Whetstone Tavern, the newest restaurant to inhabit the Queen Village corner at 700 S. Fifth St., aims for a relaxed and rustic feel with its space and menu. And it works.
Chef Jeremy Nolan brings homey charm to his dishes and sometimes borrows from his parents for recipes, like with Mom’s Clam Cakes ($9), a New England staple that he’s trying to popularize here. The fritter-like cake is made heartier than similar dishes by the clams, which, along with the pickled remoulade, give it a nicely balanced flavor.
Flavors also abound on other small plates like the burratina ($7), a vegetarian dish with a bright, summery feel combining heirloom tomatoes, olives, caperberry, goat cheese and basil. The steak tartare ($11) really delivers on the steak, giving the diner a higher-than-average ratio of meat compared to similar dishes elsewhere. The result is a denser and slightly bolder dish that makes a nice impression.
For entrées, you can go for simpler fare like Dad’s Burger ($9 single, $12 double), another recipe borrowed from Nolan’s home. But the specialty entrées are really where Whetstone throws down the gauntlet. The house favorite, the Passyunk Pork ($24), dishes up classic but refined Philly flavor: a nice-sized pork chop resting on a bed of silky, buttery, cheesy polenta and broccoli rabe, topped with pork cracklings. The chop itself is perfectly cooked and juicy, lending itself well to the polenta and the rabe, both of which bring in a lot of depth to the dish.
Another secret weapon Whetstone has is Nolan’s wife Jessica, a pastry chef who conjures up Whetstone’s desserts. Rumor has it she’s starting her own pastry and bread shop nearby, and we might just have to throw our money at her like ticker tape in a parade because her desserts have all the hallmarks of homemade nirvana. The lemon-meringue cheesecake had a grandmotherly attention to detail, from the flawless peaks of meringue to the creamy, sweet perfection of the lemon-curd and cream-cheese filling.
With its prime location and rock-solid menu, Whetstone Tavern has what it takes to grind out a long and productive stay in Queen Village.