feklar42's Profile
Boston Hounds need Philly rec near South 2nd
I'm not sure how quiet it is at night, but Beneluxx on third is near there and is fun to hang around, many good beers, wines, cheese and chocolate.
Ideas for 40th bday dinner?
I always enjoy 20 Manning. It's menu has a variety of pricing options that work for people with contrasting wallet sizes. The cocktails and food has always been good and the service nice. It's very pleasant inside and out for chatting and eating, though inside is a more comfortable for bigger parties.
I would also suggest
Dinner near PAFA-tomorrow!
There are a number of restaurants between seventh and ninth on Chestnut, including Chifa, which I like. In the same row is a Malaysian place I have not been to called Aqua. Morimoto and Jones are also along there. And there is a El Azteca Tex-Mex place if you want to go really simple.
Buttercream (aka The Cupcake Truck) Review
Thanks for the link--I think. I'm not sure I have to patience to sort through the clutter, to find the actual useful posts. :-)
Buttercream (aka The Cupcake Truck) Review
How do you find out where they are scheduled to be? It sounds like it might be fun.
Polish American Festival at Doylestown shrine over labor day weekend and the next weekend too
Thanks for posting this. It sounds fun. I will be checking it out with a couple of friends.
Review: Amada, Philadelphia
That is sad. I loved my trip to Amada. I wonder if you're right about them opening too many places in close succession+.
First-time visitor looking for lots of guidance!
If you are going to ultimo, then you should definitely check out the South Philly Termini location. I love the old-fashioned look. They also say they have macaroons, though I've never tried them. It is not a sitdown place, so you might want to go there first then ultimo.
1523 South 8th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
First-time visitor looking for lots of guidance!
1. Depending on where you are staying it may be a little out of the way, but Ray's Cafe & Tea House Inc, 141 N Ninth St, is worth a visit. It looks like a divey Chinese restaurant, but has truly excellent siphon-brewed coffee
2. I don't think French-style pastry shops are as big here as Italian style. Try Isgro's or Termini in South Philadelphia. Capo Giro is as good as any gelato I had in Italy with more inventive flavors.
3. As has been mentioned there fair number of choices, another one to consider is Farmacia--http://www.farmiciarestaurant.com/
Personally, I like Fork better but the food's good at Farmacia -- they also have brunch if you want to have a celebratory dinner somewhere else.
4. There are really too many choices here. The one at Lacroix is probably the most mind blowing but most places that do good food and do a brunch, the brunch will be good.
No Place to eat Anniversary Dinner!...Help!
The Palm's membership club always has a couple of good specials. Right now it's a steak+side+app for $40 and a 4 lb lobster dinner for two for about $90. You may not need to be a member to get the special, but here's the page:
http://www.thepalm.com/index.cfm?page_id=277
Enroll now, and start earning your 837 Club Points today! Simply complete and submit the application with a one time $25 enrollment fee to become a member. Upon application approval, a temporary 837 Club membership card will be displayed on your screen. Print that page, and keep your temporary 837 Club Membership Card with you each time you dine at The Palm. A permanent 837 Club Membership Card and a $25.00 Gift Certificate will arrive in the mail in aprroximately 3-4 weeks.
What are your recs near the Kimmel?
I've always had a good evening at Sotto Varalli. I've had a good meal at Valanni also.
Lacroix Catalonia Wine/Tasting menu
I wanted to report on the dinner. In short it was awesome. Awesome, awesome, awesome. Did I mention it was good?
Lacroix is on the second floor of the Rittenhouse Hotel. The restaurant has mostly modern decor leaving attention for the diners and the windows with views of the park. The more interior section of the restaurant has decor that suggests country French. As you can guess, the service is pleasantly efficient and attentive. Throughout the dinner, they were very generous with the wine, I think I had at least two portions of each.
The evening started with a complimentary glass of Sparkling Wine -- I wish I had thought to ask of the name, it was delicious. Lightly fruity and sweet tiny bubbles. The guests mingled a bit before being seated. Since I was alone, I was fortunate enough to be seated at a table of eight, most of whom were regulars. Most of us enjoyed international travel and the conversations were quite interesting.
Once seated, we started with a watermelon gazpacho amuse bouche to set the stage.
