Food Country Restaurant Reviews serving the Delaware Valley

Beau Monde Creperie

2008-08-20T16:52:00.011-04:00

This authentic French creperie is located just a block from the lively South Street shops and bars in Philadelphia, and offers both elegant indoor and outdoor dining.

Beau Monde’s crepe menu is divided into two categories: savory and sweet. For either type, you can either order from a list of house recommendation crepes, or you can get creative and build your own crepe from a bevy of filling options. The savory crepes, which generally run for about $12-14, are served in a thin buckwheat pancake and can include fillings such as cheese or sauce and meats such as ham, chicken breast, andouille sausage, or fish, and vegetables such as tomatoes, mushrooms, or roasted leeks. The sweet crepes, usually from about $8-10, are made with wheat flour and also feature numerous options, such as flavored butter, chocolate, fresh fruit, ice cream, or custard.

Jeff’s Take:
For my savory crepe, I went with the coq au vin—a classic French dish that’s slow cooked with chicken, red wine, baby onions, mushrooms, carrots, and pancetta. Generally, coq au vin is great with some crusty French bread, but the idea of wrapping it up in a crepe intrigued me. While the coq au vin is included on the build-your-own menu, I ordered the version from the house recommendations section, which included swiss cheese and herbed butter. Beau Monde’s crepe-style coq au vin had a lot of the delicious, rich flavors that make this dish so good, and the swiss cheese added a nice bite to it. The presentation was especially impressive, as the neatly folded, crispy square crepe gave no hint of the sauce that would spill out as soon as I cut it. The one shortfall here was the chicken. Coq au vin is so much better when bone-in chicken is used, since the dark meat goes great with the robust flavors, and the meat stays juicier. Unfortunately Beau Monde used cubes of boneless chicken breast for this dish. The substitution makes practical sense for this purpose, since bone-in chicken can’t be served in a crepe. But the chefs at Beau Monde could simply de-bone the chicken before serving, and it would make up for this dish’s one flaw.

For my sweet crepe, I built my own, with fresh seasonal berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries), milk chocolate, and vanilla custard sauce. While the berries and chocolate were delicious, the custard sauce was a mistake, as it was a little too thin and lacking in enough vanilla flavor.

While not perfect, these are very good, authentic crepes, and Beau Monde is always a fun and reasonably priced restaurant with great atmosphere.

Mike's Take:
For my entree I went with the house recommended Chicken, Cheddar and Broccolli crepe. I have to agree with a lot of what Jeff has already said about the presentation, atmosphere, and food of Beau Monde. The presentation of the crepes is very impressive. Each crepe is neatly served as a clean little pillow of deliciousness. I was also very happy with both the interior and outdoor patio at Beau Monde which very accurately captures the feel of the Brasseries of France and Paris. Let's get back to the food. Beau Monde had everything going for it prior to my sampling of the chicken in my crepe. Don't get me wrong, the crepe was very delicious and the creamy cheese sauce was a delectable highlight, but as I chewed the chicken I was a little miffed. The sauces of the savory crepe really help disguise the rubbery diced chicken used in the crepe...I had to verify my suspicions by eating the plain piece of chicken (Beau Monde places your prime ingredients in the middle of the crepe to identify the dishes) on top of my crepe. So ultimately I was very let down by the quality and freshness of the slaughter.

For my dessert crepe, I went with a daily special of peaches and cream cheese. The dessert crepe didn't disappoint in any way, shape or form. The peaches were incredibly fresh and the cream cheese/sauce blend kept the crepe from being uber sweet. The dessert crepe definitely delivered.

All in all, Beau Monde is a very authentic French creperie. As with most creperies, the dessert is better than the meal. I am definitely curious to see if the meat of other crepes is of a superior quality to the chicken. Despite the lack of quality meats, Beau Monde oozes quality, presentation, atmosphere and service.

6^th and Bainbridge Sts.
Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 592-0656
http://creperie-beaumonde.com/

Koch's Deli

2008-07-29T17:14:00.010-04:00

Jeff's Take:
“Come on guys, finish this off.” The employee behind the counter didn’t have to ask me twice to clean the plate of honey smoked turkey he was offering as a free sample. And before I even got my order, it was no mystery to me why Koch’s Deli in West Philadelphia is almost a landmark around here. This place has got charm. With a little sleight of hand (read: free food), Koch’s turned a ridiculously long, crowded wait for a sandwich into a memorable experience. During my wait, I sampled two kinds of turkey, some Swiss cheese, and a few pickle spears. Koch’s is not only known for its free samples, but also its creative specialty hoagies and sandwiches and its generous portions of meat.

If you like pastrami, the Reuben here is a can’t miss. My mouth watered as I watched my chopped pastrami crisped in the toaster oven, and then was topped with Swiss cheese and cooked again until it bubbled. With the meat piled high and topped with sauerkraut and thousand island dressing and served on fresh and lightly toasted rye bread, this is an excellent Reuben.

I also tried The Drexel (named after the nearby University), which included corned beef, spiced beef, turkey breast, provolone, cole slaw and Russian dressing, served on a hoagie roll. Kudos to Koch’s for putting so many meats on one sandwich. Unfortunately, this one wasn’t anything special. The deli meats here are above average, but in the end, it’s still deli meat, and that just can’t stand up to the fresh corned beef or turkey you can find elsewhere. Nonetheless, for its generous portions and generous free samples, Koch’s is a decent deli option.

Koch's Deli
4309 Locust St.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 222-8662

Food Country Evolves to an Easier domain

2008-07-22T14:21:00.001-04:00

Our blog is now hosted on the domain: http://www.foodcountry.net

Way easier to remember than our old http://foodcountry.blogspot.com. Though the old address will still work, you should still update your bookmarks and favorites.

Cafe Valentina

2008-07-08T20:14:00.015-04:00

Located in a small strip mall behind a gas station, Café Valentina isn’t easy to find. This small, somewhat cramped neighborhood Italian restaurant offers a casual atmosphere, with an intimate dining area in the front and a tiny bar in the back. The menu isn’t imaginative by any means, but features a nice selection of Italian standards, including pasta, pizza, veal, chicken, and seafood dishes.

Jeff’s Take:

Café Valentina is known for its delicious garlic bread, and deservedly so. Each table gets a serving of large, pillowy dinner rolls, drenched in extra virgin olive oil with fresh chopped garlic and a sprinkling of parsley. What makes it so good is that rather than serving the olive oil on the side, like most restaurants, the plated garlic bread at Café Valentina is already swimming in the olive oil and garlic, so the bread has gotten a chance to absorb the flavor. Despite the large size of the rolls, a second helping was necessary.

