When it comes to planning your special event, wedding or bar/bat mitzvah menu, invariably the question “what are the most popular food stations at parties?” gets asked.  The answer, at least on the East Coast, is an enthusiastic “SUSHI!!!!”  In one form or another, sushi stations or sushi bars, are a guaranteed win-win choice for cocktail receptions for discerning palates.  Sushi and sashimi are even served at children’s parties for the kids to enjoy!  Over the years we’ve designed and styled many a sushi presentation using carved ice, glass vessels, running water, river rock, custom-made wooden planks, light up tables, lucite shelves, red lacquered boxes, gold vessels, Asian statuary, and on and on.  Below are just some of the sushi stations we’ve created for weddings, parties and social gatherings.  [Above, Catering:  Leslie Rosen Catering; Photo:  Philip Gabriel]

For a modern white and purple 25th wedding anniversary we worked with Leslie Rosen Catering to create a stylish Seafood Crudite with colorful mixed sushi, salty steamed edamame and a large ice bowl filled with cocktail shrimp.  [Above, Photo: Paul Loftland]

Multiple light up tables were placed in a row to create a large sushi display that would allow a large group of guests to graze all at one time.  Each table was composed of multiple mirrors in silver metallic frames that held monochromatic displays of sushi, sashimi and seaweed salad. [Above, Caterer:  Wolfgang Puck Catering; Photo: Susan Beard Design]

For a tented cocktail reception for a bar mitzvah at a private home, this floating ice sushi station presented multiple sushi rolls on glass and metal platters.  [Above, Catering:  Leslie Rosen Catering; Photo:  Phil Kramer]

Sushi isn’t just for cocktail receptions. Why not serve it as a surprise second course during a sit-down dinner?  That’s exactly what we did for a bar mitzvah at Peche at Sherman Mills.  Just as the first course was ending, a wall of drape opened on one side of the ballroom to reveal a forty foot sushi station laden with gold vases filled with purple orchids and plate-after-plate of sushi! [Above, Catering: Leslie Rosen Catering; Photo: Susan Beard Design]

Sushi Cabanas built with tents inside a building gave the adult guests at this bat mitzah a fun activity to enjoy while they watched the kids dance below.  [Above, Catering:  Peachtree & Ward; Photo:  Phil Kramer]

Bamboo, black beans, sushi mats and vintage Asian elements combine to make this sushi stationa hit at a boy’s bar mitzvah celebration at Peche at Sherman Mills.  [Above, Catering:  Leslie Rosen Catering; Photo:  Philip Gabriel]

A simple stacked stunner for an outdoor May wedding we designed at the Appleford Estate.  We placed the cake on a vintage cake stand which sat on top of an antique carved wooden table.  [photo by Rachel McGinn]

For a “hot August night” celebration at the Four Seasons, the bride’s all-lace frothy wedding gown was the inspiration for this sweet confection.  [photo by Cliff Mautner]

Glamour was the name of the game for this Four Seasons wedding!  A family heirloom was the inspiration for this statuesque cake!  [photo by Cliff Mautner]

The wedding invitation designed by Two Paperdolls was the inspiration for this modern cake.  [photo by Cliff Mautner]

Sylvia Weinstock created this absolutely gorgeous cake for a wedding we designed in Philadelphia at The Westin Hotel.  The coral peonies on the cake were a nod to the real coral peonies which the bride carried in her bouquet and the textured appliques on the surface of the cake reflect the exact lace appliques on the bride’s gown.

The Hotel duPont created this sculptural modern cake.  We provided the Lucite risers between the layers which gave the effect of them floating.

This masterpiece, created by Truli Confectionary Arts, more than surpassed our request for a cake which reflected the gorgeous garden setting for this tented wedding!  The hummingbirds and butterflies floating around the cake were amazing.  Every flower on this cake was made using photographs taken of the client’s gardens the year prior and in the weeks prior to the wedding.

This stunner by Sylvia Weinstock for a wedding at The Four Seasons captured the essence of the delicate white and blush color scheme of our decor.

Yet another amazing cake from Sylvia at Winterthur Estate that captured the organic garden design. We placed the cake on a rustic table covered in live mood moss and ferns.

A simple country cake, provided by Sweet Jazmine’s, in a simple rustic setting. (If you call 250 unique chairs, farm tables, antique place settings and a huge, beautiful tent, simple!)

We will end with a close-up of this recent cake for a Four Seasons wedding. Look at the detail on the Orchids, the Ranunculus and the Cherry Blossoms.  (cake by Truli Confectionary Arts).  The talented artists who create these works of art are a special breed and we applaud their efforts and their work.  We have so many more photos of great cakes which we will continue to share as time goes on.  Until then, have a little something sweet yourselves…

We at Evantine Design are not new to hotel and restaurant kitchens.  In fact, our business dictates that we know our way in, out, and around many of them in the city!  Therefore, the thought of dining in the kitchen was not exactly thrilling.  However, the experience exceeded our wildest expectations!  The entire line of chefs in Lacroix was nothing short of amazing.  The Chef’s table is a beautiful marble-top, set just inches from the stoves and finishing table. Watching the staff perfom was like watching a well choreographed ballet!  Timing is everything, and they perform as a team in perfect cadence.

