There's a new BF in town
Bar Ferdinand
1030 N. 2nd St.
(215) 923-1313
It's rare to find a place that's hip and chic yet casual and comfortable, where the staff is young and attractive but also eager and knowledgeable, and where the food is mouthwateringly delicious but still fits in your budget. Somehow, all these elusive paradoxes coexist at Bar Ferdinand, the welcome new addition to the up-and-coming Liberties Walk.
It seems that people have already discovered the marvels of this place--on a rainy Tuesday night less than a week after opening, the restaurant was packed. The instant popularity can probably be attributed to the trendy tapas-style menu as well as to the reputation of the restaurant's eminent designer Owen Kamihira. Having set up successful restaurants for the likes of Stephen Starr and Jeffrey Chodorow, Kamihira decided to strike out on his own. The result is an establishment brimming with personal touches recalling his childhood years in Spain, from the restaurant's namesake bull, adopted from Kamihira's favorite childhood story, to paintings of matadors executed years ago by his own father.
Inside, Kamihira has again worked his design wonders; the sleek, glossy decor makes one forget the dingy lots of nearby Girard Avenue. Wine bottles are suspended sideways behind a bar decorated with Alhambra-esque tiles. Sleek black tables and red leather booths provide seating throughout the restaurant. Tan walls with arched entryways divide the restaurant as though it were a Spanish home. Bright mosaics of the Spanish countryside adorn the walls. A mix of music, from Dylan to Radiohead, keeps the restaurant current. Except for a few small details, like oddly funeral black lace chandeliers, the ambience is thoughtful and cohesive.
The funky, simple elegance of the interior allows the food of chef Blake Joffe to take center stage, and it certainly lives up to the role. All the small plates are meant to be shared and come out as ready, making for a perfectly paced meal. While it's recommended to order three or four plates per person, the dishes start as low as $2 and top out at $8, so sampling a wide range of the menu won't clear out your checking account.
Hunks of skewered monkfish and pork belly ($6) make lovely partners, with the light fish balancing the fatty meat. A rich bocadillo, or sandwich, of chicken, San Simon cheese, chorizo, bacon, swiss chard, and paprika aioli ($5) packs powerful flavors in its few bites. On a meat plate ($8), Serrano ham, chorizos, and paper-thin lobo stand alone, showcasing their subtle differences. Our waiter was so excited about the duck confit with orange sangria sauce and bitter orange toast ($7), encouraging us to make it into a mini-open-faced sandwich, that I almost offered him a bite. Vegetarians will find plenty of options as well; roasted red peppers and onions with oil and spices ($3) are simple, flavorful, and refreshing. Though a couple of plates, like the overly fishy seared calamari ($5), fell short of spectacular, almost every dish left us licking our lips and eagerly anticipating what might come out of the kitchen next, and the staff kept us stocked with clean plates and silverware throughout the meal.
To wash it all down, Ferdinand offers a wide variety of Spanish and domestic wines and beers, many available in smaller sizes ideal for sampling. Pitchers of sangria ($12) are always a popular option. And if you've got room after all that, the miniature desserts (all $4) are a must. Fried churros come out waiting for a dunk in a fantastic chocolate sauce, and apple bread pudding with almond ice cream gets a Spanish twist from a dash of sherry.
Outdoor seating is perfect for cooler summer evenings, and the welcome air conditioning and cold beverages indoors help beat the heat on steamier nights. But no matter the weather, Bar Ferdinand is quickly blazing its way onto the Philadelphia food scene, so check it out before it gets too hot!
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