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danyaz: Scott Dogs Launches, More Trucks on the Way

2011-10-24 04:00:00 GMT

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Sunday brought the official launch of Scott Dogs, the Detroit-style hot dog cart from Scott Schroeder that we first mentioned back in July. The chef at South Philadelphia Tap Room (and coming-soon American Sardine Bar) hand-selects locally farmed beef and pork and delivers it to a sausage house for grinding and stuffing. The resultant large, brat-shaped franks await orders in a broth of beer and onions, from which they’re plucked and finished off on a propane grill equipped with a classic flat-top. The $6 beast is sandwiched in a Martin’s potato roll and topped off with a tangy housemade yellow mustard/dill pickle relish. Find Scott Dogs at the Headhouse Farmer’s Market every Sunday and around the city at choice events.

Judging by the crowds that flock to this and other street food vendors, there’s still room in Philadelphia for more food trucks. Foobooz tries out orange-clad University City newcomer Chewy’s and is pleased by “globally inflected sliders” like the Toga burger with yogurt sauce and olive tapenade ($7). The variety of beef patties is accompanied by fresh-cut fries, BLTs and breakfast sandwiches, along with daily seasonal specials such as pumpkin pancakes.

For less meat-focused eats on the go, Philadelphians can look forward to Andrew Gerson’s forthcomingStrada Pasta. The White Dog Cafe veteran just returned to the States after attending Italy’s University of Gastronomic Sciences, MealTicket informs us, and he plans to “showcase Philly’s bounty of local ingredients through gourmet fresh pasta delicacies.” Over the weekend Gerson headed to the West Coast to scoop up a vehicle and hopes to join Love Park’s lunchtime fleet before winter.

danyaz: Marc Vetri and PB&U Enter the Moorestown Mall

2011-10-25 04:00:00 GMT

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Courtesy of PB&U

Not more than 20 minutes outside of Philly (assuming you’re smart and know to avoid rush hour), New Jersey’s Moorestown Mall is striving to up the ante on shopping center dining options. A far cry from standard chain-housing plazas, the complex is already home to sustainable, high-end beef patty house Elevation Burger and Old City’s artisanalPizzicato Pizza.

Earlier this month, news broke that none other than Philadelphia superchef Marc Vetri had signed a letter of intent to open in the commercial center. Pending local referendums approving liquor license allotments, the Vetri, Osteria and Amis principal will launch a fine-dining Italian in the suburban mart.

And over the weekend, Waynebase-d peanut-butter sandwicherie PB&U announced via Twitter that it too was headed for a Moorestown counter. Unlike Vetri’s endeavor, the casual sticky-bite shop will not serve alcohol, so is a sure score for the New Jersey emporium. Expect the new spots to be up and running within the next few months.

danyaz: Sneak Peek at Stephen Starr's Il Pittore, Opening Tomorrow

2011-10-26 04:00:00 GMT

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For Chris Painter, the third time’s the charm. After two false starts, the longtime Stephen Starr chef is finally opening a place he can call his own. Fine-dining Italian Il Pittore (“the painter”) will open in Rittenhouse on Thursday, October 27.

Painter first joined Starr Restaurants in 1999 to open Tangerine, and spent four years with the organization. After leaving for a couple of years to explore other venues, he returned in 2008 with the goal of launching a small, high-end restaurant of his own. Instead, the economy fell apart, and Painter was tasked with developing menus for the exploding restaurant group. The French bistro fare at Parc was his work, as were the fluffy, crispy Neapolitan pies at Pizzeria Stella. Painter had such a knack for the development work that he spent three years at the task, opening a total of eight different spots for Starr, from Philadelphia to Miami to New York.

With his new permanent home in Rittenhouse, Painter has found a sweet spot. He’s combining his now vast experience with the lessons learned during an intensive monthlong trip to Italy to bring modern variations of Roman, Venetian and Milanese dishes. Antipasti like beef and farro root vegetable soup or foie gras pizelles run $10–$15, while pasta dishes ($13–$17) use no less than four different variations of dough for the noodles. The winter-appropriate mains include slow-cooked suckling pig with pear mostarda ($29) and pan-roasted swordfish in smoked tomato broth, and top out with a bistecca for two – an herb-grilled porterhouse with Tuscan bean salad for $85.

The wine list – put together by sommelier Frank Ziebis (previously at Table 31) with help from NYC’s Laura Maniec – boasts 200 wines by the bottle, all of Italian origin (save for a few champagnes). Twenty different offerings are available by the glass, and a full bar with high-end liquor and a selection of bottled beers rounds out the beverage program.

The bi-level space, formerly Noble American Cookery, has been opened up somewhat by Stokes Architects, and filled with light wood, making the narrow room seem spacious. Downstairs, 18 seats at the long chef’s counter, the bar and a communal table (made of the gorgeous piece of bubinga wood that was Noble’s bartop) will be reserved for walk-in guests. Upstairs, multiple skylights illuminate 66 additional white-tableclothed seats for diners with reservations. Live plants grace every part of the second-floor room, all the way to the roof garden atop the skylights, which will be expanded come spring.

2025 Sansom Street; 215-391-4100

danyaz: Molly Malloy's: A Gastropub for Reading Terminal Market

2011-10-28 04:00:00 GMT

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Reading Terminal Market has always offered a wide variety of regional eats, from authentic Pennsylvania Dutch baked goods to Bassetts ice cream to garden-fresh produce at the (recently expanded) Fair Food Farmstand. This week, the country’s first indoor market became even more representative of Philadelphia’s dining culture with the opening of Molly Malloy’s. Situated deep in the heart of the bustling food center, the gastropub offers 24 craft beers on tap and elevated casual fare from 8 AM–6 PM daily (Sunday breakfast begins when the market opens, at 9 AM).

Brothers Jimmie and Vinny Iovine, who run a huge produce market in the Terminal, have completely transformed the dingy former Beer Garden space – home to the market’s only liquor license – outfitting it with 75-plus seats along the bar and at sit-down tables. Take-out service is also available, and a selection of grab-and-go items are presented in a glass case at check-out. Jimmie is involved with a 57-acre solar farm in New Jersey, and sustainability is a key component of the brothers’ first full-blown restaurant venture. Recyclable materials are used whenever possible, and local ingredients – including fruits and veggies from the Iovine stand several feet away – make up the menu.

