Kennett Square

Anyone that's read about food in the last year knows about Talula's Table. Featuring a single, farmhouse table that seats 12, reservations are available for exactly one year in advance -- and sell out for that date each morning. Having memorized the number to the French Laundry at one point for an upcoming trip (I never got through), I am wary of the restaurant-as-sold-out-concert- tickets. This instinct, however, is also balanced by my need to never to be left out. I was hoping to find a compromise in driving there and shopping Talula's prepared foods.

In a nutshell, I was disappointed. Their seemingly dated website featured pictures that not only overstated the size of the place, but also the quantities of stocked items. When I arrived, I looked around to discover only a few, relatively empty shelves. The plus side was that the few items available were made on-site. I scooped up some items and MFDC and I split a fresh quiche, featuring, appropriately for the area, mushrooms. The quiche was heated and brought to our table, nestled in the small cafe section in the front of the store. I also snagged an almond meringue sandwich cookie, which was very good.

Sadly, the purchased items have not yielded the gourmet happiness for which I was looking. The asparagus, parmesean and potato soup tasted solely of pureed asparagus. Fresh, yes, interesting, no. I even added more parmesean at home to no avail. The cheddar dip with Victory ale is fairly tasty, however, but I need to buy pretzel sticks as probably the best accompaniment. The pork pate was merely good, but lacked a richness or bite that I would have enjoyed. I confess that I have no idea how duck rillettes should taste, but I found Talula's version rather bland. One of the best items, not pictured here, was the fresh cheese bread that was at once delicious and cheesy without being too much. Kudos on offering miniature cheese "bites," all under $1, but still well-labeled.

After starting to feel like the hour drive was more of a miss, we wandered down to La Michoacana Ice Cream Shop, recently mentioned by Craig LaBan. The proprietors are very sweet and encouraging of tastes of fun flavors like avocado. I settled on a small, split between corn and rice pudding. As LaBan promised, the corn was a sweet riff on a corn pudding flavor, with chunks of corn throughout. The rice pudding was even better, also with bits of rice, but with an indescribably rich flavor. Both were served with a generous sprinkling of cinnamon. When we asked, we were told that the chile powder condiment was best on mango water ice, an intriguing combination for a warmer day. A fraction of the cost of the gelato places in the city, this ice cream was both interesting and decadent.

Last but not least, we stopped at Alondra's Bakery, in an effort to make the most of the authentic Mexican offerings in the area. Among the many delicious-looking items, we chose gingerbread and an odd beige roll/pastry. As it turns out, neither were very sweet, which was appealing. The roll had a consistency similar to processed white sandwich rolls, but with powdered sugar and cinnamon. A strange combination, perhaps best with coffee.

When all was said and done, it was a pretty pleasant morning in Kennett Square.

Talula's Table is located at 102 W State Street; La Michoacana Ice Cream Shop is located on 231 E. State Street; and Alondra's is across the street from Talula's. All are in Kennett Square, Pa.

Shiao Lan Kung

Some restaurants are like old friends. You may not have seen them for a while, but when you get together, it's as though no time has passed. Shiao Lan Kung, a bright hole-in-the-wall on Race Street, has patiently outlasted my restaurant whims -- my forays into more trendy dining, my suburban experiences, my forgetting about Chinatown. Yet when I surfaced after a long hiatus, craving its comforting soup on a rainy night, I was pleased to discover almost nothing had changed.

This soup, the mashed beef with egg drop (pictured above), is amazing for the reasons I value truly good food. Simple ingredients that work together, done well. The soup starts with an egg drop base, but not an overly gooey, yellow, but an egg white. It then adds beef, tender and delicious, and fresh cilantro and green onions. The fragrance of the cilantro hovers about each spoonful and the green onions supply the right bite. My faithful dining companion, who actually introduced me to this place many years ago, ordered the Hot and Sour Soup. While too spicy for me, MFDC maintains this version is among the best he's ever had.

Forgetting to order their delicious dumplings, we instead went straight to entrees. Shiao Lan Kung has an impressive list. The more adventurous you are, the better. Known for their seafood, Shiao Lan Kung makes delicious salt baked shrimp. Or at least it has in the past. Usually, the shrimp is done to perfection. You have to order it with the shells on (and you eat the shells) to ensure the perfect mix of crisp and tender, salty and sweet. Unfortunately, our order was overcooked. As a result, the shrimp didn't absorb any of the flavor from the peppers sprinkled on top. Nonetheless, the shrimp were edible. Our other entree, beef with scallion and ginger (pictured below), was delicious. Again, the simple, fresh ingredients are perfectly blended, rendering an otherwise straightforward dish remarkably fragrant and delicious. Chunks of ginger matched the quantity of beef, which was tender without being overpowered by sauce.

We also ordered snow pea leaves with garlic, usually a great dish. And it was pretty tasty, up until the point I found a hair in the dish. Many plates and utensils were cleared. This is not the restaurant, however, that issues apologies and comped meals. The dish was quickly replaced, along with new chopsticks and plates. The term "no frills" would be an understatement here.

So old friends occasionally disappoint. But they're still there for you, even with imperfections. And I would still go back. There's no beating that soup.

Shiao Lan Kung is located at 930 Race Street, Philadelphia, Pa.