Daffodils & Daydreams: Garden-Inspired Dining at Talula’s Garden

Where does a gardener like myself choose to go for her birthday dinner? A restaurant that serves seasonal dishes straight from the farm or garden, of course. Talula’s Garden is one of Stephen Starr’s restaurants in Washington Square, Philadelphia. We have been to many of Stephen Starr’s restaurants for special occasions through the years, but we had never been to Talula’s Garden.

Talula’s is a collaboration between Starr and Aimee Oxley that opened in 2011. The courtyard is inviting and intimate, and would’ve been my seating choice if it had not been after dark and starting to get chilly. (I get cold REALLY easily. Brian teases me saying I wear longjohns from September through April. That’s a little bit of an exaggeration. It’s really only about November through March...yeh....) The courtyard is full of plants, even attached to the brick walls. The inside is what I wish my house looked like — botanical prints on the walls, wood floors, butcher block style tables, decorative birdhouses above the bar, a coat rack made of faucets and spigots, and plants along the back wall behind a gorgeous granite-topped cheese bar with the cheeses displayed in glass garden cloches. There is an Alice Waters quote printed boldly in the room we dined in that says, “The garden brings life and beauty to the table.” Ain’t it the truth???

I am a self-proclaimed cheese-freak. Some girls love chocolate, I love cheese. You can put just about any kind of cheese in front of me and I’ll eat it and love it. We told the waiter what kind of cheeses we like and he made a selection for us based on that. Brian likes the funky blue cheeses and the hard, strong-flavored ones with the little crystals in them. He went for the Saint Agur, which was a luscious, creamy, double cream blue from France, and the Vintage Gouda from Holland. I love milder cheeses and had the Coach Farm Dairy Fresh Fig Cheese, which is a goat cheese from New York that is made by the same people who make Coach handbags, and the Vermont Butter and Cheese Company’s Cremont, a goat cheese from Vermont. I am a huge fan of the Vermont Butter and Cheese Company’s products and had not had the Cremont before. It was a little more aged than your usual goat cheese and had more of an earthy flavor. We loved all four of the cheeses, which were served with bread for Brian, gluten-free crackers for me, and a few fresh blackberries and raspberries, tiny fresh figs, walnuts with honey drizzle, and dried apricots.

Each guest receives a small, freshly baked brioche, and I was shocked and pleased to receive a freshly baked gluten-free bread. It is very difficult to get a good texture with gluten-free bread — I miss good, crusty bread with a crunch on the outside and soft goodness on this inside. This tiny, mini-bread satisfied that craving. It was really, really good.

Brian and I split an appetizer which was raw tuna with cucumbers and salted watermelon. There was a creamy, tangy sauce, but I can’t remember what was in it. Something fish-infused, but it didn’t taste fishy. The dish was very refreshing and bright tasting.

For our mains, Brian had the roasted hanger steak with heirloom tomatoes, potatoes and little onions in a sauce. I had the seared scallops with black mission figs, corn, pole beans, toasted almond-fig glaze, and buttery pomme purée (basically very finely whipped potatoes). I loved the different textures and flavors of my entree. We felt both our dishes had a rustic flavor to them, a kind of comfort-food quality. Unfortunately, we were too full for dessert.

When I was first diagnosed with celiac about 9 or so years ago, it was a lot more difficult to eat out. Now, so many restaurants are aware of the gluten-free diet and are willing to cater to my needs. The waiter was so helpful and pleasant and it was such a treat to get gluten-free crackers and bread, which really goes beyond what most restaurants do.

The prices of this place make it a special occasion restaurant for us and not one we can afford to go to very often. That makes me kind of sad since I would love to come at different seasons to see what tempting dishes are on the menu. If you’re looking for a garden-themed restaurant with garden-fresh ingredients, then check it out: www.talulasgarden.com.

Here’s some photos courtesy of the Talula’s website.

The entrance...