Anne-Marie Lasher serves up some elegant delicacies in her quaint American Bistro, an alternative to your average coffee shop. Drawing on her experience from the White Dog Caf‚ and Fork, Lasher has created an undiscovered gem. Picnic features an eclectic display of ethnic inspired foods, based on favorites yet reworked with a novel, domestic twist. Finally, a benefit to those classes on 33rd Street -- you're just a few steps away from this delight. Go for breakfast ($1.25-2.50) and pick up a bagel, some local organic yogurt, or a pastry delivered straight from the Metropolitan Bakery, the "Best in Philly." Or go straight for lunch ($5.50-7), where your selection of daily dishes are supplemented by fabulous specials, each made to order. The Nicoise Tuna Salad ($7.50/lb) is one of the popular daily choices -- a blend of artichokes, peppers, olives, capers, celery and herbs, is accented with red wine vinegar and olive oil instead of mayo. This healthy alternative to fast food is fresh, tangy, and light.
The Greek Cucumber Salad ($5.50/lb) is a colorful fusion of cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, yellow peppers, chick peas, black olives, feta cheese and dill -- and a great side option or mini meal. For those with a bigger appetite, try the Mexican Chicken Lasagna ($7/lb), a spicy concoction made of corn tortillas, salsa, grilled chicken and vegetables, and pepperjack cheese. For dinner, Picnic always has a meat, fish, and chicken special on tap ($7-12/lb). And while Lasher recommends her particular ideal combinations, you are free to select according to your own picky preferences. Set off by the take-out craze of Philadelphia, Picnic offers a "carry-out" service. Order salads and entrees by the pound, whether for a portable lunch or a ready made dinner. Take a seat -- there's a classy arrangement of petite tables for yourself or a pair, soothing background tunes and an assortment of magazines for your reading enjoyment. You are not limited to this pseudo-outdoors experience, however. Simply select one of the many vintage picnic baskets to pack your lunch in, if that suits your fancy, and move your soir‚e down to Rittenhouse Square. Picnic is a chic and savory dinette, Continental meets Izzy and Zoe's, and well worth a small step off campus.
