4411 main street philadelphia 215 483 9400
Dear Friends,
One thing is for certain; everthing inevitably changes. The way I see it, change is good. Change is growth. People change, neighborhoods change, even our likes and loves change. Change is what motivates us either by the fear of it or by the desire to embrace it. I have always been one whom has chosen the latter. Change invigorates me and causes me to be so excited that I can not sleep at night.
Have I changed? Since coming to Manayunk almost 18 years ago, I have been busy raising a family, I have been in and out of many different business deals, and obviously have matured (or perhaps aged, some would argue the maturity thing). I have been living my dream! Anybody who can make their living doing what they love is truly successful, and G-d knows that after more than thirty years in and around kitchens and food, I consider myself pretty damn successful. There are many things about me that have not changed though. I still get up in the morning and can not wait to get to work and I still do not like to go home until the last guest is satisfied. I still have an absolute passion for the food. I love the four seasons of our region and always anticipate the seasonal foods to come in so that I can offer them to you. I love teaching and guiding my staff and hopefully infecting them with my passion. I am a “Lifer” in the restaurant business and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
So here we are again, another change and another chapter for Derek Davis. It is now the autumn of 2008 and I have been operating Derek’s on Main Street in Manayunk for over 3 years after my established 13 years with Sonoma. In an effort to try something new, I branched out into nearby suburban Ardmore, one year ago and opened a retail meat market named Main Line Prime, a bit of a “throwback” to the neighborhood butcher shops of the past.
I am very excited to say that MLP is like nothing else I have ever done. The experience has not only been a gratifying one, it has also been tremendously fun. In that one short year we have become the Philadelphia region’s premier destination for connoisseur quality meets, produce, and poultry. I am honored to say that we have received awards such as “Best of Philly,” “Best of The Main Line,” and many others. At MLP, we specialize in prime meats, specifically beef; we feature dry aged Charolais and Hereford beef, along with imported Japanese Kobe, American Wagyu, and locally raised grass-fed organic beef.
Main Line Prime is an educational experience as well, stop by any time for a tutorial on all types of meat. We want to make your selections at Main Line Prime special. Have a question about your preparation? We’ll walk you through a step-by-step approach to cooking your rack of lamb or your fresh ahi tuna. How about a vertical steak tasting with six different kinds of sirloin strip steak paired with six different California Cabernets? I would be more than willing to preside over such a dinner for you and your friends; simply call me or visit the butcher shop, and we will set it up.
As for next year, well I am always looking forward. Scheduled to open in January 2009 is Pizza Rosso. If you have ever traveled to Rome then you may remember the beautiful pizzerias all over the city serving “Pizza al Taglio.” These pizzerias offer pizzas that are baked rectangular in shape and feature many different Mediterranean inspired toppings and the most vibrantly colored vegetables, cheeses and meats. Their design is a simple “Grab-and-Go” layout and the beauty in this concept is the fact that fast, fresh, and healthful food can be available in an urban setting and still be affordable and nourishing. Pizza Rosso will be located on Broad and Allegheny, directly across the street from the Temple dental and medical school. Here we will service all of the Temple University Hospital Area.
Over the last many years our nation has embraced the “local-organic” food movement. Believe me when I tell you, I have been a proponent of locally grown foods for over twenty years. I have sourced foods from many local farms and businesses for my whole career and I never plan on stopping. I say this because sometimes I simply run out of space on my menu and can not always list what and where the food in my restaurant may happen to be or where it may be coming from. Be assured, if it is in season and I can source it locally, then it is local. Food has always been my passion, my addiction even. The food has and will always come first in anything I do.
As many of you may already know, wine is my second passion. I have traveled extensively to a variety of wine regions throughout the world. I have even worked in the vineyards during “crush” and toiled in certain wineries. If you think working in the wine business is glamorous, perhaps you should think again. The wine making process has just about as much glamour as cooking fourteen hours a day in a hot kitchen. Although I know first hand that both can be rather taxing, to this day I still find both incredibly fascinating and there is nothing else I’d rather be involved with.
