Laurel

Specializing in French and American cuisine, Laurel on Philadelphia’s East Passyunk Avenue ranks as the No. 1 restaurant on Philadelphia Magazine’s top 50 best restaurants in the City of Brotherly Love. Helmed by Top Chef winner Nick Elmi, the tiny BYOB offers a unique culinary experience for both serious foodies and those looking to try some new flavors.

My boyfriend snagged a last-minute reservation at the notoriously booked restaurant and we recently visited to celebrate a special occasion. Each guest is offered a seven-course chef’s tasting menu, as well as the option to supplement some dishes with specials. We chose the standard menu and were not disappointed with a single dish. The menu featured a variety of ingredients we’d never tried before and flavors we thought we didn’t like, but we thoroughly enjoyed each component of all seven dishes.

We started off with a fresh seafood dish of chilled hiramasa and horseradish, followed by a second course of cocoa-cured foie gras with Asian pear and black walnut that changed my opinion about foie gras. Next up was a dish with tasty wild Burgundy snails cooked with mushroom and roasted and pickled spring onion, followed by a dish with scallops, ginger and crispy chicken Elmi served us himself and the fifth course had Icelandic cod, pine nuts and mushrooms.

The sixth course was our favorite, with tasty braised pork cheek, fall squash, sweet pumpkin and preserved lemon. Dessert was yummy, including quinoa topped with huckleberry and caramel. The mix of ingredients sounded interesting, and we were both pleasantly surprised by how well the flavors complemented each other.

Laurel is a great spot for those looking to celebrate a special occasion in an upscale environment with memorable food and excellent service. Elmi plans to expand the restaurant into the space next door in order to provide additional seating and a 12-seat bar. Though we won’t be back anytime in the near future to enjoy the tasting menu, as the price is rather steep, we look forward to checking out the bar one day soon.

Laurel

1617 East Passyunk Avenue

Philadelphia, PA 19148

215 271 8299