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More on Indian lunch buffets in western suburbs
oops! haven't been around in awhile. sorry for the late reply. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/697624 - detailed biryani story there. it is so fun to make, but i've made so many batches i think i need to swear off it for a few months!!!
Little Fish is back, better than ever
not as far as i could tell. very casual pub, only a few tables. IMO the best spot is the bar, but be forewarned it will get packed. really getting there very early is the best advice i have. or very late. we actually got there very early AND stayed very late!
I am looking for a Winter Farmer's Market for this Saturday March 12th
piazza market is a chicken-or-egg-first thing for me. i know they've just started up, and for a good few months when it ran 2 days with long hours and tons of vendors i was really excited about it, and going regularly. i don't find myself visiting anymore, and i've also found a lot of vendors have dropped off (perhaps for lack of foot traffic?). i want to support that market... definitely a spring 2011 goal for me.
WRETCHED Meal at Tiffin Last Week
been awhile since i've done ekta, just because i'm on the tiffin/sahara end of girard (haha, life is rough...). honestly the menus look similar to me (if ekta hasn't changed their menu from the one i have, which i picked up not long after they opened). sahara is oily for sure. i wasn't bowed over by the samosa chaat at either, but everything else i've had from both has been quite tasty. one of these days i need to have a ton of people over and order from all three at the same time, to do a real comparison. i mean, is there ever such thing as too many tandoori vegetables??? i definitely want to do a side-by-side biryani comparison, too, as that's my favorite thing since sliced bread lately.
More on Indian lunch buffets in western suburbs
oh, i'm definitely all about the packaged stuff there too! the udipi (green box) mysore masala dosas are awesome! i broil them under close watch in my little toaster oven and it renders them perfect. definitely gonna try that other stuff too.
i've done new delhi a couple times and it's just left me... cold. for me, doesn't stand up to the suburban buffet offerings. and lately i've been frequenting chola in NYC ~ not to get too far off topic, but should you find yourself up there, i think you would appreciate that buffet more than anyone! TON of spicy and flavorful buffet offerings - veggie and meat, north and south, tons of soup and ... wait for it... pani puri! fresh bread brought to the table. and if that's not enough, delectable complimentary morsels are served tableside as well - samosa chaat, bhel puri, dosas, tandoori chicken. i'd say it's worth the trip to NYC in itself.
fish restaurant
i was under the impression the menu changed periodically, but i've never had a bad thing there. enjoy and report back! oh, shucks, don't skip the oysters either :)
More on Indian lunch buffets in western suburbs
thanks for a detailed update! i do miss that place and your post takes me back to the days when i worked out that way and had a car. in fact, TOI is probably the ONLY thing i miss about not driving! recently, fueled by the discovery of the international food grocer next to the 7-11 at 42nd and walnut in west philly + a general spice underwhelming at many of the area's restaurant offerings, i've been cooking at home. i spent the entire day yesterday shopping and cooking - rented a carshare to haul my purchases across the city, and made a bang-up vegetable biryani i can't stop eating. :) i posted the recipe link + all about my cooking adventure on the home cooking board if you're interested. i was amazed at the variety of spices, pickle and all else at the store i mentioned. i treated myself to all new spices, and opening the fresh jars and bags upon returning home reawakened my taste buds. i only wish they had a larger produce section. i still have yet to visit the nearby store, rice and spice. that's next...
Vegetarian biryani recipe
i had monday off from work, so i planned a day entirely around making a vegetable biryani. i rented a car from phillycarshare, and drove it across town to west philly to visit my favorite indian grocer to stock UP on all the ingredients. had to make a second grocery visit to whole foods on my way back for some of the veggies, and topped it all off with a run to the beer store for a case of IPAs to keep me fueled throughout the day ahead. :)
got it all home and the car returned by 1pm, and started slicing. 1.5 hours of slow, loving prep work. veggies all sliced evenly, spices sorted out and measured ahead of time, cookware ready to go.
i'd done plenty of recipe research the day before, comparing recipes. i wanted to make a vegetarian version for my first biryani experiment, but i still read plenty of meat recipes to see what techniques i wanted to harbor in my own kitchen. after hours of reading up, i finally settled on this recipe, with a few changes:
http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/hyderabad-veg-biryani-hyderabadi-vegetable-dum-biryani-recipe/
- i added coconut meat, a good fistful to the vegetables and another fistful to the saffron yogurt.
- squeezed lime into the mix in several places where it seemed appropriate (and whenever i wanted to cleanse my fingers of the overwhelming onion smell radiating from them)
- i didn't use peas. i don't dislike them; i just don't appreciate their presence in a dish like i do all those other veggies mentioned. i know it's not standard, but on my next biryani project i might experiment with edamame. i prefer the texture and their ability to stand up as a unique vegetable even after cooking. previously i have used them in place of peas in samosas and was sufficiently impressed.
