May 10th, 2011
|
Author: Like the glittering stones that proliferate along the Wissahickon Valley and elsewhere in Chestnut Hill, Mica has an unmistakably pleasing sparkle. Since its opening on March 18, the restaurant has been luring not only the intrepid foodies of Chestnut Hill but also guests from across the Delaware Valley who are attracted to Mica’s bold menu.
That should come as no surprise to anyone who’s followed the glowing careers of two of the finest young chefs in the region. According to the restaurant’s general manager and (soon-to-be) sommelier, Mickael Decoker, a native of France, “I would call it progressive American cuisine with French influence.”
In fact, special five- and seven-course tasting menus, as well as ingredient-driven Wednesday tastings, are the lifeblood of the exciting new restaurant.
Mica is the brainchild of Charles “Chip” Roman, the award-winning chef-owner of Blackfish, named by Philadelphia magazine last January as the top restaurant in the city. Roman himself, all of 31, has just been nominated for the prestigious James Beard Award as best chef in the Mid-Atlantic region. And Food & Wine magazine also nominated him for the People’s Best New Chef award (for those who have begun to make their mark in the last five years).
Despite the astounding success of Blackfish and his own avowed love of his family, Roman decided to expand his little empire by thoroughly renovating the spot previously occupied by Cuba! — and by hiring his good friend, Jason Cichonski, the chef at Lacroix at the Rittenhouse for four years, as executive chef.
Cichonski, whom Roman said he met at several of the food benefits held throughout the region each year, seems an ideal fit for a restaurant driven by its respect for great ingredients. They love joking around with each other and enjoy “throwing ideas at each other,” according to Roman.
“As much as I love Blackfish,” he said, “I have to admit that we’re now pretty much committed to what our guests have come to expect. That’s great. But I just want to try different menu styles, so Mica is the perfect opportunity. We’re all trained to do tasting menus, and with only 30 seats, it’s small enough and manageable enough to keep bringing people in to try new things.”
On the night of our visit, May 3, Eve and I and our two new friends — Frank and Gail Pacchiarotti — knew there was only one way to go. Even though the chefs had just introduced an a la carte menu that very evening, we decided to test the culinary sparkle of our two hosts.
The suave and amiable Decoker, whom we met several years ago when he held the same position at Sullivan’s Steakhouse in King of Prussia, winked his approval and said, “You will not be disappointed.”
That proved to be a colossal understatement.
Frank and Gail, who successfully bid on me and Eve for the second consecutive year in the silent auction at the Kelly Anne Dolan Memorial Fund’s annual Wine in Winter fundraiser, wore smiles that could melt a polar ice cap. By the end of the evening, emboldened by their experience at Mica, they not only vowed to return but to talk it up among their many friends and colleagues.
Here is why. Continued…
Our server, Carissa Just, first brought to our table the amuse-bouche (always a treat, the chef’s culinary imagination gone wild) — an amazing trio featuring a Melon Shooter (a tiny fruit drink), a chip of Bitter Orange Meringue over orange puree, and a Halibut Brandade, or creamed halibut topped with roasted red pepper and black olive.
Our next course was house-cured Smoked Salmon over sunchoke (or Jerusalem artichoke) puree with chips of whole grain mustard, served in a most unusual spherical “fishbowl” cut at a three-quarters angle.
The tasting continued with a course of Seared Scallops with charred lime served in halibut broth with toasted peanuts, apple slices and micro-cilantro; then Sourdough Risotto served with English peas and bacon; and finally, Hudson Valley Duck Breast, served with braised endive with compressed pureed pineapple in duck jus and wild rice tureen.
It wasn’t just the amazing flavors that captured our attention but also the elegant flatware, plates and bowls, some (like the “fishbowl” mentioned above) with unusual shapes — oblongs, rectangles and the like, or cut at bold, unusual angles, and different glasses with different types of wine.
