We
love it when an unusual restaurant also
turns out to be a wonderful restaurant.
Such is the case with Philadelphia’s
Tangerine, a temple of theatrical high
style and inventive cuisine. Mostly North
African, if you had to pick a theme, but
with ample Mediterranean fusing influences
from Spain, Italy and southern France
that round out the menu.
From the sleek, elegant
bar to the outlandish dining room, Tangerine
is a feast for the eyes.
Start with the Tangerine
Martini – a dreamy, deceptively easy-to-drink
concoction that harkens back to a Creamsicle.
Dishes here are meant to
be shared, which helps diners get tastes
of this and that – a blessing with
a menu that dares you with dishes like
Harissa Gnocchi with dates and creamy
celery root, Grilled Octopus Salad with
green olives, potato and haricots verts,
or Pistachio Crusted Duck Breast with
creamy onions, seared foie gras and port
poached pear. (Okay, you might not want
to share that last one…)
But it’s not all unusual
ingredients and daring combinations, some
of Executive Chef Joe Morrison’s
creations are more conservative –
but equally delicious. Perfectly Steamed
Mussels are spiked with tomatoes, preserved
lemon and cilantro – an addictively
fresh, bright combination that feels just
right. As does a new favorite salad that
we plan to attempt to recreate –
arugula with honeyed almonds and manchego
cheese. Why didn’t we think of that
before? On the entrée front, roasted leg
of lamb is served up with an earthy potato-fennel
gratin, red wine sauce, and a piquant
roasted pepper tapenade.
The hits just keep on coming
with dessert, including one of our favorite
classics – a pot de crème served
as part of the Chocolate Intrigue, which
also included a warm chocolate cake with,
you guessed it, chocolate sauce. Calabasa
Bread Pudding features caramel sauce,
ginger cookies and cinnamon ice cream
and was a heavenly combination of textures
and flavors.
We fell in love with the
wine list – a wonderful selection
of Spanish and French bottles, among others,
at reasonable prices. These wines work
beautifully with the food, and we definitely
appreciate the same enthusiasm there that
is so obvious in the menu.
Moderate to expensive. (june
2003)
232 Market St
Philadelphia, PA 1910
Tel: 215.627.5116