- doubled the yogurt
- cumin. i didn't see it listed in the recipe, but i felt the sauce needed it. liberal amounts.
- doubled all of the spices except for the chili powder which after the 4th IPA i brazenly tripled.
- doubled the entire recipe, in order to make one version on the stove as close to traditional as i could, and one version in a lidded casserole dish in the oven.
while i was soaking the rice, i called the customer service department of the manufacturer of my rice cooker (aroma) to get their opinion. how long would they recommend cooking 3 cups of dry rice and in how much water to achieve 75% doneness? they consulted, and arrived with the figure of 3 1/2 cups of water and for 17 minutes. i have concluded i do not agree. after 17 minutes the rice still sat in a ton of water. i set the rice cooker on for another 7 minutes. after the 7 minutes i found the rice totally done. darn tasty (i could not stop snacking), but done throughout. next time i will try an uninterrupted 20 minutes with an even ratio (or perhaps slightly less) water. admittedly i am a total novice at cooking rice. pasta i can cook perfectly blindfolded. rice... i still need some work.
the vegetables: i added the potatoes first, cooked for several minutes, then the carrots, cooked a few minutes more, then cauliflower and finally the green beans. next time i will space them out even more; i tend to like my potatoes and carrots well-done and my beans and cauliflower almost raw. matter of fact i might just add the beans and cauliflower immediately prior to layering next time. i used a very heavy-bottomed soup pot and found the ghee did such a nice job of keeping anything from sticking. when the veggies were half-done i removed half of them and half the sauce from the pot and made the base layer in the casserole dish. layered the rice, added the yogurt and herbs, and realized i'd forgotten the nuts and raisins. doh! i sprinkled them atop the rice of both the pot and casserole dish, and used a chopstick and a fondue fork to gently push them through down to the base. next time i will also add more raisins, these little gems are sweet little fireworks in my mouth whenever i trap one.
i finished layering, and placed a damp towel over the pot, followed by the lid, followed by an upside-down bowl to cover the handle, followed by three heavyweight cutting boards, followed by two MAMMOTH bins of protein powder (my roommate, he is not a foodie...) to hold in all the steam. i didn't do the dough seal i've read about, i figured this would suffice. the oven version was simpler; i placed the lid on the dish and it was ready for the oven. here is where 6 IPA beers over the course of the afternoon gets the better of me. somewhere in turning on the oven's timer, i managed to shut off the oven completely. i hate that oven. this is what saved the oven dish. i discovered my mistake 35 minutes into a 60-minute baking cycle. the oven was lukwarm at best, so i cranked it back up to 350F and let the timer run out. when it beeped i checked both the stovetop and oven versions. the cloud of fragrant steam from the stovetop version was out-of-this-world amazing, but the entire dish was overcooked. the oven version turned out absolutely perfect. added a lime slice, fresh cilantro and a pretty red onion garnish, and some pickle and spoonful of yogurt on the side. i have fed this dish to everyone i've encountered in the last 24 hours, and have received raves across the board. today i had a leftover biryani breakfast, lunch, and dinner. debating an after-midnight snack and i'm STILL not tired of it. i'm very happy with doubling the spices and absolutely adore the raisins as previously mentioned. the pickle, yogurt and lime satisfy my intense sourness addiction (can't keep my spoon out of the pickle jar). i will be making this recipe or something like it over and over again. i think for the next few attempts i will continue with the double recipe, just because i want to experiment with the pot cooking but now i know the oven method is a safe bet (though i could not rely on this alone; the steam cloud from the stove pot upon opening was too overwhelmingly heavenly). i also think i will be hosting a beer and biryani dinner party soon. :) it was the perfect monday off work: shopping, cooking, eating and drinking.
WRETCHED Meal at Tiffin Last Week
tell munish narula to get back from india and get on it!!!
