May 24th, 2011
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Author: If you want evidence that the economy is indeed on the upswing, just head down to Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse at 15th and Chestnut streets in the heart of center city. There, where the liveliest Happy Hour in town fills the mezzanine lounge from Wednesday through Saturday, you will find a bustling temple dedicated to the lost art of hospitality and — you’d better believe it — offering some of the best food in the region.
According to General Manager Richie Furino, a former resident of King of Prussia and a lifelong foodie, “Our numbers are up 30 percent over last year. We’ve sold 548 more bottles of bottled water the last three months over the same period last year. And wine consumption is up. It looks like we’ve really turned the corner.”
When asked why Del Frisco’s is doing so well, especially in a city enamored of its many beloved steakhouses, Furino is remarkably candid.
“Although we always aim for the highest quality, the steaks are basically the same. But Del Frisco’s has a distinctively New Orleans touch. But the real difference is in the hospitality, the people who welcome and cook for and serve you. They pay attention to our guests. They pay attention to details — from the linens to [and here the amiable G.M. couldn’t suppress a hearty grin] the ‘best room.’”
Before I could ask him what he meant, he said, “As opposed to the rest room. Our attendant, Johnny Webb, we call ‘Mr. Personality.’ He’ll do everything to make sure you’re taken care of. He’s stocked the men’s rest room with everything from needle and thread to cologne, cigarettes, breath mints, lint rollers, shoelaces — even T-shirts in unopened packages! You never know when you might spill some red wine on your shirt.
“Now that’s hospitality!”
True enough. And even before they ascend the foyer steps to the stunning main dining room, guests are greeted warmly by the likes of twin hostesses Jen and Dana Fiorvanti, and either Furino or Assistant General Manager Carmen Tedesco.
All you have to do is ask and either G.M. will take you on a tour of the historic structure and point out its salient details.
Del Frisco’s is located in the old Packard Building, constructed in 1924. It was the home, until a few years ago, of the First Pennsylvania Bank. And after more than a year of intensive renovations — which included adding the upper dining level and the grand curved granite bar — to make the sturdy structure a suitable place for dining, it opened in November 2008 to enthusiastic responses from guests.
Not the least of their pleasures is the restaurant’s distinctive décor. Start with the imposing wrought iron gates and sconces at the entrance — the work of famed blacksmith genius Samuel Yellin. The artisans of Del Frisco’s took pains to re-create Yellin’s ironwork along the open gateways of the mezzanine, where the views of the spacious dining room, bar and wine tower are spectacular.
Del Frisco’s star architectural lure is undoubtedly its impressive wine tower, the second tallest in the country. Situated behind the curved bar, it rises 40 feet from the floor of the main dining room, bisected by a spiral staircase that affords sommeliers Henry Greenly, Gordana Kostovski and their staff a rare access to the restaurant’s fine wines. Continued…
When Furino says, “People walk in and their mouths open; they look up,” and doesn’t finish the sentence, he is referring not only to the wine tower but also to the striking red drapes that serve a dual purpose as both artwork and sound absorption devices.
Also on the mezzanine level, behind the bar, is the original Packard Building clock, another work of art whose “insides,” Furino tells me, are now in the Smithsonian. To the right of the bar, within view of the covered old elevator shaft, is the Grotto, a private dining room seating 12 to 24 people. I understand that this room is a favorite among professional athletes, including the Flyers, the Chicago Blackhawks and the Atlanta Braves.
Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, however, favors the Lincoln Room (seating up to 14) in the ground level, located within steps of the Double Eagle Room (seating 30) and the dramatic Vault, with its massive 13-ton forged metal door. According to Furino, the door was lined with $1.2 million worth of copper to impede any unlikely attempt at robbery of the old bank.
The Vault today is bordered by the sommeliers’ East and West Wine Walls, cradling, respectively, the newer vintages and the Old World wines, such as the Chateau Lafitte, Chateau Rothschild and other world-class vineyards. The Vault, which can be divided into two private dining rooms (including one housing the old safety deposit boxes), seats up to 125 guests.
Clearly, Del Frisco’s is a feast for the eyes. And its service is legendary. According to Furino, whose son, Giaco, is also on the waitstaff, the training is so rigorous that many servers feel it’s even tougher than a college course. But Del Frisco’s prides itself on its hospitality, so this training is key.
Furino likes to quote a nugget from Del Frisco’s mission statement to explain why guests love returning to the restaurant. “Passionate employees create raving fans,” he said. “Our job here is to make everyone feel special.”
And Furino, a graduate of the Philadelphia Restaurant School who has held virtually every position imaginable (from server to cook to bartender to manager) in his more than 25 years in the business (his parents also owned a Northern Italian restaurant in Hoboken, N.J., where he grew up) is there at every step of the way to be sure the mission is upheld.
