Nila Aronow
South Street Saturday Night sounds like a title for a youth cult film. And the cast of characters walking around South Street in Philadelphia on a summer evening could certainly populate a movie.There are preppies and punks. There are toughs and wimps and hand-holding couples of every sexual persuasion. There are teeny-boppers smoking whatever it is they smoke and tanned, middle-aged women working at looking young in their T-shirts and wrap skirts. They park their motorcycles and their Mercedes to walk on South Street.
There’s no problem eating out in this neighborhood. Everyone can find his level---in the touristy terraces of New Market, in the pizza and sub shops that line the streets or in some of the finest restaurants in Philadelphia or any town.
What we went looking for the other night was a place where the South Street scene continued inside as well as out and we were lucky enough to stumble into Johnny Aiello’s Caffè sud, an admirable blend of South Italy and South Philadelphia.
Dark paint and muted lighting over a multitude of sins here. The effect is funkily attractive, with really interesting art deco floor lamps and table fixtures and many quality posters and prints that lean heavily toward bare breasts. This is, by the way, not a family place. We have good feelings toward them, the menu reads, but “for a variety of reasons, WE DO NOT SERVE CHILDREN.”
We weren’t shocked by the art work but we were a little taken back by the wine list---nothing under $20. So we drank our wine by the glass ($2.50), and a pretty green-stemmed glass it was.
The menu is chatty and effusive. It not only lists all the ingredients you can expect, but adds messages such as, “My mother’s recipe so watch out what you say.” And such unattributed quotes as “The best lasagna I ever ate.”
We didn’t taste the lasagna but I’ll bet it is the best because the dishes we tried were superb, lustily and inventively seasoned and beautifully presented.
“specialsudsalad.” included in the price of dinner was heaped with the freshest romaine, tomatoes, black olives, mushrooms and more---topped with cheese and an absolutely delicious, piquant dressing.
Gambaretto ($12.95) is an entrée so artfully arranged that there’s a right and wrong way to position it on the table. Our server accidentally got it backward then reversed himself so the shrimp faced the diner with the broccoli sprigs as backdrop. The shrimp and vegetables---zucchini, asparagus, et al---were perfectly cooked and the sauce was an excellent blend of flavors.
The many vegetables with the Calabrian quiche were served cold, crisp and tangy with marinade. The quiche itself ($7.95) was hearty with pepperoni and several types of cheese, another strong and interesting flavor. What we have here is a kitchen that is not afraid to make a statement.
Desserts at Johnny Aiello's Caffé sud are gorgeous, displayed enticingly in a case by the door. We tried a special called Josephine, a large floppy cookie-shell filled with the finest fruit---berries, grapes, peaches, kiwi---and topped with whipped, all as fresh as today.
Caffé sud would be a great place for dessert and coffee or drinks---a fine chance to sit back and enjoy the South Street scene.
Labels: Caffé sud
