New Whiskey Offerings!

At XIX we offer a selection of the some of the worlds best Scotch, Whiskey and Bourbon and several unique ways to enjoy them. In the wake of our very successful Whiskey dinner we have added some exciting new products to our Whiskey selection. In this week's blog entry I will introduce you to our new whiskey offerings and would like to introduce myself as well. My name is Kevin Beary and I have recently joined the XIX team as the Assistant Manager. XIX offers an extensive collection of premium Single Malt Scotches and a superior way to enjoy them. If you are a traditionalist you may choose to enjoy your Scotch neat in one of our crystal Schott Zwiesel snifters. For those who prefer some chill on their whiskey we offer the "Perfect Cube". These perfect cubes are larger than your normal ice cube measuring 1 inch square. The larger size and shape of the cube means less surface area thus slowing the melting rate in the Scotch. This allows you to sit back and relax while taking in the view as you enjoy the ultimate Scotch on the rocks in the XIX bar. For those with a taste for bourbon I suggest a classic Manhattan served up featuring your choice of flavored bitters including Aztec Chocolate, Peach, Orange or my favorite Blood Orange. If you know your preference or you would like a suggestion our skilled and knowledgeable bar staff are here to help!

Our updated single malt selection features the following products:

Glenfiddich Special Reserve 12 Year
Balvenie Double Wood 12 Year
Dalwhinnie 15 Year
Macallen 12 Year
Laphroaig 10 Year
Talisker 10 Year
Oban West 14 Year
Lagaluvin 16 Year
Glenlivet 12 Year
Glenlivet 15 Year
Glenlivet 16 Year -- Nadurra
Glenlivet 21 Year
Glenlivet 25 Year

Seasonal New Brews!

Its my favorite time of the year!!! No its not for the presents and its definitely not for the excess traffic or the cold weather….It’s December and to me that means two of my favorite beers are back on draft! I have successfully acquired three barrels of the ever-popular MAD ELF from our friends at Troegs Brewery from my hometown of Harrisburg! What a great beer! If you have never had the pleasure of tasting this fabulous beer then you need to schedule a stop at XIX….and soon, it will go quickly. It has great flavors of cherries, honey and chocolate malt. It is higher alcohol content than most beers, so I warn you to partake in this holiday cheer sparingly…the Elf will creep up on you!
The second beer is the Celebration Ale from Sierra Nevada. This one is currently in my own refrigerator as well. This beer is a little easier to obtain than the Elf, but just as special. So I invite you stop in for a cold pint of either of my holiday favorites.

Cheers! ~ Pam

Whiskey Dinner - December 1st

We have all heard of wine and beer dinners, but how about a whiskey dinner. Join us at the XIX bar on December 1st. The five-course tasting will explore the complexities of the various premium whiskies and pair them with dishes to enhance the overall experience. Think a 10 year old Talisker with oysters and Bulleit Bourbon with apricot beignet. As my first such tasting, I am looking forward to what will be a fun and interesting event.

Hope to see you there,
Chef Marc

Whiskey Tasting with special treats...December 1st

Well I must say the Phillies gave their best shot against the Yankees – you guys are still #1 in my book.

Back to business…This week Chef Marc and I are putting our heads together to help XIX General Manager Pam Bower put together a Whiskey Tasting on December 1, 2009. Combining our crazy styles, we have come up with a tapas style menu to be paired with a variety of whiskey. I am combining flavors that everyone will talk about; think Apricot Beignet with Hot Chocolate infused with Bulleit Bourbon. All of the ingredients will have a hint of vanilla, citrus, floral, and a secret special ingredient that you will have to explore at the tasting. I am looking forward to a few good guesses and if you can figure it out, I will offer a Chef’s dessert in the XIX Cafe as a gift for getting it right. Space is very limited for this tasting experience so call 215-790-1919 to make your reservation and I hope to see you there!

Executive Pastry Chef Matt Maslowski

XIX Nutcracker Tea Time

Just as quickly as the heat of summer has left, the chill of fall and winter has arrived.

With it brings all the great smells in the kitchen like pumpkin spice and cinnamon. This time of year also brings XIX’s traditional Nutcracker Tea, which draws adults and children alike, to sample a variety of savory sandwiches and decedent desserts.

This year we are featuring a fresh Chicken Salad with Celery Hearts on Semolina Bread, Egg Salad with Chervil on Brioche, Scottish Smoked Salmon with Arugula Pesto, and Black Forest Ham and Aged Cheddar on Country Bread. For the young ones we have Mini Cinnamon Raisin French Toast with Maple Butter, Peppermint Oreo Cookies, Sugar Plum Hazelnut Cake, and Orange Cranberry Scones.

