Exquisite Foie Gras preparations in Philly

[letsindulge]

Coming from CA to visit in-laws over the Christmas holidays. Seeking your most memorable foie gras destinations. We are staying in Collegeville but are willing to travel. Since the ban took affect in July I seek it out every chance I get! TIA.

[borntolovefood]

Don't know about Christmas holidays. But for folks who are here now there is a 4-course foie gras tasting ($45) being offered at Mica (8609 Germantown Ave) tonight (10/31) and tomorrow night.

1st course - foie gras soup; apple dumplings, red baby kale, parmesan
2nd course - foie gras tortellini; butternut squash, sage, banyuls vinegar
3rd course - whold roasted quail; foie gras stuffing, chestnuts, purple cabbage
4th course - foie gras creme caramel; fresh cranberries

[letsindulge]

Yay....more options still! I'll definitely have to start planning in a few weeks out from now. Keep them coming. Loving the recommendations so far. It ALL sounds delicious!

[Buckethead]

Fond has a great new foie dish on the menu as an appetizer, seared foie gras with a spicy cream cheese and pears (the menu said caramelized pears but they seemed more like stewed to me). It's one of the best things I've had there since the tuna tartare with coconut broth.

[george2]

bibou has consistently excellent foie gras. They go through about a lobe (1.5 lbs) a night a a 35 seat restaurant.
Lacroix also has great foie including a foie gras milkshake. Sounds not so good but it's phenomenal.

Haven't tried the other places' foie.

[cocobinga]

Bibou and Sbraga.

Recently had a stupendous foie gras ravioli at Bibou and foie gras tasting at Sbraga. Venison and foie gras terrine from Sbraga was out of this world; along with the famed foie gras soup.

[cook262]

If they have it, the foie gras torchon at Lacroix was wonderful. Have had it twice but not recently.

[barryg]

This slideshow of the best foie gras dishes from Grub Street may be of interest. It has good pictures of many of the dishes mentioned already, and some other dishes. It's from the summer so you might want to check with the restaurants that the dish is still on the menu for fall/winter.

http://philadelphia.grubstreet.com/20...

Does anyone know if Foie Friday is still a thing?

[mookleknuck]

Agree with sylviag about Meritage's ravioli. Most of the rest of the menu is also well-executed.

Another place you may wish to consider will be closer to you than the city: Blackfish in Conshohocken. There usually is a first course appetizer of foie on their menu. I would also inquire as to if they would have any foie tasting menus (theirs is on Tuesday) closer to your arrival and over the holidays. As both Christmas and New Year's are on Tuesdays this year, you may be out of luck, but it's worth an inquiry.

[cwdonald]

If you are checking out Blackfish you might as well check out Mica which is owned by the same chef and has very similar menus. And Ela is run by a chef who used to work with Chip Roman at Blackfish.

The other place that jumps to mind with good foie is Matyson. Its on their regular menu now paired with banana bread, hazlenut puree, crispy ham and a coffee maple reduction.

[Buckethead]

I'm not a big fan of Blackfish or Ela but I do like the foie gras dish at each place quite a bit. I'd recommend Ela to the OP for this, mainly because Ela's foie dish is better than Blackfish's, but also because at Blackfish there is no bar, so you can't go there and just get the foie dish, and I wouldn't recommend a visitor from out of town wasting a meal at Blackfish. Ela has a bar you can sit at and just get the foie dish and head somewhere else for dinner.

Sbraga's foie soup is one of my favorite foie dishes in the city, I wouldn't miss that one. Foie gras creme brulee at Bibou is another but it's a lot harder to get in there. If you do go to Bibou though the foie gras duo (of which the creme brulee is often half of the duo) is usually on the menu and they also have a foie-stuffed pig's foot that's usually on the menu.

[Hungryin theBurbs]

I second the foie at Matyson. I've had it a number of times and it is always good. Like Bibou, the presentation changes, but it is almost always on the menu.

[barryg]

Foie also usually shows up on Matyson's weekly themed tasting menus, this week the theme is "birds" and a duck and foie terrine is part of it. They also have done some interesting things with foie in pho- and ramen-style soups in their noodle popups; their dedicated noodle shop Cheu might be open by Christmas which might have these preparations on the menu.

[sylviag]

If you can't get a reservation online at Bibou, call them. It's small, so reservations are hard to come by.
I love the foie gras ravioli at Meritage - one of the best things ever! They often have foie gras on the menu, but you would have to call to find out.

[cwdonald]

I think your challenge may be that foie is a special on some menus so you wont know whether it will be on the menu or not. That said, probably the dish that is getting the most buzz containing foie is the foie gras soup at Sbraga.

http://www.foodspotting.com/reviews/1...

Two other places that have foie on the menu but change up the preparation are Bibou, and Ela. It can sell out at Bibou so if you are able to get reservations there, you may ask about it and even see if they will reserve it for you.