The combination of fresh, local ingredients, creative, innovative Italian-American cuisine, comfortable-yet-refined ambiance and brilliant service make Restaurant Alba one of the most exceptional restaurant experiences in the western suburbs.

Food: Things kicked off with a complimentary amuse of sunchoke puree with extra virgin olive oil. This robust oil was also served next to crusty Italian bread.

We started out with the “Batsua” ($12) – a crispy fritter made from braised pig’s feet and belly, served with a mustard crema. These had a wonderfully “porky” flavor; though we expected it to be like bacon, it was closer to a smoked pork barbecue. Though frying this concoction seems excessive, it was certainly worth trying. We also sampled the Antipasto ($15pp – changes daily), a sampling of 5-6 “chef’s choice” appetizers. All were excellent — but our favorite was the goat cheese & grilled ramp bruschetta.

Wood Roasted Goat, served alongside grilled whole grain polenta and soffrito braised greens ($31), was tasty and savory. To make this dish, a whole goat is slow-cooked overnight on the dying embers of the previous night’s fire and then braised before a quick reheat on the grill. It’s a uniquely flavored meat — closest to lamb but not quite as gamey.

The Berkshire pork shoulder, served with crispy spaetzle & peas, charred fennel and a bit of Tupelo honey sauce ($26) is cooked in similar fashion to the goat, and the quick grilling just before serving gives it a texture almost like a crusty bread — crispy on the outside but light and fluffy inside. In contrast to the goat, the honey and cider jus gave this dish a subtle kick of sweetness.

A grilled rib-eye special was served with sea salt and fine tuscan olive oil alongside crispy potatoes and a mixed green salad. It was a simple dish — the “crispy” potatoes were really cold homemade chips, which was a bit disappointing — but the steak was well-cooked and quite tasty.

Alba also offers 4-5 pasta dishes such as Veal & Sweetbread Ravioli, Morel Mushroom & Vegetable Soffrito ($20) and several fish entrees like the Atlantic Tilefish with Nettle & Potato Gnocchetti, Grilled Meyer Lemon & Caper Brown Butter ($29). The menu changes seasonally.

For dessert, we tried the Chocolate Pot de Creme with Almond Torrone Whipped Cream ($8), which was light and slightly minty, creating a palate-cleansing feeling. It wasn’t spectacular, but we still cleaned the plate.

Bar: Once only a BYOB, Alba now offers a full bar. (BYOW is still allowed at $10/bottle.) A small list of beers focuses on local crafts from Victory. The wine list, on the other hand, culls mostly from Italy, with a large variety of hard-to-find small producers (or at least as many as you can get through the PLCB system). They also make house-infused grappa for those with fortified stomachs.

Service: Though the food is excellent, the attention to service at Alba is what truly sets this restaurant apart from others in the suburbs. Clearly the staff and management understand how to handle any issues and resolve them quickly and satisfyingly. Our very first dinner at Alba, shortly after they opened, showcased their attention to detail. A pork chop originally came from the kitchen extremely undercooked, so much so that it was inedible. A passing waiter (not our own) quickly noticed that I looked unhappy and offered to take the plate back to the kitchen. Never a good situation to have one plate of hot food on the table and not the other, our waitress quickly reappeared with a small appetizer to tide me over until they could fix up the chop. Obviously I was unhappy with the fact that my food was not prepared well at first, but the professional and caring way that the entire staff handled the incident was brilliant.

On a more recent visit, our waiter once again illustrated how seriously Alba takes service. There were no errors from the kitchen this time around, but our waiter answered every question we had about the menu (there were quite a few) with a level of knowledge and detail as if he would be personally preparing each entree. He had no hesitation to help us choose the entrees that would be suit our interests and needs.

Ambiance: Artsy and comfortable, bustling yet romantic. There are two rooms, the main one which features an open kitchen, and a more private side room. The main room is perhaps a bit more compelling because of the large wood oven in view, but there isn’t a huge difference.

Value: As with many restaurants that move from BYOB status to bar status, the value proposition at Alba has gone down a bit. It’s nice that they offer a BYOW option, but the $10 corkage is quite steep. Wine bottles are not outlandishly priced (at least compared to other restaurants), and value can be found with some digging, but most bottles are at least $40. Entrees haven’t dropped in price since the bar was added, so expect to pay upper 20s or even low 30s. It is hard to complain when the quality of the food and experience is consistently excellent, but Alba is certainly no longer your neighborhood restaurant for a casual Friday night.