So hopefully you and your family can take time out of your busy holiday shopping to visit us at XIX, relax, and enjoy a freshly brewed pot of Tea! Nutcracker Tea is available daily from November 15 - January 15 and reservations are required.
Chef Richard

Ditch the Dishes on Thanksgiving!

As the weather starts to turn chillier, and the days grow shorter, you can start to feel the atmosphere of the holiday season kick in. It’s no different here at XIX. We have been working the past few months on our holiday menus, and I can’t believe that Thanksgiving is just around the corner.

To me Thanksgiving is a time to over eat, watch football, and enjoy family. For mom’s, it’s the pile of dirty dishes the early morning juggling of the oven space with the pie in, the turkey out, the turkey back in, and the stuffing out. Since I have joined XIX two years ago, I have given my mom a much needed holiday gift….I make five fabulous chef’s and their team of cooks prepare and clean up her Thanksgiving dinner. This has made me mom’s favorite!

Chefs Richard, Marc, Matt, Mel and Elise have created a menu fit for kings and queens. We have our familiar oysters from the raw bar, assorted cured meats and cheeses from around the country, warm butternut squash soup, Autumn salads, pasta, a ribeye roast, and of course your traditional fixings…turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn casserole, green beans, cornbread, sweet potatoes, and the list goes on. Then you move to the dessert bar for Hazelnut Crunch cake, Coconut cream cupcakes, Peanut Butter Chocolate cupcakes, Keylime parfait, Smores parfaits, Assorted cookies, Apple Crumb Pie, Pecan Pie, Pumpkin Pie and so much more. So if you’re looking to ditch the dish duties and make Thanksgiving a holiday to remember, make your reservation today.

Reservations available from 1:00pm-6:00pm, 215.790.1919.

Chef Marc's Autumn Inspiration...

I am here in Louisville, my old Kentucky home, visiting family and enjoying a classic autumn season. It's cloudy, windy and a chilly 51-degrees...Perfect for fresh warm apple cider. A short trip out of town to find pumpkins took us over the Ohio river and into southern Indiana, where we found Hubert Farm. Although they had already harvested a large quantity of pumpkins, they still had acres and acres of orange dotted fields ripe for the picking. If you're looking for something out of the ordinary, a white pumpkin might be for you. Although new to me, the white variety is an up and coming trend to look for.

Welcome to the Fall Season!

Here at XIX we have just changed our menus from Summer to Fall and I wanted to give you a sample of the new dessert menu. It’s a little fun and different, but I think it’s pretty fantastic. With unique flavors, from sweet to savory, it has combinations and tastes that
will make you re-think your idea of typical desserts.

A few examples…we have a Chevre (goat cheese) Cheesecake with Warm Stewed Fall Fruits and Red Wine Reduction. For the chocolate lover’s there is Chocolate Liquid Cake with Banana Foster Ice Cream and some house made Cashew Brittle. The Apple Three Ways was a BIG success during Restaurant Week I had to put in on the menu – this dessert has an Apple Spice Cake – Ziegler’s Cider Sorbet and Green Apple Foam that has a little pucker to it – it tastes like a sour patch kid!

Stop in to XIX to try one (or two!) of many new seasonal desserts…you will definitely enjoy the
experience!

Fall is Here!

XIX (NINETEEN) café, bar and restaurant is gearing up for Fall with new seasonal ingredients, fireside cocktail offerings and holiday events. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for details from all of our talented XIX contributors!

XIX's delicious Thanksgiving spread will be offered on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 2009 from 1 p.m. until 6:00 p.m., the buffet is $65 for adults and $32 for children (children under 5 are free). Tax and gratuity are additional. Buffet items will include: Selections from the Raw Bar; Butternut Squash Soup spiced apples, pecans, cinnamon cream; Breaburn Apple Salad frisee, green beans, toffee pecans, blue cheese dressing; Traditional carved Maple Glazed Turkey with roasted turkey gravy, farmhouse cranberry relish; Rosemary and Garlic Scented Ribeye Roast with red wine beef sauce, horseradish cream sauce; Cedar Plank Salmon with purple mustard, scallion, bacon, garlic; Chunky Mashed Potato with Roasted Garlic; Baked Late Harvest Corn Casserole; Pulled Smoked Chicken Mac and Cheese .

For more information or to make a reservation, contact XIX at (215) 790-1919 or visit the web site at http://www.nineteenrestaurant.com/

Dining with a View!

XIX Named on MSN as a Top 10 Penthouse Restaurant in the United States!

http://cityguides.msn.com/articles/cityarticle.aspx?cp-documentid=21392425

Chef Marc Plessis Weighs in on Restaurant Week...

Restaurant week is almost upon us with the first day falling on lucky number 13, Sunday, September 13. The event is now officially two weeks long and although there is a break on Saturday the 19th, we will run the XIX restaurant week menu straight through.

