Forsythia Review

My husband and I recently dined at Forsythia in Philadelphia’s Old City neighborhood for our anniversary. The restaurant offers a contemporary spin on French classics.

© Katie Skrzek

We arrived just in time for our reservation and were brought to a table toward the back of the dining room. The décor is eclectic and lush, with bold paintings and black-and-white tiled floors. Once seated, our friendly waitress arrived to go over the specials and take our drink orders. I opted to start with a gin and cucumber cocktail, amusingly called Benedict Cucumberpatch. We decided to share several plates, including the special pasta with fava beans.

From the small plates menu section, we ordered corn beignets, English pea gazpacho and stuffed crepes. Two vegetables were available during our visit (creamed corn and tomatoes), and we ordered both. For our entrées, we ordered tuna niçoise and the pasta.

© Katie Skrzek

The soup arrived first, and our waitress brought the serving in two bowls, which we appreciated. It was topped with crab, lemon crème fraîche and hazelnut crumb. It was the perfect start to the meal. Corn beignets arrived next, with a spicy dip. Up next was the tomatoes with melon and basil and the rabbit crepes. I was apprehensive about the crepes, which turned out to be one of my favorite dishes. The light crepe was filled with rabbit and creamed leeks and topped with hot honey. The flavor combination was like nothing I’ve experienced before. Our final dishes arrived together. The tuna was seared and came with fava beans, heart of palm and a soft-boiled egg. The bucatini pasta was cooked al dente and topped with fava beans. The indulgent creamed corn was finished with foie gras, crème fraîche and sherry. We ended our meal with a glass of port each and we split the banana pot de crème. Our waitress added a candle, as she knew we were celebrating our anniversary. While I enjoyed each dish, the gazpacho, crepe and creamed corn were standouts.

© Katie Skrzek

Forsythia updates its menu seasonally, so I look forward to a return visit to experience new dishes reflecting the best of the season.

Forsythia

233 Chestnut St.

Philadelphia, PA 19105

tel 215 644 9395