This was followed by the Priorato, Baranc dels Closos, 2006 (a nice, clean white wine) and what was described as "Paella Crackers with Saffron Dip" but was really more like a deconstructed paella. There was a large amoebic "cracker" accompanied by a half dozen shelled mussels and a small pile of paella rice. The chef came by after the dinner and explained how the cracker was made by soaking in mussel broth before drying and frying. It was interesting, but this, sadly, was the only dish I didn't particularly like. Part of the problem is I don't like shellfish. So for me, it was almost a positive that I felt the mussels were fairly tasteless; however, my neighbor commented that she thought the mussels were quite good and "extraordinarily clean". However, I also thought the rice (which was mixed with small pieces of vegetable and a light tomato sauce) was kind of bland.
The next course featured a red wine -- Montsant, Sycar, Celler el Masroig, 2004. This had a rich, but not overwhelmingly so, flavor that worked excellently with the next dish: Veal Collar, Idiazabal, Black Garlic, Long Beans. This was actually a Catalan version of a cannelloni stuffed with stewed veal, the Idiazabal cheese was melted over the pasta tube and the long beans were on the side. This was a very tasty, satisfying dish -- warm and comforting with the softness of the "cannelloni" contrasting the crispy beans.
The third course featured Priorato (red), Penasau, Ceps Nous, 2005, another red. This was a noticeably darker red wine that left a strong, tannic flavor on the tongue. It was a bit more tannin than I usually like, but again, when paired with the dish the flavors of both the wine and food enhanced each other amazingly. The dish was Blackberry Flank Steak, Smoked Watermelon Rind, Corn, Hazelnut. The flank steak was perfect -- a deep pink on the inside, brown on the edges with a dark purple Blackberry sauce. The smoked watermelon rind seemed almost more pickled -- it was transparent and a tiny bit vinegary. The corn was actually more like a polenta mousse. It seemed lighter than air and had only a hint of corn and creamy/buttery flavor. Afterwards, the chef told us it'd been made with agar agar. When all the flavors combined on a fork it made for a truly interesting and pleasing combination of textures and flavors.
Finally, for dessert, we had the Cava, Rosado (sparkling rosé), Mont Marcal, NV, this was actually a bit drier and more tart than the complimentary sparkling wine we started with, which surprised me -- I usually expect dessert wines to be sweeter. The Tarta de Manzana was an apple tart with a light pastry accompanied by a puréed pear sauce, cream and a small scoop of ice cream (Crema Catalana y Helado de Limón). It was a sedate and pleasant end to a meal that have been strong on rich, savory flavors.
After we finished, the Chef de Cuisine, Jason Cichonski, came by and spoke to each table, followed by the pattissier. Each talked a little about the dishes and how they came up with them. Both were very charming young men. :-)
Sadly, I have no photos, but everything was beautifully presented -- bright complementary colors with pleasing shapes and combinations of textures. I am also not a wine connoisseur, so I can't comment on the origins on the qualities of the wine as some of my companions could. But I definitely felt I learned/experienced something about the tastes and textures of wine and how they pair with food.
Philadelphia - The City of Puppy Love
You mean that Good Dog allows dogs inside? Michael's Café on Passyunk and Capogiro allow dogs inside also. I've been wondering what the sanitary regulations are on that.
Anyways, to answer the OP, I like to walk to Michaels Café on Passyunk, sometimes if I'm feeling fancy, Paradiso. Estia has been friendly (the waiter talks to me about my dog breed in addition to offering water) and it has a really nice portico-style roof over its sidewalk dining area that is particularly nice on potentially rainy days, as it's deep enough that it takes gale force winds to hit the diners.
Most of the Broad Street sidewalk restaurants welcome dogs. Du Jour offers water to dogs, as does Caribou Café and Marathon Grill. Vintage and El Vez will both offer your dog water if you ask. Obviously, all of the Rittenhouse places are dog friendly, but I particularly like 20 Manning.
The only two places with sidewalk dining have been to that don't allow dogs are Pietro's and Cuba libre. To be fair, I don't think Cuba libre's can be entered from the outside.
$18.00 Cowboy Ribeye at Butcher and Singer
If you can do a lunch around there, you might try Capital Grill's Ribeye sandwich for $17. It's always been delicious for me and had no more than a rind of fat on the end/side.
Philly question---Union Trust or Butcher and Singer
I haven't been to Union Trust, but of the Steak Houses I've been to, I'd rank them as follows:
Barclay Prime--nothing to be said
Capital Grill--their service is great--they remember me and know where I like to sit, etc., the beef is excellent (I love the kona rub option), there are more entree options than B&S, though fewer desserts
I'd put B&S and the Palm about the same--Palm is slightly less expensive and a more casual setting, service is good--again, they remember me and my preferences--they have more entree options also, their sides are great, their desserts ok, but not fabulous. B&S has a formal atmosphere and decor, but it's also a fun setting. I feel like their entree and side selections are more limited, but they have excellent desserts. I did once get a filet that was cooked beyond my request of rare and they replaced it, but they rushed the replacement (I was with a 4 person party) and it was a little too cold, but overall I've had good meals there and enjoy it.
