Philly Food and Drink

Nam Phuong

2012-01-22T18:22:00.000-05:00

There comes a point, in the middle of an east coast winter and a bad cold, after the Sudafed and Niquil and hot steamy showers have done some of their magic, where I can just begin to taste again. Where the only thing I want is the perfect bowl of pho. This time, I remembered the place I had been meaning to try, generally hailed as the being the best pho in Philadelphia: Nam Phuong.

The atmosphere at Nam Phuong is a bit better than my old standby, Pho Ha, and the hours are better - 10 to 10 every day. Also nestled in a chaotic Asian grocery store strip mall on Washington Street, Nam Phuong turned out to be the respite for which I had been looking from the icy snow and my sinus infection.

After a brief flirtation with predictably good summer rolls (with shrimp and pork), we moved onto the pho, with my opting for pho with eye round steak and well-done flank (yes, I know tripe and soft tendon taste better, but I was feeling less than adventurous), and MDC going for pho with beef balls, which the server kindly clarified to "meat balls."

Arriving with all of the fixings of Thai basil, bean sprouts and sliced chili peppers, the pho satisfied my ultimate soup cravings. This was a broth that reflected the hours of preparation that should go into all good broths, with vaguely fragrant notes of cilantro, onions, ginger, beef, star anise, and clove melding into one profile that is both comforting and intriguing all at the same time. The beef itself was tender and flavorful, melding nicely with the hoisin sauce I dolloped on top.

Of course it's pho, which in and of itself can feed a family for days. Coupled with hearty beef additions, MDC and I did our best to get through it in a couple of hours, with plenty left to take home. And a further abated cold.

Nam Phuong is located at 11th and Washington Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa, http://www.namphuongphilly.com/.

Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert at the Merriam

2011-11-06T07:27:00.002-05:00

Food shows are ubiquitous; food discourse is esoteric. Which is to say I think that the Merriam Theater was packed full to see Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert talk because people like television shows about food. People are less likely to spend an evening out discussing whether the sustainable food movement is truly sustainable, hence why that packed full theater began slowly and painfully leaving about a half hour into the show. The exodus was distracting, but I got it -- a charismatic, cursing Anthony Bourdain talking about his mixed martial arts wife is one thing, but getting more academic about veganism in a global food economy, well, it's not a conversation for everyone.

That being said, I thought it was fairly interesting. Juicy parts were discussed first, including coverage of why Eric Ripert hates "Kitchen Nightmares" (no one should be insulted at work, even when the insulter is Gordon Ramsay) and why Bourdain likes Ina Gartner (she tells people how to roast a chicken correctly, throwing in a funny comment about her marriage). Both described what they liked about Philly food, naming Marc Vetri and Michael Solomonov for chefs, and Amada, Parc, and Rouge for restaurants. Bourdain described how fatherhood may have mellowed him and that he is, in fact, a little scared of his wife. Numerous references to Alice Waters (influential California chef and owner of Chez Panisse) were made, with Bourdain ultimately concluding that her goals are good if not realizable, and that she is hard not to like (despite her "last dinner" wish of the very not-PC shark fin soup).

Among the conversational tangents the two traveled included whether a chef should enforce his or her vision on their patrons, at the expense of the patron's own perceived preference. Ripert espoused customer service, emphasizing that the restaurant business is, first and foremost, a hospitality industry. That being said, he noted, it is ultimately a compromise between being true to the chef's own voice but making a dish accessible for its audience. For his part, Ripert serves his sea urchin topped with caviar. (I would order that). Bourdain chimed in that it's always a good idea to throw in caviar or shrimp on top of something new and different.

The two opened the floor for questions. They were a bit stymied when asked about the glass ceiling for women (pleading ignorance, but also suggesting women have equal opportunities in the kitchen) and why there were few minority chefs. They also successfully dodged a somewhat creepy invitation from a woman from Matyson restaurant in Philly, inviting Bourdain for pigtails and bone marrow. And on veganism, Bourdain noted how being a vegan is an unfortunate restriction in some parts of the world as it would prevent one from enjoynig some food cultures altogether.

Equally interesting was how truly charismatic Bourdain is. I was expecting the rough sarcasm, but he is a preeminent entertainer with an instinct for well placed wit and timing. Ripert is undoubtedly likable, with a sort of "oh shucks" Jimmy Stewart integrity of the food world, but he is a chef first. Even as a foil to Bourdain (and his best friend), his entertainment gravitas levels lacked.

Bourdain and Ripert appeared together at the Merriam Theater on November 2, 2011.

Winter Squash Soup

2011-10-29T14:37:00.000-04:00

Something about cold weather inspires cooking. My go-to, feel-good, comfort winter food is squash. You can make it a million different ways, it absorbs any flavor you throw at it, and it walks the spectrum of sweet to umami. Having made a few squash soups, faced with an early Philly snow storm, and amazed at the dearth of people at Whole Foods, I thought I'd improvise a soup.

Here's what you'll need (as a meal for two or appetizers for four, can be doubled):

1 acorn squash

1 medium butternut squash

1 large shallot

1 medium yellow onion

Herbs (I used fresh rosemary and dried sage)

Kosher Salt

Olive oil

1 quart vegetable stock

Sour cream for garnish if desired

Start with my favorite part: roasting the squash. Quarter the acorn squash and halve the butternut, and try to minimize hand contact with the butternut. Drizzle and rub olive oil over the wedges and sprinkle with kosher salt. Roast in the oven at 375-400 degrees for about 40 minutes until caramelized. Catch up on episodes of "The Good Wife."

Are you back yet? Okay, let the squash cool while you dice the onion and shallot. Dice whatever herbs you have; I used about two tablespoons fresh rosemary. Prepare a stockpot with a little olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, shallot and herbs into the oil. Saute until translucent. Ponder the spelling of the word "translucent."

As this sautes, scoop out the flesh of the squash with a spoon; it should be that soft at this point and cool enough to handle. Add the squash flesh to the onion mix and saute for about two minutes. Then add the vegetable broth to your desired consistency -- I ended up adding about 2.5 cups for a fairly thick soup. Finish in a blender or with an immersion blender to your desired texture. I garnished with a little cream and garlic chives for the sake of the photo -- you don't need them (especially the garlic chives, which are, in fact, very garlic-y). Add an artisan baguette and beer, and welcome in the cold.

Blackfish

2011-08-13T14:34:00.001-04:00

Lately, there seems to be an outcropping of what I like to call ambitious restaurants. You know the type -- they feature sometimes unidentifiable, exotic ingredients with at least one foam or gelee and manage to cram 10 of these type of ingredients into a 2" x 2" section on a 12" plate. Don't get me wrong, I fancy myself ambitious, too, and I'm all for fresh, unique taste combinations. But if Mica and Noble are any indication, Philly doesn't always pull off the ambitious restaurant, leaving my disappointment in its wake.

Blackfish restores my faith. It delivered the goods, pleasantly surprised my palate and remained down-to-earth but professional in its service. Best of all, it is BYO and usually offers Tuesday night tastings. After enduring a number of $65 Jose Garces email offers for Chifa empanadas with Dogfish head tastings (yeah... but for $65?), TFRB and I jumped at the "Lobster Tasting Menu" email when it arrived.

And here's what we got: 5 courses of lobster based dining (dessert was not lobster based, thankfully) for $45. The first of which was this lovely amuse bouche of lobster broth that did what it was designed to do -- whet our appetite for more lobster (as if we needed prompting).

The lobster salad with celery and tarragon also delivered its objective -- highlight the lobster itself with just enough background flavor to enhance the meat and make the salad cohesive.

The next course, lobster tortelli with english peas and beurre fondue, offered a nice pop of lobster flavor, but the fresh peas in cheesy butter was close to tempting me to lick the plate. The crowning achievement was of course the roasted lobster tail, pictured above, with "'creamed' corn" and saffron-vanilla. Not sure exactly how the heavenly cloud on which the perfect piece of lobster was perched had been formed, but I didn't care, I just enjoyed.

The caramel beignets with english cream were a pleasant, albeit unnecessary end to the meal. TFRB, a bit of a beignet connoisseur, placed them somewhere between "very good" and "New Orleans." Despite my seeming indifference, I managed to eat ... every bite.

What can I say? Thank you, Chef Chip Roman for living up to the hype of the restaurant and offering such awesome deals that would lure a city dweller to Conshy and exceed her expectations. And as for you, faithful readers who are not my parents, get on the email list to get the Tuesday tasting announcements when they happen. Oh heck, my parents should, too.

Blackfish is located at 119 Fayette Street, Conshohocken, PA, www.blackfishrestaurant.com

John J. Jeffries

2011-06-29T08:14:00.000-04:00

I can't imagine a better place to sample the locally-grown, organic, sustainable food movement than Lancaster. With recent press on its burgeoning arts scene, Lancaster becomes a tempting destination, a mere one hour away from Philly on an idyllic train ride. John J. Jeffries seems to be riding the wave of what is becoming an increasingly attractive urban scene there: housed in a pre-1900 warehouse with a large covered outdoor seating area, the restaurant holds a subtle charm.

As do its servers. Ours was smart and personable and happy to share with us his favorites and picks, including the Linden Dale farm grilled mozzarella and tomato with herb relish below.

Normally, I'm not a fan of mozzarella in anything but the raw form, but something about this delicate roasting highlighted its flavors, rather than destroying them. The tomatoes were amazing as well. Did I mention the drinks? Resplendent with things like fresh mint and rhubarb, they made refreshing an understatement.

Can't resist water served in milk or canning glasses, either. Or dining al fresco, or the perfect summer night or fresh ingredients. Yes, I liked it here.

Entrees were equally appealing. I had been steered to the massive yet delicious Sweet Stem Farm Black Tamworth Pork "Gordita," with pork confit, griddle corn cake, corn mash, salsa, and chimichurri. In case the griddle corn cake and pork didn't get you (whatever "get you" might mean to you), they drizzle beurre blanc around the edges. You know, because butter makes everything better. It was, as you would imagine, amazing. The right blend of savory and tangy from the pork with a hint of spice from the toppings, layered against the comforting sweet backdrop of the corn.

My vegetarian friend ordered the seasonal stuffed squash. She reported that the tiny tomatoes pictured below to be filled with the awesome summer goodness one might hope for from tiny bursts of perfectly ripe, lovingly farmed tomato accoutrements.

Convinced I was too full to ever eat again, I was afforded the shot nevertheless to try my friend's creme brulee dessert. You know, it was darn good, with the subtle vanilla sweetness enveloped in a the perfectly smooth texture. A perfect end to a summer night. I mean, it would have been had I not missed the last train back to Philly. Luckily, Lancaster features plenty of other bars and restaurants to occupy a weekend evening.

John J. Jeffries is located at 300 Harrisburg Avenue, Lancaster, Pa, www.johnjjeffries.com.

Steak and Eggs

2011-05-30T12:29:00.000-04:00

Occasionally, I like to be a little decadent. Probably more than occasionally. In fact, in my life, many a common bond has been forged over this shared interest. So for those of you out there that "occasionally" like to go all out, this breakfast is for you. No other lazy weekend breakfast says decadence like steak and eggs. Especially with garlic butter and sauteed mushrooms.

It's an easy breakfast (hence made for the "lazy" weekend), if you take advantage of some key Whole Foods'/your market of choice's sliced mushroom blend and garlic herb butter. I imagine it's not too hard to make the butter yourself, with garlic and herbs, but I prefer imagining that step to actually chopping anything first thing in the morning. You'll need a package of mushrooms (or more, to appetite), as many filet mignon steaks as you have guests, eggs, garlic herb butter and fresh chives, ideally.

1. Begin with putting a pot of boiling water on for the poached eggs - add some salt and vinegar to promote egg cohesion, but don't expect much in that department if you're not using a poaching pan (which I detest for its faux tidiness of eggs).
2. Next put a dollop of that garlic butter in a pan, let it melt and add your package of mushrooms. Sautee these while the water's boiling.
3. Once you're close to boiling, put your steak in a pan with a pat of butter. Do you notice that any recipe labeled as "decadent" must involve butter? It's no mistake.
4. Slide your eggs into the now-simmering pot of water, where they gently cook for about 4-5 minutes.
5. Turn the steak once during the egg cooking time.
6. Plate the steak, then the mushrooms, add a pat of remaining garlic butter to the steak, then throw the eggs on top, after carefully lifting with a slotted spoon and patting dry with a paper towel.

Add some fresh squeezed orange juice and a New York Times crossword puzzle and you've got yourself a morning.

Mica

2011-05-05T08:03:00.002-04:00

Smugly nestled among the shops in urban-idyllic Chestnut Hill, Mica offers cozy restaurant eye candy. Its walls are simply adorned in a grey/taupe; its fireplace features lit pillar candles. Its servers are dressed in black and sported exotic accents. It's also a BYO and does things like offer 4-course tasting menus on Wednesday for $45 (this night, featuring lobster). I wanted to like it. And yet, Mica managed to take its concept past feeling transported from the mundane, past interesting and tasty new cuisine, and landed in the area of pretentious discomfort and odd flavor combinations.

A note on the seating. Mica features one main dining room, with a gorgeous fireplace and bay window. Upon arrival, I noticed all of the seats were occupied by older folks, that is, at least one generation up from me. Fine. However, we were then led to the back room, equally cozy and nice in a darker, nearer to the open kitchen and beverage set-up, sort of way. Four tables occupy this space, which does have windows, and were taken by younger folks. This reminded me of the Parisian habit of sitting all foreigners together. But if the food is worth it, I'm game. As MCRF pointed out, it's worth taking the youth compliment.

The amuse bouche had promise. A lobster panna cotta, it was a rich, buttery blend with a subtle lobster flavor that did indeed whet one's appetite for more lobster (as if I need a nudge toward wanting lobster).

Service was a bit slow between courses, and the bread offering shifted from a freshly baked baguette to something more hastily purchased to satiate waiting diners, which was an interesting and obvious flub. It was $45 lobster night, though, so perhaps understandable if not excusable.

Our first course was a lobster carpaccio with a salad and peanuts. Reported in the announcement to be a thai apple salad with truffle, I detected no truffle here, although the menu may have changed.

The salad was crisp and enjoyable, but the peanuts overpowered the lobster, which was best enjoyed separately. The next course was equally ambitious -- tempura lobster claw, coddled egg, asparagus, black trumpet and a "shmear" of a banana-garlic paste. I enjoyed the latter ingredient for its similarity to foie gras without the overpowering richness (I have no idea how you get foie gras flavor out of that combination, but you do). The tempura claw, however, was strangely difficult to cut. The overall dish ended up being an oddly textured combination, descending into a liquid at the end suitable more for an english muffin than a lobster claw with asparagus. Next up was lobster crepe (pronounced by our server as "crepée," a term with which I am not familiar), with peas, mushrooms and a sauce separately poured that I couldn't identify. Perhaps the least successful of the course, the crepée was more of an eggroll, fried with some strange wasabi-like aftertaste that was imminently forgettable.

Dessert featured a white chocolate panna cotta with a banana caramel topping with black pepper streusel. Believe me when I tell you the "black pepper streusel" (sadly too dark to photograph) was unfortunately reminiscent of fried chicken batter pieces. Perhaps avant-garde, but the flavor palate failed to appeal to me.

Mica has been only been open since March 18 of this year. Even with an allowance for early stage hiccups, however, Mica's over-promising on concept still under-delivered on taste and atmosphere for me.

Mica is located at 8609 Germantown Avenue, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, http://www.micarestaurant.com/.

Flying Monkey and Reading Terminal

2011-04-30T13:20:00.000-04:00

Bananas Foster Whoopie Pie by Flying Monkey Patisserie

When I talk about my blog with people, I invariably get asked by the more results-driven folks out there, "what are you going to do with that?" I mumble something about not wanting a second job and that it's just a fun hobby, but I often conclude with the story of Elizabeth, a woman I met at a Philly blogger potluck several years ago.

At the time, she worked part-time as a baker but otherwise maintained a desk job and wrote a food blog on the side. Today, she owns Flying Monkey Patisserie at the Reading Terminal Market and has invented such creative items like the Pumpple Cake, a thanksgiving cake combining apple and pumpkin pies and cake. Together with her baked creations, she has appeared on the Today and Rachel Ray shows. Now that's doing something with your blog.

At her recommendation, I tried the peanut-butter-and-jelly bar, which I highly recommend for its taking one of my favorite combinations and making it a bit more refined and cookie-sweet, but retaining its comfort food nature. I also tried the whoopie pie above and the creme brulee whoopie pie, below.

The caramel sweetness was unmistakable and the sugar crystals made for a nice nod to a traditional brulee topping. The Bananas Foster whoopie pie, though, hit the mark for me -- a subtle blend of a banana bread with a mildly sweet creamy filling.

But it's Reading Terminal, and I can never visit just one store. I had to pick up curry in the Spice Terminal and swing by Iovine Brothers' Produce, the massive produce market in the "back" corner of the market. Fresh herbs, pounds of squash, shiitake and portobello mushrooms, onions, and other ingredients to comprise the lunch for 8 I'm doing on Monday came to about $20. I love this place. It's normally chaos, but sneaking in on a sleepy Saturday morning is perfect.

Last but not least, I stopped in Chocolate by Mueller to pick up a chocolate brain for my neurosurgery peeps at work. They also have chocolate hearts, ears, liberty bells, and pretty much anything else you're interested in getting, in chocolate. Including the chocolate onion pictured below on top of the brains. I have no idea of the appeal of that one.

The Reading Terminal Market is located at 12th and Arch in Philadelphia. Check out Flying Monkey at www.flyingmonkeyphilly.com.

Noble

2011-04-02T08:33:00.000-04:00

Amidst a movie theater, comedy club, dance studio, and comic book store, sits Noble, a two story bar restaurant. Like the block, Noble is filled with interesting possibilities, a lot of which don't actually work well together.

Much of the menu presented a conundrum -- the winter vegetable soup sounded wonderful, but with pancetta-granola? A roasted beet salad is always a crowd pleaser, but with black olives? Even the cocktail menu, a happy place for me generally, offered mixes with bourbon, which would then be topped off with ... sparkling wine.

Our server, who was pleasant and seemingly smart, when asked about "what was good here," directed us to the most frequently ordered options. Well, okay, we'll sign up for the lemming plan. As it turns out, the gnocchi parisienne, which can be ordered as a starter or main dish, was pretty amazing.

We are told that "parisienne" means the gnocchi is prepared almost as a pate au choux, so a lighter, flakier gnocchi. After such a highbrow description, our server added, "they're sort of like Combos." Again, with the odd mixes. Their taste appeal was anything but highbrow; it was straightforward floury, cheesy, fried goodness. MCRF wisely ordered the dish without the pancetta; nothing about the dish needed the bacon. Rather, it might have benefited from something a little less heavy and salty.

MCRF opted for the most-ordered-dish as an entree, the grilled spanish octopus, which was reportedly "very good." I went with the duck breast, as I am unable to turn down anything served with "sweet potato bread and persimmon."

So yeah, there's a lot going on here. The sweet potato bread was good, but didn't quite work with the duck (it's that tiny loaf sitting on top). The duck breast, executed well, worked with the braised cabbage but the other three elements seemed a bit out of place.

Intrigued by the cardamom coffee pot de creme (say that three times fast), we ended up with dessert. The pot de creme was served with a brittle/rice krispy-ish topping that made it hard to eat, frankly, and the pumpkin ice cream, while tasty, seemingly belonged to another dessert. MCRF's mexican chocolate pate was good and very dense, with a spiced sauce rubbed on the plate.

A small amount of controversy surrounds Noble, which was founded on offering local and sustainable foods only, but has since departed pursuing that endeavor 100% (so yes, a little less "noble"). Also incongruent was the downstairs offering a bar menu, including what looked like a great burger, while the upstairs does not, although a table next to us did without our realizing it was an option.

From its hand drawn sign contrasted against its stark white and dark wood interior, its young male bar crowd against its more staid professional crowd, and all of the other strange combinations here, I am at a loss to understand Noble's identity and hesitant to recommend.

Noble is located at 2025 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, www.noblecookery.com.

The Four Seasons

2011-03-28T05:48:00.000-04:00

The lobster bisque

Classic food is classic for a reason. While perhaps less intriguing, it can be reliably sublime. Add giant endless tall sprays of flowers amidst wood paneling and banquettes, and a server who kisses your hand when you leave, you could only have the Four Seasons, which has been delivering such classics for fifty years here in Philadelphia.

