Bar-Ferdinand

Ansill’s Triumphant Return to Philadelphia at Bar Ferdinand

Posted by Foobooz on May 13th, 2013

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Craig LaBan bestows an enthusiastic two bells on David Ansill’s version of Bar Ferdinand.

The fennel-crusted tuna, essentially Spanish-inspired sashimi draped over haricot verts, caper berries, kalamata olive vinaigrette, boquerone anchovies, saffron-tomato conserva, and shaved bottarga (“a little smoked tuna dust!” says Ansill), pushed piquance to the edge of boldness without sliding over. His citrusy, sous-vide-cooked octopus was meltingly tender. A simple crab “croqueta,” almost fluffy with sweet meat beside a crunchy nest of shaved fennel and citrus, showed classic elegance.

A crock of crispy noodle fideos tossed with sherry cream and wild mushrooms brought focused, earthy vegetarian flavors. But Ansill’s talent for alt-meats is also on joyful display. Aside from the shoestring shreds of fried pig ears with purple mustard, there were juicy squares of pork belly with a bacon-sherry reduction, and pork cheeks, brined overnight, then sublimely braised in tomato brava sauce sparked with ginger.

Two Bells – Very Good

From Jamaica to Northern Liberties [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Bar Ferdinand [Official Site]

New Wood-Burning Oven and Menu at Bar Ferdinand

Posted by Taylor Bush on April 18th, 2013

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Northern Liberties’ Bar Ferdinand is busting out a fiery new addition to its Liberties Walk space: a handcrafted wood-burning oven, constructed by owner Owen Kamihira himself. Chef David Ansill, inspired by the flavors of Spain, is offering a new Late Night Menu that features an assortment of small and large dishes straight out of the oven.

The new late night menu is available in the bar and dining room and is offered Sunday through Thursday from 10:00pm – midnight and Friday and Saturday from 10 p.m. – 1 a.m.

Bar Ferdinand’s new late night menu is divided into Tapas ($4 – $14), Spanish Flatbreads ($12 – $13), Raciones ($10 – $14) and Charcuterie & Cheese ($15 – $18). Familiar dishes like Spanish Octopus share space with bold roasted dishes including brandied chorizo, sardines and shrimp coca.

Bar Ferdinand [Official Site]

It’s a Pig & Paella Party with David Ansill at Alla Spina

Posted by Foobooz on April 1st, 2013

Alla Spina’s monthly industry night is back tonight with Bar Ferdinand’s David Ansill cooking up more paella than George Costanza’s mother could comprehend.

There will also be suckling pig, Spanish vegetable dishes and the promise of gallons of Ommegang beer and Bar Ferdinand’s sangria.

The food is free, the drinks are a bargain, just remember to bring your hospitality industry pay stub. The pig and paella pandemonium kicks off at 10 p.m.

Full list of food and drink »

One Month, Nine Bars, No Repeats

Posted by Foobooz on February 15th, 2013

For the month of March, nine Northern Liberties bars are getting together and making sure they don’t pour the same beer twice. They’re calling it Northern Exposure and plan to offer an unrivaled draft list of over 100 unique beers through the month.

There is no cover charge or tickets, just pay as you go for beers. They’re encouraging small, self-guided bar crawls and there will be Beer Passports to help record the beers tried. Complete one brewer’s offerings in the month and get some free swag.

Check out the Northern Exposure Facebook page for more information and follow @ExposureFest on Twitter.

The participating bars »

The Revisit: Bar Ferdinand

Posted by Trey Popp on February 13th, 2013

In Hollywood, where the slightest hint of risk can make a studio boss yank the latest Terry Gilliam project out of production to green-light another reboot of Tomb Raider, there’s one sort of gamble that can seem irresistible. Take a film or TV property whose fortunes are flagging, attach one of yesterday’s stars, and hope for a double-comeback.

