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Talula's Garden
Category: Restaurants Canadian (New) Canadian (New) [Edit]
210 W Washington SqPhiladelphia, PA 19106
Neighborhoods: Washington Square West, Market East
(215) 592-7787
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 5 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Valet
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Paid
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
About This Business:
Between our cozy restaurant and lounge or our comforting entrees, you're guaranteed to find something you love. Along with our dining, we also have an… read more »
126 reviews for Talula's Garden
Review Highlights
"The brioche and ramp butter rolls---to freaking die for."
(in 11 reviews)
"The cheese plate was perfect."
(in 21 reviews)
"i went with the spiced lamb shoulder, which had the perfect..."
(in 5 reviews)
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126 reviews in English
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Review from Matt M.
Kennett Square, PA
2/23/2012
In this garden of perfection there is only one thing missing. Good thing I brought my own Eve. In this latest chapter of the greatest love story very written we find a woman of uncompromising grace and class out on the town. She was a vision in grey and black that complimented everything she is to me.
We had a reservation for 9 at this newest Aimee Oxley outpost on Washington Square. We arrived early and had a drink at the smallish bar that worked for the space. Custom cocktails, small batch wines and craft beers dominate the list here. Bar wasnt too loud but had a good vibe and a steady stream without being too crowded. In short order we were seated at a lovely table in the front of the house. My eyes were on her so I didnt take in too much but Eve mentioned the decor to be an extension of Talula's table in Kennett in that the furniture was comfortable and eclectic. The room was warm (color) and inviting.
We went with a bottle of Zin that was bold but refreshing. We started with Aimee's specialty, cheese. She is a master. We went with one of the larger tastings (Masters Collection) to get some ideas and it did not disappoint. Quince Paste, Truffle Honey, cocoa nibs...her accompaniments are almost as good as the cheese! We moved onto main courses (Scallops for her and Lamb for me). Honestly I almost told the waiter to suprise me. Its rare that I can go to a restaurant and choose ANYTHING as a main course and be happy. This is the case here. Flavors to both main courses were fantastic. Portion sizes were great and service was impecccable.
Now for those of you following along at this point I am transfixed by my companion as I have been for 20 years. She is everything you could want in a woman and then some. The light is glittering in her eyes. Her lips are hypnotic and what she is wearing is showing off her curves. WOW I am a lucky man. Was dessert really necessary? OK twist my arm...
A chocolate torte with a quenelle of coffee ice cream was wonderful. We shared. Good partnership with Starr. Still not number one in Eve's book but that's another chapter. -
Review from Cassandra H.
Manhattan, NY
2/20/2012
I'd like to give 4.5 stars for food and service, but I'm going to round down because of our table location.
The cheese plate was really fun. We did the Master's Collection, which offered a great variety of cheese. The honey and fig jam that came with it was really delicious as well.
For dinner, I got the chicken dish and my boyfriend got the snapper. He said it was the best snapper he has ever had, and I will say the chicken dish was really juicy and had a great combination of flavors. We shared the pudding tart with caramel ice cream for dessert, which was a nice mix of sweet and salty.
As for the negative, we were seated along the window of the bar area (even though we had made reservations weeks in advance and were seated when the restaurant was fairly empty). It was freezing over there! The walls have big grates in them that blow out cold air. They should definitely try to fix that. Avoid those tables if you can.
Overall, a great night out in Philadelphia. I'm sure the garden is really beautiful in the summer. -
Review from L G.
King of Prussia, PA
2/19/2012
I'd asked my husband to plan something for us for Valentine's Day, so after doing some research and finding that Talula's Garden was recently voted "best cheese plate in Philly," he made us a reservation for the Sunday before V-Day. He then proceeded to keep our dinner location a secret from me literally until we walked through the door, so I didn't have a chance to do any research in advance.
Since we were there because of its reputation for cheese, we did order a cheese plate. We went with the "American Cheese Champions," which is a selection of six award-winning cheeses. They were good, but I found the portions a little small (and let's not even get into the portions of the compote and stuff that were dabbed on the board). Honestly, I much preferred the cheese plate at Garces Trading Company.
For our meals, I had the hangar steak, served with mushrooms, mashed potatoes, and kale, and a side order of beets with orange zest and ricotta cheese. My husband had roasted leg of lamb and a side of "roasted mushrooms galore." We both enjoyed our meals, but again, not my all-time favorite, and the portions again seemed small, especially for the price.
Finally, for dessert, I had the "Petite Cookie Collection," which was a plate of four different mini cookies. And my husband had the raspberry and citrus mousse, which was amazing and very refreshing.
The atmosphere of the restaurant was really neat - you enter via this little courtyard, which is filled with Christmas lights and I'm sure in warmer weather is a really nice place to enjoy your meal. Inside, the building is an old hotel or bank or something, with crazy high ceilings. The decor includes birdhouses, gourds, and farm stuff. We were seated in a banquette in the bar area, where there were four tables along the window. In the wall on either end of the bench, there was a huge metal vent that was part of the original ventilation system of the building. The decorative grates are beautiful, but according to the manager (who apologized to the women on either side of me, but not me, I guess I didn't look cold enough), they do get "drafty." She did keep turning up the temperature on the thermostat, but I was freezing. Overall, it really was a lovely dinner, and I love that my husband surprised me with something he knew I'd like. But would I go back? I'd rather go back to GTC first. -
Review from Shane L.
