Autograph Brasserie, is the newest addition to the Fearless Restaurants collection joining Moshulu, White Dog Cafe, Daddy O, Plantation, and Tuckers Tavern. This restaurant is only a short drive from the city at the Eagle Village Shops in Wayne, PA. As much as we love dining in the city, its great to escape every once and awhile- especially when there is great fine dining like this in the suburbs.
Autograph Brasserie opened in May 2016. The restaurant is named after people who have left their signature on American pop culture. There are countless signed photographs framed and on display in the restaurant. Chef Ralph Fernandez has created a menu drawing on the culinary signatures of France, Italy, and Spain. Autograph Brasserie is a modern brasserie that serves brunch, lunch and dinner using the best ingredients available. Autograph Brasserie serves the finest steaks from ranches throughout the Midwest, fresh seafood and hand-made pastas complemented with an impressive wine and specialty cocktail list.
The restaurant is divided into two sides on the main floor; to the left is the lounge area, and to the right are The Boulevard, the Club Room and the Sycamore Room. We had the pleasure of dining in the Sycamore Room complete with a faux tree springing out of the floor and bronze butterflies adorning its trunk. While this room has a very feminine vibe, the other two dining rooms may appeal to more masculine sensibilities with their dim lighting and large booths and chairs.
Autograph Brasserie’s lounge area is the perfect setting for music. The walls are adorned with over 350 of autographed album covers and a custom statement chandelier from Portugal made of brass musical instruments hangs over the expansive bar in the center of the room. A large fireplace adds to the relaxed atmosphere. Outdoor dining is also available in season. Private dining is also available for social or business gatherings.
“What is great about Autograph is you can come and dine in the Club Room or Sycamore Room or at the bar which is more causal and it is all the same menu. Our menu offers everything from Half Pound Prime Steak Burger to a 14oz Dry Aged Angus Ribeye. Autograph is that neighborhood restaurant perfect for a working lunch, happy hour, or a night out with friends. We also offer a great weekend brunch,” said Autograph Brasserie/Fearless Restaurants owner Marty Grims.
We began our evening with some signature cocktails and a Foie Gras Amuse Bouche. We had to try the Pom & Circumstance made with Faber Citrus Vodka, Cointreau, Pama, lime, and pomegranate, as well as the Granny Wallbanger with Faber Vodka, Galliano, green apple, agave, lemon, and soda.
One of the things we love most about Autograph is that the menu offers a variety of small plates, as well as full sized entrees. Some evenings you might be craving a big steak, while others you’d prefer to mix and match you plates to suite your palette. We selected the Oysters on the Half Shell with a seasonal selection of raw oysters served with black pepper mignonette and cocktail sauce. We can never resist a some octopus, so we ordered the Charred Spanish Octopus with Calabrian Chili Oil, preserved lemon, parsley, smoked pimenton aioli, and crispy potatoes. We also sampled one of the newer Fall menu additions which is the Laura Chenel Goat Cheese Toast topped with butternut squash, honey crisp apple , and aged balsamic. And the Gemelli homemade pasta was absolutely one of our favorites served with grilled shrimp, oven roasted tomatoes, petite herbs, english peas, wild mushrooms, and a sherry lobster emulsion.
For the main course, Autograph provides exquisite dishes from both land and sea. The White Crescent Farms Duck Breast was cooked perfectly and plated like fine art with butternut squash, anjou pear, mustard greens, and huckleberries. You cannot go wrong ordering the Maryland Crab Cake over chorizo, fennel, fingerling potatoes, and seasoned with saffron. And since the restaurant has prime meat sourced for their steaks we had the 8 oz. Center Cut Filet Mignon from Omaha, Nebraska. This tender steak includes one side dish, we chose the Grilled Asparagus with lemon, shallots, and E.V.O.O. Other options for sides include: Wild Mushroom Risotto, Hand Cut Fries, Yukon Gold Potato Puree, Sunchokes, Mac N Cheese, Roasted Root Vegetables, Creamed Spinach, Charred Cauliflower or Brussels Sprouts.
“I will start with soft dinner music in the beginning, then spike the energy level with Motown, Funk, Disco, Classic 80’s and some recent (Billboard) Hot 100 hits for the remainder of the night,” DJ J Strong explained. “My goal is to have guests enjoying the sounds from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, with good company over food and drinks, as they reminisce about the good old days. Whether guests choose to remain in their seats singing along or get up and dance, it’s whatever they feel like doing at that moment. “
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