Lacroix at The Rittenhouse

We are visiting the Philadelphia area for a while, and visiting friends in the suburbs, so decided to stay for a few days in the Rittenhouse. On looking into reviews of Lacroix, we decided we ought to give it a try for dinner; our hopes/​expectations were truly exceeded. I apologize for not posting photos of each course, but doing that has got to feel too much like work, and that’s not what I’m up to, while having a fantastic meal. Here’s the menu, an image of which also accompanies my review. Scores after each show how impressed we were, and average out to ⁹³⁄₁₀₀.
Saturday, 11 June 2016 — Chef’s Tasting Menu
Foie Gras with quince, golden beet and chicory; paired with 2012 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese by Joh. Jos. Prüm, Mosel, Germany. ⁸⁰⁄₁₀₀
Dutch White Asparagus, baby lettuce, dill, yuzu, trout roe; paired with 2010 Alte Reben Sylvaner Kabinett Trocken by Graf von Schönborn, Franken, Germany. ⁹⁰⁄₁₀₀
Lots of fresh green flavors, it was Spring on a plate!
Halibut, brioche crust, sorrel, caviar; paired with 2013 Winkl Sauvignon Blanc by Cantina Terlano, Alto-​Adige, Italy. ¹⁰⁰⁄₁₀₀
That brioche crust, remarkably thin and crispy, is a real wonderment!
Softshell Crab, spring garlic cream, tabbouleh; paired with 2014 Les Caburoches sec by La Taille aux Loups, Vouvray, France. ⁹⁵⁄₁₀₀
First time ever for softshell, this was Atlantic Blue Crab, nicely browned and lightly crusty for a very pleasing «toothsomeness.»
Rabbit, chanterelle, zucchini, almond; paired with 2012 La Sagesse Côtes-​du-​Rhôné by Domaine Grameron, France. ⁹⁵⁄₁₀₀
Lamb, english pea, baby turnip, mint; paired with 2012 Ciel du Cheval Vineyard by Seven Hills Winery, Red Mountain, Washington State, USA. ¹⁰⁰⁄₁₀₀
We think the name means «Horse Heaven.»
This featured both lamb shoulder and loin meat. I’ve long felt that the shoulder has the tastiest meat on a lamb, and went right to a piece of it first. It was just incredible, and I felt sure that compared to it, the loin might be a bit of a disappointment — was I ever wrong! The loin was equally fantastic, and we both quite loved it.
Miyazake Wagyu (strip steak), sweetbread, red quinoa with Harrisa, apricot; paired with 2008 Señorío de P. Peciña Reserva Rioja, Spain. ¹⁰⁰⁄₁₀₀
The world’s best beef, and sweetbreads, on the same plate, what’s not to love?
CHEESE: Crottin, rhubarb, granola; paired with 1975 Moulin Touchais Coteaux du Layon, France. ⁹⁰⁄₁₀₀
We REALLY liked the idea of a delicious single cheese presented fully arranged. We have been to several restaurants which come ’round with a cart with dozens of cheeses on it, and that’s too overwhelming. By the time they’ve explained the ninth cheese, your brain isn’t likely to be hanging on to all of the information to make its decisions. The crottin, a fresh goat cheese, was very nicely arranged and prepared, and we loved it.
Strawberry, buttermilk semifreddo, lemon verbena, rhubarb; paired with Patrick Bottex La Cueille, Bugey-​Cerdon, France (NV). ⁹⁰⁄₁₀₀
My other half was blown away by this wine, and decided to seek out a source and buy a case of it!
Chocolate, coffee, blackberry, whipped ganache; paired with New York Malmsey Madeira from The Rare Wine Company (NV). ⁹⁰⁄₁₀₀
We couldn’t ask for people to take better care of us while dining, and the ambiance was perfect, as were the very comfortable chairs in a wide table that was plenty big for a great meal. The windows look out at Rittenhouse Square, with its nice variety of greenery, Oaks, Sycamores, Maples, Locusts, Ginkgos, and so forth. The wine pairings were very well thought of, the pace was perfect, staff were far beyond mere competence, and it was clear from their faces and demeanor that they like and enjoy their jobs, and care for giving their guests a great dining experience. Kudos, staff/​team, you do wonderful work! I would also note that there was never a problem understanding anyone, all are native English speakers, with good communication skills. That has not always been our experience, even in very highly rated restaurants. Our menu came hand-​signed by Jon Chichon and Justin Timsit, executive chef and wine director, respectively. Next week we’re going to check out the Sunday brunch!

