Revisited: White Dog Cafe, Wayne

The Main Line sibling to West Philly's go-local food pioneer has a clubby, mansionesque decor rather than the original's bohemian funk, with a conservative scene in cashmere and tweed to suit. It may, in fact, be the single preppiest place on earth. The ethical-ingredient mission has survived the culture shock reasonably intact, but the adequate New American menu needed better execution to meet its potential. With a perpetual martini-fied mob at the bar unbothered by long seating delays and parking woes, this Dog has the underserved locals howling nonetheless.

A recent revisit was no less jam-packed (even at lunch), and the service remained friendly but confused ("A light red wine, sir? How about our best-selling cabernet?") But the food showed enough signs of improvement - especially the house-made falafel, the creamy mac-and-cheese, and a nice burger - to inch its way up to Two Bells. Lunch, with its bargain grilled-cheese / soup combo, may be this Dog's best-behaved time of day.

Reviewed with One Bell on Feb. 13, 2011; revisited and upgraded in December 2011