Square 1682 occupies the first two floors of the new Palomar Hotel in Center City, bringing unique cuisine to hotel guests and Rittenhouse diners alike. Chef Guillermo Tellez, a firm believer in local and sustainable cooking, maintains a creative menu that fuses European, Asian, Mid-eastern and South American tastes acquired from years of travel.
For starters, lemon scented hummus was served in a jar with homemade candied lemons and hot herbed naan ($10). Ginger marinated yellow fin tuna ($13), a mere deconstructed tuna tartare, was one of the more conventional items on the menu. The rich and delicious earthy potato and sage gnocchi ($14/$20), though texturally problematic, was served with a surprisingly generous shaving of black truffles. The pan-seared grouper ($23), accompanied by creamy white sweet potatoes and truffle vinaigrette, was cooked to perfection. The addition of sweet corn and raisins cut through the richness of the fish and potatoes beautifully.
In addition to its eclecticism, the menu manifests innovation. Yellow fin tuna with ginger braised short ribs ($26) is Tellez’ novel approach to “surf and turf,” combining tender rib meat with exquisitely fresh tuna. Juicy oven-roasted Amish chicken ($19) complemented the chef’s take on fettuccini alfredo. Creamy and rich, the pasta had an unexpected sweetness and color from the pickled beets incorporated into the sauce.
When it came to desert, the standouts were definitely the apple fritters ($7) and the panna cotta ($7). The fritters were essentially a deconstructed and deep-fried apple pie: simple cinnamon sugar doughnuts with sweet, buttery apples and a scoop of ice cream. The light and delicious panna cotta played well off of a garnish of blood oranges and pomegranates.
The cocktail menu was equally intruiguing, offering a Nectar Margarita infused with fresh agave nectar and the “London Calling” with a twist of chamomile and gin. Tellez even explores the realm of vegetables with the “Bell Pepper Smash.”
Considering its progressive viewpoint and creative selection, Square 1682 is anything but square.
Square 1682
121 S. 17th St.
(875) 563-5008
Don't Miss: The grouper.
Skip: Circles. Because Square 1682 is great.