Philadelphia, PA
2/22/2012
A must try...
I made reservations for a sunday night and was surprised to see the place packed at 6pm. This is a Starr restaurant and i didn't expect anything less from the decor as I made my way over to our table.
We ordered the "Master Collection" cheese plate, 2 appetizers, an entree and a few cocktails...then followed by a dessert. Everything tasted great...no complaints about the food and I can almost be certain that other items on the menu will be just as good.
The bottom line: This is one of those places where you'll want to reserve in advance for a special occasion. Food's a little pricey (as expected), but you're paying for location, ambiance and the whole experience. I want to say that this is a romantic setting, but the tables were just a tad bit too close together and the noise level was a little above what I wanted....no biggie though. I'll definitely come back because everything else made up for it. -
Review from Shannon P.
Philadelphia, PA
2/15/2012
I ate here last night for Valentine's Day with the boo. We walked out smiling.
We ordered from the regular menu vs. the $100 per person Valentine's Day menu. You get 2 mini brioche buns with onion butter...pretty good, nothing outstanding, but nice. We started with the Master Cheese Platter which was served with house made bread (a raisin one, and a plain french bread, plus some flat crispy jawns) and small portions of honey, cranberry puree, walnuts, and apples. The cheese was delish - and only 1 blue, hurrah! Blue is not my fave.
We skipped "Beginnings" because we wanted dessert and went straight to Mains. I got the seared scallops served with cauliflower, pine nuts, and some cream drag of a spoon on the bottom of the plate. Not too heavy or light, it was the perfect platter to satisfy my hunger without making me feel like I needed more food. The boo ordered the leg of lamb served with roasted butternut sqash and kale. I love places like this that are veggie heavy...he would NEVER eat this stuff unless it was served to him at a highly rated restaurant. And he's eating kale, KALE! The lamb was cooked very well - wasn't actually a LEG chillin on the plate, it looked like a sliced skirt steak. But it's a nice change since we haven't tried anything other than a lamb chop/lollipop.
Dessert rounded out the entire meal. We split the steamed date pudding served with goat cheese ice cream. Goat cheese ice cream...why isn't this sold by the pint? It tasted great on it's own with the lovable tang of the goat cheese hitting behind each spoonful, but on top of the pudding...O.co. The pudding was like dates and cake all mushed up and soaked in syrup....it was like you were spooning complex brown sugar into your face covered in ice cream.
We left feeling full but not overly full. And the only reason I took a star away is because we got kind of a crap seat given that the reservation was made over a month in advance, and the server sort of kept our GC that had extra bones on it. But NBD, the place was super good. -
Review from Nicole B.
Wood-Ridge, NJ
2/18/2012 1 photo
I would say this is a 3.5 rating. Went here last week for an early Valentine's Day dinner. It was quite good, every dish was packed with scrumptious flavor. We first got the brioche rolls, so buttery and flaky! Then we had the master cheese plate, which had a diverse arrangement of cheeses, ranging in goats', cows', and sheep's' milk. We also had the gnocchi and an appetizer, which was amazingly flavorful, but it was quite the small portion for $14 dollars!! My boyfriend got the duck, which was great, but then I ordered the lamb, which when I first tasted it seemed like beef. I believe they gave me the wrong meat, but by the time I thought about telling the waiter the meal was half done and just didn't see the point in making a big deal of it. We didn't get dessert. This restaurant is a little pricey, but we did enjoy it for a night out.
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Review from Phi N.
Warrington, PA
1/28/2012
So my cousin has beat me in reviewing Talula's after our splendid meal on Thursday!
I've been to Talula's Table over a year ago but I love that I can experience the same inspirational cooking without a one year reservation.
Reminiscent of:
*San Francisco (and how appropriate, with the Alice Waters quote on the walls)
*Savory and sustainable
*Pricey cuisine but a magical, comforting ambiance
Pros: impeccable service-from the bar man to the server to the food runners; fresh-made to order beginnings, mains AND desserts; chef and server really made the experience wonderful by being accommodating of us wanting to share all our dishes and letting us have time to catch up before ordering.
The Forager drink is delish! (it has egg whites in it; but I could have used some more gin in the glass)
I want to eat everything again and would re-order every single dish we had that night:
foie gras (sweet, melt in my mouth)
gnocchi
sweetbreads
tuna
mains:
duck
lamb (honey glazed squash; I wanted to lick the plate clean)
scallops
red snapper
BUT why would I even do that? Part of the excitement of Talula's is that it's seasonal, creative, and so decadent you just want a taste of EVERYTHING at least once.
I believe I had the best duck that I can remember. Both meats temp. was perfect and server didn't even ask us for the temp. Server brought out more brioche with the foie gras without our request, just anticipated that we might want it-that is truly appreciated!
