Three Bells For Bibou

Craig LaBan visits Bibou where he finds chef Pierre Calmels and his wife Charlotte creating another star French bistro on 8th Street in South Philadelphia. Of special note was the “gastro-splurge” of the seven-course $70 tasting dinner.

Our meal soared from an ethereally light but vivid chilled asparagus soup to a velvety-tender slice of poached veal tongue with sauce gribiche (a decadent throwback mayo with capers, cornichons, minced hard-cooked egg, and tarragon.) There were wonderfully crisped scallops with lime emulsion, sea beans and shaved cucumber noodles, another bowl of Madeira-sauced chanterelles (which I gratefully devoured), seared foie gras, and an intensely beefy hanger steak in a light green peppercorn sauce alongside snappy plumes of black trumpet mushrooms that glistened with a butter shine.

Three Bells – Excellent

Bibou [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Bibou [Official Site]