It's Restaurant Week(s) in Philadelphia

I saw it happen when I lived in New York and it is happening here in Philadelphia.  "Restaurant Week" is no longer extended after the first week, it is two weeks right from the start.  For Philadelphia's Restaurant Week happening now, there are over one hundred participating restaurants offering 3-course meals for $35.  I will be sampling three restaurants this time around.  I enjoyed one tonight.

Restaurant Week is a wonderful time to try restaurants you otherwise have not tried or would be hesitant to try without the pre-fixe dinner (or lunch).  The only downside - if I had to come up with one - is that diners may occasionally feel rushed as this is a time restaurants are often packed and therefore discourage lingering over that wine, coffee, or dessert. I felt a little bit of that tonight but it wasn't too bad.

Butcher and Singer is yet another pearl in the string of Stephen Starr restaurants.  (The majority of which are in Philadelphia but others are in New York and Atlantic City.)  Treat yourself to the fun "old Hollywood" Butcher and Singer website - and be sure to have your volume on.  The website touts the restaurant as

An homage to old Hollywood, low lights and dark woods evoke a feeling reminiscent
of a bygone era when women donned full red lips, men wore a suit and tie and post-Prohibition liquor flowed freely.

This well describes the atmosphere.  The only thing that would make it more authentically 1940's (or so) Hollywood (per the black-and-white movie clips I currently see in my mind's eye) would be cigarette smoke, and maybe a piano player.  Regardless, the place has a feel to it that I haven't experienced recently.  It didn't feel pretentious; it felt like it captured the zeitgeist of a bygone era.

This restaurant resides in an old bank.  Before launching Butcher and Singer at this location, Stephen Starr became the second owner of the previous restaurant in this space - the venerable Striped Bass.  Starr recognized the seafood fare was no longer succeeding and therefore changed the theme.  He did this to the dismay of many.  Even Craig LaBan, a food critic for The Philadelphia Inquirer, lamented "the dear departed Striped Bass" in his February 2009 review of Butcher and Singer.  The Cliff Notes version of LaBan's assessment is an excellent (3 bell in LaBan's parlance) review of this steak and chop house that replaced the Striped Bass.

LaBan talks about the "stellar" chops and "exceptional" New York strip and filet mignon. (My filet mignon was very good.)   While LaBan had some slight criticism of the food in his 2009 review, I cannot think of any criticism of my tomato and mozzarella appetizer, the two sides I tried (green beans almondine and mashed potatoes) and the simply delicious creme caramel.  LaBan also took note of the "retro chophouse look" and the "Servers (who) shake and strain the icy cocktails tableside, streaming bygone gimlets, sidecars and perfect manhattans into elegant stemware." 

It would be hard to imagine anyone describing Butcher and Singer's food without commenting how the atmosphere takes diners back to a different time. The chandeliers, dark wood, and brass, combined with the wait staff in pseudo-tuxedo jackets, made be feel like tonight was Restaurant Week 1945.