Food

By Mimi Sheraton

THE BICENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY done in Convention . . . the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the Twelfth ARTICLE VII FOOD Filling Up in Philadelphia The cradle of liberty nourished culinary tradition too

The right to eat, drink and be merry, though not among the first ten Amendments, is one that founding epicures felt free to exercise in Philadelphia. Visitors to this summer's celebration will be able to do the same, since the city offers varied options for food and drink, many with glimpses of its culinary history. Early on, Philadelphians developed a taste for sophisticated food and supported private eating clubs. The '70s restaurant renaissance brought that tradition up to date, marking Philadelphia as one of the cradles of new American cooking.

The city's latest culinary triumph is the Fountain, in the Four Seasons Hotel that opened in 1983. Delectable and pricey masterpieces include the wild-boar pate, shrimp-filled ravioli in a frothy, piquant butter sauce, and a stylish appetizer salad of snow peas and tender slivers of warm, sauteed squid. A golden-brown turnip sauce burnishes a sauteed veal chop, juicy roast pheasant tops cabbage mellowed with bacon, and hazelnuts accent a silky chocolate ramekin.

The Garden is one of the best of the '70s era, laid out in a series of handsome dining rooms in two 1870 town houses. The most popular spot is the rambling garden with flowers and yellow umbrellas. The moderately priced food has a homemade freshness, with such creations as prettily garnished salads, bright carpaccio of beef, or steamed clams, oysters and mussels in a chive + broth. Moist Dover sole, broiled with bread crumbs, and grilled squab nested on pecan-studded wild rice are fine main courses, and there are outstanding desserts, among them a little box of chocolate wrapped around framboise- moistened chocolate cake.

Despite its name, Friday Saturday Sunday, another '70s winner, serves dinner all week in a jaunty storefront setting. The savory smoked bluefish with horseradish-flecked whipped cream proved a better starter than a Sichuan beef salad that had a caustic dressing. Duck with a sweet-and-pungent curry sauce was as delectable as the Cornish hen Normandy, stuffed with apples and walnuts.

The Frog features an Orientalized Continental menu in a quiet, pastel postmodern setting. Lunch features a Japanese bento, a box with four compartments, containing a choice of such intriguing morsels as grilled shrimp, grilled duck breast, crunchy Japanese-style salads and rice. Among simpler dishes, the swordfish with lemon-thyme butter is flawless.

For a setting that is both romantic and historic, it would be hard to beat Deux Cheminees, laid out in two antique town houses. The rich cooking, nouvelle and bourgeoise, and the friendly staff add up to delightful if fairly expensive dinners. Good starters are the creamed wild-mushroom soup and the goujonettes of Dover sole, the crisply fried ribbons of fish bedded down on greens and topped with a creamy vinaigrette dressing. Green peppercorns add pungency to nicely sauteed duck breast, and the impeccably sauteed, crisp-yet- supple sweetbreads are delicious, even though their tomato-flavored sauce can be too intense.

The Commissary is an arty cafeteria with decent, moderately priced choices. Breakfast may include crackling thick Irish oatmeal or homemade muffins, and at brunch and lunch there are well-made omelets. Probably Philadelphia's most widely acclaimed French restaurant is Le Bec-Fin. Although not quite up to its national reputation, it does offer some fine food -- at steep prices -- in a dated Louis-the-Something setting. Avoid complex dishes such as lamb wrapped in veal and heavily sauteed scallops with snow peas. More successful are the Cornish hen with a garlic-and-thyme cream sauce, and veal medallions nestling in a morel cream sauce.

Perhaps the city's most famous restaurant name is Bookbinders, the seafood house where snapper (as in turtle) soup became a trademark. There are two Bookbinders: the Old Original, in its historic 1865 setting, and Bookbinders 15th Street, owned by the founding family. Alas, neither has much to recommend it, but for those with a taste for tradition, the latter is the better bet.

The City Tavern, originally built in 1773, is a part of local history. The restaurant has painted, wood-paneled walls, comb-back chairs, and a staff in period costumes that should delight children. They might also feel at home with the school-cafeteria level of cooking. But for a restful lunch of a sandwich or a salad, the Tavern suffices.

There are other cheap, casual eateries, and many offer local specialties. Among the city's claims to culinary distinction are cheese steaks -- grilled beef slices with cheese topping and fried onions on an Italian roll. The best are at Jim's, a gleaming art deco luncheonette that tops other reputed havens such as Pat's, Geno's and Lee's. Hoagies, the Philadelphia version of Italian hero sandwiches, are also winners at Jim's.

Some of the most satisfying local noshes turn up at the colorful Reading Terminal Market, where prepared foods can be carried to tables. Bassetts ice cream has been sold here since 1893, and the irresistibly thick, cold milkshakes are passed across the marble counter. Fisher's is the spot for a just baked soft pretzel that is brushed with melted butter and mustard. At 50 cents, it is frugal enough to satisfy even Ben Franklin.