Bibou
1009 S 8th St; 215.965.8290
While standing on the shoulders of giants is laudable, if you've already established your reputation, isn't it easier to just wait until the giants go out of business, then move into their caves? Doing just that, Bibou.
Taking over the South Philly storefront that once housed David Ansill's vaunted Pif, the former exec chef at Le Bec Fin and his wife have renovated the interior, refinished the hardwood floors, and draped the unassuming 30-seat room in a peach/charcoal scheme in order to re-conceptualize the former French BYO as...a French BYO. Appetizers include tarragon-spiked escargot, pan-seared foie gras in cassis reduction, Scottish smoked salmon, and rabbit rillettes, a.k.a. “brown jam” -- also, Darryl Dawkins' first stab at what would become "The Chocolate-Thunder-Flying, Robinzine-Crying, Teeth-Shaking, Glass-Breaking, Rump Roasting, Bun-Toasting, Wham-Bam-I-Am Jam". On the entrée side, choices range from braised pig feet stuffed with foie gras, to hanger steak in shallot red wine sauce, to duck magret in lavender sauce, to butter-seared skate, to scallops served with wild ramps, sure to delight even the goofiest of feet.
Desserts run from a cheese plate, to fresh fruit w/ Chantilly cream, to mango pie meringuée and chocolate millefeuille -- eat enough and your attempts at giant-shoulder-standing will only result in a very wide midget.
