Tomato Season: Where to Get Your Fix

By Danya Henninger

It’s prime tomato time, and chefs around the region are finding delicious ways - both traditional and new - to make the most of the plump and rosy fruits. If you’re craving the garden-fresh taste of a quality tomato, here are four places to find special menus crafted around the summer icon.

Bistrot La Minette
Mitch Prensky of Supper is collaborating with chef Peter Woolsey on a one-night-only tomato feast. Make a reservation to get in on the prix fixe meal, which sees the two toques trade courses thoughout the night. Start with Woolsey’s heirloom tomato tarte paysanne, continue with Prensky’s popcorn-spiked green tomato salad and transition back to Woolsey’s tomato terrine. That’s all before Prensky sends out a Michelada-dusted lamb shank with tomato posole. Dessert also gets the tomato treatment: look for a puff pastry with caramel tomato confit and salted tomato caramels. The tasting menu is available for $35 per person, or $50 with wine pairings (215-925-8000).

Kris
There are no desserts included in the four courses of chef Kristian Leuzzi’s August ode to the Garden State’s most beloved crop, but there are plenty of chances for tomatoes to shine. You’ll find them sliced into carpaccio and served with salt cod, atop bruschetta with pan seared scallops, baked in rigatoni with scamorza and alongside a chicken cutlet Milanese with dandelion greens. The whole meal runs just $24, or each dish can be ordered á la carte for $6 each. Add a large format bottle of rare Tenute Collesi Imper Ale Rossa to the ticket for $12 more (215-468-0104).

Isabella
Chef Michael Cappon was so impressed with this year’s crop of heirloom and roma tomatoes from Snyder Farms in Perkasie, PA, he decided to craft a whole menu featuring the juicy fruit. The “Totally Tomato” menu is available at the Conshohocken Mediterranean through the end of August, and includes a roasted heirloom gazpacho, caprese with housemade mozzarella, crispy pork cheeks with smoked tomato compote and a tomato coca (tart) with fresh garlic and herbs. Dishes are available á la carte for $7-$12 (484-532-7470).

Verdad
Do tomatoes go with tequila? They do at this Bryn Mawr Euro-Latin tapas spot, where chef Nicholas Farina has introduced two plates that showcase the in-season produce. A basil helado (ice cream) stars in an heirloom tomato salad with aged sherry vinegar and pine nuts, and gazpacho also gets a nouveau look - it’s made with yellow tomatoes instead of red ones. The special dishes are available through the end of August (610-520-9100).