If you’ve lived in Philadelphia and somehow managed to not dine at one of Valerie Safran and Marcie Turney’s restaurants on 13th Street, such as Little Nonna’s or Jamonera, then what are you waiting for? Get there now!
The duo’s newest venture is the old-fashioned themed Bud & Marilyn’s on the corner of Locust Street. Named after Turney’s grandparents, Bud and Marilyn Briese, this restaurant is an ode to all of the comfy classics. To start off the night, I ordered the Marilyn Old Fashioned with high hopes. It was a sweet, delicious brandied version that lived up to the expectations. The Sage Derby Smash cocktail I tried was a nice, refreshing option for the summer heat. With a pretty nice beer list, the restaurant also boast their own custom “Bud’s Best” english pale ale brew by Yards Brewing Co.
For appetizers, my ideal scenario is always to get a sampler of some sort to share. At Bud & Marilyn’s they take their own spin on a pu pu platter. (I stifled a childish giggle when I ordered it.) This Asian-inspired assortment consisted of sweet & spicy chicken wings, tamarind barbecued ribs, steak teriyaki skewers, ground shrimp and pork toast, tuna poke, and blistered shishitos. Everything was delicious with my personal favorite being the sweet & spicy wings that had a real tangy kick to them. Because we couldn’t help ourselves in the (literal) heat of summer, we also had to try the lobster hot buns. The little buttered potato rolls had warm lobster with celery heart and green apple slices, topped with a light curried aioli. While small, they were the perfect bites.
Psyched to see my all-time favorite comfort food on the menu, I already knew I was going to order the fried chicken dish as my entree. Accompanied by warm biscuits with honey butter and dill zucchini pickles, the crispy herbed chicken was heavenly. On the Friday night specials menu was the fish fry, which half the table ordered. Served with coleslaw, crispy potatoes and classic tartar sauce, the Wisconsin-style fried fish plates were all clean at the end of the meal. A passing dry-aged strip steak caught the eye of someone at the table. Once it arrived, they were amazed by the full roasted bone marrow delivered atop the steak. The steak itself was cooked perfectly medium-rare with a garlic scape salsa verde.
While the meal was too decadent for dessert, options like the peanut butter icebox cake special of the day, funfetti cake, and coconut cream pie were certainly tempting. With a menu full of everyone’s favorite food and an ambiance like grandma’s house, it will be very difficult not to return to Bud & Marilyn’s — often.
Have you been to Bud & Marilyn’s? Share your experience with us!