That includes the kitchen, where Executive Chef John Stritzinger holds down the fort. The chef, who learned a lot from his father (who did most of the family cooking), has been in the business since he was 14 years old, having studied at Foley’s Fish House in Boston, where he worked closely with Del Frisco’s director of culinary operations, Chef Thomas Dritsas.
Stritzinger says, “I love the energy, the management, the staff. The company is only satisfied with the best. It cuts no corners. And we have free range choosing our own specials. I love the challenge of working here, since we serve so many people on three floors.
“We have so many loyal regulars,” he continued. “I love coming out to meet the guests, and they always tell me how much they love the service and the food.”
So it was with our special guests for the evening — John and LouAnn Kane, of Maple Glen, who bid successfully at the Kelly Anne Dolan Memorial Fund’s annual Wine in Winter fund-raiser to join me and my wife for an exceptional evening of dining and getting to know the staff.
The Kanes love dining out and trying fine wines, mostly in Montgomery County. But they said they would gladly venture back into the city for a dining experience such as this.
Like us, they raved about the Shellfish Plateau ($49 for two guests, $98 for four) — a marvelous array of chilled Alaskan king crab legs, iced jumbo shrimp, fresh oysters on the half shell, chilled crab claws and traditional garnishes, and the Shrimp Platter, composed of Shrimp Cocktail ($18), Shrimp Remoulade ($18) and Marinated Shrimp ($18). Continued…
If you want evidence that the economy is indeed on the upswing, just head down to Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse at 15th and Chestnut streets in the heart of center city. There, where the liveliest Happy Hour in town fills the mezzanine lounge from Wednesday through Saturday, you will find a bustling temple dedicated to the lost art of hospitality and — you’d better believe it — offering some of the best food in the region.
According to General Manager Richie Furino, a former resident of King of Prussia and a lifelong foodie, “Our numbers are up 30 percent over last year. We’ve sold 548 more bottles of bottled water the last three months over the same period last year. And wine consumption is up. It looks like we’ve really turned the corner.”
When asked why Del Frisco’s is doing so well, especially in a city enamored of its many beloved steakhouses, Furino is remarkably candid.
“Although we always aim for the highest quality, the steaks are basically the same. But Del Frisco’s has a distinctively New Orleans touch. But the real difference is in the hospitality, the people who welcome and cook for and serve you. They pay attention to our guests. They pay attention to details — from the linens to [and here the amiable G.M. couldn’t suppress a hearty grin] the ‘best room.’”
Before I could ask him what he meant, he said, “As opposed to the rest room. Our attendant, Johnny Webb, we call ‘Mr. Personality.’ He’ll do everything to make sure you’re taken care of. He’s stocked the men’s rest room with everything from needle and thread to cologne, cigarettes, breath mints, lint rollers, shoelaces — even T-shirts in unopened packages! You never know when you might spill some red wine on your shirt.
“Now that’s hospitality!”
True enough. And even before they ascend the foyer steps to the stunning main dining room, guests are greeted warmly by the likes of twin hostesses Jen and Dana Fiorvanti, and either Furino or Assistant General Manager Carmen Tedesco.
All you have to do is ask and either G.M. will take you on a tour of the historic structure and point out its salient details.
Del Frisco’s is located in the old Packard Building, constructed in 1924. It was the home, until a few years ago, of the First Pennsylvania Bank. And after more than a year of intensive renovations — which included adding the upper dining level and the grand curved granite bar — to make the sturdy structure a suitable place for dining, it opened in November 2008 to enthusiastic responses from guests.
Not the least of their pleasures is the restaurant’s distinctive décor. Start with the imposing wrought iron gates and sconces at the entrance — the work of famed blacksmith genius Samuel Yellin. The artisans of Del Frisco’s took pains to re-create Yellin’s ironwork along the open gateways of the mezzanine, where the views of the spacious dining room, bar and wine tower are spectacular.
Del Frisco’s star architectural lure is undoubtedly its impressive wine tower, the second tallest in the country. Situated behind the curved bar, it rises 40 feet from the floor of the main dining room, bisected by a spiral staircase that affords sommeliers Henry Greenly, Gordana Kostovski and their staff a rare access to the restaurant’s fine wines.
When Furino says, “People walk in and their mouths open; they look up,” and doesn’t finish the sentence, he is referring not only to the wine tower but also to the striking red drapes that serve a dual purpose as both artwork and sound absorption devices.
Also on the mezzanine level, behind the bar, is the original Packard Building clock, another work of art whose “insides,” Furino tells me, are now in the Smithsonian. To the right of the bar, within view of the covered old elevator shaft, is the Grotto, a private dining room seating 12 to 24 people. I understand that this room is a favorite among professional athletes, including the Flyers, the Chicago Blackhawks and the Atlanta Braves.
Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, however, favors the Lincoln Room (seating up to 14) in the ground level, located within steps of the Double Eagle Room (seating 30) and the dramatic Vault, with its massive 13-ton forged metal door. According to Furino, the door was lined with $1.2 million worth of copper to impede any unlikely attempt at robbery of the old bank.
The Vault today is bordered by the sommeliers’ East and West Wine Walls, cradling, respectively, the newer vintages and the Old World wines, such as the Chateau Lafitte, Chateau Rothschild and other world-class vineyards. The Vault, which can be divided into two private dining rooms (including one housing the old safety deposit boxes), seats up to 125 guests.
Clearly, Del Frisco’s is a feast for the eyes. And its service is legendary. According to Furino, whose son, Giaco, is also on the waitstaff, the training is so rigorous that many servers feel it’s even tougher than a college course. But Del Frisco’s prides itself on its hospitality, so this training is key.
Furino likes to quote a nugget from Del Frisco’s mission statement to explain why guests love returning to the restaurant. “Passionate employees create raving fans,” he said. “Our job here is to make everyone feel special.”
And Furino, a graduate of the Philadelphia Restaurant School who has held virtually every position imaginable (from server to cook to bartender to manager) in his more than 25 years in the business (his parents also owned a Northern Italian restaurant in Hoboken, N.J., where he grew up) is there at every step of the way to be sure the mission is upheld.
That includes the kitchen, where Executive Chef John Stritzinger holds down the fort. The chef, who learned a lot from his father (who did most of the family cooking), has been in the business since he was 14 years old, having studied at Foley’s Fish House in Boston, where he worked closely with Del Frisco’s director of culinary operations, Chef Thomas Dritsas.
Stritzinger says, “I love the energy, the management, the staff. The company is only satisfied with the best. It cuts no corners. And we have free range choosing our own specials. I love the challenge of working here, since we serve so many people on three floors.
“We have so many loyal regulars,” he continued. “I love coming out to meet the guests, and they always tell me how much they love the service and the food.”
So it was with our special guests for the evening — John and LouAnn Kane, of Maple Glen, who bid successfully at the Kelly Anne Dolan Memorial Fund’s annual Wine in Winter fund-raiser to join me and my wife for an exceptional evening of dining and getting to know the staff.
The Kanes love dining out and trying fine wines, mostly in Montgomery County. But they said they would gladly venture back into the city for a dining experience such as this.
Like us, they raved about the Shellfish Plateau ($49 for two guests, $98 for four) — a marvelous array of chilled Alaskan king crab legs, iced jumbo shrimp, fresh oysters on the half shell, chilled crab claws and traditional garnishes, and the Shrimp Platter, composed of Shrimp Cocktail ($18), Shrimp Remoulade ($18) and Marinated Shrimp ($18).
Del Frisco’s is also known for its signature Crab Cake appetizer ($18) with Cajun lobster sauce, and side dishes such as New Orleans style Maque Choux Corn ($10), Spinach Supreme ($11) and King Crab Gnocchi ($16).
The steaks and chops, of course — all aged USDA prime beef — are Del Frisco’s chief lure. They include Filet Mignon (8-ounce, $38; 12-ounce, $43); Bone-in Prime Ribeye (22 ounces, $48); Prime Porterhouse (24 ounces, $53); and Veal Porterhouse (16 ounces, $40).
We also found the seafood to be exceptional, including Chef Stritzinger’s favorite — Sesame Seared Tuna ($37) with a soy ginger glaze and wasabi cream. Also available are Shrimp & Scallops Scampi Style ($34), served over fresh linguine pasta with garlic, lemon and white wine.
Desserts are also a treat at Del Frisco’s. They range from Bread Pudding with Jack Daniels sauce and Chocolate Soufflé with vanilla ice cream to Cheesecake (not baked) with fresh whipped cream cheese and Lemon Doberge, a New Orleans style cake moistened by lemon butter cream and topped with lemon ganache.
And do try one of Del Frisco’s dessert wines, which include Dow’s Old Tawny Port and Pacific Rim Riesling ice wine.
For a total sensory dining experience — from décor to service to food — Del Frisco’s is hard to beat.
Del Frisco’s Double Eagle
Steakhouse
1426 Chestnut St.
Philadelphia, PA 19102
215-246-0533
HOURS:
Open for lunch & dinner.
Weekdays, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Saturday, 5 – 11 p.m.
Sunday, 5 – 10 p.m.
Reservations recommended.
All major credit cards.
Facilities for handicapped.
Available for private parties
of all kinds.
Dinner: $27 – $89.
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