I received the invitation through the Four Seasons' email list -- $50 for three courses (and what turned out to be several amuse bouche's) and a champagne toast, in celebration of their fifty years. I stayed on the wait list for several weeks, before receiving a kind call from the maitre d'hotel that I had made it into the dinner. Was I excited? Having never had Beef Wellington or Baked Alaska, why yes, yes I was.

I am tempted to say that the tarragon, purple potato and plenty of lump lobster meat made the bisque, but in reality, it was the servers' gently pouring the bisque into our bowls, on top of the solid ingredients, that made it special. Similarly, the tenderloin of Beef Wellington did melt in my mouth, aided by the strong but nuanced red wine sauce. But what stood out was how the tiny vegetables were each delicately carved. The grouper, pictured at left, was topped with a medley of spinach, golden raisins, carrots and, of course, preserved kumquat.

I probably don't need to tell you that my Sidecar, served with the classic sugar rim, was amazing. It's precisely this kind of place that can make a perfect Sidecar.

But the Baked Alaska -- several hosts were carrying around the larger flaming volcanic version -- was classically fun. A meringue exterior insulates ice cream from melting. The textures are appealing and the ice cream refreshing.

Was the food great? Of course it was. But what makes the Four Seasons special is its consistent priority on service and reliability. Whether it's the maitre d' personally introducing himself to me, or how, when I used to walk to work every day past it, the door man would go out of his way to say hello, the Four Seasons remembers what great manners and service mean. The excellent food is superfluous.

The Four Seasons is located at 18th and the Parkway, Philadelphia, http://www.fourseasons.com/philadelphia/.

Dandelion

2011-03-22T06:55:00.002-04:00

The devil is in the details. Stephen Starr knows this, much in the way Walt Disney knew this. Dandelion masters the details of an English pub, albeit a bit of an Epcot version of an English pub, with little pretense of calculation. Surrounded by wood paneling, cask beers, and mounted animal heads, I got the pub vibe, minus the heavy smoke or drunken regulars.

And the details. From the precious salt shaker (and accompanying miniature pepper mill) to the actual flavor of butter in my eggs benedict, Dandelion is paying attention.

I've been on a brunch kick. I love a lazy morning in the city, walking around, enjoying great food while people watching. This weekend, with spring weather peeking out, was no exception. And so I found myself around Rittenhouse Square, across from Tria, at the three-month-old Dandelion. Of course, another perk of brunch is the interesting drink selections. Dandelion, like most Starr restaurants, offers some interesting ones. I opted for its take on my fave Pimm's cup - this one made with Pimm's, gin, lemon and muddled cucumber, allowing one to actually taste the cucumber. Refreshing.

A better reviewer may have gone with the server's recommendation of the English Breakfast (blood pudding, baked beans, the whole nine yards) or maybe the Lamb Shepherd's pie, offerings more indicative of the pub experience. I am not that reviewer and I enjoy my eggs benedict.

I'm going out on a limb here to say this was one of the best eggs benedict I've ever had. I could taste the butter on the English muffin; the hollandaise was rich and flavorful while still conveying a hint of lemon; and the proportions were perfect. But no potatoes! We quickly remedied.

Catch the details here of the perfect tin cup, the charming saucer. The chips were more of the steak frites variety and less likely to perfectly sop up extra hollandaise, but would be perfect as a burger accompaniment. My dining companion opted for the aged cheddar and smoked ham omelet, which he reported was "perfect." It looks fairly perfectly done, doesn't it?

Goes nicely with his beer, a great pub brunch.

Dandelion offers only a small placard over its door with a "dandy lion" character. Easy to miss in cold weather, when the windows remain closed. It's worth finding, however, whether it's to stop at the bar for a beer (especially if you like the under-carbonated cask beers they offer, in addition to more of a wide selection), brunch, or dinner.

Dandelion is located at the northwest corner of 18th and Sansom, Philadelphia, http://www.thedandelionpub.com/.

Tinto

2011-03-10T06:34:00.000-05:00

Brunch is one of those perfect meals offering everything -- savory and the sweet, breakfast and lunch, fruit juice and drinks. A great restaurant doesn't make you choose, but bundles everything into manageable, appetizing selections. Tinto does exactly that, and has been doing it for years. With its great brunch package - a $25 fixed price menu of appetizer, entree and dessert - it also throws in some of (Iron) Chef Jose Garces's plot twists that transform average brunch food into something amazing. The only downside? You will crave the maple grits. For a long time.

Like many good meals, this one started with the perfect drink - an Iraty, consisting of muddled lemon, aperol and bourbon fizz. Aperol is a lighter, sweeter Campari and a nice pair with the bourbon flavor. The drink menu also offers interesting twists on a Bloody Mary (with celery vodka and chorizo) and a Mimosa (blood orange and gran torres in cava).

The appetizer selection presents some tough choices -- with tapas standards like the mixed cheese plate or serrano ham, or the tortilla espanola. Somehow, I always end up with the cured salmon plate, the highlight of which is the chive cream. I don't know how they create this lighter-than-air shmear, but it's flavorful and perfect without being heavy.

Yes, that's old school egg salad with cornichons to top your bialy there. The egg salad was a bit standard, but I got a kick of the nod to the traditional brunch offering.

Entrees get trickier. Whether to get the Huevos Benedictos with truffle hollandaise on brioche toast with serrano, or the Padre de Hijo, crispy duck confit, tinto hash and duck egg, is the type of highly difficult problem I love to tackle. Again, I find myself opting for my standby - Revuelto de Hongas, wild mushrooms, goat cheese espuma, and truffle butter. Yup, that's truffle butter on my toast and goat cheese foam on my eggs. It's tempting to ask for seconds.

But the secret happiness here are the maple grits. I know what you're thinking -- insipidly sweet, right? Wrong. They walk the perfect balance, much like brunch, of a savory flavor of cheese against a sweet but simple topping of maple syrup (think when you were a kid, or yesterday, making sure your sausage had syrup on it). Sublime.

The only thing holding you back from devouring these quickly is knowing you still have dessert coming. Tinto offers a "brulee of grapefruit" or Gateaux Basque, a cake with pastry cream and black cherries. Eschewing anything vaguely healthy here, I opted for the cake. While not the highlight of meal, it offered a restrained sweetness I appreciate.

Unlike some restaurants offering lavish brunch buffets at high prices, Tinto manages to strike the balance of decadence and affordability, with interesting twists on brunch favorites. Most importantly, though, get the grits.

Tinto is located at 20th and Sansom Streets, Philadelphia, Pa. www.tintorestaurant.com.

Roast Chicken with Herbs, Lemons and Shallots

2011-02-26T09:44:00.000-05:00

There's something about cold weather that inspires serious cooking. Armed with a desire to spend the evening cooking and a Le Creuset I had yet to break in, I found myself attempting the quintessential non-holiday centerpiece: Roast Chicken. I started with Martha Stewart's guidance in her Cooking School book for timing, but branched off with my own ingredients. The results? Best. Chicken. Ever. I don't eat white meat (I know, I know, I'm the perfect dining companion), and I couldn't help myself from eating it here. It was that moist.

First, the ingredients:

8-10 shallots

2 lemons

3-4 sprigs fresh sage

3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary

Salt

1/2 stick butter

Small roasting chicken

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove all shallot skins, dice half of them, reserve the rest intact. Chop all of the herbs, careful to remove herbs from stems. Quarter the lemons.

I don't know how necessary this next step is, but it gave me some assurance I was giving the chicken the maximum flavor. Sautee 1/4 stick of butter with the diced shallots and about half the herbs. Salt liberally.

While those ingredients are cooking over low heat (Le Creuset tells me never to put this guy over a high open flame), prep the chicken by rinsing in cold water and drying. Then soften your butter for about 10 seconds in the microwave and much like you would butter a cake pan, butter your chicken all over and then sprinkle the rest of the herbs over the butter. If you want to get crazy (I know I did), combine the herbs and butter and insert into the pockets between the breasts and skin. Stuff the cavity with the quarted lemons (as much as possible) and remaining shallots. Drizzle lemon juice over the chicken.

So, unbeknownst to me because I am not a veteran chicken roaster, I think this is "upside down." Whatever it is, everything about this chicken was juicy and moist. I cooked it for 30 minutes uncovered, then 25 minutes covered, then 5-10 uncovered again. You want to get the internal temp (measured at the deepest part of the thigh) to 165 degrees.

But the bonus of roasting? Pan gravy topping. While the chicken is resting, put the dutch oven back on the stove and deglaze (a.k.a. add) white wine, about a cup. Cook on low/medium until reduced by half. Carve up the chicken (good luck, I struggled on this one) and pour on the pan jus. Enjoy.

Marathon Grill

2011-02-19T11:42:00.000-05:00

After I've been away for a while, I like to reconnect with the city. Wander around Rittenhouse, shop, pick up produce at Sue's, browse DiBruno's, maybe stop in a bookstore. These days always begin on a weekend, at the Marathon Grill at 16th and Sansom. I grab a window seat and watch the world go by. Over eggs benedict.

I try to take the New York Times crossword puzzle, kindly delivered to me ahead of schedule on Saturdays. I always dream up wonderfully productive plans for my day and realize mostly none of those plans, aside from walking around Rittenhouse Square. Marathon has been there for me through thick and thin, predating my arrival in Philadelphia. When I worked at the Big Law Firm, I knew the menu by heart - lunch and dinner, of course. I knew the phone numbers, our account numbers; it was a staple. But brunch was always all mine, devoid of work.

Marathon was also around before the Stephen Starr or Jose Garces restaurants. It made a name for itself by using higher end ingredients, offering a lengthy menu where everyone could find something, and delivering that something pretty speedily for workday crowds. Different Marathon locations have different vibes. The 16th and Sansom Marathon offers amazing people watching through its glass windows that surround half the restaurant. Over the years, it added a bar and scaled back its options.

It still offers the Eggs Benedict with spinach and Canadian bacon (formerly Eggs St. Bernard) or with smoked salmon. I opt for the more traditional. The Hollandaise sauce is on the money, frothy and rich without being overpowering. The potatoes are done to a crisp exterior with plenty of flavor, managing to hold their warmth through the consumption of the eggs.

If you go, get their early to snag a choice seat. And enjoy the city.

Marathon Grill has locations at 13th and Chestnut, 19th and Market, 10th and Walnut, 19th and Spruce, 40th and Walnut and 16th and Sansom, www.eatmarathon.com.

San Diego

2011-02-15T18:51:00.000-05:00

My hiatus from blogging has been due in part to the 13,251 or so miles I have traveled thus far in 2011. It's a lot. Of course, the upside to the travel is always 1) going to better weather; and 2) finding new and awesome restaurants. Although I generally set expectations to "low" on my business trips, this time, I was fortunate to land mid-winter in San Diego, home to palm trees, boardwalks, the Gaslamp district, and good cuisine. Mind you, I consider In-N-Out Burger good cuisine.

Highlight No. 1: The Fish Market. Showing up with no reservations on Valentine's Day, we opted for a seat at the bar facing the kitchen, a birds eye view into all of the cooking and prep. Amazing and fun, we enjoyed Kumamoto and Fanny Bay oysters, both having a cool cucumber taste to them that went down easy. The scallops (served with pork cheeks, in a strange twist) were amazing. I can't say enough about the service though, even though we were at the bar area. Everyone in San Diego seems extraordinarily.. well, nice. Just really nice.

Highlight No. 2: Searsucker.Top Chef Brian Malarkey's restaurant in the Gaslamp District is a-mazing. We went there for lunch and I was fortunate enough to be directed to the french onion soup sandwich. Gruyere, caramelized onion, and bacon jam on whole wheat sourdough. It's one of those items that when you see it on the menu, you know it's going to be good. And it was. As were the "brown butter" fries. Again, the service was on the money with friendly, approachable, knowledgeable staff. Maybe it's in the water.

Highlight No. 3: In-N-Out Burger. Yup, I'll take a #2 with fried onions. I will wait 10 minutes for you to make this, to perfectly grill the bun, freshly prepare and salt the fries and put it all together by hand. I will continue to wish you were on the east coast.

San Diego is a city located in Southern California. First photo credited to www.virtualtourist.com.

Zama

2011-01-17T06:07:00.007-05:00

Over a year has passed since this Rittenhouse sushi spot opened to much fanfare. Although I'm arriving late to the scene, I'm pleased to report that Hiroyuki "Zama" Tanaka, formerly of Pod, Morimoto, and Genji, is still delivering fun, high-end sushi in a sleek-but-social atmosphere.

Slightly less publicized, but equally pleasing as the sushi, is Zama's extensive drink menu. I started with a yuzu gimlet, which featured yuzu juice, citrus vodka, and simple syrup, a great blend that highlighted the yuzu flavor (one of my favorites). Of course, warm house sake hits the spot on a cold night. But interestingly, Zama offers warm sake after-dinner drinks. I indulged in the ginger version -- warm sake with ginger liqueur.

After starting with the seaweed salad, which featured an unusual mix of the "usual" seaweed with more lettuce- and radish-like varieties, we moved onto the roll menu. I opted for the "Bronzizzle," Zama's "cucumber and avocado inside out roll with Bronzino finished with yuzu-soy sauce and hot sesame oil." Surprisingly refreshing, the roll hit the high notes of a crispness mixed with a sharper flavor. I was most interested, however, in trying the "super crunchy" maki, pictured below.

I was expecting tempura flakes, but instead got this interested rice puff exterior, which was indeed crunchy. Unfortunately, it was also spicy, which I was hoping to avoid as Zama offers both spicy and crunchy, but the rice puffs balanced out the spice. Certainly a change of pace.

Zama picks up on the dessert sampler scene (a favorite of mine at Continental, which offers $3 dessert "bites"), where you can choose three desserts for $10. The hazelnut bread pudding was warm and heavenly, as was the sake soaked pear upside down cake. Combined with the warm ginger liqueur sake, the experience was a perfect antidote to a cold winter night.

Zama is located at 128 S. 19th Street, Philadelphia, http://www.zamarestaurant.com/. First photo with thanks to http://www.opentable.com/.

Le Creuset

2010-12-28T06:30:00.003-05:00

Le Creuset, 6 quart oval, Ocean Blue

On the 9th day of Christmas blogging, my father and stepmother gave to me... my first Le Creuset (my first dutch oven, for that matter). Hesitant about such products due to their pure heft joining my tiny kitchen, I had been eyeing the ocean blue version exclusive to Williams Sonoma with new interest. It's just so appealing. Although it may become a permanent fixture on my stovetop, given the lack of space to put it elsewhere, I can't wait to make stews and roasts with it.

Christmas Dinner

2010-12-27T19:48:00.001-05:00

On the 8th day of Christmas blogging... I choose to write about my awesome Christmas dinner.

Clockwise from the giant bowl of: mashed potatoes, corned beef and cabbage, sauerkraut, fresh ham, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, deviled eggs, sweet potato puree. Ridiculous amounts of delicious food! Props to my mother for pulling off the fresh ham, which is challenging to make and tempting to overcook (she resisted!). She used Paula Deen's recipe, available at the Food Network site, http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/fresh-ham-recipe/index.html, and featuring soy sauce and spices. Fairly simple, fairly delicious.

Thirteen

2010-12-22T20:58:00.001-05:00

On the 8th day of Christmas blogging... I am reminded that a public relations firm invited me to a fun meal at Thirteen, the restaurant in the convention center Marriott downtown. Thirteen had distinguished itself to me in the past by providing refuge from more crowded bars in order to watch some crucial Phillies game. It is a serviceable hotel restaurant, with modern, earth-tone decor and plenty of space to accommodate convention center guests and private parties alike. This past November, I found myself in their semi-posh private dining room enjoying a multi-course meal.

Chef Judson Branch's food choices were a bit ambitious and occasionally delivered. The scallops were done well, but lacked a flavor punch. Thirteen's take on the beet-goat cheese salad was mildly engaging, but I had hoped for more of a flavor variety on this common combination.

The entrees arrived, and with them a risotto that was at best comforting, at worst, a thick mass. Heavy and seemingly overcooked, I was able to, for once, resist its cheesy rice appeal. The meat was done well, however, flavored with a tangy sauce accompaniment that highlighted both it and the risotto well. Desserts were well prepared, with a chocolate raspberry sauce in a lovely presentation. The dessert proved to be fairly delicious, a decadent combination.

All in all, although the food was hit or miss, I would recommend Thirteen's private dining room for an office party or a good mixing space during the convention and remain loyal to their expansive bar for the key sports events.

Thirteen is located in the Philadelphia Marriott, 1201 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pa.

McCloskey's Tavern

2010-12-21T06:01:00.001-05:00

On the sixth day of Christmas blogging ... the suburbs offered me a friendly neighborhood bar. Every neighborhood should have one, right? McCloskey's has been serving Ardmore for seventy-five years. 75! The local presence at McCloskey's is unmistakable -- neighbors of all ages are here, all greeted like old friends (including us). There's something about a place like this that clearly keeps you coming back.

The food falls on the ambitious end of standard pub fare, with great stand-by's like wings to cheesesteak spring rolls, with some pasta dishes and specials thrown in for good measure. And an awesome, lengthy beer list, with plenty on tap for craft-beer lovers like me.

Of course, we focused on the appetizers. DCWB loves their mussels and even though they weren't on the menu as such (mussels marinara on pasta was the only thing listed), McCloskey's was happy to accommodate our request.
Accented with a lot of butter, they went down easily. The cheesesteak spring rolls were good, but I wanted more of a tomato sauce for them than the creamy chipotle sauce served. My favorite app was the quesadilla special - the avocado, shrimp, cheese and salsa made for a tasty combination. As it turns out, however, McCloskey's special is the beef stew, served in a bread bowl: Nothing says neighborhood bar like a beef stew. It was massive and great for splitting on a cold night. Don't get me started on the amazing peanut butter pie the owner was kind enough to give us. I wouldn't have chosen it after the stew, but it was pretty amazing with the right mix of chocolate and peanut butter.
When it comes to a place to grab a drink in Ardmore, McCloskey's offers the kind of atmosphere that feels like good conversation with old friends.
McCloskey's Tavern is located at 17 Cricket Avenue, Ardmore, Pa, http://www.mccloskeystavern.com/.

Exercise

2010-12-20T22:25:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving, Mom-style

On the seventh day of Christmas blogging, my favorite newspaper reminded me that even through my biggest and best meals, running still works. This particular study found that of three groups whom they fed huge breakfasts, the group that ran before breakfast gained -- wait for it -- no weight. Now, the group that didn't exercise gained the most, and the group that exercised after eating gained about half as much weight as the non-exercising group. Not to mention running's effects on mood during the stressful holiday season. So for giant meals, make sure you run sometime after your coffee and before your breakfast (my favorite running window).

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/15/phys-ed-the-benefits-of-exercising-before-breakfast/

Pear Martinis

2010-12-18T20:05:00.001-05:00

On the fifth day of Christmas blogging... my colleague made for me a pear martini. In this season of holiday parties, it's always nice to mingle with work friends outside of work, and even nicer when cool new drinks like this one are involved (not to mention the delicious wine, champagne and food that followed). This concoction that kicked off the evening stealthily involved one of my new favorite liqueurs -- ginger liqueur. While I've mostly enjoyed it with champagne, apparently it provides a nice unexpected addition to the pear martini as well. Although I didn't sleuth out actual proportions, I did learn that the drink is made with pear vodka, ginger liqueur, lemon juice and simple syrup, with a slice of pear. Slightly sweet without being cloying, with a subtle kick. A great holiday drink.

Avenida

2010-12-17T06:39:00.010-05:00

On the fourth day of Christmas blogging ... my vegetarian friend suggested to me that we go to Avenida, the cute Latin restaurant in Mt. Airy.

Avenida is very cute, under its colonial stone exterior, with its separate red rooms and seating that manage to retain the charm of a home. I understand that you can reserve one of the separate rooms upstairs where, on the night I ate there, unbeknownst to me, MCRF's mother was meeting with her book club. Not a bad book club place.

Avenida has received much hype and I confess expectations were high for me. Which is why when service was slow and fairly unresponsive, I was disappointed. Avenida did pass the guacamole test, offering chunky, freshly made, flavorful avocadoes with a hint of citrus. It comes with "dos salsas," one of which that night included the "enchilada sauce," a cheesy looking sauce that was cold and slightly bland although, in the style of all vaguely cheesy sauces, had a comfort food appeal.

