MrMarsellus's Profile
Rankings of Gatropubs/Pubs in Philly Region
It's a tough question because so much of a pub or "gastropub" is personal...do you want a nicer place with a relaxed vibe (Resurrection Ale House, Pub & Kitchen) or are you looking for a dive sort of place with great beer and food (Royal Tavern, Grace Tavern)?
Because of my neighborhood, I typically end up at either Varga Bar or Khyber...both are great. Irish Pol is also very underrated. Zero vibe whatsoever but always a great American craft beer lineup. I think they have 18 taps.
Also recently began going to Tapestry at 5th and Bainbridge. The selling point of this place for me is that they have a ridiculous beer list (24 taps) but also have a very strong cocktail and wine list for the girlfriend. If you haven't been, I'd highly recommend...a little off the beaten path, but worth it nonetheless.
Best Martinis in center city
Tapestry just opened up at 5th and Bainbridge...Katie Loeb is there, who is one of the better "mixologists" in the city and her martinis as well as other classic cocktails are phenomenal. They've also got a VERY extensive beer list so it's a pretty well rounded place. Something for everyone. And fair prices as well.
I've always found Farmers Cabinet a bit pretentious, but Franklin Mortgage is great as long as you're not looking to drink vodka (they refuse to serve vodka).
Baguette that actually tastes authentic
Agiato in Manayunk hired the original baker from Parc to produce all of the bread for the restaurant from their in-house bakery. The baguettes are phenomenal, and are actually sold every day at the Main Street Market, just a few doors away from the restaurant. According to a sign I saw, they just won Best Bread from Main Line Today Magazine. Definitely the crispiest crust I've seen in Philadelphia.
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Main Street Market
140 S Main St, Smyrna, DE 19977
Kanella Sunday meze menu?
I'd definitely recommend ordering one of each. You'll get to try more things...ordering two meat options is just doubling up on the same items.
If you are adventurous, I wouldn't even ask them what they're bringing and be surprised with every course!
Kanella Sunday meze menu?
Kanella is one of my favorite restaurants, and I have to say that I typically only eat there now for the Sunday meze menu. The price can't be beat ($30-$35) and you get to try a lot of different types of food. I'd highly recommend!
Where to get blood oranges?
Main Street Market in Manayunk usually has them.
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Main Street Market
140 S Main St, Smyrna, DE 19977
Le Pan Quotidien coming to Philly?
It's not Le Pan Quotidien, but Agiato is opening in Manayunk which seems to be a similar concept...small plates, cheeses, salads, soups and gourmet paninis. All of their breads are baked in-house too. I saw their menu at an event they were catering and it looks great. Can't wait to get there and try it. I think they are shooting for a November opening.
Joe Scarpone, the executive chef, formerly ran Sovalo in Northern Liberties and has worked at Tra Vigne in Napa Valley.
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Panini's
317 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Arancini-Fried Rice Balls
I was at a fundraiser a few weeks ago and Joe Scarpone, formerly of Sovalo, prepared the best arancini i've had outside of Italy. His new restaurant in Manayunk is opening up soon, one can only hope that they will be on the menu.
Weekend dinner between Manayunk and Chestnut Hill for 9, including 2 children
It's a shame the two new additions to the Manayunk dining scene aren't open yet. Agiato (An Italian cafe/wine bar from Chef Joseph Scarpone of Sovalo) and Rubb BBQ (Matt Levin from Lecroix) are both scheduled to open in late October.
Until then, there aren't a ton of options. Have you tried Chabaa Thai or Mango Moon? Both of these are nice restaurants, and you could probably find something simple on the menu for the kids.
Manhattan Chef's Table
The chef's table with Callichio sounds great, but unfortunately I'm looking for a Saturday night. We dined at Gordon Ramsay last year, so I was looking for something elsewhere. I have heard about the "cube" at Daniel, but I'm not sure if it can handle 6 people (some write-ups I've read about it indicate that it is a small area).
Has anyone had any experiences at Cafe Grey, Le Bernardin or Chanterelle? After doing some research I've found that these places all have Chef's Tables. At one point in time, I know that Alain Duscasse had a chef's table in the kitchen at the Essex House but i'm not sure about his new place.
Thanks everyone for your continuing help with this.
Manhattan Chef's Table
I will be in Manhattan in April with my family (6 of us) and was looking to do something a bit out of the ordinary. Usually we go to a nice dinner (Gordon Ramsay, Per Se, etc.) but this year I was thinking about finding a great restaurant with a Chef's table in the kitchen that we can dine at and have a interactive experience. I live in Philadelphia and several restaurants here offer this. Price is really no object, I just want great food and a great experience.
I looked on the boards and didn't find any discussions on this, but I find it hard to believe that none of the finer restaurants in Manhattan have a chef's table. Any input or reviews of chef's table experiences in Manhattan would be appreciated.
Need Rec for Italian in S. Philly
My two favorite italian restaurants in south philly right now are l'Angolo (Broad and Porter) and Paradiso (12th and Passyunk). I feel that both of these places go above and beyond typical southern italian food. The pasta dishes at l'Angolo are phenomenal, and Paradiso always has a very creative menu. I have lived in Italy as well, and these two places hit the nail on the head.
Maia in Villanova
Went here for the first time the other night, after giving the place time to work out the kinks for opening such a large restaurant. To be fair, I was seated downstairs and my expectations were not high based on what I've heard from reliable food sources but I wanted to give it a try anyway. The only positive thing I can say about the meal was that the Kobe Sliders weren't dry. Overall, the food was very bland and very uninspiring. Our waiter was not much help when asked for recommendations, and just seemed to be pushing the most expensive things on the menu. For a restaurant that so many people anticipated as finally bringing truly great food to the main line, i feel that it disappoints.
If you are looking for a nice place to go or drinks after work, Maia is perfect. If you're looking for a good experience with food, spend the time to go downtown.
Burritos in Philadelphia
Juice, i'm not crazy about Machismo's at all. While it is a nice concept (fresh vegetables and condiments, perfect location) the meat and rice leave much to be desired. At that, no one there really seems to care about the fact that the quality of the meat and rice is far below what should be expected at a place that's trying to front themselves as an authentic, fresh ingredient burrito bar. I would go to Qdoba or another high end chain before I went to Machismo's.
As for Jose's, i think that it's among the top burritos in the city.
North Broad Street
I just started working at a building on North Broad street in Philadelphia (Broad and Mt. Vernon to be exact) and was looking for some places not to miss in the area, preferably within walking distance but I'm willing to drive if I have to. Open to all cuisines, just looking for something that I shouldn't miss around here. Anyone have any ideas?