For my entrée, I ordered the Veal Saltimbocca Romana—a thinly sliced veal cutlet topped with prosciutto and fresh mozzarella, served in an olive oil, broth, and white wine sauce. The sauce was excellent—light and zesty with some nice Italian herbs. However, the veal was much too bland and tough. Veal is supposed to be much more tender than a regular beef steak, but this one was rubbery and overcooked. Not even the prosciutto, mozzarella, or the sauce could save this one.

The meal also came with an underwhelming salad and a side of pasta with marinara sauce. The light, simple marinara sauce on the pasta was on the sweeter side, which I liked, but was too watery.

It was disappointing to have a meal start off so well and falter at the main course. I wouldn’t consider Café Valentina to be a destination for great Italian food, but if you love garlic bread, a special trip is warranted.

Mike's Take:

I have quite a different take on Cafe Valentina than Jeff. While I agree that the salads are completely underwhelming and probably come from a Grocery Store Bag-O-Salad, I have thoroughly enjoyed my dishes on both my trips to Cafe Valentina.

Jeff has already touched on the fantastic garlic rolls, which are probably the best I have ever had, but I believe he made a mistake in ordering the veal. On an earlier trip, I had Cafe Valentina's Homemade Gnocchis. While these were not the best gnocchis I've ever had, they were very scrumptious. Cafe Valentina's strength is clearly in the starches and homemade recipes. On this past visit, I went with a homemade spaghetti pasta with meat sauce. Again, the homemade pasta was perfectly cooked and quite good. I also prefer my sauce to be on the thinner side, so I definitely disagree with the assessment that it is too watery. To me, too watery means a lack of flavor in the sauce and an overall blandness. While Cafe Valentina's sauce is thin, I think it has an excellent sweet flavor. The thinness of the sauce allowed my sauce to drip down into the pasta and left all the delicious meat on top allowing the sauce to be absorbed by the pasta.

Cafe Valentina's weak point is certainly its weak salad (and apparently it's veal) but is strong in its homemade italian recipes and starches. It's hard to penalize the place on its salad since the little restaurant is a great value with huge portions that include amazing garlic rolls and a salad. I definitely would petition Jeff to give Cafe Valentina another shot and recommend he try a pasta dish. Though, Cafe Valentina is clearly lacking in the slaughter department.

1323 McKennans Church Rd.
Wilmington, DE 19808
(302) 996-0301
http://www.cafevalentina.com/

Food Country Revised Look

2008-07-04T11:59:00.002-04:00

Food Country has been given a slight aesthetic makeover. We have switched from 2-columns to 3-columns, but most importantly we have added a "Recent Talk" feed to encourage comments and dialogue.

Landmark Americana Tap and Grill

2008-07-02T14:25:00.010-04:00

The Landmark Americana Tap & Grill is a relatively new restaurant located on a corner in the heart of West Chester. It has a very slick and elegant appearance despite being a pub/tavern/sportsbar restaurant. Landmark has excellent roomy booths, flat screen televisions, and a very impressive and sturdy metal plated menu.

Mike's Take:

First let me say that this is my second time at the Landmark Americana, on my first visit I was very impressed with the Nacho appetizer and thought my burger was pretty delicious (though i am not sure which burger I ordered...I believe it was the Bison Burger). I was left with a very good impression on that first visit. Unfortunately, my second visit didn't quite live up to my memory of my first visit...though it's not a bad restaurant in the least.

For an appetizer, we ordered some Buffalo Fries. The buffalo sauce was excellent and kept me going back for more. The fries were somewhat soggy, but I forgave this somewhat because they were drenched with delicious buffalo sauce. However, there is no reason that the fries with my entree be as soggy. The fries here at the Landmark are definitely a huge letdown. They are thicker steak style fries (which is not my favorite "cut" of fry) but what really kills them is that they are not crispy at all on the outside and can be somewhat soggy as well. They just were not appetizing fries.

For my entree, I ventured away from the burgers and tried a cajun chicken burrito. The burrito was actually a pleasant surprise. The cajun chicken had a really good flavor and was cooked very well. It is my experience that cajun chicken can become very dry, but this chicken maintained a lot of moisture had the great cajun flavor and was supported by the sour cream and guacomole in the burrito. Honestly, the burrito offered a pretty interesting combination of a classic mexican dish while mixing it with a pub-style chicken sandwich flavor. The burrito was not mind blowing, but was good and a dish that you can't find at every pub and american grill.

All in all, I remembered Landmark being spectacular and it's not quite there. Maybe I was just looking at everything with a more critical eye. Landmark is definitely a notch above many of the bars, pubs, and grills that you will find in the area. It presents itself in a much nicer atmosphere than your typical grill and has a sort of "fine dining" atmosphere and aesthetic. It has an excellent selection of beers and a pretty decent line up of food.

Landmark Americana Tap & Grill
158 W Gay St
West Chester, PA 19380
(610) 701-9900
http://www.landmarkamericana.com/

Dome Restaurant and Bar

2008-06-19T14:53:00.017-04:00

Dome Restaurant and Bar, located in Hockessin, Delaware’s Lantana Square, is the sister restaurant of Eclipse, located on Union Street in Wilmington. Both restaurants have a similar hip, modern feel, although Dome is much bigger than Eclipse, featuring a bigger bar area and outdoor dining, as well as another smaller room for private parties. Dome’s cuisine is described as “urban American,” including steak, seafood, pizzas, salads, and sandwiches.

Jeff’s Take:
The appetizers we started off with—fried calamari, pork pot stickers, and the hummus plate—were for the most part good, but slightly flawed. The pork pot stickers featured traditional Asian-style fried pork dumplings in a sweet and sour ginger glaze. Dumplings are usually served with a saltier soy-vinegar sauce, but Dome went in the opposite direction with the sweet and sour. This mild sauce was tasty, but was overpowered by the stronger flavors of pork, scallions, and ginger in the dumplings. The fried calamari, which featured a spicier Thai chili glaze that was drizzled over the plate, featured a breading that was a little too grainy and calamari that wasn’t as tender and fresh as it should have been. The hummus plate was highlight of the starters, featuring delicious toasted pita triangles dusted with garlic powder, and a creamy hummus dip topped with feta cheese and olives.

For my entrée, I went with the rigatoni Bolognese. This was admittedly a pedestrian choice that I would usually avoid, but I was attracted by the fact that the tomato cream sauce offered a trio of meats—veal, pork, and beef. I figured that Dome might be able to put a unique spin on a generally uninspired dish. Unfortunately, I was wrong. The light tomato cream sauce was smooth and sweet, which I liked, but didn’t have much else going on. Some other flavors would have made it more interesting. I found the crumbled meat in the sauce was delivered in dry, flavorless chunks. A proper Bolognese sauce features meat that has been slow cooked in the sauce, so the meat can absorb the flavors of the sauce and break down into smaller, juicy pieces. Dome’s version made it seem like someone threw the leftover meatloaf in some tomato sauce.

