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It is always satisfying when I find a young, talented chef whose culinary world makes perfect sense on all levels of the dining experience. Michael Solomonov is the executive chef at Marigold Kitchen, a charming Victorian-inspired gem located inside a 100-year-old house. University City needs fine-dining spots like this, as well as casual cafes. Dinner at Marigold, 45th Street and Larchwood Avenue, was one of the finest in recent memory.
Solomonov, 28, was born in Israel to an American mother and a Bulgarian father. He returned to America with his parents when he was a child, but made trips back to Israel, where he fell in love with cooking. At 20, Solomonov enrolled in the Florida Culinary Institute in West Palm Beach and he now lives with wife Mary in South Philadelphia.
With walls painted a soft green, Marigold has retained the original woodwork, highly polished hardwood floors and beautiful windows topped with stained glass. Banquettes line one side of the front room and tables are covered in linen with linen napkins.
My cousin Carl brought a bottle of Pol Acker Blanc de Blanc, a sparkling wine from France. I told our server I was observing Passover and knew we were in for a treat: Solomonov makes his own matzo. We were brought crispy flatbread baked with olive oil and specks of black sea salt and a dish of olives. We easily cleared the basket. More arrived with our appetizers.
The menu is contemporary American with Middle Eastern influences. This was most evident in Carl’s bowl of carrot soup with mint ($10), a flavorful combination used in Moroccan cooking. The soup was puréed and enhanced with caraway seeds, cumin and coriander. It was a warming delicious indulgence on a cold evening.
My starter ($13) was an absolute winner. I adore sweetbreads, but since they are somewhat bland, they require seasoning and sauce. Solomonov blanched two sweetbreads, wrapped them in crispy, seasoned chicken skin and served them with tehina. The combination of flavors and textures was a joy in the mouth.
From the entrées, Carl selected salmon ($26) and I ordered duck ($27). The salmon was pan-seared until crispy and served with mushroom soubise (a hash combined with seasonings). It’s easy to overcook fish, but Solomonov is a master when preparing salmon. The fish retained its juiciness and the pairing with soubise was inspiring. Solomonov used a mix of exotic mushrooms, which were roughly chopped and seasoned just right. Neither Carl nor I reached for the salt or pepper during dinner.
My duck breast arrived rare, as ordered. Solomonov sliced it for easy eating and served it with a purée of parsnips and a Swiss chard crepinette. The juicy, tender poultry was out of this world, with natural pan juices enhanced with wine to form a light sauce. The crepinette looked like a round of goat cheese wrapped in a grape leaf; it was a surprise and a first for me. Solomonov made a combination of chopped chicken and duck and blended it with walnuts and barberries, which I had never heard of. (They are a dried fruit that adds a citrus flavor.) This tasty side dish enhanced the duck beautifully.
Desserts are homemade at Marigold. Carl and I grew up eating halvah, a sweet confection with ground sesame seeds and honey. It is a favorite in the Middle East and is still sold in Jewish delis. I selected the halvah semifreddo ($7) served with a chocolate sesame crisp. This treat was another first and showed Solomonov’s creativity in the kitchen. Carl ordered the warm chocolate cake with vanilla yogurt ice cream topped with Turkish coffee ($7). It was rich, sweet and did not disappoint.
We asked to meet Solomonov as we sipped our bottomless cups of strong La Colombe coffee ($2.50), which was a most pleasant way to end a marvelous meal. We talked about our mutual love for Middle Eastern foods and flavors and the culinary goings-on in Israel. Solomonov brought us a sample of cheeses, including an artisan Israeli goat cheese that brought back fond memories. The chef said he had worked at Vetri, Striped Bass and Avenue B.
The next day I called Solomonov and asked him why he is a chef.
"I have to cook," he said. "It is the only thing for me to do."
Three extraordinary tips of the toque to Marigold Kitchen.
Marigold Kitchen
501 S. 45th St. (at Larchwood Avenue
215-222-3699
Credit cards accepted
Reservations are encouraged
www.marigoldkitchenbyob.com