Details:
# of times we’ve eaten there: 4
Reservations: Yes (recommended even on weekdays) OpenTable
Bar: BYOB
Cards: MC/Visa
http://restaurantalba.com/
7 West King Street
Malvern, PA
610-644-4009

Rating: 5 silver spoons out of 5

Overview: Outsanding upscale bistro that can offer both a casual neighborhood meal of small plates, pizza and pasta, and an upscale special occasion dinner of wonderful modern American entrees. Worth the drive from the Main Line!

Food: To start things off, a complimentary amuse bouche of cool three potato soup and crème freche was immensely fresh and even featured hints of kennett mushrooms. After struggling to decide among a variety of attack plans, we opted for the Antipasto ($18), a collection of different small bite appetizers. The Mushroom & Truffle Grilled Cheese was, obviously, great, as are most things that feature bread and melted cheese, but the local mushroom flavor added just enough interest to make this stand out even more so. Another winner was the Fava Bean Crostini with Shaved Pecorino, which, when dipped in the olive oil provided with the complimentary bread was even nicer. It was great to see Fiddle Head Ferns featured (with Prosciutto Di Parma), as these hard-to-find veggies are always a nice treat in the Spring. Though perhaps not the intended way to eat it, spreading the Goat Cheese & Caramelized Onion Flan on a piece of fresh, crusty bread made for a great impromptu bruschetta. Lastly, the Fried Smelts with Anchovy Aioli were just ok, as the “fishy” flavor overwhelmed to some extent.

The Natural Free Range Chicken entrée, served on a bed of Butternut Squash, Johnny’s Mushrooms, Cous Cous “Mac & Cheese” and Chicken Jus ($26) was the big winner of the evening (and we rarely order chicken!). The French-cut bird was perfectly cooked, crispy skin on the outside but still tender within, and the creamy “cous cous”, which was a mix of all the above ingredients, was both rich and comforting. The other entrée we tried, Local Spinach and Feta Tortellini served in a Spring Garlic Broth with Grated Aged Goat Cheese ($25), offered more subtle flavors but was both light and satisfying. It tasted like Spring in a bowl!

For dessert, we opted for the Liquid Center Butterscotch Cake, served with Bourbon-Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Espresso Dust and a Cocoa Nib “Glass” ($9) — think a butterscotch version of the classic molten chocolate cake. This was a bit too sweet — perhaps a coffee ice cream to replace the vanilla would provide some bitterness to offset the vanilla sweetness — but nonetheless we cleaned the plate.

On another visit, we sampled several of the excellent pizzas for a more casual dinner. Though everything was good, the Butternut Squash pie (Grilled Butternut Squash, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Gorgonzola, Baby Arugula) was out of this world. The sweetness of the squash paired brilliantly with the salty bacon for a unique, wonderful treat.

Bar: We chose to bring our own wine (for a $5 corkage fee), but Sovana does offer a nice selection of wine and beer. The moderately-sized wine list offers reasonably priced bottles ($30-60), though watch out for the single glass prices. For beers, they offer some nice local craft brews, including a couple draft choices from Delaware’s Twin Lakes Brewery.

Ambiance: We’re partial to this kind of place — bustling, modern, and friendly, with lots of wood and natural light. Perhaps not a place for a quiet, romantic evening, but otherwise excellent. They also have some tables outside, both on the side (in a nice garden area) and out front (strip mall parking lot views).

Service: Competent service — nothing outstanding to report.

Value: Hard to say what a meal for two will cost due to the abundant options for meals and drinks, but prices are available on the website. Though the entrée prices can head into the $30s, the food is excellent and likely worth the price. Having a BYOB option, despite the $5 corkage (which is quite reasonable considering the license), is also great. And, if you want to try Sovana without breaking the bank, a meal could quite easily be made of appetizers and pizza.

Details:
# VISITS: 2
Cards: Yes
Bar: Yes / BYOW $5
Site: http://www.sovanabistro.com/
Reservations: OpenTable

Under same management and located “next door” to Wayne mainstay Teresa’s Cafe. (Actually, they share an entrance.)

Overview: As any diner familiar with the Wayne restaurant scene has come to expect from Teresa’s Cafe, Teresa’s Next Door (now known as TND) offers simple, creative and well-executed fare in a comfortable (and smoke-free!) environment. Oh, and it’s also the best beer bar in the area.

Food: Belgian-themed fare can be enjoyed via a plethora of mouth-watering appetizers, salads and small plates, a nice selection of sandwiches (including a rabbit sausage baguette), or more formal dinner entrees. We couldn’t resist the trio of fried cheeses, which turned out to be a nice gourmet take on mozzarella sticks. The hand cut frites, served along side traditional Belgian aoli are brilliant; don’t miss them. We skipped the multiple mussel options and opted for the steak frites (simple but very well cooked) and a very interesting seared arctic char dish, served with grilled leeks on a bed of scrumptious stoemp (mashed potatoes with onions, leeks and spices), all covered in a creamy mustard sauce. (The plate was cleaned.)

