Vernick Food & Drink

Toast is usually not the highlight of a meal, but at Vernick Food & Drink it is the one thing you must get.  I'm not talking about the stale, tasteless bread slices that come with lackluster half-frozen butter. I'm talking about thick, hearty slices of Metropolitan Bakery sourdough bread that's been grilled until slightly charred and smothered with an endless combination of spreads and toppings. With an impressive history at Perry Street and at a slew of other restaurants under Jean-George Vongerichten, Gregory Vernick returned home to Philly after five years of expanding the Vongerichten empire to finally start a place of his own.  A fan of ABC Kitchen, a Jean-George restaurant that is also known for its innovative toasts, I was curious how this Cherry Hill native's creations stood against those of his previous employer.

Looking at the restaurant's menu, I couldn't help but want to order everything.  The menu was the perfect length: a substantial, but not overwhelming, selection of toasts, raw seafood, vegetables, small plates, and larger dishes.  Everything is meant to be shared, so we decided to order a dish from each category.  The hardest decision was choosing the toast, but we ended up trying the fromage blanc & kumquats. With the initial bite, you first feel the crunch and then the chewiness of the sourdough bread.  Chew a bit more and the sweetness of the fromage blanc and the tartness of the kumquats will hit you.  It's one of those dishes that could work as a light breakfast, an appetite-stimulating starter, or a satisfying dessert.  Slightly sweet and slightly sour, the fromage blanc was spread very generously.\  

From the raw section, we picked the sea urchin with scrambled eggs.  It was a small pot of soft, runny scrambled eggs, layered with a salty cream foam, topped with a beautiful piece of uni.  The uni was so rich and creamy and had a hint of sweetness that complemented the brininess of the foam, which tasted literally like the ocean.  Although the foam could be a bit overwhelming by itself, the seemingly simple scrambled eggs helped mellow the saltiness.  

An unexpected hit was the warm parmesan custard with pine nuts and pickled artichoke.  Few dishes have the ability to conjure memories of home and warmth, yet this one did. The creaminess of the custard was reminiscent of the texture of polenta, while the pine nuts gave the dish a contrasting nutty crunch.  The acidity of the pickled artichoke gave the dish an extra punch, and I also enjoyed the root vegetable chips that were scattered around.  

Next came the charred brussels sprouts and the roasted half organic Amish chicken.  The brussels sprouts were crispy and their natural bitterness was balanced by the sweetness of the balsamic reduction and the grapes.  Probably the best deal of the night, the Amish chicken is the dish that will fill you up.  Although chicken often has the unlucky reputation of being an unexciting protein, this chicken was incredibly tender and and full of natural juice.  A bit of salt and pepper, a few sprigs of herbs, and a squeeze of lemon was all that was necessary.  

Having a terrible sweet tooth, I persuaded the rest of the group to share the meyer lemon semifreddo with me. A shortbread crust held the lemon semifreddo, which was topped with a meringue, sprinkled with pistachio and kumquat, and drizzled with a berry reduction.  Sweet, but not too sweet, it elegantly ended a perfect meal.  

Few restaurants celebrate new American cuisine like Vernick Food & Drink.  Armed with seasonal ingredients and powered by a creative mind, this place is constantly churning out amazing creations one after another.  So order up, because everything will be a hit.