Doc Magrogan's 3432 Sansom St. (215) 382–3474 University City
Don't Miss: Calamari Skip: Saying hi to your profs, who are probably also there $$$
Doc Magrogan’s fits in well with its Sansom Street neighbors, Pod and White Dog Café: it’s a pricey restaurant offering food that’s a cut above what you would otherwise find around Penn.
Filling the old La Terrasse space, Doc’s, under the same management as Harvest Seasonal Grill, offers a variety of fresh–caught seafood, including a rotating selection of oysters and fully–stocked bars, both raw and alcoholic. The staff is happy to help you choose oysters from the ever–changing list. The interior is an updated take on a classic 1900s oyster house; design highlights include wood paneling, large plate glass windows in the front and a partially exposed kitchen.
The menu is centered on seafood but is friendly to all eaters. For appetizers, we ordered Crispy Fresh Calamari ($10), Oysters Imperial ($14) and Lobster Summer Rolls ($11). The first two were excellent — the calamari had the perfect crunch and was complemented by the spicy aioli and garlic–parsley butter. The oysters had just enough crabmeat and hollandaise sauce to provide depth to the flavor without overwhelming it. The lobster rolls, however, were a fairly simple wrap of lobster and vegetables. While the lobster itself was good, the dish as a whole was somewhat bland and uninspiring.
For our entrees, we sidestepped the tempting salads (though we almost ordered the Grilled Seafood Cobb ($18)), and opted instead for Pan–seared Diver Scallops ($26), Seafood Bouillabaisse ($23) and the Old Bay Burger ($12). The scallops were prepared perfectly, practically melting at my fork’s touch, and went nicely with the accompanying fingerling potatoes, red pepper hash and sweet corn emulsion. The bouillabaisse packed a rich flavor beyond what most seafood and pasta combinations offer, emphasizing its generous helpings of shrimp, scallops, calamari and mussels. Finally, the burger was a clever take on an old classic, adapted to Doc’s seafood theme with Old Bay seasoning, corn and crab chips with crab salsa. Cooked to a tender, juicy medium rare, the burger proved that Doc’s dominion extends beyond the sea.
Also worth noting were the signature cocktails, ranging from the Angry Shrimp (an embellished Bloody Mary) to the more seasonal Sweet Vanilla Dream (Voyant Chai and Stoli Vanilla in a martini glass with a chocolate–and–graham cracker rim). We won’t disclose how many we ordered, but suffice it to say we can confidently endorse their mixology skills.
If the prices keep you from coming for a full meal, try their "Buck–a–Shuck Monday" ($1 oysters from 4–10 p.m.) or the happy hour specials: $1 oysters, $3 Troegs and Victory seasonal drafts, $4 wine and appetizers for $5 each.
