Comments on: Carmine’s to Open 1/16 http://mainlinedine.com/rest/carmines-to-open-116.html Finally, a restaurant guide for Philadelphia's Main Line and suburbs Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:23:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Lauren http://mainlinedine.com/rest/carmines-to-open-116.html#comment-9068 Lauren Sun, 30 Mar 2008 03:14:42 +0000 http://www.mainlinedine.com/rest/carmines-to-open-116.html#comment-9068 HORRIBLE SERVICE. decent food, horrible ambience. Do not recommend. HORRIBLE SERVICE.

decent food, horrible ambience.
Do not recommend.

]]> By: John Rogers http://mainlinedine.com/rest/carmines-to-open-116.html#comment-913 John Rogers Sat, 27 Jan 2007 12:32:36 +0000 http://www.mainlinedine.com/rest/carmines-to-open-116.html#comment-913 My wife and I ate at Carmines on Jan. 26th. I loved it; she did not. It is a loud, raucous crowded place. Though we were early for our reservation at 8, we were not seated until 9:30. Music and table noise are so loud that it is impossible to be heard without shouting, even while seated in the back. Service was overwhelmed but professional. Still, I liked this aspect of the place because I went for the food. I found the dishes I tried to be innovative and well executed. The crab bisque was not overly creamy, but the broth was rich and spicy and it had plenty of jumbo lump crabmeat. I loved it. Our croquette appetizer was awesome (I thought) but my wife was overwhelmed by the heat. I got the chef's special: grouper. I couldn't hear the waitress describe it, and if I had I probably wouldn't have ordered it. I wouldn't have thought you could get grouper to work with a silky butternut squash puree and a sweet wine reduction. But it was excellent and perfectly cooked. The salmon was prepared totally differently with a coconut broth - very good. My wife - who is not a big fan of creole spices - found her duck to be quite good, but she found her rice to be inedible (I helped her out). Overall, I found the place to be like an exotic vacation. My wife swears she'll never go back. We're married. Go figure. My wife and I ate at Carmines on Jan. 26th. I loved it; she did not.

It is a loud, raucous crowded place. Though we were early for our reservation at 8, we were not seated until 9:30. Music and table noise are so loud that it is impossible to be heard without shouting, even while seated in the back. Service was overwhelmed but professional.

Still, I liked this aspect of the place because I went for the food.

I found the dishes I tried to be innovative and well executed. The crab bisque was not overly creamy, but the broth was rich and spicy and it had plenty of jumbo lump crabmeat. I loved it. Our croquette appetizer was awesome (I thought) but my wife was overwhelmed by the heat. I got the chef’s special: grouper. I couldn’t hear the waitress describe it, and if I had I probably wouldn’t have ordered it. I wouldn’t have thought you could get grouper to work with a silky butternut squash puree and a sweet wine reduction. But it was excellent and perfectly cooked. The salmon was prepared totally differently with a coconut broth – very good. My wife – who is not a big fan of creole spices – found her duck to be quite good, but she found her rice to be inedible (I helped her out).

Overall, I found the place to be like an exotic vacation. My wife swears she’ll never go back.

We’re married. Go figure.

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