I elected to get the Pork Pibil, with green mole and zucchini cheese pastel. After assurances that it could be made to be less spicy (yes, I like mild food, no, it's not a reflection on my personality), it was, in fact, pretty spicy. This lent itself to my really wanting those tortillas that our server promised many minutes ago. Finally they arrived and with the tortillas cutting some of the spice, I enjoyed the pork's intense flavor but was not blown away. The zucchini cheese pastel was as good as it sounds, a fluffy baked mix of cheese and zucchini, without being too heavy.
My vegetarian friend got, appropriately, the chef's vegetarian plate, a fully loaded plate that included the zucchini cheese pastel, along with fresh sauteed vegetables, greens, a fried potato or corn something-or-another, and asparagus topping. Although reported as tasty, it lacked a certain thematic coherence to me that spelled "side dishes on same plate," but then again, side dishes can be pretty tasty.

All in all, worth a return trip for the ambience, armed with lower expectations around service and a willingness to branch out on menu choices.

Avenida is located at 7402 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa, 19119, http://www.avenidarestaurant.com/.

Duck Foie Gras and Pork Shoulder

2010-12-15T20:36:00.002-05:00

PorcSalt's duck foie gras, La Tur,
and La Brin Camembert

On the third day of Christmas blogging.... DCWB found homemade duck foie gras. As faithful readers (a.k.a. friends and family) know, I love appetizers. They're perfect little bites and allow for variety and fun combinations. So you can imagine my reaction getting the call that foie gras had been purchased and a meal would be built around it. Hello, Sunday dinner.

See the amazing spread below -- mixed Greek olives, three amazing cheeses, including a La Tur and a La Brin Camembert, two different date varieties, roasted garlic, balsamic vinegar, baguette and water crackers, all highlighting the foie gras. Served with Sancerre, of course.

A word on the foie - it was purchased from PorcSalt and it was exquisite, featuring a full-bodied richness with a hint of deeper game flavor than the traditional goose. Apparently, this local company supports the slow food movement and likes to flavor its foie gras with truffles, white wine and a splash of cream. Um, wow. On the PorcSalt representative's recommendation, we tried the foie on baguette with a drop of balsamic vinegar. The tangy sweetness highlighted the flavors in the foie perfectly. It also prompted combinations of the cheeses, balsamic vinegar and roasted garlic on the bread.

A decadent hour or two later, the slow roasted pork shoulder was hitting its stride. Roasted in a dutch oven in broth and a host of spices, including rosemary and sea salt and other fresh herbs, the pork was falling off the bone. After warming corn tortillas over an open flame, drizzling sour cream and sour cream on the base and topping with roast pork, the result was mouth-wateringly amazing. And happily appetizer-like with its bite-size goodness.

Who knew that this season, I would add duck foie gras and roasted pork to my list of things-to-be-grateful-for?

PorcSalt is a "slow food evolution in Bucks County," and can be contacted through http://www.porcsalt.com/.

Talula's Table Menu

2010-12-12T13:41:00.000-05:00

On the second day of Christmas blogging... my friend sent to me the Talula's Table dinner menu for the meal I will be having in several weeks, complete with wine suggestions.

This season, I remember to count my many blessings, high among them the number of amazing people I've been proud to name my friends over the years. I'm doubly fortunate to have friends who share my penchant for great food and who, perhaps most importantly here, are willing to secure Talula's reservations 12 months ahead of time. Never have I been so excited about a meal since I spent months of mornings trying to call French Laundry to score a reservation (it didn't work).

In any case, highlights of the menu include Gold Potato Blini, Cold Smoked Sustainable Salmon, Caviar, and Crème Fraiche; Goose Confit, Sticky Date Pudding, Foie Gras, Pomegranate Syrup, and Walnut Crème; and Crochette (little Italian Donuts). Plus five or so other courses. Likely a finely wrapped present, the menu is pretty great in and of itself. For the record, however, I will likely still manage to make it to the actual meal.

Talula's Table is located at 102 West State Street, Kennett Square, Pa, www.talulastable.com.

Chops Restaurant and Bar

2010-12-11T11:42:00.001-05:00

On the first day of Christmas blogging... Well, actually several days ago, DCWB said to me, why not a nice meal. Despite vows to eat in moderation this week (not forever, of course), I couldn't resist such an invitation. We landed at Chops on City Line, a place described as "the Palm West for main line power brokers." No power was broken (?), but decadent appetizers, steaks and drinks were consumed, which was enough for me.

The meal started with a Sidecar, straight up, sugar rim. Why am I not drinking this more often? A blend of cointreau, cognac and lemon juice, Chops' take on the drink was a little on the frou-frou/sweet side, but packed a great punch and seemed celebratory for the holiday. The Chesapeake Bay oysters hit the spot, although for once I eschewed the mignonette in favor of DCWB's preference of splashing vodka, tabasco and horseradish on top. Although I skipped the horseradish, the effect was still, well, awesome. A somewhat typical wedge salad was next that could have been improved through the addition of bacon but then again, I'd be hard pressed to say when that's not the case. My NY strip was done well (for medium rare, of course) and the Bearnaise sauce was the perfect addition. DCWB's veal chop was tender and flavorful. Somehow, we managed to resist the molten chocolate cake, but I'm confident it would have delivered the goods. Our maitre d' was attentive and friendly and our server accommodated our requests and was never far away. Although we were seated near the bar, the atmosphere was a bit bright for my clubby steakhouse preferences and yet I still managed to feel as decadent as the food suggested. I'll embrace moderation tomorrow.

Chops is located on 401 City Line Avenue, Bala Cynwyd, Pa, http://www.chops.us/.

12 days of Christmas food blogging

2010-12-11T10:04:00.001-05:00

There's nothing like December for family, friends, parties, stress and tight scheduling. The holiday season offers another reliable highlight -- great, decadent food options. I don't want to let this season fly by without attempting to capture a few of these moments. And so it begins - 12 days of December blogging about some of the highlights of food experiences.

Pumpkin Pizza

2010-11-08T11:25:00.001-05:00

Another October brought another Scary Movie Night, my annual ode to finger food and classic horror movies. This year, Scary Movie Night fell in the midst of my being overextended, with little time to prepare the French classical food of last year or really anything taking over an hour to prepare. I reverted back to the pumpkin theme and went with pre-made pizza dough, making a variety of flatbread-style pizzas with anything that sounded appealing.

The pumpkin pizza began with the small decorative pumpkins you find in front of the grocery store. After several failed attempts to cut into those turtle-like shells, I reverted to just sticking the entire pumpkin in the oven. Sure enough, after 40 minutes, it was soft enough to open and brush with olive oil and salt. It finished about 20 minutes later, after which I threw it in a pan with sage and butter.

While that was happily sauteing, I tackled the dough. This is the dough you can find next to the buttery biscuits in the cylindrical cardboard cans in the dairy aisle. I boldly chose "thin style," and after dividing it into two and contrary to its instructions, rolled it out a bit thinner, with flour and a rolling pin, to the shape of two rectangles. Roughly speaking of course. The dough is very buttery and fluffy, not what I would choose for pizzas, so rolling it out is key, as is committing to imperfection when schedules have you constrained. The instructions call for pre-baking for 5 minutes, which results in the version of the dough you see to the right.

After the pre-baking, I topped with gruyere mixed with a light dusting of romano and as much of the pumpkin sage as made sense, and baked for another 5-6 minutes or until the cheese seemed adequately melted and browned.

Et voila! Pumpkin pizza with sage and gruyere. Enjoyed while watching "White Zombie," the Boris Karloff classic.

JG Domestic

2010-10-15T22:16:00.008-04:00

Jose Garces's newest venture, JG Domestic, is unusually located in the thoroughfare through which I normally am running between the parking garage and 30th Street Station. Which is to say it's in an office lobby. Not all of it, but at least a third of it, and the effect is a little strange.

Undeterred and armed with our opening night reservation, however, we were seated and our amiable server explained the menu. It, like many a Garces menu before it, features smaller and larger plates. Our server somewhat non-comittal-ly recommended around 2 smaller plates and 2-3 larger plates, depending on what you order. She also pushed the "snack" portion of the menu, featuring pecans with maple and bacon ($8), popcorn with cheddar and horseradish ($5), and kettle chips with malt vinegar aioli ($4). Kudos to you Chef Garces for getting folks to order those, but I imagine that I can whip that up on the way home with a stop at Wawa.

The menu's second page featured a description of the local farms from which the food derives, an impressive footnote. Non-snack options held more appeal and we settled on the oysters with mignonette and the Keswick Creamery Fondue to start. The Cape May oysters with a concord grape mignonette were good albeit lacking a huge flavor punch, but the tiny slivers of tarragon were overpowering for the relative mildness of the oysters. The fondue, served with toasted bread crisps, apply and onion jam, was strangely thin, akin to a more foamy cheese sauce rather than a fondue and worked better with the bread served with dinner than the crisps. Good concept, however.

Here's where the lesson about not coming on anyone's opening night comes in. We had ordered two selections from the vegetable section of the menu as our entrees, so to speak. After the oysters and fondue arrived, we then waited 45 minutes for the beet salad to arrive. Our disappointment in what came after so much prep time can't be understated.

Pretty? Absolutely. But nine dollars and two bites later, I was left wanting more. And we had ordered more, specifically the white turnip manicotti, topped with quince puree and pistachio. Another half hour passed before that arrived and it was easily the best dish we had chosen. It arrives as a single long roll, filled with what tasted like roquefort and white turnip pieces, topped with the perfect sweet balance of quince.

Should I tell you that we then waited another 45 minutes in the asking-paying-waiting vortex of time for the check? Or that I had to ask for the complimentary truffle bites that other tables had received at the end of their meal? Nah, you probably could have figured that out. I will chalk it up to opening night and a good lesson learned. Here are a couple of more shots from our respective and surreal views. Look out for the cameo from my giant earring.

And last but not least, a sighting of Chef Garces himself, who could be seen cooking in the large open kitchen and was kind enough to inscribe my dining companion's cookbook.If you go, ask for a seat in the back. In addition to the bar area, there are two dining rooms that deliver on the atmosphere lacking in the front. And give the place at least a few months to iron out the kinks.

JG Domestic is located on the first floor of the Cira Center, at Arch and 30th Streets in Philadelphia, Pa., www.jgdomestic.com.

Veal Chop, Roasted Garlic and Fresh Mozzarella Ravioli with Roasted Butternut Squash and Sage

2010-10-12T17:00:00.012-04:00

There is something uniquely wonderful about creating a meal around ingredients that you find appealing at the market that day. And so I found myself at the Ardmore Farmers' Market on a beautiful fall afternoon, making impulsive decisions with no agenda other than enjoying the process of cooking. The resulting meal was a mouthful, both in name and flavor: Veal Chop, Roasted Garlic, and Fresh Mozzarella Ravioli topped with Roasted Butternut Squash and Sage with Leek, Parsnip and Ginger Soup. (I'm not entire clear on why I'm capitalizing these words, but perhaps the cooking effort merits such treatment).

After fortifying ourselves with interesting cheeses and champagne ginger cocktails, DCWB and I embarked on, for lack of a better term, making stuff. Bulbs of garlic were thrown into the toaster oven, butternut squash was cut up (much to the detriment of DCWB's hands, with the squash's apparently common skin irritant reaction) and roasted, and the Kitchenaid was removed from its shelf to make the pasta. The following recipe emerged on the spot:

Veal, Garlic, and Mozzarella Ravioli with Butternut Squash and Sage
1 veal chop
2 heads garlic
1 med. ball fresh mozzarella
fresh pasta sheets for ravioli (semolina preferred)
1 large butternut squash
1 container fresh sage leaves
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp rosemary
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp your favorite salt blend

Begin by cutting the heads off of the two garlic bulbs. Drizzle with olive oil and salt, wrap in foil and roast (375 degrees or so) for 1 hour+, until the garlic starts to become soft and slightly caramelized. Do essentially the same with the butternut squash: Peel and chop butternut squash. Wear latex gloves to avoid skin reaction. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and roast until golden and slightly browned.

Make the pasta (Use your favorite recipe here).

As the garlic and butternut squash are finishing, combine the last three ingredients in a mortar and pestle. Find the strongest person around to mortar and pestle them all together and dust the veal chop with the spices. Broil the chop, flipping mid-way, until nicely browned on both sides. Let rest for 5 minutes and finely chop. Shred the fresh mozzarella. Combine the mozzarella, chop, any remaining spices and the roasted garlic. This is your ravioli stuffing. At this point, stuff away! (Boil your water to cook the ravioli).

While the water is boiling, heat the butter with a splash of oil in a pan until hot and then add the sage. Cook for several minutes and add the chunks of the roasted butternut squash. Add more butter, sage, or squash to taste. Top the cooked ravioli with the squash.Light some candles, open the windows, put on a sweater, and voila, a perfect meal. I've skipped describing the soup, which is always a good fall fall-back, ahem, but any squash soup will be a great accompaniment, albeit unnecessary.

The experience affirmed my longstanding intuition that the best meals come out of seasonal ingredients and a willingness to depart from recipe and routine long enough to create something great.

The Ardmore Market is located at Anderson and Coulter Avenues, Ardmore, Pa.

Sampan

2010-09-25T06:36:00.010-04:00

My experience at Sampan was extraordinary in that I liked our server, enjoyed the food, but would not return. Maybe it was restaurant week, maybe it was the unlucky trick of having a 10 person party of unusually loud teenagers seated next to us, but having our food inappropriately staggered over two and half hours while simultaneously not being able to hear my dining companion made for an unpleasant dining experience.

As faithful readers (e.g., family members) know, I am not a fan of restaurant week. Usually, it's a limited menu, limited portions, and the only extra value is a dessert I wouldn't have ordered anyways. Sampan actually reverses the equation, though -- it offers four courses, plus dessert, chosen off their entire menu, for $35. This is a lot of food. They're also offering this through October, by the way, should you be very hungry for Pan-Asian and high decibel levels this fall.

After about a 20 minute wait, we are afforded the opportunity to order. Our server is personable and knowledgeable about the menu and sells us on the restaurant week deal. Seconds after we place our order, the crab wanton taco and edamame dumplings arrive -- before our drinks. Seconds thereafter, still before drinks, the pork banh mi and the hamachi ceviche arrive.Drinks arrive a little later. I love a good yuzu sake martini, or really anything involving yuzu. The pork banh mi was a great mix of savory, moist pork with tangy pickled onions and vegetables, while the hamachi ceviche's tempura flakes provided an interesting texture to an otherwise straightforward approach to the ceviche. Then we waited. About an hour for the remaining four dishes. Looking back, we simply should have left at this point. We had enough food, and it was around this point that the party of ten was seated next to us, raising an already high noise level to something requiring earplugs. Our server put in for free yuzu lemonades to compensate for the wait, which I'm fairly confident did absolutely nothing for us. An hour later, my dining companion's peking duck and side of pad thai arrived. Despite the lack of hoisin sauce, the duck's flavors were complex, a good mixture of salty and sweet that contrasted well against the soft tamarind pancakes. Truly tasty morsels. I would be remiss by not mentioning my perfectly caramelized brussel sprouts and tasty scallops over a beet salad.

After finishing what we could, we sat with our completed plates for maybe 20 more minutes, until I was able to flag down our server and ask to move on, in lieu of dessert. Dessert still arrived, small ice cream cones with tiny homemade soft-serve ice cream. Charming, much like the rest of the food, if only we were seated in a different restaurant.

Sampan is located at 124 S. 13th Street, Philadelphia, Pa, www.sampanphilly.com.

Simon Pearce

2010-09-18T08:49:00.006-04:00

Why haven't I heard of Simon Pearce before? It's a bit tucked out of the way on the Brandywine, but this location only adds to its charm. My photo, taken on the cloudy day I visited, fails to do the setting justice. Simon Pearce does more than deliver on location, however; it also offers outstanding seasonal food and excellent service.

Of course, I do love a good brunch. Eggs Benedict, good pastries and breads, and espresso always manage to set a happy weekend tone. These elements alone can win over my breakfast heart. But being seated at Simon Pearce was the brunch equivalent of a spa. The restaurant is set in two tiers against a floor-to-ceiling window to the Brandywine. This was our view.

The restaurant is wisely decorated in a minimalist white, which serves to highlight the idyllic vista. It also features a glass and pottery store adjacent to it in similarly decorated tones. The store was the genesis of the restaurant; Simon Pearce was originally a glass maker in Ireland. Shopping and brunch is, needless to say, an excellent combination.

So now that we're seated in this lovely spa-restaurant, have been served a cappuccino by a friendly-but-not-overbearing server, we move on to the food. My dining companion opts for the stuffed brioche french toast, which is modestly served but robustly delivers on taste. The current menu on the website offers stuffed french toast with cream cheese, blueberries and orange zest. I fight my perennial struggle against wanting something both savory and sweet for brunch, and find a happy compromise in the pastry basket as an appetizer (enough to take home) and of course, the Eggs Benedict.Simon Pearce's version this week was served with capers, tomatoes and smoked salmon. It was a great, fresh, and slightly lighter combination that still delivered the taste I craved but with an updated twist.

The pastry basket deserves mention, as so many do. Chocolate chip muffins offered almost a solid wall of dark chocolate chips inside, perfectly suspended. Almond turnovers were warm, light and fluffy. Finally, lemon poppy bread struck the right balance of moisture and lightness. All served with honey butter, about which our server confessed sometimes, she eats straight. I can't blame her.

Coming in at around $20/person, this serene restaurant is worthy of discovery, driving, and day trips.

Simon Pearce is located at 1333 Lenape Road, West Chester, Pa, http://www.simonpearce.com/.

10 Arts Lunch Special

2010-09-12T07:21:00.005-04:00

When Rick Nichols panned the "5 bites" lunch special in the Philadelphia Inquirer, MCRF and I were only strengthened in our resolve to try it. (See link to article at end of this post). After all, what lunch special involving sliders, beer, and a cupcake could be bad? As it turns out, the food was fine, the service, however, was not.

The Five Bites consists of warm pretzel bites with mustard, jalapeno jam, and creamy cheddar sauce dips, your choice of two sliders (I went with lobster roll and cheeseburger, opting against fish burger or hot dog), a shot of signature corn chowder, a mini cupcake, and your choice of Victory beer. For $22, including the beer. Nichols panned this amount and mix of food for lunch and while I agree it's on the heavier side, the portions were small and overall manageable.

So here's how it played out -- delicious warm small pretzel bites were served. MCRF and I proceed to start dipping away. Not being a mustard fan and finding the jalapeno jam to just be sweet, my pick was the cheddar cheese sauce, which tasted a lot like ... butter. About 30 seconds into these, our sliders arrived. Hmmm. Soup's good, but what to let get cold next? Also, the burger comes pre-topped with ketchup, mustard, pickles. Did I mention I didn't like mustard? I haven't had this happen since McDonald's. Strange. Oh wait! Several minutes into that course, we're being asked if we're ready for our cupcake. The moment I finished, my plate was whisked away, even though MCRF was far from done. That didn't stop every server who passed us by from continually trying to clear her plate, despite her still not being done. And serving me a cupcake before her. I look around; plenty of tables, no need for a quick turnaround. Looking further into the lobby, I find we're still at the Ritz, where I expect far better service. The cupcake was, in fact, delicious, easily the highlight of the meal. And Victory beers never fail to deliver.

Our server asked us about the Nichols article. We shared that we had read it and were not deterred, since his main gripe was about the 5 Bites menu. Had I known about the service, however, I might have stayed away. Top Chef contest and 10 Arts chef Jennifer Carroll was reportedly out of town for August, so I'm trying not to associate this experience with her.

10 Arts is located at the Ritz Carlton, Broad and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia. Mr. Nichols' article can be viewed at http://www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/rick_nichols/20100829_Cobb_salad_at_Ritz-Carlton_s_10_Arts_a_thing_of_beauty.html.

Valley Green Inn

2010-09-06T11:04:00.007-04:00

Charming and idyllic, Valley Green Inn offers a secluded B&B experience a mere fifteen minutes (or a nice bike ride) from downtown. While I had known of Valley Green Inn for many years, rumors of overpriced food had kept me away. But on a beautiful weekend like this Labor Day, when My Vegetarian Friend suggested it, I decided to take the chance.

I'm happy I did. It is a beautiful, grand house down a driveway canopied by lush green trees, a popular entrance to Wissahickon Park, which features intriguingly named trails like "Forbidden Drive." We were able to secure a table on the porch, with a view of the river and trail patrons enjoying the weather.

