Twenty Manning

really good asain fusion food. Went for valentine’s day fix price dinner. Would be interested in trying the regular menu

I want to like Twenty Manning… but my last visit just didn’t cut it… I might be back again when I’m in the mood for it’s more swanky vibe…
Ambiance: Despite the fact that I was in the mood for a more convivial and jolly atmosphere for the evening… I really appreciated Twenty Manning’s set-​up and vibe. It’s a sleek mahogany atmosphere warmed by candlelight. Perfect for a date.
Service: Was like a knife… Very sharp but cold as steel … Though our waitress was quite efficient and attentive, she was also very clipped and robotic. Not sure if it was just her bad day or her general MO but it was a little off putting…
Food: This was a big range. Some things were memorable like my Dimsum selection especially the dumplings which had a chewy skin pan fried to a nice crisp. Also their brussel sprouts were quite enjoyable. However their soup was pretty bland and their garlic spinach was so salty it was practically inedible. All in all, everything balanced out to be mediocre experience.
Drinks: The selection of wines was quite nice. I don’t often see Gruner-​Veltliners offered and it was nice to see it up on the board.
I think I’ll be back to enjoy a nice intimate drink with a friend or a date.

I was visiting just for the day and looking for something unique and different to eat at with a group of friends. I saw this place and thought I’d give it a shot.
The place as an atmosphere suited for small groups/​dates: dimmed lighting, candles, and soft music. it probably was a little awkward for my group of 7, which included a college friend and his gf, my friend from home and his gf, and then my coworker who tagged along for the road trip and his friend. 3 seperate groups of friends who had never met each other before in this nice intimate setting! nothing like good food to cut the tension.
being a self proclaimed dumpling expert, i decided to try their buffalo and chive dumpling as an app. it wasnt dry, had a nice smooth texture, and good flavor. i ordered the short ribs for my main meal and was happy it came out tender and well seasoned. the portion wasn’t huge, but enough to fill you up. i took a bite of my friends crusted trout and thought it tasted good too. i also took a bite of my friends pork chop which provided the only low highlight of the meal. the pork was tender, but way too salty.
service was good, even though they did charge us 20% gratuity. but they also included my two glasses of coke for free, so it kinda makes up for it right?

I’ve heard that this is a place for those in the know as it’s located kinda off the main hangout streets. It’s neatly tucked away into a more residential part of the neighborhood but don’t let mere surroundings fool you. Whether there are a lot of people or not, it seems like the vibe within is very jovial and always happening.
From the hostess to the chef to the manager, you were treated well and like a regular, which there seemed to be many of. The chef came out several times to greet people they have come to know and it seemed like there was a real friendship there. The manager also came out and seemed to have a genuine sense of making sure you were being taken care of. The ship was tight but not so much that fun couldn’t be had. The waitstaff all looked very experienced and mature in their taste and servitude. What was funny was that we got the one green waitress who seemed to surprise attack us asking us if we needed any new drinks or food. She also kept taking away our menus! How am I gonna order without it?
Their list of cocktails and mixed drinks were plentiful. When I drink, I tend to be a manly man but I let my guard down and tried the Lychee Mojito which was exquisite. A stick of sugar cane and a lychee in the drink! The gF got the Lycheetini which was also delicious. Later on I got a Glenfiddich 12 to make up for my weakness. Their selection of Scotch doesn’t impress but this isn’t one of those places anyway. The overall theme seems to be more of a after dinner drinks place but I saw plenty of people eating. I hear their chef is excellent so I know I have to come back for dinner sometime.
For food, we had a plate of their cheese and fruit which was really good, especially the goat cheese with honey captured inside. We also had their Banana Bread Pudding which was !!! So very good. The small sampling definitely made me want to try the rest of the menu.
From time to time, I would look out at the rest of the dining and drinking crowd and I saw mostly 20 to 30-​somethings, with a sprinkling of 40 and aboves, laughing and clutching their glasses and having a ball. Honestly, I felt you could take a snapshot of any corner of the place and find yourself a magazine ad for a high end liquor. The overall impression is that when you leave, you realize that just hanging out here made you feel good and if you were already feeling good, then you leave feeling great.

