Restaurant Review: 10 Arts

First Impressions:

10 Arts is situated off to the side of the magnificent lobby of the Ritz.  Although romantically lit and swanky, people wore a wide range of attire.  This is a good thing.  There are a handful of areas to sit, but we were seated in what is likely the least-preferred area: the section of tables that are pretty much in the lobby of the hotel.  A woman walked from the tables on the other side of the columns (the more-preferred side) over to our side talking on her cell phone, without even caring that she was interrupting the dining experiences of several tables.  Were we invisible?  Did I not raise my pinky in the air enough while drinking my Berries and Bubbles?

Don't listen to a thing Ripert says on the restaurant's website, gushing with his adorable French face and luring you in with his accent, about choosing this location for his restaurant.  I am sure his statement was crafted by an attorney with a sense of humor because I can't think of anyone who wants to shell out 10 Arts money to feel like they are eating in a train station.  If I wanted that, I would have taken my food to go, hopped on the blue line for a stop, and dined in 30th Street Station.  Or less dramatically, I would have taken my fancy doggie bag and walked a couple blocks to Suburban Station.

Beverages: 
I already alluded to my Berries and Bubbles.  Pretty delicious.  Second drink for me was a glass of malbec.

Food:

Despite my diatribe above, this is one of the best meals I have ever had in the city, food-wise.  Hands-down.  First of all, the bread was perfect in freshness and density.  I never thought I would ever have that much to say about bread, but that was some excellent bread.  I officially started with the heirloom corn chowder.  This was pure genius.  I want some more of that now please.  Then I had the striped bass.  I don't think I have ever ordered bass at a restaurant, and I won't anywhere else because I know that here it's something special.  Everything about it was just right.  Note: I am intentionally editing out the rabbit I sampled.  It was good, but not truly special like the striped bass.  Speaking of that striped bass, was it gauche to have licked my bowl?  Don't worry; I exercised restraint even though I was slumming it in the almost-lobby.

Dessert was seasonal (read: no longer on the menu), and mine was pretty wunderbar.  Although it seems a little unfair to tell you about something so delicious since you can't order it, I am going to write about it anyway.  My wunderbar dessert was a carmelly-apply bread pudding.  As you might know, the best bread pudding in the WORLD is from Commander's Palace in New Orleans, but this bread pudding was different enough that there's enough room in my heart to love both.  Omitted from this review is also the seasonal marzipan-like dessert because I don't like marzipan because it tastes like marzipan.  

Service:

Excellent.  There's nothing to say here, which is a very, very good thing.  Thanks.

Food     mmmmm

Service     mmmmm

Decor     mmmm

Je ne sais quoi     mmmm

Overall     mmmmm

http://www.10arts.com

10 Avenue of the Arts

Philadelphia, PA 19102

About the ratings:

mmmmm        would eat there again tomorrow

mmmm           looking forward to eating there again

mmm              not in a hurry to eat there again

mm                 likely not going to eat there again

m                    would try my best never to eat there again. ever.

I reserve the right to grade on a curve for the overall score, despite the average.