With autumn right around the corner, I created the menu to reflect the seasonal changes - such as the spiced onion soup with apples and smoked chicken and a hearty yellow split peas curry with the striped bass. Like everyone, I am sad to see the summer slipping away, but I definitely had my fill of fresh peaches and blueberries to carry me till next summer!

Call 215-790-1919 for availability of Restaurant Week reservations!

September Restaurant Week at XIX

Center City District’s September Restaurant Week is right around the corner!

XIX will offer special three-course $35 dinner and $20 lunch menus from September 13 – 25th. Lunch is served Monday – Saturday, 11:30am – 2:00pm and Dinner reservations are based on availability after 5:30pm. This year's lunch menu will include displays of seasonal salads, fresh bread, decadent desserts and a selection of creative entrees. The XIX Restaurant Week dinner menu is listed below.

Please call 215-790-1919 to make your reservations!

XIX Restaurant Week Dinner Menu
September 13-25
Spiced Onion Soup
onion broth, apples ,smoked chicken, three cheese brioche crouton
Salad Of Chioggia Beets
shaved aged goat cheese, persimmons, fennel, roasted pine nuts
Roasted Pork Belly Crackling
green apple – cabbage slaw, celeriac puree, grain mustard vinaigrette
Yellow Tail Sashimi
hearts of palm, red pepper, salsa verde, fresh coriander
---------------
Artisan Tagliatelle
roasted squash, parsley root pesto, wild mushrooms, ricotta salata
Long Island Duck Breast
stone ground grits, log shiitakes, poached quail egg, black mission figs, fig jus
Wild Stripped Bass
yellow split pea dhal, wilted spinach, baby turnips, black cardamom honey
Cumin Rubbed Fat Iron Steak
herb roasted cipollini onions, romanesco, yukon gold potato puree, ale beer sauce
---------------
Chevre Cheesecake
Warm Stewed Fall Fruits, Red Wine Reduction
Apple Three Ways
Spice Cake, Cider Sorbet, Granny Smith Foam
Key Lime Crème Brulee Tart
White Chocolate Shooter

Advice from Sommelier Richard Slutter

Well isn’t this exciting! For my first post I thought I’d address some questions about a subject most popular at XIX; Wine Pairings.

When you have a Wine List as large and diverse as XIX’s it is inevitable that the most prominent question I’m asked tableside is; what wine should I choose? Wine Pairing can be lots of fun, it can bring out new flavors in food, minimize others and make a great dish something really special. So here’s a few hints.

1) Know that your opinion does matter. If you’ve always liked Chardonnay, but never Sauvignon Blanc, don’t try to be a hero and choose the latter because someone told you to. Remember drinking wine is about enjoyment and expanding horizons.
2) The “squeeze of lemon rule”. My personal favorite. Simply put; if the dish you are enjoying could benefit from a squeeze of lemon (think XIX’s fresh briny Gigamoto Oysters, or Gardeny Rocket Salad) then a wine with strong citrus flavors will go well. For this reason when guests are looking for a wine to go with XIX’s extensive raw bar a lemony New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or Un-oaked Chardonnay are my most common suggestions.
3) Complement flavors. XIX features a lovely Local Grass Fed Beef Tenderloin, accompanying mashed potatoes and delicately seasoned dandelion greens with a dash of garlic and parmesan. Obviously we are all thinking red wine here. Now, try to remember laying in your front yard as a youngster chewing on Dandelions, or trying to make whistles out of the stems! I remember dandelions as pretty bitter, and tasting very green. A classic Napa Valley Cabernet will be ripe and fruity and also have a touch of earthy character that will complement the bitterness of the dandelion greens.
4) Ask for help. The staff at XIX is highly trained in wine and loves to assist guests with the wine list. If you don’t know what to order let myself or one of my staff pair the meal for you. Frequently, suggested pairings will also be posted for guest convenience; I’m currently putting together Restaurant Week Pairings right now! How’s Rose Prosecco sounding with Fresh Blue Point Oysters?

With these suggestions in mind I look forward to welcoming you back to XIX for a great glass of wine, and a great epicurean experience. Cheers!

Photo Credit: Justin Madden Photography

Chef Richard Hebben - Executive Chef

Now that summer is in full swing it is a great time to come to XIX and sample some of the dishes we have created using local fruits and vegetables that are in abundance this time of year. Our Sunday Brunch and XIX lunch table are great ways to load up on fresh healthy salads created with some amazing ingredients. This Sunday, we are featuring Grilled Eckerton Hill Peaches with watercress, mint and shaved Ricotta Salata. Also a Jersey Arugula Salad with baby beets, pickled lemon and aged goat cheese. On our XIX lunch table we have Heirloom Tomatoes, Pickled Baby Peppers, and a salad of Roasted Cumin Spiced Eggplant and Chickpeas.

