New chef at Bridgid's

**stabsd** · 10-21-2011, 05:08 PM

Anyone check out the new chef at Bridgid's?
Seemed like a big improvement to me.

**BarryG** · 10-21-2011, 06:02 PM

When did they start? I went there about 5 weeks ago and the menu and food were not very impressive.

**stabsd** · 10-24-2011, 10:00 AM

Started last week. They said he came from Osteria.
Sounds like they will be building the new menu over the next few weeks.

**eldondre** · 10-24-2011, 10:08 AM

Dave?

**skullboy** · 10-24-2011, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by eldondre

Dave?

Yes, it is Dave and it was very good. The menu will expand in time. Possibly the best roasted chicken I have had in quite some time.

**Titus** · 10-24-2011, 11:03 AM

Glad to hear this. Gave up on Brigid's a couple of years ago - the food was just plain lousy a few times in a row while the prices rose quickly at the same time. Hope they new guy makes it a better restaurant.

**eldondre** · 10-24-2011, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by Titus

Glad to hear this. Gave up on Brigid's a couple of years ago - the food was just plain lousy a few times in a row while the prices rose quickly at the same time. Hope they new guy makes it a better restaurant.

I have no doubt that he will, his cooking at osteria was excellent. he used to hang out at brigids which may be how he ended up in the kitchen, lucky for brigid's patrons. looks like fairmount's dining options are finally taking a turn for the better. first rembrandt's, then mccrossens, illuminare, isabel, aspen becoming franklin mortgage, and now this. extreme neighborhood restaurant scene makeover.

**phillycat** · 10-24-2011, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by eldondre

I have no doubt that he will, his cooking at osteria was excellent. he used to hang out at brigids which may be how he ended up in the kitchen, lucky for brigid's patrons. looks like fairmount's dining options are finally taking a turn for the better. first rembrandt's, then mccrossens, illuminare, isabel, aspen becoming franklin mortgage, and now this. extreme neighborhood restaurant scene makeover.

yes! although I have to wonder a little how well Italian food (which I think is his specialty) will go with Bridgid's beer.

Let's throw in something great at the L'Oca location...what would we like to see, now that we have a plethora of Mexican joints coming?

**Moonraker** · 10-25-2011, 11:29 AM

The real question is, is Dave there every night? which are his off nights? usually Mon-Wed etc.

**eldondre** · 12-07-2012, 09:42 AM

Peter McAndrews takes kitchen at Bridgid's

the remaining question is, is he also serving paesano sandwiches in the bar section?

**BarryG** · 12-07-2012, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by eldondre

Peter McAndrews takes kitchen at Bridgid's

the remaining question is, is he also serving paesano sandwiches in the bar section?

Looks like no, but there is a small plate version of the Liveracce: Peter McAndrews Takes Over Bridgid’s Kitchen | Foobooz Philadelphia

**thoth** · 12-07-2012, 12:17 PM

Went last night. The small plates are all priced at $3 to $4 dollars, which I think is a great concept for a bar. Where else could I go and try veal tongue (topped with a fried egg) AND octopus for $7 while downing a few after work beers with colleagues. Both were actually a fair size for the price and it was nice to have an alternative to snacking on wings or other run of the mill barfood.

if McAndrews kitchen is slipping, I didn't notice it at Brigid's. Veal tongue was mind blowing, octopus was good but a little pungent, but I think that's just octopus' natural character.

**the mule** · 12-07-2012, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by thoth

Went last night. The small plates are all priced at $3 to $4 dollars, which I think is a great concept for a bar. Where else could I go and try veal tongue (topped with a fried egg) AND octopus for $7 while downing a few after work beers with colleagues. Both were actually a fair size for the price and it was nice to have an alternative to snacking on wings or other run of the mill barfood.

if McAndrews kitchen is slipping, I didn't notice it at Brigid's. Veal tongue was mind blowing, octopus was good but a little pungent, but I think that's just octopus' natural character.

I've eaten a lot of octopus over the years and I would never describe it as pungent...

**BarryG** · 12-07-2012, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by thoth

Went last night. The small plates are all priced at $3 to $4 dollars, which I think is a great concept for a bar. Where else could I go and try veal tongue (topped with a fried egg) AND octopus for $7 while downing a few after work beers with colleagues. Both were actually a fair size for the price and it was nice to have an alternative to snacking on wings or other run of the mill barfood.

if McAndrews kitchen is slipping, I didn't notice it at Brigid's. Veal tongue was mind blowing, octopus was good but a little pungent, but I think that's just octopus' natural character.

I agree that octopus is not innately pungent. The red onion mustarda it was served with would be though.

The question is not can McAndrews cook, it is can he run 6+ kitchens that are consistently turning out great food?

**thoth** · 12-09-2012, 11:18 PM

Originally Posted by the mule

I've eaten a lot of octopus over the years and I would never describe it as pungent...

Then I guess what I'm really saying is that I don't like the taste of the octopus I've had in Philly. On more than one occasion, and at different, unrelated establishments, I've had octopus that basically just tasted, for lack of a better word, sort of like excrement. Maybe it's just be me, but I like to eat as wide a variety of animals as possible so I keep giving it a shot, but I've had the same experience. Love squid. Want to like octopus, but maybe I don't.

Anyway, I'm not sure if McAndrews can keep it all rolling, although I would imagine the two Paesano's don't require a whole lot of babysitting. They've had the same guys at the Girard location seemingly since it opened and they know what they're doing.

Disconcerting to hear Modo Mio is slipping, but maybe it was a fluke because of recent expansion. Got my sis and her bf gift certificates to Monsu and they both said it was great, and I'd like to think they could be constructively critical even if it wasn't and they were trying to be nice. All anecdotes I know.

**Titus** · 12-10-2012, 09:37 AM

We, too, had heard that Modo Mio had slipped, but we had a wonderful dinner there about a month ago.

**dcss1205** · 12-10-2012, 10:00 AM

Went this past Saturday, all three of us thought our meals were greasy & we told thm. For 10 tables, 2 wait staff & a runner bus-person, service was slow.

Food was good, well prepared, visually appealing. Portions are not filling, though I do miss there signature oval plate with 2 courses on it.

**eldondre** · 12-10-2012, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by dcss1205

Went this past Saturday, all three of us thought our meals were greasy & we told thm. For 10 tables, 2 wait staff & a runner bus-person, service was slow.

Food was good, well prepared, visually appealing. Portions are not filling, though I do miss there signature oval plate with 2 courses on it.

you went to bgs or modo mio?

Originally Posted by thoth

Then I guess what I'm really saying is that I don't like the taste of the octopus I've had in Philly. On more than one occasion, and at different, unrelated establishments, I've had octopus that basically just tasted, for lack of a better word, sort of like excrement. Maybe it's just be me, but I like to eat as wide a variety of animals as possible so I keep giving it a shot, but I've had the same experience. Love squid. Want to like octopus, but maybe I don't.

I had octopus in Puerto Rico and liked it a lot, then I had it in chile and liked it. I had it at bar ferdinand, meh. maybe you should just buy some marinated octopus at dibrunos or claudio's. Id guess amada or tinto has it.

**thoth** · 12-10-2012, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by eldondre

you went to bgs or modo mio?

I had octopus in Puerto Rico and liked it a lot, then I had it in chile and liked it. I had it at bar ferdinand, meh. maybe you should just buy some marinated octopus at dibrunos or claudio's. Id guess amada or tinto has it.

yeah could just be whatever funky supplier local restaurants are buying from. I had it in peru as a part of a ceviche and thought it was tasty.