Beer/Wine: We love TJ’s and The Flying Pig, but TND has set a new standard for beer service and selection. The draft selection is absurd, featuring a wide variety of domestic and import craft and/or specialty beers that will rotate regularly, all with appropriate glassware. (Another way to look at it: Hoegarten and Chimay are the “mainstream” beers on the draft list.) There are also hundreds of bottles (from countries from the US to Belgium to Malta) available and an extensive, reasonably priced wine selection. Wow.

Service: As with Teresa’s, warm, friendly and capable service was provided.

Ambiance: TND is a long, thin room with an incredible bar alongside the left side (the display of glasses is a sight to be seen). The right side is lined mostly with 2-4 person booths but also with some smaller tables (similar to the cafe) along th side. There isn’t a ton of room in the center, so when things get busy, expect it to be a little cramped and quite noisy.

Value: Here’s the thing: the only downside to TND is the fact that it is no longer a dirt cheap night out like the cafe next door. The food is aptly priced, and a person could easily fill up on food for less than $20, but the beer and wine will bring the overall cost up quite a bit (especially if you, like us, can’t resist trying several different varieties). Still, a visit to TND won’t break the bank.

Details:
# of times visited: 1
Cards: Yes
Bar: Full
Reservations: No

Overview: Great neighborhood bar and restaurant in the heart of Paoli. Also offers takeout. TJ’s menu has recently (Spring ‘07) undergone a major transformation and now focuses on cooking with beer and beer/food pairings.

Food: We’ve only had the “Belgian Blonde” burgers from the new menu, but they were a definite improvement over the old burgers (nice and charred on the outside, pink within). The fries, which used to be the standard, crunchy, bland bar type, are now thick, old fashioned steak fries that might be the best in the area. There is also a nice variety of toppings — the “TJ’s Burger” comes with fried onions, provolone and horseradish mayo, and the “Black & Blue” is cajun-spiced with bleu cheese. TJ’s also offers more complex food specials such as Chipotle-Framboise Chicken, Bass Ale Braised Salmon, and Guinness-Glazed Beef Tenderloin Tips, which all have suggested beer pairings. This is no typical bar food!

Beer: TJ’s competes only with the Flying Pig for the area’s Best Beer Bar title (pre-Teresa’s Next Door of course), with a 25 beer, seasonal draft list (includes Spaten Optimator, Warsteiner Dunkel, Leffe Brun and more) and close to 200 bottles (including a cellar-aged selection). This place is an absolute MUST for beer lovers.

Ambiance: There are two distinct sides to TJ’s — the bar side, which is fun and energetic, yet comfortable as a neighborhood bar should be, and the dining side, which is a bit more subdued but good for a family meal. The bar has a number of tables, a decent-sized bar area and even a plush couch and chairs. It can get crowded at happy hour (especially on Friday), where people come to check out the game on a big-screen plasma or play a few rounds of Golden Tee. The restaurant side is quiet but nicely designed, and also smoke free, another plus. There is a pool table on the restaurant side, but we find it a bit boring (despite our hatred of 2nd-hand smoke).

Service: Fine for what it is, although attentiveness typically wavers when the place is busy. One other note — avoid takeout on Friday nights, as fishing through the happy hour crowd to retrieve your order is nearly impossible!

Value: The specialty beers can run up the tab quickly, but otherwise this is reasonable pub grub. (A gripe: I asked for extra ketchup and was charged $0.30 — what’s up with that?)

Details:
times we’ve eaten there: 5+
cards: yes
bar: full
site: www.tjseveryday.com

Rating: 1 spoon out of 5

Overall: Brewpub in the Frazer area that features a fun bar scene, casual, family-friendly dining, pub-style atmosphere, well-crafted microbrews and outdoor dining, all under one roof. Unfortunately, the food and service are both consistently bland.
Food: The fare is varied, but generally unspectacular. We started with the seared tuna in wasabi dressing, which was surprisinly tender and good (sometimes this type of place can ruin fish — not the case here). The burgers are quite good — charred on the outside and a tender pink within, but the insipid french fries leave the entree lacking. The chicken pot pie is ok, but not something I’d order again. A turkey panini sounded good on the menu but left me disappointed.