Valley Green Inn has an accessibly priced wine menu and offers rotating specials of its wines by the glass. I opted for the viognier, seemingly good for the summer. The food offerings are somewhat safe, but well executed. Items like french onion soup and a straightforward steak adorn the menu, but specials are offered and I hear that Valley Green Inn uses local farmers. I tried one of the specials, featuring one of my favorite combinations -- fig, goat cheese and prosciutto with arugula. Although I have tasted more delicate prosciutto, the salad offered a dependably wonderful taste combination that didn't disappoint. At the server's suggestion, I ordered the "duck two ways," featuring a confit of duck leg, sauteed breast, served with sun dried cherry duck jus, a goat cheese potato croquette and what was supposed to be asparagus on the menu but was in fact bok choy. The duck with cherry was wonderful, perfectly done and flavored. The croquette was fell too much on the fried and flavorless side for me, but was pleasant. MVF's vegetarian sampler platter was reported to be good, with four different vegetarian offerings. Our chocolate pistachio pate was also very good, sprinkled with sea salt that I have grown to crave in my chocolate for bringing out the sweet flavor.

I have no pictures here due to the sun setting, then candlelit scene that I could not bring myself to interrupt with a flash. As we left, we stopped to enjoy the wedding the Inn was hosting on its side porch. With lanterns and small lights, it was lovely, even with the some of the more outlandish, unabashed dancing. (Shout out to our British friend at the next table who commented to us after we all observed said dancing, "only in America." You betcha.) An enchanting way to spend an evening all around.

Valley Green Inn is located on Valley Green Road at Wissahickon, Philadelphia, www.valleygreeninn.com.

Distrito

2010-09-02T07:02:00.005-04:00

When it comes bidding farewell to summer, a margarita certainly makes for a nice toast. And so it was I found myself at Distrito, never having been there before, scared away by the primarily pink decor. As it turns out, the pink actually works. The space is cavernous and cool and the pink, plaids, and billboard decor actually provide interesting distractions without being overwhelming. And what's there not to like about a VW bug booth?

After being led upstairs and seated in the perfect wicker booth-for-two (Distrito follows the lead of the Starr restaurants, featuring plenty of booths built for parties of 6 and 8), the margaritas arrived and were perfect. Lime, on the rocks, refreshing. Our server was knowledgeable and cool, the kind of person you're sure you'd be friends with, based on all of the 20 seconds you've spoken with her.

The food? It did the job. Echoing others, I would rate it as similar to El Vez, but better. The guacamole hit the spot, with large chunks of avocado and a spicy kick that even spice-phobic me enjoyed. My choice to order the Hamachi tacos was heartily reinforced by the server, but I confess I was disappointed to find a fishstick-style taco (no mention of deep fried on the menu) with my happy avocado and pickled-onion toppings. Tasty, yes, but firmly in a fishstick genre.

Distrito is also a member of the small plate club, and while our server suggests 2-3 plates, stick with 2, especially if you get things like guacamole. I elected to order the short rib special, whose smoky taste was wonderful, highlighted against small, homemade corn tortillas.My dining companion went with some reliable favorites -- tongue tacos and the jicama salad, both of which did look scrumptious. We split a side order of plantains, which were grilled and caramelized to perfection.

After the second round of margaritas, I was ready for fall. Or at least September. And a return to Distrito, whose menu changes seasonally.

Distrito is located at 3945 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, www.distritorestaurant.com.

Spread the Philly Love

2010-08-23T15:39:00.002-04:00

Are you opinionated, telegenic, and charming? Like food? Have employers that would support a sabbatical while you pursue your Food Network dreams? Represent our city and attend the Next Food Network Star Season 7 Casting Call next week. Just don't refer to Philly cuisine as revolving around cheesesteak.

The fine print:

Tuesday August 31, 2010
Time: 10am-3pm
Location: Loews Philadelphia Hotel
1200 Market Street,
Philadelphia, PA 19107

What to Bring:
1. Two recent photos
2. A copy of your resume
3. A COMPLETED application (found at www.FoodNetwork.com/star)

For more information or questions please e-mail nfns7philly@gmail.com or visit www.nfns7casting.com.

Gripes: Studiokitchen

2010-08-10T12:15:00.005-04:00

Foobooz is reporting that "Studiokitchen," the new bar within Speck Food + Wine restaurant in Northern Liberties is offering reservations at $120 "per seat" Tuesdays through Fridays and $150 per seat on Saturdays. If you are intrigued as I was as to what delicious offerings could be in store at this price, click through on the link (http://www.studiokitchen.com/).

There you will find no description or pictures, but the following admonitions:
-"No diet restrictions can be accommodated" to allow "maximum creative flexibility by the kitchen." If you don't like it, they suggest you peruse Speck's regular menu, which is, of course, not yet available.
-Although the meal begins at 7:30, one should arrive at 7:00.
-If you do deign to be late, you may join the meal already in progress (presumably without whatever you missed).

The City Paper reported that Shola Olunloyo announced on his blog that the bar takes after Momofuku in its "draconian" online reservation system.

Oh "Studiokitchen by Shola Olunloyo," go to New York to dish out such pretentiousness at such a steep price. Even better yet, take a lesson from how Thomas Keller manages to accommodate his patrons' wishes while still maintaining his reputation as an amazing chef.

Please feel free to comment on the food if you go.

World Cafe Live - Grilled Cheese and Beer Tasting

2010-08-09T05:20:00.006-04:00

In a new monthly installment, that hodgepodge of concert goodness World Cafe is offering "Grilled Cheese & Craft Beer" nights. For a mere $35 (incl. tax and tip), you too can enjoy five courses and four beers. Although the grilled cheeses (served en masse to the entire upstairs dining hall) were invariably less than hot, overall, I found it hard to resist the combination of cheese, bread, and craft beer.

The beer was Pretty Things Beer, a Cambridge, Mass-based "gypsy brewery run by Dann & Martha Paquette." Served in wine-sized bottles, the offerings were rich and flavorful, making me hope that "gypsy brewery" did not mean "incredibly hard to find again."

First up was the cheddar monte cristo, craisins, pineapple mustard on ale rye bread, served with "Field Mouse's Farewell," described as a French and rustic beer. The sandwich was a little soggy from the sauce-like pineapple mustard, made worse by the lack of utensils. The beer was perfect and if I knew my descriptive beer adjectives, I'd use them.

Second course was my favorite - pesto mozzarella, oven cured tomato puree and balsamic glaze on braided challah bread. The bread was that airy-but-substantive mix that showed off the tomato and mozzarella flavors. I clearly was far too into the sandwich before I realized I hadn't taken a picture yet. The tomato puree was served on the side and provided the perfect dipping sauce. Served with Jack D'Or, or Pretty Things' table beer, it was rather refreshing, considering it was grilled cheese and beer.
The fish and chips course presented the most challenging for our utensil-challenged meal. The potato chips were a bit too overpowering, but as a chip substitute, they stood up to the other flavors. The fish, despite looking over-fried, was light, flaky and moist. Served with "Saint Botolph's Town," which featured the malts of Yorkshire, England. The extent of my description on this beer would be "dark and rich." The last course, a grilled skirt steak, boursin and caramelized onions on multi-grain had a predictable but satisfying flavor and was paired with my favorite beer of the evening (hopefully not just because it was also my fourth beer of the evening), the "American Darling," made from a German caramel pils malt. It hit all of my favorite beer notes: strong, crisp, with a slightly sweeter finish. Last but not least was a "bublanina" dessert, described as a "czech bubble cake made with babayaga beer, with fruit sauce and creme." Unfortunately, the raspberry fruit sauce overpowered this cake for me and, even after four beers, I had no interest in finishing it. But an interesting concept.

This event offers a happy concept overall -- good value, great combinations, but rough on the execution. Grilled cheese is one of those dishes that has to be hot when served. Still, something about bread, cheese, and beer is fairly irresistible and World Cafe delivered. September is already sold out, so get tickets in advance.

World Cafe Live is located at 30th and Walnut Streets, Philadelphia, www.worldcafelive.com. Thanks to MCRF for the birthday treat.

R2L

2010-07-30T17:40:00.008-04:00

A surprisingly sophisticated newcomer to the Philadelphia restaurant scene, R2L may be getting overlooked in its hidden perch above the city. Maybe it was a Monday night, maybe it was the negative side to the LaBan Inquirer review, but R2L deserves more of a crowd than it's getting. It raises the bar in Philadelphia and most importantly of course, it made my birthday just a little bit better.

Located on the 32nd floor of Two Liberty, R2L offers no guarantees in getting one of the leopard print banquettes that face out on the cityscape. Here was my view. (If you look carefully, you can see me, my father and stepmother).
Later, there were fireworks over the zoo that seemed magically arranged.

Speaking of extraordinary, our server was both professional and personable, setting the tone for feeling like we were getting VIP treatment. The food followed suit. I was foregoing the lobster as an entree, so I indulged with the lobster roll appetizer. A buttery fresh roll cradled lump lobster meat lightly dressed in a lavender-infused dressing. I confess I didn't detect the lavender, nor did I miss it, I was too busy scooping up lobster. The fish and chips hit the right note of moist crisp fish and fries. On our server's recommendation, we ordered the grilled truffle flatbread, with parmesan and arugula over a thin crusted bread. Glad we took his advice, the dish was lusciously balanced between ingredients.

Without fail, I like appetizers more than entrees. While I appreciate the effort of R2L into my striped bass dish, the separate portions of scallop, bacon, and bass were not unified, but instead offered three standalone tastes on the plate. The scallops were amazing, but the other tastes were a bit dry and further inconsistent with the citrus salad in the middle of the three. My father's veal signature dish featured three small dishes again, this time more melded -- tenderloin, brisket and meatloaf. Forming a loose stew, it rated highly in terms of done-ness and flavor. The shitake mushroom fries, while interested (pureed mushrooms deep fried into fry shapes), were almost too rich to eat.

Because I view desserts as almost effortlessly good, I rarely judge a restaurant more favorably based on its desserts. After all, how hard is it to make sugar, flour, and fat taste good? Yet R2L surprised me with its donut ice cream. Apparently, dozens of glazed donuts are sacrificed for this concoction; more importantly, you can taste every one of them, blended to perfection into a rich ice cream. This is one that I will crave in the future. Also worth mentioning is the warm vanilla cake, a vanilla version of the popular molten chocolate. Very good, but don't miss the donut ice cream. Topping it off were fun complementary root beer macaroons and decadent bergamot truffles.

Ushered back down into the exclusive elevator and bid goodbye by the friendly hostess on the ground floor, I began thinking of future special occasions or even my next available happy hour that would allow a return trip. While I love how down to earth the Philadelphia restaurant scene can be, I hope more restaurants follow R2L's lead take on fine dining.

R2L is located in Two Liberty, 37th floor, with an entrance on 50 S. 16th Street. http://www.r2lrestaurant.com/

Signature Potato Salad

2010-07-11T18:59:00.010-04:00

Nothing signals summer like potato salad. A staple for barbecues, summer holidays and family outings, it's the perfect comfort food tempered by its coolness. After tasting my mother's potato salad over July 4 weekend, I became determined to make my own potato salad - my signature version, so to speak.

As it turns out, potato salad is much harder than it looks. Trying to make it your own? Well, there may be more peeling potatoes in my future. I started with the ingredients featured to the left, as well as Martha Stewart and Julia Child ideas floating around my head. I also opted against the vinegar or "German" styles. While I love them, there is something to be said for the cold and creamy taste of classic potato salad.

I used about two pounds of red potatoes, hoping they would stand up to the challenge of being firm (they did). I peeled and covered them with water and set them on the stove to boil, despite Julia Child's instruction to go for simmering. I can't pay attention to the boil/simmer dichotomy, Julia, I'm way too busy with prep.

The majority of my prep was spent on mayo. While I adore my mother's version because it reminds me of her and my family, I am strangely averse to mayonnaise (or miracle whip or anything else like that). However, I've had great homemade mayo at fancy restaurants and loved it, so I thought that might be part of this salad. After looking at several recipes, it appeared Martha's was the easiest, so I went with that. It calls for two eggs, a dash of dry mustard, 1 cup each of light olive and a vegetable oil, 2 tbsp of lemon juice and 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Mixing all of the ingredients together except for the oil, you then add the oil slowly while blending (or whisking, as I did, with an electric whisker). I recommend going light on the salt, or adding it at the end to taste. I also used slightly less oil as I wanted a thicker consistency. I ended up putting in about a teaspoon of sugar to take off the salt edge, but this may have been a misstep. All in all, not bad, not wonderful for my mayo-hating palate. Another key is light olive oil -- I used the good stuff and it overpowers the flavor.

All this whisking made me lose track of the potatoes, which were over-boiling (told 'ya I had no time to monitor). I turned them down and let them go until the fork test said "done, but not crumbly." I drained them, but let them sit about 5 minutes before I remembered my mother's trick of running cold water over them to get them to stop cooking. It works!

And now we come to both the easiest and hardest part: seasoning. I ended up going with chopped mild yellow onion (about 1/4 -1/2 cup), bacon bits (the kind on the jar is better for you, but TRB wisely noted that the freshly made ones may have had more flavor) and chopped chives to taste, with a little light sour cream to even out the mayo tang.

The result? I need to work on the spicing, to bring this up from good potato salad to great, and make the mayo in advance so I'm concentrating on the potatoes and bringing everything together. I'm also thinking of using real bacon freshly cooked and browned onion bits versus raw. Any other advice is always welcome, as I'm hoping to perfect the recipe.
Perfection aside, I'd like to think it still fits well into this tailgating meal. Beer, a Phillies win, and fireworks are all good accompaniments, I might add.

Ten Stone

2010-05-09T19:16:00.005-04:00

I emerge from blogging hibernation with a warning: Ten Stone has gone downhill. Still centrally located, still a decent beer selection, but otherwise, not worth asking for the menu.

After meandering around the city, including stops at Devil's Alley (still lacking a cohesive identity, but offering plenty of open bar stools) and Pub and Kitchen (which apparently needs not one, but two pretentious girls to tell us there won't be a table for 45 minutes), the runner boyfriend and I arrived (after running, of course) at Ten Stone. I enthusiastically gushed about the fish tacos, which I once enjoyed, and the food generally. There were also plenty of tables on a Saturday night, which we should've taken as a sign.

Although we both ordered the same beer (an excellent Stoudt's Karnival Kolsh), mine arrived lukewarm while TRB's was perfectly cold. After that was replaced, our chicken tacos arrived. To describe the tacos as the kind you would get at the worst grocery store might overstate the quality here. The cold flour tortillas you normally find next to the margarine were topped with the "chicken breast topping" you would buy in the salad aisle, topped with ranch dressing and grated American cheese. Um, really? This wasn't some Top Chef challenge where bad ingredients equaled a good result, this was just bad ingredients playing out as you would expect.

We also shared a burger topped with provolone and sauteed onions. The burger, ordered medium well, arrived with mysterious pink patches toward its perimeter, a feat I have not seen achieved absent microwave intervention. But who knows, perhaps a faulty thaw process was to blame here.

Last but not least, Ten Stone adds an 18% gratuity automatically. For a party of two. Although I would have given 20%, that particular deprivation of my usual choice led me to simply sign and leave.

After apologies for abandoning the superior neighborhood burger offerings of London's and Rembrandt's, we headed back to said neighborhood, never to return to Ten Stone. Consider yourself warned.

Ten Stone is located at 21st and South. Thanks to messyandpicky.com for the photo and 2006 review.

Healthy Meal: Fish with Leeks, Shallots and Lemon

2010-01-19T04:31:00.009-05:00

It was 6:30 and I was tired. I worked a long day, sandwiched between a long commute and, as per usual, cooking was not high on my list of appealing activities. Enter my resolution to cook more and eat better. (And the ticking spoilage clock that is fish once you buy it).

In any case, I am pleased to report that at 7:30, after 25 minutes of easy prep, I sat down to an awesome, home-cooked meal. One that was healthy, fulfilling, and sustainable.

How, you ask? Well, let me expound. First, if you're going to buy fish these days, you have to go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium website (http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/) and get to its Seafood Watch pocket guide. It offers the definitive list of what you should and shouldn't buy. A warning: it's complicated. I intended to buy cod, but of the list of where and how the cod is fished, Whole Foods failed to offer sustainable cod in its fresh fish section. I also tend to think having a conversation with the Whole Foods folks about the website is a good thing. I ended up with silver hake, like cod but a more course grain. I think this recipe would work with any fish, your conscience permitting.

Ingredients:
2 lemons
2 shallots
2 leeks
2 cloves garlic
2 zucchini (or any roast-able veggie)

organic olive oil cooking spray
Sea salt
Pepper
2 6 oz. fillets of your favorite fish

(6:35 pm) Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a casserole dish (9x12) with olive oil spray - about 3 sprays should do it. Wash and slice leeks on a diagonal for large circles, white and light green parts only. Juice and zest one lemon. Toss sliced leeks, 2/3 of the lemon juice and the zest and a healthy dose of salt into the casserole dish (see picture above) and roast covered for 10 minutes, until the leeks just start to turn soft.

(6:45) During those 10 minutes, mince the two shallots, cut the two cloves of garlic into slivers, zest the second lemon and slice the zucchini into bite size pieces. Put the zucchini, garlic, sea salt, most of the lemon zest and two sprays of the olive oil into two pieces of foil, wrapped well but not closed entirely to prevent the zucchini from steaming. Roast.

(6:55) Take out the leeks and add the two pieces of fish right on top of the leeks. Generously season the fish on both sides with sea salt. Top with any remaining lemon juice, the minced shallots and pepper. Cover and roast side by side with your zucchini 15-20 minutes.

(7:20/7:25) Plating and eating. Easy, delicious and healthy. Get this part: Per serving, this entire dish is only 250 calories a serving. (Hake - 160 cal/6oz; Leeks - 54 cal/1 cup; lemon juice/zest - 20 cal; Zucchini - 20 cal/cup, or 3 Weight Watcher points total for the whole meal). If you anticipate needing more food to be full, I would recommend adding brown rice to the dish.

Thanks go to Great Food Fast, the book that offered the basis for the fish recipe, which I then tweaked a bit.

Kitchen to Couch

2010-01-06T05:47:00.004-05:00

In the last six months since it was published in The New York Times, Michael Pollan's article, Out of the Kitchen, Onto the Couch, has stayed with me, acting like a small voice, a call to action. In it, he reports on and explains our society's move away from time in the kitchen actually cooking to instead watching, discussing, and writing about food. If you didn't read it, you should, especially since you're reading this blog and probably have some interest in food writing: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/magazine/02cooking-t.html.

Winter weather stimulates my appetite for slow-cooked, lovingly prepared foods. But am I making them? Nope. Sure, I will host a dinner party (or New Year's brunch), but when it comes to my daily food needs, I am far more likely to defrost a frozen meal or eat out rather than come anywhere near "cooking." Yet I write a food blog, watch cooking shows, discuss food and restaurants with my friends, and generally think about food.

It's apparent I'm not alone. Pollan ponders the disconnect. He reports that our food preparation time has halved since the time Julia Child was on television to about twenty-seven minutes a day, roughly half the time of an episode of Top Chef. (My ratio is more pronounced, with about five minutes of preparation to a full hour of Top Chef watching). When did we trade time in the kitchen for, as Pollan eloquently puts it, "hyperexuberant, even fetishized images of cooking that are presented on screen"?

In case it's escaped you, let me underline one of Pollan's points: today's cooking shows teach you nothing about how to actually prepare the dishes. I've certainly been sucked into Food Network's "Challenge" series about building the largest structure out of sugar or the cake that looks most like a cartoon character. Um, learning about cooking? Not so much. Pollan suggests that what used to be education has now become more about selling -- a brand of chef, a prepared sauce, and whatever else fills the content of the commercials.

Pollan closes on two notes that smack of hard truth. Pollan points out that cooking strikes "a deep emotional chord" in us, an anthropologically identifiable part of our culture, and then throws in this doozy: "obesity rates are inversely correlated with the amount of time spent on food preparation." And cites the studies, admonishing us in the end that the diet to embrace is to "cook it yourself."

So, in January, in this time of acknowledgements and resolutions, I confess that I watch more food television and eat out more than I cook, that I cannot cook a meal without following a recipe, that I cannot remember the last time I cooked for myself after work, and that I want to change. I resolve in 2010 to "cook it myself," not to stop eating out, but to perfect a routine of home cooking that works into my life and is healthy and workable long term. Wish me luck.