The most impressive part of my experience was how fantastic the desserts were:
-fig pudding with goat cheese ice cream
-fried doughnuts
-apple sorbet. All of it was so good I wanted it all for myself.
*All together: 4ppl = $289 (tip included); 2 cocktails 1 wine (it was a weeknight); Drink menu is pricey so add $30 per person for 2 drinks
Next time: I want to sit outside in the romantic, beautiful garden; order a cheese plate; savor many more glasses of vino; end with coffee or tea....oh AND bring my husband along. :)
Stephen Starr, together with Aimee Olexy and Chef Sean McPaul, -this is indeed such a brilliant partnership! -
Review from Brian C.
1/30/2012
I was so excited for this place. I was devastated when Django closed a few years back. The only thing is, I felt that the food was slightly overpriced. The ambience is lovely, and on a nice day I'm sure sitting in the garden outside is beautiful. I love that they pick fresh offerings from the huge wall of herbs, and cook with it.
I really appreciate restaurants that offer seasonal fair in a local, farm to table style and Talula's Garden really embodies this.
Well in that spirit, they have a rotating monthly menu, and though I'm sure all of the food there is delicious (I seriously did not taste anything I didn't like), I'm not sure if everything I mention will be offered when you're there.
- Tempura squash blossoms - Amazing. Delicate and filled with creamy delicious filling.
- Lamb - Perfectly cooked and paired with herbs and flavor.
- Duck breast - Duck is one of those things that if prepared correctly is really transcendent, but if prepared incorrectly could really be messed up. The duck here was just right.
Unfortunately I didn't get a cheese plate (even though I love cheese, I'll have to try one next time) but it does get great reviews so I guess it deserves a nod. -
Review from Sarah B.
1/14/2012 ROTD 2/17/2012
I loved every minute of my evening at Talula's. We were there celebrating a romantic evening, and Talula's nailed it. We showed up early for a cocktail at the bar, transitioned to the cozy dining room and spent the evening half gazing into each other's eyes, half going on about how good the food was.
I feel like the dishes are unique enough to be considered a treat, and not something you'd want every week. Therefore I don't mind paying a little more for them. Not really because it all local and sustainable (I think that's something they are known for), but because it seems as though everything was made with love.
Speaking of the whole local/kind business, did you know most wine isn't vegan? No, me neither. I do now though because Talula's menu indicates whether wine is vegan and/or eco friendly. If you are into that sort of thing.
I'm excited to come back in the summer for cocktails and small plates on the patio, it really looks adorable.
I would recommend this place for romantic meals, dinner with the parents or summer cocktails with the ladies. -
Review from Rebecca L.
Philadelphia, PA
1/19/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I've been to Talula's twice now and the food gets better each time.
My first mistake was not getting a cheese plate when I was at Talula's in July. Get a cheese plate. Wait, let me be clear: Get a cheese plate. If you're like me and don't know much about cheese except that you really like it, The Master Collection is a safe bet (and seems like it's probably the best deal for your money - 8 different cheeses!).
I went with 3 (2 pseudo (they eat fish) and 1 actual) vegetarians so we ordered mostly veggie dishes. My cousin and I split the seared scallops. The caramelized cauliflower was absolutely delicious and went perfectly with the scallops. We also shared two vegetable sides, the mushrooms and beets. Beets aren't something you normally see on a menu so we got them. Sort of sweet, sort of weird. Not sure what I thought of them but both my cousin and aunt loved them. I probably wouldn't order them again. The mushrooms were perfect.
For dessert we ordered and split the Dark Chocolate Cremeaux which was a perfect way to end a great meal.
Next time I visit, regardless of season, I'm sitting outside. It's beautiful. -
Review from Adrienne R.
Philadelphia, PA
2/5/2012
Just went for my second time and it was only so-so -- though my first time in October was great. The food was all eh -- not bad but nothing special. Service was similarly eh and the restaurant was very loud (Thursday night around 8pm). I had the gnocchi to start which was fine and the roasted lamb main course which was also just fine. Both good, nothing special. I tried a taste of the lobster pie, and again also just fine. Usually I'm a huge Stephen Starr fan but at talula's I was a little let down.
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Review from Joanna K.
ASTORIA, NY
1/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
I had an AMAZING meal here with my food soulmate. I have this friend, you see, who I see maybe two or three times a year. And when we meet up, we share the most decadent meals.
This time was no exception. We walked in without a reservation at 5pm on a Friday and was able to get a table pretty quickly. The hostess was friendly, and our server was very attentive (and complimented our food choices which I always appreciate)!
I LOVE the way this place is set up. This is pretty much my dream restaurant!!! The lighting, the way it feels like you're at a friend's house... I love it!
We started with the Veal, Foie Gras, and the Gnocchi. We shared the the Scallops and a side of the mushrooms.
We ended the meal with Steamed Fig Pudding as well as the Ricotta doughnuts.
Everything was delectable, and perfectly cooked. This place is amazing! -
Review from joe b.