Mike's Take:

As far as the appetizers go, forget about the calamari. While I'm not a huge calamari fan, I'm even less of one after having Dome's version. The hummus was really good too, but it's hummus. I definitely liked the pork potstickers the most. I agree with Jeff that the pork flavor dominated the nice but subdued sweet and sour sauce, but I actually liked that since I found the flavor of the pork and other innards quite tasty.

As Jeff will admit, I got the far superior entree. I selected the slow braised beef with garlic potato wedges, honey glazed carrots, and au jus. Iwas delighted to get a delicious piece of slowcooked meat that melted in my mouth. I really have no complaints about the meat since it completely exceeded my expectations. However, the entree's side items were lackluster at best. The honey glazed carrots were undercooked and far too firm. The garlic potato wedges were bland and poorly cooked as well. The potato itself was very starchy and dry inside. The potato wedges were edible only after dipped in some delicious au jus from the braised beef.

The Bottom Line is that Dome is very inconsistent. There were elements of the meal that greatly exceeded expectations (Dumplings, Hummus, and Braised Beef for me) but there were always missteps along the way. Dome really needs to up their consistency and quality to compete with other "hip" fine dining restaurants. Maybe that's the problem....there's not much competition in Hockessin.

400 Lantana Square
Hockessin, DE 19707
http://www.domerb.com/

Charcoal Pit

2008-06-09T14:52:00.010-04:00

Stepping in to the original Charcoal Pit location on Concord Pike in Wilmington brings a sense of 50s nostalgia. You can probably tell from the picture—it’s the kind of place that has jukeboxes at every table. Known for its burgers, milkshakes, and ice cream, Charcoal Pit originally opened in 1956, and has since expanded to three additional locations in North Delaware.

The burgers come in 4 oz. or 8 oz. sizes, chargrilled, with the standard optional fixings and served on a sesame-seeded bun. Like any good burger joint should, Charcoal Pit uses only fresh ground beef.

The burger’s artery-clogging partner in crime is the milkshake, which Esquire magazine named on their “67 Things Worth a Detour” list a few years back. Charcoal Pit’s milkshakes are made fresh with hand-scooped ice cream and served in frosted metal cups. If you don’t like to drink your ice cream, the menu also includes a large selection of huge sundaes named after area high schools. And if you’re feeling really adventurous, there’s the “Kitchen Sink,” filled with 20 scoops of ice cream and six different toppings.

Jeff’s Take:
Charcoal Pit also has a number of other menu options, such as chicken and seafood, but ordering anything other than a burger and a shake is like going to Ruth’s Chris and not getting the steak. I’d suggest passing up on the French fries, which are pretty mediocre—they’re about ½ inch thick with very little flavor, and you can expect about half the batch to be soggy. Since you’re not getting the fries, you might as well fill that void with some more meat, so go with the 8 oz. burger.

I prefer my burgers medium rare, so I like the fact that Charcoal Pit cooks their burgers to order. The chargrilling adds a lot of flavor to the meat. On my most recent trip to the Pit, the patty was a little firmer than I would’ve liked, but all of the flavor was still there. Nothing fancy about these burgers—like the décor, they’re old school, and that’s just fine with me.

I’m a big fan of either the chocolate or “black and white” shakes, which go perfectly with the burgers. The hand scooped ice cream makes for a much better shake than soft serve, both in flavor and consistency. For the full shake experience, I suggest you dine in—the frosted metal cups add a nice iciness to the texture that just isn’t there when you’re getting a paper cup to go.

Mike's Take:
I completely agree with Jeff's choice of milkshake. The "Black & white" Shake is definitely the way to go. The milkshakes at Charcoal Pit are superb and unrivaled. I've never had a better milkshake anywhere else (maybe as good) and there certainly is not comparison in the area.

Charcoal Pit actually offers a new "Grand Slam Burger" which is 10oz of certified Angus Beef. This is definitely the burger to get at the pit. It is much juicier (and more consistently good) than the smaller 8oz. and 4oz. varieties. It's a big classic burger done right.

Other notable choices are the Chardog and Grilled Cheese. The Chardog is a hotdog with a nice charred crispy flavor to it. The grilled cheese is another standout especially if you add some cooked oniions and tomato to it. The new Certified angus beef reuben is another good choice if you are in the mood.

Charcoal Pit is a staple of Delaware, and it should be. It has the best milkshakes in the area and cooks burgers and hotdogs in that classic style, thus living up to its name: The Charcoal Pit.

2600 Concord Pike
Wilmington, DE 19803
http://www.chacoalpit.net/

Tacos Don Memo

2008-05-24T20:56:00.009-04:00

Jeff's Take:
One of the great advantages of city living is the concept of the food cart. A good food cart can offer a quick, convenient, cheap, and delicious meal, and the best food carts can even be deserving of a special trip. In Philadelphia, the best place to go searching for good food cart cuisine is West Philly’s University City neighborhood. Dozens of food cart vendors congregate there every day, offering a variety of options to the thousands of students in the area. How successful are the University City food carts? Just look at Greek Lady, which started out as a cart and now has a permanent storefront nearby. Thanks to a recommendation from my brother Erick, who lives in the area, I recently discovered a cart that could end up being just as successful—Tacos Don Memo, located at 38^th and Sansom.

A trip to any food cart carries with it a range of possibilities in terms of quality. Some carts clearly haven’t been visited by the health inspector in quite awhile (if ever), and are either dirty in appearance or using ingredients that aren’t so fresh. At Tacos Don Memo, you can take comfort in the fact that all the food is freshly prepared in front of you. The chicken burrito I ordered was carefully assembled with fresh-sliced avocado, tomatoes, shredded lettuce, Mexican rice, beans, chicken, cheese, sour cream, and salsa verde. The rolled burrito is then grilled, which is a nice touch, helping the burrito maintain its shape and adding a nice crispy texture contrast to the softer inside. This almost ritualistic assembly may take a few minutes longer than the average food cart order, but it’s a mouth-watering wait.

The best part about the burritos at Tacos Don Memo is that the ingredients meld together perfectly. At a fast-food burrito chain like Qdoba or Chipotle, the flavors just don’t “marry” well—it often seems like the ingredients are just unhappily stuck in the same tortilla. A major reason for this difference is the rice. Tacos Don Memo uses real Mexican rice, and its mild tomato, onion, and garlic flavor brings the other tastes together well. Qdoba and Chipotle use white rice, which is much more bland, and is like a brick wall for flavors—it just doesn’t allow the other ingredients to mingle like they should. Finally, the meat at Tacos Don Memo is also much leaner than you’ll find at the chains. A good burrito shouldn’t be greasy, and Tacos Don Memo follows this maxim well. However, the chicken in my burrito, while tender and juicy, was a little too salty. The saltiness wasn’t overwhelming, but some other Mexican spices would have been a welcome substitute.

If you’re around the University City area, Tacos Don Memo is a great option for a fresh, authentic, tasty burrito. And at $6, it’s cheaper than the chains, too.