Fabulous meal with service to match. For our anniversary, we splurged on the Chef’s tasting menu and we’re happy we did.
Each course was a delight to eye and palate with the black bass with mussels being especially worth specific comment.
A fine Chateauneuf de Pape enhanced the wonderful experience.

Amazing chef tasting plate. Best that I’ve had this year.
The booking via Open Table was so convenient. There was a reminder a few days prior.
The restaurant was easy to find. It’s situated in the hotel itself. We arrived early & had some drinks & snacks at the bar. At 1730 we indicated that we were ready to be seated & was brought to our table promptly. There was an amazing window view, overlooking the park across the road.
The waiter came & explained the menu, including the options & we settled for the tasting plate. The food was fantastic. The presentation perfect, explanation was so detailed & everything flowed so well, from the first dish to the very last complimentary dessert dish. We were so full! And satisfied. A perfect mother’s day dinner

The food is very nice and the waiters are phenomenal. We went there for a business gathering. Very fancy experience.

Words cannot describe how amazing the brunch at Lacroix was.
However, as this is a restaurant review, I’ll try my best. The food was incredible. I went into the meal promising myself that if I was not wowed by a dish, I would not finish it. I ate everything — the only items I did not finish were at the end of the meal, when I physically was unable to consume another bite. The hors d’oeuvres were particularly impressive — every item, from the octopus in saffron hummus to the foie gras with shredded phyllo to the potato cakes topped with salmon rillettes and caviar, was delicious to the point that my whole party went back for seconds.
I love the setup of the brunch as well — the main courses are all served in the kitchen, so all dishes are fairly freshly made and patrons have a chance to see the action. After we gorged ourselves on hors d’oeuvres, we found ourselves faced with too many incredible options: the duck confit was decadent, the mushrooms were incredible. The duck and capone at the carving station were both perfectly cooked and served with delicious sauces, completely sidestepping the problem most other buffets face with dehydrated, overcooked meat.
The dessert station was not as plentiful as in past years; it seems that Lacroix has shifted its focus to the hors d’oeuvres (a decision we wholeheartedly support). The crème brûlée was lovely and the bread pudding was just divine. We were too stuffed to fully enjoy the desserts, but the few bites we managed to take were all delicious.
Service was friendly, if a bit inattentive. We were in a semi-​private room and sometimes felt a little forgotten — it took a while for us to flag down a waiter for coffee service. To be fair, servers were doing a fantastic job keeping all the stations replenished.
Lacroix was the perfect place to spend Mother’s Day — it was the most perfect a brunch could be, and honestly, one of the best meals I have ever had.

Excellent experience! Made a trip to Philly for a close friends birthday, wanted to go somewhere really fancy. This was it! We did the 8 course chefs tasting. It was delicious and for the price it definitely should’ve been! If you want a professional dining experience this is a great place to try. Just be prepared to spend a pretty penny or two!

The best brunch in the city. If price is not an issue and you like good food and amazing service then go here. Since the Four Season closed this is the only spot to go for an amazing experience.

Excellent !! Amazing place. Service stupendous. Had New Zealand lamb! Lacroix: An acclaimed AAA Four Diamond Award restaurant, serving breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner made from the very best locally sourced & seasonally superb ingredients. Wonderful.

Has to be one of the most elegant comfortable fun lunches in the area food was delectable service was impeccable everyone was friendly helpful share the different varieties on the menu what beverages they had to purchase it will now be one of my favorite places to have business lunches great business lunch forgot we were at lunch on business that’s how good the food was great view of the park

Came here during restaurant week, the service was great. The food wasn’t «wow» for me to want to come back

We ate an amazing brunch for our anniversary stay at the hotel. It was the perfect end to our little weekend away. The brunch is the very best I have ever had! The service and experience working our way through the kitchen was wonderful. The food made me giddy and a little overwhelmed by its thoughtful preparation and beauty. I can’t wait for another reason to go back.

