1.15.2007

You'll Love it at Levin's

Now that Jeff Garcia is ready to start filming a Chunky Soup promo, you'll need something to do with your Sunday afternoons. It doesn't get any better than a window seat at Lacroix, overlooking the Rittenhouse elite frolicking the Square below. Lacroix's $52 small plate orgy of a brunch is a quiet storm of truffles and mimosas and foams and gelees that runs from the hostess stand into the kitchen. Is that Marcel from Top Chef behind the line? Nah, it's avant-garde genius Matt Levin, who took over the reigns for Jean-Marie earlier last year and is lending a fresh, hip feel to this elegant space. The crowd follows suit. I expected brunchers sprinkling Metamucil in their lobster-cauliflower parfaits, but the posh green velvet chairs are filled with a decidedly younger clientele gobbling up gnarled Windy Point oysters, shots of shrimp cocktail, pork belly with orange marmalade, and strawberry-wasabi smoothies that would be delicious spiked with Ketel 1. The only complaint is that a dress code needs to be enforced. This isn't Chickie's & Pete's. I don't want to see anyone wearing a Von Dutch hat to begin with, let alone in Lacroix's lush environs while I'm trying to pretend I can afford to stay the Rittenhouse. You're killing me, man. Like the Eagles, pack that badboy away till next season.

Lacroix made it to the Top 10 Philadelphia brunch list I updated for Chowbaby.com. Other winners: Fritalian croissant parlor Rim Cafe and Sabrina's for the world's best stuffed french toast with a side of yuppie swag. See the rest of the list at
Chowbaby.

210 West Rittenhouse Square
215-790-2533
www.lacroixrestaurant.com

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