Tacos Don Memo
38^th and Sansom Sts.
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Washington Street Ale House

2008-05-16T09:40:00.007-04:00

Washington Street Ale House is located in downtown Wilmington on (surprise!) Washington Street and has been around since 1996. The restaurant served upscale pub and tavern food alongside handcrafted beer and microbrews in a restored downtown building. The exposed brick walls, 19th century photographs, oak floors, fireplace, and open porch give the ale house a great warm ambiance. While Washington Street does not brew any of their own beers, they do have 20 beers on-tap many of which come from local breweries.

Mike’s Take:
It’s hard not to draw comparisons to Iron Hill Brewery when you visit Washington Street. The menu and décor are very similar. In fact, I ordered the same cheese steak eggroll appetizer that I had at Iron Hill. Here is where the restaurants start to differ. Washington Street Ale House’s food is definitely a little more upscale than Iron Hill’s both in presentation and price. The cheese steak eggrolls were very good, but could have been cheesier and a slightly bigger portion would have been nice. The delicious sautéed onions on the side were definitely a saving grace. For my meal, I had a chicken fajita salad. I found the entre to be a very interesting twist and combination of the common taco salad and fajita choices. The name certainly is a good descriptor of what you get…Chicken, peppers, onions, guacamole, sour cream, etc. all in a semi-soft fajita shell. The fajita components were not anything above and beyond what a typical Mexican restaurant would serve, but the concept was certainly interesting and unique. My biggest complaint with WA St. Ale House is that they’re not a brewery and don’t have exclusive beers (like Iron Hill does). They do a great job of filling their 20 taps with local beers, but there’s definitely an added appeal to a pub-type restaurant when they have their own beers. Washington Ale House has a great atmosphere and is a good (if not great) choice for dinner in Wilmington.

Washington Street Ale House
1206 Washington Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
(302) 658 -2537
www.wsalehouse.com

John's Roast Pork

2008-05-07T19:44:00.008-04:00

Jeff's Take:
I had read enough about the countless honors that John’s Roast Pork has won for its cheesesteaks. Local radio station WIP gave it top honors in its recent “Ultimate Cheesesteak Challenge.” Esquire named it one of the Best Sandwiches in America. The James Beard Foundation gave it an “America’s Classic” distinction. It was time to see what all the fuss was about.

To clear up any confusion, John’s doesn’t deal exclusively in pork products. The “cheesesteak” is made with beef, and the “pork sandwich,” made with Italian roasted pork, is served up either on a Kaiser roll (small) or a hoagie roll (large). Both are excellent, but the pork sandwich is a true masterpiece.

The Cheesesteak: The thinly sliced steak at John’s is of excellent quality. It’s cooked in small batches, which speaks volumes about the quality control at John’s. Most other busy shops cook their steak in huge batches, which often makes it tougher and drier, since it sits on the grill for longer periods of time. John’s also cooks the steak on top of the onions—something I haven’t seen anywhere else. The end result is a generous portion of flavorful, moist steak that isn’t too greasy. My main gripe with the cheesesteak was that John’s doesn’t offer cheese whiz, which I prefer on my steaks. The American cheese on my steak wasn’t distributed evenly enough, and in fact had accumulated into a few hardened globs near the outside of the bun. All in all, high marks for the steak, but the cheese is holding it back.

The Pork Sandwich: This thing is a work of art. The pork at John’s is seasoned and roasted daily, then thinly sliced and left to cook in its own juices. It’s not fried on the griddle like a cheesesteak, but the lack of fresh cooking doesn’t make a difference. The generous serving of pork is juicy and bursting with flavor, without being too salty. I couldn’t even begin to guess how many spices they use. For cheese, the sharp provolone is the way to go with the roast pork—it’s a perfect marriage of great Italian flavor. You can also order it with spinach, but I passed up on that. Finally, the Carangi Bakery roll (the same roll on which the cheesesteak is served), with light sesame seeds on the outside, is nice and soft while still maintaining a good crust on the outside.

So why isn’t John’s Roast Pork a tourist destination, like Pat’s, Jim’s, or Geno’s? First, it’s located just off of Columbus Boulevard, sandwiched between old factories, strip malls, and strip clubs. Not an ideal tourist spot. Second, the service is incredibly slow. While the touristy places may have long lines, they usually average less than a minute per customer. At John’s, the cooks take their time. It’s more like three to five minutes per person, which in my case translated into a 30-40 minute wait for our food. Finally, the hours are inconvenient: 6:45 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. And the grill closes at 2:30, so don’t expect a cheesesteak any time after then.

John’s does things its own way, and has for a long time. While it’ll probably require a special trip and a long wait, it’s well worth it.

14 E. Snyder Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19148
www.johnsroastpork.com

Food Country is a Featured Publisher on Foodbuzz

2008-05-01T11:38:00.002-04:00

Food Country is officially a featured publisher on Foodbuzz. What is Foodbuzz exactly? It's the first-ever community site devoted exclusively to food and dining content—an unparalleled resource for searching, surfing and sharing with fellow foodies everywhere. Food Country has been selected to be a featured publisher for the community...so vote for us at Foodbuzz and keep doing Food Country proud.

Tommy Gunns American Barbeque

2008-04-26T22:50:00.014-04:00

Jeff's Take:
I’ve heard of Kansas City-style barbecue. Ditto with Texas-style and Memphis-style barbecue. But I’ve never heard of Philly-style barbecue. And I don’t think I’m alone. But Tommy Gunns, a tiny joint in Manayunk, claims that it has The City of Brotherly Love’s unique variant of the American classic. Well, at least for spare ribs. What makes “Philly-style” spare ribs unique, according to the website, is that while other styles trim more meat off the bone in order to achieve a uniform rib size, Tommy Gunns eschews size uniformity, and therefore leaves more meat on the bone. In addition, while most places serve their ribs right out of the smoker, Tommy Gunns throws them on the grill quickly before they’re plated.

In the flavor department, the spare ribs here are excellent. The meat has a nice smoky flavor that’s complemented well with the dry rub Tommy Gunns uses. The accompanying barbecue sauce is also solid—tangy with just the right amount of heat. The texture of the meat itself, however, leaves a little to be desired. While I wouldn’t characterize the meat as tough, these aren’t fall-off-the-bone ribs. In addition, they were a little too fatty for my liking. Tommy Gunns clearly prides itself on leaving more meat on their ribs, but when a good portion of that is fat, it’s nothing to brag about. However, I did like the fact that the ribs are finished off on the grill, as it left the exterior nice and crispy.

The barbecued chicken is by far the most disappointing option. It’s surprising that Tommy Gunns only uses boneless chicken breast, because it tends to dry out much easier than bone-in chicken. Here, it’s no different. Even the tasty barbecue sauce can’t save Tommy Gunns' barbecued chicken—it’s much too dry.

