Noble

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.    

Dandelion

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/. 

Thirteen

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

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/.

Ten Stone

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.

Village Whiskey

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.

Earth Bread + Brewery

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.

Triumph Brewing Company

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.

Manyunk Brewery and Restaurant

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/.

Tavern 17

When the weather becomes this beautiful, one of my favorite activities is people-watching. Preferably at a place where I can order frou-frou drinks and pleasing bar food, and, most importantly, get a table. Tavern 17 is one of those places.

Since it opened last year, I have been a fairly regular customer. Its service has generally been a bit spotty (although this week brought us a witty waiter) and its food, while ambitious, sometimes misses the mark. A few blocks off Rittenhouse and down 17th Street, it's also off the beaten track for many. For these things, I am grateful. What might otherwise be a mobbed scene manages to always have an available table or a seat on one of the comfortable leather sofas. When I held my annual birthday happy hour there over the summer, I knew that my guests would fit.

Tavern 17 also offers one of the best ideas: the 3 oz cocktail. Allowing one to sample all of Tavern's riffs on the mojito, including the "bojito," with basil, and the "o-jito," with fresh oranges. I went traditional, pictured above. The cocktail menu is long and interesting, with everything from a cucumber martini to "butterfly kisses," featuring macerated berries in cointreau and brandy spooned into a glass of champagne.

The highlight of Tavern's food offerings has to be the sliders. They offer five types: the hamburger, with dill pickle chip and homemade ketchup; the smoked pork, with apple slaw and cranberry mayo (pictured below); lamb and feta with cucumber and sweet curry mayo; beef short rib with provolone and caramelized onion; and the lump crabcake with romaine and remoulade. The best part? Sample all five for $12.50. Or, as my friend did, order five crabcake sliders (pictured withe mojito, above). Last night, the brioche buns were a bit stale and the sparse portioning of toppings like the ketchup, curry mayo and remoulade added to the dryness of the bun. The stars were the smoked pork (below) and the crab cake, which is always pretty pleasing.

Tavern 17 is located in the Warwick Hotel. In perhaps my most bizarre celebrity sighting, when I went to the ATM in the lobby, I saw... C. Everett Koop. Former Surgeon General.

With all of its quirks (including the Surgeon General), Tavern 17 is a great bar/restaurant for the value. And the outside table, of course.

Tavern 17 is located in the Warwick hotel, 220 S. 17th Street, Philadelphia, http://www.tavern17restaurant.com/.

Tria

Tria is a favorite haunt of mine, a reliable, consistent bar/restaurant in a great location. The menu focuses on three things -- cheese, wine, and beer, offering other items that complement these "staples." The pretentiousness quotient is surprisingly low, given the hip looks of the staff and the number of wines, beers and cheeses that I have never heard of, much less understand. In fact, the staff manages to be friendly and helpful, which is appreciated given the advice they need to provide.

Tria is also great because you can order (and simultaneously sit at a table) appetizers and drinks, just as easily as dinner. The appetizers, which change frequently but tend to include things like "warm poached black mission figs with gorgonzola and prosciutto di parma," are interesting and substantive. Items like "spiced almonds" and "parmesan olive oil potato chips" are priced at $2.50, and no appetizer -- or any dish, for that matter -- is over $10.

Tria offers a variety of bruschetta and panini, also good compliments to the beer and wine list. Of all the sandwiches (and I've tried most of them), I love the grilled cheese -- "three cheese & tomato panino with fontina, grana padano and goat cheese." The sandwiches are served with fresh greens, tossed in a light dressing with kosher salt. I have come to crave this sandwich and it ranks among the all time best grilled cheeses I've had. I also know people who crave the nutella panino, which is, in fact, as good as it sounds.

The wine, beer and cheese menus manage to convey a sense of humor, categorizing wines from "zippy whites" to "lighthearted reds" and beers from "invigorating" to "extreme." It's hard to go wrong with the cheeses, which are served with a taste accompaniment like honey, or nuts, along with bread, that are selected to highlight the particular cheese. Somehow, the descriptions work, at least for me, and are more clear than regional divisions or more traditional descriptors. I enjoyed a beer last night, a Tripel Karmeliet, that tasted unlike anything I've had before, with strong caramel and a rich bitterness in a lightly colored beer. It was listed under the heading, "profound." If only...

Tria is located at the corner of 18th and Sansom Streets, Philadelphia, Pa., photo thanks to http://www.triacafe.com/.

Blue Bell Inn

How many places can claim they've been serving since 1743? How many can simultaneously serve up atmosphere that reflects this fact without being in costume (a la City Tavern) or serving mediocre food? Blue Bell Inn does it all, offering great traditional food in an authentic tavern managed with a familial friendliness. You can't resist ordering Yuengling in a place like this, nor a good steak, for which they're known.

We chose to sit in the bar area, which is equivalent to a sizeable restaurant. The bar meanders a bit and in one corner, a lounge singer belted out tunes over a grand piano. In another corner, a fire roared under a large chimney that reached to the vaulted ceiling. I peeked back into the "restaurant" area and found a strange decorating mix of large paintings of horses (polo? racing? something like that) against a green background - wainscotting, carpet, all green. It felt dated. Stick with the bar area, which serves the full menu.

