Last night, the New Harvest folks treated us to dinner at James, an upscale restaurant that serves modern American cuisine in Philadelphia’s Bella Vista neighborhood.
The menu at James focuses on local, seasonal produce, humanely raised meats, wild seafood, and artisan cheeses. Because James selects only fresh locally-grown ingredients, the menu changes with the seasons. I love places like this. Plus, the food always tastes better!
The decor inside the restaurant was stunning– modern, intimate, and boutique-y.
New Harvest and James planned a special 4-course menu for us bloggers.
As soon as we were seated, the chef sent a complimentary appetizer to the table: shredded carrots coated in a ginger sauce. It was quite fancy served on a single spoon. It was refreshing and summery.
I also enjoyed a glass of white wine with dinner. After last night, I took it easy on the booze.
For the first course, I enjoyed a Seasonal Garden Salad with a hazelnut vinaigrette. The greens were very lightly coated in vinaigrette (I hate it when greens are drenched in dressing) and pieces of chopped fennel were mixed throughout. Very good.
The next course was Potato Gnocchi Gratinata, which was easily the highlight of the meal for me. I love gnocchi and cheese, so I was basically in heaven while eating this dish. I savored each and every piece. Holy delicious!
Obviously, I hated it. 😉
My entree was Scottish Salmon, bathed in extra virgin olive oil, with artichoke barigoule. The salmon was basically poached in olive oil, which gave it a very sushi-like texture and flavor. I’ve never eaten salmon like this before. I liked it a lot.
Dessert, of course, was also one of my favorite parts of the meal. I chose the Espresso Mousse, which was served with hazelnut daquoise, blood orange, and Grand Marnier sauce.
Mmm! Loved it! The mousse was so smooth and creamy. It practically melted in my mouth. The combo of espresso + hazelnut + orange citrus was incredible. I love interesting flavor combinations like this– they keep my tastebuds guessing!
My dinner dates: Tanya, Maridel, and Jenna.
Monica and me! 😀
Another wonderful meal! New Harvest really knows how to wine and dine us! 😀
Packing up and heading back to Beantown. I can’t wait to see my guys. I’ve missed them so much!