http://www.tiffin.com/Blog/7-india-trip.aspx
Little Fish is back, better than ever
is it just me, or is there no other current fathom discussion on this board? i went a week ago. unfortunately my dear friend snapped up the check before i even had a chance to glance at it, so i can't comment on value, but i will certainly vouch for fathom's deliciousness. we cozied up to the bar early, around 5pm. early is a must, because on a wednesday it was packed to the gills -so to speak- by 6:15! i ordered a beer flight to start... and ended up sticking with the beer flights nearly all night. there are some delicious brews on tap and i wanted to try them all. bengali IPA something or another? never heard of it. it's awesome. the hops made my mouth water for FOOD. we ordered a few rounds of oysters. i am no oyster connoisseur though after multiple recent trips to new england i'm working my way there... the bartender was pimping the west coast oysters pretty heavily so against my better judgment (i usually prefer east coast) we ordered an assortment of both coasts. the CT ones were by FAR the best, followed by NY... i didn't love either of the west coast oysters. also tried a couple of raw clams - didn't love, but i'm not a huge clam fan to begin with. the mignonette accompaniment is perfect. when i didn't finish it with the oysters themselves, i'll admit (only to fellow chowhounders...) that i took the shot thimble of sauce and sipped at it til it was gone. :) the mussels were absolutely heavenly, in a thai-like lemongrass-coconut milk (i think) sauce. i mentioned to the bartender it seemed like a shame to waste so much absolutely delicious sauce when the mussels were gone. i would have been in heaven with a bowl of jasmine rice to plop into the sauce once the mussels were finished. just my two cents. he did offer to let me drink the bowl, and said he'd mention the rice thing to the chef. ever the lady (HA!), i regretfully declined the bowl-lapping offer. the crab fries were real crab fries (like, with real crab not just old bay seasoning, how novel!). honestly i think there was another dish ordered and eaten, but four beer flights in at that point my memory totally fails me. anyway, that's my fathom experience - and i'm certainly going to try my best to find room in my paycheck to visit again this week. i'm also going to add that i'm entirely jealous of all the fishtown goings-on, from the north-western end of northern liberties. :( all we have to brag about recently is sahara, the new indian take-out.
Good casual Soul Food/Comfort Food/Italian Food on Sunday
I was pleasantly surprised with Khyber Pass as well! I went in with a picky group and everyone left darn happy. It's now one my film group's go-to places to discuss the movie afterwards. I kept it simple with nachos and beer... will branch out on future visits.
WRETCHED Meal at Tiffin Last Week
i know, i miss it here!... i've been working part-time in NYC and have shifted many of my foodie adventures there... though not been posting them as frequently either, since it seems my home lately has been the megabus!!!
next time i'm in sahara i'll inquire. they now seem to have a website! http://www.saharaindiancuisine.com/
Dinner for 15 not too far from UPenn
if you called ahead i'd bet gojjo could accommodate. it's ethiopian, very reasonably priced, decent bottled beer selection, and i just love stuffing my face there with a group. we usually order in platter form, always extra extra extra shiro wot (pureed spiced lentils). :) the bar takes up most of the place, but the dining room in the back is often nearly empty if not entirely. i don't understand the lack of crowds - i adore that place!!!
also, vietnam cafe's expansion probably makes it a decent option for your group... the place is huge. i've only been for lunch, not sure about dinner crowds.
both places are on baltimore ave a little west of upenn.
http://www.eatatvietnam.com/vietnam_cafe.php
http://www.ethiopianrestaurant.com/pennsylvania/gojjo_menu.html
Where to eat post Flower Show
seconding rangoon and vietnam! something tells me all the trendier places are gonna be super-packed this week with the flower show. never a crowd at rangoon - always a satisfying meal. i dunno about "good" wine, but it's a passable list. the food will be the highlight of that meal. i always suggest going heavy on the appetizers there, they are to die for. sometimes we just make a tapas-style meal out of apps and salads. and don't skip dessert. :)
PHL Airport Dilemma -- Is there a solution?
me too. breakfast pizza? sign me up. that pizza was so good, i once continued to eat it even after i realized there was a leak in the ceiling dripping right onto my slice. oh, PHL...
bulk loose-leaf yerba mate in philly
arbol JUST closed :( this makes me sad - they had a fantastic mate selection! definitely give random tea room a try...
PHL Airport Dilemma -- Is there a solution?
i'm probably too late, but there's a riverside place in ridley park that was not great but passable... i forget its name, but it focused on seafood. darn!
inside the airport, it's not gourmet but i still make a point to get to king of pizza. i believe it's in D terminal.
Smiles Cafe
i'll have to try it again. on my last visit i was severely unimpressed with with everything except for the stunning art, particularly one piece of the italian market by one of the waiters. upstairs there is a fascinating little gallery as well. my food was bland, but then again it's been about a year. i owe them a return visit...
WRETCHED Meal at Tiffin Last Week
patti, i agree with every point you made about tiffin... i can remember when they first opened, close enough to my house to smell it when i was in my backyard. i felt guilty ordering online when the food was THIS close, but it was the middle of winter and i got a kick out of the suited delivery man. munish narula's business plan is damn impressive. but at some point i fell out of love with the food. when i need a north indian fix i've been hitting up sahara indian cuisine, the new place at randolph and girard. their business model seems to be to copy the tiffin menu but cheaper and slightly better, though i am still trying to figure out how the sahara is linked to india :) try them out if you get a chance... it's fun to order your food there and watch them prepare it in the open kitchen, though they do not have any dining in space. though lately i have been on a south indian kick, and i'm really having a hard time finding it in philly - any suggestions? i'm about to resort to making my own masala dosas at home :)
Little Fish is back, better than ever
this makes me happy :) thanks for letting us know!!!
