Dinner at Irwin’s is fun, but a night at Salvatore’s is fantastic - Review - Philadelphia - The Infatuation
"Given its location on the top floor of the Bok Building—a defunct South Philly high school built in 1936–you may get the feeling you’ve walked into a time capsule when you get to Irwin’s. Lockers and graffiti still line the halls of the building, yearbooks double as wallpaper, and vintage furniture fills both the dining room and balcony of the Sicilian restaurant. On most nights, the scenery and city skyline are more of a wow than the food itself—except when it comes to Salvatore’s Counter, the tiny chef’s counter inside the restaurant. There you’ll find creative and nostalgic dishes that standout far more than the view. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Emily Schindler photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Pause Unmute That’s not to say that the experience at Irwin’s is bad. Dates share the refreshing fennel salad and briny spaghetti and clams, and friends catch up over ultra-crispy frito misto in a cozy, plant-filled corner. During the summer, it becomes a hot ticket for anybody who wants to celebrate anything on one of Philly’s best rooftops. But that shouldn’t take precedence over the beautifully charred agrodolce chicken and the dreamy milk and honey gelato, two standouts on an otherwise reliable but unexceptional menu. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: EMILY SCHINDLER photo credit: EMILY SCHINDLER photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Pause Unmute If you’re looking for exceptional, you need a seat at the counter. In a way, the $250, 12-course menu mirrors the throwback surroundings—it features Sicilian twists on each diner’s nostalgic food of choice. If you’re lucky enough to nab one of the four seats for the Sunday-only affair, the team reaches out ahead of time to get your sentimental dish wishlists, and maybe the name of your old imaginary friend. The couple next to you might enjoy fried oysters that remind them of summers down the shore, while a frigid Concord grape sorbet takes you back to a time when Uncrustables were the star of your lunches. Well-brined ribs sprinkled with broccoli rabe flowers put your uncle's ribs to shame, in terms of both tenderness and pizazz. Unlike some other chefs’ counters, Salvatore’s never feels showy. It’s a graceful, meticulous operation, all delivered on the chef’s great-grandmother’s dishes. The dinner takes a little over two hours, so a stroll on the outdoor terrace with a Negroni or glass of wine tends to happen between courses. That view, paired with a thoughtful, well-executed menu, elevates your night from good to limited edition. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo video credit: Nicole Guglielmo Pause Unmute While the dishes in the main restaurant aren’t as impressive or awe-inspiring as those that come from the counter, there’s a time and a place for both. Think of Irwin’s as your fun, (vintage) high school crush. Salvatore’s is more like the one you want to marry. How to get into Irwin’s You won't struggle to find reservations for Irwin's, but your finger may cramp reloading Salvatore's Counter reservations page for those coveted four seats. They drop the reservations during the first of the month. We suggest setting a reminder or slipping a seat on the end to see if the chef will serve you anyway. Food Rundown Negroni All Negronis are made with gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. But all too often, we find Negronis that are overly medicinal or too bitter. The one at Irwin’s is made with high quality ingredients, perfectly mixed. Bottoms up. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Fennel Salad This is exactly what a salad should be–as juicy and refreshing as a freshly cut grapefruit, balanced flavors, and good enough to command attention in a pasta-dominant menu. It's big enough to share, and combines strips of crunchy fennel, lemon vinaigrette, and slivers of onion, topped with a confetti of parsley. Crudo There’s usually a seasonal crudo on the menu. We’ve had NJ fluke drenched in lemon juice, fermented chili, and subtly salty capers, and ruby red tuna belly bathing in citrus with dancing edible flowers on top. It’s never been bad, but it’s never been exceptional either. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Fritto Misto The batter in this fritto misto is crisp and light, and has a nice peppery kick. In a town full of fried seafood options, this mix of fried shrimp, sea bass, and lemon is one of the best we’ve had. It’s simply very, very good. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Spaghetti Alle Vongole While this isn’t a must, we like splitting this pasta before hitting the main course. It’s made with a fragrant white wine broth, fresh parsley, and more clams than Philly has soft pretzel spots (okay, maybe not, but there are a lot of mollusks in here). Agrodolce Chicken We’re working on a time machine just so we can go back and experience our first bite of this smoky chicken. But if Doc Brown doesn’t return our calls, we’ll make another reservation just so we can have another serving of the tender, orangey, vinegary, and honey-glazed poultry. Whole Fish Even though we’ve had this wood-fired dish with mahi mahi, branzino, and dorade, the parsley-heavy salsa verde remains the same. It has all the staples of your classic whole fish: citrusy and juicy. It’s fine. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Milk and Honey Geltao This is the kind of showstopping dessert you should order when you need some sweet comfort—or if you need to feel better when the Birds lose a game at the Linc (which you can see from the dining room). The honey and pistachio crown on the creamy vanilla gelato makes each spoonful a syrupy, nutty heaven. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Salvatore’s Counter You tell the team here how much you miss your uncle’s BBQ ribs, PB&J as a kid, or all about your obsession with soup dumplings. What happens next? A procession of 36-hour brined ribs, grape sorbet with peanut butter and marigold honey drizzle, and sizable tortellini en brodo appears throughout your meal. This is the only tasting menu in Philly that’s virtually self-curated, albeit with elevated touches you’d never think of, like Sicilian cocoa powder in an octopus ragu or wrapping mozzarella in a ribbon of ramp with a caviar and candied lemon topping. It’s all delicious, thoughtful, and generously portioned. There’s a commitment to never recreating a dish (much to our regret), so like the memory of seeing The Dark Knight for the first time, each dish is uniquely yours. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo" - Candis R. McLean
