mazza3's Profile
Need recs for a large group (12-20), preferably close to downtown Hilton
Hello Emerald City-ites! I had a lovely trip to Portland earlier this year and will be returning again in early January. Both were/are work trips, but this time, I would like to ask for your input on a good place for a larger group on a Wednesday night.
As far as I know, this group will have a mix of people, so a place that at least caters to vegetarians will be appreciated. There probably won't be more than 20 people in total, and ideally (this is the tricky part), the restaurant will be within walking distance to the downtown Hilton at 921 SW 6th (I consider walking distance for this group to be under a mile). So far, the only restaurant that seems to meet my requirements is Ping....I went to and enjoyed Clyde Common on my last trip, but a slightly fussy coworker had a hard time finding something to eat there, so I am a tiny bit hesitant about going back with a group (though my cocktail-loving self will definitely go back).
The restaurant does not need to be fancy at all, but good food and a clean environment are definites.
Thank you for your help! I cannot wait to come back. :)
Also - I snooped around the site and IDed a couple of other restaurants that are not quite within walking distance. Are any of these good for groups in case we have to take a taxi/s?
- Nostrana
- Genoa
- Tabla
With love from Philly xox
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Nostrana
1401 SE Morrison St, Portland, OR 97214
Clyde Common
1014 SW Stark St, Portland, OR 97205
mung bean noodles (uncooked/dry/packaged) in center city?
technically chinatown isn't too far, but i live closer to the asian supermarket at 6th and washington. i have an after-work commitment in cc tonight, so was looking for something immediately available. that convenience store sounds 100% perfect if they are open after 8. time to snoop! :)
thanks for the reply!
mung bean noodles (uncooked/dry/packaged) in center city?
hello everyone -
am having a jap chae craving and was wondering if there was any place to buy packaged mung bean noodles in center city. i can tromp on over to the nearby asian supermarket this weekend, but was wondering if there was a little grocery store downtown that would be helpful/on the way home.
also - i know that whole foods sells them, but man are they stupid expensive there. any other suggestions = awesome!
thankee....
Ethiopian
baltimore ave is your spot then (barryg's rec of abyssinia is also good and in the same neighborhood)
Dahlak Restaurant
Rated 3.6 out of 5.0
www.dahlakrestaurant.com - 4708 Baltimore Avenue, Philadelphia - (215) 726-6464
Gojjo Bar & Restaurant
Rated 3.6 out of 5.0
maps.google.com - 4540 Baltimore Avenue, Philadelphia - (215) 386-1444
Queen Sheba
rated 3.5 out of 5.0
www.queenofshebaphilly.com - 4511 Baltimore Avenue, Philadelphia - (215) 382-2099
cape me this weekend! oysters, seriously, just oysters!
yes, i know all about, and have nommed plenty, cape may (delaware) salts, which is why i was so bummed that i couldn't find any good information online! thanks, i will certainly call the distributor.
and thank you to maryanne06! i have been to the lobster house but i will definitely look into the other two suggestions. :)
cape me this weekend! oysters, seriously, just oysters!
hey everyone - i am having a mother of a time finding out anything about oyster eating in cape may....a friend is celebrating her 30th birthday this weekend there, and a bunch of us are coming down too. BUT! she is a vegetarian and is also allergic to seafood (thus putting the kibbutz on lots of grilled little lovelies, unless we wait for all of the veg food to be cooked first), so one other reveler and i are itching to slip away and slurp some oysters as often as possible. other than the cape may fish market, is there any sort of takeaway place that would suit our needs? we will have a car, though walking distance from the promenade is very good. a take out resto or fishmarket will definitely be good....
thank you so much! you have no idea how badly i/we are craving oysters. and we don't need the best oyster selection either, just a good fresh place that will shuck them for us (if they don't, tell me and i will bring my knife down).
