Posted by Sam Bloch on May 13th, 2013
The Saint James in Ardmore has been plagued by a number of poor reviews since it opened just a few months ago. Critics complained about weak service and even weaker food, to which owners Michael Schulson and Rob Wasserman responded by purging some of the opening staff (including chef Matt Moon) and reworking little things like Happy Hour menus.
But now the St. James has made a big menu change. A few weeks ago, they rolled out a new board which is much more limited than the opening menu, with the daily specials and flat breads sections cut entirely along with a number of smaller revisions. Having eaten there several times over the past few months, I saw a significant uptick in the quality of the food when I dropped by on a quiet Thursday night (less than a third of the tables were filled at 7 p.m.) after the recent change. There’s a solid raw bar, bowls of mussels, a pork belly sandwich and sides of English pea risotto and brussels sprouts with bacon. I enjoyed a simple cheeseburger that was not overdone and served on a soggy bun like the others that I had failed to enjoy on previous visits. And now, with this tighter, more focused menu, the St. James may even start producing food good enough to make folks forget about the terrible reviews handed down by both Craig LaBan and Foobooz’s Trey Popp and get some customers back through the doors.
You can check out the St. James’s new menu here.
Saint Or Sinner? [Trey Popp's Review]
St. James [Official]
Related: Food, Ardmore, Ardmore Restaurants, New Menu, Suburban Square, The Saint James
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Posted by Foobooz on March 4th, 2013
Trey Popp reviews the Saint James in Ardmore. What was once the culinary hope of the Main Line gets savaged.
Gnocchi with braised brisket featured the meat in puzzlingly large hunks, too dry to shred apart. The “juice” of a flat-iron steak had all the umami of water squeezed from cardboard. There was a properly cooked salmon fillet (sauced, in December, with pesto), and I liked a crispy clam-and-bacon flatbread. But not enough to offset the watery mushroom soup.
No Stars – Poor
The Suburban Sins of Saint James [Philadelphia Magazine]
Saint James [Official Site]
Related: From the Magazine, Reviews, American, Ardmore, Main-Line, Reviewed, The Saint James, Trey Popp
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Posted by Foobooz on January 28th, 2013
Craig LaBan smashes The Saint James in Ardmore with a stinging no-bell review. Plates were dropped with regularity,the meat was over-cooked and salads were under seasoned. Is the problem, the location?
Finding skilled restaurant workers in the burbs is “painful,” says Schulson, whose Saint James kitchen had an 85 percent turnover in the first three months. But the problem is as much economic as geographic, he concedes, with line-cook wages only barely above what some say they’d receive in unemployment compensation. The culinary passion that drives many young chefs through that rite of passage is especially scarce outside the city. But given that Moon told me “only the sous-chef and a dishwasher” remained in his kitchen since my final visit, just a week before our conversation, I’d suggest that a pay increase is in order. Or perhaps these owners just aren’t cut out for multiple restaurants.
No Bells – Poor
The Saint James [Philadelphia Inquirer]
The Saint James [Official Site]
Related: Reviews, Craig LaBan, Main-Line, Matt Moon, Michael Schulson, Reviewed, Rob Wasserman, The Saint James, Zero Bells
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Posted by Jason Sheehan on January 14th, 2013
Or boom-neighborhood, I guess. Or boom-region?
Whatever.
Over on the Insider, they’re reporting that yet another “Center City operation” is looking at branching out into the ‘burbs. Following in the footsteps of Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook (who opened Citron & Rose in Bala-Cynwyd last year) and Michael Schulson and Rob Wasserman (who brought The St. James to Ardmore), it looks like Nick Pashalis (of Estia and Pietro’s Coal-Oven Pizzeria) has his eye on a former Buca di Beppo on Lancaster Avenue in Wynnewood.
The project is a long way off (and will, eventually, become two projects, with the massive space being divided up between another Pietro’s and a casual version of Pashalis’s Estia), but what’s important here is that this now makes three large operators who’ve taken a look at the situation in Center City, then taken a look at the long-neglected scene out on the Main Line, and decided that maybe it was time to make the big jump. And the reason I find this mini-trend so interesting? Because it’s something we were talking about more than a year ago, when Philly mag’s Neighborhoods issue hit the stands.
Read the rest of this entry »
Related: News, Citron & Rose, Estia, Main Line Restaurants, Nick Pashalis, Pietro's Coal-Oven Pizzeria, The Saint James
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Posted by Amanda Shulman on December 7th, 2012
On Saturdays and Sundays beginning at 11 a.m., the Saint James will be serving up brunch. While its tempting to stay cozied up at home on weekends, you should probably roll out of bed because these new offerings will put your bowl of cereal to shame. The brunch features classic fare as well as flatbreads, sandwiches, soups and salads.
Standouts include a Challah French Toast with maple syrup and cinnamon apples and an Asparagus & Crab Egg White Omelet. Round out your meal with hearty sides like cheddar biscuits and Lancaster ham. And to wash down this new brunch fare? Try sipping one of their new brunch cocktails like the Grapefruit Sparkler with sparkling wine, grapefruit and Campari. Sounds like your weekends about to get that much more delicious. Don’t worry, it’s already Friday. Only 24 hours until you can test it for yourself.
The Saint James [Official Site]
Photo by David Joseph
Related: Food, News, Ardmore, Brunch, Main-Line, The Saint James
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Posted by Foobooz on October 8th, 2012
Rouge‘s Rob Wasserman and Sampan‘s chef Michael Schulson are opening their spacious American bistro The Saint James tomorrow at Suburban Square in Ardmore.
Schulson has created the menu with Matt Moon who has previously worked with Schulson and will oversee the menu as executive chef. The menu will include everything from chicken noodle soup to a special lobster risotto on Mondays.
Check out our video walkthrough and the menu »
Related: Food, News, American, Ardmore, Main-Line, Matthew Moon, Michael Schulson, Rob Wasserman, The Saint James
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Posted by Foobooz on September 6th, 2012
It’s September and that means it is peak restaurant opening season. Here are some of the restaurants and bars we’re most excited to see open.
Pizza Brain - September 7th
Picture 1 of 14
It's a pizza shop and the world's first pizza museum and it is coming to Frankford Avenue.
Pizza Brain
2313 Frankford Ave, Philadelphia, PA
Related: News, Opening Soon, Bubba's Texas Barbecue, Craft & Claw, Mildred, Red Owl Tavern, The Saint James
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Posted by Foobooz on December 2nd, 2011
Monica Glass: Photo by HughEDillon
10 Arts pastry chef Monica Glass is moving on. Unlike Jennifer Carroll, we know where Glass is landing (though we hear Carroll’s been spotted snooping around Old City spaces). Glass will be the pastry chef at Mike Stollenwerk’s new Fish. [Philly Post]
Matt Moon is consulting at Bishop’s Collar in Fairmount. The former top guy at Talula’s Table will then head over to Michael Schulson’s Sampan as a sous chef this January. We have to wonder if that’s not temporary too, Schulson and Rob Wasserman are opening St. James Place in Ardmore this spring. Could Moon be moving into that head chef position? [The Insider]
The brewing equipment has been delivered and installed at Iron Hill Chestnut Hill. Brewing should begin next week. [@IronHillChief]
European Republic is opening a second location of its fries spot at 602 South Street. [Naked Philly]
Santucci’s is now offering Sunday brunch. We echo Molly Eichel’s hope that the pancakes are square. [Meal Ticket]
Related: Opening Soon, Bishops-Collar, Brunch, fish, Iron Hill Chestnut Hill, Matt Moon, Monica Glass, Sampan, Santucci's, The Saint James
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