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| Heirloom Tomato Salad with House-Made Ricotta at Serrano Restaurant |
After 28 years in business, Serrano in Old City Philadelphia did something they've never done before – they crafted a new menu for Spring 2013 based on its usual idea of international cuisine, and invited press and friends to sample new Executive Chef Gina Rodriguez’s concepts. The results were stunning.
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| Serrano Restaurant in Philadelphia, PA |
In 2005, Donal McCoy – a one-time bartender at Sassafras and The Plough and the Stars, both on the same block as Serrano – took over as managing partner of both businesses at 20 S. 2nd Street. He must love the place; Donal and his wife Jennifer had their wedding reception at Serrano before he purchased the hot-spot.
Both were on hand Tuesday night to greet diners, Jennifer as host, Donal as the night’s mixologist, coming up with tasty cocktails such as “The 6th Thyme” (with local made mead) and an orange vodka-and-prosecco-laced “Jim Dandy in the Everglades.”
The real star of the night was Rodriguez’s menu. The one-time chef at Max and David’s came up with a small batch of dazzling appetizers – corn fritters with a cayenne honey drizzle, shrimp mousse in a French brick with truffled herb, heirloom tomato salad with house-made ricotta – before wowing us with entrees like a spring vegetable curry done up in grilled corn couscous, and the exceptional “20 S. Spring Lamb”. This Guinness-braised lamb came in a light corn crepe with sautéed pea tendrils, herb mashed potatoes and Dijon lamb demi.
The only thing better than food on that night, was the idea of coming back to Serrano soon and eating it again – along with Rodriguez’s other spring menu items – really soon.
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| (L to R) Jennifer McCoy, Chef Gina Rodriguez, Donal McCoy |
Owners and chef photo courtesy Serrano Restaurant / Aversa PR
Posted on Friday, March 22, 2013