Scary Movie Night

2009-10-26T19:51:00.006-04:00

Every October, I strive to throw a small dinner party, involving a culinary theme and "scary" movies (old school horror, no gore). My French theme this year was a challenge; part of my personal culinary objective is to make everything in finger-food version so it can be consumed while watching the movie. With tremendous gratitude to Clothilde at Chocolate and Zucchini (http://www.chocolateandzucchini.com/), I was able to come up with attempted variations on French classics. Pictured above are mini-tartlets with goat cheese, quince, and pine nuts (Clothilde favors "brousse," or fresh cheese, with quince, no pine nuts). This easy recipe is available on her site and I ordered a square mini-tartlet pan from Fante's, which has an amazing selection of any baking pan you could imagine. I also used Clothilde's "Terrine de Viande a la Ricotta" recipe and made this veal, pork and cheese terrine that was mild but satisfying. Think I should have upped the herb content. I added chervil, sage, thyme and Italian parsley, but think I somehow missed the mark.Thanks also go out to Martha Stewart who, in her hors d'oeuvres book, suggested the following cheeses for a French cheese plate:
I loved the strong earthy taste of the Morbier, was sucked into the alternating consistency of goat cheese and brie of the Bucheron, and thought the Pave d'Affinois was what the combination of butter and cheese should taste like. Pretty amazing.

The surprise hit of the evening were the gougeres (French cheese puffs), consumed so quickly I failed to get a picture. I followed Ruth Reichl's recipe (love her and the chapter of Garlic and Sapphires that precedes the recipe) and amazingly, that combination of butter, flour and gruyere melted together held some appeal. It did go wonderfully with champagne cocktails.

I attempted boeuf bourguignon in small roasted red potatoes and coq au vin in mushrooms. The reason you may have never heard of such ambitious appetizers is that they really don't work. Stews should be consumed in shallow bowls, not bite-size portions. Oh and coq au vin? Not the appetizing red color pictured in the Julia Child book, but more a purple-grey-ish. Let's just call it camera shy and leave it at that. (Both tasty, however, once I transferred them to larger bowls for unfettered enjoyment).

I stayed away from dessert and let my far more talented friends like MCRF bring peanut bars and brownies -- the perfect munchies for the second movie.

Bibou

2009-09-26T09:09:00.009-04:00

Occasionally swayed by the trends of popular culture, I saw Julie and Julia, renewed my interest in Julia Child, and planned a trip to France. I think it would be safe to declare that this fall, French food is back.

Bibou seems to be leading the pack of this renewed interest, thanks to favorable press (including New York Times coverage) and an outstanding pedigree. Housed in Pif's former digs (where I did, on one night long ago, enjoy frog's legs prepared by David Ansill), Bibou's Chef Pierre Calmels, formerly of Le Bec Fin, and his wife Charlotte preside over the tiny dining room and kitchen.

By preside, I should clarify that the clientele Bibou draws is, for lack of a better descriptor, my parents. It seemed that everyone else in the tiny space were repeat visitors, all in their mid-60s, all very interested in the food, being there, and talking to the Chef and his wife. I confess I felt out of place.

Which is not to say the food wasn't delicious. It did make me think twice, however, when the service felt rather rushed with one dish brought on the heels of another, we were chided for not bringing wine, and not offered the tasting menu as the party next to us was. Chef Calmels did greet us, though, prompting my fame-induced shyness, speaking French and English in a charming, genuine way. I stuck with the more classical French dishes, ordering the pig's head terrine, which the Chef explained to me was fresh. He had purchased it yesterday, cooked the head overnight and then made the terrine that morning. Its flavors were indeed fresh, rich and exquisite, as was the accompanying fresh mayonnaise. I was obligated to try the foie gras, served that evening with peaches (or was it pears...) and a sweet ginger bread that was as fantastic as you can imagine, with a silky smooth rich texture and sweet offset.MCRF ordered the mahi mahi, happily perched on a bed of sauteed vegetables garnished with a rich unobstrusive foam.The desserts were lovely, once our server sorted through that the apple pie was actually the tarte aux pommes and the pie of the day was a separate offering (again making us wonder how we got this server, over others that appeared more competent). The limoncello ice cream was amazing, however, served with said tarte aux pommes, as was the chocolate cake. Most touching, however, were the tiny madelines, served hot.They helped make up for a wrinkle at the end of the meal when our server seemed inconvenienced to bring us ones as part of our change, making me feel awkward despite my leaving a 20% tip.

In short, Bibou offers delicious food in a cozy 32-seat rowhouse patronized by a very specific clientele, to whom they appear to devote much attention. If you can get past the second point, the first presents a great dinner.

Bibou is located at 1009 S. 8th Street, Philadelphia, adjacent to a parking lot, www.biboubyob.com.

Village Whiskey

2009-09-21T05:07:00.003-04:00

Village Whiskey is predictable, although I'm not sure that's a bad thing. Jose Garces, the chef who brought you Amada and Tinto, has opened the small sliver of a bar adjacent to Tinto on 20th Street. I hope the presence of these restaurants and Capogiro serve to reinvigorate this sad stretch of 20th Street, thereby making the outdoor seating a little more pleasant.

In any case, VW is covered in white tile, making the din nearly unbearable. After several whiskey cocktails, however, it may matter a little less. I sampled the "De Rigueur," featuring rye, aperol, grapefruit, lemon, honey and mint, I was told it was a cousin of the mint julep. I would highly recommend it with its perfect blend of sweetness and rye. VW's Old Fashioned packs a whallop and I would describe my friend's "Modern," with scotch, sloe gin, herbsaint, and orange bitters, as the kind of drink you earn after a particularly bad day.

Which is of course the backdrop against which I ordered the "Whiskey King" burger -- maple-glazed cippolini, rogue bleu cheese, applewood bacon and foie gras on top of 10 oz of beef, for $24. I had previously thought the combination of foie gras and red meat was reserved for the decadent and gluttonous. Still true, but wow -- sign me up. The burger was fantastic. The brioche-style sesame bun absorbed the flavor of the burger and added to the medley perfectly. I showed a little restraint in not ordering the duck fat fries at $5 for a very small, cute silver cup of fries. I would imagine they are equally good. You can also buy a scaled back burger with thousand island dressing for $9.

VW offers predictably high priced cocktails ($11-12), a very long whiskey menu, and an interesting bar menu with oyster options and fun things like deviled eggs and pickled veggies. Once you get past the rather strict hostess who behaved as though the fire code was her prime directive (whatever you do, don't try to stand near the bar), the service was exceptional, friendly without being intrusive. The noise level may keep me away, however.

Village Whiskey is located next to Tinto at the corner of 20th and Sansom, http://www.villagewhiskey.com/. Foobooz offers a much better photo of the Whiskey King burger at http://foobooz.com/tag/village-whiskey/, with props to the BrewBrog blog.

Creperie Beau Monde

2009-08-29T09:40:00.011-04:00

As you can imagine, I wanted to see Julie and Julia. Sure, I had read the book, the blog, My Life in France, and have an actual autographed copy of The Way To Cook (thanks, Dad). I was there. I was also fully prepared to be craving French food after seeing the movie. Enter Beau Monde.

Beau Monde is like an old friend. Offering consistently delicious crepes, both savory and sweet, combined with sparkling cider in a cozy yet chic environment, it's simply lovely. It's also an inexpensive option for French food, offering crepes ranging in price from $6 to $18.

Upon admiration of the paneling, we're told that it is handpainted on gold leaf, reinforcing my thought that the best food is the product of love and effort. Of course, talent never hurts either, as evidenced here.

As much as I love Julie Powell, the movie didn't do her storyline justice, but it did pay homage to Boeuf Bourguignon. Lucky for us it's on the menu, wrapped in a buckwheat crepe. It may be too warm yet to love this, but I loved it. The flavors were there and hearty. Carol went for the coq au vin. Although enjoyable, the wine didn't fully permeate the chicken, but did overpower the taste.
Final kudos go to Carol. While I chose a simple dessert crepe with lemon butter pictured above, she designed her own. Fresh from a trip to Argentina, Carol went for the Dulce de Leche crepe, opting to add a scoop of hazelnut ice cream (I mean really, what doesn't go well with hazelnut ice cream?) and drizzle with chocolate sauce. I don't think anything I can write will adequately describe the level of decadence and taste associated with this concoction.It was as good as it looks, as was the meal. After reading the books, seeing the movie, eating the food, and a few glasses of wine, a trip to Paris was planned. Beau Monde is just that sort of place.

Creperie Beau Monde is located at 624 S. 6th Street, Philadelphia, Pa., 215-592-0656.

Restaurant Week Rant

2009-08-25T05:40:00.002-04:00

One of the many reasons I love Philadelphia is its affordable restaurant scene. Where else can you get an interesting, well-executed meal for under $30, with appetizer? From gastropubs to BYOs, these kinds of meals are readily available. Which is why charging $35 to order off of a different, limited menu for three courses (did you really want the cheesecake dessert, too?) strikes me as a little silly. This year's publicized commercial sponsorship by TD Bank is plainly odd. From a public relations perspective, I get it, to a point. But why not move the price point down?

Le Bec Fin

2009-07-13T06:10:00.001-04:00

What is fine dining? What makes a restaurant great? Why does Philadelphia Magazine rate restaurants the way they do? I had not been prepared to think about these questions, much less discuss them, at Le Bec Fin, arguably Philadelphia's finest French restaurant. I was too busy being thrilled that I was called off the wait list for the promotion Le Bec is running, where, after being prepared a tasting menu, diners can choose to pay whatever amount they wish.

I was also unprepared for this discussion to happen with none other than Georges Perrier himself, Le Bec Fin's famous chef and owner. After we were seated at the 20-person communal table and introduced ourselves, I noted that the chef himself had quietly ascended the stairs, stopping to quietly size up the diners. When one of the more voluptuous college students at the table glanced over and greeted the chef, he proceeded up and pulled up a chair. Going around the table, he complimented the women on their beauty, the men for being with such beautiful women, and asked why we were here, all the while appearing genuinely interested in our responses. Entirely starstruck, I managed to mumble something about my friend having told me about the promotion. Said friend, on the other hand, had the presence of mind to say that Le Bec Fin was the best restaurant in town. Perrier was pleased to hear this, in a way that seemed both charming and sincere.

With a mischievous grin, Perrier explained that the promotional dinner was a bit of a gamble, one that hadn't always paid off in the last few days, but one that he clearly was enjoying. He talked some more, explaining his philosophy that food should be fun and mean something more than itself, more social, more celebratory. He wanted to attract a younger crowd, to redefine fine dining. I couldn't help but think of how vaguely intimidating it was to walk through the restaurant downstairs and wondered if it could attract an under-30 crowd who were not planning on proposing to their dates. I hoped so. Perrier's words, delivered with his alluring French accent and even-handed cadence, tantalized, suggesting anything was possible.

Telling you how wonderful the service and food were might be superfluous to explain what I took from the evening. It's worth a pause to say that, in line with Perrier's own explanation, the food was avant-garde and, in line with my expectations, cooked to perfection. Of particular note was a chilled English pea soup with a savory almond ice cream. The table collectively agreed that even among those of us who detest peas (myself among them), this was extraordinary and delicious, personifying summer. On the heels of an amuse bouche of roasted beet with citrus jelly, the soup showcased fresh, seasonal ingredients.

The next appetizer was a favorite of the table. A grilled scallop perched upon a charred tomato puree, adorned by pickled cauliflower and arugula. Again, the scallop and cauliflower naysayers in the group collectively agreed it was amazing. I began to appreciate the marriage between a traditionally cooked protein with, not a rich cream sauce, but an equally complex blend of fresh ingredients.

The scallop was followed by poached salmon with caramelized fennel and black olives, topped with garlic scape with a garlic cashew sauce. While the caramelized fennel was sublime and the salmon done to perfection, the garlic cashew sauce lacked the flavor punch for which I had hoped. The next course, roasted pork over a duo of a corn puree and barbecue (yes, barbecue) sauce was served with the intriguing pluot fruit, a hybrid of plum and apricot and a perfect foil to the pork.

What transpired among the diners was equally engrossing. We talked to each other -- figured out connections among strangers, points of interest, backgrounds. Of 12 diners there that night, 7 were college students who had responded to a campus list serve advertising the promotion. Two were a couple who had dined at Le Bec Fin nearly 15 years ago. And the remaining three comprised my party. We were seated in a sort of jigsaw puzzle, forcing conversation with strangers. We discovered who traveled to the same countries, who went to school together. We laughed at unexpected jokes and anecdotes.

By the time dessert was served, we were all in a good mood, happily full. And dessert was incomparably seductive -- a cherry clafouti with caramel chocolate ice cream. Assorted chocolates and petite madelines appeared on trays before us. I could not have been happier -- and then Chef Perrier appeared again. That's when things got interesting.

I'm not sure how it all happened, how over the next 30 to 45 minutes, Georges Perrier came to share with us his views on such wide-ranging topics from how wonderful his mother was (a great cook and renaissance woman) to how his daughter agreed with the table's sentiments that he should appear on Top Chef to, most vociferously and lengthily, his affront at Le Bec Fin's being ranked number 48 of 50 restaurants by Philadelphia Magazine. (To which I responded, how can you take a magazine seriously that ranks Zahav as No. 1, but Perrier emphasized to me the power of the press). I also was able to tease out that Perrier likes pizza like the rest of us, although he does cook at home. An avid gardener, he appreciates his wife's cooking, too. I'm not sure at what point I realized Perrier had charisma on par with his celebrity status or how extraordinary it was to have this conversation, but I felt lucky. And I was having fun.

Back to fine dining, great restaurants, and Philadelphia Magazine. I have since reflected upon the evening itself as quintessential fine dining -- an experience that celebrates fresh ingredients, perfect preparations and good company without regard to whether the price is high. While grateful that Perrier has resisted some of the Disney-level themes other Philadelphia restaurateurs have embraced, I remain worried that the tenor of Le Bec Fin is a bit stuffy, as though walking through, you might break something. The service, however, eschews elitism in favor of quiet assistance in a way that only a fine restaurant can offer. A restaurant is made great through its heart, the combination of personalities, service and food that is cohesive and consistently good while keeping up with changing palates. And I don't know why Philadelphia Magazine rates restaurants the way they do, why they focus on holding the hands of mainline suburbanites over city dwellers, or why their failure to celebrate a city's culinary landmark in favor of trendy spots is somehow acceptable. I actually don't much care on that last point, since I had an evening with the first two points.

And because I know you want to know, the majority of the college students paid $35 for their meals and I elected to pay $75 with a generous tip. Frankly, I would have paid a lot more for such undivided time with a legendary chef. But that was part of the magic, really, that money had been taken out of the equation. Conversely, the promotion "worked" on me; I would likely return to Le Bec Fin and pay menu prices to enjoy this experience again. Kudos, Chef Perrier.

Le Bec Fin is located at 1523 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa, http://www.lebecfin.com/. The promotion continues through August and while fully committed, the restaurant will accept names for a wait list. The promotion is also BYO.

Crepemaker

2009-07-06T20:24:00.000-04:00

Who knew 30th Street Station had a creperie? With the advent of the Cira Center and accompanying businesses, the restaurant selection at Philadelphia's train station expanded beyond McDonald's to Cosi and even a decent pub. On my way to New York last week, I made my usual rounds and discovered the addition of the Crepemaker. Perfect crepe batter, but the fillings are less gruyere with caramelized leeks and more IHOP omelette fillings. Although I went for a breakfast selection (egg and cheese, tell them to go light on the cheese), I'm going to guess the dessert crepes can't be bad. And this happy chef (pictured left) seemed genuinely pleased as families gathered to watch him make my crepe. Good customer service in Philly serving fast-French-food? Sign me up.

The Crepemaker is located in 30th Street Station, near the South entrance.

Fresh Direct

2009-07-02T19:30:00.002-04:00

A day trip to NYC has me asking myself, why is Philly settling for bad, expensive Genuardi's (I mean, Safeway) delivery when Fresh Direct exists? If you really want to torture yourself with the lack of offerings here, go to their website at http://www.freshdirect.com/. Even the layout is amazing. Fresh Direct, if you're listening, come to Philly!

Slate

2009-06-28T08:33:00.006-04:00

I hope Slate stays open. Ever have that feeling that you really like a restaurant, but you look around sheepishly and realize no one else has really "discovered" it (i.e., no one's there on a Saturday night)? Maybe it was the rain, maybe it was the summer weekend when so many go to the shore, but I hope Slate sticks it out. Because Slate hits the mark in atmosphere, service and, most importantly, food.

Slate is located on 21st Street on an odd block between Walnut and Chestnut. It's beautiful though, with a pleasant green exterior and a blackboard out front announcing the specials. A merry group of older gentlemen sat out front, sipping drinks, as I arrived. Chef Eric Paraskevas and owner Laurentiu Muras (who look a lot like brothers, thanking to matching goatees and bald heads) were behind the bar (thanks to Inquirer reviewer Craig LaBan for the review and pictures, allowing me to recognize them). The bar itself is fairly expansive and would make for a good pit-stop during a long evening. Everyone was friendly without crossing the line into T.G.I. Friday's lap-dog-like friendliness.

I always love a menu where I find it hard to decide among many great options. I'm not sure I could classify the food, however, although some dishes had a uniquely Mediterranean slant, it was mostly global eclectic, if I can make up a genre. Slate made choosing among options tough, but we decided on the BBQ pork spring rolls, pictured below, for an appetizer. Filled with perfectly cooked pork, they had a kick to them that was nicely balanced against the cole slaw.
The entree options offered even more choices, made more difficult by the glowing reviews of the lamb gyro. We ended up straying toward the less messy, higher end offerings. Shocked at a restaurant offering dark meat in the form of chicken thighs with "israeli cous, raspberry-apricot glaze, cucumber chive chutney," I tried it (because I generally only eat dark meat and dark meat is generally only found in low-end take-out).In a word, amazing. Tender meat (well of course, it was dark meat), interesting "cous" and an unexpected savory sweet sauce balanced nicely with the cucumber relish. My dining companion went with the duck - not only a favorite of his, but also, as he astutely noted about duck, "it's all dark meat."
The duck may have surpassed the chicken. A jus surrounding the duck provided that enhancement of the duck's inherent goodness that every sauce should, an indescribable embodiment of the meaty flavor and subtle seasoning. It's been a long time since I've tasted a dish so well executed and unique at this price point (entrees around $20).

We passed on dessert, not feeling the thought of a lavender creme brulee, but I should note that LaBan liked the desserts. Which is to say you should try Slate -- from its inviting space to its scrumptious food, it's worth a stop.

Slate is located at 102 S. 21st Street, Philadelphia, Pa, 215-568-6886.

El Camino Real

2009-06-15T18:38:00.007-04:00

I can't tell if my take on El Camino Real is about really digging what's going on in Northern Liberties right now or about the restaurant. Because I have to tell you, the service was bad. Like hipster-slacker-mean bad. Yet somehow, I remained perfectly content there, looking out the window, taking in the scene, and even enjoying some of the dishes.

Having to pay for chips and salsa was enough of a deterrent to keep us away. Actually, the appetizer options are interesting enough that it didn't even occur to me to order them. The "barbecue mixer" app, which allows for a choice of three barbecue tastes was good; we went with brisket, short rib and seitan. Pretty tasty.

The menu is divided into "Mexico" and "Texas," ripe for some tough decision making. A plain old margarita (rocks, no salt) made the process a lot easier. As did an option of a "mixed tasting" platter of half of three burritos (yes it was a lot and yes the leftovers tasted good the next day). Of my carnitas, fish, and shrimp choices, the fish stood out as the surprise winner, the others being predictable bordering on bland. The fish was delicious and will be my choice as a stand-alone option, served with cilantro and lime.

MCRF, who has recently gone mostly vegetarian, had a lot of options from which to choose. El Camino offers many faux meat barbecue items, like wings, and plenty of grilled seitan - even in chiles rellenos. Bowing to a craving for onion rings, El Camino Real offered these delicious ones. Although it doesn't make a huge amount of sense to me for these to be on the menu, I didn't complain.

We managed to resist dessert, thanks to the call of a lovely candy and ice cream store just down the walk. And I managed to forget the rudeness of our servers and the unnecessary 45 minutes we waited from the time we were seated to when we actually received any food. If you go prepared to tolerate the debacle that passes as service there, the food actually isn't half bad. And really, you just can't beat the scene that Northern Liberties has become.

El Camino Real is located at 1040 N. 2nd Street, Philadelphia, Pa, www.bbqburritobar.com.

Chifa

2009-06-15T18:35:00.001-04:00

Chifa, the latest offering from Jose Garces in Restaurant 707's old space, is, in a word, amazing. It's the type of place, much like Amada but a lot more quirky, that you happily can come in for a snack and pisco sour or, just as happily, do what we did, and go all out.

It's hard to resist going all out here, since the menu all sounds fairly wonderful. The combination of Peruvian and Cantonese is less novel than you might think; there's a large Chinese population in Peru (with my thanks to my immigration attorney friend in L.A. knowledgeable on these matters).

