lawgirl3278's Profile
looking great food in a low decibel atmosphere
I found Fork to be much quieter than most of the noisy restaurants in the area.
Have you ever eaten at a restaurant that got made over BEFORE the makeover, and then saw it on TV?
I have. I ate at Chiarella's in Philadelphia a few times before it was on Kitchen Nightmares. Fortunately, the place wasn't dirty or unsanitary, just a dated menu with bad management. Any time I ate there I thought it was very good. I haven't been back since the show, but I've heard good things.
Is Ramen MSG-free?
Hi all,
I'm curious to try all the new ramen places opening up around here, but I can't eat MSG. Does ramen usually use MSG? I unfortunately have to abstain from pho, and I'm hoping I won't have to do the same for ramen. Thanks!
Dinner/drinks near Union Transfer
Checking out Galactic tonight, first time at the venue. Looking for casual dinner and drinks. I'm thinking Prohibition Taproom. How is it? Anyplace else nearby worth checking out? Thanks!
Top Chef Texas Finale Part 1 - Ep. #16 - 02/22/12 (Spoilers)
Could they have pushed the Morton's Salt any harder this episode? Within the first 15 minutes of the show all you heard was, "Where's the salt?" "Does this need salt?" "Can I have your salt?""Oh it's Morton's Salt"
Anyone watch Portlandia the TV show skewer foodies? (possible spoiler)
The Allergy Pride Parade was pretty funny too
Perrier out at Le Bec Fin
Kind of saw this coming....
http://philadelphia.foobooz.com/2012/02/11/the-end-of-an-era-georges-perrier-cedes-control-of-le-bec-fin/
Top Chef Texas - Ep. #13 - 02/01/12 (Spoilers)
"Drinking makes my writing a bit easier to understand, and I recommend something culled from the Girl Drink Drunk skits on Kids in the Hall. Get those blenders set up."
lol....Girl Drink Drunk was the best skit. Hugh is the man.
Carangi Bakery Nightmare (Paoli)
Their South Philly location is open. I just got rolls from there around New Year's. Delicious as always!
Top Chef Texas - Ep. #10 - 01/11/12 (Spoilers)
Beverly's an odd bird for sure, but I don't think she deserves the vitriol that's spewed by the female chefs. And I thought it was totally f'ed up that after Bev won that Sarah announced to the group that Lindsey should have won. Congratulate the poor thing or just shut up!
Bourdain in San Francisco for Layovers
I can't believe how trashed he was. It was hilarious. Definitely made me miss San Francisco, I'll have to go back soon!
Good completely MSG-free Chinese restaurants?
After watching A Christmas Story five times (thanks TBS), I realized how much I miss Chinese food.
I have a strong MSG sensitivity and can't eat at places that use it at all (please spare the MSG debate, I get migraines from MSG, mushrooms, some aged cheeses, etc.). Can anyone recommend some good places in Chinatown that are MSG free? Thanks and happy new year!
Looking for great meatballs
Another vote for Talluto's here. This South Philly Italian girl is very picky about store bought meatballs, and theirs are very good. I also like Francoluigi's takeout.
Top Chef Texas - Ep. #5 - 11/30/11 (Spoilers)
The housewives were terrible. I can't remember who made the salad (Whitney?), and I said, "She spent all that time just to make a salad, but I bet the blond toothpicks would love it." Sure enough, they were fans. They probably eat, sleep and breathe salads.
Warm Cozy Cafe with Fireplace and Hot Chocolate?
I'm a fan of the fireplace and couch area at Hawthorne, but I don't think they serve hot chocolate there.
We came, we ate, we enjoyed!
Glad you had a good time. You mentioned your pork sandwich was bitter - was it from the broccoli rabe? I'm not a fan either, I get the sandwich without it. And the salmon from the Thai place is one of my favorites - such a good deal!
Restaurant Near Marriott Downtown
Definitely Midtown Village area (13th & Walnut/Chestnut). Good options of all kinds: Sushi (Raw); Asian (Sampan); Pizza (Zavino); Mexican (El Vez); Italian (Barbuzzo), etc.
Ripert's "A Taste of Le Bernardin" - A brief review
We had 4 preparations for the fluke. The Peruvian was first and the Caribbean was last. They were both very different - the Peruvian was more light and acidic and the Caribbean had denser flavors.
Ripert's "A Taste of Le Bernardin" - A brief review
I think the portion sizes were appropriate for a 5 course meal. The bacaleo salad was on the smaller side. The salmon and bass were about entree-size. We left full, but not stuffed!
Ripert's "A Taste of Le Bernardin" - A brief review
I went to 10 Arts last night for the Le Bernadin dinner, so I thought I'd provide a brief review.
I've never been to Le Bernardin - mostly because I can't afford it. The dinner last night definitely wasn't cheap, but it's cheaper than Le Bernardin (and closer), so I thought I'd give it a try. I am so glad I did, because it was one of the best meals I've ever had. There was a lot of flavors, so I'll try to remember as much as I can!
