Some of you Philly suburbanites may know of the resurgence of Phoenixville and it is true - they are making great stride. This has become my new mini Philly. One of my recent stops was the Black Lab Bistro. I am always on the hunt for BYOB's since I love wine and the cost of one bottle in a restaurant, as opposed to the wine store, can mean a difference of 20 to 30 dollars on your bill. The Black Lab had many good recent reviews so it was time for us to venture on in to the crisp yellow walled open kitchen bistro. Our server was delighltful and the atmosphere was mellow. We started with Lobster Bisque and Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp and both were very good. The soup was perfect temperature and texture with just the right touch of sherry. The shrimp were large and flavorful. Next course was a Frisee salad. This was not just any frisee salad. Who buys frisee to make a salad anyway? I don't think many, but I am sure glad they did. I am in love with this salad...delicate frisee...juicy poached pears...perfectly toasted pecans...tangy Maytag blue cheese...crispy proscuitto (this was the icing on the cake) and finally all tossed with a light Cider-Dijon Vinaigrette. What else can I say...except you have to try it to experience the full flavor. With every salad component together in one bite...heavenly. I decided to share this with my husband not knowing how fabulous it would be and now I know I will be ordering one for myself next time. We couldn't even carry a conversation while eating this salad...amazing. Next I had the Filet which was very moist and tender. Unfortunately, it was a little undercooked - very rare. I ate some and had to send it back as I got closer to the nearly raw center. I was thoroughly impressed with our server and how she handled it - checking back with us to make sure I was happy with the end result. I was little disappointed as my dinner was interrupted, but I realize steaks are hard to get perfect. Our service and other delightful dishes made up for the pause in my entree and after our meal when our server presented me with a $25 gift certificate because of the inconvenience, I knew this place was a class act. The Black Lab Bistro rose to the top of my favorite food spots!
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Posted by: Kate | July 20, 2009 at 02:06 PM