I have always wanted my restaurant to be as approachable as it can to wine lovers in the Philadelphia area. At Derek’s, we have a few ideas when it comes to wine service that I feel set us apart from other area restaurants. First would be the “Sale Wine” additions to our house list that are available at all times. This list comprises of a small collection of wines that I was able to buy at deep discounts. I want to pass these discounts on to you and most wines are priced at or less than half off original retail. Often you can find some real gems listed here however, most prices usually lie between $18 to $30 dollars. Secondly, I do encourange you to bring your own bottle of wine to enjoy with dinner, if you so choose, and I promise you there will never be a service fee or corkage charge. Please check out our BYO policy section of our web page while you are here for more information. Lastly, our house list has close to 200 selections that encompass many regions, styles and price ranges. Crazy as it seems, for the past twelve years, every Sunday we have been offering every wine on our list at half price. That’s right, 50 % off. We like to say “half priced bottles” although most of customers would rather think of it as a “2-for-1” sale. Whatever you choose, we feel there is something here for everyone. It is my personal goal to see that every table has either a glass or a bottle of wine on it during the dinner hour here at Derek’s.
Derek’s has evolved, I think, into the most sophisticated dining destination on Main Street. Some of our guest come in regularly for our great specials, from “Sunday Bloody Sunday” to “Martini Thursday.” Others come for a great steak and a romantic interlude. We enjoy hosting our customer’s private events, from birthday parties to bridal showers, and sometimes we simply act as a neighborhood living room. Customers come to sit in our bar area and enjoy great music, watch sports on the tv and chat with our friendly bartenders. Of course most come for our seasonally inspired cuisine that is both comtemporary and classic at the same time. I once heard our menu described as “the Greatest Hits of New American Cuisine.” Derek’s has evolved into the come anytime, feel good place that I had always envisioned it would.
Fine Food, Fine Drinks and Fine service is what I’m talking about!
See you on Main Street.
Derek
One thing is for certain; everthing inevitably changes. The way I see it, change is good. Change is growth. People change, neighborhoods change, even our likes and loves change. Change is what motivates us either by the fear of it or by the desire to embrace it. I have always been one whom has chosen the latter. Change invigorates me and causes me to be so excited that I can not sleep at night.
Have I changed? Since coming to Manayunk almost 18 years ago, I have been busy raising a family, I have been in and out of many different business deals, and obviously have matured (or perhaps aged, some would argue the maturity thing). I have been living my dream! Anybody who can make their living doing what they love is truly successful, and G-d knows that after more than thirty years in and around kitchens and food, I consider myself pretty damn successful. There are many things about me that have not changed though. I still get up in the morning and can not wait to get to work and I still do not like to go home until the last guest is satisfied. I still have an absolute passion for the food. I love the four seasons of our region and always anticipate the seasonal foods to come in so that I can offer them to you. I love teaching and guiding my staff and hopefully infecting them with my passion. I am a “Lifer” in the restaurant business and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
So here we are again, another change and another chapter for Derek Davis. It is now the autumn of 2008 and I have been operating Derek’s on Main Street in Manayunk for over 3 years after my established 13 years with Sonoma. In an effort to try something new, I branched out into nearby suburban Ardmore, one year ago and opened a retail meat market named Main Line Prime, a bit of a “throwback” to the neighborhood butcher shops of the past.
I am very excited to say that MLP is like nothing else I have ever done. The experience has not only been a gratifying one, it has also been tremendously fun. In that one short year we have become the Philadelphia region’s premier destination for connoisseur quality meets, produce, and poultry. I am honored to say that we have received awards such as “Best of Philly,” “Best of The Main Line,” and many others. At MLP, we specialize in prime meats, specifically beef; we feature dry aged Charolais and Hereford beef, along with imported Japanese Kobe, American Wagyu, and locally raised grass-fed organic beef.
