Ring the dinner bell: Supper on Penn is officially open on Penn Avenue in the Strip District.
Chef Vincent Perri is serving up the dishes he perfected at Federal Galley, along with new recipes showcasing his style of casual American cuisine. He specializes in making supper, defined as a light, informal meal usually eaten after midday.
Customers he won over at the North Side restaurant incubator are happy to see duck fat fries and chickpea fries still on the menu, as well as the BLT, poutine and tofu scramble.
Other offerings, including selections for vegetarians, vegans and folks on gluten-free diets, come in sizes to satisfy any appetite. Ingredients change with the seasons.
Mix-and-match bites on the current menu include stuffed smoked tomato and seared scallop. And along with the BLT, diners will find a range of sandwiches, including falafel pita, seitan banh mi and a house-ground burger. Shareable plates include yellowfin tuna with shrimp and scallops.
Perri also serves a brunch-only menu on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There are snack-sized versions of French toast, pancakes and Eggs Benedict, along with plate-filling omelets and ribeye and eggs.
You can wash it all down with a Bloody Mary or mimosa, or one of four craft beers on tap. There’s also a full bar for cocktails.
Once they’ve been up and running for a while, Perri says he hopes to host events in the historic space. The building at 1211 Penn Avenue, which most recently housed Crystal on Penn, dates back to the 1800s and was once a hotel and saloon.
The new decor is a nod to the 1930s, with an old snapshot of the saloon behind the bar. An ancestor of the former owner has traditionally come in each year to take a photograph with the photograph.
Perri hopes now they’ll stay for supper.
