Striped Bass Restaurants   

Fear not, Philadelphia: The venerable Striped Bass has finally reopened. New owner Stephen Starr brought in two beloved New York City chefs to to rework the menu -- much to the chagrin of NYC's culinary crowd. The menu at Striped Bass is still seafood-heavy, but it makes a few more concessions to the landlubbers in town. Chef Alfred Portale has brought with him a number of his signature dishes, such as yellowfin tuna tartare with Japanese cucumber, miso and ginger dressing; hamachi sashimi with papaya and orange-wasabi dressing; and grilled Gotham steak with potato and flan. Of course, there's wild striped bass to be had, along with lobster, wild king salmon with artichokes, and miso-marinated black cod. For a less fishy meal, try the duck breast with caramelized mango. Obviously, the menu has taken on a slightly Asian feel. And although Starr has spruced up the place, with better lighting and new carpets and furniture, the ambience is as elegant as ever. They must be doing something right: For the 2004 James Beard culinary awards, Christopher Lee of Striped Bass got a nod for Rising Star Chef of the Year.Want More Stephen Starr?