Decoker, who Chip Roman says “really runs the place, with Jason,” had all the serving pieces imported from France. He said that a great dining experience is more than just the food and ambience.
“It’s also the service,” referring to both the serving pieces and the attentive, well-informed staff.
By the time day turns into night, Mica, already an understated, sophisticated affair, becomes downright romantic, as warm indirect lighting softens the Colonial green wooden highlights, the wooden tables and the delicate curtain separating the cozy restaurant from bustling Germantown Avenue just beyond.
The five-course Chef’s Tasting Menu, available every night, costs $70 per person, plus tax and gratuity, while the seven-course Chef’s Tasting Menu, also available each night, costs $90, plus tax and gratuity. All guests at those tables are asked to participate in the tasting. And a 10-course Chef’s Table, in a separate room for eight, is also available nightly with a 48-hour reservation. Cost will be determined based on the ingredients, number of guests and other factors.
Also new at Mica are the four-course Wednesday Tastings, focused on one ingredient and costing $45 per person, excluding tax and gratuity. The first such tasting — with lobster as centerpiece — was Wednesday, May 3. The menu began with Lobster Carpaccio, with Thai apple salad and truffle, followed by Lobster Claw, served with coddled egg, asparagus and black trumpet (an aromatic, buttery mushroom). Lobster Tail, served with peas, maitake mushrooms and miso, was the main course, followed by a dessert of Tequila-Hibiscus, served with coffee crumbs and cocoa nibs ice cream.
May 11’s tasting focused on lamb. Upcoming tastings include scallops (May 18), soft-shell crab (May 25) and shellfish (June 1).
If, for some inexplicable reason, such tastings are not to your taste, the chefs have introduced an a la carte menu, with starters such as English Pea Soup ($9), served with hiramasa (yellowfish sashimi), yuzu (a Japanese citrus) and long pepper; Eggplant Ravioli ($14), served with baby fennel in a smoked balsamic vinaigrette; Baby Spanish Octopus ($13), served with licorice, white asparagus and bacon; and Diver Scallops ($15), served with heart of palm, horseradish and white chocolate.
Entrées include the likes of Lancaster County Poulard (a fat hen suitable for roasting), served with dashi (a Japanese tuna-flake soup stock), polenta and spring vegetables; Alaskan Halibut ($31), served with cauliflower, watercress and poppy seeds; and Cape May Skate Wing ($25), served with banana, pea leaves and olive.
At Mica, even the desserts are memorable — like Rhubarb ($9) with white chocolate, basil and black pepper streusel; Manjari Chocolate ($9), served with passion fruit, coffee crumbs and cocoa nibs ice cream and Artisanal Cheeses ($12) served with seasonal garnishes. Continued…
Like the glittering stones that proliferate along the Wissahickon Valley and elsewhere in Chestnut Hill, Mica has an unmistakably pleasing sparkle. Since its opening on March 18, the restaurant has been luring not only the intrepid foodies of Chestnut Hill but also guests from across the Delaware Valley who are attracted to Mica’s bold menu.
That should come as no surprise to anyone who’s followed the glowing careers of two of the finest young chefs in the region. According to the restaurant’s general manager and (soon-to-be) sommelier, Mickael Decoker, a native of France, “I would call it progressive American cuisine with French influence.”
In fact, special five- and seven-course tasting menus, as well as ingredient-driven Wednesday tastings, are the lifeblood of the exciting new restaurant.
Mica is the brainchild of Charles “Chip” Roman, the award-winning chef-owner of Blackfish, named by Philadelphia magazine last January as the top restaurant in the city. Roman himself, all of 31, has just been nominated for the prestigious James Beard Award as best chef in the Mid-Atlantic region. And Food & Wine magazine also nominated him for the People’s Best New Chef award (for those who have begun to make their mark in the last five years).
