22spots.com

"The brash building and the soft-spoken chef are a brilliant mismatch. Who could have guessed that the Cira, with its off-putting armor of mirrors, would become a destination for playful upscale snacks like smoked rabbit nachos, a pile of fried meat pies flattered by the gentle heat of a -jalapeño/créme fraîche dipping sauce? Or that a Cira happy hour could groove like a hip hotel's bar, as soon as the blood-orange martinis come out to play? Or that a restaurant in a big-box space could produce awe-inspiring comfort food, specifically the sumptuous wine-braised short ribs"
       - Marie Gallagher, Philadelphia Magazine

Great restaurants inevitably have great chefs, and Daniel Stern has been doing great things in Philadelphia. Chef Stern did it the right way with stints in some of the top restaurants under some of the most notable chefs in the world - Gray Kunz (The St. Regis Hotel); Daniel Boulud (Restaurant Daniel); the Mercer Kitchen (Jean-Georges Vongerichten); and Georges Perrier (Le Bec-Fin).

He will go down in the annals of this area's restaurant history as the executive chef who restored the elusive Mobil 5th Star to chef/owner, Georges Perrier. This Cherry Hill native is now a chef/owner himself, and both Gayle and Rae are two of our very best restaurants. The restaurants are significantly different - Gayle is an intimate 35-Seat BYOB in Queen Village, and Rae is a 200-seat full service establishment located in the lobby of the new Cira Centre.

Quintessential offerings at Rae include the likes of Smoked Rabbitt Nachos; Black Truffle Pizza with Soto Cenere and Arugula; Braised Short Ribs with Pancetta Dressing; and Veal Kreplach with Artichoke. It all goes down very well with their impressive wine list (200 plus selections including 30 by the glass).

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