Some gems are artfully hidden. However, fortunately for the people of Philadelphia, Abe Fisher is not one of them. With bold, white font that reads down the side of its entrance, Abe Fisher adds a modern twist to the cuisine of the Jewish diaspora. Located at 1623 Sansom Street, this restaurant is a byproduct of the renowned partnership between Steven Cook and Michael Solomonov, who are also behind Philadelphian favorites such as Zahav, Federal Donuts, and Dizengoff.
Abe Fisher’s dimly lit, chic restaurant offers square, boxwood “picnic-table” seats for 50 guests, a bar that seats 10, and exclusive kitchen-counter seats for two. Customers are greeted by smiling staff in clean-cut uniforms and led down the black-and-white checkered marble floor to their reserved tables.
For a prix fixe value of $39, visitors can pick one item from three columns of vegetable, fish, and meat-based dishes. Served on small plates, zesty options such as roasted carrots (topped with aged gouda, pumpernickel, and lekvar–$10) and crispy Brussels sprouts (served with celery root, almond, caviar, orange, and vanilla–$10) are a perfect way to start off a meal. For the second course, the sweet and sour meatballs (served in sauce with zucchini, raisins, and boursin cheese–$12) and kasha varnishkes (with poppy seeds and English peas that add an irresistible touch of fruity flavor–$12) are especially ideal for sharing. A ubiquitous favorite, however, lies in the third course – pan fried veal schnitzel tacos ($14), served with a squeeze of lemon and cayenne pepper. This dish blends a mexican staple with a Jewish one, and truly hits the mark as the flavor of soft meat merges with mayonnaise topping and melts in the mouth.
Feeling “full” hardly stops anyone by dessert time; all desserts are $9 and mouthwatering. Traditionally sweet egg-creams feature bacon and maple custard, adding a kink of salty flavor to the dessert. For cheesecake lovers, the “black and white” lemon-poppy option is a no brainer; a play on half-vanilla and half-chocolate is cleverly completed with a graham cracker base, shaved almond flakes, and strawberries on the side. If you’re looking to savor a great meal on a budget, coming just for dessert really isn’t too shabby of an option.
And if happy hour is more appealing to you, Abe Fisher offers a special from 5 to 7 PM, seven days a week: visitors can choose any $10 dish and any cocktail or glass of wine for $7 each. This is also a perfect budget solution for students who are interested in winding down at a fresh, full-service bar in the Rittenhouse area for a fraction of the cost.
Abe Fisher’s a minimalist aesthetic feel leaves maximal expectation for the taste buds – and it does not disappoint.
