Off the Line

Creole on the Hill

A joint venture between Angie Brown and daughter Samantha Johnson, Soul replaced popular Chestnut Hill BYOB Citrus last fall. The eatery’s petite size hasn’t changed—but everything else has, thanks to the duo’s remarkable interior design skills and culinary prowess.

The modern Creole eatery is wedding-cake white with black damask accents on the chairs and banquettes, and a big chalkboard that touts desserts and specials. Fleur-de-lis ornaments hang from a large, shimmering chandelier, adding an intimate feel to an already cozy space.

Photo by Heidi ReuterService, ingenuity and taste rate high at Soul, starting with a warm greeting from the staff and the knockout cornbread—slightly sweet, loaded with butter, crispy on the outside, and light and fluffy inside. It served as a tasty accompaniment to the arugula salad, with its silky lemon olive-oil vinaigrette and peppery leaves.

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Soft but not too mushy or pungent, a trio of sardines, heads intact, came with lime wedges and a few drops of Tabasco.

Moist, tender and pink in the middle, the three large scallops worked nicely atop two pleasantly crisp, cornmeal-encrusted tomato slices. Meanwhile, a homey pile of tender, smoky pork—served with rice and plump, buttery beans—proved a worthy successor to an appetizer portion of steamed clams with andouille sausage, robust bouillabaisse sauce and plenty of bread for dipping.

8136 Germantown Ave.,  (215) 248-8800
 

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