As for sides, the deep fried macaroni and cheese was too tempting to resist. This is essentially a hockey puck-sized portion of macaroni and cheese covered in fine bread crumbs, herbs and spices, and deep fried. The contrast in textures between the crisp outside and gooey inside is great. However, the cheese was a little too bland. If a sharper cheddar were used instead, the deep fried macaroni and cheese would taste as good as it sounds.

Tommy Gunns is nowhere near the best barbecue I’ve had, but if you’re looking for decent barbecue in Philly, or as they call it, “Philly-style barbecue,” it’s not a bad option.

4901 Ridge Ave
Philadelphia, PA19128
(215) 508-1030
http://www.tommygunns.net/

Sonny's Steaks

2008-04-15T22:18:00.015-04:00

Sonny’s, a small shop in Old City Philadelphia, isn’t one of the better-known cheesesteak places. The wall isn’t lined with press photos of celebrities who have eaten there. But they do serve excellent steaks. Unlike most of other steak shops in the area, which purchase their steak pre-sliced, Sonny’s uses freshly sliced ribeye for their cheesesteaks (check it out, the slicer is right on the counter). Sonny’s also slices their steak a little thicker than other places, and serves their steaks on a soft, chewy roll.

Jeff’s Take:
There are several reasons why Sonny’s is my current pick for best cheesesteak in the Delaware Valley. First off, their quality is more consistent than most other places. With a lot of the better-known cheesesteak places, it’s either hit or miss, and this gets frustrating. Second, I like that Sonny’s has thicker sliced meat—a lot of other places finely chop their meat, which occasionally results in a dry steak. Also, I prefer cheese whiz on my steak, and Sonny’s applies it well, so it mixes perfectly with the grease (you’d be surprised how often steak shops mess this up).

Mike’s Take:
I differ from Jeff, in that I prefer the shredded and finer steak on my cheesesteak. Much like deli meats, it's all in the surface area, so for me thinly sliced steak is the way to go. That being said, Sonny's does offer an excellent cheesesteak. The cheese whiz is applied liberally to the definite benefit of the sandwich. I also have to mention that their french fries were surprisingly good. The fries were served fresh out of the frier and were crispy on the outside without losing the moisture and taste of the potato on the inside. Sadly, I got my steak and fries to go, which is a shame since the fries would have been orgasmic had I added some vinegar to them.

228 Market St.
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 629-5760
www.sonnysfamoussteaks.com

Lennies Hoagies

2008-04-07T23:42:00.011-04:00

Jeff's Take:
At Lennies, the Italian hoagie is king. We’re not just talking the standard pepper ham, Genoa salami, capicola, and provolone that make up the traditional Italian hoagie. This small takeout shop on Ridge Avenue in Roxborough, PA offers a mix-and-match menu of several other Italian meats and cheeses. In addition to the usual trio, there’s prosciutto, mortadella, soppressata, and cotechino, all offered in various combinations. But it’s not variety alone that makes Lennies Hoagies stand out. What really makes this place special is that it uses all of its ingredients to the fullest, and everything tastes fresh.

First off, the meat. Where else would I start? The quality of the meat at Lennies is better than most hoagie shops, with more spice and flavor than you’ll usually find. It’s also clear that the meats here are freshly sliced, which makes a world of difference.

Next is something that is usually an afterthought in the hoagie world—the vegetables. Most hoagie places treat vegetables as a filler, as if they’re only included for texture. If you’ve ever had the shredded iceberg lettuce and bland tomatoes that Wawa uses, you probably know what I’m talking about. Lenny’s, on the other hand, uses a whole leaf of romaine lettuce and ripe, flavorful tomatoes. Along with some olive oil, you’ve got the perfect complement to good Italian meats.

Finally, Lennies is notable for its rolls. I usually prefer softer, chewier rolls for my hoagies, but Lennies may have converted me (at least in the Italian hoagie department). The rolls here have a crustier outside that includes toasted sesame seeds. The seeds are actually a great addition to an already very flavorful hoagie.

6141 Ridge Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19128
(215) 487-1200

Taqueria La Veracruzana

2008-03-28T19:24:00.011-04:00

Jeff's Take:
With taquerias, quality is a crapshoot—it’s usually either going to be really good or really bad (for the latter, see Mike’s review of Taqueria Moroleon). You’ll very rarely be able to figure out what you’re getting just by looking at the place. Luckily, I tried Taqueria La Veracruzana, located in South Philly near the Italian Market, after a trusted friend recommended it. This place isn’t much for atmosphere—we’re talking Mexican wrestling and soccer playing on television and pretty harsh lighting. The important thing is that the place is clean, because many taquerias aren’t.

Standard with each meal is a generous serving of crisp, homemade tortilla chips served with two salsas—one jalapeno-based, and one smoky chipotle-based. Both are about medium-hot, and are very different from what most people are probably used to. If you prefer, you can order fresh pico de gallo or guacamole for a few extra bucks—I like to order some guacamole with the chips and then use some on my tacos as well.

Unlike Mike, I expect a good taco to be served on a soft shell. Authentic tacos are served on a soft corn tortilla—the hard shell taco is more of an American invention. Taqueria La Veracruzana serves their tacos on two corn tortillas, which is a good call, because there’s a lot of filling. The focus of the filling here is on a food country favorite—meat. You won’t find any shredded lettuce in these tacos—just a generous portion of meat, finely chopped onion, and cilantro. With a little salsa or guacamole, it’s all the flavor you need. For a price of three tacos for $6, you can mix and match your meats, and there are plenty of options. My favorites here are al pastor tacos (marinated pork with pineapple) and the chorizo (pork sausage) tacos, because they offer more spice and flavor. The grilled steak and chicken are also tasty and tender, but are a little on the bland side—of course, that’s where you can get creative with the salsas.

Taqueria La Veracruzana keeps it simple and authentic, and the results are delicious. This place has some of the best tacos in the city.

908-18 Washington Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 465-1440

Taqueria Moroleon

2008-03-27T09:15:00.009-04:00

Mike's Take:
Taqueria Morleon is a little hole in the wall Mexican Restaurant on the outskirts of Kennett Square. It is in a shopping strip next to a Capriotti's. My work colleague and I were debating on eating at the Capriotti's or trying this "quaint" Mexican restaurant. Let's just say we made the wrong decision.

Taqueria Moroleon's atmosphere was adequate, having all the typically bright painted walls and Mexican flair. The lighting is a bit dim, but the atmosphere and facility is not where Taqueria Morleon stumbles. Let me start off with the highlight of the meal - The tortilla chips and salsa. Chips were good and there were 2 salsas to choose from: a mildly fresh salsa and a waterier spicy salsa. That's pretty much where the positives end, so let's move onto how this was one of my worst restaurant experiences of recent memory.