Beer: A nice selection of everyday beers and a few specialty brews. My favorite was the Black Lab Stoudt, but I probably could have told you that before setting foot in the place. It was quite flavorful, and slightly but not too bitter, with a nice coffee finish. Amazingly, the buttery (seriously, like popcorn) light lager was another favorite, since I usually think light beers are boring. This one, however, was packed with flavor. The seasonal Irish Red was also quite tasty.

Ambiance: Loud as heck! Seriously, it was pretty loud almost everywere, especially in the upstairs and downstairs bars. Later in the evening there was a band, which seemed pretty unnecessary (and loud). The non-smoking dining area was slightly quieter, but not much. It’s a happening place though, so we didn’t really mind the noise. It would certainly be nice if one of the bars was non-smoking (at least until 10pm), so waiting diners didn’t have to deal with that nonsense. Also, there’s a good-sized outdoor area open in nice weather.

Service: Service has gone downhill — we waited in the entryway for a good few minutes before being greeted, and waiters are not attentive.
Value: Ran about $30 per person with an entree and a couple beers — about right for what we got. Nothing outstanding from a value standpoint, but hardly a ripoff.

Details:
Number of Visits: 3
Cards: Yes
Reservations: No
Bar: Full
website: http://www.mckenziebrewhouse.com/

Rating: 4 Silver Spoons out of 5

Overview: Big, bold, (think Philadelphia’s Steven Starr) Asian Fusion comes to the Main Line. Nectar, a large, stone, $5 million dollar palace, rises out of nowhere just after passing through Berwyn (traveling West) on Lancaster Ave. Chef Patrick Feury (who opened the spot with Michael Wei of Yang Ming and Scott Morrison of Basil/Tango) succeeds in providing a quality, city-style fine-dining experience to the area with creative, delicious cuisine.

Food: Although Nectar features a traditional sushi bar, the rest of the menu is far more creative. Lamb skewers sit atop a fried goat cheese salad, providing a nice contrast. Spring rolls come filled with duck and mushrooms with a sweet, flavorful sauce. While somewhat ordinary in style, the pork dumplings are top notch, crispy on the outside and succulent within.

Feury’s entrees take the cuisine to the next level. A venison tenderloin was expertly charred on the outside and a perfect medium rare within. The plate was completed with a variety of complimentary flavors — grilled winter vegetables, chestnut puree and a mustard and beet salad. Poached lobster and grilled scallops served together were delicate but tasty. The only slight of the evening was the arctic char — tea smoked before being grilled — which was a bit too smoky for my taste. However, the plate again dazzled, featuring a parsnip puree and a pinot noir sage sauce.

The stars of the dessert menu — warm mini donuts — make a trip to Nectar worthwhile all on their own. A dozen tiny, warm cinnamon-sugar coated beignets come with three stellar dipping sauces: chipolte-chocolate, espresso anglaise and apple cider caramel. (Chipolte-chocolate wins the prize, although it would be even better if served warm.)

Ambiance: Nectar features one of the more grandiose designs ever seen on the Main Line. It is amazingly large and stylish — a 200 seat room features huge ceilings, dark, colorful light and a giant silkscreen Buddha tapestry as a centerpiece. This restaurant recalls the center city experience of a Buddakan or Pod more than any other venue the ‘burbs has to offer.

Service: Although the service was generally agreeable, several inconsistencies marred the overall experience. Firstly, when I originally called to make a reservation, I was bounced to three people and eventually a line that was never answered. When we arrived, although the room was 2/3 empty, we were placed at the table nearest the kitchen door and had to request a less busy location. Lastly, the waiters were a bit overzealous about clearing completed plates — several times they attempted to remove dishes that we were not quite ready to part with. Their intentions were likely honorable, but there is a fine line between being helpful and being too aggressive.

Wine List: The wine list is separated into several quirky but helpful categories — with cutesy names like “sweet nectar” and “bold nectar” that offer some help in navigating the medium-sized list. The prices, however, are outlandish, even for a restaurant of this quality. Less than a handful of bottles come in under $50, with many more available for $100 and above. Perhaps Feury and co. know something that I don’t about the clientele, but I find it baffling that many people would be shelling out three figures for a bottle of wine all that often. Offering a better selection in the $30-$50 range would make the overall experience much more enjoyable and complete. House wine is available for $6.50 a glass, a flat out deal compared to the bottles.

Value: Make no mistake about it — Nectar is fine dining and is priced accordingly. Entrees tend to run in the $20s, with a few available in the teens. The top dishes like the aforementioned lobster/scallop combo and venison were each $29, which is a reasonable price considering the quality of each dish. Appetizers tend to be around $8, and if combined with some sushi would probably make a pretty nice, reasonably priced meal. As mentioned above, the wine list is offensively overpriced, and as such brings down the value of Nectar as a whole.

