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The stock market dropped more than 700 points, the banks needed a bailout, unemployment was the highest in more than five years — we’re in a recession and new restaurants are opening throughout the city.
Go figure.
I was going to review a new Asian place but when the Phillies won the first playoff game I told Edward I wanted to watch the second while on the job. After all, we are lifelong fans.
Awhile ago, while walking down Chestnut Street, Edward told me a new eatery opened at 2101. There was an apartment building there for years. Now it is a condominium, the perfect place for casual dining. Owner Victor Fellus, who was born in Israel, also has Soho Pizza in Old City.
I’m glad we picked Mix because the place is kitted out with several flat-screen televisions, a great way to watch our boys beat the Brewers. There are two dining areas, but the back room has a granite-topped bar and Tony, the amiable barkeep. We ordered martinis ($10) and waited for 6:05 p.m.
The menu is a mix of American, Israeli, Greek and Italian. There’s a brick oven for pizzas.
Finally, the game began. As Edward and I discussed the menu, the room soon was filled with like-minded fans.
We began dinner with Middle Eastern borek and spanakopita (both $6.95).
Borek are eaten throughout the Middle East, but are believed to have originated in Turkey. These small packets are usually made with thin puff pastry or phyllo dough. We received something akin to an egg roll cut into four pieces. It was filled with minced chicken, potato, parsley and a diced hardboiled egg. I found the filling too dry; minced beef or lamb would have been better. Still, the won-ton wrapper was not greasy and the dipping sauce rather unusual. It arrived warm and was sweet, yet spicy, a nice blend of flavors.
I’ve eaten spinach pies in restaurants all over the country. The phyllo dough here was papery thin but I found the filling of chopped spinach, feta and scallion as dry as the borek’s. It also lacked seasoning and flavor. There was some confusion because one lonely, small spinach pie on a paper plate should not cost almost $7. There must have been a mix up in the kitchen because our bill showed only $2.95.
While we munched, Shane Victorino hit a grand slam and everyone erupted into shouts of joy. I felt it was going to be 1980 again.
A gentleman sitting next to us has been at Mix several times even though it has only been open two weeks. He was digging into the house salad as Victorino and his teammates were rounding the bases.
"I particularly like the dressing," he said.
I glanced at the menu and noticed "balsamic." As regular readers know, the red light always goes off when I see this.
"You can have any dressing you like," Tony advised.
We went for olive oil and lemon juice, as is the preference in the Middle East. The mixed green salad ($6.95) consisted of a good-size mound of ordinary, boring, bagged mesclun, some diced tomato and tiny bits of sharp provolone. It was overdressed and, since mesclun lacks crunch, some of the greens were soggy. It desperately lacked seasoning; a sprinkle of salt and pepper made it a tad better.
Wines by the glass are a particular value, ranging from $5.50 to $7. I ordered a rich Malbac from Argentina ($6), while Edward sipped a Cotes du Rhone ($6.50). Prices by the bottle are $19 to $24. Along with the glass prices, these just may be the lowest in town.
It was time to sample the pizza. There’s a laundry list of choices, but you can build your own. We ordered spinach, garlic and cheese with fresh tomato ($13.50). It arrived soggy and lukewarm. The spinach either came from a can or was a defrosted chopped version from a box. The pizza should have been made with fresh leaves. There was no garlic flavor, either.
Tony apologized and told us the cook would make another one. It was a bit better, although the crust could have been crisper. Still, the ingredients were of good quality, including the slices of red, ripe tomato.
Mix is a nice addition to the neighborhood. Prices are moderate, service excellent and it is kid-friendly. The only thing I found annoying were the bright red overhead lights that turned the food a nasty color and made it difficult to read the menu.
One-and-a-half tips of the toque to Mix.
Mix
2101 Chestnut St.
215-568-3355
Credit cards accepted
Open for lunch and dinner
