Philly mag gives Townsend, 1623 E. Passyunk Ave., an ‘excellent’ 3-star review

Townsend, the latest gastronomic newcomer to the red-hot Passyunk strip, found a big fan in Trey Popp, the Philadelphia magazine restaurant critic who bestowed three out of four stars on the restaurant.

Popp praises chef Townsend Wentz as a jack of all trades and a master of them all for his French-influenced menu of precious plates. Highlights include the stingy nettle soup, sautéed sweetbreads, seared striped bass, rabbit pot-au-feu and more.

From the review:

With its French technique, rich sauces and white tablecloths, Townsend feels a little bit like culinary counter-programming on a stretch of Passyunk Avenue increasingly defined by departures from traditional fine dining. Wentz doesn’t really go in for molecular gastronomy here, either. “I ran away from chemistry!” he laughs.

But there’s nothing stodgy about this warm place. Classic jazz veers toward Wilco and War on Drugs as the evening progresses.

The whole thing is worth a read. Check it out here.