179491 Wed Oct 23 00:11:03 -0700 2002 6 15 Pennsylvania 0 965145 Just got invited to Tangerine this weekend, never been myself. What should I expect highlights, lowlights etc? Thanks in advance. Wed Oct 23 00:11:03 -0700 2002 0 SG 1 965146 It's been a while since I was there but I can tell you a few things. I love the atmosphere and decor (though coming in it is very dark and will take your eyes a bit to adjust). The wall with the many votive candles is lovely as are some of the tables with low seats. I remember the staff as being young, attractive, dressed in all black and with somewhat of an attitude. That being said, I thought service was OK though. I also remember having pre-dinner cocktails and thinking that they were way overpriced and not that good at all. I would avoid them. I thought the food was good, espcially some of their tangines and the lamb dish I had. I remember the wine list being a bit steep and generally running from $35 and up (we had a good bottle of Sauvignon Blanc I believe that ran us $42 I think). Tangerine can get pretty expensive quickly if (as we did) you go soup to nuts with apps, entrees, dessert and a bottle of wine. I'll be very interested in hearing your (respected) review as I've wanted to return if it is still good. Wed Oct 23 09:10:37 -0700 2002 965145 0 David De Silva 2 965147 I went at the end of a Starr restaurantcrawl (mostly drinks) and had a lovely mushroom pasta dish, sort of a lunch size - not big and not small. Looks like they're doing it with grilled veggies now. The harissa gnocchi which a colleague got was also yummy and interesting. I don't think I had a cocktail at that point, I think I was having juice. Atmosphere was very urban/slick and dark. It's gorgeous there. Wed Oct 23 10:04:49 -0700 2002 965146 0 Pipsqueak 1 965150 SG: I'd agree with everyone else about the lovely decor. Very chic and sexy inside. The food is tasty but I will admit that on each of the three succesive visits I've made there the portions got slightly smaller and the expensive garnishes got MUCH smaller (e.g. the shavings of Manchego cheese on the arugula salad went from numerous and large, to virtually invisible). The cocktails are a complete ripoff. $8.00 for a Captain Morgan & Coke is robbery by anyone's standards. The house specialty cocktail, the Tangerine Martini is truly the most disgusting and horrible tasting signature cocktail in town. Tastes like St. Joseph baby aspirin dissolved in vodka. YECH! And at about $11.00, most certainly not worth it. I'd say to go for the food, and perhaps order a moderately priced bottle of wine to enjoy with your dinner. Skip the pre-meal cocktails, or have them anywhere else in Old City before dinner. The food and atmosphere are worth experiencing, and the service is decent as well. They're shamelessly making their money on the alcohol, but if you're forewarned about that, then you can still enjoy a very nice dinner there. Wed Oct 23 11:20:39 -0700 2002 965145 0 Katie 1 965151 The highlights are the well-prepared dishes and the low lights are...well...the LOW LIGHTS. Tangerine is too dark for my taste (my having sustained a sprained ankle and fractured foot earlier this year in a dark restaurant)--we had to use the candle on our table to illuminate the menu. Service was good, if a bit pretentious, and the food was served in modified family style, so diners can share without taking food off each others'plates (or, as our server explained, "All the excitement takes place at the center of the table!" My husband had lamb and I had vegetable couscous--both overpriced (if I remember correctly, the couscous was about $17)in my opinion, but very good. I wasn't that taken with the decor--found it rather stagey, but I'm definitely the exception in this. All in all, it was a nice experience but we're not in a hurry to return. Wed Oct 23 13:37:57 -0700 2002 965145 0 Elaine 1 965154 Here's my advice on Tangerine. I probably ate there four times btwn Sept 2000 and 2001 (after which time I left the area). I didn't have much money during that year, but Tangerine worked for me b/c I stuck to appetizers and a glass of wine. It was always very reasonable. From what I've heard, that was the way to go b/c lots of people have not cared for the entrees, which obviously cost a lot more. I used to order these chickpea crepes w/ mushrooms and chicken, if memory serves, that were to die for. Also the manchego/arugula salad w/ almonds, which I always really liked. The 3rd app I would vary. For three people, three is enough, and the food cost is only maybe $25-30. I recall the mussels were good but not amazing. Hope that helps, even though I haven't been there in a while. Wed Oct 23 15:49:30 -0700 2002 965145 0 Megan 2 965173 I've been to Tangerine 3-4 times since 2000 and though it has always been a unique experience as far as the ambiance is concerned, I'd say that overall, considering the great selection of restaurants in philly, it's not worth visiting more than once. The wines are overpriced and not as pleasant as those you would find in the same price-range at a restaurant such as Fork. My permanent residence is in CA and the last time I went, I saw a bottle of CA wine listed for $45 when it costs $8 in my grocery store at home. As far as service goes, the waitstaff, though competent, is always too cold to be pleasant. On my last trip, I took my 20-year-old cousin for her birthday, and they refused to serve her a glass of wine despite the fact that her mother was present and that we were spending loads of money. I agree with a previous poster that the appetizers are safer than the main dishes. I would also recommend the chickpea crepes and the salad that another poster suggested. For a main dish, try the duck but steer away from seafood mixtures or beef. I recall the chilean sea bass to be a little bland. Thu Oct 24 11:39:33 -0700 2002 965154 0 Clare