Meme

[Beulah]

We ate at Meme for the first time Saturday night. When we arrived at 6 PM (we're early eaters) there were already several tables filled.

One change they've made for the better is the relocation of the entrance from the corner of Spruce & 22nd to the rear of the restaurant on 22nd St -- keeps the arctic winds from blowing through the room.

The menu is limited but there is something for everyone on it, I think. For apps I chose the sizzling mussels and my spouse had the scallops with butternut squash - we asked them to hold the bacon as we have to avoid sodium as much as possible. The scallops were perfectly cooked and delicious. The mussels were different from anything I've ever had -- and I've had a lot of mussels in a pretty long life, to date. They were out of their shells and served sizzling hot in a heavy metal open casserold -- very tasty.

My husband ordered the catch of the day, tilefish, and I had the chef's specialty, Moroccan lamb with apricots. The tilefish was excellent and I liked the lamb but thought it could have been a little tastier.

For dessert my husband had an off-menu special, baked Fuji apple with maple ice cream and I had the brown butter cake with pumpkin ice cream. Both were very good but the apple was really special.

We had loved his food when he was at Restaurant M in the Washington Square area, but that was much more elegant than this. These dishes are good but not as "haute" as at M.

[heartdoc]

My wife and I ate there Sat night and I had the best steak, the Wagyu skirt, in a very long time. My wife had the catch of the day, swordfish which was OK, had to be sent back because it was raw in the center. That's always off puting to me as a diner, when fish isn't properly prepared.
All in all, a nice addition to Philly BYOB circuit.

[Beulah]

Try eating at one of my favorite restaurants in New York, Le Bernadin, and you'll learn to love fish that's pink in the center. Now I strive not to overcook fish!

[mazza3]

it really depends on the fish (both quality and type). if you have trust issues with eating seafood out then it is ok to return a fish for being pink in the center. swordfish is typically safe, but swordfish can grow tumors and have other health problems, so it is ok to be cautious. i worked in a seafood market for many years and prefer my fish slightly undercooked but not everyone has to like it or even want it that way.

[Ali]

But to not like it or want it slightly undercooked is different than saying that it's "improperly prepared." Fish is one of those things that gets served slightly undercooked half the time, and unless heartdoc's wife specified (which we don't know whether or not she did), the fish isn't necessarily improperly prepared so much as not how she wanted it. It's a minor quibble to be sure, but it's one that can make a difference in a review of a restaurant. Perhaps heartdoc can weigh in and clarify?

[heartdoc]

My wife and I, for that matter, prefer our fish cooked all the way through. i guess, we should specify that in future, but it's something we both agree on and as I said prefer. Nuf said.

[Seeker19104]

How were the prices? I've walked by and seen a big blackboard displaying menu items without prices. Before going to a restaurant, I like to estimate how much it will cost me.