Chestnut Grill and Sidewalk Cafe
Located in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia in a hotel by the same name, the Chestnut Grill and Sidewalk Cafe offers ample outdoor seating on two sides of a pedestrian walkway.
The prices are right here, with nothing on the menu over $20 as of 2009. Appetizers are all under $10 and include New Orleans blackened catfish fingers with cajun aioli--a garlic mayonnaise--coconut shrimp, Prince Edward Island Mussels and fried calamari. Seafood isn't the only option. There is also a chicken quesadilla, pork and ginger pot stickers and nachos served with a house-made beef and Italian sausage chili.
Salad choices are a highlight of the menu and include a Nicoise salad with fresh grilled tuna. Seafood appears again on the well-balanced list of entrees. Try the cioppino, a seafood stew with shrimp, tilapia, mussels, clams and crab for $16.99. The grilled strip steak with bearnaise butter and roasted veggies comes in just under the wire at $19.50. If you come in early, straight from the course, there is an extensive sandwich menu as well.
Chestnut Grill and Sidewalk Cafe
8229 Germantown Ave #1,
Philadelphia, PA 19118
(215) 247-7570
chestnutgrill.com/
Figs
Because the typical restaurant markup on wine is generally about triple the retail price, good BYOW restaurants are always a pleasure to find. Figs in the museum district of Philadelphia is one such find. Here is your chance to crack that bottle of Opus One you've been saving to celebrate a perfect round. If that's not in the picture, do what most of your fellow diners do and stop into a neighborhood wine shop for a nice bottle you might otherwise skip in a full-service restaurant.
This is a cash-only Mediterranean restaurant with the flavors of Spain, France and Portugal all touched with a decidedly Moroccan flair. A favorite entree is grilled large shrimp in a date barbecue sauce and spinach served over vanilla rice. Most entrees are under $20, but consider spending a little more for the whole fish of the day served with garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus and a side of charmoula, a complex Middle-Eastern sauce of sauteed onions flavored with vinegar, honey, cinnamon, pepper, cloves and cumin. Call ahead to request outdoor seating.
Figs
2501 Meredith St.
Philadelphia, PA 19130
(215) 978-8440
figsrestaurant.com
Moshulu
There is outdoor dining and then there is outdoor dining on the outer deck of an 1880s tall ship docked on the Delaware River. That is Moshulu. Moshulu bills itself as a seafood restaurant, but a glance at the menu assures you that there is something here for everyone. Seafood is important, and the raw bar includes a selection of sushi rolls along with the usual east- and west-coast oysters, P.E.I. mussels, shrimp and clams. Among the chef's specials is a "Jail Island Salmon" with lump crab meat, corn, thai basil and boullabaisse (read saffron) jus at $32.
For the meat eater, there is a Montana filet mignon or a 16-oz. 28-day dry-aged New York Strip at $46. Anyone who can't decide between meat and fish can opt for the Moshulu surf and turf which pairs a filet mignon with a 1-lb. Maine lobster at $45. Moshulu makes an effort to accommodate all special dietary needs and invites requests by those with vegetarian preferences, kosher commitments or food allergies. Prices are current as of 2009; check the restaurant's website for updates.
Moshulu
401 S. Columbus Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 923-2500
moshulu.com
About The Author
Lois Lawrence is an attorney and freelance writer living and working in Stonington, Conn. She has written on many subjects including travel, food, consumerism, relationships, insurance and law. Lawrence earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1976, and a Juris Doctor degree from Boston University School of Law in 1979.