The chips were ok, but the iced teas we ordered were pretty awful. My colleague described them, as "Dirty Waters." The iced tea was way too watery and only had a slight hint of any sort of tea flavoring. For lunch, I ordered a combination plate which included a cheese enchilada and beef burrito, rice, and fixings. The cheese enchilada was subpar, the rice was bland, and the burrito was atrocious. The beef used for the burrito looked below Taco Bell grade and I'm pretty sure this item is what left me with my stomach ache on the ride back to the office. I also ordered a side chicken taco. I don't know about you, but when I order a taco, I expect it to be hard shell unless it says "soft taco." The chicken taco was soft shell, and after my combination plate I didn't even want it.

So our crappy meal is over, my stomach is beginning to feel upset and Taqueria Moroleon comes along and puts the nail in the coffin by offering us terrible slow service. Our waitress walked by our cleared and pushed aside plates 3 times before we spoke up and asked for the check. It was pretty ridiculous.

It is not often that I leave a restaurant this displeased and even rarer when I leave a restaurant physically ill. Taqueria Moroleon was so bad that it has ruined my appetite for Mexican food for the time being (quite a feat since I typically love Mexican). So what is the moral of this story? It's obvious...when in doubt, go with Capriotti's. Avoid this place at all costs!
NO STARS
NO STEAKS

345 Scarlet Rd # 15
Kennett Square, PA 19348
(610) 444-1210

Buckley's Tavern (Brunch)

2008-03-25T18:26:00.000-04:00

Buckley’s Tavern, a bar and restaurant located in a historic former house on Kennett Pike in Centreville, Delaware, offers nice atmosphere for a variety of purposes. The dark, cozy bar is a great place to get some drinks, the downstairs dining room (with fireplace) offers a charming ambiance for lunch or dinner, and the rooftop deck is great when the weather gets nice. Buckley’s also has an interesting brunch policy—dine in your pajamas, and you get ½ off the bill. Enticing, but neither of us did it.

Jeff’s Take:
I started off with a bowl of mushroom soup—a generous portion of mushrooms with leeks and tomatoes in broth. I’m a big mushroom fan, but I found this soup to be pretty boring. The broth was salty and unimpressive, and after I finished scooping out the mushrooms it wasn’t worth bothering with.

The Steak & Egg Grinder (right) was also a disappointing experience. “Tenderloin with sautéed onions, garlic & scrambled eggs topped with provolone on a crusty roll” sounded pretty good to me, but the plated product seemed like a fraud. To start off with, the steak tasted like it had been stewed. Tenderloin is a leaner cut of steak—it’s where filet mignon comes from. To stew it is just plain wasteful, since it’s tender (hence the name) on its own. In addition, the sandwich was inexplicably greasy. If the steak really was tenderloin, then it shouldn’t have produced much grease during cooking. The eggs and cheese were also unlikely sources of grease. But there it was, dripping onto my hands and plate.

The better way to go is one of the eggs benedict dishes—Buckley’s offers a few variations on the old standard. The Eastern Shore is a nice spin—lump crab meat and old bay seasoning in lieu of the traditional Canadian bacon gives the dish a lighter, less salty flavor, and the accompanying hollandaise sauce was subtler than most, which was a welcome change.

Mike's Take:
Buckley's is a one of my frequent brunch stops in Delaware. Typically, there is a buffet of mini muffins, croissants, fruit, danishes, and scones that you can immediately enjoy after you are seated. For Easter, they had a more limited selection placed at your table. This was a slight disappointment since the mini-muffins are a favorite and we only had a few to choose from.

For Brunch, I ordered the Creme Brulee French Toast. It was topped with some tender apples and some spectacular golden raisins. Despite the name, it was not too sweet. In fact, my one complaint would be why call it Creme Brulee French Toast at all? A more suitable name would highlight the best part of the dish more - the golden raisins and apple topping. I am pretty picky about my french toast and found this item to be quite good and the perfect portion size. I must add that Buckley's omelet and egg dishes are excellent and very consistent. Bruch usually features some great seasonal omelet choices. Their sausage links are also very good, though nothing really special. Buckley's weakness is that their homefries are utterly average and lean more towards the tatertot variety.

As long as you are in the main dining area or roof deck (as opposed to the seating around the bar), Buckley's atmosphere is charming for brunch. There are always a few patrons enjoying their meal in their pajamas, but that's what makes it a very good choice for your family brunch even though their slaughter is nothing to write home about.

5812 Kennett Pike (Rt. 52)
Centreville, DE 19807
(302) 656-9776
http://www.buckleystavern.org/

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2008-03-25T14:32:00.005-04:00

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Greek Lady

2008-03-23T21:06:00.004-04:00

Jeff's Take:

When ordering a gyro, it’s always a good sign if there’s seasoned lamb roasting on the counter. There’s a clear difference between lamb cooked on a gyro roaster and frozen lamb strips that have been warmed up on a griddle. The former wins by a mile in the taste and texture categories—with a crispy crust and a tender interior. The latter is what you’ll get at most places that offer gyros on their menus, and it just can’t compare.

Greek Lady is known for its gyros and souvlaki, and it’s a place where you can always expect to see gyro roasters in constant use. This popular eatery started out in one of the many food carts around University City, and became so successful that it moved into a much more spacious storefront on 40^th Street, between Walnut and Locust. At this point, the eatery could even expand next door—it’s usually buzzing during lunch and dinner, and it’s a madhouse late on weekend nights, when it’s open until 2 a.m.

An interesting twist that Greek Lady adds to their gyros is that French fries come standard—not on the side, but in the gyro itself. It sounds a little strange, but it actually serves as a happy medium between the saltier meat and the lettuce, tomato and onion—all without making the gyro any greasier. And the fresh tsatsiki (a yogurt-cucumber sauce) included on Greek Lady’s gyros is just another reason why Greek Lady is a leading contender for best gyro in the city.

222 S. 40^th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
http://www.greeklady.com/

Main Line Prime

2008-03-20T20:12:00.002-04:00

Jeff's Take:
A good sandwich all starts with good meat. And when you want good meat, it’s not a bad idea to go to the source—a dependable butcher who knows his stuff. Main Line Prime, a new shop in Ardmore, PA, offers exactly that. First and foremost, it’s a high-end butcher shop. It carries an impressive mix of fresh, local, organic meats and aged cuts from across the globe. As the owner told me, “we’re not really a sandwich shop.” But Main Line Prime does sandwiches well. Really well.

The shop’s menu has a selection of about a dozen sandwiches and wraps, most of which are in the $6-7 price range. The one exception is The Gladwyne, a sandwich that includes seared Kobe steak, and is priced at $99. The price tag is high because Main Line Prime uses authentic Kobe steak. Real Kobe steak is imported from Japan and comes from cattle that are fed beer and sake, and receive daily muscle massages. The result is a tender, well-marbled, and very expensive steak. While many American menus claim to offer Kobe steaks and burgers, these are generally made with beef from a crossbreed between Japanese and American cattle. In any case, you don’t need to splurge on the Kobe to get a great sandwich at Main Line Prime.