Where can I watch World cup Cricket in Philly?
i hate to disappoint you, but finding cricket on tv in philly is a near impossible task. to be fair, the problem isn't with the bars but rather with the international television feeds. setanta and fox sports world have gone through so many changes in the past 5-10 years and unfortunately now focus primarily on soccer. even rugby can be tricky to find these days (unless it's england whose playing); i used to watch the super 12 (yes, now the super 14) regularly on the old fsw. every now and then, i call all of the english and irish bars/pubs in the city and ask about an important match going on and ask if they have it. when they say no, i recommend that they look into providing it. no one has changed their habits yet, but it makes me feel as though i am semi productive about it at least.....:)
if you find anything, please post back here.
mlk weekend escape to ocean city...any new food recs (wihtin 30 minute drive)?
hey y'all....my boyfriend and i are finally celebrating christmas and we'll be heading to 08226 this weekend. i/we typically cook but when we go out we hit up the crab shack (in the winter) and the deauville (and of course uncle bill's, m&m and occassionally the chatterbox), but i was wondering if there is anything else in oc or close by in margate, longport or ventnor that is good. recs for sea isle and strathmere are welcome of course, as are recs for off-island eating. we eat every type of food, though any sort of american, bistro, french, italian, hoagie, hot sandwich, thai, japanese, chinese, vietnamese, laotian, northern african, korean or south american food is most appreciated. a good hot dog joint is also an appreciated rec.
many, many thanks.....
lunch near Yards Brewing
oooph, all of these answers are thumbs down!!! johnny hots is all you need to know. directly across from penn treaty park, johnny hots makes some damn fine sausage sasndwiches and is definitely an nft-type philly joint.
all of the other answers before me are good recs if you want those kinds of places, except for dos segundos (always gets a thumbs down). i would especially second kraftwork, esp if you want to keep drinking....
Sangkee Noodle House (West Philly)
yes, sang kee is a very convenient and yummy addition to the neighborhood. you tagged the wrong restaurant though....:)
the duck udon and soft shell crab is also quite tasty, and i like most of their dumplings/dumpling-esque items. i actually like their big broth soups (the pho is terrible, no surprise there), though i have heard many people complain about them. that being said, their soups are VERY inconsistent and i have had straight up meh servings of them.
Shabu-Shabu in Philadelphia?
fuji mountain on chestnut street does shabu shabu. but i have never been. am itching to try it out though, LOVED eating shabu shabu in japan.
and i agree with pretty much everything barryg said, and will say that mexicali's buritos are v good, but definitely more californian than mexican.
and ramen is almost as scarce as good soba soups. le sigh. :(
ISO: excellent food, good drinks, while sitting at bar
my list - oyster house, village whiskey, good dog (for good food + good beer), osteria (more of an awesome pizza with a delicious glass of wine spot) and zavino. i hate to knock another poster's recs, but pub and kitchen has left me underwhelmed more times than i like to think about and it can be a douchebag factory to boot. it's not so bad midweek, but avoid it on the weekend....
if you want standard english pub fare (with good beer and excellent international sports), the dark horse is great.
I Need a Cachapa
i would have said maybe azafran, but they have been closed for a while now. maybe mixto? i didn't see it on their menu, but you never know.
Help! Venue for a drink with the Boss
where is your office? would you want to walk somewhere after work? and whatever you do, don't order a fruity cocktail or wine. men say they don't judge, but they judge.
and dmitri's = byo right? so you couldn't have a drink there anyway.....sofitel has been a traditional spot for this sort of thing for years now. if he's 50, he'll probably enjoy the p.y.t.s who serve drinks there....
Philly Food Truck Frenzy this Saturday 10.16 on Christian Street
that is so awesome that koja will be there! nom!!!!! dapper dog is a bit exciting too. ooh and honest thom's though i hate them since they are rarely in west philly (during the week) anymore. :)
Favorite Chinese places in Chinatown? Not bakeries, not dim-sum, not Thai/Burmese/Fusion
all good! yeah, there are definitely a lot of dim sum posts on here, i just wanted another perspective. :) thanks for your bakery observation though......
Favorite Chinese places in Chinatown? Not bakeries, not dim-sum, not Thai/Burmese/Fusion
the food dipped for a little bit at shiao lan kung, but it is v close to how good it used to be and it is still my number one (though sang kee is great too)....my biggest complaint since the old chef passed is that they don't stay open until three on the weekends anymore. :)
andrewlee - what were your conclusions on the top bakeries and dim sum joints (esp the dim sum)?
ensaymada in philly? i has a craving!
hello peeps! it feels like forever since i've been on here, busy summer = officially over though.
so, i am having a cold weather craving, ensaymada. anybody know where i can get some? i heard of a place in or near upper darby (not h mart, though if they have it there let me know please!) that sells it, but that's all i know. i am willing to drive to a bakery within an hour or so of philly, provided they are open on the weekends.
