Craig LaBan has a crush on the cast-iron cuisine coming to light in The Mildred. The kitchen and bar’s beautiful flavors and elegant execution put 8th Street’s rustic, French/Brit bistro on the very top of the two-bell mark.

Some chefs listen to the seasons as their muse. Others channel the ancestral voices of family tradition. But for cooking school pals and partners Michael Santoro and Michael Dorris, the call of enameled cast iron – in particular, their collection of Staub stove-to-tableware – is what guides the Mildred’s menu. The pot that hangs at the center of the restaurant’s sign? It speaks.

Two Bells – Very Good

The Mildred [Philadelphia Inquirer]
The Mildred [Official Site]