Izzy’s Cocktail Bar - Review - Ardmore - Philadelphia - The Infatuation

"Suburban Philadelphians like to complain about what they can’t get in the burbs. It’s a beloved pastime, like pickleball, or texting neighbors to see who lost power after a storm. Sure, there’s decent Chinese, Mexican and Italian food, but for the real thing you need to “go into town” for EMei, South Philly Barbacoa, or Le Virtu. (But the parking!) This sentiment seems especially true for Japanese food—so much suburban sushi is airport-quality, with a bright, transactional atmosphere to match. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Pause Unmute But Izzy’s should give the Main Line much less to complain about. The dark and cozy Japanese cocktail bar has a snack menu of hand rolls, bao, and veggies, in the izakaya style (Izzy’s—get it?). It’s a sexy spot for sophisticated drinks and a few bites on date night, or you can order most of the menu to cobble a full dinner together. The bar manager comes from Uni, arguably the top Japanese restaurant in Boston, and the kitchen is shared with Ripplewood, the best gastropub on the Main Line. The bartenders help neophytes navigate the 17 sakes and an overly poetic hand-written cocktail list, while the tight food menu is mostly executed by a sushi chef at the end of the bar preparing salty but innovative handrolls like XO scallop and soft shell shrimp with black lime remoulade. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Pause Unmute Izzy’s doesn’t take reservations and because it’s tiny, it can be a wait for a group larger than a couple on the weekends or before shows at neighboring Ardmore Music Hall. Go early, get on the list, and pregame across the street at Jack McShea’s. Food Rundown Money Talks While the bartenders will make you what you ask for, their signature drinks are worth trying—the menu is a Japanese riff on a classic cocktail menu. The Money Talks takes the under-appreciated Last Word (classically gin, green chartreuse, citrus and maraschino liqueur) and substitutes midori for the cherry for an even more vibrant green cocktail, though still well balanced. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Highway Robbery The menu describes this drink as part-old fashioned, part-martini. Its cross-cultural combination of Japanese whiskey with Portuguese madeira along with Yuzu Curacao will inspire you to binge Shogun. XO Hokkaido Scallop Hand Roll One of the best bites we’ve had this year, the sweet and briny scallop with spicy XO sauce seals the deal that this is a Japanese cocktail bar up there with Almanac. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Galbi Maitake Hand Roll Vegan options are challenging in Japanese restaurants where so many items are steeped in dashi. The marinated maitake mushroom in this hand roll will satisfy vegetarians and omnivores alike with its meaty chew. Soft Shell Shrimp Hand Roll While soft shell crabs are sushi joint staples, its soft shell cousin, the shrimp, gets less love. Izzy’s whole fried soft shell shrimp in a soy paper wrapper with black lime remoulade will have you questioning why. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Birria Bao This Ripplewood favorite crosses over to be one of the more filling options next door. If you are doing more than snacking at Izzy’s, a few hearty bao will be key to calling it dinner. See also, pork belly and fried chicken bao. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Spicy Cucumbers If you were trained to always eat your veggies, this large portion gets the job done. Otherwise, skip it and order more hand rolls. A nori sheet counts as a vegetable too." - Jonathan Deutsch