THANK YOU! and a special smooch for whomever knows of a spot to get my cheesey, sugary, buttery bread fix on....:)
Restaurant for a group near City Center, Philadelphia
i was thinking illuminare might be a good choice. italian restaurant in fairmount, very accessible from the river (2321 fairmount). pastas are in the $12-$17 range and pizzas are all around $15 (definitely split-able)....some of their entrees are a bit more expensive, but you can eat relatively cheaply here. and they do have a bar....not distinctively philadelphian though, unless you count the fact that we have so much excellent italian food here that good by anyone else's standards italian food is an afterthought. :)
Pregnant wife hungry -- HELP!!!
i know this isn't what you're asking for, but to give you a few alternatives, escarole soup is one of the easiest soups in the world to make. so is wonton if you buy the wontons ahead of time (and you can buy hundreds ahead of time so that you don't have to worry about your wife eating them all at once). any asian supermarket sells wonton soup flavor that you add to your soup, cook the wontons in the broth, easy peasy.
escarole soup needs fresh chicken stock to be its best, but you can substituted bouillon. if you are up that late at night, then you definitely have time to prepare it. and it goes like this....put two pots of water on - one to blanch the escarole, the other to boil some orzo or rice. blanch the escarole to get rid of some of the bitterness, take it out of the hot water and chop it as small as you like. cook the orzo to all dente (rice is fine too, but i prefer orzo or acina di pepe). add escarole and orzo to stock, don't forget to shred some chicken from the stock mix and that's it! if you want meatballs, i'd recommend making a ton in advance and keeping them in your freezer, thawing them and adding them to the soup as needed....chopping up some celery and carrots from your stock pot is always nice too, as is adding chicoria and savoy cabbage if you want to change it up....
Dinner near Wachovia Center for a party of 12.
if this is a mid-week meeting, you should all get on the broad street line and head into center city. there is nothing within walking distance of the wells fargo (fka wachovia center) and the ride only takes 10-15 minutes and you will have tons of options. i would also recommend places that take reservations so that you can stick to your schedule.
now what sort of foods would appeal to your group? asian, latin, american, upscale pub food, steaks (maybe too pricey), italian.....?
Lafayette Bistro
yep, have been and wanted to love it but only liked it. i was v excited that the chef was tunisian but unfortunately there aren't many northern african dishes on the menu. the couscous was especially disappointing, as was the tagine chicken. the grilled octopus app was good, but not particularly well-plated (not a big deal to me, but it put my bf off a bit), the stuffed mushrooms were also v nice and the pasta i had was good but not great/transcendental.....i think it was the capellini gamberi? i'd go again, and i'd advise you to bring a bottle of rose, it pairs best with most of the dishes.
The Saloon in Philly?
heh. i did say all sorts of people......:) i love dhani though.....
Bacon - sugar AND nitrate/nitrite free
would you be interested in smoking it yourself? if not, here is one in the area:
http://www.examiner.com/local-foods-in-philadelphia/hendrick-s-dairy-farm
Where Can I Get Crappy Fake Mexican Food?
i think el azteca is still there and is probably the best bet. las bugambilias is way too authentic for this me thinks....
Poutine?
it is close enough....poutine varies a bit in canada, but their's isn't too far from the norm.
ps - the OP is from 2007.....:)
Good time to visit Monk's cafe?
friday evening is NOT ok. :) though it is summertime, so if it is a good beach weather weekend you might be alright if you get there before 4. but if it is only two of you and you are flexible, you might get lucky.
traveling to malta, any recs?
thanks! i saw that thread but was fishing for more. :) good luck for next year, hopefully malta isn't going anywhere.....
traveling to malta, any recs?
heh, i work for a computational linguistic organization; never in a million years would i say their language is like arabic (and being of italian decent, ditto on the food)! this is a great rec, i probably won't spend much time eating in restaurants (am in malta for 8 nights) and knowing the local specialties = excellent. thank you!