I am also a fan of the decor. With dark wood paneling and blue overtones, one wall is occupied by large Ming-like vases stacked neatly in alcoves spaced over two stories. The style is embodied the restaurant -- combinations that are unusual but somehow work extraordinarily well, due in part to the surprise factor.

Take for example, the ceviche offerings. At our knowledgeable server's recommendation, we began with the Hiramasa, a white fish with ginger, charred pineapple, orange and a light mustard emulsion:
Another fun option was the Desayuno, an arepa with braised oxtail, egg, bacon and panca emulsion, although I thought a little less successful in its novelty, still a basic tasty treat thanks to the perfectly done oxtail:
Two of the slightly disappointing dishes included the salt baked shrimp (huge, but I've had better in Chinatown) and what I think are the pork belly buns (forgive this memory lapse for a meal consumed two months ago, I remember the meat being delicious but the "bun" part only so-so):

I preferred Chifa's take on Peruvian fare over Chinese fare and share others' sentiment that the its scallion pancake is not as wonderful as you'd hope.

Desserts were fun. Although the green tea cake and with honeydew gelee offering was oddly dense, I enjoyed the hazelnut mocha ganache and granita. This rice krispie treat, however, came gratis and was fun and aesthetically pleasing, much like the restaurant.

I recommend Chifa with the tiny caveat to lean toward the Peruvian and not Chinese dishes. Overall, Chifa fills a void of novel, interesting, filling food - and offers a cool and cohesive atmosphere that rivals any Stephen Starr restaurant.

Chifa is located at 707 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa, www.chifarestaurant.com.

A quick word

2009-06-15T06:20:00.002-04:00

Although not blogging as much, I have been eating out. A new job, travel and bad uploading capabilities at home have prevented me from keeping up on the blog. But I'm hopeful about a return, even if the entries are more abbreviated. You didn't want to see every dish I ate, anyways, right?? Thanks for checking back.

Maido and Miso Soup

2009-04-16T09:02:00.011-04:00

When I returned from Japan, I was desperate to find a place where I could buy and recreate some of the wonderful food I had there. While Chinatown and Washington Ave. markets do offer some Japanese food, Maido in Narberth features only Japanese food - and is great fun.

Most of the foods offer Japanese labels (although thanks to regulations, an English "nutrition information" sticker is usually somewhere on the package) and finding the place can be tricky (follow the website directions closely), but I found that once I arrived, Maido offers the foodie equivalent of an excellent used book store - someplace in which you could get a little lost browsing.

Here are some highlights of what I purchased. My mother was coming for Easter and hesitantly agreed to try an all-Japanese meal (I sold her on the idea that it would be more healthy than ham and potato salad, which it is, although that's not saying much).

Onto miso soup! I pulled these recipes from http://www.epicurious.com/, although Martha Stewart's new cookbook also features them in almost identical form. Apparently, there are few ways to make it. Here's what you will need:

1 oz. kombu (kelp)
1 cup katsuo bushi (dried bonito flakes)
1/4-1/2 cup dried wakame (seaweed)
1/4 cup shiro miso paste (white fermented soybean paste)
1/2 pound soft tofu
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion greens

Miso soup starts with dashi, "Japanese Sea Stock." To make dashi, you put about 1 ounce of kombu, or dried kelp, into 6 cups of water and bring to a boil (pictured right). Once boiled, you add 1 cup bonito flakes (pictured left) to the mix, remove from heat and let stand for 3 minutes. Bonito flakes are a type of dried fish (skipjack mackeral, according to one website) and have the consistency of flaked prosciutto - a bit oily. They're also very pungent. (My cats go a little crazy when I open the bag). After three minutes, strain all of that stuff out with as fine a sieve as you can find. I strain mine twice, because I find the bonito to be just that strong.

And congratulations - the hardest part of making miso soup is now over for you. Once you have the stock, simply heat it up (if it's not hot already), take a cup out and mix with a 1/4 cup of miso shiro paste to blend it (pictured right). Add the blended mix to the stock, along with 1/2 pound soft tofu cut into cubes and thinly sliced scallion greens.
If you'd like seaweed in your miso, soak 1/4 cup of wakame in a warm water about an inch over the wakame until it is reconstituted and add that to the soup, too.

And voila! Miso soup, ready to serve. I think it tastes better than most restaurants to make it fresh, but it's not too different from what you might get. It's also nice to add the ingredients according to your taste preference.

Thanks to my mom for helping me with the pictures and being such a supportive taster.

Maido is located at 36 N. Narberth Avenue, Narberth, Pa., http://www.maidookini.com/.

I Heart Eric Ripert

2009-03-27T09:28:00.004-04:00

If you think Chef Eric Ripert is too good to be true, think again. I am pleased to report that the man who is known for commanding respect while still being both extraordinarily kind and extraordinarily attractive lives up to his reputation, and then some.

Ripert appeared at his restaurant, 10 Arts, at the Ritz Carlton on March 26. Although labeled a book signing, the event was in fact a cozy cocktail hour, devoid of the assembly line drudgery of the Martha Stewart event (see my earlier entry). The Ritz lobby was wide open, well populated without feeling crowded, with people clutching Ripert's new book, On the Line. I looked to my left to see that Ripert was sitting on an arc-shaped booth, happily posing for photographs and chatting with people. There was no line. Servers were bringing complimentary canapes to people.

I was overwhelmed. Here I was going to be given the chance to sit down - not humbly ask for a signature, but sit down - with one of my all-time favorite chefs. Co-owner of Le Bernadin in New York, pal of Tony Bourdain, James Beard Award winner, Ripert captured a place in my heart with his appearances on Top Chef. Adopting a Tim Gunn-esque ability to relay insightful criticism while still being supportive, Ripert presented as a soft-spoken culinary genius who genuinely cared about both food and people.

And here he was. I reported to the host stand to retrieve my copy of the book and expressed my anxious enthusiasm. The host relayed how pleased she was about how kind he was in person, and how different that was from a typical executive chef. I attempted to queue in the small circle of people milling around Ripert's table and a kind soul offered to take my picture with Ripert. I casually replied that this would be nice, inside thinking, "yes! double yes! Thank God for you, kind stranger!"

So it came to pass that I marched up to Chef Ripert, extended my hand, announced my name with some measure of confidence, and sat next to him. Ripert leaned in as the aforementioned kind stranger took our picture. Even post-flash, Ripert remembered my name asked if I would like the book to be made out to me. Trying to get past my thoughts of "he just! said! my! name!" I responded that yes, that would be great. I asked him how he managed to stay so calm and patient with the chefs on Top Chef, to which he replied that he understood they are faced with difficult tasks and he wants to be helpful and constructive. I struggled to memorize the words and the moments, realizing how great he was.

Lest you have any doubt about the man, you need look no further than the way he signed the book -- he spelled out his name after his signature. Amazing.

10 Arts is located at the Ritz Carlton, 10 South Broad Street, Philadelphia. Ripert's personal blog can be found at http://www.aveceric.com/.

Love her!

2009-03-24T09:24:00.003-04:00

Many thanks to e, over at Foodaphilia (http://www.foodaphilia.com/) for naming this blog one of her top 10 favorite philly food blogs (http://www.blogs.com/topten/top-10-philadelphia-food-blogs/). E cooks, dines out, and blogs more than I do, so if you're looking for some great food blogging when I haven't posted in a while, I highly recommend it.

We hope to live to up to her compliment. By we, I mean me.

Image courtesy of Crate and Barrel.

Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House

2009-03-09T13:57:00.008-04:00

Walking into Del Frisco's, which occupies the Packard Grande Building at 15th and Chestnut, felt a little like when Indiana Jones first shines his torch up at the Well of Souls. It's impressive and feels like a discovery of some lost treasure. The ceiling height stretches up for forty feet and a thirty-four foot wine tower occupies the focal point. The walls themselves are ornately carved and swaths of red fabric adorn them, directing your eye upward. Apparently, some of the major scenes of Jamie Foxx's new movie were filmed here. I took a detailed photo of one of the carvings, below right.

Back at eye level, however, we were greeted by not less than four women who eagerly took our names and directed us to the coat room, also staffed by roughly three women. As it turns out, the uniform at Del Frisco's, a chain restaurant, is a very short, ruffly black dress, fishnet stockings and stiletto heels, the effect of which transforms this lost architectural treasure into a high end Hooters. I was getting the feeling that I am not part of Del Frisco's target audience.

Nevertheless, I was part of the "press" invited to a steak and wine tasting that evening. Arriving a bit early, the maitre d' ushered us into the bar, where we sampled the drinks. Del Frisco's makes an excellent "juniper blossom" martini, with Bombay gin, lillet, Cointreau and fresh lime. Although a bit summer-y, I enjoyed it.

The tasting took place in the vault which was, of course, a literal vault, but nicely carpeted and surrounded by wine cellars. Executive Chef John Stritzinger told us about the cuts of steak, breaking them into three categories: the filet mignon, the New York Strip and the rib-eye. The spectrum of the three ranges from tender but flavorless (the filet) to more tough but flavorful (the rib-eye) due in part to the fat content and marbling. Cuts of steak with the bone tend to have more marbling than without. Apparently, you can order a bone-in filet off the menu, as you can with many cuts.

The steak itself was very good, with appropriate accompanying wines. In a strange twist, the filet was a bit overdone, and our fishnet stocking-clad server responded that it was to offer a compromise to the entire room. Serving medium-well steak to those that write about food, and presumably know enough to order steak medium rare, was strange. As predicted by Stritzinger, however, the rib-eye was the most flavorful. It was also the most rare, which could also explain the flavor.

Del Frisco's seasons its steaks with only clarified butter, salt and pepper, as we were told, but the seasoning almost forms another layer, it is so generously applied. This is not to my taste, as I do not always want to taste pepper with some of the better cuts of beef. We were told that it was more of a Southern style (where the Del Frisco's chain originates). Steaks were rumored to be over $60 each, although the online menu does not list prices.

The dessert was a scrumptious lemon cupcake with a lemon curd center and part of a project with Project H.O.M.E, which works to combat homelessness in Philadelphia. Del Frisco's will supply these desserts to the Project H.O.M.E. cafe and continue to work to employ the homeless recommended by Project H.O.M.E.

A noble goal for a restaurant that otherwise appears to value things like the mini-skirt and the $15 cocktail.

Del Frisco's is located at 1426 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, http://www.delfriscos.com/. Thanks to FFE and fellow bloggers at www.foodaphilia.com and frieswiththatshake.net for adding to the fun.

Earth Bread + Brewery

2009-02-24T09:02:00.008-05:00

I don't really get the name of the restaurant, nor have I fully wrapped my mind around its premise - brewed beers with cryptic names, "flatbread" that is really pizza - but I did enjoy Earth Bread + Brewery. After going a couple of more times, I may in fact conquer my penchant to call it "Earth, Wind and Fire."

Several folks had recommended this place to me so I was persuaded to drive out and see what all the fuss was about. I should add that there is, in fact, a lot of fuss. The place was teeming with people. It's a large, cavernous, two story, two house establishment, with tall windows and large bars on each floor. The walls are butter yellow and the rest honey colored wood, giving a warm but light feel to the place. While pleasant, the feel was odd for a brewery. Nevertheless, it is a central spot for Mt. Airy, filled with a diverse clientele made complete with a 30 minute wait for a table (but we snagged a bar table without the wait).

With names like "Total Blank" ale, the beer list takes a bit of deciphering. Printed on a chalkboard and lacking descriptions other than "ale" or "stout," you are left to your own devices. The wait staff seemed pretty friendly though, so I'm confident they could have helped. I went with the "We heavy, yo!" EBB's hip hop homage to a "wee heavy" scotch ale. Caramel, strong and a little bitter, the wee heavy hit the spot on a cold night. EBB also has an interesting selection of "guest" beers on draft, including Philadelphia Brewing Company's Walt Whit, a lighter beer than the scotch ale, but still flavorful and good.

We started with edamame, which came dressed with sea salt and lime. I enjoyed the novelty of having edamame at a brewery, but EBB's real specialty is the flatbread, or as the rest of us might call it, pizza. Between the two of us, we tried three. My dining companion ordered the pesto, with roasted potatoes and fresh mozzarella. A fan of EBB, he knew what to get -- it was the best of our choices, with fresh pesto rounded out nicely with a hint of potato and the perfect amount of mozzarella.

I went with the traditional, with "house made tomato sauce, roasted onion, fresh mozzarella, garlic olive oil, topped with seasonal greens." The "seasonal greens" were a bunch of arugula, which I found a little distracting. I also found the sauce a bit sweet for my liking, but the mozzarella was spot on, in both quality and quantity and the overall bite was tasty.

Our last pie (or flatbread) was the Mexican, with tomatoes, black beans, corn, cheese and cilantro. The beans were surprisingly sprinkled judiciously and the sauce was a nice complement to the other flavors. I didn't quite taste the cilantro.

At 11:30 pm on a Friday night, we explored the upstairs. It was fairly packed, considering how much space it consumed. Again, it had a light but cozy feeling, as though your friends were kind enough to open up a part of their house for you to hang out. Which seemed like the perfect atmosphere for Mt. Airy - a good mix of urban and suburban, yuppie and hipster, young and old.

Earth Bread + Brewery is located at 7136 Germantown Avenue, Mt. Airy, www.earthbreadbrewery.com.

Tiffin

2009-02-16T09:17:00.008-05:00

Tiffin's arrival on the Philadelphia scene has been met with great fan fare. Filling a gap in this city's food offerings, it began as a delivery service only (which still exists, albeit with some confusing time-related requirements) and has since expanded into small restaurants. One such restaurant opened around the corner from My Chiles Rellenos Friend and I had been eager to try it.

Arriving a bit after 7 p.m. on a Thursday night, we somehow managed to beat what became an amazing rush, given that the wind outside was ridiculous. The outside was pretty much the only waiting area, save for the four somewhat oblivious souls that stood directly behind MCRF while we dined. Really, folks? I guess I'll skip the intensely personal conversation tonight (ok, it didn't stop me).

In any case, the menu is more straightforward than the on-line delivery menu and features daily specials. We tried one, the lamb keema samosas. I loved them, but probably more for the dipping sauces than anything else. Speaking of dipping sauces, the garlic naan offered plenty of opportunity to dip, along with a fresh fragrant bread. The garlic was powerful but not overwhelming.Having been spoiled by first eating Indian food during a semester abroad in London, I often crave - and miss - chicken korma. Which is what I ordered and enjoyed immensely. I was impressed that I could easily pick out the fresh ginger in the sauce, combining with other magical spices to offer a fragrant, mild, thick sauce for the all white meat chicken.

MCRF ordered the eggplant, which she described as spicy and delicious. It certainly was wonderfully fragrant. The dining room is covered in lovely butter-colored paint, a perfect complement to the warmth of the food. It's BYO, too, which is always nice and the service was accommodating and kind. A place to which I will likely return and, if I ever decide what I'm doing for dinner before 2 p.m., a place from which I would love to order delivery.

Tiffin is located at, among other locations, 7105 Emlen Street, Philadelphia. Full information is available at www.tiffin.com.

Triumph Brewing Company

2009-02-12T10:50:00.004-05:00

Deciding to switch things up from my stand-by Old City pub Eulogy, I wandered into Triumph Brewing Company last night. I enjoyed it like I secretly enjoy newly constructed houses; there is a shiny newness, lots of space and nothing too strange lurking around the next corner. Triumph manages to offer many of the perks of larger bars while still avoiding feeling too impersonally corporate (as in Public House or Fox & the Hound).

The beer was good. The list of seven or so beers changes very frequently, according to our friendly bartender. I opted for the "Scotch Ale," a dark ale with caramel sweetness and a rich aftertaste that instantly warmed me. My companion went with the novelty beer, Jewish Rye. A lighter beer, described as "unfiltered," it tasted otherwise normal until your tastebuds are hit full on with a caraway, sourdough after taste. I don't know how, or why really, they did it, but it's a dead ringer for rye bread. I was not a huge fan, but I will say it was different. I stuck with the Scotch Ale for the second round, while my co-drinker ordered Triumph's IPA, which I wish I had ordered. It was amber color and conveyed what I thought was an interesting spiciness, an almost exotic flavor, that avoided tasting very heavy while still being complex. Excellent.

I went on to order the fig and serrano pizza, which I believe is similar in concept to other dishes out there at places like Tria and Amada. On principle, a great flavor combination. In practice, Triumph became a bit too liberal with the fig jam that formed the basis for the pizza, rendering the whole taste less delicate than it should have been. We were told that the menu just underwent a major change, so perhaps some tweaking will be done.

Overall, a nice alternative to some of the smaller bars.

Triumph Brewing Company is located at 117-121 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. Brewery tours are available on-site. Photo credit to Triumph's website at www.triumphbrewing.com.

Reindeer and Caviar and Borscht, Oh My

2009-01-22T13:56:00.006-05:00

Greetings faithful readers (all 2 of you). Sorry for my absence, but I swear, more international travel was to blame. This time, to Russia! And surrounding lands. In the dead of winter.

The cuisine in these often cold and bitter lands is perhaps what you'd expect -- hearty, with an emphasis on carbohydrates and meat. Meat like reindeer, pictured left, which was surprisingly good. Expecting it to taste like venison, I was surprised to taste what I would have sworn was really good beef. Served on top of delicious mashed potatoes with lingonberries on the side, I was sufficiently warmed to return to the frigid, windy outdoors that awaited me.

As you may know, Russia is not known for its cuisine. Although we might be able to name a couple of signature dishes, we are not rushing to Russia to understand cutting edge food preparation or techniques. Perhaps the culture doesn't support it. At the risk of stereotyping an entire country, I found Russians to be, to put it mildly, unfriendly. Now, it was the middle of winter and sunlight was non-existent (heck, there was only daylight for about 5 hours), but nevertheless, smiles were frequently returned with frowns. The first night of my trip, we ate in the hotel restaurant, which appeared to serve either Italian or Chinese -- our choice! Strange and unsurprisingly empty.

The second night, after watching Swan Lake (okay, there may have been some sleeping instead of watching, but I swear the Hermitage is a big and tiring place!), we ventured into the Grand Hotel's restaurant that purported to serve traditional Russian cuisine. The servers were dressed in traditional clothing and in one booth, a band began gearing up to play. I did what anyone would and should do -- I ordered caviar. The waiter kindly explained to me when I tried to sample of gram of this and a gram of that that they do not serve anything less than five grams. Suspicious of this high-priced scam, I ordered five grams of Sevruga, which our waiter said often tastes like Beluga.

I direct you to the picture above right. The small mound of caviar at the top of the plate, with only slightly more, was served to me in a teaspoon on my plate. All of a sudden, the reasoning behind the five gram minimum became painfully apparent. Those grams? Not a lot. However, the caviar was amazing. With the buttery refined taste of sushi combined with a more subtle version of the popping texture of large salmon roe, it was heavenly. The fresh blinis and creme fraiche were pretty great as well.

Washing it down with Tsarskaya vodka (if I remember correctly) was a perfect accompaniment. The next course was borscht, a wonderfully warm soup made from beets. This borscht, served with a dollop of sour cream on top, hit the spot. Slices of cabbage floated in the rich broth, making my memories of endlessly walking through the snow and cold more happy and warm. As if it made sense when one could arrive at a meal like this at the end of the day.

My dining companion ordered Beef Stroganoff (we had at this point walked back and forth in front of the Stroganoff Palace several times). Our server explained the background of the dish -- General Stroganoff lost one arm in battle and, as a result, all of his food had to be cut into bite-size pieces. His chef made this dish one night to accommodate his needs. In Russia, the beef is served with any carbohydrate, like potatoes, rather than simply with noodles. This version arrived with the potatoes on the side and was reported to be delicious.

A fitting end to a long day. The band started to play and a Russian singer began belting out vaguely familiar songs. I think our server even smiled at us. All in all, a memorable meal.

The Caviar Bar & Restaurant is located in the Grand Hotel Europe, St. Petersburg, Russia, www.grandhoteleurope.com.

Martha, Martha, Martha

2008-11-10T08:39:00.005-05:00

Last Friday night, at the Williams Sonoma at the Bellevue downtown, I met one of my heroes, Martha Stewart. Although to be clear, when a colleague asked me incredulously, "do you like Martha Stewart?" I responded, "well, not in a friend way."

But certainly in an icon way. Martha's recipes have provided me with great food; her decorating efforts have inspired me. There are times when I have had to draw the line at the level of effort, or as described in my "Pumpkin Soup Meltdown" entry, simply not been able to rise to her challenges. Nevertheless, she has been a consistent role model in my adult, home-making life.

