Chang protege goes solo with Serpico

His name is on the facade, but Peter Serpico is one of the lowest-key chefs you'll get to know.

Pose for a photo? He knows he has to, since he's opening one of the year's most anticipated restaurants in Philadelphia. He winces, briefly puts on a smile, and returns to work.

Serpico - the solo debut of the former culinary director of David Chang's Momofuku empire - opened Friday, at 604 South St.

The timing worked well. A year ago, Serpico decided that he "needed a change" from New York City, where he rode the roller coaster of opening a half-dozen restaurants around the world for Chang, a mercurial genius with a cult following for his deconstructed Asian home cooking.

Stephen Starr suggested Philadelphia. They settled on a former Foot Locker store on South Street, Serpico said, because they like the energy. Serpico imported two former colleagues, Anne Strong (as sous chef) and the Wilmington-raised Richard Fell (as general manager/beverage director).

Serpico describes Serpico - serving dinner only - as "casual - kind of a neighborhood spot. But great if you're looking to celebrate an anniversary or birthday, but also [a place] if you want to get something to eat on a weekly basis."

It's not exactly a typical neighborhood restaurant, especially by South Street standards, with a menu whose stars include deep-fried duck leg, lamb ribs, and chilled dashi soup with charred pea tendrils, shiso, and crème fraîche.

Serpico and Starr enlisted designer Thomas Schlesser, the clean-line specialist behind NYC's Boulud Sud, David Burke Kitchen, and Fatty 'Cue, plus Chicago's Blackbird and avec. Schlesser's layout produced a warm and inviting vibe, with a large, open kitchen built around a custom Jade range. (Jimi Yui designed the kitchen.) Bordering the kitchen on two sides is an 18-seat chef's counter where you can watch the action, and in front, 30 additional seats. "Blackboard" walls ring the dining room, whose walls are exposed gray brick. A five-seat bar is more or less plunked up front; the list includes bottled beer, sake, wine, and cocktails.

The menu, which he describes as "contemporary American," includes a few Asian elements from Momofuku Ko - the two-Michelin-starred East Village destination where Serpico oversaw 10-plus-course, $125-a-head tasting menus - as well as Italian influences.

Prices are being set, but smaller plates are priced in the teens; top freight is a steamed egg custard topped with ridiculously expensive Siberian sturgeon caviar for $30. Guests usually order two or three plates, which will bring the tab north of $70 plus drinks.

Serpico's unconventional, informal approach to the menu is part of the appeal: That deep-fried duck leg plays out like a lobster roll in that it's built on a split Martin's potato hot dog roll but contains crunchy duck. Serpico works with Zone 7, a regional farm co-op that links chefs to small Pennsylvania farmers.

For his coffee, Serpico roasts Burundi beans on his flattop just beyond the beans' first crack.

Serpico, 31 - who lives with his fiancee - was born in South Korea and adopted at age 2 by a couple from Maryland who had adopted twins and have one biological child. His earliest food memory is his grandmother's apple pie: "We'd drive to Chicago, and it didn't matter if we got there at 2 a.m., we'd sit down and have her apple pie, which was the best in the world. Always served at room temperature."

He got his first restaurant job at 15 in a local pizza shop. "We were dumping bags into big pots, but it was still cooking," he said.

He went to Baltimore International College for culinary and packed off at age 19 for what he thought would be a short stay in New York.

Cooking was not a grand calling. "I just like the freedom," he said. "I don't like sitting behind a computer. I don't like sitting down. I wanted to do something active."

Though he says his "end goal is to have a family to make my family proud of me," more immediately he is learning the management side. "I want [my staff] to look up to me," he said. "I'm learning that. I feel like everyone needs a mentor. I had a good mentor in Dave Chang. I know everyone needs to be treated differently, and we're learning as a team."

He tackled one crisis recently when a cook walked out before opening, and persuaded a buddy to step in to help.

Serpico knows he is under a microscope - turning out edgy food in a (still) mainly meat-and-potatoes town.

Asked about the hype surrounding the restaurant, Serpico winces again.

"I try not to hear it," he said. "We're just trying to provide good food and good service."