Do you like Italian food?
On the GOOD List
If you do, then go to Ralph's Italian Restaurant in Philadelphia. (760 S 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, (215)627-6011)
There is the history, family owned for over 100 years. There is the ambiance, crisp and clean and very comfortable. There is the staff, they work very hard but do their very best, every time. All of that on a scale of one to ten is an easy 8 (or more), but then.......we get to the food.
I love to cook, and I certainly love to eat. The food I've had at Ralph's has always been prepared and presented so well it just blows me away. No fancy garnish, no $50 plate or toureen, everything goes into the food, the best ingredients, combined to create dishes that will let happiness flow from your mouth to your belly.
This past weekend, in our annual pilgrimage to the Michael Jackson Beer Tasting, we concluded our evening with dinner at Ralph's. This is the second year that we've combined these two in the same night. Our group of nine was well received and we went to the bar on the second floor to await our table. We recounted (really we re-counted) the fine beers we had at the tasting and before we knew it we were off to our table.
Now, picture this, you have 9 people from all different backgrounds, many of which hadn't met the other people until that very evening. Now, you have a long table with one end on the wall. Who sits where? The only thing funnier than watching the "grownups" play musical chairs was the expression on our waiter's face. David, to his credit tried to take us in stride (that's asking a lot), but I'm sure he was thinking, "Oh Jesus, why did I have to get THIS group for my last table of the night!?" Yes we tend to be a bit loud, and that night we were certainly scatterbrained, but the staff, led by David did an absolutley super job.
The food, oh my, the food........... for an appetizer they have mussels in red or white, and this isn't just a little dainty bowl with 6 or 10 mussels, noooooo, we're talking a couple of dozen or so of the biggest, plumpest mussels, in a sauce that begs to have bread dipped in it. For my entree that evening I chose one of the specials. Veal with sun dried tomatoes and artichokes, with crabmeat and shrimp and a sauce that was just out of this world. Again, not a skimpy little artsy portion, we're talking loosen your belt you're doing some serious eating here. Even the side dish of steamed veggies was prepared, seasonings and the combination of greens went very well together. You know what I'm getting at here, most places, your side comes out of a pot after it has boiled there for hours, nothing added, just plopped into a small dish or plate, not at Ralph's, the side dish is another dish, something to be created and meant to complement the meal.
Now the last two things you need to know are this, in this part of Phily the parking is on street, so plan on getting there early and plan on walking a little. I've never had a problem finding a parking spot, you just need to be patient, and it helps to have a passenger with a good eye. Second, prices, this is a place that serves excellent food, and in very generous portions, so you would expect to have to bring a large bankroll with you, right? Wrong. The prices for the wonderful food they serve are very reasonable. So go to Ralph's, try any of the veal dishes, but make sure you go hungry. ENJOY!
