Located at the bottom of an unassuming staircase on the corner of Broad and Walnut streets is one of Philadelphia's most alluring cultural landmarks.
Zanzibar Blue was started by brothers Robert and Benjamin Bynum, graduates of Wharton and The Restaurant School, respectively. The locale represents a nexus of outstanding music and fine dining.
Take, for example, the Roasted Red Pepper and Mozzarella Stack appetizer ($9.25). This tower of fresh mozzarella cheese and juicy pepper, topped with vinegar, oil, mint and onions, is an excellent fusion of contrasting flavors. Similarly, the Parisian Salad ($7.50) combines Anjou pear, warm goat cheese and raspberry vinaigrette to create a truly unexpected and refreshing flavor. The goat cheese, served in the form of a warm, breaded cake was one of the highlights of the dinner.
The Bynum brothers fail to disappoint with the main menu's entrees.
The Grilled Prime Filet Mignon ($25.95) is tender, juicy and thick. The Creole Roasted Salmon Filet ($21.90), served in a thick, yet light creamy sauce, was outstanding. Mixed in the sauce is a generous amount of crab and crayfish bits, and the dish is served with a trio of corn and scallion hushpuppies, which were quite tasty, if a bit dry.
Dessert, while good, was not as impressive as the rest of the meal. The Chocolate Polenta Cake special ($7) was slightly gritty and the flavor somewhat weak. However, the Classic Vanilla Creme Brulee ($7) was excellent.
Zanzibar Blue's drink menu features everything from mixed drinks to fine wines. The standout drink was the Chocolate Martini ($7). The beverage could have served as a dessert.
Of course, the dinner is only half of the experience at Zanzibar Blue. I would be remiss if I did not mention the jazz. The group on stage, a small group consisting of several instrumentalists and a powerful singer, performed mainly bebop-style numbers, mostly of widely-recognizable standards.
The volume of the music did cause a bit of difficulty in hearing across the table, but if you don't want to have music interrupt your speech, then why go to a restaurant with a live band?
As for the atmosphere, the restaurant has a sophisticated, up-scale air to it, largely as a result of the helpful and attentive staff. With few exceptions, the main dining room has excellent sightlines of the stage.
On weekdays, a rotating schedule of musicians takes the stage at intervals throughout the night, and on weekends a big-name jazz act performs. There is a separate cover charge on Friday and Saturday nights, ranging from $10 to $75, depending on the performer.
