City Tavern is modern fine dining in the very building where the signers ate and drank - with the very food and drink they may have enjoyed. Like Gadsby's in Alexandria, City Tavern wants for you to have the most historically accurate meal possible while still affording you the conveniences of modern life, like air conditioning and credit cards. This means the recipes, tableware, furniture, and even the colonial garb of the waiters are carefully researched and crafted.
Even the beer has a history.
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| 1.George Washington's Tavern Porter 2.Thomas Jefferson's 1774 Tavern Ale 3.Poor Richard's Tavern Spruce 4.Alexander Hamilton's Federalist Ale |
The Tavern offers a Beer Sampler of the Ales of the Revolution from Yards Brewing Company. The two beers that really stand out are based on real revolutionary-era recipes. Washington's Porter somehow retains lightness against the deep taste of molasses. Its dark and malty but not heavy. Poor Richard's has a woody, smoky quality that sits on the back of your tongue and makes you wonder until you can't help but take another sip. (a hint: it's the spruce) We felt Jefferson and Hamilton's ales were good, but more like beers found in the modern era.
Before the meal, we were offered a selection of warm colonial breads. As soon as the pewter plate hit the table the fragrance of spices filled the air. Suddenly, it was a warm autumn day in a baker's kitchen. I could have sat there sniffing that perfumed air all day. A little butter made each slice a piece of heaven.
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| Pecan Sweet Potato biscuits, Spiced Molasses bread, and Colonial White Bread |
I debated on ordering the rack of lamb, but it just didn't seem to be uniquely City Tavern. I wanted something historic and complex that said "Here I am in Philly and I'm so glad I made the trip (as if the bread didn't already win me over)." I settled on the same dish as my last visit: chicken Madeira.
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| Chicken Breast Madeira |
Colonists may not have known what umami is, but they sure nailed it. Colonial food is full of rich gravies and dressings, and Madeira sauce is no exception. The earthy mushroom demi-glaze with a sweet tang of Madeira wine smothers chicken and mashed potatoes. The chicken is a full breast butterflied and perfectly cooked to be moist - no waste and no shortcuts. The mashed potatoes below are simple and not heavily seasoned. Rather than taking attention away from the sauce, they are the perfect sponge to get every last drop off the plate.
The mashed potatoes, Madeira sauce, and chicken played together wonderfully and the dish was just what I wanted.
Another round of those tasty breads came out with the food but we didn't have any room in our tummies to even consider touching it, so our nice waiter packed it up for us to take home. And this morning, I ended our meal in our own colonial hometown with crunchy pecan sweet potato biscuits and dark spicy molasses bread.
A trip to City Tavern is worth the $20 in tolls.
Because History tastes good.
Stumble it!