Speaking of the full menu, it offers a wide range of traditional American options with a high end twist, from french onion soup and New England clam chowder to haricot verts salad or lump crabmeat cocktail, for starters. Stick with the steak, I was told, and I did - enjoying my favorite New York strip, served (as all the steaks are and, in my mind, should be) with bearnaise sauce. It's also served with a salad. Now, I'm used to the starter-salad-that-comes-with-the-meal being all about iceberg and carrot shavings. Not the case here; Blue Bell Inn offers greens with fresh herbs that was surprisingly refreshing as a first course. The steak itself, done to perfection and hard not enjoy next to the giant, warm fire, was a thick cut served with potatoes au gratin and my choice of two vegetables (I went with broccoli over lima beans). The broccoli tasted like butter, which is to say I ate every bit of it. For the first time in a long time, I was unable to finish the steak. Needless to say, I was more than satisfied.

TPB tells me that the Blue Bell Inn is a hotbed of republicans. I didn't hear politics being discussed, but I did see a variety of folks, young and old, with and without families. The clientele all felt like regulars, yet I didn't feel like an outsider. Somehow, the Blue Bell Inn has managed to capture what I imagine to be the best parts of a colonial inn - a good pint of lager next to a fire, a nice cut of meat, and the company of your fellow townspeople. A good place to pass the time.

The Blue Bell Inn is located at 601 Skippack Pike, Blue Bell, Pa., www.bluebellinn.com.

Mission Grill

Mission Grill achieves the rare accomplishment of being within a block of my job and offering good food. In the "corporate district" consisting of the four to five blocks radiating north from 18th and Market Streets, there are little to no exciting options for dinner, aside from the Four Seasons. Mission Grill has remained largely undiscovered, however, which is a shame. Having eaten there several times for lunch, I tried dinner and was pleasantly surprised.

Nicely lit, offering more booths than tables, Mission Grill is inviting and warm, albeit a bit corporate still. The wait staff managed to be simultaneously kind and cool. Featuring tequila, wine and mixed drinks, the bar list was extensive. The lime margarita I ordered, although served somewhat strangely in a water glass, was quite delicious.

Armed with a margarita, we settled into the happy booth, far from the miserable cold, and dug into the "special," which has been offered each time I've visited: the guacamole/salsa appetizer. Mission Grill's guacamole, a dish often hard to find fresh, was perfect. Big chunks of avocado with the right mix of tomatoes and spices provided the right accompaniment to what tasted like fresh nachos.

Despite our being among the few diners there, the kitchen delivered the goods for dinner. The center cut pork chop with chipotle sweet potatoes and summer vegetables was done to perfection, offering a hearty portion. The sweet potatoes, mashed to fluffiness, contained a mild, pleasing kick. The summer vegetables, a throwback to the seemingly unseasonal menu (which offered a summer gazpacho as well), were done well. My friend ordered the salmon and easily substituted a side, which is always a nice option. Having ordered it well done, however, it arrived medium rare, a dicey trick for salmon.

My lunches there have ranged from boring to quite good, once I learned to avoid such items like the chicken caesar wrap (rather predictably boring) and lean instead toward the Totopos Seafood Salad, filled with crabmeat, shrimp, avocado, and jicama. I could also see lingering over drinks at Mission Grill's long wood bar. All in all, I remain hopeful that Mission Grill catches on just enough to stick around, but not too much that I would be denied a booth.

Mission Grill is located at 1835 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA, (215) 636-9550.

Alma de Cuba

Oh, Alma. You've been such a standby for me. With your soothing candles and white sofas, black and white projected photographs, you meet my Friday happy hour needs. Which are, to be clear, a place that you can hear and participate in conversation, lean forward or back against something comfortable, order delicious food -- or not -- with no pressure. And a place that offers a pleasing array of cocktails, naturally.

I went with a friend who names Alma as her favorite restaurant. Her rules for going are clear: go anytime of night, but sit in the bar area, toward the back, exclusively. Which rules out the main dining area. And perhaps she's right, for the people watching alone. On this visit, we were instructed on the system: red candles signal that the table/area is available for patrons who are not eating dinner; white candles signal tables in which the patrons must eat dinner. Since we were in the bar area, these two types of tables are close together and, let's face it, who really inherently knows what each color candle means. As a result, many a hostess had to correct an errant diner. Probably not the smoothest system. But now you know.

In any case, I enjoy the "suave" mojito, which, I am assured, is the sweeter version of the mojito. Caipirinhas are featured prominently as well. However, as wordly as I enjoy pretending to be, I am unable to pronounce this drink's name and therefore sometimes avoid ordering it. The times I've mustered up the courage, I've been suitably impressed, but the suave mojito usually quenches my thirst here. Alma offers a "caipiroska" as well, which is a caipirinha with vodka. Alma keeps the drink menu relatively short and sweet, offering a good but small variety of signature drinks.

