Bob Gordon, August 2014

DINING OUT

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I met Chef Pierre Calmels about a decade ago when he, his wife Charlotte, my wife Sue, and I were judges at the New Hope Food & Wine Festival. Pierre and Charlotte had arrived in Philadelphia only a year or two before. They were living in Switzerland when Le Bec-Fin legend Georges Perrier phoned asking Pierre to relocate to the city as his sous chef. Pierre accepted. It was the start of a beautiful friendship between Philly and the Calmels.

Although the New Hope fest was fairly early-on in his Philly residency, Pierre was sketching out some future plans: “I’d like to do something different. Not crazy, not weird, just different,“ he told us. “I’d like to own a small restaurant. In France we say it’s better to own something small than to pay rent for a big place you don’t own.” 

When Chef David Ansil’s iconic Pif (recommended in ICON years ago. Ansill is now at Bar Ferdinand, which we recommended in the December 2012 ICON) became available for purchase, the Calmels snapped it up. True, Pif made it an iconic spot, but it was also the spot Pierre and his wife had celebrated their marriage. Twice. Long story, short column—some other time.

French cuisine is still vibrant in our region’s delightfully diversifying dining mix. I shudder to recall how low the bar for Philly dining was before Georges Perrier’s arrival. French cuisine—the lone cuisine on the UNESCO’s world intangible heritage list—elevated the city’s bar. Pierre’s success, along with that of fellow ex-pats like Olivier Desaintmartin and Patrice Rames has kept Philly’s cocorico crowing in the post-Perrier period.

Bibou pops up in virtually every Philly top-restaurant ranking. The tone is down-to-earth and friendly, with an understated sophistication. Charlotte sets that tone. She’s a veritable rock star to the regulars, and a de rigeur choice in virtually every rating of Philly’s finest in plying the art of front-of-house operations.

The décor at this intimate 32-seater is subdued. Pale green wainscoted walls are hung with menus signed by culinary superstars like Paul Bocuse and Gerard Boyer. Colorful artistic work conceived by the Calmel’s daughters occupy similar places of equal honor.

But the Bibou story is Pierre’s finesse in what he terms “family-style French.” His gastronomic compass points true French, even when he’s “trying something different,” like his interpretation of escargots. Served in a specially designed plate with a deep channel that spirals out in the shape of a snail shell, tender escargots bathe in tarragon-flavored ragout stocked with fava beans and trumpet-royal mushrooms. The dish exudes the homespun heart of the classic French bistro—as does a tasty winter menu where a terrine of wild boar pâté and sweetbread is dotted with pistachios. A recent country pâté, also studded with pistachio slices, scores with lively house-made apricot and mustard chutney.

Grilled Ahi tuna loin, spruced with shaved fennel and baby beets in rosemary cilantro sauce, is sided with panisse. The outside of the panisse is crispy with oatmeal while the inside is custardy creamy and an ideal textural complement to the meaty tuna. 

A frothy lobster emulsion pools around wild halibut filet confit cooked in olive oil. The elongated stems of beech mushrooms tumble atop the halibut, as leek fondue with truffle brings out the halibut’s succulence.

In a recent entrée, pickled, dried cranberry/red wine duck jus and sautéed chanterelle mushrooms moderate rich, roasted Long Island duck breast.

Bibou is cash-only, no credit cards. Notwithstanding that restriction, Bibou vies with any eatery in the region in attracting and inspiring regulars. Keep that in mind. Walk-ins are rare. Book in advance. For non-Philly readers, I suggest the Sunday 4-course, $45 prix fixe. Center-city traffic is generally less frenetic and it’s an excellent price for fare so elegant, which, I guarantee, is distinct, different, and delicious—and never weird.

Bibou, 1009 South 8th Street, Philadelphia (215) 965-8290  www.biboubyob.com