We did not do the wine flight, but shared a bottle of prosecco.
Fluke ~ Progressive Tasting of Marinated Fluke; From Simple to Complex
4 styles of fluke - Peruvian, Mediterranean, Japanese and Caribbean. The Peruvian was very light and acidic - typical ceviche style. The Med had tomato and basil - very fresh and bright. The Caribbean had coconut milk and was very rich - made me long for the lazy moonlight dinners I had in St. Lucia.
Bacalao ~ Grilled Salted Cod; Hearts of Baby Romaine, “Caesar Vinaigrette”
A perfect, light little salad. I've always been adverse to salted cod (the sight of the dry, stiff slab in my grandmother's kitchen as a kid freaked me out), but now I realize how delicious it can be. Small dabs of pepper sauce around the plate gave it some nice heat.
Salmon ~ Barely Cooked Salmon; Wasabi-Bean Purée, Yuzu Emulsion
Best piece of cooked salmon I've ever had. Firm but just the right amount of rare center. The yuzu butter sauce was ridiculous - I should have kept a piece of bread to soak it all up!
Striped Bass ~ Sautéed Striped Bass; Pickled Cucumbers, Black Garlic-Persian Lime Sauce
To me, there is nothing like a perfectly cooked piece of fish. Not even steak imo. This was heaven. Perfect grill on the outside, dense and juicy in the middle. The black garlic sauce was dark and decadent, with a hint of pomegranate for sweetness. Excellent companion for the bass.
Mont Blanc ~ Roasted Chestnut Cream, Meringue, Pear
A lovely fall dessert. The taste reminded me of the windmill cookies I used to get at school (sounds silly, but I mean it as a good thing).
Also included was a small bite of brownie and a pumpkin gelee cube.
In sum, a wonderful, complex dining experience. Eric Ripert came to every table to chat. I'll admit I was a bit starstruck, but he was very friendly and gracious.
If you haven't made a reservation, I highly recommend it!
A Taste of Le Bernardin at 10 Arts
Thanks fam...now I'm even more excited! I will report back on the dinner.
Chiarella's and Zocalo on Kitchen Nightmares
From citypaper.net. I'm kind of surprised about Chiarella's, athough it was usually pretty empty when I was there. The food was always very good though.
Two local down-on-their-luck restaurants are getting a Gordon Ramsay reno next month when his show Kitchen Nightmares comes to town to film. First up: red-sauce BYOB Chiarella's (1603 E. Passyunk), which will shoot from Nov. 8 to 11. After, Ramsay and crew will head to West Philly to reinvigorate the Mexi menu at Zocalo (3600 Lancaster Ave.) from Nov. 12 to 15. If you want to be among the breathless, relaunch-night diners, the producers are currently accepting reservations. Don’t call the restaurants: Email the show at phillyrest@gmail.com with “Chiarella’s" or "Zocalo" in the subject line. Include your name, party size and the best number to reach you. And don't try double-dipping; you can only dine at one restaurant or the other. Producers will begin making calls next week.
A Taste of Le Bernardin at 10 Arts
I just got a reservation for Tuesday's dinner - can't wait!
Layover in Philadelphia
There's not much near the airport for dinner. The only place that I can think of would be Scannicchio's, which is not far from the Broad Street exit of I-95 Southbound (about 15 mins from airport). It's a small Italian BYOB with good food. Not the best in the city, but definitely a nice dinner. You could eat there through rush hour and hop right back on the highway.
Planning help for Philly trip
Tinto and a.kitchen are walking distance from your hotel. Tria is a great place for drinks and snacks. On Sundays, they offer a "Sunday School" deal where a certain beer, wine and cheese are half price.
Not food related, but since you're coming in December, I recommend walking over to Macy's to check out the Xmas light show. It's been a Philly Xmas tradition for decades, and while it's definitely old school, most people who check it out really like it. Enjoy your trip!
Help with a good sushi spot
I'm a big Shiroi Hana fan. Not the best in the city, but always good and the service is great.
ISO The Best Croissants in the Philadelphia Area
I really like the chocolate almond ones at Artisan Boulanger Patissier. Their croissant breakfast sandwiches are a great hangover cure as well :)
Trevi in Glenside - at last, something good in the 'hood!
I ate at Trevi a couple of weeks ago with six girlfriends and a toddler. One of my friends lives nearby and just had twins, so we wanted to get her out of the house someplace nearby for a nice dinner.
I emailed in advance regarding our large party, and everyone was very accommodating. Everything we ordered was very good (I recommend the brussels sprouts white pie and the margherita pie) and service was great. The owner actually emailed me a day later to check to see if everything was ok, which was unexpected and very nice.
If you live in the hood, I highly recommend it for good pizza and pasta. If I'm in the area, I would definitely go back.
