"If a magician took Parc and sawed it in half, you’d be left with Townsend. Escargot on the menu? Check. Orb light fixtures? Check. A bar where someone is likely chugging a martini? Check. It’s just all packaged in a fancier, more romantic atmosphere in East Passyunk. And instead of having dishes that pivot from French to Italian—cough, cough, Parc’s spaghetti bolognese—Townsend is purely focused on soufflé, boeuf, and gratin. Head here at prime time when Parc is inevitably too crowded or when you just need a nice glass of red from a region with an accent." - candis mclean, alison kessler