Prime Rib (Philadelphia, PA)
A Primetime Meal
I must admit that I had strongly mixed feelings about my upcoming meal at the Prime Rib. The high cost, jacket requirement, and old world steakhouse feel were not particularly appealing to me. As such, this made for the perfect restaurant week reservation; a chance to explore a restaurant that I otherwise would never set foot in. I was certainly looking forward to the opportunity to catch up with Kendra and Yehuda, whom I was meeting.
I met them in the lobby of the Warwick and we entered the restaurant. The décor is immediately impressive. It is gorgeous, formal without being stuffy and very high class. Dark, black woods and pink flowers are the pervasive themes with large bouquets. The hosts needed a few minutes to locate our reservation that I had made a few months ago but they eventually found it and we were seated in the main dining room.
Our server approached us and I was immediately taken aback by his relaxed attitude, which seemed inappropriate for such an upscale restaurant. It was clear that he sized us up and quickly determined that we were cheap college students who were only here for a cheap meal (which was obviously incorrect). This was obvious when Kendra informed our server that she would like a glass of wine. He proceeded to ask here if she would like red or white, and then asked if she wanted Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, or Merlot. Never before I have seen a server play twenty questions like this and it was completely absurd. Furious with his conduct and attitude, I asked to see the wine by the glass list. The process of ordering wine cannot be done without seeing the various wineries and vintages. Period. We eventually settled on two different Cabernet Sauvignons and ordered 3 glasses for the table.
The feta, Vidalia, and tomato salad that I had as my appetizer was excellent. The tomatoes were extremely fresh and nicely cubed. Furthermore, the portion of tomatoes was beyond generous. Yehuda likewise enjoyed the salad.
For my entrée, I chose the roast prime rib of beef (16 ounces), which is one of their signature dishes. This was easily one of the best pieces of meat that I have ever had. It was served perfectly medium rare as I had requested. The portion was generous and thick yet the meat was tender and moist. I could easily eat this dish every time that I come to the Prime Rib and would always be satisfied. Kendra and Yehuda each opted for the 7 ounce filet mignon, which they both enjoyed. Our sides of string beans and mashed potatoes were unmemorable.
The chocolate mouse pie that I had was outstanding. It was extremely creamy with a very uniform consistency. This was a good example of a simple, classic dessert excellently prepared.
At the conclusion of the meal, we received the bill and noticed that it said “Thank You – Mike P” at the bottom. I thought that this was a nice touch since they knew my name but did not think much more of it. After they swiped our credit cards and we received the slips to sign, we all noticed a surprising coincidence. The thank you was not directed to me. Rather, it was from our server, whose name also happens to be Mike P!
Overall, I highly recommend the Prime Rib. The food and décor are both outstanding. This is easily one of the most gorgeous restaurants in the city. Our service for this meal was terrible but I attribute that completely to our server. Based on other reviews and my observations of other servers during the meal, I am confidant that other servers will be fine. Just avoid Mike P; the other one, that is.
The Facts:
Name: The Prime Rib
Address:
1701 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 772-1701
Website: The Prime Rib
Cuisine: Steakhouse
Cost: $30 3-course restaurant week prix fixe
I must admit that I had strongly mixed feelings about my upcoming meal at the Prime Rib. The high cost, jacket requirement, and old world steakhouse feel were not particularly appealing to me. As such, this made for the perfect restaurant week reservation; a chance to explore a restaurant that I otherwise would never set foot in. I was certainly looking forward to the opportunity to catch up with Kendra and Yehuda, whom I was meeting.
I met them in the lobby of the Warwick and we entered the restaurant. The décor is immediately impressive. It is gorgeous, formal without being stuffy and very high class. Dark, black woods and pink flowers are the pervasive themes with large bouquets. The hosts needed a few minutes to locate our reservation that I had made a few months ago but they eventually found it and we were seated in the main dining room.
Our server approached us and I was immediately taken aback by his relaxed attitude, which seemed inappropriate for such an upscale restaurant. It was clear that he sized us up and quickly determined that we were cheap college students who were only here for a cheap meal (which was obviously incorrect). This was obvious when Kendra informed our server that she would like a glass of wine. He proceeded to ask here if she would like red or white, and then asked if she wanted Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, or Merlot. Never before I have seen a server play twenty questions like this and it was completely absurd. Furious with his conduct and attitude, I asked to see the wine by the glass list. The process of ordering wine cannot be done without seeing the various wineries and vintages. Period. We eventually settled on two different Cabernet Sauvignons and ordered 3 glasses for the table.
The feta, Vidalia, and tomato salad that I had as my appetizer was excellent. The tomatoes were extremely fresh and nicely cubed. Furthermore, the portion of tomatoes was beyond generous. Yehuda likewise enjoyed the salad.
For my entrée, I chose the roast prime rib of beef (16 ounces), which is one of their signature dishes. This was easily one of the best pieces of meat that I have ever had. It was served perfectly medium rare as I had requested. The portion was generous and thick yet the meat was tender and moist. I could easily eat this dish every time that I come to the Prime Rib and would always be satisfied. Kendra and Yehuda each opted for the 7 ounce filet mignon, which they both enjoyed. Our sides of string beans and mashed potatoes were unmemorable.
The chocolate mouse pie that I had was outstanding. It was extremely creamy with a very uniform consistency. This was a good example of a simple, classic dessert excellently prepared.
At the conclusion of the meal, we received the bill and noticed that it said “Thank You – Mike P” at the bottom. I thought that this was a nice touch since they knew my name but did not think much more of it. After they swiped our credit cards and we received the slips to sign, we all noticed a surprising coincidence. The thank you was not directed to me. Rather, it was from our server, whose name also happens to be Mike P!
Overall, I highly recommend the Prime Rib. The food and décor are both outstanding. This is easily one of the most gorgeous restaurants in the city. Our service for this meal was terrible but I attribute that completely to our server. Based on other reviews and my observations of other servers during the meal, I am confidant that other servers will be fine. Just avoid Mike P; the other one, that is.
The Facts:
Name: The Prime Rib
Address:
1701 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 772-1701
Website: The Prime Rib
Cuisine: Steakhouse
Cost: $30 3-course restaurant week prix fixe
posted by Mike at
7:00 PM
