Jeremy W.
Yelp
I actually resonated very well with another yelp review (Kevin) on this restaurant. After seeing all the high reviews and recommendations for their tasting menu, I was eager to try this place out with my partner. The stars finally aligned and I had a chance to celebrate my partner's birthday out in Wayne after driving around Pennsylvania chasing fall foliage.
Upon arrival, we were seated outside in a tented area. This was a little unexpected as I placed a seat for standard dining, however, we were optimistic when greeted by a hospitable staff and a warm terrace. Not ideal due to the asphalt and uneven surface, but we were here for the food and experience.
Let me first say, the staff is amazing! Very hospitable, made us feel at home, and always checked on us with a smile. Cc and I forgot the other young gentleman's name were both phenomenal and knowledgeable. They were the saving grace for this review to be honest. I will say, when dinner started to pick up, we were checked on less, but no harm no foul.
Okay, onto the food. The main draw for us to come was the tasting menu, but we had a late lunch and couldn't stomach a 6 course meal, so we opted for a La carte.
Butternut squash: Excellent! Very creamy and the creme fresh helped lift the flavors. We licked this bowl clean.
Lamb Meatballs: Tahini base with dill and pickled vegetables. Both the base and vegetables were spot on. Right amount of dill to balance the dish and vegetables were pickled perfectly. The lamb, however, was fairly gamy. Now, I'm no culinary expert, but I've had delicious lamb that didn't smell. This had that distinct odor and taste.
Chicken of the wood shepherds pie: This one was a bit of a let down. First, it was not served hot, more on the lukewarm side. I'm going to point to the big dinner crowd for this coming out as it did. Now, I've had amazing hen of the wood where it was grilled and seasoned to perfection, and it just melted in your mouth. This one, for some reason, was rubbery. And the pie itself was very one note in my opinion. You got starch and creamy, but that was it. The part that saved this dish was actually the pastry. It was super flakey, buttery, and overall a great bite. The rest, fell flat.
Pheasant: This also came out lukewarm. The pheasant was good, but it was on the dry side. Aside from the protein, I felt the rest of the dish needed work. I can see what they were going for, but flavors were not balanced and were not cohesive. You needed to fork every ingredient together to get enough salt and freshness, where I would expect a French restaurant to highlight the main ingredient, the pheasant, and use others to compliment slightly. I found the pheasant a little under seasoned and everything else on the plate dry and rushed together. And lastly, the dish did not look super appetizing. Presentation needed work.
Bread pudding: Thinking the pastry in the chicken of the wood was pretty good, I thought this dessert could be a nice finish. Unfortunately, it didn't work for us. The dessert was pretty doughy and on the harder side. Not warm and fluffy. And again, this was lukewarm. The ice cream was 1/3rd melted. I didn't take a picture because it also didn't look super appetizing.
Overall, At The Table BYOB did not meet our expectations sadly. I expected more from all the reviews. Coming from Center City and haven eaten at many amazing restaurants in NY and the West Coast, this place missed the mark. Had the prices been lower, I could rate this higher, but for $45 an entree and $22 for some appetizers, I would save your money and eat in the city. Something also super nit picky, but something another reviewer mentioned was silverware sizes and plates were not consistent. I wasn't expecting a Michelin table set, but I would have liked to have the same spoon and plate as my partner for the same meal. This all being said, I am all for second chances and do think it could have been an off day.
P.S. I am not sure if I would come back for the tasting menu having not tried it. Apparently, it changes every 2 weeks, which I feel isn't enough time to refine flavors and presentation. From the performance of their a la carte (which I assume is more structured and regular), I would give it some thought before trying. For that price, you can have a phenomenal meal and dining experience in Center City or NY.