Philly Grubbers

Philly Food and Drink Aficionados

No - I'm not demanding that you knock Philly - heaven knows it's been knocked around enough!

I finally had the time to check out Knock Restaurant for dinner a couple weeks ago - and thought I'd share my two cents.

First some background, Knock opened within the past year in that cursed location at the corner of 12/Locust streets - former home to Lula and other fare. Once Lula closed and the rumor mill began that Bill Wood (founder/owner of Woody's) was going to sell his bar and was shopping around for a spot do to a restaurant, all eyes turned to this intersection. If ANYONE could make something stick in the true epicenter of the Gayborhood - it would be Woody.

And, it seems as if he has done just that!

John and I arrived for a non-reservation Saturday night dinner prior to seeing The Magnetic Fields at the Merriam. We were a bit worried - but thankfully, it was 6pm and the host was able to give us a table, knowing we'd turn it before 8 - when the place was booked solid.

We sat in the back near the grand piano - thankfully quiet. The space was quite familiar to me, as I was a strong patron of Lula and knew that space inside-out. It was amazing to see the renovations up close: from warm carpeting on the floors to a rich full color to the walls - not to mention great wood accents. The space was quite classy and just as cozy.

John and I sat in the corner both - and what was interesting was to watch the spot slowly come to life as every minute passed. By the time we left, it was as if we were in another space completely! Just as good, but much livelier. Saturday night had arrived, that's for sure.

Now onto the food: we both had the baby arugula salad with manchego cheese and spiced cashews - the spiced cashews really made the taste of the dish work for me. As an entree, John had the crab cakes and I had the chicken breast - it was served with a mushroom ginger broth, baby yellow yukon potatoes and chicken sausage, a full dish indeed. John's crab cakes were perfect - overflowing with crab and just a hint of breading.

We skipped dessert - since we had to make a curtain - but I know we'll be returning ... perhaps not on a Saturday, since I can easily see one feeling a bit rushed at the peak dining hours. But if you're looking for a quiet getaway - consider Knock on a weeknight ... especially in the back ;)

Share 

Add a Comment

You need to be a member of Philly Grubbers to add comments!

Join this social network

3 Comments

Kurt Comment by Kurt on May 27, 2009 at 8:06pm
Let's make our June brunch date. What do you think?
Kurt Comment by Kurt on December 1, 2008 at 9:04pm
Mikie and I have been there a few times. I like the food but am still uncertain about the space - the vibe basically. Next trip we should make it a 4some :)
Marilyn Comment by Marilyn on November 12, 2008 at 10:54pm
I need to try this place. The baby spinach salad sounds wonderful. Corn Fritters with Mushroom Ragu sound absolutely heavenly! The lamb chops would take me over the edge, with no room for dessert! :o

About

Marilyn Marilyn created this social network on Ning.

Create your own social network!

Badge

Loading…

Phoodie.Info

Not to Get All Preachy But…

While we have the opportunity to enjoy grog fests, corn dog roundups, and IHOPs, the sad truth is that a lot of people don’t. The good news is that there are a lot of folks out there trying to fight the good fight. Memphis Taproom is getting all kinds of involved: They are supporting Manna’s [...]

Philly.com Dining

Italian restaurateur finds success at lower price

Joseph Tucker, who got his start in Philly in the 1990s with fancier Italian establishments (Joseph's, Joseph's on the Avenue, Pompeii), is thriving nowadays with lower price points and more modest aspirations.

Good Taste

Cheese of the Month I'm usually a purist when it comes to my monthly fromage, but Shellbark Hollow Farm's fresh goat has become such a splendid canvas for local chefs, I couldn't resist this casserole from Southwark's Sheri Waide. It's an easy holiday hit.

A fresh look at three little fishes

Sardines, anchovies, smelts. To know them is to love them. Getting to know them properly is the issue, but all that's needed is a "fresh" look.

Flavors Not Forgotten

For a second helping of vintage regional foods, try these sources: Ice Creams Bassetts Reading Terminal Market, 12th and Arch Streets 215-864-2771, bassettsic.com

Food Calendar

Tonight Phiz Fest, featuring a wide array of Champagnes and sparkling wines along with appetizers, cheeses, and other foods from area restaurants and food purveyors, with net proceeds to benefit the Neonatal ICU at Jefferson Hospital. $69 per person or $59 each f

Unbreaded

A Taste Of Cyprus At Kanella

At Philadelphia’s acclaimed Cypriot restaurant Kanella, you will not find fusion, which Chef Konstantinos Pitsillides calls “confusion.”  Rather, you will experience the diverse culinary influences of the world cultures that have occupied and settled the chef’s native Cyprus over the centuries: Turkish, French, Venetian, Arab, North African, English and Greek, each of whom have left [...]

All Points Po’ Boy

The po’ boy is the quintessential New Orleans sandwich. The crusty French bread, and toppings varying from breaded shrimp, and soft-shell crab, to roast beef au jus, help to tell a story of the sandwich makers behind the counter. In ten days, The New Orleans Po-Boy Preservation Festival will bring together 40 restaurants to share [...]

Around The Web: America’s Sexiest Sandwich

The term “food porn” generally refers to stunning close-up photos of food, but over at Heavy.com, they’ve adopted the more literal definition and conducted a national survey to determine which sandwich America most wants to… um… make babies with. Dubbed the search for America’s sexiest sandwich, Heavy.com enlisted the services of a market research [...]

Toasty Roast Pork At Wasko’s

Submitted by Unbreaded reader Shane D. Have a sandwich you love? Submit it to us and we’ll post it on the site. Philadelphia might be the home of the cheesesteak, but again, and again, we are seeing a rise in popularity of the Italian roast pork sandwich. According to Shane D., you don’t have to be [...]

Tina Fey: Ambassador Of Sandwiches

Leave it to a Philly girl to show the world what it really means to love sandwiches. Last week, in the critically acclaimed, utterly hilarious 30 Rock, Tina Fey’s character Liz Lemon rattled off the following raison d’etre: All of humankind has one thing in common: the sandwich. I believe that all anyone really wants in [...]

© 2009   Created by Marilyn on Ning.   Create Your Own Social Network

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Privacy  |  Terms of Service