Craig LaBan who has been a big fan of Matt Levin at Adsum and Lacroix comes away disappointed in the chef’s latest endeavor,  Square Peg.

But along with Square Peg’s many other flaws, too many dishes here went wrong, with poor execution that’s uncharacteristic of a Levin kitchen, or just bad ideas. The chewy chicken wings lacquered in an over-spiced glaze of white chocolate-habanero cream was both. The pierogi, one of the highlights at Adsum, were both pasty and greasy. The fried clam belly sandwich was cooked to rubber bands. The shrimp crackers with the fried calamari, meanwhile, were undercooked, with uncuffed corners lodging in my teeth. The fried chicken “Cobb” salad was drenched in an oversweet Asian dressing. An attempt at house-made scrapple — a current rage — was disastrous, a livery gray loaf of dried-out pork pudding that made us long for an old-school slice of Habersett’s.

One Bell – Hit-or-Miss

Craig LaBan review: Square Peg [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Square Peg [Official Site]