This place is brunch on steroids. If your looking for a special occasion spot this is a winner. We were a large party and had great accommodations with a semi-​private room. We were escorted through each of the stations (which included walking into the kitchen where more food options were presented) The presentation was a foodies dream. Pillars of petite complicated but delicious bites. Don’t get me wrong you will be stuffed when leaving. Highlights are the create your own Bloody Mary bar and the liquid nitrogen apple cider dessert. I was extremely impressed with Lacroix!

I came here with my family last night because my little sister was visiting from out of town. It was my first time there and definitely not the last. The service was amazing, Michael was super attentive and fun. He explained everything that came out in great detail and gave an amazing wine recommendation. We ordered the chef’s tasting menu and it was phenomenal. We had over 10+ courses, every dish that came out was better than the last. Two favorites of ours was the lobster and also the venison. I will definitely be back again!

I can only say this was one of the most spectacular restaurants we have been to in Philadelphia. First, I don’t think I’ve ever had a server as excited as ours was. She was so thrilled that it was our first time at Lacroix and honestly, you really just can’t fake that kind of enthusiasm.
The food is impressive not only for the quality of the ingredients and preparation but for the wide variety. My husband thought I was deranged when I raved over the English curried peas. He just kept saying «Peas…you’re excited over peas?!?». That was until he made it back into the kitchen and found them for himself! Besides that, he had to drag me away from the two varieties of oysters and several of caviar. Outstanding!

This brunch is amazing. As tourists from DC the closest we have to this brunch is the Four Season and Ritz Carlton brunches.
Price: For two people and a Bloody Mary it was about $ 210.00 on an average Sunday. Mother’s Day 2016 with 6 people was $ 970.00.
Valet: Pull into the Rittenhouse hotel for valet, it is $ 20.00 with validation. Take the elevators to the 2^nd floor and make a left to see a sign «Lacroix 210». Bathrooms are available in the restaurant and on the second floor lobby near the Grand Piano.
Service: My jacket was taken and we were seated promptly for our 11 AM reservation.
Our waiter was a bit shaky, he was a younger guy, but he took so long to get the iced, bottled, and sparkling water going, let alone my vodka, that we got up without his guidance and headed to the buffet. Fortunately the capable host saw our overwhelmed faces and took us on the tour. I HIGHLY recommend you allow someone to show you around for the tour if it is your first time here!
Experience: First they walk you back into the working kitchen! The menu is EXTENSIVE and the heartiest food is back here. Chefs will carve and serve a majority of the food to you. The best desserts (hello liquid nitrogen apple cider and chocolate fountain!!) are in the kitchen as well.
Exiting the kitchen you’ll find desserts, healthy desserts, and Vietnamese styles desserts sitting next to a mini Buddha.
The main hall contains smaller, appetizer portion plates. This food here was a little too much for my palette. I like my brunches to be simple, smoked salmon, omelettes, champagne or vodka, and bacon. lol
Speaking of omelettes there is not a traditional omelette station. Request your omelette through your waiter and he will bring it directly to your table. The bloody mary bar is next to the host stand. They were only missing bacon as far as I could tell. (they have bacon they just don’t have it at the Bloody mary bar).
We were in a rush to get to the football game but we could have easily stayed here for hours enjoying the range of foods.
Attire: I was in black leggings and a long sweater. My boyfriend was a in dark pants, a football jersey, and a Northface coat. We did not feel out of place at all. There were people in collared shirts and dresses but there was also a couple next to us in a t-​shirt and sweatpants.
Ambiance: The ambiance here is much more relaxed than a Ritz Carlton brunch and we loved it!

Lacroix is one of the last of the white tablecloth fine dining restaurants that dominated the Philly restaurant scene in the past. Tucked inside of the Rittenhouse hotel this is one of those restaurants in which you need to dress at least business casual to feel comfortable. The Windows overlook Rittenhouse square, so request a window seat.
I’ve only been here during lunch, or for a restaurant week dinner, since its expensive. Unfortunately, they no longer participate in restaurant week, so I haven’t been here for dinner in a while. Their brunch isn’t even affordable.
The reason Lacroix is still around while the other restaurants of this type are gone is that the food and service is consistently very good. Starting with the excellent bread basket right thru the elegant dessert you well enjoy your meal. Every restaurant week meal I’ve had here has been impressive. They never treated the restaurant week crowd like second class citizens. Most memorable was a pork dish with bacon. At lunch the burger is served with bacon. Bacon always tastes good but the bacon here is particularly great, which is probably why it shows up on multiple dishes. The portions are small, but the presentation is impeccable.
If Lacroix participates in restaurant week again, I’m there!