Morton's--standard steak house, stuffier atmosphere than the others. not bad, but I definitely like others better, the only reason I'd go back would be for a souffle which I love, but they are hard to find.
Del Frisco's--worth going to for the architecture alone--it's awesome. The atmosphere feels stuffier, but they have the waitresses running around looking like go-go girls. The food is good and there are some interesting variations on the steak house theme, but it just doesn't click with me.
Ruth's Chris--standard, underwhelming compared to the others IMO.
Not ranked option: Davio's--I haven't been there in years, but I did like the food a lot. I remember I had an excellent rack of lamb.
Ba Le at 6th and Washington
Thanks for the recs. and the link. The Bahn Mi sounds good.
Ba Le at 6th and Washington
I live near the Wing Phat/Nam Phoung mall, so I've never gone to the one further east. But everytime I pass Ba Le, I think I should check it out. Does anyone have any suggestions for what's good there? Any recs for the other shops?
Philadelphia restaurant dishes that you dream about
The Frozen Ginger Parfait with honeycomb sponge at 10 Arts. It's so delicate you could easily eat 2...which I have seriously considered.
Nodding Head's Cajun Steak Sandwich with spanish fries; if I'm in the mood for less pepper and more flavorful steak, the rib-eye sandwich at Capital Grill calls my name.
Casual brunch for 40 people in Center City?
Estia has two really nice private dining rooms (downstairs, one is in an enclosed room, the other has a private bar) and they do a weekend brunch.
It's not Center City, but I have seen a number of weekend brunch/midafternoon parties held at Paradiso on Passyunk. I don't know if they do anything during the week or not, but it is a very nice space, with comfortable seating, good food, and gracious service.
I have also been to a very nice brunch buffet service meeting at the Ritz near City Hall. Since you would be renting your own meeting space, it can be as casual or stuffy as you want.
I don't know if the Wanamaker's Crystal tea room is still in business, but years ago my company had a lovely Christmas party there.
I think Maggiano's also has meeting space. Depending on what you want, Lucky Strike might also be an option. Dave & Buster's also does large parties.
4 Nights in PHL, pt3 - Tacos Don Memo, Matyson
Regarding Han Wool: yes, as noted, it is a place where, if you only have an hour, you can get a decent non-standard meal. I'm not a fan of hamburgers, burritos, pizza, avocado-sprout sandwiches..., So I like it a lot better than White Dog (kind of bland and uninteresting to me) and most of the other options in the immediate vicinity of the University. Fortunately, I work in Center City and rarely have to worry about where to get a good meal.
Regarding Ethiopian: not being much of a foodie, I can't really deconstruct it the way you do, but... I don't think having a food as spicy as possible is the end-all, be-all, but for me Ethiopian is a cuisine that gets better the spicier it is. In the US, my experience has been that the further north you go, the less spicy food is in general and Ethiopian in particular -- with the exception of one restaurant in Cambridge, M.A.
The Ethiopian I had when I lived in New York tended to be so minimally spiced as to be almost bland. In Philadelphia, it seems to vary from cook to cook (or possibly, some cooks lower the spice for non-ethnic guests). In Washington, DC, the Ethiopian was at its most consistently spiciest. Maybe because it's further south? Also, I suspect DC Ethiopian is probably the spiciest because there is a disproportionately large population of immigrants (Ethiopian and otherwise) with a bigger appetite for highly spiced foods. The general flavor and cooking style seems consistent in my experiences across the three cities; the main difference seems to be the level of spice. The Ethiopian I've had in the Cambridge/Boston restaurant wasn't as spicy as in DC (sometimes not as spicy as Philadelphia), but the cook there seems to consistently provide a unique and tongue-tingling blend of spices that I really like. I try to go every time I am in/around Boston.
4 Nights in PHL, pt3 - Tacos Don Memo, Matyson
I haven't seen your previous posts, so I don't know what restaurants you've tried in the University area before but here are a couple of recommendations that aren't very "foodie" :-) but make for some nice non-standard meals:
You might have enough time to squeeze in a quick ride further west for Ethiopian (Dahlak, or Abyssinia, which is closer -- I think at 41st (?)). Ethiopian restaurants seem to change slightly with every city I've been in -- bland in NYC, super spicy in DC, nicely in between (but a little spicier than Philadelphia) in Boston.