Which sets the stage for the next best thing there: the tiny rolls. Clearly coated with crack, I mean, a blend of spices, they melt in your mouth with the perfect density of molten dough combined with a sturdier texture. The oil and herb dipping sauce, with its tangy sweetness, compliments the spice. They may even contain carbohydrates, I'm not quite as certain after my mojito.

The menu changes at least seasonally. The current menu appears to be almost entirely brand new, except for certain favorites like ceviche. I recommend the ceviche sampler on spectacle alone, grandly served in a large bowl with lots of ice. I had the hamachi tonight, but I found the overpowering red pepper flakes to be too spicy for the fish, or at least for me. I ordered the beef tenderloin as an entree, topped with a creamy lump crabmeat sauce and accompanied by asparagus and a horseradish chimi churra. The wonderfully prepared meat went well with the delicately spiced crab meat sauce. The crab meat, sadly like many restaurants, did not taste fresh, but was still very good. Not a fan of horseradish, I had it on the side and found it nevertheless to be mild but spiced well. I resisted getting my usual side dish of fried plantains, which never fail to please.

Like many Stephen Starr restaurants, Alma is as much about mood, spectacle, and hipness as food. I am not, however, complaining.

Alma de Cuba is located at 1623 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, (215) 988-1799.

Reliable Restaurant Recommendation (RRR): Tequila's

Los Catrines Tequila's longevity alone has made it an important fixture on the Philadelphia restaurant scene. It offers several features that others don't, including: 1) large amounts of seating; 2) great atmosphere, thanks in large part to the authentic Mexican murals, good lighting, and good noise control; 3) reliable menu, including crave-worthy margaritas and nachos; and 4) excellent staff.

I remember it when it was "across the street," which, in actuality, was on the next block up. A tiny first floor operation with a strange and equally cramped loft space, the wait for tables was always long. But I had a friend who would crave the Chiles Rellenos and I, a sucker for the nachos and margaritas, would dutifully wait with her. It was invariably worth it. If not for the food, for the menu descriptions alone. For example, the entry for the Sopes del Rancho reads, "During the Mexican Revolution, women were a vital factor in the survival of the campesino. Through battlefields and wide-open country, they set up makeshift kitchens. These courageous ladies provided a basic nutritional element. Hand made corn masa rounded into flat shallow cups and filled with refried beans, chorizo, ground meat or chicken topped with tomato, lettuce, fresh cream and grated cheese." Lured in by the prospect of reliving that moment, that feeling, I could never help but feel a little transported when I ate there.

If anything, the new space increases the feeling of other-worldliness. Occupying the former Magnolia Cafe with its big windows and cavernous space, Tequila's can offer its patrons more tables with a little less of a wait than its former location. Tequila's made the space its own with artwork and decorations that never overpower, only add to the dining experience.

David Suro, ever present at both locations, greets his customers with a knowing, welcoming smile. Devoid of pretension, he conveys a sense of genuine enjoyment, both of what he's doing and others' appreciation. Most staff have also been there for some time. The experience is revealed in the way margaritas are delivered to your table -- with one balanced on a server's head and the other balanced on the server's fingertips. Simultaneously provoking child-like awe and subdued respect, the spectacle is worth the margarita.

Speaking of which, Suro's new foray into tequila has brought the restaurant his own brand - Siembra Azul, which, in my limited tequila palate, works quite well in a margarita. The extensive tequila list is unparalled for the more experienced drinker, although the staff is always happy to supply recommendations. The bar is wonderful as well, with comfortable seating and the right mix of television and people watching.

It's no mistake that my focus is on the service, atmosphere, and reliability -- Tequila's strong suits. The menu, while offering some reliably good choices, has occasional pitfalls and items that I wished were altered in some small ways. The guacamole, for example, at last bite was overly seasoned and a bit watered down; I was more aware of the acid than the chunks of avocado. Many of the meat dishes offer thin cuts of meat awash in sauce, which is often admittedly good, but leave me wanting more. For dessert, the Crepas (crepes with caramel and ice cream) deliver the right taste, but soon turn into an unmanageable soup. On the other hand, another friend urged me to try the Queso Fundido, which I found to be an excellent alternative comfort food, wedged into a tortilla. My personal standby is the Carne Aguacate because of the avocado cilantro sauce, a mild but flavorful sauce that enhances the meat. The ceviche is also quite good, lacking the flash of trendier restaurants, but still deftly handling a more straight-forward preparation.

Because they are so amazing and often overlooked, the murals deserve a quick word -- they were created by Clemente Orozco Farias, grandson of Jose Guadalupe Posada, a Mexican mural artist whose traditions and teachings heavily influenced the work of Diego Rivera and Jose Clemente Orozco, the leaders of the Mexican Mural Renaissance. The lobby features large skeletal figures, Catrines, which Farias modeled after his grandfather's works. Tequila's website explains that "'Catrin' Is A Mexican Term To Mock Pretentious Elegance." It goes on to describes the murals with same florid, passionate tone that it describes its food, "Posada's Catrines symbolize a rebellion against the evil dictatorship embodied in the elegant, pretentious, and arrogant characters devoid of souls." Sign me up.

Part spectacle, part gallery, part family, Tequila's delivers a reliably good time.

Tequila's is located at 1602 Locust Street.