Epicurious.com
Venus and the Cowboy
1700 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.; 215-568-3770

The fall premiere of Venus and the Cowboy in the city's museum district was eagerly awaited and attended by much publicity. Chef and owner Alison Barshak made a big name for herself at the well-regarded Philadelphia restaurant Striped Bass, and all eyes were on her new venture. And Barshak doesn't disappoint with cooking she calls "mesti-soul" - earthy, eclectic offerings from all reaches of the Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Americas - served up in a Moorish-style dining room.

Barshak's always-changing menu is divided into three parts: tastes, small meals and large meals. "I wanted people to feel as if they could eat whatever and however they wanted - have a glass of wine and a taste for eleven dollars," Barshak says. "People are more experimental with smaller portions. And that way they can sample a lot of things." Fans of dim sum and tapas will love Barshak's concept. Some standout dishes include fig pancakes, steamed clams in tomatillo-corn broth, shrimp falafel, and pork chops with fig and onion relish and white beans.

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