Details:
# of times we’ve eaten there: 1
Reservations: Yes
Cards: Yes
Bar: Full

Rating: 3 silver spoons out of 5

Overview: Stylish neighborhood bar/restaurant with creative American cuisine. The Gypsy Saloon is run by the same people as Stella Blu in Conshy (former owners of Bella Luna in Bryn Mawr). The saloon delivers a solid meal in a fun, comfortable atmosphere.

Food: The Gypsy Saloon recently retooled their menu in an attempt to attract a more upscale clientele. It now features a wide variety of inventive American cuisine, with several each of beef, chicken, seafood and pasta dishes. Even simple fare — such as a skirt steak frites — comes with a twist, in this case a 48-hour marinated steak with sweet potato fries and spicy mustard aoli. Sushi grade tuna is seared rare with a chinese spice rub, served with chili fries and an interesting pineapple sauce. The excellent red snapper is served on a bed of creamy butternut squash risotto. In general, the food is interesting and solid.

Ambiance: A relatively small space that is comfortable but bustling, the saloon also features a small bar area that is a great atmosphere for a drink or two with friends before dinner. Gypsy is now completely smoke-free, which fixes one of it’s biggest problems, especially for tables near the bar.
Value: Dinner for two, including one appetizer, two entrees, one dessert and a bottle of wine cost just about $100 (before tip). With so many quality BYOBs in the area, it is difficult to justify paying this much for a meal that is equivalent to a BYOB meal available for $30-40 less. This is not to say the visit was not satisfying — just not the greatest value in town.

Details:
# of times we’ve eaten there: 1
Reservations: Yes
Bar: Full Bar
http://gypsysaloon.com
Credit Cards

Rating: 3 silver spoons out of 5

Overview: Typical Microbrewery atmosphere with above average food & beer for a microbrew pub. Often tremendous waits on weekends or even for lunch during the week.

Food: Upscale pub fare — great burgers and the like but also some more intricate dishes that are better than expected. Start with the artichoke & cheese dip or the hummus — both are excellent. The burger comes on a garlic pretzel roll and is one of the better ones around, and the pork barbeque sandwich is also very tasty. I’ve never eaten the pizza but some fellow diners swear by the Lejon (shrimp, bacon and horseradish). At dinner, the salmon entree changes daily and is normally very good.

Ambiance: Noisy brewpub, but a fun place to hang out that isn’t too over the top. Can be difficult to find a seat at the bar on weekends (if you’re just drinking or waiting for a table). Try the bar in the back. In nice weather there are some seats out on the sidewalk… if you go at an off-peak time, its a great place to hang out.

Service: Fine for this type of place.

Value: Suprisingly good food & award-winning beer at reasonable prices — I’d say that’s pretty good.

Details:
# of times we’ve eaten there: 5+
Reservations: No – long waits are common.
Payments: Cards
Bar: Full
Website: http://www.ironhillbrewery.com

There are other Iron Hill locations in Media, PA, Newark, DE, Phoenixville, PA, Wilmington, PA and North Wales, PA.

Rating: 3 silver spoons out of 5

Overview: Great little dive bar in the middle of Malvern.

Food: Standard Pub Fare — Generally high in fat and cholesterol, but so tasty. The pepperoni rolls (slabs of pepperoni rolled up in oily bread) are a sentimental favorite, and the burgers are quite good as well (though a recent one was overcooked). We tried an artichoke and parmesan “dip” appetizer recently that was quite good. Unlike most brewpub style artichoke/cheese dip, this was more like a spread (think bruschetta) and was quite unique and interesting. I also had a sandwich called “The Veal Deal” (or something kitschy like that) which was sauteed veal medallions with peppers and onions on a hoagie roll, all smothered in provolone cheese. The roll wasn’t really “crusty” as promised, but it was still quite a sandwich.

Beer: The Pig is definitely a “beer bar” with a great seasonal selection on tap — during a recent visit I tried Anchor Steam Spring Bock, Troegs Sunshine Pils and Lucifer Golden Ale. The selection of bottled beer is even more extensive.

Ambiance: Small, dark, and somewhat noisy, but the type of neighborhood pub where you can really get comfortable. To be avoided when they have bands — it is way too loud and really ruins the whole point of going there in the first place, which is to relax with some friends and some beers.

Service: Not great, but it doesn’t really matter.

Value: More of a bar than a restaurant, so pretty cheap.

Details:
# of times we’ve eaten there: 5+
Reservations: No
Payments: Cards
Bar: Full