BEST RESTAURANT ON RITTENHOUSE SQUARE. For me, it is Parc. The Parisian-inspired Parc Restaurant Bistro & Cafe is located directly on Rittenhouse Square on South 18th Street, adequately named for its proximity to the open-space park across the street.
SEATING: On a nice day, it's hard to say whether you should sit indoor or out. Both have their perks. Outdoor seating is accommodated most times of the year, with heaters in the fall and winter. But during the summer, the windows of the restaurant's interior open up to the park outside, so that everyone can hear and experience the hustle and bustle of the city streets. The outdoor brasserie-esque seating may delude the passerby that Parc is just your average French restaurant, equal to any of the others that can be found nearby. However, once you step foot inside the large (and heavy) wooden doors, you are immediately transported to any cafe found throughout France. Not only is it very authentically French (I visited Paris this past spring - I can vouch for it) but it also takes you back to refined dining, with pristine tables settings, attentive waiters decked out in black and white suited garb and a light soundtrack playing in the background. Inside, you can choose between booth or table seating - I recommend anything in the window or the back room which is also really a time warp. The tall, pillared ceilings accent the silverly, marble-tiled floor and the old chandeliers leave a 1920's feel to the timeless room. A large, shiny bar is centrally located for seating as well drafts and cocktails. Very roaring, post-Depression, Art Deco indeed. One would expect to see a jazz band and group of flappers moving in any minute.
DRINKS: a beautiful wine list offers international Vins, split by "Exotiques," "Aromatiques," "Riches," "Elegantes," "Classiques" and more. But what really astounded me was the plethora of champagnes - twenty options for those of you wishing to celebrate! I personally nestled into a leather booth this past New Years Eve with a tall, bone-dry, skim milk cappuccino with silver and black balloons bounced off sparkles from the chandeliers. Quite possibly the best capp I've ever had (and I'm a veteran barista myself!)
FOOD: ranges from small plates to entrees - if you want a snack on your lunch break or a special dinner for you and a friend, whatever. Classic French hors d'oeuvres like escargots, onion soup, tartare or pate - some of these are plenty to suffice as a meal if you're looking to eat on the cheap. (But let me just tell you, at Parc, you are definitely going to get your money's worth.) Each table receives complementary homemade baguettes, ranging in flavor from plain French to olive to garlic or raisin. They are the perfect addition to any of the small plates mentioned above. They are also continually replenished which for me is divine...I can never get enough carbs...especially before a meal. My plan is usually to see just how much food I can enjoy in one sitting.
THINGS TO GET: From personal experience I know the following are delicious:
-Oysters on the half-shell come in a large silver tin, chilled on ice. You get your full half pond here; no jipping. Large, beautiful, succulent oysters. Beyond fair and yummy.
-Many of you may not agree with my taste's when it comes to this because you may be weirded out by the whole eating living thing. But coming from a house founded on pate, the Country Pate at Parc is delicious. It also is presented on a small wooden cutting board which makes sharing easy and fun.
-Chicken Paillard, otherwise known as chicken pounded flat and lightly sauteed, is a meal that I've had multiple times. It doesn't dry out and works nicely with the shaved salad beneath it. Lean and light and HUGE. If you order it for lunch, it will definitely be enough to bring home for dinner.
-Usually simple as ever, the Cheeseburger is anything but. The bun in and of itself is to die for - you know when they toast it on the griddle? Oh yeah. Ordering medium rare can be quite the hassle as most fear liability issues of food poisoning from undercooked meats. But it has always done just right. The cow is no longer kicking and I'm also not left to gnaw on a hockey puck.
-And last, but most certainly not least, two words: pommes frites, pommes frites, pommes frites. Well that's six words but I cannot emphasize enough the importance of having these at least once in your lifetime. French Fries at their finest. When ordered alone, they come like a flower bouquet in a paper cone mounted on a little stand. Honestly, when I first see them coming, it's more exciting than receiving flowers, anonymous admirer or not. Crisp on the outside with a soft interior. Battered but not overly done. Nor greasy. Just a dab of mayo and I'm jet-setting to paradise.
NOW GO: my mouth is watering just thinking about it, better make a trip soon! This bistro really is a don't miss in Philly, a MUST if you're a city devourer like me. For a light lunch, an au lait while you finish reading a good book, a quick bite with a friend or a big bang, celebratory meal. Part of Steven Starr's STARR Restaurants, Parc has really become a special dining experience, incorporating great food, great drinks, great location and great atmosphere. A MUST DEVOUR of Philly!
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