Rouge - Philadelphia, PA

I heard about this restaurant from some native Philadelphians sitting next to me at Zahav. The first thing you notice when you walk into this quaint restaurant is the ambiance. The decorations were classy, verging on bougie, which was the perfect setting for a nice lunch date to catch up with an old friend. Even the coat check service reinforced this classy atmosphere.

Bougie Interior

As we were looking at our menu, I was caught off guard when the waitress brought over some bread with butter. I was instantly happy not only because I was famished but also because I love carbs. 

Complimentary Bread & Butter

For my main dish, I decided to try the Spicy Tuna Burger. I was not too amazed by it. In fact, the side salad was better than the burger. The dish was on the bland side and could have used a bit of seasoning. Also, the burger was not as spicy as I was anticipating, given its name.

Spicy Tuna Burger 

The side dishes on the other hand were great. The truffle parmesan pommes frites were amazing (yet again evidence of my love for carbs). They reminded me of the fries at Delicatessen in SoHo (NYC). Although they are not the original Pommes Frites in East Village (NYC), they are definitely a close substitute for Philadelphia.

Truffle Parmesan Pommes Frites

 We also got the mac and cheese side dish in memory of a mutual friend--a girl who loves macaroni and cheese. We quickly devoured this cheesy goodness like nobody's business. 

Mac and Cheese

Since it was a chilly day, my friend decided to order the Spicy Duck Soup. As a side note, this dish was probably spicier than my "spicy" tuna burger. The soup was lovely with some nice kicks and flavors. I would recommend this soup over the spicy tuna burger any day. 

Spicy Duck Soup

Overall, the experience is really in the ambiance. The food was good, but it wasn't spectacular. As a foodie, I don't recommend it. However, if you're looking for that date spot, you should haul your date over here ASAP. 

Website: http://rouge98.com