Breakfast patrons can enjoy assorted omelets, frittatas or pumpkin pancakes for less than $9 until 11 AM. Chef Bobby Fisher’s lunch and dinner menu brings creative hot and cold sandwiches such as pear-glazed ham or braised oxtail with carrot ketchup, a myriad of salads, soups and appetizers, and larger dishes like fish ‘n’ chips or crispy pork belly with whipped cauliflower. Most items range from $6–$9, with the highest ticket item, the char-grilled rib-eye – checking in at $13. Happy hour runs from 4–6 PM daily, and features $1 off all drafts plus specialty cocktails and wines from the fully equipped bar. Last call is 6 PM, but the space will be available for private events after RTM doors close.

danyaz: Hoagie Battle, Shank's Special Celebrate National Sandwich Day

2011-10-31 04:00:00 GMT

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Courtesy of Shank’s Original

While Americans may disdain the British hierarchy of kings, princes and duke, we can all be glad for the Earl of Sandwich. His ingenious brainstorm of slapping meats and cheeses between two slices of bread may have influenced U.S. culture more than any other English tradition. On Thursday, November 3, we celebrate that heritage with National Sandwich Day.

Stop by the rotunda at the Shops at Liberty Place on November 3, where the “With Love Primo Hoagies Invitational” will take place from 11 AM-1 PM. The free-to-attend competition sees five amateur sandwiches attempt to create an official hoagie for the city, based on recipes submitted over the past few weeks at www.Philly.com/food. Taste your way through the contenders to help a panel of judges crown the winning recipe, which will be served at over 70 area Primo’s locations.

In celebration of 50 years of Philly sandwich stewardship, Shank’s Original is serving up a special deal. Starting on Sandwich Day, all men and women in uniform can head to the Columbus Boulevard shop and order any chicken cutlet sandwich for just $2.50. Choices include the classic Italiano, with broccoli rabe and provolone, chicken parmigiana and a chicken cutlet hoagie. Intended to honor the service of military and first-responders, the deal lasts until Veterans Day (November 11), but anyone wearing a uniform (with a logo) can take advantage of the low-price poultry goodness.

danyaz: Bobby’s Burger Palace Opens in Cherry Hill

2011-11-01 04:00:00 GMT

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“I’m just a burger guy,” Bobby Flay says, explaining why he started Bobby’s Burger Palace. “Eating a burger, especially washed down with a thick shake, brings me right back to my childhood.” Since the first location of his patty chain launched in Long Island in 2008, the venture has grown rapidly. BPP now boasts outposts in six Mid-Atlantic states, including one in West Philly, and the Cherry Hill Mall branch opening today marks the eighth location for the mini-chain.

At the brightly colored quick-serve spot – which looks like a 1950s automat gone modern – you place your order at a counter and then it gets delivered to your table. None of the staff at the opening seemed ruffled by the Iron Chef’s presence, as Flay makes a point of visiting every single location often to assure quality and consistency.

Several fans at the opening were not so nonchalant, however. “We loved you in Entourage!” squealed a pair of 20-something females, after posing for a token picture with the orange-coiffed celeb. “I get more recognition for my 20 minutes on that HBO show than just about anything else!” Flay says, adding, “I always want to ask, ‘But what about the food?”

Burgers are definitely the star of the show at the Palace. Plump six-oz. rounds of beef are cooked to order on a classic flat-top grill, which keeps the juices from dripping out as the meat cooks. Each patty is flipped exactly once to allow a crispy exterior to form, sprinkled liberally with salt and black pepper, and never pressed flat to expedite cooking (“Grounds for termination,” Flay contends).

Ten signature cheese-and-topping combos are on the menu, from the Philadelphia Burger (provolone, onion and pepper) to the Napa Valley Burger (watercress, goat cheese, lemon and mustard), and all choices are $7.75 or less. At no additional charge, any one of them can be “crunchified” – stuffed with a handful of old-fashioned potato chips mounded under the bun. Other toppings include the likes of chipotle ketchup, which ought to go well with hand-cut fries.

Several other items round out the menu, including onion rings, grilled cheese, salad and sodas. On the sweet side, there’s an array of $5 milkshakes made with natural ingredients and thick enough to stand a spoon in. The one downside: unlike the West Philly outpost, there’s no alcohol served.

Hours are 11 AM–10 PM Monday–Thursday, 11 AM–11 PM Friday–Saturday and 11 AM–9 PM Sunday.

2000 Rte. 38, Suite 1160, Cherry Hill; 856-382-7462

danyaz: Hickory Lane Coming to Fairmount

2011-11-02 04:00:00 GMT

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L’Oca will become Hickory Lane.

This winter, Fairmount will gain a couple of new dining options, adding to the already-varied choices that dot the residential streets behind the Art Museum. Matt Zagorski (formerly of Rouge and 500) is taking over shuttered French bistro L’Oca, which closed after the repeated DUI arrests of chef Luca Garutti. The new concept, Hickory Lane, will serve “quality local farm fresh ingredients in modern recipes,” according to a coming-soon sign posted on the door. Jack Henderson (who was also a partner at L’Oca) will be general manager. The team is looking toward a mid-December opening, Philly.com reports.

Foobooz has the skinny on the collaboration between Mike Welsh(Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co.) and Mitch Prensky (Supper) that will replace Lucky 7 Tavern at 25th and Aspen. Also aiming to open before Christmas, the as-yet-unmamed restaurant will feature the classic cocktails that the Franklin has become famous for, and new takes on the farm-fresh fare for which Supper is well-known. Keith Raimondi, who is a veteran of Jose Garces’ Village Whiskey and Tinto, will manage.

danyaz: Birra Opens This Saturday in East Passyunk

2011-11-03 04:00:00 GMT

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We were working on our preview of Gordon Dinerman’s year-in-the-works Birra, busily photographing mouth-watering mac ‘n’ cheese pizza and bubbling whole scampi prawns, when the former Barclay Prime manager got the phone call he’d been waiting for. After “pulling every string” he could during the past few days at L&I and City Hall, Dinerman and chef Andrew Fox finally heard the news they’d been waiting for: their liquor license was good to go.