Philadelphia, PA
2/21/2012
Beautiful restaurant, and the food was delicious. However, for the price, the portions were extremely small. Also, the seating is cramped and right up against noisy bars and cold entrances. I doubt I'd go back but I'm glad I went once.
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Review from Shannon G.
Chalfont, PA
12/20/2011
I like Talula's. The ideal situation for a Starr restaurant, an already successful small scale restauranteur with a strong theme for him to run wild on. The atmosphere is excellent. High ceiling high class farmhouse, modern lines and surrealistic farm paintings married with rustic colors and mismatched silverware.
It's difficult to decide on a meal here, everything sounds amazing. Server was very knowledgeable, with specific reasons why he preferred certain dishes. Beer list is large enough, with good selections all around. Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout is good stuff. Don't even get me started on Founders Centennial I.P.A. If it wasn't in my fridge at home it would have been in my glass here.
We haven't been able to tear ourselves away from the In Kind cheese plate. Despite the enticing descriptions of the others, it's too delicious and a good size for two people.
On our last visit I had the Braised Veal with Rosemary Pappardelle, Kale, and Mushrooms. It has a savory flavor that while good, maybe doesn't pop like you'd expect from the description. However, it's a very appropriate dish for the theme of the restaurant, with the tougher veal sections braised to soften them. Wife had the Lobster & Crab Beet salad, and it's quite good.
Wife liked her Sea Whistle Salmon with Roasted Sunchokes and Fuyu Persimmon Chutney. Maybe not the best she's had, but good. My roasted Leg of Lamb with Honey Glazed Squash, Braised Kale, and Niçoise Olive Vinaigrette was probably better. Cooked perfectly, it was tender and well balanced with the melding of flavors from the other ingredients.
Braised Leek and Leafy Greens Gratinee side is excellent.
Overall I'm a little lost about this place. Some of the Starr issues manage to dog it a bit. The total experience is less than the sum of its impressive parts. There are amazing aspects to this restaurant, but the flavors are very restrained, almost too subtle at times. No single dish blows me away. I think the pricing is reasonable given the atmosphere and liquor license though.Listed in: My Kind of Town, Philadelphia
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Review from Nik K.
Philadelphia, PA
Updated - 1/5/2012
On my second trip, they rolled out the red carpet - apparently writing bad reviews on here and on OpenTable makes you well know....
We actually received a call from Amy Olesky to apologize for the bad experience, and she sent us a gift certificate to cover the majority of the cost of the first meal. Needless to say, we were much more impressed with the food, spent more than we did the first time, and I am now a fan. I don't necessarily think it's the best place in Philadelphia, but it is good.
Word of caution - watch out for Josh. We saw him when we were there, and were a little shocked. According to Amy, they had already had a few complaints about him and she was going to deal with it. Not sure what happened, but he was definitely still waiting tables.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/26/2011
Went here to celebrate my birthday. My boyfriend was very excited to take me somewhere I hadn't been… Read more »
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Review from C. H.
Philadelphia, PA
2/19/2012
For the price ($240 for 2 people) I think everything should be exceptional and although mostly good, it wasn't. My biggest gripe is the seating. For the price you pay you want at least a little privacy, but you basically have to sit with two other couples smushed right next to you. My husband didn't even really fit quite right in the booth and was uncomfortable the entire time. You're so close to your neighbors that they actually talk to you a lot and it was interruptive of the nice meal we were trying to have together. Music was a bit off putting at times and loud so it was a bit difficult to hear each other even in the tight quarters. The waitress was pretty good, but made two pretty big mistakes: one brought us the wrong side order (ordered: braised leeks) we got (swiss chard) and didn't know the answer to a question about what bourbon's were available. Instead of offering to go and get the answer she just said "we have too many and I don't have a list." We like to try new things, but were forced to order a brand we were already familiar with because of this. My food was delicious with the exception of dessert which tasted like they needed to change their fryer oil (doughnuts), but mostly vegetables and rice for the dinner, so not worth $25 a portion. My husbands meal on the other hand was mediocre at best. The lamb was tough and chewy and the pate was very small and not that good. Overall I wouldn't go back. We thought it would be a nice treat for ourselves, but to spend that much money to be uncomfortable and not have any privacy for a nice meal together wasn't worth it in the long run especially since everything simply wasn't excellent. This missed the mark for what you would expect out of a $240 meal.
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Review from Susan W.
Lebanon, PA
2/3/2012
Delicious food, starting from the home made brioche with onion butter to the delicate chocolate dessert. A lovely atmosphere, warm efficient service, many great options on the menu. I had scallops with caramelized cauliflower and special ricotta cheese appetizer with clementines and olives. yum. wine good. We loved the place. Will be back.
They have a very interesting cocktail selection. We generally stick with wine, but the choices looked good. -
Review from Max P.
