It has felt weird for the last year to walk through West Reading and not see Say Cheese on the corner of Sixth and Penn Avenues. Before its closure last June, the restaurant had been a West Reading staple for 13 years.Â
But thankfully, the space is alive again with the arrival of Midtown Sip, Savor, Social; an upscale dining spot from the team behind another West Reading staple, Nonno Alby’s.Â
We made our first visit about a month after the restaurant opened. So much of the space feels new, and it’s not just that it recently opened. There was clearly an intentional redesign. You first feel the difference outside where the removal of the awning over the front entrance has revealed beautiful green, red and blue plate glass that stands out against the brick facade.
Inside, the dining room is elegant but cool. One of the most notable elements is the large crystal ball that hangs in the back room, but small touches include the white and gray tabletops with bronze lamps.
Our server, Joe, was extremely attentive, first arriving quickly after we were seating and checking in on us often throughout the meal.
The first thing to be delivered to the table was Julie’s drink, a blueberry lavendar lemonade that she really enjoyed.Â
That was followed by a loaf of Italian bread which came with a small plate of garlic butter. The infused butter was strong on the garlic, but I love garlic so I really enjoyed it. Julie liked it, too. We ended up finishing most of the loaf, leaving just a couple slices at the end.
Both of our entrees came with salads. Julie opted for a standard house salad while I went with the small upgrade to a Caesar. Both were good with plenty of fresh lettuce and toppings. I liked that the dressing on mine was lighter and not as dense as some Caesar dressings.
For our entrees, we both went toward the lighter side of the menu. I had contemplated the Midtown burger – the combination of Cooper sharp, crispy onion, lettuce, mushrooms, caramelized shallots, and truffle aioli on a pretzel bun almost sounded too good to pass up, but ultimately I didn’t think I’d be able to finish it.
Instead, I went with something more unique: the risotto trio. I’ve had risotto plenty of times before. Sometimes it’s done well, sometimes not so much. At Midtown, though, it’s not just one bowl of risotto, it’s a plate with three distinct flavors.
First, there was the black truffle and Parmigiano Reggiano. This was probably the closest in flavor to the risotto dishes I’ve had in the past. Though it wasn’t as creamy as the others, it had a really nice flavor with earthy undertones.
On the other end of the spectrum was the red endive and Gorgonzola. The flavor of the cheese was unmistakable, but it paired very well with the slightly bitter tones of the red endives to create something completely unique.
My favorite, though, was the saffron and Crescenza. It’s a naturally soft cheese which I think helped make it the creamiest and thickest of the three risotto. The saffron just added a nice herbal punch to it.
All three were very good, and I definitely didn’t have any regrets about my choice.
Julie also had several items that she was considering, including the picanha steak and lobster mac and cheese, but she ultimately decided on the branzino (Mediterranean sea bass).
The fish was halved and served with tail on and garnished with orange and lemon wedges, with sides of rosemary potatoes and medallions of yellow squash and zucchini. She enjoyed everything on her plate. The fish was cooked to perfection, and the potatoes were crispy and delicious.
Despite the somewhat lighter meals, we left without room for dessert and closed out our night with a bill of around $75 for our two meals plus drinks (mine was an unsweet tea). That felt fair for the amount of food that we had, but there are some higher priced entrees and appetizers that could easily put the bill over $100.
It was, in my opinion, a great meal and a great experience. The team has done a great job with both the restaurant space and the menu, and I’m sure they will continue to grow and build upon these early successes to become a staple on the Avenue for years to come.
BCE Rating
Food: Very Good
Ambiance: Excellent
Service: Excellent
Price: $$$
Midtown Sip, Savor, Social
600 Penn Avenue
West Reading, PA 19611