First off — I wouldn’t describe this establishment as Asian Fusion. I recall reading that they serve «Contemporary American», but I could have made that up.
Some friends and I dined here for Restaurant Week Fall 2009 and it as a darn good choice. The wrap-​around windows really make for a lovely atmosphere. The cocktails were creative and I enjoyed vodka for the first time in a long while. I also like the long, bar-​like table that runs the length of the restaurant, providing extra seating that doesn’t make you feel as if you are sitting on top of your neighbor.
I was impressed with the menu and the number of choices they provided. I have to disagree with the previous reviewer and say that my meal was fantastic. I started with the heirloom tomato gazpacho with lemon sorbet. The lemon sorbet added a wonderfully cool, summer flavor to the spice of this Spanish soup without diluting the overall tomato flavor.
The rolls were wonderfully textured — chewy and warm inside with a crisp crust. The wasabi butter was a definite bonus.
My main course of roasted free-​range chicken, brussels sprouts, and yukon mashed potatoes was hearty and delicious. The brussels sprouts were especially superb and lacked all trace of the pungent horseradish flavor they sometimes acquire during cooking.
Dessert was a lovely little trio chosen beforehand — apple pie, warm chocolate tarte, and ginger ice cream.
Our server was attentive, but not overbearing and was especially knowledgeable about the wine selections.
I’d recommend this venue for all manner of dinners: dates, parents in town, friends, or even just to treat yourself.

Was fortunate to get a reservation here for restaurant week.
Food was okay, but the décor and atmosphere made up for it. Lots of candles, and a black and white film noir movie was playing in the background.
This would be PERFECT for a first date… or if you have dinner planned to catch up with a good friend.

I’ve been to Twenty Manning multiple times and loved it.
The drinks are creative and good, a little pricey, but it is Rittenhouse Square. The food is great! An Asian fusion style going on here. From appetizers to entrees I liked it all. The bread and wasabi butter is a nice starter while you sip on your cocktail.
The inside is simple and chic. There are tables and some high tops and a large bar you can sit at. We went there for New Year’s Eve and enjoyed the music and champagne toast.
The service is friendly and helpful. The manager there was super nice and professional, checking up and making sure everything was ok.
After dinner go grab dessert or coffee and walk around Rittenhouse Square.

What a beautiful little restaurant in Philly!
I was in Philly with my boyfriend for Valentine’s Day. He had to go for work and so I tagged along so that we could spend the weekend together. I looked on Unilocal for a restaurant near our hotel that would be cute for us to go on a date, and I came across 20 Manning.
After being seated we were a bit surprised to learn that the menu was a special Valentine’s Day pre-​fix menu, which we had not been informed about when I made the reservation, so immediately we were a bit disappointed. I informed the waiter that we had no idea it was pre-​fix and asked him how much it cost for dinner. He informed me it was something like $ 150 for 2 people including a bottle of wine, and I thought it was a great deal! We decided to stay, but it was still a bit embarrassing to learn about the pre-​fix while seating down… what if it had been something like $ 200 a person. that would’ve definitely NOT been cool!
The food was delicious! Can’t remember exactly what we ate but I do remember it was amazing! Highly recommend it for dates… it’s super cute!
I’m adding it to my list of best restaurants!

Sharon wanted to sit outside. Unless you are having just drinks, outside is never a good idea. The service is always kinda crap outside because you are out of sight, out of mind.
So we are seated. We had to practically beg for water. Then we were waiting for the wasabi butter and bread and wound up asking the hostess for bread. She brought us one plain roll and one of the seeded/​multigrain. Now what were we supposed to do fight? So we asked for another multigrain. Again did our waitress apologize for not bringing starving girls bread?
I ordered a half portion of the steak for 12. Which is nice they are doing this whole half portion thing for the economy. Sharon had a side of brussel sprouts and the chop salad. She had no complaints. I loved my brussel sprouts, but my mash had no taste and the steak which I ordered medium was best cut with a scissors. i could barely slice it!
Then I kinda wanted dessert. Nothing on the dessert menu struck my eye. I hate when crème brûlée is flavored. Hate hate.
So listen. I’ve been to twenty manning in the winter and had more success. Just sit inside and pray for the best!