Happily for fans of creative brick-oven pizza, housemade cured meats and craft beers, the casual East Passyunk spot (at the corner of 12th & Morris) will official open on Saturday, November 5. Stay tuned for our full writeup and the opening menus, coming soon.

danyaz: Spread Bagelry Expanding in Rittenhouse

2011-11-04 04:00:00 GMT

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Larry Rosenblum and Marc Cosgrove’s 20th Street Montreal-style bagel shop Spread Bagelry has been an immense success. Aside from the minor glitch days after they first opened (a contractor’s incorrect wiring in the wood-burning oven caused a fire and a three-month shutdown), the cafe has been doing everything right, if the never-ending lines out the door are any indication. The partners decided to build on this success by snapping up an empty storefront across the street (previously an outpost of Brown Betty dessert boutique) and expand as Spread Bakery.

Projected to open in spring 2012, Spread Bakery will offer loose bagels, scones, muffins, small pies and other sweet rolls. This will ease the wait at the cafe, where patrons looking for a dozen bagels to go have to mingle with those ordering sandwiches and other prepared foods. Additionally, Lisa Cosgrove (Marc’s wife) has baked professionally and at home for decades, and has long had a dream of opening a small bake shop of her own.

Lisa will provide the recipes and technique for the goods offered at the bakery, including her secret formula for how to make biscotti that melts in your mouth, and is not at all dry or brittle. Unusual for a pastry shop, the interior counter will front an open kitchen, where you can watch the dough being mixed, risen, prepped and baked right before your eyes. Everything will be offered to go, with no seating area, but visitors can opt to have their corn muffin (or other treat) spilt and grilled in a panini press, served with butter and jelly, in classic diner style.

danyaz: 5 Must-Try Dishes at a.kitchen in Rittenhouse

2011-11-07 05:00:00 GMT

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We first took a look at Rittenhouse’s new 18th Street bistro a.kitchen in June, with a behind-the-scenes videojust before it opened. In the ensuing months, chef Bryan Sikora and proprietor David Fields have hit their stride. Philadelphia Inquirer critic Craig LaBan recently bestowed a coveted three-bell review upon the swanky Euro-style dining room, and foodie buzz has been overwhelmingly positive. Even rough-edged chefs likeSouth Philadelphia Tap Room’s Scott Schroeder have been thrilled with the housemade English muffins that help make brunch a special treat in the white-marble-walled space. But dinner is where the elegant, medium-plate menu shines. Here are five dishes not to miss when you snag your reservation. Already been? Let us know your favorites in the kitchen.

Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe: This classic Roman dish has so few ingredients – pasta, butter, cheese and black pepper – that you might skip over it. However, if you’re interested in discovering the archetypal arrangement of these seemingly mundane ingredients, try Sikora’s version. Toothy, al dente housemade pasta snaps with cracked black pepper and fresh Parmesan in a soulfully satisfying dish ($12).

Octopus with Quince Chutney and Chick Pea Fries: Octopus is easy to overcook, what with its delicate tendrils and subtle ocean tang, but a.kitchen’s version is tender and brightly flavorful. Firmly tender cubes of quince are a contrasting accompaniment, but the best item on the plate are the squares of fried chickpeas, like ethereal high-end falafel ($14).

Duck, Wild Mushrooms, Butternut Squash, Corkscrews: The Arcobaleno pasta extruder excels at twisted shapes, like the tagliatelle in the duck ragu from our summer video. In this dish, huge twists – like rotelli on steroids – do a banner job of catching flecks of squash, mushroom and shredded duck along with droplets of lightly garlicky sauce, making every single bite a premier pairing of taste and texture ($16).

Guinea Hen with Pâte, Seared Foie Gras and Corn Bread: A maple-syrup glaze on the foie gras mingles with the fluffy corn bread to remind of a great breakfast as you work your way through this rich-sounding dish. The combination is lighter than expected, though, as the poultry reveals a dainty texture when unfurled from its round. Capture all four elements on one forkful for the full experience ($18).

Lamb Loin, Treviso and Black Olives: If you are one who tends to stay away from lamb because it can be gamey, have no fear here. Plump rectangles of meat that pink at center and seared expertly at the edges soak up a sweet jus, given a tinge of zippy bite by the Northeastern Italian bitter herb treviso. Warmed olives are an additional welcome salty foil to the almost sugary meat ($19).

135 S. 18th St.; 215-825-7030

danyaz: 6 Festive Thanksgiving Feasts at Philadelphia Restaurants

2011-11-07 05:00:00 GMT

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Celebrate Turkey Day at Supper.

Whether you are a Thanksgiving purist, and prefer to dine on nothing but turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes, or have a more open mind about the appropriate holiday feast, there are several options for avoiding the kitchen on this day of thanks. Check out several restaurants offering buffets, sit-down dinners and meals-to-go for your November 24 event.

Bistro St. Tropez: Chef Patrice Rames is bringing French flair to this decidedly American holiday with “Le Grand Buffet” at his bistro overlooking the Schuykill. Diners can select from seatings at 1 PM, 3 PM, 5 PM and 7 PM, where they’ll partake in slow-braised Berkshire pork short ribs, creamy lobster bisque, phyllo-wrapped Atlantic salmon, desserts, sides and, yes, roasted turkey ($48, $38 for the 1 PM seating, $20 kids under 12; 215-569-9269).

Davio’s: The Rittenhouse steakhouse is celebrating with a four-course family-style meal, featuring butternut squash soup, all the traditional fixin’s and roasted turkey, carved tableside, with leftovers available to stock your fridge. Reserve a seat anytime from 1–8 PM ($55, $25 kids under 12; 215-563-4810).

London Grill: This Fairmount tavern just celebrated its 20th anniversary, which means you can be sure proprietors Michael and Terry McNally know how to do tradition. An all-you-can-eat buffet from 2–7 PM will offer more than a dozen items, so try not to fill your entire plate with the delectable sausage cornbread stuffing ($40, $20 kids under 12; 215-978-4545).

Percy Street Barbecue: Pit-mistress Erin O’Shea is smoking up a huge batch of turkeys at this South Street ‘cue joint, ready to be taken home and ravished in the privacy of your own dining room. $65 brings a 15-lb. bird, or get a 4–6 person feast of sweet potatoes, stuffing, greens and pecan pie for $225. Orders must be placed by Wednesday, November 16, and will be ready for pickup on Wednesday, November 23 (215-625-8510).

Supper: Just next door, chef Mitch Prensky will be offering three seatings for his family-style supper, at 2 PM, 4:30 PM and 7 PM. There are vegetarian choices for each course, including the chef’s much-loved sweet-potato soup, and the meal finishes with housebaked apple or pumpkin pie ($58, $29 kids under 12; 215-592-8180).

