We arrived in Philly a little too early yesterday afternoon to check into our hotel & were peckish anyway — having had no proper breakfast before we left, so we went straight to lunch at the Oyster House 
I’d been waffling about the Italian resto I’d reserved for dinner, so I tried to figure out where else we could go that would also be in walking distance. Just on a hunch I checked for a table at our all-time favorite, Vernick Food & Drink, and lucked out! We’ve been going there since they first opened in 2012, and have never had a bad or even mediocre meal. Their blue crab toast is the stuff of legends, and the various crudi and small plates are always fabulous.
We started with a cocktail each, a Starless Sky (cognac, plum wine, Campari — their twist on a negroni) for me, and the very refreshing The Perfect Crime (Jamaican rum, rye, a healthy amount of angostura bitters, lemon, pecan orgeat) for my boo.
I had a couple of Ford’s martinis with the meal, my PIC a Hendricks martini & a glass of Tempranillo to go with the final course.
After the customary soup shooter amuse
— last night it was potato leek with parsley oil —
we shared the blue crab toast, of course, which was just as good as it was 13 years ago when we first sunk our teeth into that heavenly hunka grilled sourdough, abundant with crab meat and lightly seasoned with lemon aioli and tarragon,
and the red snapper ceviche with mango, coconut, and cilantro. Dreamy, with a distinct heat kick 
Next up the night’s special small plate: seared scallops atop fregola sarda, ‘wilted’ arugula, and asparagus puree. Very good.
I was pretty stuffed at this point & almost dreaded the roasted half chicken still to come, but I powered through: juicy, flavorful Amish chicken with grilled gem lettuce and peppers.
Despite practically having no real estate left in our tummies, we shared the petit financier with hazelnut mousse and honey-rosemary ice cream. Amazing combo.
Nightcaps were the delovely Night, Night, Josephine (rum, banana liqueur, mole bitters) pour moi, and a Yellow Brick Road (lemon, vanilla liqueur, egg white) for my PIC.