Philadelphia, PA
12/30/2011
I went here for my birthday. It was good and pricey (fortunately I wasn't paying). Can't really give less than 4 stars for a restaurant in this category, but I just wasn't wowed the way I expected to be by a Starr restaurant with $$$$ prices. The food is all locally sourced and sustainable, to the point that their wine list points out the eco-friendliness of each wine. The "master collection" cheese plate was tasty, though so is walking into Di Bruno Bros on Saturday and tasting just as much cheese for free (instead of $18). I had the leg of lamb ($27) for dinner, which was very succulent and flavorful. I had a taste of the seared tuna, which was also pretty good. I would recommend the trio of cupcakes for desert, though my favorite was the tropical sorbet that comes with the raspberry mousse.
Bottom line - I would gladly come here if someone else is paying, but don't think its worth the money otherwise. -
Review from Meredith C.
Philadelphia, PA
1/29/2012
Cheese plates were amazing, main course was just as good. Will be going back this spring or summer to enjoy the patio!
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Review from Tom S.
Berwyn, PA
2/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
Very nice place! Cheese plate was awesome service was great! Food was very well prepared and presented, although pricey.
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Review from kate s.
Philadelphia, PA
12/11/2011
My partner and I went to celebrate our anniversary and couldn't be more delighted over the entire experience. I opted for their autumn salad for a starter and their Muscovy Duck Breast and Confit Duck Leg for a main course. I am not a big meat eater on a regular basis so this was definitely a treat! For dessert we had the
Dark Chocolate Cremeaux which they added a candle on top of and wished us a happy anniversary which was absolutely charming. Service was quick and friendly and the hostess answered all our questions when we called ahead to make reservations. We will definitely be back to Talula's Garden! -
Review from neal f.
Philadelphia, PA
2/20/2012
Way overhyped and overpriced for what it is. For my group of four this past weekend, our tab was approximately $120 p/p and hardly worth it. The evening started off strong with good drinks (although I found the wine by the glass portion controls to be a little sad) and excellent cheese. Things dropped off from there. Service which was bordering on overly attentive at first became absent to the point where coffees took 20+ minutes and two requests to appear. Scallops were either not cooked properly or were not of proper quality--not firm enough and a bt off tasting. No one in our group was wowed by their entrees (which included duck and hangar steak). The brioche rolls everyone is raving about were really nothing special and fairly flavorless. We tried the doughnut and cupcake assortments and found them to be not exciting. French press coffee was gimicky and not better than the LaColombe you get at most places of this caliber. I won't return--there are far better restaurants at this price point in Philadelphia and many for much less.
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Review from Kay J.
Philadelphia, PA
10/16/2011
An epic Saturday night disaster. Giving Talula's 2 stars instead of zero because after the fiasco, management did everything they could to make it up to us.
Had a 9:15 reservation for 2 people -- our anniversary celebration. Were told they were running 15 minutes behind. No problem. At 9:45, after no communication, we inquired again. Then were advised we had 1 group in front of us. The hostess was neither apologetic nor kind about the situation. A manager intervened very shortly thereafter, apologized profusely and offered a free cheese plate.
We were finally seated at 10 p.m., in the bar area. Not what we had in mind for our anniversary. If we had wanted to eat at a bar, we would have gone to Pub and Kitchen or GoodDog. Given the late hour, we took the table.
Our knowledgeable waiter took drink orders, delivered beverages and then disappeared. We had to ask someone else to seek him out. There may have been confusion about our order because of the complimentary cheese plate on our table. We ordered at 10:40 p.m.
The cheese plate selected by the manager was fantastic, special and arguably the best dish of the evening.
We had the salad of raw tuna, which was fabulous, and the oxtail tortelloni. The broth for the tortelloni was overly salted, to the point of being nearly inedible.
For main courses, we had the bluefish (very good) and the cod. The cod, like the tortelloni, was extremely salty. The main course arrived at 11:30. At that point, it was way too late to argue about it or substitute another dish.
When our waiter inquired about the uneaten cod, we explained the issue. To the restaurant's credit, at the end of our meal, the manager came by and told us our dinner was on the house and would not let us pay for any of it. She encouraged us to come back another time and suggested trying on a less busy night.
We genuinely appreciated that management took responsibility for what appears to be an unusual crater in Talula's food and service. With that said, it was a truly disappointing evening. I much prefer to write more positive reviews. -
Review from Don R.
Philadelphia, PA
11/21/2011
Sounding more like a girls night out or the next title following Pride and Prejudice on a Lifetime movie marathon, I was a little skeptical in the cab ride over. I've always been a burger and fries kinda guy and the thought of enjoying a redux carrot slice with coin sized portion of grass fed anything seems to make me cranky. Alas, I checked all expectations at the door and decided to give it a whirl.
Service was competent and knowledgable almost to the point of being hilarious because everything seemed to be "approachable" and deserving of a "nice finish" After a few glasses of wine I started making these words my own until I got kicked under the table.
Oh well, on to the food which did not disapoint by any means. We started with an array of cheeses which were fantastic and again....very approachable. Then a fantastic preparation of Veal and pappardelle ensued bringing a nice big "I told you so" to my initial skepticism.
