The Small-Town Stunner
Bridgets 8 West
8 W. Butler Pike, Ambler
267-465-2000
www.bridgets8west.com

Yes, Ambler. Once the place you hit traffic while cutting through to Ridge Avenue, this adorable little borough is busy transforming itself into a worthy destination. The main drag is now peppered with kitschy boutiques offering vintage classics aside high-end labels. Art shows, theatre and an authentic turn-of-the-century movie house give the pike a bit of culture. And, most importantly, a number of great restaurants have shown up, giving visitors a taste of something wonderful.

Bridgets 8 West is the town’s crown jewel, a refined and sophisticated place that still knows how to throw a killer happy hour. Soothing blue walls, rich dark woods and the classic white linen tablecloths create a steakhouse-meets-Ethan Allen look, while the menu attempts to defy definition.

There’s a bit of a tropical breeze, highlighted by a Kalbi Marinated Tuna covered in cilantro-line avocado salsa and Line-Caught Mahi drizzled with wasabi butter. But then there’s that steak joint vibe again with a massive Porterhouse Lamb Chop. It’s as if Chef Scott Simmer was the love child of Roy Yamaguchi and Ruth Fertrel. Impossible, but food for thought.

The mantra, not the slogan
Nectar
1901 Lancaster Ave., Berwyn
610-725-9000
www.tastenectar.com

You have to love a restaurant that’s got a mantra. Not a slogan – there’s no “Have it your way” here – but a code, a feeling that you can see as it flows through the décor, the food and the staff. “Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.” That Dali Lama guy new what he was talking about.

Nectar is the kind of place where you know the night is going to be good before you even touch a menu. Sleek and terribly sexy, the dining room is rich and golden. Rugged rocks and dark woods are accented by dramatic pendant lights that cast a glow you and your date will appreciate.

Once you finally get those paws on a menu, the experience will come full circle. Fresh ingredients are a must at Nectar, and the French-Asian Fusion dishes the kitchen turns out are all the better for them. Start with the Dim Sum Bento for two, a variety of dumplings and spring rolls that will have you heading east. Entrees run the gamut, but why not try something new like a moist Tea-Soaked Venison Tenderloin or Shrimp and Lobster Stuffed Zucchini Flowers? Remember kids, “reckless abandon.”

The Celebrity Chef
Georges’
503 W. Lancaster Ave., Wayne
610-964-2588
www.georgesonthemainline.com/home.cfm

It has been said many times that no culinary journey through Philadelphia is complete with out stepping through the gilded doors of world-renown Chef Georges Perrier’s famous Le Bec Fin. (Sidenote: Try the crabcakes!) If that rings true, then it can only be assumed that a similar tour through the ‘burbs must lead one to the bright red doors of its country cousin, Georges’.

Less stuffy and more family-friendly than Le Bec Fin, Georges’ is a beautiful place where high-caliber food meets laid back surroundings. There are no forks with pointless responsibilities or chandeliers the weight of the zoo’s latest elephant. Instead, there’s an airy bistro feel, with warm colors and natural elements that wrap you up in a big hug of satisfaction.
The food, of course, does just the same, bringing back the good ol’ classics and shining them up a bit with some of Perrier’s expertise. Try a slowly cooked Herb Braised Lamb Shank, or indulge in the proscuitto-flecked Ensalada Carbonara, the only salad that sounds like an indulgence.

The Country Charmer
Gilmore’s
133 E. Gay St., West Chester
610-431-2800
www.gilmoresrestaurant.com

This is place you take Mom on her birthday. Or – hell, let’s get totally cheesy here – Grandmom “just because.” It’s a place you can take your fiancé’s parents without fear of the obscene, yet a place the two of you would return to on your own. It’s safe, yet charming. It’s cute, yet contemporary. It’s Gilmore’s.

You can tell this is a family-owned and –run spot. I’m not sure if it’s the cozy 11-table space, or the personable staff, or the fact that the beautiful townhouse it’s located in makes you feel like you’re coming home to Sunday dinner. But Chef Peter Gilmore’s stamp is on this place, and it sneaks up on you and makes you feel like a kid who just got promoted to the “real” table at Thanksgiving.

Of course, the food here is its own reward. Refined French with a home-grown accent, the menu offers creations like Roasted Baby Pheasant with Foie Gras Bread Pudding and a beautiful lobster tail over creamy polenta. And don’t forget the decadent chocolate soufflé – but no dessert without cleaning your plate!

The Perfect Date Place
Spring Mill Café
164 Barren Hill Road, Conshohocken
610-828-2550
www.springmill.com

It almost pains me to share this one with you, but at the end of J school they made us take an oath to provide the public with the truth (not really, they just handed us our first student loan bill and said, “See ya!”), and so it is my duty to enlighten you. Not that I’m the first to uncover the absolute perfect combination of romantic ambiance and to-die-for dishes at this sleepy little spot – Philadelphia magazine opened their big months mouths ago.

But one visit to the Spring Mill Café will whisk you away to some corner in Paris. You’ll soon be sitting goo-goo eyed above a flickering votive candle, letting the smell of your date’s cologne mixed with the house-made pates intoxicate you. Inside a small house off a curving road, it’s not an easy place to find. But it’s one with an arsenal of amorous attributes, including fresh flowers, low lights and tiny tables where you can bump knees on purpose.

If you can unclasp your hands long enough, the food completes the spell. Start with one of the pates – I personally would recommend the country pate with stone-ground mustard. Entrees change frequently, but the French-Moroccan mainstays of Tajine Marrakech (lamb with couscous) and Civet de Lapin Tourangeau (saddle of rabbit in a red wine and cognac sauce) are still on the menu for a reason.