georges'
503 West Lancaster
Avenue
Wayne, Pennsylvania
(610) 964-2588
www.georgesonthemainline.com
Georges Perrier is a culinary legend. His elegant,
long-running Le Bec-Fin remains at the very top of the Philadelphia food chain,
and his bustling Brasserie Perrier, a sumptuously sensual enclave featuring
top-notch New French cuisine as well as a swinging bar scene, continues to pack
them in. Known for his volatility as well as his savvy behind the stove, when
the chef speaks -- which is quite often -- it always makes for quotably good
copy.
His newest restaurant venture on the Main Line, however, hit
something of a snag. Since its premiere several years ago, Mr. Perrier has
engaged in a spirited version of The Name Game -- from Le Mas Perrier to
Le Mas to georges' -- as well as a decidedly energetic exercise in
'Musical Chefs.' All this semantic and sybaritic shuffling, of course, has had
a somewhat less than laudatory effect upon the food, which, apparently,
couldn't quite decide what it wanted to be when it grew up.
Fortunately, with Joseph Frost assuming the reins of
executive chef, Mr. Perrier has finally settled on the proper character of georges'
cuisine -- sophisticated bistro fare with international flair -- and has zeroed
in on his target audience. In addition to appealing to the usual gaggle of
well-to-do globe-trotting gastronomes, he has also made a concerted effort to
woo the local hoi polloi with a lively bar scene that features scads of
free hors d'oeuvres, reduced drink tariffs, and reasonably priced individual
pizzas ($9.00), burgers, cheesesteaks, and French dips ($12.00).
This nifty arrangement presents diners with two positive
dining options: They may make reservations and settle in one of the rustic
dining rooms with the regular -- and still fairly pricey -- menu; or they may make an
impromptu appearance and elect to dine in the spacious bar area (which does not
accept advanced bookings) and chow down on less expensive casual fare.
I have dined here on numerous occasions -- through the
several name changes and coups in the kitchen -- since the restaurant first
opened its doors, and the cuisine finally appears to have resolved its identity
crisis. It still stumbles occasionally; but, for the most part, several
recent meals have demonstrated marked improvement in both preparation and
presentation over previous visits.
Interestingly enough, if an eatery is going to falter, the
usual pattern is that the starters will shine, setting you up for a less than
stellar performance on the part of the entrées. Here, the obverse seems to be
true. Main courses tend to acquit themselves with suitable aplomb, while the
preludes often come up short.
The crab cake ($12.00; as entrée, $24.00), for example --
luscious morsels of lump crabmeat joined together with shrimp mousse and
companioned by smoked corn salsa and zippy Dijon mustard sauce -- should have
had a great deal going for it. But its consistency was decidedly rubbery; and
it emerged from the kitchen at the speed of light, which indicated that it had,
perhaps, been the unwilling victim of a malevolent microwave assault. The Pasta
di Giorno ($12.00; as entrée, $22.00) -- on one occasion, tagliatelle with
ratatouille and sausage -- also was somewhat less than exciting. The dish
exhibited a slightly slimy consistency and flavor was conspicuous by its
absence.
When it comes to greenery, the Anjou salad ($11.00) is the
best choice. The pear is beautifully poached in port wine, teamed with feathery
frisée, and embellished with crumbles of bleu cheese, candied walnuts, and
splash of excellent lemon vinaigrette. On the other hand, the 'Classic Caesar'
($9.00) is no more than ordinary. And while the Ensalada Carbonara ($10.00)
-- fresh wild spinach sprinkled with crispy prosciutto and peas -- has a good
deal of potential, the somewhat pasty roast garlic mascarpone vinaigrette is
unaccountably bland.
Entrées, however, pick up the pace dramatically. Among the
piscatorial possibilities, the crispy salmon paired with a broken balsamic
vinaigrette ($23.00) is excellent... ditto the 'Halibut Lyonaisse' finished with
an invigorating veal jus ($25.00). And the tilapia served atop a banana
leaf with bamboo rice, baby bok choy, and lemongrass froth adds a decidedly
exotic touch to your evening at table. I also like the Friday special, the
premier but pricey Dover sole ($35.00), set on a seabed of haricots verts
and fingerling potatoes lightly kissed by a classic sauce meuniére. The
bouillabaisse ($27.00) is also good, though not exceptional, and marred by a
touch of sand.
Meatier matters are particularly recommended. The veal
tenderloin ($26.00) exhibits the juicy cut-like-butter texture of a fine filet.
It is, without doubt, the best veal tenderloin I have sampled in this country.
It is pillowed on a marvelous lemon risotto, adorned with perfectly cooked
asparagus, and consummated with a savory Madeira sauce. And the 8-ounce filet
mignon ($30.00), a Thursday evening special, is every bit its equal. The
velvety texture and incomparable flavor beguile the palate, and the
accompanying mound of au gratin potatoes is simply irresistible.
The luscious 8-ounce Black Angus burger ($12.00), which may be
dressed in your choice of toppings (Gruyere, Blue Affinee, cheddar, mushrooms,
caramelized onions, fired egg, bacon) -- I opted for cheddar and onions -- is
also of pristine quality. My only gripe is that it arrived garnished with two
meager slices of Styrofoam tomato and fatigued raw red onion rings.
Desserts are a high point here, so don't be shy about
sacrificing either the additional long green or the extra calories. The warm
apple tarte Tatin embellished with vanilla ice cream and caramel &
anglaise sauces ($9.00) is benchmark... ditto the torte di momento, tart
of the moment ($10.00); in one instance, a scrumptious mocha affair that all
concerned found totally addictive. I also highly recommend the three flavors of
ice cream ($8.00) -- recently sampled: peppermint, rum raisin, and eggnog --
served with a delicious variety of cookies and mignardises (small
sweets).
After several seemingly false starts, georges' seems
to have finally discovered its proper place in the culinary world. There are
still a number of issues to be resolved, most notably among the appetizers,
although service has been known to falter upon occasion. For the most part,
however, whether choosing items from the upscale menu or electing to dine more
casually, a sojourn here should prove a most satisfying experience.
January 2006
The Artful Diner
The Artful Diner writes restaurant reviews for nj.com. His most current review can be seen at http://www.nj.com/dining . An archive of past reviews for New Jersey Online can be found on this Web site at http://www.artfuldiner.com/newjersey.html .
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