For my main it was...You guessed it...grass fed beef with a delicious combination of banyuls (who knows) and brown butter was extremely delicious. Overall the meal, service and the chance to sit outside one last time this season turned out to be an great experience. -
Review from Shannon C.
Philadelphia, PA
11/29/2011
The best meal I've had in a while.... The bluefish was beyond my expectations! The cheese plate was perfect. The waiter was very knowledgeable and attentive. 2 downsides: being sat by the bar despite making reservations, bar patrons were literally standing beside us (a few small inches away as we ate), and the dessert-
A cookie plate was meh... -
Review from Andrea G.
Lansdale, PA
1/20/2012
Awesome. Go right now and order the lobster salad and duck you will be in heaven. Everything that I've tasted has been wonderful from the cheese plate (masters) to the drinks. The restaurant itself is beautifully decorated with warm and welcoming garden setting. This would be a great place for a date, a group or to take your parents. My party of 8 walked away very satisfied and happy.
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Review from Lawrence C.
Atlanta, GA
10/16/2011
Excellent cuisine, and service. Four of us first dined on: cheese plate @ $16, then starters: gnocchi, $14; crab/lobster salad, $14; creamed celery soup, $9; house salad, $10. Mains were: bluefish, $24; chicken, $27; rabbit (appetizer portion), $14; cod, $25. Sides were : beets, mashed potatoes, swiss chard, and squash, all $7-8 each. Two desserts at $8 each, brought the food total up to $198. Wine was reasonably priced at $40 for NZ sauvignon blanc, and $56 for CA petite sirah.
Professional service, excellent food, and lovely interior would enable me to return. -
Review from Lindsay D.
Philadelphia, PA
11/17/2011
Talula's has the most beautiful, magically transformed outdoor space you will find in Philadelphia...or any city, for that matter. There are strings of lights lining the dark stone walls that just sparkle and shine, the iron gate you walk through gives you that "secret garden" feeling. This place is a 5 for ambiance alone. We sat inside which had a cozy, homey, yet separtist feel.
There were 4 of us and we made a point not to double up on anything for fear of missing something outstanding.
Appetizers were gnocchi, tomato and crab salad, celery root soup and quail egg toast. The gnocchi were simply delicious, the crab salad was my fave being very refreshing and zesty, the celery root soup was excellent, but just a few spoonfuls will do seeing how it's quite filling. I don't "do" quail eggs, so I skipped this one, but it was all the rage at our table.
For dinner we had the beef/rib dish, the chicken and buckwheat crepes, the eggplant angliotti, and the lobster pie. We agreed that our apps were the best part of the meal, but that doesn't mean the dinners disappointed. The chicken (believe it or not) was our favorite, my beef was delicious, I wouldn't order it again, but I'm not disappointed that I did. The eggplant and lobster pie were lost on me, I think I was enjoying mine too much to pay attention.
Their specialty cocktails were super delicious and our service was impeccible, each server was very knowledgable, helpful and light on their feet not interrupting or implementing poor timing.
I would host any event here for it's impressive decor and I would bring all family and friends here to taste what real organic and sustainable food is all about.
VERY well done. -
Review from Holly B.
Miami, FL
1/9/2012
Last Tuesday night was my second time eating here, my first time was in August: we sat in the garden and this time, a very cold winter eve, we sat inside the cozy restaurant. It is like 2 different restaurants- the fresh spring-like garden vs. a cozy dining room, both beautiful & delightful but what was truly outstanding both times was the food.
We started with the Celery Root Soup w/ northstar pears, spiced walnuts, and fresh celery salad- creamy and delicious on a cold day, the kind of soup that sticks to your bones. We also had the braised beef tortellini in consomme, the flavors jumped off the plate. We shared the rich and decadent potato gnocchi w/ taleggio & brussel sprouts. The standout of the "beginnings" was the crab and maine lobster salad w/ citrus marinated beet & the horseradish dressing which gave it the perfect kick w/o overpowering the subtle earthy flavors of the beets or the salinity of the seafood.
Moving onto "Mains", we shared the fabulous and creamy farro risotto w/ roasted winter vegetables, bitter greens & walnut/pomegranate crunch (was my brothers favorite). I never order chicken when I dine out because I cook it so frequently at home, so when my husbands suggested the chicken, I baulked. However, the roasted lancaster chicken w/ buckwheat crepes, pink lady apples & cider sauce was a standout and super-scrumptious. The braised rib was also great & the steak was tasty. My least favorite was the roasted leg of lamb, w/ honey glazed squash, braised kale, and niçoise olive vinaigrette.
Also I loved the roasted mushrooms galore, fines herbs, shallots & butter & the marinated beets, w/ crunchy almonds, herbs, citrus, and Ricotta-- perfect combo of earthy, crunchy, creamy, acidic, salty & sweet. We had 2 bottles of a wonderful Cab Franc.
We finished our meal with 2 of the best desserts: the steamed fig pudding w/
goat cheese ice cream. It was a bread pudding of sorts and the ice cream was the perfect compliment. We also enjoyed the pear tart w/ almond ice cream, again heavenly.