Which is why seeing her seemed like the only choice for me on Friday. Martha was doing a book signing of her new "Martha Stewart's Cooking School," a large and colorful book, full of step-by-step instructions for classic recipes. In the same vein as The French Laundry Cookbook and Julia Child's The Way to Cook, this type of cookbook was long overdue for Martha. After some confusion about needing tickets and Williams Sonoma graciously calling me (thanks, Anna!) when a ticket freed up, I waited in the long but well-organized line. The store even served us samples of some of its Thanksgiving options, which were delicious.

Then the moment of truth. Martha was handled by no less than two people before you could approach and three (plus one security guard) to see you out. I was reminded of the part of the movie, "A Christmas Story," when Ralphie finally meets Santa only to be herded in and out by pushy-but-smiling elves. Everyone seemed kind, but they were clearly there to make sure you did not linger, nor pose for photographs, nor ask Martha to make out the signature to you, personally (she wasn't doing that).

Martha greeted me with a "hello" that made me want to somehow connect with her, a sentiment likely echoed by each of the hundreds of people that came before me. I responded, "how are you hanging in there," which could have only been some product of an IQ-dropping adrenaline surge. She gave me a look and shrug that to me said, "you know, it's a book signing, not prison" but could also perhaps be read as "fine." I recovered to spout my rehearsed line, "Your Quick and Healthy Cookbook revolutionized the way I think about cooking." [While nerdy, this is a true expression on my part, reflecting how impressed I was with the way the book is organized by seasons and uses the simplest combinations of ingredients.] To which Martha responded, looking directly into my eyes, "good, good." With a solemn seriousness only someone that reserved can convey in the fewest of words.

As I turned my head slightly, the three post-signing elves smiled and gestured for me to move along. For the record, Martha Stewart is more beautiful in person, perfectly put together with the right hair and lovely outfit, complemented by a modern, grey jacket. I felt heady as I left, as though I had encountered more greatness than my small brain could handle. After all, I just had a conversation, however small, with this woman, whose books grace my shelves and whose magazine arrives in my mailbox monthly, all telling me how to live my life just a little bit better. So I continue to adore her -- just not in a friend way.

Williams Sonoma is located at 200 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia.

Japan - Kaiseki

2008-10-09T15:12:00.012-04:00

Recently, I spent 15 days in Japan. Hence my absence from this blog. The experience really rearranged my palate. Or at least that's how I can best articulate what happened after my steady diet of fish, rice, noodles, and various things I cannot name (because, to this day, I have no idea what they were). I currently find myself disdainful of the heavily portioned, rich, somewhat boring, American diet. I am hopeful for my overall health that this outlook will last for at least a couple of weeks, but it remains to be seen. In any case, I offer the following description of the best meal I had in Japan in lieu of a Philadelphia-based review to make up for lost time.

The meal was consumed at the "the good Kaiseki place," as my friends currently living there call it, in Misawa, located in the northern part of Honshu (about three and half hours north of Tokyo). Most restaurants in Japan, except for McDonald's and KFC, post their names in Japanese - in Japanese characters. As a result, we went to places like "the best ramen place" and "expensive sushi restaurant." We don't know their actual names.
This meal, as I came to think about many of my meals in Japan, was amazing. Not only for taste, but also for diversity, precision and size. This first dish - sesame tofu with wasabi, was delicious. A perfectly silken but firm piece of tofu, topped with just enough wasabi to offset the sweet soy sauce. I don't even like wasabi, and I loved this.
The next course consisted of (clockwise from left), egg with shrimp and sea urchin, "seafood" (a bit like escargot, maybe) served in a seashell, salmon roe with daikon, chicken with black sesame, and "fish." All of it was unlike anything I've ever tasted. Even though I had salmon roe before, this batch seemed especially flavorful, as though little bubbles were bursting in my mouth. It was also amazing to have a series of such diverse tastes that clearly reflect considerable effort, all in small portions on my plate. Apparently Thomas Keller was not the first to think of the multi-course amazing tasting menu.
Next was - you guessed this one - sashimi. But also perhaps the best sashimi I have ever had. It consisted of scallop (causing me to question why I have never ordered scallop sashimi here), tuna, and flounder. The scallop possessed all of the excellent qualities of cooked scallop in terms of texture, but in an intensified way.
The grilled fish entree course, common in kaiseki meals, was mackeral with spring onion and miso. We were instructed to dip the onion in the miso bean mixture. As expected, the contrast was delicious and the fish done to delicate perfection. Because scale is not always clear, I will tell you that the fish was about three bites big, the perfect size for an eight course meal.
The next course, although not entire clear from the picture here, consisted of an amazing soup that featured crab, fish, squid and mussels topped with this odd rice-like grain (and another great addition of a little wasabi). The taste of seafood soups was always extraordinary in Japan, infused with a rich flavor. This was no exception.
The sixth course remains perhaps my favorite of anything in Japan (although I do tend toward both exaggerated and superlative descriptions, I did love this course). It consisted of crabmeat and cucumber wrapped in soy paper served on top of sliced persimmon, with rice wine vinegar and topped with chrysanthemum. A tremendous effort and a great result - all for two perfect bites.
The seventh course was a combination -- one of rich rice, infused with a mushroom that we were told was "very expensive" and prized by the Japanese, and clam soup. I wasn't sure what the fuss was about the rice, although it was rich and flavorful in an almost meaty way. But the soup was flavored simply with the clams and shiso leaf, a particularly interesting combination that was quirky and satisfying.

The last course was a perfect finish - apples poached in red wine and sugar. Refreshing but sweet, the perfect end to the meal. All in all, the meal, much like my trip, was unsual and inspiring.

Japan is a group of islands in the Pacific, east of China, Korea and Russia.

Zento

2008-09-15T11:42:00.007-04:00

In preparation for my upcoming trip to Japan, I have tried to immerse myself in all things Japanese (especially food, of course). I should not have waited for such an excuse to try Zento, however. I might blame its unassuming exterior, which unfortunately blends with the row of other restaurants on the 100 block of Chestnut. In any case, it's well worth adding to your list of best sushi restaurants in Philadelphia. It is a little pricey, but offers unique combinations of exquisitely fresh fish.

Speaking of combinations, we decided to forgo Zento's extensive other options (including a bento box) in favor of its rolls. Its list of rolls is extensive but not overwhelming, offering appealing, fish-centered options. I chose the Green River Roll, which included toro, eel, avocado, and plum paste with dried seaweed outside. The plum paste was a nice compliment to the fresh fish and richness of the roll without being overpowering, offering a peaceful sweetness. I also tried the Love Roll, with salmon, tuna, eel, asparagus, and yellowtail wrapped with soy paper. The soy paper was reminiscent of the doughy coating to mochi, although more subtle. Check out the presentation of two of the pieces, which managed to be both lovely and tasty. Again, the flavors worked well together and were quite fresh. My dining companion ordered the Center City Roll, with broiled yellowtail, tuna, salmon, white fish with crab, asparagus, scallion, and spicy sauce and Zento Square Sushi, with eel, avocado and plum paste inside, tuna or salmon on the top glazed with sweet and spicy sauce. Or at least I think that's what was ordered. Darn my inability to take notes while dining. In any case, rave reviews all around. Although at $15/roll, we had limited ourselves and both ended up a bit hungry. At our waiter's suggestion, we ordered the highly recommended black sesame mochi, which was delicious. The green tea was equally good and provided a nice accompaniment to the meal.

Zento's chef/owner, Gunawan Wibisono, worked his way through sushi restaurants, including Kisso, before becoming a sushi chef at Morimoto. His talent is readily apparent. I would highly recommend Zento; hopefully its BYO status will offset the high prices of its sushi.

Zento is located at 138 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa, (215) 925-9998.

Chinese Take Out - Sang Kee

2008-08-26T11:47:00.008-04:00

Help! I am desperate for suggestions on decent Chinese food take-out. After craving the mashed beef soup, I discovered that my favorite place, Shiao Lan Kung, is closed on Mondays. Opting instead for Sang Kee Peking Duck House, I was disappointed. Aside from the Peking Duck Rolls, it was not good. Clearly, stick with the specialty here.

The House Special Soup offered nothing special, steamed dumplings, chicken, pork, shrimp and spaghetti-like noodles, which were all then covered with fairly flavorless broth. The Peking Duck rolls, consisting essentially of duck, hoisin sauce and a wrapper (so exactly how you might prepare your Peking Duck entree order), were very good. In fact, you might want to order these instead of Peking Duck, which scared us off price-wise at $20/half and $40/whole. The watercress dumplings, which I mistakenly thought would be wrapped in watercress, were instead stuffed with watercress, along with shrimp and pork. I thought the taste was off, tasting a bit frozen to me, although this seems unlikely given that I witnessed fresh dumplings being moved from the back of the kitchen.

For an entree, we ordered Salt Baked Shrimp, Scallop and Squid (pictured above), in an attempt to satisfy the craving we had for Shiao Lan Kung's salt baked shrimp. Unfortunately, the dish merely provided battered and fried seafood. The scallops were unpleasantly mushy, although it was honestly hard to tell the scallop apart from the squid. Here's the interesting part -- I couldn't taste any salt. The sauteed snow pea leaves with garlic were an equally pale comparison, featuring what was distinctively not fresh leaves with a very mild garlic taste.

The duck was good and a decent beer made everything a bit better, but I'm still left looking for good take-out. Is this a failing of Philly or my own ability to find something? Suggestions, anyone?

Sang Kee Peking Duck House is located at 9th and Vine Streets.

Chima Brazilian Steakhouse

2008-08-15T11:02:00.005-04:00

It's no Fogo. When a restaurant with an identical concept opens seven blocks away from the first, comparisons are inevitable. When Chima (pronounced SHEE-ma), another Brazilian steakhouse chain, opened in late May, those of us who enjoy Fogo de Chao (admittedly, another chain), were intrigued -- was the town big enough for both of them? I think the black button sums up my answer.

Having made reservations, printed out two-for-one coupons (something you can do by registering as a preferred customer on Chima's website), we presented ourselves at the front door. On the way to being seated, we noticed the din and, as my one friend put it, the "mess hall" feel. Carpets were vacuumed immediately as diners vacated, something I remember seeing last at ... Denny's.

Then came the service. Or the realization that there may never be service. After ten or so minutes of waiting without anyone presenting themselves, including just to give us water, I asked a man in a suit (who, luckily, worked there) for help. He took our drink orders, promised us water, and told us we could go to the salad bar if we wanted. He also explained the Brazilian steakhouse system, where diners put the orange side of the coaster/button up to have "gauchos" bring you meat on long skewers, and black side up to stop the gauchos from serving.

After we had made it to the salad bar, and ate most of what we got, we had still not received drinks or water or, most interestingly of all, seen our waiter. We began to think that maybe people don't get waiters here. After our drinks were delivered, we asked once again for water and got that. The salad bar itself was okay, with several unusual options like blue cheese mousse and corn mousse, neither of which were particularly good, tending to be less rich but bland. The carpaccio tasted more like a rare cut of roast beef, but wasn't too bad.

Onto the skewered meat. The meat was good, but what I would expect. There was one garlic sirloin offering that was unexpectedly flavorful. No filet mignon was ever offered. The prime rib though, was delicious. Lamb chops, sirloin, ribeye, marinated chicken, and chicken wrapped in bacon all made their way onto our plates. The side dishes -- mashed potatoes, polenta fries, and fried bananas -- left a lot to be desired. The mashed potatoes had been pureed to a thick, gluey consistency and the fries, although once very hot, I'm sure, were no longer resembling anything warm.

At several points, a man who looked like he was a waiter nodded approvingly toward our table. Later, this same man surfaced to ask us if we wanted more food or desserts. Our waiter! At long last! He kindly brought more fried bananas, one of the complimentary side dishes, as a dessert. I should have stuck with that, but ordered the cream caramel, which was oddly firm and not very tasty. I should have known better.

Even with two-for-one coupons, Chima failed to deliver value for the experience. Thanks to the service, the meal amounted to a two and a half hour experience, which was about two hours and ten minutes too long for my tastes.

Chima is located at 20th and JFK Streets, Philadelphia.

Audrey Claire

2008-08-13T10:03:00.002-04:00

When it opened over ten years ago, Audrey Claire ushered in Philadelphia's wave of excellent, cozy BYO restaurants. Proud to be living a few blocks away at the time, I dined there frequently, when I could get a table. Although I hadn't been there in several years, I was looking to show off some of the true gems of Philly this past weekend and it came to mind as an affordable, beautiful restaurant, in a great location. While I am pleased to report that Audrey Claire is still those things, the food suffered a few missteps.

We began with a dish I remembered enjoying, the spicy hummus with house-cured salmon and herb-vinaigrette mesclun flat bread. Just as I remembered, it was amazing. The salmon was delectable, with a fresh, rich finish to the taste and nicely balanced against the remaining ingredients. The flat bread was exquisitely fresh and thin, providing the right backdrop to the ingredients.

For appetizers, I ordered an item off the antipasta menu, the beets with truffle oil and caramelized shallots. All of those ingredients sounded pretty good to me, but together, the earthiness of both the beets and truffles was too much. The caramelized shallots didn't cut those flavors enough for balance or contrast. I found it disappointing.

MOR's octopus salad was better, in that the octopus itself was fairly tasty, with a hint of balsamic that nicely offset the grilled flavor of the meat. It was a bit overdone, though, for my taste.

In keeping with my sense that appetizers are always better, our entrees, or "bigger dishes," as the menu names them, were less appealing. Pictured below, MOR's crab cake reportedly tasted like it was once frozen and failed to deliver on the delicious crab cake front he was craving. (This, I should add, supports my theory that Philadelphians don't know how to make crabcakes, although that could be my snobbish Marylander background talking.) My rainbow trout crab florentine was better, but not spectacular. The fish was unevenly cooked and the flavors, while good, weren't extraordinary enough that I wanted to finish the dish.

I still love certain things about Audrey Claire that have not changed: the hipster clientele that remind me how urban and wonderful a city Philly can be, the bustle of the place, even though the din can be overwhelming (and somewhat typical of the BYO scene), and the open kitchen and prep areas. The setting is amazing; the restaurant embodies beautiful weather with its green windows, open to the expanse of the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood corner. Next time, however, I might just stick to admiring it from a distance.

Audrey Claire is located at 20th and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia, http://www.audreyclaire.com/.

Manyunk Brewery and Restaurant

2008-08-12T09:40:00.010-04:00

I am not outdoorsey. But in weather like this, the transitional time between summer and fall, all I want to do is be outdoors. Manayunk Brewery offers an excellent venue in which to appreciate the outdoors (at least in the way I like to appreciate it) -- a sprawling, huge back deck, overlooking the Manayunk Canal and bridge that makes for a relaxed, pleasing way to spend an evening.

Its brewery options are pretty good, too. I opted for the Manayunk Lager, an "octoberfest" style beer that was rich without being overpowering, flavorful with a sweet undertone. MFDC went from the lager to the "Schuylkill Punch," a raspberry lager with a 7% alcohol content. It was a bit too sweet for my tastes, even tasting sweeter than an average framboise, but this was to be expected given the description. Manayunk Brewery offers about 6 beers as daily specials, in addition to a few American beers.

Although the menu seems to have been updated, featuring ambitious-sounding entrees, I got the feeling that I shouldn't branch out. Beer pairings are suggested on the menu, but many of the beers were not being offered that evening, which was curious. We started with the crab dip (pictured right, in dim twilight with my apologies). It tasted better than it looked, which was oddly dark for a creamy dip. With notes of Old Bay and hints of lump crabmeat, however, I liked it, although the toast squares had turned more into hard croutons long ago.

I'm sparing you pictures of the Brew House Burger ("8oz of grilled Certified Angus Beef, tomatoes, lettuce and Onions on a brioche, served with beer-battered fries & spicy pickles"), which MFDC reports was very good and my Brew House Cobb Salad ("iceberg lettuce, diced tomatoes, marinated chicken, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, Roquefort cheese and avocado"), which was also good. You probably already know what those things look like. I have no idea why they are called "Brew House," considering the particular take on these dishes was far from novel, but they were adequately executed and tasty.

Not all restaurants are gourmet destinations. But Manayunk Brewery delivers good beer and a great view, a pretty perfect offering this time of year.

Manayunk Brewery and Restaurant is located at 4120 Main Street, Manayunk, http://www.manayunkbrewery.com/.

Parc

2008-08-01T09:06:00.011-04:00

Stephen Starr's latest installment, a sprawling, cavernous French bistro, has captured Philadelphia in an extraordinary way. Perhaps it's the location, across from Rittenhouse Square, with plenty of open windows to appreciate the view. Perhaps it's the food, a good mix of expensive and less expensive, casual but trendy, tasty but familiar. Whatever the combination, it's become a tough reservation and the subject of all restaurant conversation in the last month.

Which made celebrating my birthday there all the more fun. Armed with plenty of warning about the din, I nevertheless decided it could accommodate my seven friends and me. It did, comfortably so. Told it was a bit more quiet, we were seated on the Locust Street side of what essentially occupies the space of two restaurants, forming an L around a bar. Starr seems to have toned down the schtick for Parc, instead embracing a straightforward rendition of a French bistro, devoid of neon and unisex bathrooms. The atmosphere was bustling but refined.

The service however, was a little off. Our server had an odd, slow-motion quality to her voice and reiterated twice (over the span of what felt like five minutes) that we should be sure to ask her any questions if we had them. When one of our drinks was wrong, she said, "it would be my pleasure to get you the correct drink," slowly enough to suggest sarcasm, although I'll give her the benefit of the doubt. When served correctly, all of the mixed drinks were delicious except for the Gingembre, a gingery mix that was way too strong for my tastes. The Citron Glace was a wonderful play on lemonade and perfect for the weather.

All agreed that the appetizers were amazing. From the Pissaladiere (a goat cheese, caramelized onion and nicoise olive tart, pictured first above) to my warm shrimp and avocado salad (pictured second), served with a lemon caper beurre blanc, they were dead-on for concept and only slightly off for delivery. My shrimp were overcooked, a disappointing misstep. Note the handsome "Parc" plates, a good sign that Parc may be around for a while. Many folks got the grilled sardine salad, with roasted tomato, arugula and parmesan, which was reportedly very good (I am, sadly, scared of the oily whole-fish nature of the sardine as a concept, but I support my friends in their passion).

The entrees were equally French, interesting and tasty. I ordered the roast leg of lamb with creamy polenta. The lamb and accompanying sauce were sublime. The polenta achieved a gelatin-like creaminess with the addition of what must have been cheese. Spread rather thin on the platter, it had dried out a bit, but did taste very good. I tasted my Chocoholic Friend's Coq Au Vin (the "plat du jour" for Sunday) and was impressed with how the richness of the red wine had permeated the dish, making it both homey and special simultaneously. The Moules Frites were delicious as well, although my chiles rellenos friend opined that the fries could have been better (although neatly served in a small, silver bucket). VBF's Poulet Roti was also deemed to be delicious.

Not to be missed are Parc's raw bar offerings. My Funniest Friend Ever (FFE) decadently ordered the lobster, which was a fun spectacle to receive and done to his liking. With an extensive offering and (my favorite) two sampler options, this section of the menu is sure to draw me back on a hot summer day.

The desserts weren't as spectacular as I would have expected but seeing as they did, after all, involve things like puff pastry and chocolate, I was still pretty happy. The profiteroles (kindly topped with a birthday candle) were very good, although the ice cream seemed to detract from the pastry flavor a bit. Served with its own small pitcher of chocolate sauce, however, I can't really complain. The baked chocolate mousse with a raspberry sauce was as delicious and decadent as it sounds. The tarte tatin was reportedly equally good.

Surrounded by great friends, in a beautiful setting, being served delicious French food, I couldn't ask for more.

Parc is located at the corner of 18th and Locust Streets, Philadelphia, http://www.parc-restaurant.com/.

Hot Dog Island

2008-07-29T12:22:00.006-04:00

Some places sound too good to be true. Take Hot Dog Island, for example, a place heavily promoted by Delaware River Tubing, a company that offers to put you in an innertube, put you upstream in the Delaware River, and pick you up later. Midway through your happy float, you arrive on Hot Dog Island, a floating oasis of hot dogs, barbecue, veggie burgers and floating picnic tables. As I planned for this excursion, I began to think of HDI as a special, mythical place. Which is of course what it turned out to be.