Tastings in the kitchen typically begin from 6-6:30pm, which allows ample time to enjoy each and every course (ours lasted until 11pm!) After an amazing Amuse Bouche, we were served a pickled Strawberry Soda!  There is no way to adequately describe the intense, fresh flavor of this “soda”!  Other highlights from the menu, which you can see below, included the Striped Bass Belly, Ramp Ice Cream, an amazing Kindai Tuna, Foie Gras paired with a mouth-watering Peach-Miso, a simply melt-in-your mouth perfect Duck with Melon Bisque and Fava Beans, and Lamb with to-die-for Grits!  A stunning surprise was the Robiola Bosina which literally exploded in our mouths! 

These kids in the kitchen ROCK!!  (Sorry, but they are all in their 20′s!)  The detail and thought put into the combination of different tastes and textures was purely amazing.  You can see, smell, taste and feel the passion they have for food!  Any questions we asked were answered with enthusiasm and gusto and made the entire experience one of the highlights of our culinary lives!

Suitable for framing, each of us received a signed menu in a gift bag with Lacroix chocolates as we left.  Ours will be hung on the wall as a wonderful reminder of our adventure.

In addition to this amazing menu, sommelier Eric Simonis selected awesome wines to pair with each course.  Some of our favorites were:

Chateau de la Vieille Tour, Domaine Boissonneau, Bordeaux, 2008 –A wonderful blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle with aromas of citrus fruits and mango.  The wine tastes unwooded, crisp and refreshing.

Monbazillac, Domaine du Petit Paris, Dordogne, 2006 –From the district of Bergerac in Southwestern France.  This wine has all the quality of its Bordeaux cousin, the great Sauterne, yet at a fraction of the cost.

Mercurey, “Clos de la Marche” Monopole, Domaine Louis Max, Bourgogne, 2005 — From Southern Burgundy, 100% Pinot Noir, medium-bodied with dark fruit flavor, soft tannins and a touch of oak.

Maury, “Dix Ans d’ Age”, Pyrenees Orientales, NV  –100% Grenache Noir.  This fortified wine is aged outside in glass demi-johns for one year, followed by nine years in oak!  A beautiful copper-tinted robe, very complex and reminiscent of an old Madeira.  Perfect with blue cheese and chocolate desserts.   And it was!

Treat yourself, your friends or your family to an unforgettable dining experience!  Every aspect was incredible and memorable!

In true Southern tradition, the bride decided to have a surprise groom’s cake presented to her new husband at the wedding reception.  From the get-go there was absolutely no doubt what the cake would be; an exact replica of the groom’s beloved childhood dog Tripp.  The surprise was successful and the groom and his entire family were incredibly emotional about the tribute.  The cake was the ROCK STAR of the evening and the dance floor was filled with paparazzi rather than dancers for a good 20 minutes until we took the cake away.  But it was TOO life-like for dessert service.

Needless to say, no one had the stomach to nibble on Tripp or his bowl of Kibble.  The cake was enthusiastically and fabulously created by Truli Confectionary Arts.

The real challenge is finding a location that is large enough to accommodate your guests, priced in a way you can afford, savory enough to satisfy your palette and close enough to make it convenient. A tough list indeed for many places across the country, including Philadelphia.  On the other hand, because we have formed relationships over the years with so many chefs and owners, we have a great working knowledge of what is available and what works.  Some of our favorite places for rehearsal dinners are:

• XIX
• Osteria
• Paradiso
• Lacroix
• The Boathouse at The Rittenhouse
• Hamilton Garden at the Kimmel Center
• Lucky Strike
• Powel House
• Print Center
• Art Alliance

Dawa Cocktail Recipe

• 2 chopped key limes
• 3 tablespoons raw honey
• 2 shots vodka (we love Ketel One or Belvedere)
• Crushed ice
• Shake together and pour in a rocks glass

Oh, the magical healing powers of raw honey,  the fantastically refreshing limes and the ultra smooth vodka!  What could BEE better ?

As with many Philadelphians, we look forward to this issue since it brings to light some of the most talented chefs and restauranteurs in the nation.  Extremely notable this year is just how culturally diverse the City of Brotherly Love is these days.  From Zahav to  Morimoto… foods from around the world are here.  Even better, it’s not just about the food.  Take a look at the ultra-Mexican suave digs that Jose Garces put together at Distrito.  The design vibe here is so incendiary that it has inspired countless party mavens to host a Mexican-themed party (who knew Philly was so short on Mariachi bands?).  And get a load of Bindi… here’s a place to go when it’s imperative to leave the country, if only for a few hours of spicy Indian comfort food, warm relaxed ambience, and saturated color therapy.

Also good to remember is that so many of these 50 Best Restaurants have the ability to host a party, either by offering a private room or by renting out the whole place, kit and kaboodle.  Have you ever seen the private room at Barclay Prime?  Or the second floor at Supper?  What a fantastic way to introduce your family and friends to Philadelphia by hosting an engagement party, birthday celebration, baby shower or bar mitzvah at one of these super cool restaurants.  We’re lucky to have such spectacular places at our fingertips where we can enjoy sophisticated food in ultra stylish environs.  Have you gone out to eat this week?  Yeah?  Well, go again.  It can’t help but lift the spirits (and the local economy).