Latin Restaurants in Philadelphia

THE CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE CELEBRATES ITS LATIN FLAVOR WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF SIZZLING RESTAURANTS THAT ARE

hot,hot,hot!

IT’S 7:15 ON A THURSDAY EVENING— an early hour for urban dining—yet a crowd stands elbow to elbow at the marble-topped bar at Amada on Chestnut Street in Old City.

Dining-room tables are full, and a line is forming at the hostess stand, which is situated near a metal pig sculpture.

Since opening in October 2005, the restaurant has created a sensation. Some appreciate the chic Spanish-style décor. Hardwood floors are bare—all the better to hear the pounding of flamenco dancers’ heels. Gauzy fabric separates a large party space from other tables, and shelves cradle casks, red pitchers and white plates.

But it is owner/chef Jose Garces’ inventive tapas menu that steals the show. Created to curb Spaniards’ appetites after siesta and before dinner—typically served as late as 10pm—tapas originated as a piece of Serrano ham and bread strategically placed over a wine glass to keep flies from diving into the drink. Today, tapas constitute a wide selection of small-plate treats.

Amada’s menu offers 72 selections, all served in small portions. Picture a custard-y cake of succulent shrimp, earthy wild mushrooms and shirred eggs; tiny breaded potato puffs sprouting tender tendrils of oxtail; and squares of adobo-crusted big-eye tuna sharing a plate with glazed short rib, a surf-and-turf of sorts divided by a fence of tomato and mussel escabeche.

Judging by the crowds at Amada, Philadelphia is carrying on a love affair with Latin-inspired cuisine. In March, Garces opened Tintos, which focuses on food inspired by the Basque region. He is also working on a high-end Mexican concept, Chilango, which means “Mexican City-ite.” The lower level will feature urban street food; the upper level will showcase upscale fare.

What is sparking the trend, which hit the scene in New York and several other big cities a few years back? According to Blake Joffe, executive chef of Bar Ferdinand in Philly’s Northern Liberties District, diners adore the small-plate concept.

“You get to sample a lot of different things, and people find it a lot more fun and interesting,” he says. Plus, these diners appreciate the unique flavors, which Garces describes as “Mediterranean with Spanish flair.”

Exotic flavors and ingredients also distinguish the city’s high-concept Cuban, Mexican and other Latin-style restaurants.

Whatever the reason, Spanish and Latin-American cuisine is hotter than a salsa contest on a sultry summer night.

HERE IS A SPRINKLING OF WHAT PHILADELPHIA HAS TO OFFER.

AMADA
Owner/chef Jose Garces’s tribute to tapas features time-honored Spanish fare, as well as creative twists on the traditional, such as lamb chops stuffed with goat cheese and drizzled with romesco sauce. www.amadarestaurant.com

ALMA DE CUBA

Launched in 2001, Alma de Cuba is one of the grand dames of Latin-inspired cuisine. Amada owner/chef Jose Garces came to Philadelphia to open the restaurant with mentor Douglas Rodriquez, the guru of the Nuevo Latin trend. Part of the successful Starr Restaurant Organization, the sleek eatery showcases such sizzling entrées as crisp roasted pork with traditional sour orange mojo and twice-cooked crispy skirt steak with onions and Cuban oregano. www.almadecubarestaurant.com

EL VEZ

The website describes El Vez as “Mexican-American meets East LA in a Tijuana Taxi.” Indeed, the dining room has experienced some type of collision. You’ll find everything from crushed velvet banquettes and striped booths to garishly colored bicycles strung with lights. The décor successfully portrays the theme of a place named after the Mexican Elvis. Another Stephen Starr restaurant, El Vez features black bass tacos, adobo-grilled steak and a variety of salsas, including spicy tuna with pineapple, habaneros, tomatillo and orange. www.elvezrestaurant.com

¡PASIÓN!