Despite the astounding success of Blackfish and his own avowed love of his family, Roman decided to expand his little empire by thoroughly renovating the spot previously occupied by Cuba! — and by hiring his good friend, Jason Cichonski, the chef at Lacroix at the Rittenhouse for four years, as executive chef.
Cichonski, whom Roman said he met at several of the food benefits held throughout the region each year, seems an ideal fit for a restaurant driven by its respect for great ingredients. They love joking around with each other and enjoy “throwing ideas at each other,” according to Roman.
“As much as I love Blackfish,” he said, “I have to admit that we’re now pretty much committed to what our guests have come to expect. That’s great. But I just want to try different menu styles, so Mica is the perfect opportunity. We’re all trained to do tasting menus, and with only 30 seats, it’s small enough and manageable enough to keep bringing people in to try new things.”
On the night of our visit, May 3, Eve and I and our two new friends — Frank and Gail Pacchiarotti — knew there was only one way to go. Even though the chefs had just introduced an a la carte menu that very evening, we decided to test the culinary sparkle of our two hosts.
The suave and amiable Decoker, whom we met several years ago when he held the same position at Sullivan’s Steakhouse in King of Prussia, winked his approval and said, “You will not be disappointed.”
That proved to be a colossal understatement.
Frank and Gail, who successfully bid on me and Eve for the second consecutive year in the silent auction at the Kelly Anne Dolan Memorial Fund’s annual Wine in Winter fundraiser, wore smiles that could melt a polar ice cap. By the end of the evening, emboldened by their experience at Mica, they not only vowed to return but to talk it up among their many friends and colleagues.
Here is why.
Our server, Carissa Just, first brought to our table the amuse-bouche (always a treat, the chef’s culinary imagination gone wild) — an amazing trio featuring a Melon Shooter (a tiny fruit drink), a chip of Bitter Orange Meringue over orange puree, and a Halibut Brandade, or creamed halibut topped with roasted red pepper and black olive.
Our next course was house-cured Smoked Salmon over sunchoke (or Jerusalem artichoke) puree with chips of whole grain mustard, served in a most unusual spherical “fishbowl” cut at a three-quarters angle.
The tasting continued with a course of Seared Scallops with charred lime served in halibut broth with toasted peanuts, apple slices and micro-cilantro; then Sourdough Risotto served with English peas and bacon; and finally, Hudson Valley Duck Breast, served with braised endive with compressed pureed pineapple in duck jus and wild rice tureen.
It wasn’t just the amazing flavors that captured our attention but also the elegant flatware, plates and bowls, some (like the “fishbowl” mentioned above) with unusual shapes — oblongs, rectangles and the like, or cut at bold, unusual angles, and different glasses with different types of wine.
Decoker, who Chip Roman says “really runs the place, with Jason,” had all the serving pieces imported from France. He said that a great dining experience is more than just the food and ambience.
“It’s also the service,” referring to both the serving pieces and the attentive, well-informed staff.
By the time day turns into night, Mica, already an understated, sophisticated affair, becomes downright romantic, as warm indirect lighting softens the Colonial green wooden highlights, the wooden tables and the delicate curtain separating the cozy restaurant from bustling Germantown Avenue just beyond.
The five-course Chef’s Tasting Menu, available every night, costs $70 per person, plus tax and gratuity, while the seven-course Chef’s Tasting Menu, also available each night, costs $90, plus tax and gratuity. All guests at those tables are asked to participate in the tasting. And a 10-course Chef’s Table, in a separate room for eight, is also available nightly with a 48-hour reservation. Cost will be determined based on the ingredients, number of guests and other factors.
Also new at Mica are the four-course Wednesday Tastings, focused on one ingredient and costing $45 per person, excluding tax and gratuity. The first such tasting — with lobster as centerpiece — was Wednesday, May 3. The menu began with Lobster Carpaccio, with Thai apple salad and truffle, followed by Lobster Claw, served with coddled egg, asparagus and black trumpet (an aromatic, buttery mushroom). Lobster Tail, served with peas, maitake mushrooms and miso, was the main course, followed by a dessert of Tequila-Hibiscus, served with coffee crumbs and cocoa nibs ice cream.
