I'm a pretty casual kind of girl. I wear jeans, oh, 94.3% of the time, and few occasions warrant my putting up with the pain of heels.
But every once in a while, a girl likes to put on a skirt and class it up. And when you want to feel on top of the world, Nineteen is the perfect place -- literally. Located on the 19th floor of the Park Hyatt, this month-old brasserie offers elegant fare and a view of Center City rivaled by few other public places in Philadelphia, with prices that vie with many other eateries in the neighborhood.
This nascent space boasts four components, each with its own feel: a homey bar and lounge; a cafe serving lighter fare; an impending patio area. But for a true night on the town, opt for the main dining room. Lavished in rich whites, soft creams and pewter brocades, the sumptuous space makes one feel, as my companion remarked, like one is inside a wedding cake. The mood is solidified by a bizarrely beautiful chandelier of white orbs that dangles from the domed ceiling like pearl necklaces; the intermittently lit spheres' soft glow is luminescent in the room's many mirrors and the bay windows overlooking the cityscape.
It's only fitting to start a meal here in truly decadent fashion with selections from the chilled bar. Skip the standards and try some of Chef Marc Plessis's inventive creations. His take on tuna sashimi ($14) rolls the pink fish around a pear julienne and tops it with yuzo cream and pine nuts, for a sweet, slightly tangy combination. Huge marinated scallops ($12) are silky and glossy, their texture complemented by creamy avocado and set off by white asparagus and juicy grapefruit.
Starters for seafood-phobes include beef carpaccio ($12), a generous portion of top-quality meat served with red wine mustard and capped by thinly sliced parmesan. Other options such as roasted baby beets ($10) will satisfy those who actually heed the requisite raw-meat warning at the bottom of the menu.
Main dishes are as perfectly executed as their predecessors. Pee-wee monkfish ($24) belies its diminutive name; the large portion is served with root vegetables and red wine sauce that balances the hearty fish. Braised pork shoulder ($21) renders one's knife unnecessary, as the meat falls into shreds and blends into its cabbage-leek bed.
Desserts are a bit more playful, but mostly on target. Sugar roasted apples ($9) are a classy take on an apple crisp, and the hazelnut praline ice cream and streusel topping alone make the dish worthwhile. In the Blackberry Study ($9), a medley of blackberry desserts sit atop a white-chocolate rice krispie treat -- although this dish may win more points for its creativity than its culinary prowess.
A perfectly-paced meal at Nineteen will leave both your eyes and your stomach satisfied. So as Capital Grille and Striped Bass exhaust their reservations for graduation weekend, one can rise above them all at this newest untapped gem of Philadelphia haute cuisine.
