Cashing in on your reputation can only take you so far. At some point you need results. Think La Toya Jackson, Ocean’s Twelve or Beckham on LA Galaxy, and you start to see a pattern of ‘over-promise, under-deliver.’
On paper, Fond is an enticing venture by young Philly all-stars. The staff and chefs earned their chops at two of the city’s most reputable dining establishments — Le Bec-Fin and Lacroix — and have received much hype and attention as a result. The menu is exciting both in terms of presentation and ingredient offerings, which include foie gras, sweet breads and burnt marshmallows, and the sleek, intimate dining room is a welcome addition to the East Passyunk sidewalk.
Despite the all-star pedigree, what really counts is the food. The butternut squash ravioli had a soupy center and suffered from too sparse a helping of parmesan, while the sweet potato risotto needed far less of it, as the cheese completely masked the root. More troublesome than this, the aforementioned burnt marshmallow sat atop the rice, adding unnecessary sweetness in a frustrating gimmick. The crispy veal sweetbreads, which were over-crisped and overall disappointing specimens, lay in a confusion of soy vinaigrette, Asian pears and cinnamon.
The somewhat disappointing meal was mitigated by brilliantly cooked beef short ribs that were tender testaments to the art of slow cooking. But in such a rich dish, is a goat cheese sauce really the answer? On a similar note, the scallops were fine, but far better can be found in Philadelphia. The chicken breasts were the table’s only hit.
Fond’s concept is great: sophisticated food in an off-the-path BYO. The experienced team behind it is exactly who you would want to run such an operation. Yet somewhere, somehow, the focus has gone awry. The product that counts — the food — does not live up to its pedigree. We can only hope Fond finds its way, for this is a brutal market with little patience.
1617 East Passyunk Ave.
(215) 551-5000
Dont miss: chicken breasts
Skip: veal sweetbreads
