At The Table — Restaurant in Radnor Township

I've never left a restaurant hungry before. And I've never been let down by a multi course chef's munu. I was stunned but I guess there's a first time for everything. I really don't want this to be a hit piece but I can't escape those essential facts. The food was... decent, but for the most part, not better than what I could do at home. For half the total cost I would still view the tasting menu as overpriced. I'm going to do my best to stay constructive here...

Food: An early dish was asparagus soup with truffle shavings and caviar which was somehow bland. Was this just a box checking exercise to get these ingredients on the menu or did the chef actually taste this and send it? At this point I realized this is far from Andiario caliber food (a suburban fine dining benchmark). I couldn't get excited about anything that came out. The main overshadowed the other courses, but was a let down by being just 2-3 mouthfuls. When dessert came I had to hold back laughter in front of the server. That was it? That was the meal? I found myself thinking, who is this chef - is it the guy with the baseball hat chatting up old ladies for the entire dinner service?

Setting: everything was just a little off. Seats that reclined just a little too far. Gold utensils with an odd patina. Why gold? Questionable interior design and execution details. The acoustics were bad as the place filled up, so we had trouble hearing one another as we shouted across the table, yet it was somehow easier to hear the next table. The overall presentation came off as feeling a little bit accidental, like fancied up train dining car. Some extra points for giving it a good try though. I'm sure it looks phenomenal on insta.

Service: great restaurant service should feel simultaneously intimate and anonymous, while providing guidance and reassurance... at times barely noticeable and at others making a crucial difference. This service was uneven. Some servers seemed to not have the sense that they were in a nice restaurant at all. Others took their job seriously enough. The service was what I would expect from any mid range suburban restaurant and did not rise to the occasion. Since I'm not saying uniformly nice things I will not name names.

In sum, the whole dining experience felt like social commentary, or a caricature... a poor person's expectation about what rich people would want to eat, and at an exorbitant charge. It would not surprise me to later find out that the whole concept is actually a performance art exhibition. I think if I approached the whole thing as a theatrical satire with the bill being the punchline, I'd say it was worth it.

Food- 3/5 Service- 3/5 Ambiance- 3/5 Comfort- 2/5 Drinks-...

The service and sincerity of the staff and the chef, who came out to speak with us a couple of times, was top notch. Out of the 4 of us who ate there that night, only I was still hungry when we left, so perhaps some table bread could have been the remedy there. The foods presentation was grand, but I feel like the quantities are a little insultingly small. The potato croquettes were tasty, but cold in the middle. The salmon was plentiful but the cabbage was tough to cut with a butter knife and it squished everything. That thing with caviar was delicious, I wish there were 2. That single meldba toast with roasted vegetables... 1 for each of us? I feel like we each could have had 4 of those. The fig and arugula salad was good, half of us enjoyed the crunchy proscuitto while half of us wished it less crunchy and more chewy. And the deconstructed dessert with compari and grapefruit was just too bitter. The chef suggested ice cream with it which would have been a great way to cut the bitterness. We also did the wine pairing and while the wines themselves tasted good, I feel some didnt quite mesh with all the dishes served. We didnt get our first wine until after our 2nd course and we are supposed to get one with each course... I felt like the courses came out too quickly as there was little time to savor in between them. So I guess I felt a tad rushed. I hope these comments are taken as helpful and not as insulting since they arent meant to be. I liked the idea of this tasting and wine pairing but the things I noted above are a reason I may not return here unless some of these concerns are addressed. This place has great potential but for the price tag I expected...

The comfortable, causal atmosphere serves as an elevating accompaniment to what is without question one of the best meals you can have in the area. It’s hard to overstate just how remarkable each dish is on its own, though when paired together for the tasting menu offered by ‘At the Table’, chef’s Alex and Tara Buzan Hardy conduct an outrageously flavorful and comforting symphony for the senses. Great food can punctuate life in the most profound way and a small dish can become a lasting memory that leaves one longing for that next unforgettable bite, the normal and mundane simply filling the gaps in between. ‘At the Table’ achieved this kind of punctuation for me twice in one sitting; once through the decadent creaminess of a foie gras torchon I could have eaten alone and been satisfied , and a second time in the earthy, gamy and fragrant musk of lamb in the most delicate meatball I’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying. Even considering their impact on me, neither of these dishes overshadowed the quality, flavor, and diversity on display throughout the rest of the meal. An added benefit is being able to bring along a favorite bottle of wine. I would recommend ‘At the Table’ to anyone looking for an undeniably incredible meal, though I will certainly be recommending them to those nearest and dearest, as the experience on offer simply should not be missed.

I’d wager this as one of the best restaurants on the Main Line, in the greater Philadelphia Area, in South Eastern PA; hell even in the whole State… Sit for the tasting menu, it will...