Philadelphia Weekly

FOOD > GUIDE

Tangerine

Stephen Starr's breathtaking Tangerine offers a beautiful place to enjoy exquisite food and have a great time. The inventive menu, served family style for sharing, draws from the vast culinary region of the Mediterranean, home to some of the world's most beloved cuisines. Executive Chef Todd Fuller's imaginative dishes combine flavors and spices from the cuisines of France, Spain, Italy and Morocco. Using ingredients that are indigenous to the area such as dates, chickpeas, olives, figs and eggplant, Fuller creates dishes from traditional recipes with a modern flair a la Tangerine. Tangerine's menu features many fine examples of dishes that use a variety of cooking techniques and ingredients from the Mediterranean such as: Harissa Gnocchi with dates and creamy celery root; Roasted Leg of Lamb with potato-fennel gratin, red wine sauce and roasted pepper tapenade; and Seared Scallops and foie gras with rosemary tagliatelle, black pepper sauce and orange-cumin vinaigrette. The atmosphere of shimmering lights and flowing fabrics is amazing. The theatrical atmosphere includes a long, candlelit entranceway lined with white pebbles that leads guests into the awe-inspiring space. The restaurant is structured as several rooms within a room to simulate a stage set. Patterned wood screens and delicate latticework, inspired by authentic Moroccan design, enable guests to look through to different areas of the restaurant. One dining area, set upon a platform, features a wall of glowing candle-filled niches. Another dining room, draped with velvet curtains that are dramatically lit from behind, is filled with lots of puffy pillows that create a warm, intimate feeling. Spectacular lighting includes light spilling out from underneath floors, tables and columns. Tangerine also includes a lounge taht is entered via a candlelit entryway. There is a granite-colored slate tile floor, upon which dark brown leather tables and club chairs create a casual and intimate setting. A velvet curtain with a damask design cascades to the floor creating a luxurious backdrop, as do the six candle-filled chandeliers, which cast a romantic glow on the entire 60-seat lounge. A chic black bar, set in front of a beaded antique bronze curtain, replaces the former host stand. Another inviting room, separated by a half wall from the bar area, features a wrap-around banquette covered in cocoa-colored mohair, as well as frosted glass storefront windows that will open out to the sidewalk during warmer weather. Overall, the effect is laid-back, fresh and glamorous.