Last night, in an effort to stick it to snowmageddon/snowpocalypse/snowgasm/snowtorious B.I.G/snowmergency/other-ridiculous-play-on-the-word-snow, Stephanie and I slipped and slid down the icy sidewalks of Center City West to check out Noble: An American Cookery, tucked on a quiet part of Sansom Street near the Roxy Theater. Upon entering, the atmosphere was simple and a bit plain, with a seeming emphasis on minimalism and prairie living that any self-respecting, wine-bar-frequenting hipster would love (including the vintage-style plaid shirts worn by the servers). On this blizzard recovering Valentine’s weekend, the tables were mostly empty, and both floors were quiet for a Friday evening. We sat on the second floor, where the walls were white (or maybe mayonnaise) and bare save for several large, weathered wood mirrors. The street-facing front “wall” was actually floor to ceiling windows, which let in some nice light reflecting off the river of snow and ice that some would call a road below.
The drink menu was fairly extensive, with over 20 wines and the same number of beers, all of which were crafted in North America. For those of you who like your drinks on the harder side, they also have a bar with liquor, but we stuck to wine – pinot noir – and beer – coffee porter – because, well, we’re simple ladies.
The food menu was smaller than the drink menu (not necessarily a bad thing, depending on the type of week it was at work), and, though the menu changes seasonally, many of the elements stay the same, just with different complements and flavors. I began with the sweet potato-mango soup, which had a subtle sweetness and was deliciously rich and creamy. Stephanie had the scallops, which were fairly tasty, but the cold pink Maine shrimp that dressed their tops were almost gag worthy.
The main course was made up of hanger steak (with bacon, watercress and sweet potato puree) for Stephanie, and yellowfin tuna (with polenta and beet puree) for me. Both were tasty, but the sides we ordered stole the show. At the waiter’s recommendation, I ordered the wild mushrooms with garlic, even though I’m not a big mushroom fan. They were somewhat crunchy (thankfully, since chewy mushrooms induce in me an immediate desire to spit them out) and the garlic was refreshing, not overpowering. Stephanie had the roasted brussel sprouts, and the waiter wasn’t lying when he said they were “out of this world.” Absolutely delicious.
While we waited for dessert, I finally looked up toward the ceiling, noticing the wood beams, exposed ductwork and three huge skylights, which were my favorite part of the decor. I’m glad that my eyes happened to wander upward, since there was nothing in the room drawing attention to the interesting features in the ceiling. It was also at this point that Stephanie and I noticed the music, and we were thankful to have not noticed it earlier. I can’t even remember what it sounded like (my subconscious mind may be doing me a favor), but I remember that I preferred not to hear it.
Our desserts came (mine was accompanied by La Colombe coffee), mexican hot chocolate with a chocolate dipped cookie for Stephanie and mexican coffee brulee for me. I was surprised to see the brulee topped with mango sorbet, but the flavors actually served each other well, with the sweet bitterness of the coffee smoothing out the tanginess of the mango. The hot chocolate was dark, thick and enjoyable, and was best eaten by being slurped off a spoon.
Overall, Noble, while not being overtly impressive, was worth the trip (though maybe not the hour wait in the slush for a bus that never came to take me home) and is a place I would return to. The service was absolutely excellent, and wasn’t hurt by the fact that our waiter was on the cute side. If you end up trying out Noble, be forewarned; the way the portions and menu are set up, you’ll want to order a first course or a side, so the price can add up fairly quickly. And, it may just make you gassy, so try to avoid it on a first date.