The Haverford, the shop’s version of an Italian hoagie, is a highlight of the shop’s sandwich menu. The prosciutto and salami are fresh, authentic, and incredible. Topped with fresh mozzarella, homemade pesto and arugula, and served on a crusty baguette, it’s clear that Main Line Prime not only knows its meats, but knows how to make an excellent sandwich. This is one of the best Italian hoagies I’ve ever had.

The Penn Valley (left), piled high with rare roast beef, sliced tomato and Swiss cheese, and served Russian dressing on focaccia, is also a good pick. The roast beef, made from local organic cattle, is fresh and juicy. The only weakness of this sandwich was the fact that it was on focaccia—the texture of the crumbly bread didn’t hold up so well to the thick-sliced roast beef.

I hope Main Line Prime can stay around for awhile. In my opinion, the location isn’t great—the strip mall in which it’s located will probably only generate moderate foot traffic at best, and it has some tough competition with the Ardmore Farmers Market close by.

So if you’re looking for a great sandwich, skip the Wawa across the street and try Main Line Prime. You won’t be disappointed.

Ardmore Plaza
18 Greenfield Avenue
Ardmore, PA 19003
(610) 645 – 9500
http://www.mainlineprime.com/

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

2008-03-18T10:09:00.000-04:00

For the past decade, there’s been almost constant development on the Wilmington riverfront. What was once a dull cluster of old warehouses and industrial lots is now home to high-rise condominium buildings, dozens of town homes, brand new office buildings, outlet shops, a minor league baseball stadium, a farmer’s market, and of course, several restaurants. Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant appeared on the scene in 2003, in a 9,000 square foot building which includes a small bar area, a downstairs dining room, an outdoor dining area, and a second level with an additional bar and banquet room. What really makes this building special is the on-site brewery, where guests can watch the brewing process. In addition to the Wilmington location, Iron Hill has seven locations in the Delaware Valley area.

For starters, the fajita-spiced chicken nachos were almost perfect. So many things can go wrong with nachos, and at most places, they do. It all starts with the tortilla chips—you can tell when they’re out of a bag, but at Iron Hill, they were fresh, crispy, and clearly homemade. Many other restaurants also overload their nachos with fillers like shredded lettuce and chopped olives. Not so at Iron Hill—the toppings include diced tomatoes, black beans, green onion, jalapenos, and Monterey jack and cheddar cheeses—with just the right amount of each.

The cheesesteak egg rolls were also excellent, without being too greasy. Sliced steak, along with chopped onion and melted American cheese, wrapped up in an egg roll and deep fried. A nice spin on a Philly favorite.

Jeff’s Take:
Overall, Iron Hill has some creative pizza options, and their pizza crusts are thin, light, and chewy. I ordered the Shrimp LeJon Pizza, a generously sized personal pizza with shrimp, bacon, chopped scallions and parsley, mozzarella cheese, and a horseradish sauce. The horseradish sauce on the LeJon was a bit overstated, though—a classic white pizza sauce with a subtler horseradish flavor would’ve been better.

Iron Hill’s beer sampler is also the way to go for brew lovers, and it’s a great deal, too (10 samples for $7). Being served was a presentation in itself, as our knowledgeable waiter explained in detail the flavors and brewing process of each beer in the sampler. Highlights included the Abbey Dubbel, a Belgian-style that was rich and fruity without being too sweet, the Russian Imperial Stout, which had a nice smooth, malty flavor, and the Irish Red Ale, which, as our waiter said, “puts Killian’s to shame.” All the beers are brewed on site, and the freshness really showed.

Mike's Take:
Let me start off by saying that I have been to Iron Hill quite a few times and it is a very consistent brewery with excellent appetizers and beers. While we had the excellent steak egg rolls and nachos on this visit, I would also highly recommend the hand-cut sweet potato fries and tex-mex spring rolls. The Wilmington location offers the best atmosphere (of the Iron Hill's I've been to) and has a great dining area, outdoor deck, and 2 great bar areas.

The real stand-out for me on this Iron Hill visit was the Irish Red Ale with Nitrogen. This beer was spectacular. In fact, I haven't had a beer this good since I was out in Washington State at the Red Hook Brewery. Beer this good on a Nitrogen tap just can't be beat. Normally, I go for the beer sampler at Iron Hill, but the Irish Red was just too good to pass up. For dinner, I had a Pesto Chicken and Artichoke pizza. The wood fired pizzas are always good here and the lighter pesto sauce was really what I was looking for after our heavy appetizers. Iron Hill is a great brewery and offers dining guests a much more upscale dinner and atmosphere than most pubs out there. The prices are spot on too and the restaurant as a whole is a great value.

Guest Review - Max’s Take:
I have been obsessing over barbecue lately, my haunt of choice being LJ’s BBQ in Providence, RI (definitely worth a visit if you're in the area). It was only natural, therefore, that the House Smoked Pork sandwich would tempt me away from even considering other items on Iron Hill's menu. I found the sandwich to be somewhat puzzling. The meat itself was moist and flavorful, and tender despite its leanness. The smoky flavor of the meat was also quite nice, but a little weak. Therein lay the problem: the sandwich was just meat and bread. No sauce, no toppings. With some barbecue sauce, or something to moisten the sandwich and offset the uninspired roll, the sandwich itself might have been perfect—after all, one doesn't need an inspired roll as a medium for perfect barbecue. As it was presented to me, though, the sandwich was average at best. The overdressed salad that accompanied the sandwich only compounded the problem--absent the heavily vinegared greens, I might have considered moistening my sandwich with the tub of vinegar provided as a side. Overall, the sandwich earns 2.5 steaks for the meat on the sandwich, but the lackluster quality of the dish as a whole prevents a higher rating.

As a final aside, the Bourbon Oatmeal Stout that accompanied my sandwich was rich and complex, and the bourbon flavor would have been a perfect counterpart to a well-crafted barbecue sauce. Alas, 'twas not to be.

Guest Review - Adam’s Take:
It had been over a year since last taking a savory bite of the succulent, flavorful turkey burger by Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant. I admit that it has been 12 months too long. The meat was cooked perfectly—medium rare—and was ripe with flavor, which exuded through the rest of the ingredients, but surprisingly did not create a greasy mess. The guacamole sauce in the sandwich was a nice addition and made a nice, unique pairing. Without it, the sandwich could have been simply forgettable. Meanwhile, a pair of crispy bacon pieces lounged on top of melted cheddar cheese and were the missing pieces to what was a very delicious puzzle. The only issue with the sandwich was the bread, which was too thick, too heavy and not flavorful. And every meat country connoisseur fully understands just how important the bread is to a sandwich. It can make or break it. In this case, had the bread been slightly thinner or lightly toasted -- this burger may have made my Hall of Flame. The side salad that came with the sandwich was pretty deplorable. The mixed bagged lettuce was dry and boring. And the highly acidic vinaigrette dressing could have knocked out a small animal. Maybe it's best to use the dressing as a substitute for smelling salt. A couple of kitchen upgrades to this dish and the Iron Hill Turkey Burger may land as a Food Country favorite.