Overall, a nice experience. We got a side-​street, sidewalk table for 4 at 7:30 on a Friday night since the place was surprisingly empty. The draft beer list only had 3 beers on it but I had a real nice amber ale. The bottle list was so so. One of our friends seemed to have a tasty Manning Mojito but he didn’t mention it being great. My wife had a Chilean Merlot which complimented her ravioli nicely. We can’t remember everything that was in the ravioli, but it was a nice combination of flavors, nothing jumping out at us.
I had the monk fish special which wasn’t overwhelmingly good but a nice portion and fairly tasty. Our other friend had the Seared Tuna which he liked a lot. The app we had was the edamame which as edamame goes, was real good with the perfect amount of salt.
Overall, I just think there are other restaurants I want to try and won’t come running back. $ 160 including tip got us each a drink, one app shared for the table and an entrée — probably the right price all things considered. A-​OK sums up how I felt about it.

As night falls an another day, my mouth is longing for the passionfruit martini I had last night at Twenty Manning. It was absolutely delicious and priced for happy hour from what I remember (I may be wrong). I also had the Ginger Mojito which was a really interesting cocktail; it’s definitely for someone who likes trying exotic flavors and can handle strong ginger flavors.
Our bartender was very attentive and service was great on this weeknight. It was a very nice place to come and lounge out for a bit and talk before I called it a night. I’m sure it probably gets really crowded on the weekends which would probably ruin the chill atmosphere of this place for me (comfy seating, large mirrors, good use of space).
I will definitely go back to try their more exotic cocktails and perhaps their cuisine!

Visited this place on a business trip, using Unilocal as my guide. I’m concerned that this place wasn’t reviewed accurately. My experience was entirely different from the rest.
I tried the Lemon Sole Tempura and the calamari, both were mediocore and bland. The lemon overpowered the rest of the flavors and the soy sauce provided with the dish had a maple syrup like taste. Lemon + maple is not a good combination. The calamari was rubbery.
My coworker ordered the hanger steak, which she said was «marginal and the food was cold and flavorless.» One thing I did like was the wasabi butter spread they serve with the bread. The bread was good too.
The dining area looks nice, and is probably a good place to take a date for a mixed drink. Just skip the food.

Vietnamese Coffee + Crème Brulee = Vietnamese Coffee Crème Brulee. OMG!!! Now that is one heavenly dessert!
Loved the food. Loved the décor. Love the waitstaff. Loved the company I was with.
Happy Birthday Joanne. Hope you loved it too :)

YUM.
Not only was the food amazing, the atmosphere was quite beautiful. our server was was nice and had no problem answering any questions we had.
starters: I had the chop salad, the ginger dressing was so good, and the veggies were very crisp and fresh. i loved the fresh corn in it too, a nice touch. My boyfriend had the spicy calamari, i tried it and let me tell you, it was so flavorful and tender. Best calamari I’ve had in a WHILE. My mother had the fondue escargots which she loved (shes a big escargots buff too).
entrees: My boyfriend and I had the hanger steak, medium rare. Oh it was so tasty! A+ on the reduction sauce, perfect texture, not at all runny. The string beans it was served with were quite amazing as well. Didn’t care too much for the mashed potatoes though… too bland. My mother had the pumpkin ravioli, she seemed to enjoy it. But I thought it was too mushy and greasy… Wasn’t very impressed… My grandmother had the short ribs. We all tried a bite… it just melted in your mouth, very scrumptious. Definitely the best plate at the table. My grandmother is quite picky, but she nearly licked the plate clean! Haha…
dessert: We all shared the chocolate fondue. Definitely a good dessert to share with a group. Came with yummy fruit, brownies, and biscotti. Being a big choco-​holic, I approve: D
I was just so pleased that my boyfriend loved it too. He was kind of skeptical (being a chef he’s quite critical). But it was a hit, for all of us!
When do I get to go back?!

