Nam Phuong

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/. 

Blackfish

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

Flying Monkey and Reading Terminal

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.

Tinto

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.  

Marathon Grill


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.

Zama

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/. 

Valley Green Inn

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.

R2L

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/

Creperie Beau Monde

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.

Slate

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.

Chifa

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.

Jones

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/.