Three Stars for Jason Cichonski and Ela
Trey Popp takes a trip inside the mind of Ela’s head chef, Jason Cichonski. What he discovers is a young chef who’s delivering a “radical eclecticism.”
Then there are Cichonski’s scallop noodles. Here, pureed scallops are rolled out thin, vacuum-sealed, and then slowly poached (without additives) until the proteins coalesce in a smooth, slick sheet from which thick noodles are cut—thus maximizing the surface area available to be caramelized. Twice, they came to me in a tangle of thin-shaved carrots and salsify ribbons, soaking up a slurry of orange vinaigrette and sesame seeds. Twice, I vowed to have them again.
Three Stars – Excellent
Being Jason Cichonski [Philadelphia magazine]
Ela [Official Site]
Photo by Jason Varney
