Vernick Food & Drink 2031 Walnut St. (267) 639–6644 Rittenhouse
Don't Miss: The Sea Urchin with Soft Scrambled Eggs Skip: Sitting at a table. Grab a front–row seat at the open kitchen. $$$$
Enter Vernick Food and Drink — its industrial exposed piping and chrome finishes are all you’d expect from the latest in Modern American fare — and sit at the bar. You’ll get a list of cocktails, divided between classic and modern: choose whatever suits your mood because you won’t be disappointed. The modern/classic dichotomy comes to life as you move from the sleek bar to the cozy, back dining room, where the logs for the wood–fired oven are neatly stacked. Order something on toast — Vernick has a wood–fired oven where the generous slices of artisan bread are grilled on an open flame. We sat among the logs, peeking into the open kitchen, and anticipating our meal.
Our helpful server recommended a family–style experience, easy to accomplish with Vernick’s assortment of small plates, on–toast items, raw selections and vegetable dishes. We started with the sea urchin with warm scrambled eggs ($15), which are not actually raw, and a seasonal pumpkin brown–butter toast ($7) that balanced sweet and savory. The sea urchin dish was one of the best things we ate all night: it layered unexpected flavors with surgical precision that danced around our taste buds. Every notion you have about scrambled eggs is immediately challenged; these are soft and almost liquid, impossible to replicate in a calphalon pan over an electric stove in the high rises. Paired with the saltiness of the sea urchin, they tasted like sunset over Acapulco Bay: vibrant, deep and intriguing. The dish arrives trembling with a yogurt foam atop the egg (“It’s time–sensitive,” a waiter kindly informed us) and we couldn’t stop spooning out savory morsels from the little mug. The pumpkin brown–butter sourdough toast was fall in a bite. The thick, grilled slice of bread showed off Vernick’s aptitude for rustic classics and, when topped with creamy pumpkin, sweet brown–butter and toasted pumpkin seeds, the result was nothing short of spectacular.
After an unexciting beet salad and disappointing crispy potatoes that were salty and not much else, we tried the potato ravioli with braised lamb and long beans ($15). The ravioli, which were stuffed with mashed potatoes and topped with tender lamb, turned traditional meat and potatoes on its head for an even more satisfying result. For main courses, we ordered, following our waitress’ recommendation, the short ribs with preserved lemon mashed potatoes and carrots ($26). The first thing we ate off the plate was a carrot; even that tasted like meat. The short ribs were tender and perfect with the preserved lemon cutting the richness. The whole fish, also cooked on the wood oven, barely registered, as the stuffing of fennel and orange failed to make an impact.
Vernick’s sweet offerings, while delicious, were marginally less creative than its savory fare. The carrot cake was transformed into a layer cake topped with cinnamon streusel (a great idea) and we remembered the pecan pie more for the coffee gelato scooped next to it.
Vernick holds an important place in Philadelphia’s dining scene; it’s a splurge and an adventure. Modern spins on timeless dishes take center stage, and the results rarely disappoint.
