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

Review: 3 silver spoons out of 5

Overview: The more casual sister of the acclaimed Dilworthtown Inn, the restaurant features an eclectic, seasonal bistro menu with great bar snacks, a superb wine list and a relaxed atmosphere.

Food: Having already enjoyed the Dilworthtown Inn, we were intrigued by the menu and concept of the Blue Pear Bistro. The menu, consisting of small and medium sized plates (though, all but one of our medium plates were typical entrée portions), contains modern bistro fare, where classics like steak frites are offered alongside eclectic selections such as skate wing and French toast napoleon. We started the meal with cocktails and bar snacks. Though the strawberry mojito was much too strong, my drink, called Fig Thyme, was absolutely delicious – the earthy, fragrant thyme was the perfect complement to the sweetness of the figs. For our snacks, we chose the deviled eggs and white truffle popcorn. While the deviled eggs were quite good, it was the popcorn that took center stage – none of us could stop eating it!  It was warm and crisp and covered with just the right amount of salt and truffle oil; for me, it was one of the highlights of the meal.

Appetizers consisted of shigoku oysters, fried calamari and jalapeño rings, and the bacon and egg salad.  The oysters were lovely: sweet, creamy, and mildly briny. They were especially delicious when topped with the accompanying mignonette and a refreshing ginger concoction that was reminiscent of a good granita.  The bacon and egg salad was also very good, though the egg was coated in a greasy batter that didn’t stick to the egg. Luckily, when removed, the egg turned out to be well cooked with a proper runny yolk.  Though the fried jalapeño rings were enjoyable and offered just the right amount of heat, the calamari itself was rubbery and rather tasteless.

For my entrée, I had the barbecue beef short ribs with creamy grits and watercress salad. The short ribs were cooked very well – they were melt-in-your-mouth tender – and well-seasoned. However, the barbecue sauce was overwhelming and took away from the flavor of the meat. The creamy grits were true to their description and full of rich, buttery flavor. Although I enjoyed them at first, by the end I almost felt as though I was eating mouthfuls of whipped butter. One of my dining partners tried the skate wing with citrus beurre blanc, a special of the evening, and was very pleased with it. The meat itself was tender and delicately flavored and went very well with the tangy sweetness of the citrus sauce. Another member of the group had the seared scallops with English and sugar snap peas and a subtle but rich lobster saffron sauce.  The scallops were tender, perfectly cooked, and lightly caramelized. The scallop dish was the smallest of the entrees – seemingly the only one that actually lived up to the “medium plates” label.

Though the meal so far had been very enjoyable, dessert was rather disappointing. Despite an enticing menu, including French toast napoleon, lemon-maple sorbet, and profiteroles, both desserts that we ordered were underwhelming at best. The French toast napoleon was cloyingly sweet, and I could only eat a few bites of it. Not even the accompanying lemon-maple sorbet and tart blueberries could offset the sweetness.  The other dessert, carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and crispy carrots, was far too spicy.

Service: Having already experienced the fantastic service at Dilworthtown Inn, I had high hopes for the Blue Pear. However, the service was adequate at best. When asked about the flavor of dishes on the menu, our robotic waitress had to check with the kitchen, making it very clear that she had never tasted them. Worse yet, on a number of occasions she cleared plates off the table when people were still eating! Initially, she took the popcorn as someone was reaching in for another handful (we were too stunned to say anything), and later proceeded to do the same with my appetizer and another person’s entrée.

Ambiance: Housed in a renovated 18^th century general store, Blue Pear is warm and inviting, with a number of different styled sections – a porch, bar area, lounge, and regular dining room. This cozy feeling is enhanced when people are sipping wine on the porch and/or talking and enjoying snacks at the bar.

Value: Prices for the small and medium plates range from about $7.00 – $24.50, with bar snacks and side dishes ranging from about $2.50 – $6.50.

Details:
# of times we’ve eaten there: 1
Reservations: Yes, by telephone
Hours: Monday – Saturday 4:00pm – midnight (bar service begins at 4:00pm, dinner at 5:00pm)
Bar: Yes
Cards: Yes
Website: http://www.bluepearbistro.com/

Quick Take: Pietro’s Prime, an upscale steak house operated by the owners of longtime Chester County market Giunta’s, is now open in the former Murray’s Deli space in West Chester.

Went to Pietro’s for lunch, and it was ok. The space itself is gorgeous (though they owe much of this to Murray’s), with the bar now where the old deli was and the old bar room converted into a dining area. The food was good, but not great, especially considering the prices. They have an interesting selection of different sandwiches and light entrees including several different steak sandwiches and burgers, shrimp, crab cakes, etc. The service was pleasant but not without flaws, an issue due to the intended atmosphere and prices. All in all, it seems that the owners of Pietro’s have skills better suited to creating a welcoming, casual neighborhood restaurant, but instead are trying to create a fine dining destination… that falls a little short.

For more, check out what WC Dish has to say or view the menu, now available on WC Dish (PDF).

Feel free to view reader comments or add your own review.

Rating: 4 silver spoons out of 5

Overview: 333 Belrose opened in 2000, a fine-dining destination hidden on tiny Belrose road away from Radnor’s busy Lancaster Avenue corridor. For a restaurant in such a concealed location to stay successful for so long (5 years is an eternity in the restaurant business), they must be doing something right. (Hint: It’s the innovative cuisine.)

Food: Inspired, eclectic American cuisine. Executive Chef Carlo deMarco and Chef de Cuisine Andrew Finch take a wide variety of fish and meat dishes and complete them with creative, fulfilling sides and sauces. The flavors that tie together each plate are what propel Belrose’s menu to the ranks of the best in the area.

Although the Zinfandel Glazed Venison was a bit overcooked (medium well as opposed to medium rare), the succulent, truffle-infused demi glace was able to compensate for the slight dryness of the meat. The plate was completed beautifully by an apple cider braised red cabbage and a yam & bacon hash.

The Pan Seared Ahi Tuna, on the other hand, was seared perfectly on the outside and a dazzling pink within. Served in thick slices on a long, thin plate, the overall presentation, with fresh organic wasabi, sweet soy sauce and broccoli-yellow pepper stir-fry, recalled a brilliant sushi dinner.

Ambiance: Belrose dining area is surprisingly large, but is separated into several different smaller rooms. The good news about the restaurant’s size is that it’s rarely difficult to get a table. On the other hand, emptiness can sometimes take away from the experience. Belrose also has a popular bar with outdoor seating in the summer.

Service: Consistent with a quality fine-dining destination, Belrose’s service is exemplary. Waitstaff is courteous and helpful.

Value: Although Belrose is definitely a fine dining experience, it is not outlandishly priced. Entrees all fall in the mid to upper 20s, and there is a nice variety of wine in the $30-40 range. All in all, expect to pay around $60 per person, including tip.

Details:
# of times we’ve eaten there: 3
Reservations: Yes
Bar: Full Bar
Credit Cards

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