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Written by Brian Freedman
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A steakhouse we can sink our teeth into.
The food we eat is just as much of product of the culture in which we
live as it is of our own personal tastes. Think, for example, how
different our gustatory lives would be if we were raised in a different
place, a different time, a different culture. Thankfully, there’s
always room for growth.
Bridgets 8 West Chef Scott Simmers, for example, spent eight years in
Kona, Hawaii, cooking at the Four Seasons. His time in paradise has
clearly influenced his craft, which is a treat for his guests, most of
whom, I’d imagine, don’t enjoy Hawaiian food all that often.
Of course, there is no poi here, there are no hula girls offering you
leis upon entering the restaurant. It is, thankfully, not that kind of
Hawaiian experience. But if you pay attention to the menu and to Chef
Simmers’s clever use of unexpectedly Polynesian ingredients that
add interest to otherwise familiar dishes, you’ll understand exactly
what he’s aiming for.
Take, for example, the Maryland lump crab cakes ($14) – as standard an
item as you’re likely to see at a restaurant. At Bridgets, it seems,
there’s always a twist. In this case, they’re made with lump crab meat,
wasabi mayonnaise, roasted shallots, fresh herbs and panko (which, if
you ask me, makes everything better). It may seem like a lot of
ingredients to go into a humble crab cake, but it worked brilliantly
and, in this case, raised what is
often a rather pedestrian (albeit reliable) dish to something
altogether delicious. That wasabi kick
was just what the cakes needed.
Even the spinach salad ($8) was given a nice South Pacific twist. Homemade, emulsified mango
poppy vinaigrette clung to leaves of baby spinach, making a delicious base for the sun-dried
cranberries, mung bean sprouts, mandarin orange slices and candied macadamia nuts. Like the
crab cakes, it was nothing too exotic, nothing requiring a terribly adventurous palate to enjoy, but
well-prepared and tasty.
Entrées were conceived in a similar manner. The mango barbeque
chicken ($19) gave new life to
the summertime standard, though I have to say that it made me long (in
futility) for the warmer, sunnier days that seem so far away.
It was nothing more, really, than a barbequed chicken whose skin—perfectly caramelized—had
been brushed with a mildly sweet mango barbeque sauce that was then given excellent depth by
the charred, smoky flavors of the grill. The meat was particularly moist, which worked well with
the texture of the skin. The only less-than-stellar part of this dish was the pineapple poppy seed
coleslaw, which seemed a bit bland in comparison.
The wok-seared red snapper ($24) was the most overtly Asian of our dishes that night, though it
wore its provenance lightly. There was nothing gimmicky about it. It was just a well-conceived dish
whose every aspect — from its preparation in a wok to ingredients like shaved ginger, cilantro, hot
peanut oil and black bean sauce — was carefully calibrated and successfully carried off. The flavors
were clean and clear, and the result was exciting yet not overwhelming.
Desserts, as is often the case, were a step down. The bananas
foster with Kahlua whipped cream,
($8) was a bit too sweet, and the deeper, more interesting flavors of
the dish were overpowered. Perhaps someone with more of a sweet tooth
would have enjoyed it more, but even Ms. Martini, whose teeth are
actually made of sugar, couldn’t have more than a few bites.
The sorbet martini ($8), though, a trio of white peach, ginger and mango, was much better. After
a meal like this, my palate needed to be cooled down from working so hard, and this was just the
right thing.
It’s not often that a restaurant succeeds as well as Bridgets 8
West does in fusing the recognizable
and the exotic. Don’t go there expecting Don Ho and a luau. Simply make
a reservation with the
understanding that you’ll get a solid meal that will be informed by a
culinary tradition that’s, unfortunately, not yet on the Philadelphia
radar.
With luck, more people will begin to appreciate all that it has to
offer. Chef Scott Simmers is
certainly doing his part, and Bridgets 8 West is a great place to
start.
Bridgets 8 West is located at 8 West Butler Pike, Ambler, Pa. 19002 and can be visited online at
www.bridgets8west.com.
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