Pennsylvania 6, a newcomer to the Gayborhood bar and restaurant scene, is definitely making an impression.
The décor is bright and striking. We can’t imagine not wanting to drink away the better part of an evening there. And the food will make you want to spend the rest of your evening there as well.
Everything we tried was pretty damn good, but the best dishes we had almost flew under the radar. But we’ll get to them later.
The crudo menu had some interesting combinations of flavors. The kampachi ($12), the fluke ($12) and the daily special (in this case, salmon at MP) can all be tried in the sampler ($18), which overall was delicate and flavorful, yet each offering was distinguishable from the other. As good at those were, they were blown out of the water by the yellowfin tuna tatare ($14), which was bolder, heartier and far more satisfying than its similarly textured crudo cousins.
Two of the most addictive bar-snack small plates we had were the ham and cheese ($7) and the crispy pig ears ($7). Sure, it sounds simple, but the ham and cheese dish is anything but simple in both composition and presentation — a platter of perfectly toasted slices of baguette bread and thinly shaved ham alongside green tomatoes and a jar of the best spicy pimento cheese spread we can ever remember having. Once all those elements are brought together, the result is heavenly. The pig ears had the perfect balance of crispiness on the outside and juicy tenderness on the inside. We could not get enough of them.
On the entree side, the lobster roll ($26) was both well-crafted and substantial, and the accompanying duck-fat fries were irresistible too. The Duron pork collar ($18) was a total comfort dish of super-juicy and tender meat with the added bonus that it rested on a lovely pile of cheddar grits.
Desserts at Pennsylvania 6 are impressive as well. The Meyer lemon tart had the perfect balance of sour and sweet. The Mason jar vanilla cheesecake had a playful presentation and was delightfully silkier that what we have become accustomed to with cheesecake. The accompanying rhubarb jam made the experience all the better.
Judging from the quality of the food and drink we saw, Pennsylvania 6 is sure to be hanging around the ’hood for a while.