PHLReview
photo credit: Max Grudzinski
Cadence
This spot is Permanently Closed.
There are certain things in life that once you experience them for the first time, you can’t remember how you ever survived without them. Like Uber, or NFL RedZone, or being able to deposit a check from your phone. They’re the kinds of things that fit into your life so seamlessly and easily that you don’t even notice how much of an impact they actually have. That’s how we feel about Cadence, a small BYOB in Fishtown that has quickly become one of the few restaurants in Philadelphia that we can’t live without.
Places like Cadence, with prix fixe menus and dishes that are put together like 1,000-piece puzzles, can often times come off as impersonal and almost machine-like, but here it’s the opposite. Cadence is warm and small, with only eight or nine tables and a six-seat counter, and it feels like a trendy home boutique that looks affordable, but isn’t actually.
But there’s something less tangible about Cadence that makes it a place you can’t stop talking about, like when someone’s in a new relationship and they find a way to bring that person into every conversation, even when it makes zero sense. And while you can’t really understand what makes it so great until you go for yourself, it’s mostly about how seamlessly the entire experience comes together - from the simple but expertly prepared food, to the super friendly waitstaff who you end up talking to about the floor plan of your new apartment instead of your bison tartare.
photo credit: Max Grudzinski
The menu here is short and changes with the seasons, but there are always about 15 dishes on the menu, separated into four courses that can either be ordered a la carte or as a $65 prix fixe. With such a small selection, there’s no room for any misses. Fortunately, you won’t have a single bad thing at Cadence - every ingredient of every dish has a clear purpose, and the result is 15 near-perfect plates. Like the tuna crudo with Asian pear, caramelized yogurt, and bits of dehydrated black olives. It’s light and fresh, but the black olive and yogurt bring in an earthy flavor that’s different from any crudo we’ve ever had. Or the herb dumplings, which are covered in a mushroom ragu and dusted in cashew pieces, and are just as good as, if not better, than the gnocchi you’ll find at your favorite Italian place.
And despite all the other things you might order, you need to get the Alina duck. We don’t know who or what Alina is, but he/she/it deserves a key to the city and their own holiday. The duck is served two ways - the breast is cut into thin, pink slices and covered in a crispy skin, while the leg comes whole on a separate plate with wood ear mushrooms and radishes. It can easily feed two people, and it’s the priciest thing on the menu, but considering how often we count Alina ducks to go to sleep at night now instead of sheep, we think it’s well worth it.
Cadence feels like a casual neighborhood spot where you might look up in the middle of your meal and ask yourself, “Are they playing Biggie right now?” But this place also serves some of the best food we’ve ever had, and won’t make you feel like you need to put on your nice black pants that are one size too small to eat here on a Wednesday. And honestly, that’s really what you want in a restaurant, whether it’s for an intimate date or a casual dinner with a few friends. Somewhere that blends in with the neighborhood around it while also standing out in the context of an entire city. And the kind of place that, like mobile check deposit and car sharing apps, you can’t live without. That’s Cadence, and we’re so glad it’s here.