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Designer style for trendy spot

By Greg Muller 02/26/03 5:00am
[Michael Lupoli/The Daily Pennsylvanian]

It just says 1712 above the frosted glass door on Walnut Street. A very unassuming entrance for one of Philadelphia's newest hot spots -- Denim. As diners enter the small atrium on the first floor and step into the denim-lined elevator, they are taken to another level of luxury, service and style. Denim's dress code represents the atmosphere its owners are attempting to create as it "requests stylish dress and requires proper attire." Having just opened on Jan. 23, the luxury lounge is still making its mark on the city's scene of trendy bars and hangouts. Wayne Shulick, one of Denim's four principals and owner of eight Smith Bros. boutiques in the Delaware Valley, wants his restaurant to cater to the great taste and high style of Philadelphia's most affluent people.

Denim 1712 Walnut Street (215) 735-6700 Fare: American and Continental
While the nine-course tasting menu that my guest and I experienced could stand alone as a culinary masterpiece, the atmosphere of the dining room where we were seated only accentuated the meal. The indigo hue of the L-shaped room coupled with the denim-covered seats and mirrored tables created a comfortable and completely relaxing atmosphere. I started the night off with one of Denim's specialty drinks, the Macintosh ($12). This drink took the traditional apple martini to another level by adding butterscotch schnapps among other liquers. Executive Chef Scott McLeod sent out a foie gras of cured coriander, roasted eggplant and fennel to prepare our palates for the rest of the night's selections. The meal really got started when our server Emmanuel arrived with the tuna tartare. Served with a wasabi-lime cream, toasted sesame and crispy lotus root, the tuna was just the beginning of good things to come. As the third course and final appetizer of the meal, we had crispy sweetbreads. The wild shiitaki mushroom ragout served as an excellent complement to the sweetbreads. Between the appetizer courses and entrees, McLeod came out from the kitchen to personally greet us. His enthusiasm for Denim and the food he prepared was impressive, as was his down-to-earth attitude and demeanor. The presentation of the next course rivaled its incredible taste. A perfectly pan-seared scallop served on a bed of sticky rice, drizzled with a togarashi-lime buerre blanc and topped with asparagus tips was presented on the inside of a white seashell. A tender rack of lamb was next, which was so good I was left contemplating whether or not to chew on the bone after I finished. The perfectly cooked lamb was presented with a black bean mueneta, ripe plantains and a smoked chile demiglace. Our next dish was a piece of salmon basted in a chipolte-lime butter and finished off with a huitlacoche vinaigrette. And just when we thought things couldn't get any better, Emmanuel arrived with the filet. Mouth-watering pieces of filet mignon served over a parsnip puree and completed with a foie gras butter and truffled-sherry demiglace was quite possibly the highlight of the meal. For dessert, one of our choices was a plate of warm churros sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with three different dipping sauces -- a Couitreau-dark chocolate, kaluha-white chocolate and mango rum. A slightly lighter selection was also presented in the Tropical Menage a Trois -- a suggestive name only the trendiest of spots could link to food. A slightly chilled coconut flan, an incredibly soft and moist banana trass leche and a roasted pineapple dumpling were the focus of this dish. The mixture of desserts was the perfect ending to a meal that combined incredible food with impeccable service. Denim has found the ideal combination of night life and exquisite dining to go along with top-notch service and a completely relaxing atmosphere. The almost hidden location on Walnut Street adds to its mystique and chic atmosphere. Emmanuel summed up Denim's image and trendy look when he commented on why there was no sign on Walnut Street beside the address. Simply put, "The people that want to come to Denim know where it is."
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