The age-old question: Which do you want to hear first, the good news or
the bad news? This is the unfortunate saga of Posh, the ultra-modern
French bistro owned by Chef Nick Youjongdee and his wife, co-proprietor Anna
Ley.
Well... why not begin on a positive note? The food here is quite good. Mr.
Youjongdee, whose father, Nam, was once the power behind the stoves of Philly's
La Terrasse and The Garden, turns out some highly recommendable representatives
of innovative French/eclectic cuisine. The presentations are stylized but not
stuffy and, in keep with the bistro theme, plenteous of portion.
Starters include a first-rate presentation of Oriental noodles tossed with an
enticing sesame oil Dijon mustard mushroom soy dressing ($8.95). A tiara of
chicken strips adds immeasurably to the festivities, with broccoli florets and
cherry tomato halves providing a splash of color. Continuing the journey to the
East, the grilled chicken satay ($7.95) is also quite good. The five chicken
skewers are particularly moist and tender, not the least bit dry, and the
accompanying roasted peanut vinaigrette is rich and flavorful.
The Caesar salad ($7.00) is pretty much standard issue; but the hearts of
romaine are impeccably fresh, the oven-roasted croutons crisp and crunchy, and
the zippy dressing appropriately tinctured with anchovy. Other greenery include
a baby spinach/spring mix finished with raspberry vinaigrette ($7.50) and mixed
baby greens embellished with pine nuts and tarragon and tossed with a zesty
Dijon vinaigrette ($6.50).
The smoked salmon canapés ($11.95) -- plentiful rather than petite and rife
with diced cucumber, avocado, and chive -- are more evocative of crostini than
of canapé. Although the salmon itself is at the very peak of good health and the
honey sesame vinaigrette adds an exotic, albeit somewhat incongruous, note.
Entrées are also generously proportioned and, unlike their predecessors, more
Gallic in nature. Among the seafood possibilities, the shellfish bouillabaisse
($22.50) is outstanding. The mussels melt in your mouth, the scallops are
marvelously meaty, and the shrimp delightfully crunchy of texture. And all swim
to table in a pristine white wine and saffron broth redolent of seafood essence.
The tilapia ($18.50) is another treat for the palate. Farm-raised tilapia
isn't the most exciting of piscatorial possibilities, but this filet is moist
and flaky and spruced up with capers and a savory white wine lemon butter sauce.
Accoutrements include herbed couscous and julienne of tender zucchini,
red & green peppers, carrots, and eggplant.
Meat eaters should probably have a go at either the roasted rack of lamb
($31.95) or the grilled center-cut filet mignon ($29.95). The former, ordered
medium, arrives dressed in just the proper shade of pink and sports a garlic
Dijon mustard crust and white wine, rosemary & thyme jus. A luscious
square of scalloped potatoes proves the perfect traveling companion. The latter
is also embellished with those delicious scalloped spuds. In this case, however,
significant supporting roles are played by sautéed mushrooms, an assertive red
wine demi-glace, and earthy blue cheese.
Desserts ($6.00) -- some prepared in-house, some trucked in from off campus
-- are the restaurant's weakest link. They are acceptable but not exceptional by
any means. The dark chocolate mousse is the right consistency but isn't dark
enough; and the Grand Marnier crème caramel is just OK. The pick of the litter
in my opinion, is the down-home honey roasted pecan pie served with a dollop of
fresh whipped cream.
Now for the bad news: There are serious issues at the front of the house that
need to be addressed. Posh's decorative scheme is ultra-modern.
Starkly ultra-modern. It strikes one as a cross between the late
Studio 54 and something conjured up on Sci Fi. Upon entering, you
discover garish purple walls, silver hanging beads serving as room dividers,
multi-level dining areas, porthole-like windows, dark-stained hardwood floors,
white and Champagne-tinged table dressings, a huge ceiling disc constantly
changing colors, and distractingly loud piped-in New Wave acoustical eruptions.
It could very well be the interior of a space vessel about to attain warp speed.
Not my cup of tea.
But apart from personal preferences, the problem with strikingly modern
décor, which majors in basically unadorned hard metal and glass surfaces, is
that it must be kept scrupulously clean or it will attract every smudge and
speck of dust within commuting distance -- and that is precisely the problem
here.
The moment you cross the threshold, you note a mat bearing the restaurant's moniker in desperate need of cleaning. A few steps beyond, the host/hostess's
podium displays a surfeit of smudges. Adjourning to the bar area for a
preprandial libation, you can't help but notice a convention of crumbs, both on
the floor and on the surface of the bar itself, with an accumulation of dust
inhabiting a number of strategic cracks and crevices. The dining room also
boasts crumbs beneath its numerous tables, as well as a decidedly cloudy glass
porthole. And, even though it is quite early in the evening, step into the
restroom and you are confronted by a facility that could use a bit of spit and
polish.
It seems painfully obvious that cleanliness is not high on this restaurant's
list of priorities. Thus, any red-blooded American diner would do well to ask
him/herself a very pertinent question: If the public areas appear to be in need
of a through sprucing up, what unmitigated horrors might be lurking behind the
closed doors of the kitchen?
Our server, Rob by name, who honored us with his presence on two separate
occasions, was both personable and professional and demonstrated an excellent
knowledge of the menu. The hostess, on the other hand, had not a clue as to her
duly appointed role in the ultimate scheme of things. She is, in my opinion, a
rather ill-chosen representative of a restaurant that has the temerity to refer
to itself as "Posh."
There is little doubt that Posh could very easily become a major
player in the Camden County upscale dining sweepstakes. For that to transpire,
however, as noted immediately above, numerous changes in the restaurant's
philosophy must be forthcoming. To cut to the quick: Mr. Youjongdee and his wife
need to become as passionate with regard to the front of the house as they are
meticulous about the establishment's cuisine.
Cuisine: Innovative
French/Eclectic
Hours: Lunch: Mon - Fri, 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.;
Dinner: Mon - Thurs, 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.; Fri & Sat, 5:00 p.m. - 11:00
p.m.; Sun, 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.; Sunday Brunch: 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Credit Cards: All major
Attire: Casual
Reservations: Recommended on weekends
Parking: Onsite
Alcohol: License
Price: Moderate/Expensive
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Website:poshbistro.com
