Marigold Kitchen: New Life for One of West Philly’s Favorite Restaurants
Posted by Samantha Lazar on October 15, 2009
Marigold Kitchen, an inconspicuous BYOB tucked into a cozy Victorian row house on the corner of 45th and Larchwood, just off of Baltimore Avenue, has been a West Philly favorite for several years. It’s changed hands a couple of times, and its newest incarnation is only two months old. But its charm hasn’t changed a bit, and the funky new metal and glass kitchen-inspired sculptures on the marigold-colored walls are a great touch. Executive chef Rob Halpern creates a menu that changes monthly, with only a few favorites carried over.
I decided to check it out as a special treat when my brother came to town, and trust me – he’ll be back to visit again soon! Sipping our wine from over-sized wine glasses, just reading the menu seemed like an exotic experience. I was a little dismayed when they were out of what enticed me most – the Crispy Skin Salmon, which comes with vanilla potatoes, baby beets, fennel, berries, and homemade yoghurt – but I was consoled by the thought of the Seared Squab Breast, with foie gras ragout, braised shitakes, compressed spinach, and raisin puree. After lots of deliberation, though, I decided I wanted to try too many things and went with the chef’s tasting menu. A procession of dishes followed, each a tiny work of culinary art. Each dish was small, but just try to eat all ten of them: I was completely stuffed by the end.
The meal started off with a surprise appetizer of parsnip frizzles, which were delicious and crunchy, and made me feel like I was eating salty, crispy sea air. The Chilled Carrot Bisque was one of my favorite appetizers. The soup was refreshingly cool and creamy, with a mysterious minty flavor. The Beet Risotto, with orange tempura, candied walnuts, and hyssop, was so good it made my bother’s eyes roll up in his head. I would never think to combine those ingredients, but WOW. Continuing the train of bite-sized appetizers, the Champagne Braised Escargot, served atop a crispy polenta patty, was a tad on the salty side, but soothingly succulent. Don’t be fooled by the Pan Fried Sweet Breads, by the way: it’s not bread at all, but an assortment of savory meat and veggies! Pork, Beans & Beer is a delicious second course, with soft, tasty meat that was so tender it melted in my mouth. The taste of the beer hardly comes out, but it certainly looks cool as a pile of Guinness foam atop the tenderloin. Onto dessert: the Banana Daiquiri isn’t a drink (though you should’ve seen that coming by now, especially with this being a BYO and all!). It’s even better: a luscious blend of coconut glace, chocolate, and sweet banana powder. Bizarre sounding, but to die for! You also can’t go wrong with a sliver of Chocolate Torte to wrap up the meal, which comes garnished with raspberry, strawberry, basil, and homemade yoghurt.
For a truly unique and charming dining experience, go check out the work of Marigold’s newest resident chef. Every dish is exciting, interesting, and unlike anything you’ve ever had.
Marigold Kitchen
501 S. 45th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19104-3913
(215) 222-3699
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