I am spoiled. This past week was my birthday and as a present, Todd took me out to dinner at Vetri in Philadelphia. Vetri is by far my favorite restaurant and Marc Vetri is definitely one of my favorite chefs. Just a couple fun facts for all of those who are interested, Marc Vetri was born in Philadelphia and has never had any formal schooling for cooking. He was influenced when he moved to Italy for some time. Lastly, his first job was at age 15 and he washed dishes at the Downbeach Deli in Margate, NJ during the summer of 1982! I find that last fact to be really cool because that is where my Mom is from and my family and I have spent many summers in Margate. Marc Vetri just amazes me. It’s hard to describe how great the food is at his three restaurants in Philadelphia. Dining at Vetri is definitely my favorite experience, but unfortunately that does not happen too often since it is pretty expensive. The staff at Vetri is also the best. We have eaten here only twice before and Steve the “director of beverages” remembered us and was extremely friendly and nice.
Recently, Vetri made a slight change to the dining experience at Vetri. Prior to the change, there was a tasting menu and an a la carte menu (meaning you could pick and choose what you ordered). However, now you must order the tasting menu. This was my first time dining here since the change and I loved it and thought it was a very smart change for Vetri. Although you must order the tasting menu, you still have some choices. You may choose to do the Traditional Tasting Menu or you may request vegetarian, pescatorian, or pasta focused tasting menus. Additionally, if there is a dish that you really want to try you may also make a request to have that specific dish included in your meal. Ultimately, you are in the hands of the chef at Vetri…which I don’t mind at all! Todd opted for the traditional tasting menu while I chose to go the vegetarian route. We also decided to do a wine pairing with the tasting menu…this option really made our meal special and we got to sample about 7 different types of wines.
When we walked in the restaurant, we were greeted and offered a glass of Prosecco along with “snacks from the kitchen”.
Our proseccos were very refreshing and went down pretty fast since it was about 100 degrees and we were still sweating from our walk to Vetri.
The “snacks” included pickled fiddlehead ferns with parmesan/pecorino cheese, Salami, Vegetable stacks, Foie Gras, and some other meats. We also had a plate of crudites with zucchini, carrots, radicchio, and breakfast radish with a balsamic-honey dressing/dip.
The bread was also delicious and included a type of Semolina bread and Focaccia Bread which was served with olive oil and olives.
My first course was the Pea Flan with Quail Egg. This was so amazing. The quail egg was in the middle so when I cut into the flan with my fork the yolk broke on my plate…which I love.
Todd’s first dish was the Fennel Seed Sausage and Spring Vegetable Soup.
My second dish was the famous Sweet Onion Crepe with White Truffle. I have had this once before and I absolutely love this dish. They informed us that the onions were cooked for 12 hours! I would have never thought that onions could taste so good.
Todd’s second course was the Soft Shell Crab with Fregola and Green Beans. The soft shell crab was fried and was served over Fregola which is a type of pasta that is very similar to Israeli Cous Cous.
My third course was another one of my favorites that I have had before at Vetri, the Almond Tortellini with Truffle Sauce. Marc Vetri’s pasta is the best pasta I have ever had and is so incredibly light. These almond tortellinis have a unique taste to them that make them really delicious. Todd was jealous that I got these for my third course…he’s lucky that I was nice enough to share a few.
I only shared a few with Todd because his third course was the Spinach Gnocchi with Brown Butter. These are another favorite of mine that I have had before. So I swapped two tortellinis for two gnocchi so I could have them again! These are the best and are unlike any gnocchi I’ve had before. They are not made with very much flour and instead are very spinach-dense. So fantastic.
My fourth course was the Goat Cheese Agnolotti with Spring Onions. Yet another Vetri pasta dish that I was very impressed by. It’s so hard to describe to you how great his pastas truly are.
Todd’s fourth course was the Rigatoni Alla Bolognese with Chard.
My fifth course was the Porcini Risotto with Blueberries. I was so impressed with this dish and I loved the combination of blueberries and porcini mushrooms in the risotto.
Todd’s fifth course was the Baby Goat with Freshly Stone Milled Polenta.
After our savory courses, they brought out Strawberry Sorbet with Lancaster Strawberries to cleanse our palates before dessert. I thought that this was a perfect way to transition from savory to sweet!
For dessert, Todd was served the Pistachio Flan with White Chocolate Gelato.
…and I was served the Chocolate Polenta Souffle with Vanilla Gelato. Being a huge chocolate fan, I was very happy with my dessert!
Just when we thought our meal was over, they brought out a small plate of pastries from the kitchen that included an Apricot Macaroon, Cappuccino Macaroon, Chocolate Fudge, and a Bruleed Marshmallow…with a birthday candle! All of these treats were delicious but our absolute favorite was the Cappuccino Macaroon. This was the best Macaroon I ever had…I wish I had the recipe so I could have one everyday!
If you could not tell, I absolutely love Vetri. I have been there twice before and this was my first time I ordered the tasting menu along with the wine pairing. I am still amazed at how excellent of a meal we had. After our dinner at Vetri, it’s been difficult to eat food from other restaurants because this food is truly a step above everything else I’ve ever had.
Thank you so much Todd for making my 24th Birthday so special! I had so much fun sharing this experience with you at Vetri. You are the best and I am so happy that you’re mine!
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I am DEFINITELY adding this to my list of “restaurants to visit before I die”. Everything looks sooo good! I can’t decide which dish looks the best! I’m intrigued by the 12 hour onions and the pea flan, but both desserts also look incredible! It’s also so cool that he grew up in the area and worked in Margate. I always feel a little closer to someone who grew up in the Jersey/Philly area.
Happy Birthday Mary!!! What a special way to celebrate. I’ve actually never been to Vetri but it is definitely on my list! Your pictures are making my mouth water and the fact that you said it is just a different experience makes me want to try it for myself!
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