Prepare yourself to drool as you read this post. It has been a while since I last shared a great restaurant experience with you, but it was worth the wait!

My boyfriend and I drove down to The City of Brotherly Love this past Monday to join our family for a celebration of love — appropriate, don’t you think? This time around we dined in the to-die-for 1862 Restaurant by Martin Hamann at The Union League. If you are from or live in Philadelphia, you might know how breathtaking and dramatic the architecture and décor of The Union League is — sophisticated and historic.

As per usual, we arrived early to enjoy some drinks by the bar. Some opted for the delicious, full and earthy house Cabernet, while others enjoyed beer. From where I sat I could see the amazing, glass-walled kitchen and, for a split second, I wished I was on the other side of the glass — my passion for cooking is immeasurable! Shortly after we were seated, the menu was presented, and it was a pleasant surprise to see there were sneak peeks on offer for the upcoming fall menu.

There are so many great things to list, but I will stick to the pattern I have previously used. Although the dinner menu mainly focused on seafood and red meats, the options were diverse and appealing. Before our appetizers, we were surprised with an amazing potato croquette served on top of a bright dill and cream cheese dressing compliments of the chef … you guessed it right, it was AMAZING! It was crisp on the outside and soft and full of flavor inside; most importantly, it was the perfect bite-sized treat we all needed. I opted for a light appetizer I could share with the table, so I started with the whipped buffalo mozzarella and melon dish. The cheese was airy and whipped beautifully. There were grilled haricot verts, mint and pumpernickel crisps spread throughout the dish, which perfectly complemented the balsamic reduction vinaigrette.

If you think this is good, just wait; it gets better! Before our entrée, we were surprised once again with an amazing lobster and mushroom parmesan fettuccini. You could taste the freshness of the pasta and every single ingredient in each bite; it was fragrant, light and it gave me the comfort I feel whenever I eat homemade food. Just incredible!

Oddly enough, most of us ordered the same entrée: garlic Parmesan-crusted skirt steak with grilled zucchini and cipollini onions cooked in an amazing red wine sauce. Everything about this dish screamed passion to me. The steak was beautifully cooked at a medium temperature, the vegetables were saucy but still crunchy. The plating was spectacular and simply amazing. The first two courses paired with a complimentary bottle of Veuve Clicquot gifted by the house to honor the occasion, and the rest of the meals were paired with the Cabernet mentioned above.

With little to no room for dessert, we couldn’t pass on the opportunity to try the decadent desserts. I opted for a light ambrosia pie with toasted pecans and pineapple marmalade.

Has this post made you want to become or befriend a member of The Union League of Philadelphia yet? You won’t regret it!

— Yasser Ogando, sales planner