Craig LaBan Totally Loves Serpico

After all of the breathless praise and buzz that Peter Serpico and his eponymous restaurant received from the food set and local media, Philly was still waiting for that one stamp of approval that matters more than any other: Inky critic Craig LaBan. And he loves it. In fact, LaBan said that his experience at Serpico was "a debut that came as close as any to landing four bells on the first try."

He spent the majority of 20 paragraphs talking up the amazingness coming out of the kitchen, the wonderful service, and the unlimited potential for Philly's brightest young star. While LaBan is not a proponent of modern chef trickery and gymnastics, he gave kudos to Serpico's restrained use of gums and powders to accentuate flavors and presentations. And in the case of the "Frankenlamb"—LaBan's favorite dish—Serpico glued hunks of shoulder meat in between the bone and fat of traditionally small lamb ribs to make them beasty and plump, which LaBan wholeheartedly approved of.

All-in-all it's a lovefest from beginning to end, and worth a read. But, if you haven't already been to Serpico, good luck getting a free seat now that LaBan dropped three bells (three-and-a-half, really) on the place.

· Crazy-Wonderful Food Presentations [Philly.com]
· All Serpico Coverage [~EPHI~]
· All Week In Reviews Coverage [~EPHI~]