Restaurant Review: Continental Midtown

Owned by Philadelphia restaurant tycoon Stephen Starr, Continental Midtown is quite hip. The restaurant is located on 1801 Chestnut Street, in Philadelphia PA in the center of vibrant Philadelphia nightlife. I visited Continental Midtown because I was given a 75.00 gift certificate to any of Stephen Starr's restaurants. I chose Continental Midtown because of the pictures I saw on the Stephen Starr website.

In the pictures, Continental Midtown looks like a beautiful dimly lit nightspot with a groovy, youthful chill-like atmosphere. On the website, it is evident that the color scheme of the restaurant is a mix of dark blues and dusty silvers.

Upon arrival at Continental Midtown, I was not disappointed at all. Inside, a sort of silver chandelier-like object hung from the ceiling. I say chandelier-like because the objects I am referring to resembled long cylinders hanging from the ceiling. They were beautiful, and the color scheme of the place was a mix of dark cool blues and silvers. Upstairs, there were chairs that were made to look like wicker baskets. The best thing about these baskets was that they were suspended from the ceiling. Therefore, as my friend and I sat in the chairs, we were able to swing as we ate. Regular seats were available on the bottom level of the restaurant.

The menu at Continental Midtown was very affordable and creative. For seventeen dollars you can get what is called Lobster Mac n Cheese. This dish is delicious, and I highly recommend it. It has about three different kinds of cheeses in it. It is made with risotto pasta, and comes with juicy chunks of lobster. On top of the macaroni is a crispy crust of breadcrumbs. Other choices on the menu include shoestring fries that come with a honey mustard dipping sauce. My friend and I shared these for our appetizer, and they were delicious. We were served a huge amount of fries that came in a high pile on an oval plate. There were so many fries that the two of us, french-fry lovers, could not finish them all.

Other features of the menu include New York Strip Steak among other tasty and affordable meals. The waitress was very kind and even told us what her favorite dishes were while not becoming offended if we chose something else. Her service was prompt and polite, and even though my friend and I were young, I did not feel that the waitress looked at us as if she did not expect us to tip her. We tipped her well because I was able to put the tip on the gift card! Between my friend and myself, we shared an appetizer, two entrees, and two desserts. We also ordered two drinks. I had a refill on pineapple juice that was not free. With only a seventy-five dollar gift card, we still had twelve dollars left over for a tip.

I would visit Continental Midtown again and again even without a gift card. It's a great place for cool people to dine.