with some tomatoes. Two squares of soft polenta the color of Velveeta cheese sat on the plate. I thought the dish was too busy and not hot enough, but Edward enjoyed it.
A choice of soup or salad comes with dinner. A tasty homemade bean soup prepared with onions and carrots was rich, thick and nicely seasoned. The house salad is a simple plate of iceberg lettuce, some grated carrot and wedges of flavorless tomato. The salad comes with a house balsamic vinaigrette, but Edward simply dressed the salad himself with the oil and vinegar from our table.
We often like to split a pasta or risotto in an Italian restaurant, especially if we’re in the mood for fish, chicken or veal. Risotto funghi misti ($13) was a large platter of arborio rice that was cooked al dente but lacked the creamy consistency that makes risotto great. Although it was a generous portion, chock full of fresh porcini and button mushrooms, we found the dish too salty.
Grilled chicken is perfect fare for summer dining. Petto di pollo alla griglia consisted of two large boneless chicken breast halves that had been pounded thin. The chicken was dry and overcooked. The roasted potatoes, however, were nicely done. The sautéed spinach topped with fontina cheese was salty. The dish also contained squares of soft polenta.
I haven’t had veal parmesan in a long time. Ecco Qui’s version ($16) was disappointing because the veal and side order of spaghetti were cold and salty. The quality of the veal was not in question, but the platter did not taste freshly prepared.
It has been my experience that a number of restaurants turn out delicious appetizers, soups and salads and then fall short when it comes to entrées. During dinner, we noticed several thin-crust pizzas making their way to surrounding tables. I think more care needs to be taken with the entrées here.
Still, Ecco Qui shows promise in the expanding village known as University City. Appetizers and salads run $3.50-$11, pastas and entrées are $9.50-$20. The average entrée is about $15, which is getting more rare these days when so many new restaurants are high-priced.
One-and-a-half tips of the toque to Ecco Qui.