710 South Madison Street
Wilmington, Delaware 19801
(302) 472-2739
http://www.ironhillbrewery.com/

Fogo de Chao

2008-03-11T19:13:00.000-04:00

While we’ve been told that Fogo de Chao means “Fire of the Ground” or “Campfire,” we’re convinced that the direct translation is actually “Food Country.” Fogo de Chao is a churrascaria, a Brazilian-style barbecue where the meats are roasted over an open fire. It has almost a dozen locations across the U.S., and five locations in Brazil. Its Philadelphia location, at 13^th and Chestnut, is a beautiful space, with high ceilings, huge chandeliers, and walls lined with wine bottles behind glass cases.

A meal at Fogo de Chao is like a Choose Your Own Adventure book, except the pages are made of delicious, fire-roasted meat. Each person is given a two-sided disk at his or her place setting. Turn it over so the green side is facing up, and the gauchos (on double duty as both chefs and servers) circulating throughout the restaurant will bring fresh, sizzling cuts of skewered meat to carve directly onto your plate. Turn the disk back over to red, and you’ll get some time to clear your plate until you’re ready for more. No need to worry about running up the bill—the meal is prix fixe, and all-you-can-eat. With 15 different cuts, the selection is excellent: you can choose from filet mignon, bacon wrapped filet, garlic marinated filet, top sirloin, bottom sirloin, bacon-wrapped chicken breast, pork sausages, parmesan-crusted pork tenderloin, lamb chops, chicken drumsticks, beef ribs, pork ribs, leg of lamb, and two house specialty cuts of beef. If you find that you enjoy a particular cut, your waiter can simply locate the gaucho with that cut and request that it be brought to your table.

While the meats form the centerpiece of the meal, the excellent accompaniments are also worthy of mention. To begin with, the restaurant includes a top-notch salad bar. This not only includes fresh vegetables, but also delicious marinated vegetables (artichokes, hearts of palm, and olives), sliced cured meats (proscuitto, salami, etc.), and some excellent cheeses (fresh mozzarella, shaved parmesan, etc.). In addition, several side dishes are brought to each table and are replenished throughout the meal, including cheese bread, fried banana, polenta, and mashed potatoes.

A meal at Fogo de Chao isn’t cheap ($44.50 for dinner, $24.50 for lunch), but it’s well worth it. Of course, you need to bring your appetite, and be prepared for a meat-induced coma for a few hours after the meal.

Jeff’s Take:

Before I get to the meat, I’d like to emphasize how great the cheese bread is here. Bite-size, crispy on the outside, and pillowy and cheesy on the inside, like a popover. If I didn’t need to save room for the barbecue, I could easily fill up on these.

Now on to the main course. My favorite cut here is the top sirloin. It has a salty, crispy crust that seals in the juices on the tender inside. It’s a little fattier than the other beef cuts, but the flavors and combination of textures is unbelievable. I also enjoy the lamb chop, which I think is the best non-beef option. Finally, I recommend the picanha, the “house specialty” sirloin, which is cooked a little rarer than most other cuts.

The one flaw I have to point out about Fogo is the tradeoff that comes with having each gaucho prepare what he serves. Every once in awhile, the quality is inconsistent. The first time I dined here, I tried some bacon-wrapped chicken breast, which was a dried out disappointment. I tried another piece later (prepared by a different gaucho) and it was much juicier. I understand the importance of having each gaucho prepare the meat that he serves. When you serve food that you cooked yourself, it brings a sense of pride that shows through in the service. But when the quality suffers because of this, it’s time to train your gauchos a little better.

Despite that quibble, this place is one of my favorite restaurants. In fact, it might even be the national restaurant of Food Country.

Mike's Take:

Fogo de Chao is an excellent restaurant and quite the unique experience. I cannot emphasize the inconsistency between the meats as a result of the mix of chefs/gauchos. When I was there, the picanha, the house specialty sirloin was unequivocally the best prepared meat there. In general, I found the red meat stronger than the chicken dishes, but it could have just been that day (and the fact that I was served one of those dried out chicken breasts). The constant hustle and bustle of the gauchos moving throughout the restaurant detracts from the atmosphere. The salad bar is a nice diversion from all of the meat, but nothing extraordinary there. The sides are very good, particularly the cheese bread and fried bananas. While the diversity and inconsistency of the main entrees is a downer, ultimately each visit becomes an experience in finding what's best that night. Since Fogo is all you can eat, you can't really fault them for that.

1337 Chestnut St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 636-9700
http://www.fogodechao.com/

Capriotti's

2008-03-10T15:44:00.000-04:00

If one were to give an out-of-towner a tour of the best food Delaware has to offer, a stop at Capriotti’s is a must. This place serves some of the best hoagies in the area—and that includes Philadelphia, which is known for having the best hoagies anywhere. The original shop, located on Union Street in Wilmington, started serving up delicious hoagies over 30 years ago. Since then, Capriotti’s has expanded to more locations around the area, as well as across the country—as far as Arizona, Nevada, and Utah.

Without a doubt, the star at Capriotti’s is the turkey. While most other delis continue to use processed turkey, Capriotti’s always uses freshly roasted, pulled turkey on its hoagies. You’ll never want regular deli turkey again. In addition to the standard turkey hoagie, Capriotti’s offers The Bobbie, a highly recommended mainstay at the shop, which includes turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and mayo.

While Capriotti’s is most famous for its turkey hoagies, there are some other great options, too. Below are our non-turkey favorites:

Jeff's Take:
Capriotti’s also has great roast beef, prepared in a similar style to the turkey—pulled in shreds, rather than sliced out of a processed roll. I’m also a big fan of the Capastrami: chopped, hot pastrami with Swiss cheese, coleslaw, and Russian dressing. Capriotti’s Italian hoagies and cheesesteaks are also good, but nothing special—there are much better options for those in nearby Philadelphia.

Mike's Take:
Jeff has pretty well covered all the other sandwiches offered here. I actually disagree about Capriotti's Italian hoagie and believe it is better than average. The best thing about Capriottis as a whole is their meat to fixings to bread ratio. Many subshops give you a few measley strips of meat and cheese and then fill the sandwich with lettuce and slap it on some generic roll. Capriottis shines because they use fresh rolls, a ton of meats, and adequate fixings to make the sandwich blend.

Capriottis
510 N. Union Street
Wilmington, DE
(302) 571-8929
http://www.capriottis.com/

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2008-03-09T17:05:00.006-04:00

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