Lacroix

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Lacroix Review

Eyebrows were raised in early 2009 when Jason Cichonski took over from gastronomically adventurous Matthew Levin, who in turn raised eyebrows when he took over from legendary Jean-Marie Lacroix. But Cichonski and Levin have gone on to define themselves downtown and now Jonathan Cichon is proving himself to be a worthy successor and one who forges his own way with graceful dishes using seasonal, prestige ingredients. He is bigger on elegance and shorter on whimsy than his predecessors with straightforward dishes like Hudson Valley duck with golden beets and Swiss chard, and diver scallops with fennel, melon and pork belly. Combined with a 500-plus-label cellar of high-end bottles and a gorgeous dining room overlooking Rittenhouse Square, a meal here is guaranteed to be one of your most memorable. There's also the $59 blowout Sunday brunch—a tremendous value.