Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse
200 Main Street, Town Center
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
(610) 337-4810
Although it hardly seems possible, a full four years have passed (March 2018) since I posted my initial review of Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse. As you would expect, there have been a few minor adjustments here and there; but, for the most part, the restaurant seems to have changed not at all. The cavernous dining space remains something of an echo chamber; caught between a high ceiling, hardwood floors, and bustling bar scene, the decibel level, especially when the joint is jumping – which seems to be most of the time – is still downright daunting. Depending upon your table location, carrying on a civilized conversation without shouting may very well constitute a major challenge.
The food is yet another constant. The general pandemonium notwithstanding, the cuisine continues to be first-rate on all counts. During my most recent visit, the six diners in our party (three couples) were completely satisfied with the gastronomic goings-on. The majority chose variations on the carnivorous theme: 8-Ounce Center-Cut Filet Mignon, 8-Ounce 55 Day Prime Aged Strip Steak, etc. Though enjoyed during a previous visit, the incomparable Sautéed Veal Tenderloin (pictured), also deserves mention. It remains, without doubt, one of the best veal presentations it has been my pleasure to ingest this side of the Atlantic. The veal was extraordinarily tender, with oyster mushrooms, cipollini onions, and roasted fingerling potatoes putting in superb supporting performances… But, ultimately, it was a rich and savory Marsala wine sauce that succeeded in propelling this dish into orbit. Highly recommended.
On this occasion, however, my dining partner and I decided to take the seafood route, both opting for the Atlantic Salmon (pictured). It arrived at table flesh side up on a seabed of sautéed baby spinach surrounded by a pool of warm eggplant caponata. The filet was attractively seared while its interior remained delightfully moist. This entrée had been ordered on one of my previous visits, and it remains a personal fave. As I noted in my initial review, Davio’s has managed to inject a healthy dose of pizzazz into an all-too-pedestrian piscatorial menu fixture.
Our group’s appetizer choices ranged from a shared Chopped Romaine Salad to San Marzano Tomato Soup with goat cheese chive crostini to Oysters Rockefeller. Once again, though, my dining partner and I took a different route, sharing a starter to which we have become thoroughly addicted: the Crispy Chicken Livers (pictured). A bath in the deep fryer leaves them irresistibly crispy yet with a moist & succulent interior. They are then tossed with roasted pine nuts in an enticing port wine balsamic glaze and crowned with deep fried spinach leaves. They may not look like much, but, trust me, they are an incredible feast for the palate.
That’s the good news… now for the bad. Dining at Davio’s – as I clearly noted in my first review – is a downright expensive proposition. Recently, however, it has graduated from “expensive” to “simply outrageous,” surpassing even Eddie V’s Prime Seafood as the king of high prices. This restaurant is definitely not for the faint of pocketbook. Cocktails are all in the $15.00 – $18.00 range; wines by the glass start at $12.00 and top out at $34.00 for a Verve Clicquot “Yellow Label.” “Select Wines by the Glass” begin at $29.00 and top out at $50.00. The regular wine list is definitely worth a read, but – depending upon your choices – could set you back some big bucks.
Salads are in the $14.00 – $19.00 range; pastas begin at $24.00 and top out at $49.00 for the Maine Lobster Risotto. Antipasti start out innocently enough with the San Marzano Tomato Soup garnished with Goat Cheese Chive Crostini, $12.00. From there, however, it’s onward and upward. That innocent-looking Crispy Calamari with cherry peppers and citrus aioli will set you back $20.00; the Tuna Tartare with avocado, Meyer lemon, harissa, and Davio’s herb pasta chips, $23.00; Grilled Octopus with purple potatoes, micro greens, and romesco, $19.00; Oysters Rockefeller, $25.00; and Oven Baked Lump Crab Cake, $29.00.
All of the above high finance, of course, tends to make those aforementioned Crispy Chicken Livers, $15.00, look like a comparative bargain. Well… yes and no. The photograph of the chicken livers above was taken during my most recent visit. Compare it to the photo of the same dish taken 4 years ago. Please note that the current rendition is less than half the size of the original… Not such a bargain after all.
Entrée-wise, the Veal Tenderloin and Atlantic Salmon pictured above go for $41.00 and $39.00, respectively. An 8-Ounce Center-Cut Filet Mignon will set you back $57.00; a 10-ounce, $70.00. The real killers, however, are the “Daily Specials,” all of which were recited without benefit of prices. And when we specifically inquired as to their cost – and our server was immediately forthcoming in this regard – they turned out to be significantly more expensive than a goodly number of items on the printed menu. Our server’s description of the special Black Sea Bass, for example, sounded great; but it weighed in at a whopping $55.00; the special Scallops at a wallet-busting $70.00.
And desserts offer no monetary reprieves. All sweet denouements carry a heady $15.00 price tag – with the exception of the Warm Chocolate Cake with Stracciatella gelato and Amarena cherries, which is $16.00. Tack on coffee/espresso, perhaps a digestif, tax, and tip and you could very well have a fiscal tsunami in the making.
The big question is, of course: Does the quality of the food justify these hefty prices? That depends, to a great extent, upon your point of view… and the state of your wallet. However… this conversation is not about Jean-Georges, or Le Bernadin, or the French Laundry, or La Tour d’Argent, or some other legendary bastion of ethereal gastronomy. No, this is about Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse in beautiful downtown King of Prussia, PA.
So, is it worth it????? Is it worth paying elevated fine dining prices to chow down on chain steakhouse fare – as good as it may or may not be – in an atmosphere saturated with near-lethal decibel levels? Is it…? Not to me… but it’s your call.
Bon Appétit!
Be Safe & Stay Well
TAD
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