DePaul’s Table Steakhouse - Review - Ardmore - Philadelphia - The Infatuation
"DePaul’s Table is an Italian-infused steakhouse in the stunningly renovated Haverford Trust Bank building in Ardmore. The food is solid, but the people watching is chef’s-kiss delicious. The generously lit horse-shoe shaped bar provides an optimal vantage point to observe the PDA of middle-aged divorcees, realtors schmoozing clients, and nurses in scrubs clinking post-shift espresso martinis. At the tables, St. Joe’s kids and their families celebrate their latest sportsball win over Temple with overstuffed lobster ravioli and head-turning Tomahawk ribeyes. The menu is large—we’re talking 25 starters (we liked the oysters Rockefeller and wedge salad), a raw bar, a pasta section, and 12 sides (Lyonnaise potatoes for the win). But DePaul’s is not a place where trying something new is rewarded. Stick to the classics: a martini, a wedge salad, a steak, and a dessert or two to share.
photo credit: DePaul's Table Steakhouse
photo credit: DePaul's Table Steakhouse
photo credit: DePaul's Table Steakhouse
photo credit: DePaul's Table Steakhouse
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The menu would be at home on a Center City steakhouse menu—entrees start at $40 for the pan-roasted chicken—but the service is suburban casual. Casual can be friendly and chatty, which is welcome, but casual can also mean that the diced tomato left from the previous guest stares back at us for the whole evening. It also means that the wine list leaves something to be desired (namely, the vintage on all of its bottles). Don’t overthink DePaul’s: dine alone or with a friend at the bar for their everyday “social hour” with $10 martinis and apps (the meatballs, seafood mac and cheese, and Buffalo shrimp are our favorites), or go with a group to hit the steaks, sauces and sides in the dining room. But go early: social hour is 4:30pm-6:00pm and on weeknights, ready or not, the kitchen closes at 8:30. This is definitely not a Center City steakhouse.
Food Rundown
Sirens Song
At $23, the Sirens Song is the most expensive cocktail on the menu. The components of Whistle Pig Piggy Back rye, Cocci Storico vermouth, Plantation rum and Campari are worth it. But the unadvertised flaming bay leaf garnish makes the whole thing taste like kissing a chain smoker. Stick to classic cocktails here. Some things don’t need to be zhuzhed.
Oysters Rockefeller
Classic oysters Rockefeller are topped with spinach, cream, and breadcrumbs, preferably with a splash of pernod and served on a bed of rock salt. The Rockefeller name is a testament to its richness. DePaul’s doubles down by substituting Ritz cracker crumbs for the breadcrumbs and hollandaise for the cream. Richer is definitely better.
Wedge Salad
A good wedge is a steakhouse must. This one is proper, with abundant tomatoes and bleu cheese and real lardons from slab bacon. There is enough dressing to reach the interior of the giant wedge of iceberg lettuce, a detail too many places miss.
Pan Seared Crab Cakes
DePaul’s crab cakes are made with giant lumps of crab and minimal binder, and sit on top of a crisp apple, fennel and celery slaw. This was our favorite bite at DePaul’s and is proof that a steakhouse meal does not need to be a heavy one.
Dry Aged Delmonico Steak
A Delmonico is a catch-all term for a few possible steaks. At DePaul’s it’s a 22-ounce bone-in ribeye served with exactly two onion rings (what a tease!). This is where you should get creative—you can add rubs like kona coffee or peppercorn, sauces from shallot demi glace to bearnaise and additions like bone marrow or lobster tail. We recommend the bleu cheese and cognac cream sauce.
Lyonnaise Potatoes
Pommes Lyonnaise are a classic French dish of crispy potatoes, onions and bacon. Think of them as home fries dressed up for dinner. French fries are good too but Lyonnaise have bacon in them.
Banana Bread Pudding
DePaul’s desserts are huge and made for sharing. This one is made in house and came highly recommended by our server. Crusty on the outside, soft and warm in the middle, it is served with creme anglaise (basically melted ice cream) and vanilla ice cream (basically frozen creme anglaise)." - Jonathan Deutsch