There is also a Korean restaurant called Han Wool near the University at 36th and Chestnut. I like Pastoral in Center City better, but a Korean acquaintance prefers Han Wool -- she hasn't had a chance to try Miga which I like better than both.
Almost forgot, Marigold and RX are also a little further west of the University. I have heard good things about Marigold, but haven't had the chance to try it. RX I have only been to for brunch but a number of people seem to like it for lunch and dinner.
2 nights in PHL... The best the city has to offer... Where should we go?
If I had only two nights, I would go to Amada and Lacroix. But there are obviously a number of options.
As mentioned above, Fork is good and an old Philadelphia standby. People seem to stay away from mentioning the big names: Le Bec Fin and Lacroix. I personally like Lacroix better, though Le Bec Fin offers great lunch and dinner menus and tasting menus. Lacroix offers very good French food with a lovely view of Rittenhouse Square Park. Also a very nice place to walk around before or after dinner. I am also very fond of Beneluxx (extensive selection of cheeses, beers and wines with a few Belgian dishes, and fondues) which might make a nice lunch or afternoon stop.
Others that haven't been mentioned, but are nice: Oyster House, Pumpkin, Roberto's. A lot of people also like Matyson, Kanella, and Bibou. Of the three, I am most excited to try Bibou myself. You might also want to make the trek to West Philly for Ethiopian (Dahlak or Abyssinia) it is a bit different than in NYC -- though I think it is better in Washington DC.
I dissent from the mainstream and that I was underwhelmed with Osteria and Tinto. However, I love Amada -- another Garces restaurant. I recommend Amada to any visitor who likes food and is a little adventurous. It is more fun with a large party though because there is so much to try. Amada is also nice because it is in an old area of town that is pleasant to walk around both on the downside and the riverfront. Although I was disappointed with Osteria, I am still very interested in trying a Vetri tasting menu. Vetri is near Valanni and in a nice -- though more modern -- area to walk around afterwards.
You might want to check out some of the reviews of the Garces' restaurants before you make a decision, there are many, including my own:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/633501
I am new to the forum, however, here are a few recommendations threads I've seen:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/624469
the author of this one seems to have done some pretty extensive research, you might check out her posts:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/640423
these recommendations are little further afield from Center City, but not far:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/645387
SoSo recommendations
yeah, MG is definitely another wrk day only one. I like their bisquits, grits and fritattas.
Bacon stack sounds intriguing, lol.
Zhi-Wei-Guan: Philly
I just tried calling their phone number and it is out of order, so I am guessing they are closed. Which is rather sad.
Lacroix Catalonia Wine/Tasting menu
Also, Lacroix is the place that introduced me to Roomano aged Gouda, with which I am in love.
Lacroix Catalonia Wine/Tasting menu
I suspect it will just be me. I have been drooling over their tasting menus for a year now and this is the first one on a date I could actually make, so I am definitely going. I know it's pricey, but I figure a bottle of good wine and a tasting menu would cost me $90-$100 at most good restaurants and this way I get to at least try five different wines.
SoSo recommendations
I live a couple of blocks from El Jarocho. So maybe I'm a little biased, but they are my favorite. Their chicken tacos are great and some of the "stirfry" dishes are good too. I think the one I like best is the Alambre. They are also good neighbors -- the owner waves to me as I walked to work and cops always stop there for lunch.
Estia
I love Estia. I'm glad I work a couple of blocks away and can just stop by for the Estia chips, stuffed grape leaves, and other appetizers. For dinner, the swordfish kebab and moussaka are excellent.
SoSo recommendations
I ended up finding there is too much to list without knowing what kind of food you are looking for, so places I have successfully taken people:
--Divan--turkish, bring cash, just in case--is in your area.
--Due east of you, the Italian Market is full of Italian places (I prsonally don't like Ralph's, but my mom loves it) also Isgro's pastries, Sarcone's bread, Sabrina's (intolerable wait for weekend brunch, but usually ok on work days and evenings--I like their Mexican fusion dishes). the Italian Market runs south all the way to Washington, at which point you hit one of the big Asian market/restaurant areas and Taqueria Veracruzano (my aunt loves, my mom hated, I like the taqueria in my area better).
--Morning Glory is good for breakfast/lunch. I'm also fond of Fitzwater Cafe at 6th and Fitz. for brunch/lunch.
--Famous 4th gives a fairly genuine take on NYC jewish deli fare--my mom loved it, her BF from Tennessee had never seen anything like it.
On the fancier side, there's also Gayle, Southwark, Little Fish, Beau Monde, Dimitri's, Saloon, Royal Tavern, Vesuvio (a bar with decent food).