Twisted Tail: If you like booze with your bird (or rely on it to deal with the fam), head to this Headhouse Square cookery. A traditional or Cajun-style fried turkey plate with potatoes, stuffing and veggies can be accompanied by a special $12 Wild Turkey flight ($25; 215-558-2471).

danyaz: Birra: Brick-Oven Pizza and Craft Beer on East Passyunk

2011-11-08 05:00:00 GMT

Shared link: Birra: Brick-Oven Pizza and Craft Beer on East Passyunk

Brick-oven pizza and a dedicated craft beer list are not hard to find in Philadelphia, but Gordon Dinerman’sBirra – which opened last weekend on East Passyunk Avenue, after nearly five months of licensing issues – may be the first to bring them together successfully. The 50-seat arrival at the corner of 12th and Morris combines high-end elements and flavors on its affordable menu.

Most recently at West Philly’s City Tap House, Dinerman was a fixture for four years at Stephen Starr’s upscale steakhouse Barclay Prime, where he was known for greeting fancily dressed Rittenhouse patrons in a warm bear hug. With Birra, he hopes to entice some of those guests down to South Philly. “We’re not going to sous vide a pizza,” he jokes, “but we are using the very finest ingredients, and taking the time to make them work right.”

Also from Barclay Prime comes chef Andrew Fox, who is responsible for making sure there’s enough house-cured pancetta and duck pastrami, house-brined pickles, fresh-rolled chermoula butter and daily mixed dough to supply the Italian-inspired menu. A dozen red and white pizzas star on the menu, all available in 12-in. rounds or a signature “BirraBowl” that’s reminiscent of an upside-down calzone.

The mac ’n’ cheese pizza sees a surprisingly light bechamel sauce mingling with cheese and crisped-up pasta atop the crust ($13). The cheeseburger pizza (“our attempt at the best burger in the city, only it’s not a burger,” says Fox) holds dry-aged beef, pickles, tomato and shreds of lettuce atop both red and white sauce ($17). Either is enough to satisfy two. Huge salads also arrive on top of a pizza round, and a selection of plates from the oven includes head-on prawns in a steaming garlic sauce ($18) as well as poultry and steak dishes. “I worked in Morton’s in eight different cities, and traveled all over the country seeking out great food,” Dinerman told the Buzz. “This menu is basically 40 things I’d like to eat.”

Birra’s mussels come in a Peroni broth, the brew chosen as a signature, always-on-tap beer for the noshery (pints go for $4.50). The beverage program was put together by Jessica Fox, the chef’s wife and a veteran of Fishtown’s Kraftwork and Grad Hospital’s Sidecar. Seven additional taps will offer a rotating selection of local crafts, abetted by nearly 40 in cans and bottles, organized in categories like “piquant suds,” “Belgianistas” and “browner brews.”

1700 E. Passyunk Ave.; 267-324-3127

danyaz: New Openings: Birra, Ulivo, Ela and More

2011-11-10 05:00:00 GMT

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New restaurants are opening this month faster than the leaves are dropping. Over the weekend, Gordon Dinerman’s Birra opened on East Passyunk, and that’s just the start. Monday saw the launch of Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook’s second outpost ofPercy Street Barbecue, housed in the underground Market at the Comcast Center. Chef Erin O’Shea has put her famous smoked meats into several sandwiches like boneless ribs with coleslaw (game on, McRib) and smoked turkey with tomato-bacon mayo, all $7–$9. Southern sides of pinto beans, collard greens and even vegan chili round out the offerings, along with pecan and Key lime pies for dessert. The shop is open 10 AM–7 PM, Monday–Friday and 10 AM–5 PM on Saturdays (215-964-9014).

Today marks the opening date set by Joseph Scarpone (formerly of Northern Liberties Italian Sovalo) for Ulivo.The new Bella Vista BYO takes over from the longtime tenant at the corner of East Passyunk and Catherine (neighborhooder Trattoria Alla Costiera), after a short, few-months renovation. Look for a simplified version of his fine-dining Italian at the 50-seat space, with reasonable, family-friendly pricing.

Friday will be the first day for Ela, the showcase for former Lacroix at the Rittenhouse chef Jason Cichonski, who most recently partnered with Chip Roman (Blackfish) to open Mica in Chestnut HIll. Roman is also a partner in the Queen Village venture, opening after extensive renovations to the former Ansil locale, which had sat vacant for years. Stay tuned for preview photos and more about this inventive new American bar (267-687-8512).

Just over the “horizon” is the opening of Vedge, the all-vegan restaurant and lounge in the former Deux Cheminees at 1221 Locust. Husband-and-wife team Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby are aiming for a November 21 kick-off, after several months dealing with licensing issues (215-923-6117). Their former haven-for-vegans Horizons, on Seventh Street just off South, is well on its way to becoming Nomad Pizza, whose brick oven was delivered last week. And on North Broad, we hear that Stephen Starr’s seafood-centric Route 6 is tantalizingly close.

danyaz: Sneak Peek: Jason Cichonski’s Ela in Queen Village

2011-11-11 05:00:00 GMT

Shared link: Sneak Peek: Jason Cichonski’s Ela in Queen Village

“Every single surface you see is completely new,” Jason Cichonski says with a half-exhausted, half-exhilarated smile. From the cherrywood covered ceiling to the gold-ostrich-adorned, burgundy wallpaper to the gleaming metal bartop, the former Ansil space at Third and Bainbridge has been given new life, and most of the handiwork was done by the chef and his friends. After collaborating with Blackfish’s Chip Roman to openMica in Chestnut Hill, the 27-year-old rising-star chef (formerly of Lacroix at the Rittenhouse) now has his own showcase with Ela.

Roman is also a partner at the 65-seat new American, but the menu is all Cichonski, with some input from sous-chef and longtime friend Billy Riddle. “The food here is going to be progressive, but totally accessible,” Cichonski told the Buzz. “I mean, we do have foie gras on the menu, but I want Ela to be a neighborhood place. People should feel comfortable stopping in several nights a week.”

