I love a road trip.  Always have, always will.  This past Thursday, Philly Foodies had a dinner party.  So, of course, you know what that meant; fill up the car, pay a toll or two, and less than two hours later I am in Philly, checked into my hotel, and ready to eat and drink.

You see, I decided to forgo the driving and walk to my latest restaurant adventure. Although it was only a seven-block walk, once I arrived at my destination for the evening, Twenty Manning, it was as if I had arrived at a desert oasis.

Asian accents embellish New American fare at Twenty Manning. The menu at this stylish neighborhood bistro owes much to the Vietnamese heritage of Chef Kiong Bahn. Seafood, vegetables, and even the beef is prepared in an almost classic French, Vietnamese fashion.

Then, I saw something on the menu I had to try: beef ceviche. I have had beef carpaccio before and many different seafood ceviches, but never a beef ceviche. Am I glad I ordered this! The beef - yes, raw beef - is “cooked” in a jalapeno-lime vinaigrette, with a mix of sweet pickled shallots, roasted almonds, and mixed spring herbs. The result is a rich, silky texture and flavors that just roll around on your palate. The dish was served with chopsticks, so brush up on your skills and watch the splashing of drops. My jacket is now at the dry cleaners.

Hearing this, Chef sent out, gratis, a plate of his house smoked tuna sashimi to sample before my entrée arrived. The tuna is smoked in black tea and served with Japanese seaweed salad, green papaya, and wasabi and soy. The wasabi, in an almost liquid form, presents as drops on top of the tuna sashimi. My taste buds were in heaven, thanks to this incredibly light, yet almost pure, preparation of tuna.

I have eaten rabbit before and enjoy the lean, lightly flavored meat very much. I even have some in my freezer at home, but Chef’s simple preparation was better than any I’d had before or could hope to prepare myself.

For the entrée, I decided to eschew another refill of my vodka on the rocks and ask Billy, the manager, for a wine recommendation. He produced a California red that was the perfect match: Sangiovess, Call Il Chiaretto, from the Consentino Winery in Napa Valley.

I just had one question after my meal was over: why wasn’t Twenty Manning slammed? They should be. It is now one of my favorites. They have a beautiful bar, a small lounge area, which is slowly transformed into Lunge 20 at the evening progresses for those who are just having drinks or some small dishes, their hostess and servers are all young, energetic, and professional, and their chef is a genius. Come to this gem before word gets out and you can’t get a seat.