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Americans love lists. Each night, David Letterman reads off his Top 10 to sometimes riotous laughter, while The American Film Institute has issued its Top 100 in a number of categories for the past few years.
If I were to write a Top 10 for neighborhood restaurants, The Witch American Bistro would be on it. The ambience is congenial, the staff well-trained, the prices moderate and the food nicely presented and full of flavor.
Edward and I arrived at about 6:30 p.m. on a recent Tuesday. A man led us to a roomy table and we settled in.
"Do you know about our four-course $20 Tuesday dinner?," Jeremy, our waiter, asked.
We didn’t. I was impressed he did not hide that the restaurant offers this downright cheap meal with choices. We decided on the prix fixe and sample two appetizers from the a la carte menu.
The room, which is done up in neutrals, has a bar and pretty hanging lights. The small votive on our table did not afford much light, so I think the room should be a bit brighter.
From the wine list, we selected a bottle of 2007 Blackstone cabernet ($24). Its rich flavor complimented our dinner that began with fried oysters ($10) and pork belly ($8) from the a la carte list.
Three plump, meaty, blue points were dipped in a tasty batter and fried until golden brown. The coating had a terrific crunch I really liked. A tasty remoulade sauce was placed on the plate.
The Witch’s pork belly was about the best I’ve tried — perfectly done, moist, meaty and possessing a certain softness that melted in my mouth. A perfectly poached egg was nestled next to a small mound of lightly dressed greens.
The lentil soup arrived hot and filled with bits of fresh vegetables. The house pate consisted of a heaping tablespoon of duck liver mousse with a portion of grainy Dijon, some mesclun and a few cornichons. Three slices of thin, toasted baguette were included. With this in life, nothing is bad.
The chopped salad was not akin to the ones served in Israel and throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. Some culinary license was taken as the bits of lettuce, tomato and cucumber were cut into small dice rather than chopped. It was cool, fresh and dressed in a homemade, creamy garlic vinaigrette. Even the house salad Edward tucked into was well-made with bagged mesclun and appropriate dressing.
From the entrees, we selected steak and chicken cordon bleu. I always order beef very rare and, although the sliced meat was tender, it was cold. It was whisked away with no questions asked. The fresh steak grilled for me was juicy, rare and topped with Roquefort. The vegetable of the evening was fresh green beans.
Goodness, let’s get retro: Chicken cordon bleu flies back 50 years or so. A boneless breast of chicken is pounded thin. Some ham and cheese, usually Swiss or Gruyere, are placed on top. The poultry is rolled jelly-roll style, coated in seasoned bread crumbs and fried or baked. The Witch’s version is similar, but was topped with a rich, creamy cheese sauce Edward really enjoyed. I found it tasty as well.
Desserts included homemade peach cobbler and pumpkin bread pudding. Fresh whipped cream complimented these delights wonderfully.
The service was perfect. Our silverware was changed for each offering and we did not wait long between our five courses. I noticed the manager was helping to serve as the establishment filled up.
I tip my toque and give a round of applause because Jeremy did not go into the "What kind of water would you like?" spiel. This practice simply is getting on my nerves. Complimentary glasses of liqueur were brought to our table, a nice touch for a new restaurant building clientele.
I found one fault, however. The bread tasted like pre-fab dough with its spongy texture. With so much fine bread in town, its inclusion would be another plus for this already-fine neighborhood restaurant.
Three tips of the toque to The Witch American Bistro.
The Witch American Bistro
1401 E. Moyamensing Ave.
215-462-1200
www.thewitchbistro.com
