bee cue's Profile
Vetri tomorrow night - best a la carte dishes?
The almond tortellini was transcendent--easily the greatest pasta dish I've ever eaten. The goat was decent, but not that earth shattering to me. I'd definitely get something different if I went back.
Zahav for big appetites?
I remembered this post and wanted to tell you that the Zahav roasted lamb shoulder dinner is a ton of food. I went there with a large group of guys and we walked away totally stuffed, and really enjoyed the meal. It's $42 a person for it, but drinks can add up quickly. Here's my writeup of it (with pics):
http://societyofgluttony.wordpress.com/2009/06/05/thank-you-sir-ill-zahav-another/
a good byob to try?
Second on the Pumpkin rec. Also, Salento on 23rd and Walnut is Italian, but not your typical red gravy Italian menu. My wife had a gnocchi dish there that was insanely good, and I'm usually not a gnocchi fan.
we're moving - where to eat before we go?
Maybe you caught a bad night? I've only been once, but it was with a group of 5 adventurous eaters, so we tried a ton of stuff, and everything was from very good to great (the aforementioned pork belly, shirred eggs and a lamb's tongue dish being standouts). David Ansill was there, overseeing everything and stopping by every table, so maybe that had something to do with it.
we're moving - where to eat before we go?
Ansil. I can't think of many places like it anywhere else, and the food is awesome. Get whatever variation of pork belly they have.
Where to go for Sunday brunch or lunch near Kimmel Center?
It would be about a 6 block walk, but brunch at Meritage is excellent, and rarely crowded. They have a deal of bloody Marys and mimosas, as well. The Eggs Oscar (poached eggs, crab, hollondaise) is insanely good. Here's their menu:
http://www.meritagephiladelphia.com/id32.html
favorite soup in philly?
Not a specific soup per se, but N. 3rd has awesome special soups nightly. Some are a little funky, some are updates on classics (I had an amazing Italian wedding soup there, and I was skeptical of even ordering it) ,but they're always good. Call ahead and see what they're serving that night, and take the plunge.
Mandoline closing (but good news...)
Wow, I really wish you the best with everything. Like I wrote before, Mandoline was one of my favorites, so it looks like my wife (who loves the goat cheese cake) and I will make our way up to Deuce. Good luck with your family!
Mandoline closing (but good news...)
Man, that totally stinks. I loved Mandoline, but saw that it was never that busy and feared this might happen. I just called and was unable to get a reservation before the closing. It's nice that he's going to Deuce, but I don't think the level of cooking at Mandoline will be able to transfer to a bar atmosphere/menu that easily.
great tacos in CC
I had a steak taco (okay) and one of the fish tacos, which I thought was outstanding. It was the battered grouper, with a spicy mayo, cabbage and onion. I could eat that all day.
Bistro 7 for Dinner
3rd on Mandoline. Doesn't get the hype of some of the other BYOs in town, but I've always had very good to excellent New American food every time we've gone. Good service as well.
La Viola, Mosholu, James, etc.
While I think Ansill might be the best restaurant in Philadelphia, I don't know if I'd take a nine-year old there. She sounds like an adventurous eater and I'd hate to ruin that when she sees things like lamb's tongue on the menu (which, btw, is delicious). I think Osteria is great choice.
Eggs Benedict in Philly
I haven't had them in a while, but one standout I remember was at Rembrant's in Fairmount. They have a dish called Eggs Basildict, which is an Italian-ish twist on the dish, with poached eggs, sweet Italian sausage and a tomato basil cream. Really great, and this reminds me to go back for them!
Do Ramps grow in Pennsylvania ?
I also saw them at the new Pumpkin Market on South. They have a small amount of fresh produce there, so I'd call ahead.
Best happy hours in Philly?
Saturninus's list is a great start. I'd also add the Sansom St. Oyster House, if you like seafood. They usually have one type of oysters or clams for ridiculously cheap ($2.50 for half doz), several other $5 food specials and a wine and beer special.
best sandwich at reading terminal market
I finally was able to tear myself away from the roast pork at DiNic's and went with their Italian pulled pork, and I must say, I might not ever go back. Juicy, super flavorful and really unique. I got sharp provolone on it, but it really didn't need it. In fact, I'd get it without next time.
Next is no more!
It's a shame. I really enjoyed a dinner there about a year and a half ago. Too bad that a BYO with creative cooking folds, yet 4,000 medicre Italian BYOs are packed to the gills (which isn't to say there aren't good Italian BYOs, but there are too many medicre ones).
Fun (possibly ethnic) spots with good food near or in Philly
Marrakesh and Fez are both good choices, and I'd also suggest Vietnam. They have a cool little lounge upstairs with comically named drinks and the food is really good and reasonably priced.
Philadelphia Pizza Place: Mama Palma's
I too must disagree. I live around the corner and MP is one of our favorites. The service is usually fantastic with us, but we tend to go on weeknights when it's less frantic. We love their traditional margherita pizza and their herbed sausages make for a great topping. We also love their Santa Fe pizza, which we know is nothing close to authentic Italian, but the loads of cilantro make it a delicious meal nonetheless.
best soup?
Of the non-Asian place soups, I've never been let down by the soups at N. 3rd. The chef comes up with new ones nightly, and last night there were 3 options: a spicy gaspacho, a tomato bisque with garlic croutons and parmesan, and a split pea with bacon and chives. With the dreary, cool weather, my wife and I tried the two hot soups. The tomato bisque was outstanding, with big chunks of ripe tomatoes throughout. The split pea contained a nice amount of smokey bacon and was very good. Washing it down with a Sly Fox stoudt was the perfect match for a damp, cool night. I had a sweet potato soup there last fall that I still think about. Definitely worth checking out, and at $5 for a very big bowl, they're a good bargain.
A recent dinner at Pumpkin (17th and South)
I recently went there 3 times over a month long period because we were going to host my rehearsal dinner there. All three meals were really top notch, and my father--a big time foodie from the San Francisco area--was really, really impressed. The mussels there were among the best I've ever had, and there wasn't a clunker among our dishes. We wanted to host our dinner there, but it was just too small for our party.
BYOB in Philly for tomorrow night
Melegrano is closed for the month of August. I think they re-open Sept. 7. For another suggestion, I recently had a nice meal at Audrey Claire, which kind of gets lost because it was one of the first BYOBs. It seemed like it was back on track after a little while of inconsistency in the kitchen. It's pretty simply prepared food with Mediterranean slant to it. It's at 20th and Spruce.
