Rittenhouse restaurant space gets a stylish rebirth
By Larry Nichols larry@epgn. com
Located in what used to be the home of famed Le Bec-Fin, the newly opened Avance, 1523 Walnut St., has transformed the space into a sleek and sexy New American restaurant, just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Whether you are seated in the main level’s elegant candlelit dining room or the dim and cozy confines of its downstairs bar, Avance really sets the mood with atmosphere and eye-catching cuisine. Chef Justin Bogle has some intricately constructed dishes with alluring textures that are immediate standouts on the menu. The cheese plates are a great way to either start or end a meal there, with a changing assortment of excellent cow-, goat- and sheep’s-milk cheese to choose from (three for $18 and four for $26).
From there, things only get more exciting with the senses. The foie gras ($23) is a playful dish that messes with your expectations. Chilled on an anti-griddle, the foie gras has a cold, creamy feel reminiscent of gelato while still retaining a light, savory flavor. The added garnish of thinly sliced pickled grapes, yogurt frozen to look like snow and crushed black walnuts gave the dish a range of textures, creating a uniquely welcome experience.
The Cauliflower Chawanmushi ($18) was another marvel, considering how much we normally shy away from the titular vegetable. Here, it was pureed into a hot and smooth chowder-like consistency and dotted with lovely bay scallops, Meyer lemon and trout roe, adding up to another complex with an ultimately satisfying convergence of flavors and textures.
Avance has an array of impressive-sounding dishes featuring duck and swordfish, and Valentine’s Day diners should make a point of taking advantage of the venue’s five- or eight-course tasting menu. But since we were downstairs when we visited, we steered our attention to the lamb burger ($18), which was praised with considerable aplomb by the wait staff. It easily ranks as one of the best burgers to be had in town, maybe in our personal top-three. The burger itself is brimming with strong, rich, juicy flavors and the toppings (feta cheese and red-onion marmalade) are few and effective. The absence of fries was surprisingly welcome as the void was filled by panissee, a fried chickpea cake with a taste and feel somewhere between falafel and a baked potato. If you want to impress you significant other, colleague or just yourself with some fine dining in a hip and upscale environment, you should definitely make your way to Avance.