On December 10th, the esteemed Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its newest location, Del Frisco’s Grille, in center city Philadelphia. With the help of Philadelphia’s own Sheila Hess, the ribbon was ceremoniously cut and then guests were invited to sample select hors d’oeuvres and beverages.
I was grateful to be invited to the event, knowing how exquisite that Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group’s venues and menus are; emphasizing the importance of consistency and perfection was literally palpable in the texture and subsequent taste of the small bites that were offered.
A prime example of this perfection was the Artichoke Beignet that at the ceremony’s reception. The outer layer was a thin crisp shell which was immediately met with an airy center. Surprisingly the center struck a balance between light and airy and densely flavorful to fill you. As for the taste, that was equally perfect. The beignet was made with artichokes and fontina cheese and presented on top of a sweet basil cream drizzle, which practically melted in my mouth with every bite. And in case you were wondering—these were small enough to hold, and large enough to eat in two sections.
Another delectable dish that Executive Chef Justin Womack made for us at the new Del Frisco’s Grille was the Ahi Tuna Tacos. These hand-held taco samples were outstanding. Which makes sense; I was told by Executive Chef Womack that the kitchen staff makes everything from scratch, ensuring that each dish is meticulously prepared. With that in mind you could see that each Ahi Tuna Taco had a freshly made taco shell, and once bit into they had a satisfying crunch. As for the delicate tuna: it was complimented with freshly made guacamole with chives on top, and I could taste the wonderful balance of acids from the citrus blended within it.
If you are wondering where the Executive Chef Justin Womack gained his skills in the kitchen, he originally studied Early Childhood Education at Delaware Technical Community College but loved to cook so much that he decided to take an internship at a restaurant. He loved the culinary arts so much that he changed his major, and after building his resume as a Chef for Corporate Openers and Bravo Group, Justin Womack joined Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group training with Del Frisco’s Grille at the Cherry Creek, Colorado and Westwood, Massachusetts locations before joining the newest Philadelphia location.
Executive Chef Womack never lost his zeal for teaching though—according to Womack, “I enjoy the training side. We are growing and so I like to open this up so we can maximize the eyes on perfection and make sure that even when I’m not here, everything is created with meticulous execution.”
This is highly important, especially for someone who is a foodie like me. If I go to a restaurant and recommend something that elevated my experience, I want to know that anyone who visits the restaurant and orders what I recommended will have the same experience as I described. And if you are looking for a recommendation of what to order from their menu, Exec. Chef Womack described some of his favorite dishes from the menu, which includes Del’s Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes and the Cheesesteak Eggrolls, the latter was a dish that I was able to enjoy.
Speaking of elevated experiences, the atmosphere of the restaurant is upscale and a little modern. Although the word ‘modern’ is sometimes equated with a negative connotation, the venue creates a level of intimacy with all the ample space for seating, and during the dinner service the environment becomes even more inviting as the lights are dimmed.
Another striking aspect that adds to the ambiance of the restaurant is the nearly floor to ceiling selections of wine which climbs with you to their second floor. Not to mention the stunning art adorning the walls, like the large painting above the bar from local artist Sandra Benhaim—bringing vibrancy of the city into the venue.
The new Del Frisco’s Grille Philadelphia has ample room to host more than 250 guests and features a dedicated private event area for gatherings of up to 36 guests, making Del Frisco’s a perfect place to bring family and friends for an exquisite meal!
If you would like to have an enjoyable experience like I did, please visit www.delfriscosgrille.com to make reservations and for more information.
Amaris Pollock is a freelance writer and photographer covering the local restaurant scene. Email arpollockus@gmail.com for requests.
