A new menu at Square 1682, 121 S. 17th St., lured us over to Rittenhouse Square and the restaurant did not disappoint. The modern décor is quite the chill oasis from the hustle and bustle of the neighborhood and the menu is equally soothing.
If you’ve been tuning in here often enough, you know about our issues with truffles. We’re over them. We’re not impressed by them. They’re overdone. Really? Not again! You get the picture.
But Square impressed us with the flavor not once but twice. The truffle popcorn ($4) exceeded expectations thanks to citrus salt that blended well with the essence of the familiar truffle flavor. Other small plates were delightful as well. The Lancaster duck confit ($11) was a heaping bite of succulent and juicy shredded duck on buttermilk toast with flavorful and bright lingonberry mustard rounding it out nicely. The bacon-wrapped dates ($9) were pleasantly sweet and fatty, allowing the wonderful mustard vinaigrette on the plate to accent the dish.
The shrimp lettuce wraps ($12) played it too safe, pulling way back on the Asian flavors and spicing one comes to expect with lettuce wraps. The crispy shrimp was the star, but it need some more talented back-up.
Truffles returned in fine fashion with the entrée, the duck breast ($24), which was cooked to perfection and served alongside an amazing truffle-and-lobster stuffed fried duck egg and pressed potatoes. The dish was sheer joy to consume and that lobster and truffle duck egg could be a superstar on its own if served up on the brunch menu as an omelet. And we had words with the chef about it, so don’t be surprised if that actually happens.
If you enjoy people-watching or having the locals at Rittenhouse Square watch you enjoy a nice meal and some cocktails, get yourself a window seat at Square 1682.
