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34TH STREET Magazine February 13, 2013 Dining Guide
26
LIFT A LITTLE
A Philadelphia brunch on the edge
BY NINA WOLPOW | PHOTOS BY SARAH TSE
At 10:20 a.m. on a
Sunday morning,
we were grateful
for a twenty–minute wait at
Spring Garden’s Café Lift.
The place was stuffed to the
seams of its industrial steel
walls—so busy, in fact, that
its manager, Nina Ottaunick,
was unable to stop by
our table to exchange a hello
over coffee, eggs and a heaping
portion of stuffed French
toast.
Café Lift serves breakfast
all day and does it well. Our
twenty–minute wait was
made ten, we were served coffee
before sitting and found
afterward that our $2.50 cups
were bottomless. A cheery
server recommended specials
like the French toast and eggs
florentine and, when we inquired,
filled us in readily on
what flies off the menu.
While the toddlers behind
us forked mouthfuls of
design–your–own pancakes,
we ditched the temptation
of topping miscellany for
the famous French toast. If
you’re a sucker for sweet like
I am, you’ll relish in the big–
kid move. Slices of challah
thick as mattress pads sandwich
sweetened mascarpone
cheese, strawberries and ba-
SEAFOOD ON SOUTH
Newcomer Ralic’s on South provides surprisingly fresh fare for its family–friendly decor
BY ALLISON BART AND BEN LERNER | PHOTOS BY MICHAEL SHOSTEK
Ralic’s on South, a
new seafood restaurant
that had its soft
opening in December, looks
less fancy than it is. The entrees
are not exorbitantly expensive,
but the semi–tacky
murals on the walls and casual
decor make the restaurant feel
like a kid–friendly sports bar
(Ralic’s uses this description
on its website). You might
expect a costumed wait staff,
but our dining experience,
complete with unexpectedly
fresh food, felt more five–star
than the ambience let on.
It’s easy to go wrong with
shrimp cocktail––but Ralic’s
got it right with extra–large
shrimp that come on a bed of
ice to maintain freshness. The
nanas; maple–coated pecans
go on top.
Savory dishes, though more
numerous, are just as indulgent.
All revolve around eggs,
except some on the lunch
menu, which was unexciting.
This place doesn’t do dinner
for a reason. We ordered
both off the menu—an eggs
benedict, whose smoked ham
I swapped out for smoked
salmon ($10, $8.50 with
ham) and a breakfast burrito.
My friend called the
burrito ($8.50) the best she’d
ever tasted (“and that’s a lot,
conveniently peeled prawns
($8.50) were a perfect way
to begin the meal and came
with a tangy cocktail sauce
with just the right amount of
horseradish.
The three hearty crab cake
sliders, served on a bready
bun with a wonderful red
pepper coulis. were delightful
as appetizers. While they may
have relied a bit too much on
Old Bay seasoning, the delicious
sliders transported us to
the Chesapeake and provided
a generous portion for the
price ($11.50).
Don’t miss the lobster
caprese ($11.50), an Italian
classic with a twist that
works. You don’t just get the
usual mozzarella, balsamic,
CAFE LIFT
Spring Garden
428 N.13th St.
(215) 922-3031
DON'T MISS: The breakfast
burrito that bangs.
SKIP: Juice, unless you BYO.
$$$$
coming from a Californian,”
she added), and I did not disagree.
This BYO separates its
weekday and weekend menus
basil and tomato, but a significant
amount of lobster
meat in a sherry bisque sauce
that complements the acidity
of the vinegar, bringing out
the lobster and rich cheese
flavors.
Our entrees were served
beautifully, contributing
further to the unexpected
elegance of a place with an
(awesome) enormous octopus
sculpture by the second floor
balcony. The blackened mahi
($22.50) was prepared exactly
as we’d want it. Though
it sat upon an oversized portion
of risotto that tasted like
boxed cheesy rice, the fish was
cooked and spiced perfectly.
The swordfish entree
($24.50) was less of a master-
(the former includes salads)
and is open every day except
Monday until 3 p.m.
Café Lift is not a pioneer.
These dishes have been done
before; the warehouse thing
is very much a thing, as
are chalkboard menus. But
where others, like Sabrina’s,
piece. The usually decadent
fish tasted oddly fishy, with
a not–so–subtle hint of seawater.
The salty dish could
have benefitted from a flavorful
marinade, but the sautéed
spinach side was the plate’s
savior.
Finally, we indulged in
Ralic’s cheesecake ($7.50), at
the recommendation of our
knowledgeable waiter, Brian.
We couldn’t finish the slice,
but enjoyed the richness of
the cake, which was s’mores–
y, loaded with marshmallows
and chocolate.
Ralic’s menu is not yet finalized,
but this South Street
gem is a new and welcome
Philadelphia seafood haven.
Don’t judge the class of this
slack, and rely on familiarity
to bolster quality, that Café
Lift nitpicks at every dish is
evident in how they shine
and satisfy. The restaurant is
evidence, too, that way out
north of Penn, Philadelphia
is bustling. We were happy
to be a part of it.
fine restaurant by its flat–
screen TVs. Ralic’s is a bit of
a splurge for a Penn student
and has a full bar. The impressively
sized eatery was less
than packed when we dined,
so fish lovers should be sure
to check out the fresh seafood
being served on South.
RALIC'S ON SOUTH
South Philly
119 South St.
(215) 418-0600
DON'T MISS: Lobster Caprese
SKIP: Swordfish
$$$$