European Republic
213 Chestnut St; Old City; 215.627.5500
When supporting characters are given a chance, they tend to shine, as evidenced by Joey's stranglehold on the coveted Thursday night ratings crown. And to lesser extent, Frasier. Finally stepping into the spotlight they deserve: fries, at European Republic.
Firing up Monday in the Old City storefront most recently occupied by Meju, ER's an orange/ivory-schemed 16-seater adorned with arched windows and framed photos of the European cities that spawned its main attraction: frites, served up in open-top, conically wrapped packaging, perfect for eating on-the-go action, and mirroring the conical head-wrap that denies dogs from giving themselves action. Fueled by the magic of a canola oil deep fry, fresh, thick-sliced frites're served up in three sizes (regular, large, triple) alongside 22 varieties of dipping sauces (first one's free, plus another w/ each size upgrade), from peanut, caviar, and Cajun to smoked salmon, roasted garlic, and Jamaican curry -- presumably both smoked and roasted. Playing the unfamiliar supporting role to the fries're 22 varieties of wraps (also available as halves) that forego the traditional tortilla for a sourdough bread-based casing, filled with everything from spicy, grilled chicken w/ goat cheese, to crispy chicken w/ mozzarella, to grilled salmon w/ Caesar or special sauce, which you would totally G-Love, if that band didn't suck.
ER's also dishing up a selection of pasta dishes, including rigatoni Bolognese, primavera, linguine w/ white or red clam sauce, and penne alla vodka, yet another dish whose supporting character has snagged more than its share of the spotlight in your life.