Main Line Prime is an educational experience as well, stop by any time for a tutorial on all types of meat. We want to make your selections at Main Line Prime special. Have a question about your preparation? We’ll walk you through a step-by-step approach to cooking your rack of lamb or your fresh ahi tuna. How about a vertical steak tasting with six different kinds of sirloin strip steak paired with six different California Cabernets? I would be more than willing to preside over such a dinner for you and your friends; simply call me or visit the butcher shop, and we will set it up.
As for next year, well I am always looking forward. Scheduled to open in January 2009 is Pizza Rosso. If you have ever traveled to Rome then you may remember the beautiful pizzerias all over the city serving “Pizza al Taglio.” These pizzerias offer pizzas that are baked rectangular in shape and feature many different Mediterranean inspired toppings and the most vibrantly colored vegetables, cheeses and meats. Their design is a simple “Grab-and-Go” layout and the beauty in this concept is the fact that fast, fresh, and healthful food can be available in an urban setting and still be affordable and nourishing. Pizza Rosso will be located on Broad and Allegheny, directly across the street from the Temple dental and medical school. Here we will service all of the Temple University Hospital Area.
Over the last many years our nation has embraced the “local-organic” food movement. Believe me when I tell you, I have been a proponent of locally grown foods for over twenty years. I have sourced foods from many local farms and businesses for my whole career and I never plan on stopping. I say this because sometimes I simply run out of space on my menu and can not always list what and where the food in my restaurant may happen to be or where it may be coming from. Be assured, if it is in season and I can source it locally, then it is local. Food has always been my passion, my addiction even. The food has and will always come first in anything I do.
As many of you may already know, wine is my second passion. I have traveled extensively to a variety of wine regions throughout the world. I have even worked in the vineyards during “crush” and toiled in certain wineries. If you think working in the wine business is glamorous, perhaps you should think again. The wine making process has just about as much glamour as cooking fourteen hours a day in a hot kitchen. Although I know first hand that both can be rather taxing, to this day I still find both incredibly fascinating and there is nothing else I’d rather be involved with.
I have always wanted my restaurant to be as approachable as it can to wine lovers in the Philadelphia area. At Derek’s, we have a few ideas when it comes to wine service that I feel set us apart from other area restaurants. First would be the “Sale Wine” additions to our house list that are available at all times. This list comprises of a small collection of wines that I was able to buy at deep discounts. I want to pass these discounts on to you and most wines are priced at or less than half off original retail. Often you can find some real gems listed here however, most prices usually lie between $18 to $30 dollars. Secondly, I do encourange you to bring your own bottle of wine to enjoy with dinner, if you so choose, and I promise you there will never be a service fee or corkage charge. Please check out our BYO policy section of our web page while you are here for more information. Lastly, our house list has close to 200 selections that encompass many regions, styles and price ranges. Crazy as it seems, for the past twelve years, every Sunday we have been offering every wine on our list at half price. That’s right, 50 % off. We like to say “half priced bottles” although most of customers would rather think of it as a “2-for-1” sale. Whatever you choose, we feel there is something here for everyone. It is my personal goal to see that every table has either a glass or a bottle of wine on it during the dinner hour here at Derek’s.
Derek’s has evolved, I think, into the most sophisticated dining destination on Main Street. Some of our guest come in regularly for our great specials, from “Sunday Bloody Sunday” to “Martini Thursday.” Others come for a great steak and a romantic interlude. We enjoy hosting our customer’s private events, from birthday parties to bridal showers, and sometimes we simply act as a neighborhood living room. Customers come to sit in our bar area and enjoy great music, watch sports on the tv and chat with our friendly bartenders. Of course most come for our seasonally inspired cuisine that is both comtemporary and classic at the same time. I once heard our menu described as “the Greatest Hits of New American Cuisine.” Derek’s has evolved into the come anytime, feel good place that I had always envisioned it would.
Fine Food, Fine Drinks and Fine service is what I’m talking about!
See you on Main Street.
Derek