When we arrived at Delaware River Tubing, we were warned that due to the high level of the water, HDI was closed. We were still, however, charged for the full price, which would otherwise have included a meal there. In fact, all of the prices at the tubing company say that the meal was included. But wait! One lost lunch was not the extent of the problems.

Cognizant of the weather forecast, I asked what the procedure was if there was a thunderstorm. We were told that boats would come by and pick us up. Armed with this protection, we happily floated for two hours before the clouds rolled in. No boats appeared. No boats appeared when it started to really pour. Oh and no boats appeared when lightning hit the hill across from us. Scrambling out of the water and up the embankment, things got even worse when one of my more outdoorsey friends noted, yes, that is poison ivy. When we flagged down the Delaware River Tubing school bus, we were immediately asked by the driver where all of the innertubes were. Survivalists that we were, we dutifully hauled up the tubes through the poison ivy. My conversation with the owner next day went equally badly, as he relayed his lack of sympathy in light of the business he lost due to the weather.

Hot Dog Island will remain a myth for me, and perhaps for you, if you take my advice and avoid Delaware River Tubing company altogether.

Photo credit to the Delaware River Tubing company website.

Blue Smoke

2008-07-28T09:53:00.013-04:00

Part of the beauty of Philadelphia is being able to travel easily through the northeast. So easily, in fact, that I have come to regularly enjoy the day trip to New York. An hour and a half on Amtrak, and you can be in the middle of one of the most awesome cities in the world. It's still nice to come home, however, but it doesn't hurt to enjoy the trip.

On this particular trip, after some time at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Central Park, my omelette rival and I headed to Blue Smoke, a self-described "urban barbecue." I chose this among MOR's proffered options because, well, it looked fun. It looked like a place where you could comfortably unwind after negotiating your way through a city that simultaneously drains and feeds your energy.

And it was fun. As is the case in all of New York City, I am constantly amazed at how great the service usually is, followed up shortly by a revelation that most of the servers in the city are, in fact, auditioning for their next acting gig. Hey, I'll take it. I don't care.

After ordering a dark rum mojito (an interesting twist but still quite good) and a Peak Organic beer (reportedly very tasty), we started with the calamari, which was about 50% fried batter and 50% calamari. I like fried batter as much as the next girl, so it wasn't the worst thing, but it was a little strange for a dish called "calamari." From there, MOR ordered the "Rhapsody in 'Cue," a pun-ny twist on the all-we-make-on-a-plate concept featuring Kansas City spareribs, pulled pork, smoked chicken, and sausage. The spareribs were too spicy for me, but the pulled pork and chicken were delicious, offering a good mix of moisture and smokiness. Blue Smoke offers a lazy susan of sauces at each table with which to dress everything, making me think that perhaps I, too, should get a lazy susan of sauces for my dining room. Everything's a little better with barbecue sauce, you know?

I opted for the sliced Texas beef brisket, with a 50/50 mix of marbled and lean. The ability to mix (or choose one) was ingenious, in my opinion, and I'm glad I got the mix. The marbled was delicious and rich, but an entire plate would have been too much. The lean was -- you guessed it -- a bit more dry, but still very good, especially with the Kansas City barbecue sauce. Accompaniments of fried onions and mashed potatoes were appropriate and delicious, if not more than a little rich.

Which made dessert all the better. I opted for a refreshing key lime pie, which was just that. MOR got a peach and blackberry cobbler, interestingly topped with small drop biscuits. The fruit was fresh, but dessert after that meal was a little much for both of us.

In addition to bubbly wait staff, Blue Smoke also offers live jazz downstairs, lots of seating and a handsome bar. All in all, a fun place to stop and eat -- and within walking distance of Penn Station. What's not to like about a place with its own handi-wipes?

Blue Smoke is located at 116 E. 27th Street, New York, http://www.bluesmoke.com/.

The Perfect Omelette

2008-07-13T13:37:00.007-04:00

It only seems fitting that now, mere weeks before my 35th birthday, I have finally mastered the art of making an omelette. It came to me suddenly -- I no longer had to push in the cooked egg on the periphery, creating a swirling maze of overdone and done egg. Rather, I could use patience, let everything cook evenly, and, with a little bit of confidence, flip the whole omelette straight to perfection.

I share these tips with you, with some trepidation that maybe you, and everyone else, already knows these things. Nevertheless, here goes. Start with three eggs. De-shell (you knew that one, I know). Beat them in a bowl, with a fork, until they achieve a uniform consistency. In the meantime, melt a slab of butter in a non-stick pan, being careful to make sure the butter covers all of the pan and as much of the sides as possible.

Like so. When the butter is melted and is covering the entire pan, dump the three egg mixture into the pan. Turn the heat from high to medium. Let the eggs start to set a bit and then -- this was my revelation, so brace yourself -- start swirling. Initially, this will look a lot like the first picture, above. The idea is to get everything evenly cooked. Swirling the uncooked portion on the sides, around the cooked, will help this along. Don't be panicked by air pockets; they work themselves out. When you get to something that looks a little like this (in the course of less than a minute),

start swirling enough to loosen the entire omelette from the pan. Here, you're judging whether or not it's solid enough to flip, to finish off that last little uncooked portion. Try to have as much cooked as possible before your flip. The trick to flipping is to, while holding the pan handle, push forward very quickly, so that the omelette starts to lift, then immediately jerk your hand back, so the omelette flips back on to the plate. Practice with sauteing vegetables if it's easier. Confidence is key. As are two cups of coffee.

You may want to ignore what appears to be, but no one has yet to definitively confirm is, the spattering of raw egg around the pan post-flip. I have no idea where that could have originated, and am sure has nothing to do with prematurely flipping the omelette before it was cooked enough. Nothing to do with that. The important thing is, what remains of my flipped three eggs look very pretty in the pan (and, for the record, did land in the pan).

The next part is all up to you and is all, mercifully, downhill from here. I wimped out and used my pre-grated bag o' cheese from the store, and ended up with a straightforward cheese omelette. I enjoy putting some freshly cut chives on top, with a little salt. Variations on the theme can include yesterday's roasted vegetables, or mixing in fried onions into the initial egg omelette and adding lox as the filling, or whatever sounds good to you.

Okay, it looks a little overdone to me, too. I've got a couple of weeks until my birthday, I'll work on it.

Twenty Manning

2008-07-09T11:10:00.002-04:00

This is not a restaurant review, but a short rant about one restaurant's rather unbelievable practice of spraying water on passers-by. First, I do love that thanks to some politicos' realizing what a benefit sidewalk tables would be to the city, restaurants are now allowed to offer al fresco dining, allowing me to enjoy people-watching, one of my favorite things to do. Second, I admit one of Philadelphia's shortcomings is rather narrow sidewalks. There's no Parisian expanse of concrete on which to place a flurry of tables in the summer months. So I trudge by places like Rouge and Devon, trying to walk in such a way to avoid tipping someone's glass over. I tolerate these minor inconveniences because I enjoy sitting outside, too, when I've managed to get off work early enough to snag a table.

However, I draw the line at Twenty Manning. I suppose that the "mist" is intended to cool off its own dining patrons. The water is aimed away from the tables; perhaps it's at a particular angle so that the tables will merely feel the sense of cool water. Instead, the water is aimed toward the rest of us, walking by, already crammed in on what portion of sidewalk on the already narrowed 20th Street is left. It is a mist, but you do feel the water on you. In other words, short of stepping out onto a fairly busy street, you can't avoid getting a little wet. Now I like a good slip and slide as much as the next girl, but more so when I'm in waterproof clothing and can actually elect to get wet. Unlike here.

Twenty Manning, what are you thinking?

Twenty Manning is located at 259 S. 20th Street, Philadelphia.

10 Arts

2008-07-07T10:56:00.007-04:00

For foodies, and perhaps anyone who has watched Top Chef, Eric Ripert's name goes a long way. Pal of Anthony Bourdain, Ripert's quietly stylish reputation as a successful chef precedes him. Given the branded full name of 10 Arts "by Eric Ripert," the restaurant is clearly banking on this reputation. And reputation alone -- as my friend eagerly asked when we were seated, "is the chef here tonight?" she was firmly told, "yes, Chef Jennifer Carroll is in tonight." Which is of course not suprising, but nonetheless disappointing. Although the hostess, in response to my friend's smooth save, "oh good, I'm glad she's here," suggested that she might visit us, Chef Carroll instead made the rounds to other tables, patiently answering questions but looking very, very young and a bit awkward.

Equally suggestive of a restaurant banking on name alone, 10 Arts' menu is missing from any website or public forum. Perhaps given its recent opening, the restaurant hopes to continue to tweak the menu, but again, I found this disappointing. Also disappointing were the "Perfect 10" drinks, named after famous Philadelphia sites and people. My Eakins Elixer mix of blood orange juice, orange vodka and a third ingredient with a sugar rim tasted disappointingly like orange juice. The "Perfect 10" drink was a rather imperfect $12.
Onto better things. My tuna carpaccio, recommended by our server, was delicious, served with olive oil, chives, shallot and lemon. It was thin to the point of translucence with a delicate, fresh flavor. Less successful was the salmon rillette, a fairly bland taste of salmon and cream. The grilled shrimp with quinoa and herb salad featured three large shrimp and was described as "very good" by VBF.

My salmon entree was helpfully described as "wild," a fairly important distinction these days. Served with "savoy cabbage, red wine bearnaise," it was fairly raw and tasty. I missed any "bearnaise" part of the red wine sauce, which was a thin, salty, vaguely wine-like topping for my cabbage. The effect was a bit strong for the delicate salmon. Similarly, VBF's "Striped Bass 'Grand Mere,'" served with pearl onions, fingerling potatoes and wild mushrooms was done well, but included an overpowering savory sauce that I normally associate with red meats that became too much. The mini-hamburgers were good, served with a spicy mustard and ketchup on a brioche bun.

The desserts were excellent, however. All trendily named with flavors, I ordered "Chocolate Peanut Butter," and was treated to a chocolate peanut butter tart with a malted chocolate "Tastycake" ice cream. I have no idea where the ambiguous "Tastycake" flavor entered, however.

The decor remains that of a hotel lobby, albeit a fashionable one. This might explain the Philadelphia names sprinkled through the menu. We also perused the bar lounge menu, which may be superior to the restaurant offerings and included warm soft pretzel bites and other appetizer-size plates.

Perhaps I've grown too spoiled by the multitude of excellent options in Philadelphia for a bargain, but I found this straightforward, American eclectic menu to be overpriced. With a single drink, our bill came to $90/person, reinforcing my idea that 10 Arts is more about the brand. That being said, the tuna carpaccio was transcendant and the service extraordinary. On a return visit, I might stick with the lounge area.

10 Arts is located in the Ritz Carlton Hotel, at Broad and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia, www.10arts.com.

A Foodie's Food Court

2008-06-30T13:28:00.008-04:00

When I first visited the new Comcast Center, I stood in awe. Together with a friend, I had wandered in to see if the food court had opened. What a scene we discovered - four stories of sculpted people walking on beams above your head, with a two story television in front of you. Not to mention the playful fountain out front, adjacent to Table 31's outdoor seating. It is to an office lobby what Cirque du Soleil is to a street performer. And when a Godiva employee circulating amidst the crowd with free chocolate, I knew I had died and gone to corporate heaven.

I will, with no small measure of embarrassment, admit that I have been so smitten with the Center and its lobby that I dragged my mother, visiting from out-of-town, in to see the tv. Here's the interesting part -- at 8:00 p.m. on a Saturday when we visited, there were just as many people standing in the lobby watching the tv as at noon on a weekday. It's that good.

Because this does purport to be a food blog, I will move from the tv topic to the food court itself, which, to describe as impressive, would be an understatement. DiBruno's has opened an outpost here, in a creatively designed space that takes up the equivalent of three food court store fronts. It offers its best -- sandwiches, hot and other prepared foods, interesting beverages, and some of its gourmet pantry products, too. Like its 18th street store, though, ordering is a bit of a free-for-all, a process that I wonder will survive in the lunch rush. I still maintain that the DiBruno's "Napoleon" sandwich, featuring turkey, brie, caramelized onions and mango chutney, remains one of the best sandwich creations out there, even if they did switch the roll to something strange with caraway seeds.

The sushi stand isn't bad, although it suffers from many fast food sushi's problems of rice that tastes like it was molded long ago. The fish itself is tasty and the roll offerings are relatively varied and unique. The seafood place, Under the C, has a lot of promise. Eating shrimp cocktail in a food court for $5 was a fun novelty, as was being able to pick up fresh fish to prepare at home here. The produce stand looks good, too, as does the juice bar. Still to come (or perhaps already arrived): Mexican Post take-out and Susanna Foo's Dumpling stand. There's a bit of a basement feel to the area, compounded by oddly cacophonous metal chairs, but the food remains extraordinary for a food court.

LaScala's seems to attract the longest lines in the food court. Which may have a lot to do with their choppy service. Known for their brick-oven pizza, which they offer in at least eight varieties that I could immediately count, LaScala's also offers salads and pastas. Although all of the food is prominently displayed, a menu is missing. As is a system for handling customers. And recently, its registers were down, forcing cashiers that had not been forced to do math in a while do a lot of math, including calculate tax. I got the Mediterranean salad, with crabmeat, lobster, shrimp and grape tomatoes served with a citrus dressing. I liked it; the crabmeat was generously portioned and the lobster, while a little tough, was still tasty. I may not brave the chaos again, however, given the different options here.

Looking for dessert? Try Termini Brothers' ridiculously-expensive-but-well-worth-it cannoli offerings. At $4 each, it's worth savoring every bite. Don't forget Buck's County Coffee for the post-lunch coma you've induced.

The Comcast Center is located at 17th and Arch Streets, with its main entrance facing JFK Boulevard. The food court is open from 8 am to 7 pm, Monday through Friday and 10-5 on Saturday. The lobby is open 24 hours.

Misso (Updated: Now Closed)

2008-06-12T06:50:00.010-04:00

At least someone's air conditioning was working. On some of the more sweltering summer days, it's hard to think about food, let alone trudge out into the heat to find it. Sushi always seems like a good compromise, however, and Misso was on my list of new restaurants to try. Housed in the first floor of a high rise on Spruce Street near Broad, Misso is tucked away under awning, with a neon "Open" sign. Once inside, however, the atmosphere is warm and crisp (but air-conditioned, of course). And as these pictures reveal, Misso is also more dimly lit, providing a calm, zen-like setting.

Beginning with the seaweed salad appetizer, Misso's offerings are presented well, managing to be both pretty and generous with the portions. Eager to try the tuna balls, I was impressed and easily found them to be Misso's best offering. Employing the ever-appealing "tempura flakes," succulent tuna, flakes and spice are mixed together to form these refreshing treats. They even appealed to my spice-sensitive palate (I don't normally eat even wasabe, I know, I know, what am I doing in a sushi restaurant). The tuna balls also far exceeded the tuna tartare offering, a strange dish of the same tuna in the balls, without the flakes or spicy bite. From there, we ordered two rolls and sushi for our meal. The Dragon Roll (avocado, cucumber layered with broiled eel, sliced avocado and sauce) and the Spruce Roll (yellow tail tempura roll) were a mixed bag. The Dragon Roll was delicious, but predictably so from broiled eel and avocado. The Spruce Roll was disappointing. Instead of yellowtail mixed with tempura flakes, or even lightly cooked, the yellowtail was well done and the crispy tempura texture was all but absent from the roll.

I have been branching out in my sushi lately, departing from what is normally included in your average sampler and more toward things like I tried that night, including striped bass (suzuki) and red snapper. The striped bass was my favorite, with an interesting and refreshing taste.

Because I have recently developed a taste for sake, my dining companion was kind enough to bring both filtered and unfiltered. Choosing the latter, I found it to be the perfect, cold, and crisp accompaniment to the fish. Ultimately, although Misso also had a number of intriguing other rolls that may merit a return visit, its inconsistency on the sushi makes me want to stick to my side of Broad Street for now.

Misso is located at 1326 Spruce Street in Philadelphia, 215-546-2355

In-N-Out Burger

2008-06-06T09:46:00.008-04:00

Philadelphia is now home to several, supposedly very good, burger chains -- Five Guys and Goodburger. While I haven't been to Goodburger, I found Five Guys to offer an overdone, over-topped burger that left me needing a nap in about an hour. And while I always try to avoid gender stereotypes, especially when it comes to food, I don't find it surprising that Five Guys draws a big male crowd, a certain type of which seems uniquely capable of consuming that much food at lunch.

On a recent trip to L.A., however, I was told I should go to In-N-Out burger. My California-native friends confirmed the recommendation and mentioned the milkshake as being one of the best ever. And so, on my last day there, I set out in search of one. Together with my coffee-loving cohort (so named because when you're traveling, it's helpful to have someone who shares your need for coffee in the morning), we mapped out the closest en route to the airport.

My verdict? Excellent. It's not a burger that competes with pub burgers, or burgers filled with bleu cheese. It's a straightforward burger, with an excellent bun to meat to topping ratio. The fries are hand cut every morning (the meat is fresh as well, not frozen) and taste like a heartier version of McDonald's. They even have a "special sauce," which, like every other special sauce, tastes like (because it is) thousand island dressing. Applied on a freshly grilled bun, however, it's pretty tasty. As someone who enjoys her accessories, I also have to give props to the handy wrapping that allows for neater eating.

CLC ordered a veggie option, cluing me in on the fact that there are many off-menu items available. She got the grilled cheese, for which they grill two bun "bottoms," which makes a certain level of sense. She's a fan. They also offer a "veggie burger," which is essentially all of their toppings sans burger.

The milkshake was perhaps most amazing, given that it was dispensed out of a machine. The taste of chocolate was especially strong, but nicely balanced through the shake. It was thick in the way that milkshakes should be, not whipped with air, but thick with ice cream. It was ... $1.19. Seriously.

I'm not moving to the west coast anytime soon, but if you're going to fight L.A. traffic, In-N-Out is a great reprieve.

There are no In-N-Out Burger's east of Arizona.

Kennett Square

2008-05-19T08:40:00.014-04:00

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

2008-05-17T08:54:00.008-04:00

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.

Jones

2008-04-29T08:52:00.006-04:00

In his interview with Zagat's in 2006, Stephen Starr commented, "people want to eat food that's not frightening." Jones typifies this sentiment by focusing on comfort food. Not a nouveau twist on comfort food, either. Things like meatloaf, mac and cheese, fried chicken. The real deal. With decor reminiscent of a Brady Bunch set, it both appeals to both celeb and suburbanite. I pretended to be the former and snagged an outdoor table.

Although the menu consists mostly of comfort food, it's still Stephen Starr, so the drink offerings run the amusing gamut -- from "Father Knows Best" (Tanqueray Rangpur Gin, fresh lemon and lime juices) to "Bug Juice" (raspberry vodka, cranberry juice, sour mix and 7-up with a gummy worm) -- but manage to stay within the theme of old-school kitsch (wait - is there any other kind of kitsch?). In any case, I went with "Happy" (Absolut citron, lemonade and club soda). Unfortunately, Jones's lemonade is not particularly sweet, and it's hard to admit to your average server that yes, you prefer your cocktails very sweet. It was, however, quite refreshing.

The nachos were a big, sloppy, delicious mix of chicken, salsa, black beans and lime sour cream. A lot of nachos have to do with the chip itself, in my book, and these were great. They were perfectly crisp, stood up to the toppings and still had a good, subtle flavor.

I ordered the fried chicken. They kindly accommodated my dark meat only request. It was straightforward and delicious. Appropriately served with fries and cole slaw (in a red basket no less!), I enjoyed it.

My Veggie Burger Friend ("VBF") ordered - you guessed it - Jones's veggie burger. Labeled the "Vegetarian Soy Burger," served with charred red onions (and most other fixings if you want them), VBF deemed it one of the best in the city. The onion rings rated highly as well.

I have to say that the best part of the meal was the one for which I was way too full. Desserts are hard to resist in a place that prides itself on comfort food. With items like the "Duncan Hines Chocolate Layer Cake" and "Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Sandwich," the desserts trigger those happy childhood memories of box birthday cakes and choosing flavors at Baskin & Robbins. I went for the white chocolate and banana bread pudding, topped with white chocolate ice cream and caramel. You could really taste the white chocolate in the ice cream, amazingly, and the bread pudding was done to the right combination of both crusty and soft. Excellent. It also helped that a friend's real estate agent was seated nearby and bought our desserts.

More reasons to love Philly -- it's a small town that unabashedly enjoys its comfort food. While sitting outside and drinking frou-frou drinks. Not a bad April evening.

Jones is located at 700 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa, http://www.jones-restaurant.com/.