Everyone comes to this Luxury Hotel for afternoon team and brunch, but I think the DINNER here is definitely a beast and worth of trying as well! I think it’s definitely can be up for Michelin on star List. I can’t compliment more about its food /​environment /​service. My order of 4-​course meal completely turns into a 9-​course adventure!
Location: 5 — it’s on the second level of the known luxurious hotel The Rittenhouse.
Décor: The setting is very mixed culture. Front door faces with a gloden + black shade with Eygptian taste, the reception desk is decorated with orchidacean and candles with asian taste, there is a big buddist stone figure at the end of hallway. The tables and chairs are very European style.
View: 5 — really nice overlook to the Rittenhouse Square. All you see is green!
Menu: it comes with a 4-​course menu or a 9-​course Chef Tasting Menu. The 4-​course menu is available online. 4 choices within one category and there are 4 categories. Generally the main ingredients remain the same, but the side ingredients vary with the season. For example, one day the Foie Gras can go with nectarine, the other day it could be pistachio. There is amuse-​bouche comes first, and petit four in the end. So the portion of 4-​course menu is moderate compared to small in the 9-​course. The 9-​course meal usually have 2 appetizers, 2 fishes, 2 entrees, 1 cheese, and very likely they are coming from the 4-​course meal. If you are very indecisive in choosing one among one category and you are a huge fan of cheese, go for 9-​course Tasting Menu. Otherwise, a 4-​course meal can make your stomach blowing for 2 days LOL.
Food: 5 — Follow me with my food adventure at Lacroix and it is a truely delight for me to make the decision coming.
Bread and butter: besides regular bread, Lacroix offers lavosh cracker (crispy flat bread). Two kinds of butter — regular butter and goat butter. I have to say I love the goat butter more than goat cheese. Goat butter is just so smooth!
Sparkling Rosemary Limeade: strong lime taste tonic water. Not a lemonade, but limeade. :D
Amuse Bouche: Trout roes with cantaloupe sponge, pepper radish, and puffed rice spread on top. Lacroix is very careful in selecting this amuse bouche, trout roes are just perfect — 1) size is small for an appetizer while salmon roe is too big; 2) the color just matches up with cantaloupe sponge; 3) balances out my options in the following 3 entrees. Puffed rice just adds another layer of flavor as the roes are salty, the cantaloupe is sweet.
1^st course: cold served Foie Gras with pistachio, trevisio, mango jello, sided with pistachio dressing. Toast comes complimentary. This Foie Gras is huge! The bread toast very well. Adding pistachio, dressing, and foie gras on top of the a piece of well toasted bread is so delicious. I can eat this for my entire dinner.
2^nd course: grilled turbot with chanterelle, fingerling potato, gnocchi and guanciale. Probably because I didn’t finish the foie gras, the turbot is kinda small, but the taste is just unbeatable. I can totally feel the texture of turbot is tight as it lives in deep sea. The shape of potato is as interesting as its name. Chanterelle is just all my time favorite, which is grilled in nice color with the perfect level of saltiness. Guanciale, or cured meat, is cut in a very very thin layer. I first thought it was a thin layer of radish or some vegetables.
3^rd course: braised veal cheek covered with coconut and pork shred, sided with carrot mousse and plum. I heard this the most popular entrée in Lacroix. Not disappointing and veal is cooked to its softest with hard pork shred. Very interesting combo in your taste bud.
Cheese presentation: just because I took a look at the corner of the cheese cart, the pastry chef is willing to demonstrate current daily cheese selection to me. Parmesan is cut off from the hard cheese, soaked with pineapple jus, topped with lettuce leaves, virgin olive oil, and 50% coco truffle, sided with crackers. This comes as a complimentary item for me in the end — very lucky!
Complimentary dessert: non-​alcoholic dessert beverage: mint, kombucha (fermented tea), blackberry and basil.
4^th course (dessert): chocolate and cherry mousse with sunflower seeds ice cream, decorated with a sunflower. Mousse is perfect in ending the meal as it is light, airy, and non-​heavy. Cherry sort of matches up with what was presented earlier — plum.
Migardises (petit four): actually I was offered with five small sweets! Flavors include thai coconut, strawberry, dark chocolate, basil and etcs.
Complimentary Souvenir: Banana nutella bread. I was informed that microwaving before serving is the best.
I do not live in Philadelphia, but if you have anniversary or any celebration, this place is a perfect pick!
Hope it helps!
xoxo, Q