The affordable bill of fare has been designed to encourage frequent visits, with dishes that start at $8 and top out at $23. Divided into four sections, the concise menu will vary often. Currently under “First Bite,” comes that foie gras, served with gingerbread, huckleberry and parsely root ($11). “Second Bite” offers baby beets with Brie ($9) or sweet potato soup, spiced up with coffee ($7). “Third Bite” ranges from duck magret over pretzel spaetzle ($15) to wild striped bass buffeted with pepperoni and mozzarella ($14). “Fourth Bite” brings deeper flavors, like the $23 veal cheeks or $18 pork belly. A dessert menu offers sweets like whipped pumpkin pie and hot chocolate-chip cookie dough as a final course.

The long bar runs the entire length of the large room, and sports six beer taps and a 16-bottle Cruvinet system that allows a wide variety of by-the-glass wines ($8–$15). The cocktail program was developed by Cichonski, and includes creative mixes like the Sowing Season (Laphroaig whiskey, Yards Love Stout beer, amaretto and maraschino liqueur) and Jaws Theme Swimming (cedar-wood-infused vodka, lillet blanc, sweet vermouth and a cerignola olive). Drink prices range from $9–$12.

Exposed light bulbs and metal piping add an edginess to the otherwise warmly welcoming space, which Cichonski designed (and hand-built) in collaboration with Stokes Architecture. At the back of the 40 seats among tables in the main room is a 10-seat semi-private dining area that can be cordoned off for private events. Starting tonight, Ela will serve dinner 5:30–10 PM, Sunday–Thursday and 5:30–11 PM, Friday–Saturday.

627 S. Third St.; 267-687-8512

danyaz: Fall Chef Changes: 10 Arts, Xochitl, Farmers' Cabinet

2011-11-14 05:00:00 GMT

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Courtesy of 10 Arts

There is no dearth of chef positions in Philadelphia right now, thanks to a prolific month of openings that has yet to slow, but some established restaurants have also made changes at in the top toque category recently. Eric Ripert has named Nathan Volz chef de cuisine at 10 Arts in the Ritz-Carlton, replacingJennifer Carroll (who left the bistro nearly a month ago to strike out on her own – stay tuned for updates on that front). Volz trained at Le Cordon Bleu and previously worked at several other Ritz-Carlton properties.

Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook recently soldXochitl on Headhouse Square, and the new owners have brought in chef Gabriel Montalvo, who is well-trained in Mexican cuisine from his time as sous-chef at Stephen Starr’s El Vez. Along with a brightened and expanded lower-floor dining room, the menu is being tweaked to include a greater number of casual bites, and new signage on the exterior now identifies the location as a “tequila bar.”

At Walnut Street’s Farmers’ Cabinet, Jason Goodman is now helming the kitchen. Goodman (previously atMeritage and Le Bec-Fin) has introduced greatly expanded lunch, dinner and brunch menus, with a fresher focus and variety than the cocktail house offered when it opened. He’s also collaborating with sous-chefSteve Forte (previously at Fork) on a $60 five-course tasting menu, available Monday–Saturday.

danyaz: Route 6: Stephen Starr Brings a Taste of the Ocean to North Broad

2011-11-15 05:00:00 GMT

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Until recently, the gritty urban stretch of North Broad between City Hall and Temple’s campus was the antithesis of the sandy Atlantic shore. This week, Stephen Starr’s latest project, Route 6, will change that, sweeping on to the corner of Broad and Mount Vernon with a open, airy seafood house offering oceanic eats from all along the coast.

Named after the highway that snakes through Cape Cod from the Sagamore bridge to the tip of Provincetown, the sea-to-table showcase will feature an extensive raw bar, daily lobster selections (including an overstuffed lobster roll) and whole fish preparations. Executive chef Anthony DiRienzo – who was sous at Starr’sMorimoto after working in several Michael Mina restaurants – convinced the organization to build both a wood-fired hearth oven and an adjustable wood-fired grill, giving him ultimate control over delicate ocean flavors.

There are only a couple of non-seafood options on the menu (grilled steaks and fried chicken), and the selections range from high-end plates to fun fare like fried clams (whole littlenecks that imbue a distinctive flavor to the crunchy strips) and corn-studded johnnycakes. Desserts will be fresh-baked pies and cobblers, rotating with the seasons. The average check should ring in at less than $45 per person.

That includes selections from the beverage program, which sees 20 bottled beers along with six on draft, including the special “Route 6 Ale,” an unfiltered rye ESB created specially for the restaurant by New Hampshire’s White Birch Brewing. (Eventually, guests will be able to take home 22-oz. bottles of the custom brew.) For those who like to pair wine with their fish, 40 bottles are listed, most available by the glass. Specialty cocktails will change throughout the year.

A courtyard decked out with greenery and picnic tables serves as entryway to the space. Once inside, a tiered dining room is divided into open sections: the full liquor bar and accompanying lounge; chairs and tables along weathered wooden walls; and a raw bar and chef’s counter that lines the semi-open kitchen. Starr tapped California’s Marshall Agriam Design Studio to create the modern take on a coastal fish house, which is full of light wood and white accents.

Overhead, a skylight helps fill the room with natural light, along with windowed walls that lead to yet another seating area. Sit in the L-shaped covered “patio” surrounding the main room to get the real beach feel, with canvas sails repurposed as drapes and antique brass naval trinkets throughout. A double-sided fireplace adds to the rustic, welcoming atmosphere, as do metal buckets awaiting diners at each table, filled with old-fashioned lobster bibs, nutcrackers and carved sliver lobster picks.

With Marc Vetri’s Osteria going strong a couple of blocks away and his Italian birreria Alla Spina due to open soon just next door, Route 6 is poised to make North Broad a new Philadelphia dining destination. Dinner is served 5–10 PM Sunday–Thursday and 5–11 PM Friday–Saturday.

600 N. Broad St.; 215-391-4600

danyaz: Now Open: Vedge and Tapestry

2011-11-17 05:00:00 GMT

Shared link: Now Open: Vedge and Tapestry

Vedge

Former Horizons owners Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby aren’t willing to wait any longer to throw open the doors at their small-plate vegetable sanctuary Vedge. The restaurant began service last night, offering a menu full of sharable dishes in which vegetables star plus a creative cocktail list. Stay tuned for the full rundown, coming soon (1221 Locust St.; 215-320-7500).