May 11’s tasting focused on lamb. Upcoming tastings include scallops (May 18), soft-shell crab (May 25) and shellfish (June 1).
If, for some inexplicable reason, such tastings are not to your taste, the chefs have introduced an a la carte menu, with starters such as English Pea Soup ($9), served with hiramasa (yellowfish sashimi), yuzu (a Japanese citrus) and long pepper; Eggplant Ravioli ($14), served with baby fennel in a smoked balsamic vinaigrette; Baby Spanish Octopus ($13), served with licorice, white asparagus and bacon; and Diver Scallops ($15), served with heart of palm, horseradish and white chocolate.
Entrées include the likes of Lancaster County Poulard (a fat hen suitable for roasting), served with dashi (a Japanese tuna-flake soup stock), polenta and spring vegetables; Alaskan Halibut ($31), served with cauliflower, watercress and poppy seeds; and Cape May Skate Wing ($25), served with banana, pea leaves and olive.
At Mica, even the desserts are memorable — like Rhubarb ($9) with white chocolate, basil and black pepper streusel; Manjari Chocolate ($9), served with passion fruit, coffee crumbs and cocoa nibs ice cream and Artisanal Cheeses ($12) served with seasonal garnishes.
About Mica’s outstanding menu, Chef Cichonski said, with a straight face, “Nothing too obscure.”
True enough. It’s simply great ingredients, assembled with passion and taste and more than a modicum of imagination.
At the moment, Mica is a BYOB, awaiting an imminent liquor license. When it arrives, as expected, in a week or so, Decoker’s contributions will take the restaurant to a new level, as he introduces some fine imported and domestic wines for $40 to $180 a bottle, wines by the glass for $9 to $14 and some great domestic and imported beers, including Yuengling and Chimay.
Although lunch is not yet available, Mica is no longer a dinner-only restaurant, as Sunday brunch was introduced on Mother’s Day. Decoker said that wine tastings will soon be a regular occurrence between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. each day of the week (except Monday, when the restaurant is closed) and that wine pairings are also anticipated.
Mica is young. But it’s growing up quickly.
Chip Roman, who has been mentored by some of the best chefs in the business, including Marc Vetri and Georges Perrier (with whom he will prepare a special meal at Le Bec-Fin on June 15), says, “It’s a work in progress. It’s like a child. Everyone will try to tell you how to raise it.”
But soon enough, it promises to stand as tall as its committed young team (all of whom are listed on the menu — from chef-owners to servers) will take it.
Chef Roman has said, with his trademark impish smile, “Georges [Perrier] was always hard on me. But he was always my hero.”
With his outstanding track record in such a short time, he seems destined to become a hero to many young chefs who will look to him — and his great culinary experiment at Mica — for inspiration.
Mica Restaurant
8609 Germantown Ave.
Chestnut Hill, PA 19118
215-335-3912
HOURS:
Dinner:
Tuesday – Thursday, 5 – 9 p.m.
Friday, 5:30 – 11 p.m.
Saturday, 5 – 11 p.m.
Sunday, 5 – 9 p.m.
Closed Monday.
Sunday Brunch
now available
(call for details).
Reservations required on weekends,
recommended during week.
All major credit cards.
Liquor license due soon.
Public parking lots available
behind restaurant off
East Evergreen Avenue.
A la carte entrées: $25 – $31.
Wednesday tastings: $45.
Five-course tastings: $70.
Seven-course tastings: $90.
(All excluding tax & gratuity.)
Ten-course Chef’s Tastings
also available with 48-hour
reservations only.
This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you’re reading it on someone else’s site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters featured article: If At First You Don’t Succeed – Four Decades Of US-UK Attempts To Topple Gadafi.
Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.
Posted in Uncategorized