A similar bet is now playing out in the Philadelphia restaurant scene. Last summer, Owen Kamihira made a bid to rejuvenate Bar Ferdinand—which put Liberties Walk on the culinary map back in 2006, but has coasted through the last few years on cruise control—by handing over the kitchen to David Ansill.

You remember Ansill, right? No star burned brighter in pre-recession Philadelphia. The chef gained fame at Pif, and then notoriety at the frequently brilliant Ansill Food + Wine, where he became Philly’s ambassador of offal right when the city was waking up to the bottom half of the hog. But then he went supernova, lost his restaurants, turned up at Ladder 15 (of all places), and eventually fell to earth in Jamaica.

Foobooz broke that news b y quoting Ansill on one of his motivations: “I like to smoke pot. Lots of pot. And I need to go somewhere that I can do that.” He had identified a suitable venue, the story continued, via a “friend whose name is apparently ‘26.’”

Read the rest of this entry »

David Ansill’s New Menu Drops At Bar Ferdinand

Posted by Jason Sheehan on November 15th, 2012

The menus at Bar Ferdinand have been in a state of flux ever since itinerant chef David Ansill came back from an ill-fated voyage to Jamaica to take over kitchen operations at the NoLibs tapas joint. There have been plenty of tasting menus put up by the back-of-the-house crew, but now it looks like Ansill has put his stamp on a final version of the regular board as well.

As things stand right now, the menu offers a wealth of small plates, plus family-style share plates (like wood-fired whole-roasted fish and Valencian paella) and a nightly tasting menu designed by Ansil that will go for just $45.

Want to get a peek at the new menu? Check it out after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

Six Pack: Empanadas In Philly

Posted by Maegan Cadet on November 6th, 2012

One could argue that the two best things in the world are meat and fried food. If you are the type of person who would make such an argument, then feast your eyes on the empanada.

The empanada is a crispy pastry stuffed with meat, cheese, fruit, or anything in between, depending on the chef. Most typically served in Latin cuisine, the empanada can count as a small snack or an appetizer leading up to a gut-busting meal.

Luckily for you, Philadelphia has several options to satisfy any one of your empanada cravings.

Read the rest of this entry »

Mache Salad With Crispy Lamb Fries from David Ansill at Bar Ferdinand

Wait… Does he mean this kind of lamb fries? #YesHeDoes

David Ansill’s Tasting Menus Go Nose-to-Tail

Posted by Aubrey Nagle on October 2nd, 2012

The next set of David Ansill’s Chef Tasting Menus at Bar Ferdinand has been released. The three menus to come on October 4^th, 11^th, and 18^th will center around a “Nose-To-Tail” theme: The Pig on the 4^th, the Lamb on the 11^th, and the Cow on the 18^th. That’s right, for $40 a person each of the eight courses will focus on a different part of the animal. Sound interesting? Wait till you see the menus.

UPDATE: Menus through November 8th are now posted.

Read the rest of this entry »

Bar Ferdinand’s 6th Anniversary is This Saturday

Posted by Aubrey Nagle on August 24th, 2012

This Saturday August 25^th get your fill of David Ansill at the Bar Ferdinand 6^th Anniversary Party. From 11 a.m. to close, join the party with an a la carte menu of roasted pig, live flamenco performances, Spanish wines, and free midnight paella.

Bar Ferdinand [Official Site]

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Bar-Ferdinand

Ansill’s Triumphant Return to Philadelphia at Bar Ferdinand

New Wood-Burning Oven and Menu at Bar Ferdinand

It’s a Pig & Paella Party with David Ansill at Alla Spina

One Month, Nine Bars, No Repeats

The Revisit: Bar Ferdinand

David Ansill’s New Menu Drops At Bar Ferdinand

Six Pack: Empanadas In Philly

Mache Salad With Crispy Lamb Fries from David Ansill at Bar Ferdinand

Wait… Does he mean this kind of lamb fries? #YesHeDoes

David Ansill’s Tasting Menus Go Nose-to-Tail

Bar Ferdinand’s 6th Anniversary is This Saturday