Alison at Blue Bell

BLUE BELL. Alison Barshak, who was hailed far and wide for her culinary exploits at Striped Bass, opened her cozy Blue Bell, PA eatery in May of 2003, and things in this tiny Philadelphian haven't been the same since. Indeed, Barshak's New American artistry draws curious palates from far and wide, and it's easy to understand why once you've sampled her West Coast halibut with truffled grits, lump crab cakes with warm potato and green bean salad, or grilled Pompano with marinated summer vegetable salad. Adding to the restaurant's small town charm is the fact that Barshak makes frequent passes through the dining room to chat with her guests. If you want to dine on Saturday, try to make reservations one month in advance. $5 corkage per bottle.