Where Do You Want to Go in 2011?
most definitely koo zee doo! i have no excuse - i live in the neighborhood, i've heard awesome things. why haven't i been there yet?!
i also want to do an oyster bike tour around the city. (in the warmer months!!!) i haven't figured out the logistics yet, but i'll work it out once i come out of my winter hibernation. :)
i've been trying to get back to fish for months now, but every time i make plans they get foiled. i miss fish!
and hopefully i will have the foresight to make at least a few tacconelli's reservations throughout 2011. i am craving good pizza like no other.
suggestion for Le Viet
haha, i was just there two days ago and i'm thinking about going back tonight!!! i absolutely overordered (like i always do) and still somehow our bill was under $100 for 4. got a funky and delicious crepe off the appetizers menu (perhaps #11?) which is a can't-miss. got a papaya salad, a soup of tomatoes, mushrooms and shrimp, some summer rolls and fried spring rolls, and for my entree an odd fried noodle pancake cut up into pie slices topped with veggies and seafood in sauce. my only complaint was the shortage of seafood in the entree, but otherwise everything was delicious and perfect. one of my dining companions got a cellophane noodle dish which is the reason i am debating returning tonight. yum.
"Just Good Food" Ideas for 4 Days/3 Nights in Philly?
late to see this, but please make fish a must-go on your list! i was just talking to friends tonight over thanksgiving dinner how each new place i try i rate against fish, and no place QUITE stands up (though close). i went to meme the other night and they were pretty close, though :)
devi?
many thanks for the responses all! that discount website sounds awesome, i'll check them out next time i'm in town! my bus was delayed and i ended up doing an about-face and eating a quick (but tasty) lobster roll and lobster bisque at luke's lobster. i do have fond memories of devi from long ago, so they'll certainly be on the list for next time i am in town! many thanks for the responses ~ happy holidays! :)
devi?
hi all! i'm traveling up to NYC from philly tomorrow for basement bhangra at SOB's, and i want to have dinner in NYC first but have heard the food there is so-so. keeping in line with an indian-themed night i was thinking about revisiting devi near union square - i haven't been there in about 4 years. is it still great? if not, any other recs for a fantastic indian place in that area? somewhere comfortable for a solo diner. thanks in advance!!
"Just Good Food" Ideas for 4 Days/3 Nights in Philly?
i agree that gastropubs and BYOBs are styles of dining refined to perfection here in philly! gastropubs... prohibition taproom and north third top the list for me, with south philly tap room, memphis taproom and standard tap a not-too-distant second. BYOBs - love modo mio, kanella, melograno, dmitris. modo mio is some of my favorite italian in the city. same owner as paesano's which has also been recommended for sammiches. modo mio is upscale (not comfortable) italian dining with an amazing prix fixe menu (last time i checked i think it was around $33 for 4 courses?). they can do no wrong in my book. a word of warning - they are not about subtlety there. many have taken my rec and not loved it because of too much salt, which tends to be a non-issue for me.
and fish. go to fish. 17th and lombard. seafood. full bar. amazing. it is hands-down my favorite eating experience in the city... and perhaps in the world?
best fish taco in philadelphia
second, third, fourth and fifth taco riendo. i am very lucky this happens to be the closest eatery to my house, and i am here all.the.time. try the chile rellenos as well. just to die for.
i've also had bangin fish tacos at kite & key in fairmount, and charlie's in old city.
Vegan options in center city
great list!
good call on govinda's - that is my fave hoagie in the city. chicken cheesesteak (mock of course), sesame roll, mozz cheese. fan-freakin-tastic. (*edit* they do have a soy cheese as well. though IMHO it sucks compared to the mozz.)
though i'm gonna have to chime in on the veg place in RTM (is it basic 4?)... they're pretty terrible. got a mock cheesesteak - couldn't finish it. tasteless all around and not cheap.
ISO mint, rosemary plants
i got my mint plant from the plant stand in the reading terminal market... surprisingly, it didn't take over my courtyard this year like it did last. not sure if they still have them, but it's worth a shot. they had about 6 varieties when i was there. rosemary, not sure. good luck!
ISO... the impossible?
i dunno, i gotta say i was supremely unimpressed by the landing, from the staff to the food. the view was gorgeous, for sure, but it's the only place in recent history i can remember sending back a dish. it was lobster ravioli. not only could i not taste any lobster, but the pasta itself was just not good. and at $23, i wasn't about to scarf down something non-lobster and not good. other stuff was OK... just OK. the standout of the meal was the octopus salad, but even still, small seafood portion for the price. love new hope, though... adorable town.
