Royal Boucherie: a French-inspired American brasserie in Philadelphia
19 Aug 2019
Disclosure: Experience was covered by Visit Philly. All opinions are my own.
Whenever I travel, I love to explore the culinary scene of the destination. Not chain restaurants, or something I can find everywhere. Unique and local-inspired cuisine.
As part of my tour in Philadelphia, we were invited to try Royal Boucherie, a French-inspired American brasserie, steps away from Penn’s Landing.
Royal Boucherie
Nestled in Old City, Royal Boucherie is the destination to enjoy drinks and appetizers, a burger and beer, or an elegant four-course meal paired with a wine from the restaurant’s cellar.
The menu is inspired by Chef Nick’s strong roots in French cuisine, with a twist of tradition and local fair in the mix.
The staff highly recommend the charcuterie board. Trust me, take their recommendation, because you will not be disappointed!
We also got this aweosme cheese board for the table.
I enjoyed this amazing lobster roll for my main course.
Royal Boucherie is open for lunch, brunch, dinner, happy hour, and late-night hours.
The dining room is dimly lit for an elevated dining experience. You can also sit at the bar any time.
The upstairs parlor is a great place for private dinners and cocktail parties.
The garden courtyard off the top floor is a great place to have an evening cocktail, or enjoy a romantic meal under the stars. Whitewashed and exposed brick walls, strands of white lights adorn this unique outdoor spot.
Chef Nicholas Elmi
Chef and owner of Royal Boucherie (above right), Nicholas Elmi has brought French-inspired cuisine with a nod to regional flavors and tradition to Old City, Philadelphia… and upscale addition to a historic neighborhood.
Winner of Season 11 of Bravo’s Top Chef Series, Nicholas Elmi has worked in some of the top restaurants on the East Coast (Le Bec Fin, Union Pacific, Oceana) and around the world (Guy Savoy, Paris). Since opening Royal Boucherie in 2017, Chef Elmi has won several awards including Philly’s Best Charcuterie from Philadelphia Magazine, and three bells from award winning critic Craig Laban of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Dinner Menu
Looking through the dinner menu was a bit difficult, as everything sounded amazing! I wanted to order several of the items on the menu. Luckily, I was with a group, so that is exactly what happened.
Raw Bar
Oysters: Daily Selection. Half or Whole Dozen.
Chilled Poached Lobster: Half or Whole, Served with Sauce Vincent and Vinegar Chips
Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail: Cocktail Sauce
Albacore Tuna Crudo: Watermelon jus, Japanese Ginger, Radish, Cucumber
Raw Scallop: Melon, Banana Pepper, Elderflower
Snow Crab Legs: Cocktail Sauce
Royal Plateau: Oysters, Jumbo Shrimp, Lobster, Tuna, Octopus, Scallops
Charcuterie
The charcuterie at Royal Boucherie is amazing! The staff really love the generous charcuterie board, and so did we:
Chicken Liver Mousse: Blueberry Compote, Rye
Foie Gras Terrine: Mead Gelee, Seasonal Jam
Ris De Veau Terrine: Veal, Pork, Brandy, Seasonal Jam
Duck Terrine: Almonds, Amaretto Soaked Cherries
House Cured Meats: Daily Selection
Charcuterie Board: With Toasts & Seasonal Accompaniments
Cheese Plate: Daily Selection, Jam, Fresh Fruit, Toast
Small Plates and Sandwiches
I had the lobster roll. It was full of delicious lobster meat, and came with a side of thick cut fries. Highly recommended!
Champagne Braised Escargot: Chartreuse-Hazelnut Butter, Crisp Baguette
Shaved Veal & Pork Belly: Rye, Garlic Aioli, Anchovy, Cornichon
Fennel Salami: Baby Artichokes, Dandelion Greens, Pickled Kohlrabi
Lancaster Baby Gem Salad: Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette, Radish, Sourdough Crouton, Parmesan
Grilled Swordfish Belly: Olive Tapenade, Herbed Breadcrumbs, Lemon
Wild Mushroom Toast: Madeira Cream, Lemon-Thyme, Whole Grain Bread
Boucherie Burger: Bacon, American, Truffle Mayo, Half-Sour Pickles, Frites
Lobster Roll: Fines Herbs, Celery, Lemon, Kewpie Mayo, Frites
Foot Long Boudin Blanc: Kraut, Crispy Shallot, Whole Grain Mustard
Large Plates
Steak Au Poivre: 10 oz. Strip, Pommes Puree, Shallot Confit, Green Peppercorn Jus
Crab & Corn Conchigle: Truffle Butter, Fines Herbs
Herb marinated Salmon: Heirloom Tomato Baumaniere, Pistachio, Red Onion
Viking Village Scallop: Summer Beans, Chanterelle, Torchio, Labne
Roasted Pennsylvania Duck: Rhubarb, Swiss Chard, Sorrel, Red Wine Reduction
Snacks
Pork-Stuffed Fried Olives
Pork Chips: Sour Cream & Scallion
Warm Sourdough Boule: Hand-Rolled, Sea Salt Butter
Lamb Merguez En Croute: Fuille de Brik, Crème Fraîche, Lemon, Fines Herbs
Sides
Pomme De Terre
Frites
Sauteed Kale: Garlic, Lemon
Asparagus: Guanciale Vinaigrette, Almond Crumb
Check out the Lunch, Brunch, Dinner, Happy Hour, Late Night, Cocktails & Beer, and Wine List menus.
Location
Royal Boucherie is located at:
52 S 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Hours
Monday to Friday
Lunch 11:00am to 3:00pm
Dinner 5:00pm to 10:00pm
Late Night 10:00pm to 1:00am
Happy Hour
Monday through Friday: 5:00pm to 7:00pm
Saturday & Sunday
Brunch 10:00am to 4:00pm
Dinner 5:00pm to 11:00pm
Late Night 10:00pm to 1:00am
Bar is open until 2:00am nightly
Lunch, Brunch, or Dinner at Royal Boucherie
Philadelphia has a lot of great places to eat. Royal Boucherie has something on their menu for everyone. The best thing – you’d feel comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt, or in something a little more business casual. Great food, wonderful service, relaxing ambiance, and a casual atmosphere… couldn’t ask for a better combination.
Cheers,
Big Daddy
If you would like me to review your product, service, restaurant, or travel destination, please send me an email at craig@bigdaddykreativ.ca or tweet me at @BigDaddyKreativ
Craig Silva
Craig is a husband, father, team leader, travel and food writer, senior youth group coordinator, designer, brander, community builder, volunteer, and social media strategist. He likes to travel, go camping, go on road trips, watch movies, build stuff, operate the grill, and sing with his band. Craig is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association and Travel Media Association of Canada. If you are a PR agency or brand and would like Craig to review a travel destination, vehicle, restaurant, product or service, please send him an email.
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