Talulah's Garden

Talula's Garden is a new restaurant in Philly creatively led by the woman who created Talula's Table. The Table is virtually impossible to get a reservation at. (Seriously, it's supposed to be the hardest reservation to get in the country.) But fortunately the Garden, while popular, has ample seating, and they accommodated my parents and me on Memorial Day.

The whole experience was fantastic. The service was like having dinner at the house of your hippie-esque professor who always keeps your glass full and has pleasant and intelligent things to say. As good as the service was, the food was really the stand out. There was not a single thing that wasn't fantastic. You start off with fresh baked brioche. Then, we had the master cheese plate (great and varied flavors and accompaniments). I followed that with the chicken encrusted in hazelnuts -- most tender chicken I've ever eaten. Dad got the caramelized scallops which were lovely, and Mom got a rich lamb dish which comes with polenta made of corn indigenous to America. Who knew heirloom American corn existed? Also, as a side, Dad got radishes in anchovy butter. That may sound odd, but you've got to trust Talula on this one. I didn't even know I liked radishes until that moment. Now I'm a true believer in them.

Prices are not cheap, but this is one place where I feel the food is worth every cent. Later in the summer, though, if I don't feel like shelling out $30 for an entree, I would definitely come sit at the bar just for a cocktail or 2 and another piece of the banana/toffee/chocolate millefeuille. They're all under $10, and there is outdoor and indoor bar seating to choose from. Plus, if the other cocktails are anything like the spring sangria I got (white wine sangria elevated above the norm by an infusion of fresh herbs), they are sure to worth coming back for.