Went here for restaurant week– fabulous! The food here was delicious and I absolutely loved the atmosphere. The only thing I didn’t love was the expensive corking fee. Other than that, I was impressed to say the least!

I had a great meal here recently.
To start I had a salad. It was very fresh and was actually quite large for a starter. The dressing was very light, but it was sweet from the grilled corn and other veggies in it. I really enjoyed it.
For dinner, I had a rainbow trout that was also excellent. My dinner companion had a burger that he really enjoyed. Dessert was good…
We’ll definitely be coming back.

I really hate the term «asian fusion.» I feel like every restaurant is freaking asian fusion.
Anyways, aside from it being asian fusion, this restaurant was fantastic. We ordered the Dim Sum for an appetizer, which I would reccommend as a great sampler for two. I had the short ribs which were cooked fantastic and came with some amazing potatoes and bok choy cabbage. Chocolate fondue for dessert!
The only complaint I would have is our waitress. She didn’t seem to be, well… all there. I mean everything got done, but she had a weird way of communicating with us I could say. Hardly a problem though, I would come back for sure!

Considering how many good reviews Unilocalers had given Twenty Manning, I figure I should check it out.
Décor: The décor had a modern, asian, relaxing feel to it. Outdoor seating was available, but we ended up sitting inside by the windows which were open anyways. And I’m probably going to steal their fake grass in a shot glass idea. Although it is fake, it was just cute enough to catch my eye.
Drinks: I got the lycheetini — very good. I actually had an even better one at a place in DC, but this one is comparable. My friend got the pometini, which I took a sip from, but unfortunately, not the best I’ve had. Not enough of the pomegranate-​y taste, as it was more like sipping vodka.
Food: I did the pre-​fixe menu which allowed you to pick 1 appetizer, 1 entrée and 1 dessert for $ 35. So I ordered chicken satay as an appetizer, salmon for my entrée, and the apple crisp for dessert. Everything turned out pretty delicious. The salmon was a great choice, that green sauce on the side was sweet and tasty. My only negative comment is on the bread they served… it had olives in it — yuck. But I did like the wasabi-​flavored butter they served with the bread. And I’m also impressed with our waiter for eavesdropping on our bread complaints and actually brought out a plate of multi-​grain bread for us instead.
Good food, cool atmosphere… I’ll definitely be by for seconds.

Dinner Review.
Eh… it was okay. I came here with a friend on a Wednesday night… the bar area was at least 75% occupied… tables, maybe 3 – 5 tables (out of closer to 20).
Ordered the duck penne — friend ordered the calamari and a salad (the one with the sliced apples). Salad was average — nothing special. The «spicy» calamari were indeed spicy, according to my friend — though I think for my palate it probably was more a mild-​medium spiciness.
My duck penne — eh… also average. Nothing exceptional. Definitely nothing I ran home to Unilocal about.
Honestly, I’d probably try the other places I’ve bookmarked and return to some other places I’ve already been to, before I come back here. It’s definitely not a HORRIBLE experience, but in my opinion, nowhere close to a 5 Unilocal review.

so i’ve had really good experiences at audrey claire, so i decided to give this place a try.
all my friends and coworkers rave and rave about it…
so i went on a random night with my friend. the place was empty.
the drinks were really good. we both got the $ 30 prix fixe, where you get to choose an appetizer, entrée, and dessert. i got the tuna… it was waaaaay too greasy. the pork entrée was too tough, and not well seasoned.
however, dessert was fabulous.
so maybe if i went for dessert or drinks, i would have been happy with the place. the décor was also chic, which may also trick me into liking it. but not this time!