Earlier this week, we got a sneak peek at the impressive beer list (24 on draft, nearly 150 in bottles), classic cocktails and light fare at Tapestry, which also launched last night. After losing partner Matt Levin at the spot’s former incarnation as Adsum, proprietor Kar Vivekananthan turned to friend Rich Rivera of Belvedere Restaurant Group (which also runs Manayunk’s Agiato), who will oversee day-to-day operations. The pair tapped chef Carmen Cappello (previously at Wishing Well) to create the menu, which includes accessible bites like housemade pizzas, crab fritters and cheese plates. The neighborhood hangout will be open daily from 5 PM, and will also offer weekend brunch (700 S. Fifth St.).

danyaz: Thanksgiving Recipes From Jose Garces, Mike Stollenwerk and Guillermo Pernot

2011-11-18 05:00:00 GMT

Shared link: Thanksgiving Recipes From Jose Garces, Mike Stollenwerk and Guillermo Pernot

Jose Garces

If you’ve chosen to brave cooking this year over celebrating Thanksgiving at a restaurant, we’ve compiled a few worthy recipes from top area chefs. Bon appétit!

Sweet Corn Humitas

Jose Garces (Amada, Distrito et. al)

4 cups of corn, removed from the cobb, and pureed

16 oz. queso fresco

2 cups of instant white corn flour (arepa flour)

2 cups corn stock

4 tbs sugar

2 tbs salt

2 tsp baking powder

1 and a half sticks butter

10 corn husks

Combine corn, butter, baking powder, salt, sugar and eggs in a food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl and add corn stock, corn flour, queso fresco and mix with a spoon until thickened. Fold the corn husks into tubular shapes with the bottom closed and the top open. Butter the interior of the corn husks, then spoon 2 tbs of the corn mixture into each husk. Fold the top over to seal. Place a steamer in a large pot with water. Bring water to a boil and then place corn humitas, horizontally, into the steamer. Humitas can be layered on top of one another. Cook for about 30 minutes.

Oyster Hash

Mike Stollenwerk (Fish)

Serves 4-6 people

1 Tbsp. canola oil

2 lb. fingerling potatoes

4 oz. bacon, diced

3 small shallots, minced

1 head fennel, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

30 blue island oysters, shucked, 4 oz. liquid reserved

1 oz. sherry vinegar

1 honey crisp apple, diced

3 Tbsp. butter

4 sprigs fresh thyme

¼ cup chopped parsley

salt & pepper as needed

Begin by placing the potatoes in a pot of cold water and bring to a simmer over

medium heat, cook until tender. Strain and set aside until cool enough to peel, once peeled

slice into ¼ inch rounds.

In a large sauté pan heat oil over medium heat add bacon and render until crispy.

Once bacon is crisp add shallot, fennel, celery, and thyme, sweat vegetables until tender but

not browned. Add reserved oyster liquid and vinegar and reduce until liquid has evaporated.

Add the butter, sliced potato, and diced apple continue to cook over medium heat for 5

minutes until apples start to soften. Add parsley and oysters, cook for an additional minute.

Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Pavo Real

Chef-Partner Guillermo Pernot (Cuba Libre)

Yield 16

1 small onion, chopped

1 lemon

12 fresh sage leaves

½ cup of parsley leaves

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed

6 bay leaves

4 tablespoons butter

2 boneless turkey breast halves, (about 4½ pounds each)

Freshly ground black pepper

4 banana leaves

1 recipe of curry –mango mojito

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Oil a roasting pan and set it aside.

Put the onion into the bowl of a mini food processor. Using a vegetable

peeler, peel the zest from the lemon in thin strips, being careful not to cut

into the bitter white pith. Add the lemon zest to the food processor and.

Chop the onion and lemon zest until fine. Add the sage, parsley, olive oil,

and 1 teaspoon salt and pulse until it forms a coarse paste.

Put the turkey breasts on a work surface. Carefully run your fingers between

the skin and the flesh from one end, being careful not to pull it completely

off, creating a pocket. Season the turkey breasts generously with salt and

pepper. Stuff half of the herb paste under the skin of each breast, and spread

it evenly under the skin.

Transfer the breasts to open banana leaves in a roasting pan. Using a pastry

brush, baste the breast with mango mojito, close leaves. Place the turkey

in the oven and roast for 40 to minutes, until cooked through, and the

thermometer placed in the thickest part of the breast registers 155 degrees F.

Remove from the oven, and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

For the curry-mango mojito sauce:

12 oz. fresh mango, medium diced

2 oz. cilantro, roughly chopped

1 cup. olive oil

1teaspoon granulated sugar

.25 oz. Thai red curry paste

1 oz. fresh basil

In a small bowl, combined all the ingredients.

Heat in a small saucepan over medium heat until warmed through.

Puree in a blender.

danyaz: Stateside Opens Tomorrow on East Passyunk

2011-11-18 05:00:00 GMT

Shared link: Stateside Opens Tomorrow on East Passyunk

Saturday is opening night for Stateside, the local-focused American from the team behind Green Eggs Cafe (which now boasts three locations). Just a couple of blocks away from the East Passyunk outpost of the successful bruncherie, Stateside will feature the cuisine of chef George Sabatino, who previously helped elevate Marcie Turney’s Barbuzzo to a nationally renowned destination.

The petite 40-seat space (including 12 at the bar) across from East Passyunk’s Singing Fountain will feature small plates such as beer-braised beef cheeks ($12) and pan-roasted Brussels sprouts ($7), house-cured charcuterie and larger share-ready plates like steamed littleneck clams with housemade andouille sausage ($16). The beverage program is strictly domestic, showcasing small-batch distilleries like Philadelphia Distilling and Death’s Door. On the beer side, expect 10 taps and 15 bottles of local craft brews, while the wine list is stocked with varietals from across the nation. Dinner will be served daily from 5–11 PM.

1536 E. Passyunk Ave.;215-551-2500

danyaz: Vedge: Hearty Vegetarian Fare Served in Wash West

2011-11-21 05:00:00 GMT

Shared link: Vedge: Hearty Vegetarian Fare Served in Wash West

“We usually avoid ‘vegan’ restaurants when we go out to eat,” says Kate Jacoby, referring to her and husbandRich Landau’s dining habits, mentioning that they will often call ahead to make sure a meatless meal can be prepared.

“I want to sample and taste the whole range of flavors contemporary diners are experiencing, so I can adapt them – and make them even better – in my own kitchen,” Landau adds. “There’s no reason cooking with vegetables has to be boring or tasteless.” Judging by our preview tasting (and the crowds that have flocked to the just-opened Wash West eatery) dishes at Vedge are anything but.