Since the summer seems to have been unusually hot and humid I can’t help longing for the fall months and cooler evenings, but I will miss the amazing local ingredients that we are so fortunate to have at our disposal here in Pennsylvania.

Here is a quick recipe to try when you have the Barbecue fired up and you have some nice ripe summer peaches, enjoy!

Chef Richard

Grilled Summer Peaches with White Balsamic Vinegar
Serves 8

4ea. Ripe Peaches, cut in half
¼ cup Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. White Balsamic Vinegar
2 sprig Mint, cut into thin strips
2 bunch Watercress, picked
½ cup Ricotta Salata Cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste

- Rub the peach halves with olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Grill flesh side down on a hot grill for about 3 minutes.
- Allow to cool and then slice each half into four pieces.
- Place the grilled peaches in a mixing bowl with the watercress and mint.
- Sprinkle with the remaining olive oil, balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
- Toss the ingredients together gently.
- Arrange the salad on a chilled platter and then sprinkle the crumbled Ricotta Salata on top.
- Serve with anything off the grill (pork chops, steaks or chicken)

Sneak Peak into the XIX Kitchen...

Here is a little sneak peak into the kitchen world of Chef Marc Plessis, Chef de Cuisine at XIX.

For me, getting wild seasonal products never gets old. I am in constant contact with the best suppliers to ensure we always have fresh, innovative ingredients. Recently, one of my fish suppliers out West sent me an image of an Alaskan Salmon from the Kenai River. These salmon are not always available and can weigh in excess of 60 pounds!

I hope to get this product in as soon as it becomes available and it will be a "must-try" on the menu. Plan on coming in to XIX soon to try a few dishes with this rare inclusion.

Delicious XIX Desserts

Chef Matt Maslowski - blogging for the first time! As the Executive Pastry Chef, I am here to give you all a small update of what we are doing here at XIX. The culinary team at XIX and I have come together to offer great specials for the 105 th Anniversary of the Bellevue Building. Chef Marc Plessis has created a unique 4-course Chef’s Tasting Menu for $105 per couple. I can’t say exactly what he is preparing, but I can tell you that he would welcome you to come in and ask him or simply keep up with the blog!

In the Pastry Kitchen, we have paired up with our building partner Tiffany’s to offer a limited time 105 th Anniversary dessert. Using a gorgeous crystal square bowl with a basket weave style, for $105 guests have the opportunity to choose any dessert from the summer menu and it will be served in the Tiffany crystal bowl, yours to keep!!

There are so many great new menu items to try at XIX but my opinion, come for the desserts. If you like fun and refreshing, you will love the new summer options. We cover all the bases from strawberry napoleons with black pepper anglaise to a rich chocolate tart with mint ice cream. Feel like a Banana Split? We offer a build your own that comes with all the fun toppings like you had as a kid. Did I say ice cream – all our ice creams and sorbet are made in house. Secret Hint: We sell pints to go!

Last week the AYC Media Team stopped by to check out shoot a video on all we have going on…Stay tuned for the link at www.aroundphilly.com

XIX Cocktails

Pam Bower - XIX General Manager

As we move into an advanced technology phase at XIX, bare with me as I try out my new blogging skills! For my first posting I wanted to let you in on a little secret…XIX is the best bar in the city! In addition to creative cocktails and a tasty bar menu, we have a great staff of bartenders and cocktail servers that really make XIX what it is.

Over the past year, we have had a renovation in the XIX bar that allowed us to open it up and offer a great view. Three huge windows run the length of the bar, with warm sunsets and sexy martinis in hand...why go anywhere else! We have worked hard to create a unique and tasty drink menu that matches the vibe and the atmosphere of the room. We have experimented with infusions, put unique twists on classics and kept many of the popular martinis that everyone enjoys so much. As the menu started to take on a life of its own, we have felt our guests’ excitement for new cocktails or their sorrow for the loss of a favorite. Have no fear - we will always be able to make the Cucumber Mint Gimlet! This summer we have been mixing up some fresh sangrias, pineapple mojitos and a summer favorite - the Mango Mojito! Of course all 12 of our specialty cocktails are half price during our weekday Happy Hour…Just $6, Monday through Friday, 5-7pm.

We are already looking forward to Fall and playing around with seasonal inspirations. If you are in the bar and are up for being a guinea pig, let me know! I always enjoy a new taste tester!

Cheers!

Welcome to the new XIX (Nineteen) Blog!

The XIX Team will be posting weekly about special offers, culinary events, new menu items and fresh seasonal ingredients. Please check back for updates and we hope to see you in XIX soon!