Dishcrawl Philadelphia, best known for their eponymous Dishcrawl experience—where food-lovers gather to try out the wares of four different restaurants in a specific neighborhood—launched a new initiative in Philadelphia on December 16 called Secret Suppers.
Social eaters from around the city purchased tickets for the top-secret dinner, and details were slowly leaked in the days leading up to the meal.
First, it was revealed that Hell’s Kitchen Semi-Finalist and Philly native Barbie Marshall would helm the meal. Components of the menu, including a mysterious chicken and waffles amuse bouche, popped up sporadically on Instagram and Twitter. And finally, just 48 hours prior to the event, the location was unveiled: Michael Strauss’ Tap Room on 19th (2400 S. 19th Street, Philadelphia).
Marshall hugged each guest that entered her dining room, and revealed the night’s theme to be “upscale stoner comfort food.” The ingredients for the meal were sourced from her farm, Green Meadow Farms, in Lancaster.
Here is my experience from the evening, course by course:
Amuse-Bouche: Chicken and Waffles
Marshall said she wanted to start the night off with “the most delicious one bite” she could think of, and landed on the southern king of all comfort foods: chicken and waffles. Her mini take on the classic dish used roasted cornmeal, which gave the fried chicken a bold, full flavor. The only downside? It was just one bite.
Salad: Fennel and Citrus Winter Greens Salad
Next we noshed on a fresh fennel and citrus winter green salad with radicchio, red-wine soaked blue cheese and toasted hemp seeds, which Marshall assured us (despite the “stoner” theme of the evening) were drug-free. The bright radicchio was freshly picked from Green Meadow Farms, and Marshall revealed that its sweet taste was a result of the recent snowfall. The delicious salad was topped off with crunchy apples which, combined with the hemp seeds, made for a unique and exciting first course.
Soup: Pumpkin Soup
The second course was a warm pumpkin soup topped with black pepper cream. Marshall wanted the soup to be “all about the winter squash,” so she created a base with Italian padana squash and veggie stock. The dish was filled out with amazingly tart chunks of pickled neck pumpkin, which made the perfect accompaniment the smooth broth. Marshall topped off the hearty, delicious dish with a dollop of cream and a sprinkle of black peppercorn.
Appetizer: Arancini
If you’ve been watching Top Chef this season, you know that arancini—fried risotto balls—are all the rage in the culinary world. Chef Marshall used Lancaster-sourced saffron to give her take on the dish a unique flavor. She created a mouth-watering tomato sauce using dried basil flowers and seasoned the dish with sweet marjoram, an herb used in many Italian dishes.
Pasta: Lancaster Pot Pie
Despite being a self-proclaimed “city girl,” Marshall’s Green Meadow Farm is located in Lancaster, so she decided to riff on a traditional Lancaster Pot Pie dish for the pasta course. The homemade noodles, prepared with semolina and eggs, were rolled out earlier in the day and topped with braised chicken and sauteed grassroot greens.
Palate Cleanser: Apple Cider Granita
The most unexpected portion of the meal was also one of the best. Marshall surprised us with an apple cider granita between the pasta and protein courses. She soaked hand-shaved ice with Green Meadow Farms’ special blend of apple cider. The tart flavors made for the perfect mid-meal break.
Protein: Turkey Meatloaf
For the main protein course, Marshall decided to create a traditional Thanksgiving dinner…with nontraditional ingredients. She prepared a scrumptious turkey meatloaf and topped it with cranberry sauce and glazed carrots. The meat sat on a bed of mashed root vegetables, which included parsley root.
Dessert: Cheesecake
The last dish of the night came in the form of a silky-smooth slice of cheesecake, topped with roasted hickory nut brittle, chopped apples and a caramel sauce. The hickory nuts had a popcorn-type flavor, which lent itself well to the crunch of the apple.
I would definitely give the Secret Supper series another go, and recommend it to both culinary newcomers and experienced foodies. The meal was filled with good food, good company and an extremely talented local chef. I honestly couldn’t ask for much more out of a Monday night!
The next Secret Supper event is in the works for February. For more information and updates, check out Dishcrawl Philly’s website or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
Disclaimer: While writing this article, the reviewer received a complimentary tasting.
- Photography: Laura Hibbs McKenzie