Widely credited for starting the Nuevo Latino trend, ¡Pasión! debuted in 1998, bringing fame to chef Guillermo Pernot. In 1999, Esquire named him “Chef of the Year.” The ceviche menu is the restaurant’s star, made at the open ceviche bar. Also try the grilled striped bass with black bean purée and shellfish escabeche entrée, and paella-style orzo studded with rock shrimp, chorizo and crispy leeks appetizer. www.pasionrestaurant.com

BAR FERDINAND

Liberties Walk’s Bar Ferdinand is essentially a bar—and a happening one at that. The music is loud, the atmosphere is warm and lively, and the faux marble wraparound bar is always full. Tapas include tuna confit empanadas and sautéed mussels with chorizo and fried capellini. A sweet-and-savory specialty is the Manchego frito, which unites walnut-membrillo purée with deep-fried cheese and frozen apple foam. Quench your thirst with one of the more than 50 Spanish wines or 30 beers. Olé! www.barferdinand.com

TINTO

Jose Garces’ tribute to the Basque region is a 60-seat restaurant featuring small plate items, known as pinxtos. Consider lamb loin with eggplant, bacon, sweet onion and sherry lamb jus, and tourchon of foie gras with sliced duck prosciutto, membrillo, frissee and walnut-mustard vinaigrette. Wine-lovers can also look forward to selecting from a list of more than 100 Spanish and French wines. www.tintorestaurant.com

LOLITA

At Lolita, BYO refers to tequila, and the restaurant offers fresh-squeezed mixers to make signature margaritas. The eatery, which opened in 2005, is the creation of veteran chef Marcie Turney, who helped spark Philadelphia’s restaurant revitalization, and Valerie Safran, a former Spanish teacher. Selections include grilled canela-ginger lamb loin, pistachio-crusted duck breast with pan-fried plantains and tamarind-ancho glaze, and a shitake and Lancaster jack cheddar cheese enchilada (add chipotle-marinated Gulf shrimp for an extra kick). www.lolitabyob.com

TEQUILA’S

When it comes to tequila, this restaurant lives up to its name; there are more than 90 kinds to choose from. This intimate, upscale eatery is divided into different dining rooms, all featuring brilliant murals, elegant lighting and gleaming furniture. The menu not only offers savory dishes, but it also serves as a history lesson. Under the mole poblano entrée, you’ll learn about the nun who made a spicy dish—known as mulli—more palatable for a visiting archbishop. (She added a mixture of ingredients to soothe the burn.) The signature dish, Salsa Tequila’s, features either red snapper, grouper or jumbo shrimp bathed in a blend of tequila, chile de arbol, butter, garlic and lime juice. www.tequilasphilly.com

XOCHITL

Xochitl—pronounced “So-Cheet”—was the daughter of a nobleman in 11th-century Mexico who created pulque, the fermented juice of the agave plant and an early form of tequila. Not surprisingly, there is plenty of tequila on tap at this upscale Mexican restaurant. Although small—the dining room has just 30 seats—Xochitl delivers big flavors. Co-owners Steven Cook and Dionicio Jimenez feature dishes from the Puebla region, Jimenez’s native home. Don’t miss the parrillada for two, a mixed grill of pork, shrimp, duck, blood sausage and melted Chihuahua cheese served with corn tortillas. After dinner, adjourn to the lower-level lounge. www.xochitlphilly.com

Time to Fiesta!

Philadelphia will celebrate its passion for all things Latin on July 3 at the fourth annual Fiesta on the Parkway, part of the Sunoco Welcome America! Independence Day festivities. Held at 20th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, it runs from 4 to 8:30pm. “Th e fiesta is hugely popular with a diverse audience of festival-goers,” says Clift on Davis, the executive director. “Everyone is involved with Latino culture that day.” Organizers have assembled as many as 4,200 salsa dancers on the parkway at once. Th is year, they are aiming to break the Guinness World Record for the number of dancers performing the salsa at once. More than 400 local dance studios will off er free classes (both in person and via the internet) to participants in advance of the choreographed dance event. www.americasbirthday.com.