The Entrepreneurial Spirit is Flowing at The Water Works Restaurant of Philadelphia
By Kimberly Toms ~ Photographs By Daniel Mezick
Spring 2007
Several years ago, Cornell and Michigan State Universities concluded that after the first year of business, 27% of restaurant startups fail. At the three year anniversary, 50% were closed. Five years saw 60% out of business and ten years equated to 70% no longer operating. This is not as bad as the ninety percent fail rate that one generally hears on the street. But still, the business of preparing and delivering cuisine is a difficult one.
For The Water Works Restaurant and Lounge of Philadelphia, added to that typical difficulty were the pressure of a $3.5 million renovation as part of a National Historic Landmark location and the general political struggles associated with occupation of the structure so long held dear by Philadelphians, The Waterworks of 1812.
The Waterworks municipal water system was built in the early nineteenth century by engineer Frederick Graff. It was one of the first municipal water systems in America and continued to provide fresh resources to the city through 1860. Although the facility had a solid purpose, its Greek Revival architecture, layout and overall beauty have attracted hundreds of thousands of people to walk its grounds since its opening.
Situated on the Schuylkill River, also home to beautiful Boathouse Row, the Waterworks first utilized steam engines to lift water to the reservoir that was once located where the Philadelphia Museum of Art now stands. When a dam was eventually built across the Schuylkill, the original steam engines were replaced by river-powered water wheels.
As the population of the city outgrew the functionality of the original Waterworks, and as the Industrial Revolution facilitated pollution of the river waters, the pump station was closed in 1909. Since that time, there have been several efforts to revive the beautiful facility and honor it with varied business ventures, but none have outlasted the ebb and flow of the river.
Clearly, it takes guts to venture into any new business, particularly in the fickle food service genre. To open a grand restaurant at one of the most cherished National Historic Landmarks of a major city, surely the restaurateur must be either highly experienced in the business, with many dining properties under his belt, or simply crazy.
In meeting Michael Karloutsos, the restaurant business neophyte behind The Water Works, I quickly realized that insanity is not necessarily the motivator behind the polished yet exuberant gentleman founder. He is not crazy. He is a visionary. Coupled with his business partners (wife Anastasia, sister Sophia and her husband, Leonidas Agorastos) and an exceptional staff, such as Chef Adan Trinidad and award-winning Pastry Chef Chad Durkin, he is a man with a good plan.
No sooner did I walk through the door and gain an introduction to Michael, an obviously experienced fellow networker formerly involved in politics, than I was seated and plate after intricately fashioned plate of colorful cuisine started flowing to my table. The style of Water Works’ cuisine is described by the owners as “Inspired Neo-Classical.” It is, indeed, inspired. It is also infused with generations-old flavors from the Karloutsos’ roots, as well as ethnic flair representative of the wide-ranging taste of America.
I started with the Grilled Octopus appetizer. Typically, I am wary of ordering octopus or even calamari from an unsampled menu, as I have had some really horrible experiences of not only poor flavor, but odd texture that one knows immediately upon first bite is not supposed to be part of the experience. This Grilled Octopus, however, was highly encouraging.
Second was the Grilled Haloumi Cheese in a Roasted Hot Pepper sauce. The Haloumi was amply proportioned and drizzled effectively with the sauce that still allowed the cheese’s salty flavor to permeate.
The Oysters Three Ways followed, a dressed trio of my favorite appetizer staple. Generally, I prefer oysters on the half shell, as I believe they require very little alteration from their natural state. However, this offering of a panko-crusted oyster with feta and spinach fondue, half-shell with mignonette and shooter with mint and Granny Smith apple was certainly a desirable variation on my typical style. The panko was just as it should be, slightly crunchy and light, and the shooter was actually refreshing, with the flavors of both the mint and the apple finding their place.
Meatballs bring to mind football games and Sunday pasta, as they seem to be quite a staple here in the Northeast. I would typically not consider ordering meatballs at a restaurant and only think of them when they are placed before me. Yet, these Meatballs with Roasted Eggplant and Smoked Yellow Tomato Puree were delicately presented, if “delicate” and “meatball” may actually exist in the same sentence. They had a lightly spicy sauce, were manageable in size and served in a series of six. Grilled Lollipop Lamb Chops were equally delightful, tender and certainly worth revisiting.
My absolute favorite sampling, however, was hands-down the Seared Watermelon. As a child, I was the stereotypical Southern girl, in my sundress on Grandmother’s porch, with a wedge of watermelon in my hands and juice dripping on my delicately-stitched yoke. In those days, I added salt to the fruit, as is common. There is something balancing about the sweet and salty. This balance is presented in a very classic and grown-up manner, by means of the aged balsamic vinegar, red onion and feta that dresses each manageable slice. As the watermelon is, naturally, only available in season, I cannot wait until the patches have provided enough fruit that I can enjoy this delicacy at The Water Works once more. It is a simple and light starter when compared to other menu items, but simplicity definitely has its place.
Lunch fare is equally intriguing as the dinner menu, adding sandwich offerings to the other, more elegant entrees. The Crab Cake Sandwich with whole grain mustard aioli, sliced avocado and pickled Napa cabbage, and the Water Works Burger, an ample Angus beef patty stuffed with Boursin cheese and bacon, are both filling and excellent variations on a typical business lunch theme.
Desserts are most often left untouched when I visit any restaurant, as they generally consist of the obligatory cheesecake, “ultimate” chocolate cake and sorbets. I have to say, though, that in several visits back to The Water Works, I have managed to enjoy most of the dessert menu. None of the items have failed to impress.
Being from New Orleans, I was particularly fond of the uniquely concocted Chocolate Beignets, as created by Chad Durkin. The beignets were light and fluffy, as they should be, but in the form of a ball, with a creamy warm chocolate sauce. Equally as delightful, yet not as decadently sweet, is the Strawberry Basil Sorbet. Sorbet is generally refreshing, but this combination of the fruit and the herb were quite soothing and brought the evening to a graceful close. I
have likewise sampled about a half dozen other Water Works dessert specialties in the past four months and none have disappointed, to say the least.
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| A wall of water selections greets diners at The Waterworks of Philadelphia, including Bling H2O. | |
The wine list is certainly ample and offers a steadfast and encouraging selection from which to choose. Of notable mention is the water list, wherein even the most finicky natural beverage connoisseur may find complete satisfaction, whether it is Perrier, the expensive and flashy Bling brand, Trump’s water, or that in which Sylvester Stallone has personal involvement, Sly. If your fluid needs to have kick, sample a martini or other libation of the adult kind, whether it is the amusing “Schuylkilltini,” complete with a red Swedish Fish at the bottom of the glass, or an award-winning scotch.
Generally speaking, a restaurant’s success is primarily based upon the quality and taste of menu offerings, service, atmosphere and price. Michael Karloutsos has managed to make his first venture in the food business a valiant and commendable effort. The culinary team is creatively skilled and it seems involved executives are open-minded enough to allow taste to win over convention. The pricing is effective and appropriate. Service is charming and interlaced with interesting personal stories that, when prompted, grace the dining experience.
The Water Works’ atmosphere is describable only through a myriad of adjectives, ranging from “historic” to “romantic.” Somewhere in the list one must also incorporate elegant, yet unpretentious, refined, yet youthfully enthusiastic. The property itself is one that should never have been vacant, as it was for about 25 years. Perhaps now that the Karloutsos and Agorastos families have arrived, life will continue to be pumped into the old Engine House and the initial vision of the original Waterworks can be appreciated with greater longevity. 
