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The Toque Stops Here
By Phyllis Stein-Novack
The South Philadelphia Review
I distinctly recall the first time
I walked into Serrano. One night during The Book
and the Cook in 1988, a group of us ventured over
to Second Street for a nightcap. We were
immediately struck by the romantic look of the
restaurant. The fire was roaring in the fireplace.
Attentive staff saw to everyone's needs as we slipped onto bar
stools and got our first taste of peppery
martinis.
Flavored martinis were all the rage
in the mid-'90s, but Serrano began the experiment
with them years before they took off. We studied
the menu, the interesting mix of Asian, Mexican,
Indian and Mediterranean fare at moderate
prices.
Serrano has always been on the
cutting edge of cuisine. Owners Jude Erwin and
Rich Machlin don't go for food fads or gimmicks.
They have, however, been ahead of the crowd when it
comes to introducing unusual dishes to their loyal
patrons. The menu always works.
 Serrano, which has
been open for 14 years, received a lovely interior
facelift last summer. The long, narrow restaurant
still has the roaring fire and brick wall running
along one side of the dining room, but it's become
even more romantic and cozy. Red and green are the
dominant colors. Crystal chandeliers and antique
mirrors give the room an old-fashioned look.
The menu, however, is the star
here. Last summer, Craig Peck, formerly of the
Ritz-Carlton, became Serrano's executive chef. He
has organized tasty dishes from Latin America, Asia
and he Mediterranean. As in some restaurants, this
is not a type of fusion cuisine. Cultures are not
mixed on the plate.
We nibbled on warm bread and
assorted crudite with a garlic-studded dip. As we
perused the menu, Edward looked over the wine
list.
"You won't believe how good these
prices are," he pronounced. I read the list and
saw wines by the glass, half-carafe and good
bottles around $20. We selected a 1997 Parallele
Cotes du Rhone ($20).
We sampled a bowl of soup of the
day ($4.50), which was leek and purple potato. It
was a creamy blend of cooked-just-right vegetables,
which needed a dash of pepper. I began my dinner
with a Jamaican turnover ($6), a spicy version of
English pasties. The pastry was flaky and not a
bit greasy. The beef was shredded and spiced just
right. The plate was painted with squiggles of
herb and sweet chili sauces, which provided a cool
contrast with the highly peppered beef.
We shared a harvest salad ($8),
which was good but too small and too  pricy. Still, the Moroccan influence
was in balance here as the chef included slices of
cool cooked carrots and beets and added a dash of
cinnamon and garlic. Shredded celery root, so
tasty in winter, was included on the plate. The
greens were tossed in a slight raspberry
vinaigrette.
Since the menu dazzled my
tastebuds. I had a hard time selecting the
entrée. I have not seen a Moroccan tagine
on a menu in years. The polenta gratin that
waltzed by me was a wonder of stacked wild
mushrooms with tomato compote served with garlic
spinach.
Finally, I settled on a Brazilian
ribeye steak ($19), which was huge, tender and
satisfying. Peck uses dry aged Black Angus beef,
which he slathers with a mix of chili, cinnamon and
citrus. It was grilled to perfection outside and
rare inside. The price was a bargain. I asked out
waitress to serve the mashed potatoes on the side,
because I don't like anything piled on mashed
potatoes. They arrived hot and spiked with a dash
of poblano chili. A cool julienne of vegetables
with a slight kick was nestled next to the
beef.
Ever since Café Nola closed
(although it's going to be resurrected on South
Street in April), Edward has been in search of good
jambalaya or gumbo. I make these dishes because
few chefs, outside of New Orleans, can pull them
off. Cajun gumbo ($16) was a big soup bowl filled
with satisfying goodies like shrimp, chicken,
sausage, okra, red peppers, green chilis and
tomatoes with a timbale of Texas basmati rice in
the center. The roux was well-prepared and formed
the basis for the sauce, which was neither too
thick nor too thin. Roux can be tricky. Add too
much flour and you end up with a yucky mess. Each
ingredient was perfectly cooked.
 The desert menu
featured sweet cream ($3.50), which was rich
homemade vanilla ice cream served in an oversized
martini glass. For $1.50 extra, it was topped with
luscious butterscotch sauce.
Monday is the traditional chef's
night off. After our Monday dinner we learned that
Peck did have the night off and that his staff
prepared our dinner. One of the signs of a good,
consistent restaurant is when the chef is away, the
dishes arrive at the table as they should. I was
not surprised that Serrano was doing a fine
business on a Monday after Valentine's Day. The
restaurant is everything a neighborhood restaurant
should be. The food and drink are fine; the dishes
are prepared with special ingredients, well-planned
and moderately priced.
If you're looking for a complete
evening out, enjoy dinner at Serrano and proceed
upstairs to the Tin Angel, where myriad folk, jazz
and pop acts perform sets at popular prices. I
think I'll get a group of friends together and do
just that.
Three tips of the toque to
Serrano.
READ ABOUT THE
NEW SERRANO DECOR
Serrano is located at 20 South 2nd
Street in Old City section of
Philadelphia.
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