Brunch at Lacroix is an exquisite dining experience that I will remember for years to come. It is buffet style, and the diversity of the offerings is remarkable. It ranges from traiditonal breakfast foods (e.g. eggs, sausage) to seafood (e.g. oysters, sushi) and everything in between. Indeed there is something for everyone, and there are even some things you didn’t know you wanted until you tried it (e.g. foie gras ice cream sandwiches). The liquid nitrogen station is way cool, and is equal parts delicious and educational.
I have only been here for brunch so I cannot comment on the lunch/​dinner experience. While I would be interested in coming back for lunch/​dinner, I’m not sure it will be quite as magical as the brunch experience.

Words cannot express how much I love the brunch at Lacroix! I’ve been here twice for their Sunday brunch buffet and have been totally impressed both times. From the ambience, the views, the food and their stellar service, Lacroix really pulls out all the stops. The restaurant is located on the 2^nd floor of the Rittenhouse Hotel and has great views overlooking Rittenhouse park (ask for a table near a window). The brunch buffet is $ 75 and does not include any beverages, but before you have a heart attack over that price, please, let me assure you that it is well worth every single penny!
The buffet selection is massive, encompassing two sections in the dining area as well as multiple sections in the kitchen (yep, you get to go into the kitchen!). If you’ve never been before, the friendly staff will give you a tour of all their food sections. The dining room sections of the buffet include a salad section, a raw bar (oysters, caviar, sushi, salmon, shrimp cocktail), a dessert section and a Bloody Mary bar. In the kitchen, you have a chocolate fountain and crepes area, a carving station, Belgian waffle section, bread table, breakfast food section, hot food options (pastas, braised duck, chicken dishes, vegetarian dishes, etc) and finally, a meat and cheese bar. I advise any first timer to definitely pace themselves because you can get full quickly.
In addition to the food, I must really give a nod to their stellar service. You are treated like royalty and I appreciate that they don’t act pretentious or stuck up. Everyone there was so friendly and attentive, but without hovering over your every step. I can’t say enough good things about the brunch at Lacroix and highly recommend the splurge!

This is an amazing place for a Sunday funday brunch. The service is great and the view of Rittenshouse Square Park is very nice, especially since it was snowing. When you are seated, your waiter will give you a tour of the restaurant, showing you where everything is.
Unlimited coffee and virgin juices comes with your meal. There is a build your own Bloody Mary station, which was really, really, fun.
There was an hor d’oeuvres table and raw bar just as you walk in through the entrance. Here you can find deliciousness such jumbo cocktail shrimp, oysters, sushi rolls, caviar, jumbo crab lump turnovers, grilled swordfish skewers, and foi gras.
Inside the kitchen are all the hot foods. There is a massive chocolate fondue station with a variety of fresh fruit and other snacks (e.g. pretzel, marshmallow). There are waffles, eggs, and thick cut bacon — which was probably the best bacon I had ever had. There are other hot foods (I am not sure how often they change their meals) such as scallops, duck confit, brussel sprouts, and saag paneer (an Indian dish with leafy greens).
Don’t forget about the cured meats/​cheeses section and carving station (ribs, beef, lamb)!
The dessert section was also abundant in their selection. Here you can find parfaits, cobblers, and other small bite sized sweets. My favorite was the lemongrass/​ginger crème brûlée. The limoncelle tirimisu was okay — it wasn’t as good as it sounded. To be fair, I am not a dessert person. There was also a grapefruit/​elderflower shooter, which makes a great palate cleanser.
In short, the food itself was not mindblowingly delicious, but for the price and experience it is definitely worth it. I am certain that I will be making another trip here for brunch. I also just now caught a glimpse of a excerpt of someone else’s review and realized I had forgotten to visit the liquid nitrogen station and am now thoroughly annoyed. At least that’s is indicative of the amount of food choices that are available!