The former Horizons proprietors have taken over 1221 Locust Street, a classic building that was long home to traditional French Deux Chiminees. The interior has been transformed into a white-toned, marble-filled, elegant multiroom environment. “I went for the look of a modern Dean & Deluca,” Jacoby tells us. A long bar greets visitors upon entering the Frank Furness-designed building, highlighted by artfully sculpted incandescent bulbs in mottled glass chandeliers. To the side, one finds a cocktail lounge, decked out like a sitting room with sofas, comfortable chairs, bookshelves and a warm fireplace.

Three rooms make up the eating space. Two dining rooms filled with wooden tables, chairs and banquettes are adorned with stone-hearth fireplaces, mahogany trim and pastel modern art. Arched walkways lead back toward the busy kitchen, where a third space holds a long vegetable bar, flanked by hightops where guests can dine next to chefs preparing salads, snacks and what Landau referred to as “vegetable charcuterie.” For example, the portabello carpaccio, a spread of marinated, thinly sliced mushrooms that carry all the depth of flavor of aged beef ($9).

The menu is made up of small-to-medium-sized plates, well-suited for sharing. From the kitchen comes surprisingly meaty-tasting eggplant braciole, resting in a sauce that sings of fresh peas ($13). Chick-pea flour is wrapped around tangy hearts of palm, served atop gold lentil curry with a green harissa sauce ($13). Though a handful of dishes do feature tofu or seitan, this bill of fare is an homage to the vegetable, and does not rely on protein substitutes.

Guests who prefer a light snack could order a single plate (three per person is suggested for a complete dinner), or choose from a selection of light bites like housemade mixed olives or truffled fingerling fries (each $5). Both the 70-bottle wine list and beer selection (half a dozen taps and as many by the bottle) have been specially chosen to complement the produce-oriented cuisine without overpowering it. Cocktails use local, craft-distilled spirits wherever possible, and are created with housemade bitters and syrups. Non-drinkers can take advantage too: there is no soda gun – cola, root beer or ginger ale will be mixed to order.

Vedge is open Monday–Saturday, 5–10 PM. Seven-day service and/or lunch may be introduced in the future.

1221 Locust St.; 215-320-7500

danyaz: Rocchino's and American Sardine Bar Now Open

2011-11-28 05:00:00 GMT

Shared link: Rocchino's and American Sardine Bar Now Open

South Philadelphia Tap Room’s John Longacre andScott Schroeder have their fingers on the pulse of the city’s bar scene, so it’s no coincidence they chose the biggest drinking night of the year, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, to publicly debut their new watering hole, American Sardine Bar. The drinkery features a small-but-creative menu stocked with food you’d want to eat while tying one on.

The signature item – canned Spanish sardines, chopped up and served between slices of baguette with red onion and pickled egg – goes for just $2. Other sandwiches on offer include the “krabcake” (yes, made with crab stick instead of the real stuff), a season-appropriate open-faced roast chicken with gravy and a Pittsburgh steak, complete with french fries under the bun. A just-like-mom-made chicken noodle soup will warm the soul, while beer-battered onion rings will perfectly accompany pours from the bar’s 16 craft taps. And for those truly intense late-night cravings (the kitchen serves through 1 AM), there’s also Schroeder’s famous grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwich, crusted with Frosted Flakes.

1801 Federal St.; 215-215-2152

Also recently opened is Rocchino’s, a coal-fired pizza and Italian-specialty joint in the former Paradigm on Third and Chestnut in Old City. Owner Rob LaScala (LaScala’s) took almost a year to transform the space into a warmly lit bistro, with a long bar and several sit-down tables. Another LaScala concept is due to open any day right next door; more on that soon.

239 Chestnut St.; 215-238-6900

danyaz: Coming Soon: Brick American Eatery, East Girard Gastropub and Russet

2011-11-30 05:00:00 GMT

Shared link: Coming Soon: Brick American Eatery, East Girard Gastropub and Russet

Fathom will become East Girard Gastropub

The openings frenzy we saw this November must be an encouraging sign for area restaurateurs, who have several new spots in the works for 2011. Mike Stollenwerk, who recently announced he was moving elegant seafooder, Fish to new digs at 13th and Locust, decided he didn’t want to give up the space at 1708 Lombard after all. Once Fish decamps, he’ll revamp the interior and launch Brick American Eatery, a casual neighborhood bistro. In Fishtown, the corner that was briefly Stollenwerk’s Fathom will become East Girard Gastropub, once Rob Hollowayis done with renovations. Expect a pub more in tune with the unpretentious neighborhood, though one that will still feature several seafood choices from the former Fish sous-chef.

In Rittenhouse, Horizons alum Nicole Marquis is planning something novel for the former Pad Thai Shack at 127 S. 18th Street. The coming quick-serve spot will serve hearty burgers, fries and other light fare, but – and here’s the twist – every single thing on the menu will be vegan. With chef Rich Landau (Vedge) consulting, we’re looking forward to seeing how good meatless fast food can be. A February opening is projected.

Down the street at 1521 Spruce, Ernie Salandria has found a buyer for the former Ernesto’s Cafe. The brownstone-ensconsed space will become Russet, a farm-to-table BYO from Andrew and Kristin Wood. After spending time out west at San Franciso’s Quince and Napa Valley’s Terra, Andrew has returned to Philadelphia, where he previously cooked at Le Bec-Fin, James and Fork. Kristin brings a pedigree of her own, counting stints at Quince and working alongside Grant Achatz at Trio in Evanston, IL, according toFoobooz. Plans for Russet including a daily-changing menu and a February opening.

danyaz: Holiday Choices at Garces Trading Company

2011-12-01 05:00:00 GMT

Shared link: Holiday Choices at Garces Trading Company

We recently popped into Garces Trading Company and were struck by how much of a one-stop shop it is for everything holiday-related (just in case our gift guide didn’t cover it).

First, if you plan to do any seasonal entertaining at home, a stop at the retail side of the Jose Garces operation is a must. Knowledgeable workers behind the deli counter will slice you a myriad of housemade cured meats and sausages, or provide a profusion of thinly sliced jamón ibérico. Cheeses can also be cut to order while you peruse the olive oil and vinegar bar for an appropriate dressing. After loading up with imported hors d’oeuvres like marcona almonds or cornichons, top your party tray off with house-baked breads and snag a selection of fanciful petit fours to serve for dessert. Head to the in-house wine-and-spirits shop (the only one in the state) to pick up appropriate pairings to serve with your nibbles. There’s an impressive selection of foreign wines – all kept at optimum temperature in the glass-enclosed walk-in cellar.