Excellent food, excellent service, excellent ambiance, I cannot wait to return! -
Review from Brent R.
Philadelphia, PA
1/18/2012
Visited 2 nights ago. I like this place, but the only reason I was able to eat here is because I got a SS gift card! Sorry Mr. Starr, but my pockets aren't this deep. The entrees aren't terribly overpriced considering the quality and sustainability factors, but the drinks and side items are outrageous! $8 for roasted butternut? Please. With that aside, my roasted chicken and crepes was wonderful, and AR liked the salmon. Dessert was the star for me - fig pudding and GOAT CHEESE ice cream. Awesome.
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Review from Enid C.
10/21/2011
I have always enjoyed spending time in gardens. I could literally spend hours alone in the Morris Arboretum, just admiring the fresh air of nature and taking it all in.
...but thanks to Talula's, now every time I'm in a garden, my mind will be distracted by a burning desire to eat the entire place to the ground. All the ingredients used here are fresh and local (okay, except for the imported cheese), and it definitely makes a difference in the flavor. We had ordered zucchini blossom tempura, foie gras parfait, seared scallops, and eggplant-marscapone agnolotti (though this may be irrelevant since the menu changes like a girl changes clothes). Every dish was flavorful, light, and left you feeling like you just did a little bit to make Mother Earth smile. Service is friendly and accommodating (the guy from Cafe Estelle is there!), and the decor is not overly Stephen Starr (a plus).
If you have the opportunity to sit outside, particularly in the warmer months, take it. The beautiful outdoor seating area looks like it's taken directly from a page of Alice in Wonderland, right at the part where Alice is joining the mad hatter and rabbit for tea just as she realizes that the tea has been drugged and their true intentions were to force her into slavery to manage the upkeep of the garden to lure more unsuspecting girls into their flourishing, naturally radiant death trap.
(...that's what happens in the book, right?) -
Review from Erin W.
Philadelphia, PA
1/25/2012
I went over the summer and had one of my favorite eating experiences in the city. SO GOOD! The gnocchi (cracked an egg over the dish that cooked as you ate. SO GOOD) and scallops were amazing. I'd go just to sit outside because the garden is so lovely. The chef has changed since I've been, so I'm a little nervous to go back. I have such high expectations from my last visit. I went with a small group, but would be a really romantic date night.
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Review from Kacey K.
Philadelphia, PA
10/2/2011
If the price point was a little more in line with the dishes we were served, I would have gone with a 4. But 3 it is.
The outdoor space was absolutely lovely and our server was great. The food was pretty good overall (the scallops, the duck, the cheese plate), but there were some big misses - the gnocchi was under-seasoned and just not all that tasty; the cocktails and appetizers were WAY over-priced.
We ate there just before Craig LaBan's review came out and 100% agreed with his assessment with the food being "too precious". I also agree with him that there is definitely potential and I should note that we ate here fairly shortly after the restaurant opened, when their original chef was still there. -
Review from Lindsay D.
Philadelphia, PA
8/16/2011
Was it adorable? Yes. Did we have a good time? Yes. Was it worth it? Nope.
The final bill was in the neighborhood of $250+tip for 4 entrees, an app, a dessert, a bottle of wine, and 4 drinks.
I'm not telling you anything new when I say that the portions were small. After reading about the tempura squash blossoms, we ordered them for the table. They were good but nothing extraordinary. It was mostly a big glob of goat cheese inside a fried something.
I had seen July's menu and knew that there was only one vegetarian option - some mushroom-y gnocci which sounded delicious. It was August but the menu hadn't been posted online so I didn't know what I could expect. Like July's menu, there was one veg option and it was an eggplant something or other and I'm just not fond of eggplant. I felt bad but I asked if there was any way the chef could whip up something else for me. Our very polite server asked what I liked - pasta, mushrooms, goat cheese, beets... She went back to the kitchen, returned, and told me that it wouldn't be a problem at all. Fantastic!
Then our orders arrived: 2 scallop dishes, one lobster, and mine: plain pasta with succotash. Lima beans, corn, some tomatoes, and a handful of croutons over some fusilli. It was bland and uninventive and small and so, so, SO disappointing.
Had I known the chef wouldn't have been able to accommodate me, I would have ordered the damn eggplant. I'm not crazy about eggplant at all but I would at least feel that I was getting what the chef could handle. Vegetarians know this: expect one entree on the menu and hope you like it.
I didn't even look to see what I was charged for my meal. I didn't want to know. Over $60 a person was sufficient information. -
Review from Betsey L.
12/1/2011
loved loved loved the atmosphere! its so cute inside w/ potted plants at the table. i think we had a pot of swiss chard at the table. i like all the colors and decor. felt very homey.
our waitress was not the nicest. we were not a fan of her service.
the brioche butter rolls were good but not to DIE for....and i wish they continued bringing more out...
we ordered 3 appetizers to share
- autumn salad: nice and light
- crab'/lobster/beet salad: lots of reviews on it, i enjoyed it. heaps of crab/lobster meat and beets! flavored w/ horseradish sauce
- gnocchi/brusels sprouts: really delicious and i wish i had a plateful....
i had some of my friend's duck, which was tasty, crispy, smokey.
i ordered the scallops bc i always over cook them myself. they were perfectly cooked and i enjoyed the pine nuts/cauliflower. only complaint is that the scallops were a bit on the salty side so the cauliflower helped neutralize the saltiness.
i'd come back for the food and to try a new dish and hopefully get better server. -
Review from Michelle C.
