Thursday night, Jan. 14, was the Grand Opening Gala for Chef Daniel Stern’s highly anticipated restaurant R2L. 
Grand Entrance of R2L courtesy of Philly Chit Chat
Perched high above center City Philadelphia on the 37th floor of The Residences of Two Liberty, this is the epitome of the statement “a room with a view”. All of the who’s who of the City of Brotherly Love were in attendance for the grandiose event.
This is Chef Stern’s take-two of Rae which was in the Cira Center, and is by far a much more exciting space. Homeowners of the exclusive Two Liberty Residences can access the restaurant via the same floor as the owner’s lounge and gym, but all others enter through a door off 16th street where you’ll find an elevator. Just hit the button “restaurant” and you’re quickly transported to R2L.
The giant space encompasses more than half of the entire 37th floor and has a NYC loungey feel that’s sexy enough to stand out among the glowing city lights below. The right touches are in place; the contemporary zebra print group-friendly banquettes, and the splash of red in the plush bar area adding a distinctive seductive flair, to the modern floating sterling silverware sculpture towards the
Me and the girls (Adriane- center, Corinne-left)
southwest view of the restaurant. It is an unbelievable space with breathtaking views and it deserves to be filled with gorgeous people. R2L somehow reminds me of the Starlight Room in San Francisco minus the dance floor, although a dance floor in this space would be a really good idea.
Stern is going to have to do a lot of covers to keep this restaurant at full capacity. If the butlered hors d’oeuvres and the spread of fare offered during Thursday’s event are any indication of what type of cuisine will be on the menu then it looks like Chef Stern will be turning out comfort food and simple takes on fresh ingredients like seafood. Seasoned shrimp cocktail, pickled veggies, cheesesteak spring rolls, oysters on the half shell, risotto balls with a truffle cream sauce, and a riff on a reuben sandwich wrapped in an appetizer sized package.
With the designer decked-out décor, you would expect fancier provisions, but I heard Daniel is trying to keep the prices reasonable, so the move towards traditional classics makes sense I suppose. However if you throw your own event in one of the many private
Me and my man, Eric Grilly
rooms (although I can’t guarantee it will top off the one Cashman & Associates put on Thursday) I would bet that your dining possibilities are endless. I can’t wait to get my hands on the finished menu.
You can see beautifully taken pictures from that night oat R2L on Philly Chit Chat, and for a sampling of what may appear on the final menu, check out R2L’s Restaurant Week course selection. R2L opens to the public this Thursday, January 21st. Opentable is also taking reservations. I’m planning to get back soon with my man again to catch the nightly romantic show- the stunning sunset.
Filed under: Bites, Events Tagged: | Daniel Stern, Philadelphia Restaurants, Philly restaurants with a view, R2L, sunset spots Philly, Two Liberty
