What to Eat This Weekend: Sweet and Savory Strawberry Dishes
Strawberry season — that elusive handful of weeks when berries are their ripest — has arrived in the Philly area. If you’re too busy to get your fingers stained red at a local farm, fear not! We’ve picked five restaurants that have done the plucking work for you.
Southwark
For a strawberry overdose, order the strawberry-rhubarb profiterole at this casual Queen Village bistro. The puff pastry comes sliced down the middle and layered with strawberry rhubarb compote, more fresh strawberries from Rineer Family Farms in Pequea, whipped cream, and strawberry sauce.
Southwark, 701 South 4th Street, 215-238-1888
Mercato
Squeeze into this ever-cramped (but always worth it) Italian/New American BYO for the Market Salad. It features fresh strawberries from Maple Valley in Lancaster, caramelized red onion, goat cheese, hazelnuts, and butter croutons on a bed of Bibb lettuce, finished with a light white balsamic vinaigrette.
Mercato, 1216 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, 215-985-2962
Sycamore
If you like your berries savory, head to Sycamore. The ‘burbs BYO pairs fresh strawberries from Green Meadow Farms in Lancaster with baby arugula, goat feta, greenhouse cucumbers, and lemon chive vinaigrette. If sweet’s more your speed, Sycamore’s Sunday brunch also features challah French toast with strawberries macerated in lemon zest and brown sugar, topped off with a dollop of honey mascarpone.
Sycamore, 14 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 484-461-2867
Marigold Kitchen
Chef-owner Robert Halpern, who is known for his chemistry lab-esque details (minted bubbles, for example) lets strawberries from Eden Garden Farm stand undisturbed on several dishes at this West Philly New American BYO. Marigold Kitchen’s brunch menu currently offers a strawberry rhubarb Belgian waffle with walnut whipped cream. For dessert, the fresh berries also sit atop the rhubarb saffron crème brulee and the green tea ice cream profiteroles.
Marigold Kitchen, 501 South 45th Street, 215-222-369
Amis
Marc Vetri’s newest (and most accessible) neighborhood trattoria offers a classic strawberry rhubarb tart featuring locally grown strawberries.
Amis, 412 South 13th Street, 215-732-2647
*Photo courtesy of CaptPiper via Flickr