Philadelphia, PA
8/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Walking through the garden on a hot and humid Friday night, I was relieved to be sitting inside. But only because of the weather. The garden itself is a wonderland of flora, lights and the sounds of trickling water. Truly magical.
Inside, the decor is a little more country farmhouse chic, and while the decorations can be a bit overdone in some areas, the overall feeling is very comfortable. We started with the seasonal sangria, served with fresh blueberries, green apple and basil. It was a refreshing choice for the day and I stuck with it on a second round.
First up was "Not Your Granny's" cheese plate, consisting of six cheeses ranging from soft and slightly funky to a bold blue. Each came served along an appropriate accompaniment, and a ramekin with the most delicious flatbreads.
Next we shared the peekytoe crab and lobster salad. I wasn't sure what to make of this, because every bite was different and I alternated between liking it a lot and not being so sure. I do have to admit, the substance covering the salad was a bit off-putting and I later noticed a neighboring diner picking around it as well.
Fortunately, my main course of seared scallops with pine nuts and watercress picked things up again. The scallops were cooked perfectly. I was also so happy we ordered the delicious chard and braised leek gratinee at the last minute - it went perfectly with our dishes, and provided just enough food for a filling (but not too filling) dinner. Art had the wild striped bass with red quinoa, which he absolutely loved.
For dessert, French press coffee and the gooseberry almond crumble, served with black pepper meringue and heavenly lemon ice cream that I would personally like to order by the vat.Listed in: Get Dolled Up!, Cheese, Stephen Starr Restaurants, Nice View!
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Review from Nicole H.
7/29/2011
If Talula's Garden cut their prices in half, or possibly discounted everything by 30%, I'd have a much easier time giving them a 4- or even 5-star rating. My scallops were very good, the drinks I ordered were delicious and the desserts were fantastic, but the prices were simply astronomical given the portion sizes.
Sure, the place is beautiful, but I could say that about half the new restaurants in Philly. Sorry, I'm just not ready to pay $30 for a quarter of a chicken to experience it.
If you are headed over here for dinner, I highly recommend ordering the Carmelized Sea Scallops for your entree and the Sweet Doughnuts and Rhubard Gateau for dessert. Also, make sure to ask for extra bread - that stuff was almost worth the prices. Almost! -
Review from Jenny B.
Cherry Hill, NJ
8/29/2011
I rarely write reviews on yelp, and when I do I was either disgusted or amazed.
i loved this restaurant. I made a reservation for 8:15 pm on a Monday night (tonight) and I was pleasantly surprised that both the inside and outside dining rooms were full. We arrived on time but still had to wait. Which my husband, daughter, and I were perfectly fine with. It gave us time to enjoy their delicious cocktails and enjoy the garden's ambiance. We were definitely not in a city anymore, we felt like guests at someone's home, a delightful start.
The portions of the food were small, but rich and garnished with care. To start we had the Chilled Peekytoe Crab and Maine Lobster Salad, Summer Tomatoes, Lemon, and Hot Paprika, Mushroom Pâté en Croûte, Speck, Chicken Wing, Sunny Quail Egg, and Condiments, Parfait of Hudson Foie Gras, Cherries, Apricot Sauce, Sea Salt, and Brioche... DELICIOUS!
Next we had the Marinated Halibut, Oxtail Stuffed Summer Vegetables, Sea Beans, and Saffron and the Grass-Fed Pennsylvania Beef and Braised Rib, Banyuls and Brown Butter, and Turnip DELICIOUS!!
And for dessert you must have the doughnuts!
We will be back. -
Review from Jason P.
Philadelphia, PA
9/19/2011
Cheese selection and value was delectable. Garden area creates a beautiful atmosphere. Locally grown dishes were scrumptious.
Service was a little slow, but adequate. -
Review from Alex G.
1/16/2012
One of my favorite restaurants in the city. I was fortunate to be taken to Talula's for an interview dinner and liked it so much I took my fiance here two weeks later. The energy, ambience, and decor are great. The feel is somewhere between casual and partially formal. The waiters wear jeans and sneakers and customers wear anything from jeans and a t shirt to a suit jacket and pants. I felt as if any attire is acceptable . I highly recommend the Eight on the farm master collection cheese plate. This includes 8 pieces of cheeses from around the country as well as one from England and another from Italy. My favorite piece was the espresso-topped one (forgot the name). I'm not the biggest cheese fan but this appetizer was amazing. I ordered the seared scallops that came with crisp capers and golden raisins. Also had a pumpkin ale from a local brewery that was great. They have an outdoor that looks awesome and is even nicer than inside but it rained when we went.
