Foodsday Tuesday: [Gira]sole Food

Something about a fun invitation—this time in the form of a note tied to the stem of a sunflower—makes me want to cancel all plans and head to the event in question. This invite beckoned me to Girasole, a new(ish) restaurant in the ground floor of Center City's Dranoff-developed Symphony House condominium building that got its start in Atlantic City. The small restaurant, with its gold-upholstered banquettes and black granite tabletops, isn't as bright and cheery as one would expect from a restaurant named for a sunflower, but it's certainly Italian in that "Dude, where's my Godfather theme music?" kind of way. (It's an observation, not a negative. Perhaps negative, though, are the plastic chairs at every table in the dining room. Summer heat + short skirt + plastic = not the most pleasant dining situation.)

But enough about the decor—there's food to discuss! And wine: the wine list is impressive, including a few Oregon wines I got hooked on during a recent trip to Portland and can't find anywhere in Philadelphia. For our dinner, though, we enjoyed an easy-drinking (if forgettable) trebbiano with our first courses, and then switched to a very smooth and enjoyable ripasso when it came time for the pasta courses.

The meal started off with a melanze e zucchine al forno, a sort of lasagna that utilized eggplant instead of pasta. By far the best thing we sampled all night (and I usually don't even like eggplant!), the dish was light and fresh-tasting, using summer's best ingredients: tomatoes and zucchini, with just enough mozzarella cheese to hold everything together. Then we were on to a very fresh but somewhat standard crudo sampler. Standard, however, doesn't mean un-enjoyable and I enjoyed every bite of my raw fish, Italian-style, far more than the sushi I had for dinner the following night.

Next up: two pasta selections, both with noodles that certainly had homemade taste and consistency. The first, a tagliolini with shrimp and fresh tomatoes, was light, summery, and perfectly portioned. The second, a divine passatelli with sausage (and mushrooms, if unlike me you didn't have a traumatizing high school biology teacher and can actually eat them without cringing) was much heavier than its predecessor but because it may have been some of the most-perfectly cooked pasta I've had in months, I bore the weight gladly.

Unfortunately, the entrees did not go as well as the courses before them: a filet that, while relatively-well seasoned was over-cooked, chewy, and cold; and two beautifully presented but slightly briny jumbo prawns, especially inexplicable because of the shrimp pasta that had preceded them only two courses before. Fortunately, dessert wasn't far behind and a homemade apple dessert stood out among three chocolate selections also on the plate as a welcome palate cleanser.

In summary: Girasole—decor meh, entrees blah...but hooray for vino, pasta, and eggplant. I wouldn't rule out a return visit.

Quick Nosh:

• Like sandwiches? Not as much as the guys at Unbreaded, who will be hosting Sandwich Smash 2009, a chef's tasting and demonstration event this October. Tickets went on-sale today after a week-long pre-sale. Sandwich Smash has partnered with Philabundance and event attendees are encouraged to donate peanut butter and jelly to the cause.
• When you think "gluten free," you don't usually think beer, but all eight Iron Hill Brewery locations in the area have launched a special gluten-free menu with over 40 dishes. Great work, guys—now how about a Philly location?
• Top Chef: Las Vegas premieres on Bravo tomorrow and will feature two (female!) Philadelphia contestants: Jennifer Zavala of Xochitl and Jennifer Carroll of 10 Arts.

Photo courtesy of Cashman & Associates