And then there’s that long-running holiday tradition: last-minute gifts! A half-dozen of Garces’ mouth-melting macarons, potted duck – rillettes topped with layers of foie gras and elderflower caramel – or a $100 prepared gift basket full of assorted treats should do the trick.

Of course, while you’re there, might as well do a little nibbling yourself. New chef de cuisine Gregg Ciprioni has created a menu of medium plates designed for sharing, from antipasti like baked cauliflower with black garlic pesto to pan-roasted scallops swimming in salty bagna càuda. Share a rectangular margherita or lamb merguez flatbread pizza, or go out in style with a loaded deep-dish pie dripping with San Marzano tomato confit and fresh Gruyère. Holidays should always be this tasty.

danyaz: Sweet Things: Belle Cakery Opens, Monica Glass to Fish

2011-12-02 05:00:00 GMT

Shared link: Sweet Things: Belle Cakery Opens, Monica Glass to Fish

Pastry chefs play an important role in dining out – after all, their creations are the final note of the evening. The sweets put forth by Monica Glass at Eric Ripert’s bistro 10 Arts have garnered much acclaim, from whimsical Tastykake ice cream to plum ginger panna cotta to gluten-free cupcakes (she has celiac herself). But now the “Pastry Princess” is moving on: starting this December she’ll be whipping up sugary finales for MikeStollenwerk’s expanded Fish, coming soon to 13th and Locust. We’re looking forward to sampling her even more over-the-top confections soon.

On East Passyunk, dessert maestra and Fond partner Jessie Prawlucki now has even more room to show off her baking prowess. Belle Cakery opened last week just up the avenue from the petite new American BYO. Provisioned with a counter and plenty of equipment, the take-out shop will offer individual pastries like brown butter madeleines, pistachio profiteroles, housemade marshmallows and more, as well as pre-made and custom-order full-size cakes and tarts. Holidays are a specialty, with seasonal menus offered throughout the year. The bakeshop is open noon–9 PM Tuesday–Thursday, noon–10 PM Friday–Saturday and 11 AM–7 PM on Sunday (1437 E. Passyunk Ave.; 215-271-2299).

danyaz: Openings: Hickory Lane, East Girard Gastropub, Honest Tom’s Tacos

2011-12-22 05:00:00 GMT

Shared link: Openings: Hickory Lane, East Girard Gastropub, Honest Tom’s Tacos

Hickory Lane’s burger

A seemingly continuous cascade of restaurants are popping open their doors before the calendar ticks over to 2012. Last night was the first night of service for Hickory Lane, a BYO bistro located in the shuttered L’Oca spot on Fairmount Ave, just across from Eastern State Penitentiary. Former Rouge chef Matt Zagorski has the reins, and is planning a menu of hearty, seasonal fare. He and partner Jack Henderson did a quick revamp on the interior, concealing the open kitchen somewhat and adding dark wood touches. Lunch will follow in the coming weeks, and a liquor license has been hinted at in the near future.

Another redo has also just launched, this one on the eastern edge of town. Rob Holloway is serving elevated neighborhood fare at the East Girard Gastropub (call it E.G.G.), in the space he purchased whenMike Stollenwerk closed Fathom to concentrate on Fish. More tables now surround the bar, and while seafood is still on the menu, there’s one big new addition: meat! Snacks start around $4 and top out at $18, in line with what the Fishtown crowd expects.

In West Philly, food-truck pioneer Tom McCusker of Honest Tom’s Taco Shop has finally opened his brick-and-mortar location (we first mentioned it last March). Open 8 AM–9 PM daily, the shop serves his famous breakfast tacos with locally roasted GreenStreet coffee, and then switches over to a bill of fare similar to the mobile operation, with the addition of big, burly burritos. A communal table and counter with stools fill the interior, and outside picnic seating will be introduced as soon as the weather is willing.

danyaz: New Year's Eve Celebrations in Philly

2011-12-20 05:00:00 GMT

Shared link: New Year's Eve Celebrations in Philly

Ela

Much as we might want to slow it down, the calendar inexorably continues its march forward, leading us into a new year. Reflect on the one just passed and ring in the new with a celebration to remember. Here are our picks for the best parties on New Year’s Eve, and a few ways to recover with brunch on January 1. Happy New Year!

New Year’s Eve

Bistro St. Tropez: Savor one of the best views in the city over a decadent holiday tasting dinner by chef Patrice Rames at this French bistro in the Marketplace Design Center beside the Schuykill. Choose from multiple seatings and enjoy foie gras terrine with black truffle and cognac mousse, house-cured salmon, butter-poached lobster and more ($60 for four courses, $75 for six courses; 215-569-9269).

Chifa: Go exotic and choose from two special menus from chef de cuisine Natalie Maronski, featuring the fusion that’s made this Wash West Peruvian-Chinese one of Jose Garces’ most popular. Think pork belly bao buns, kimchi duck tacos, roasted quail lo mein and other East-meets-West creations ($60 or $75; 215-925-5555).

Ela: The just-opened Queen Village New American from Jason Cichonski is close enough to Penn’s Landing that you can easily stroll over just before or after catching the fireworks to sample the young chef’s inventive holiday fare ($60 for three courses or $75 for four courses, add beverage pairings for $25 for wine or $20 for beer; 267-687-8512).

R2L: Watch the twinkling lights of the city from above during dinner on the 37th floor of Liberty Two. Select from a four-, six- or nine-course tasting menu, featuring dishes like the cleverly deconstructed veal stew Daniel Stern was known for at Gayle. For an even higher perch, hit up the “Penthouse Party” on the 57th floor to partake in a premium open bar and stationed hors d’oeuvres ($75–$150, depending on time, $150 “Penthouse Party”; 215-564-5337).

Village Belle: Right on Front Street, Joey and Lou Campanaro’s Queen Village Italian has a prime view of the fireworks. Catch the sights at a 6 or 9 PM seating, featuring a classic four-course meal of lobster bisque, shrimp cocktail, strip steak and dessert, as DJs spin tunes throughout the night ($75 or $125, add $50 for open bar; 215-551-2200).

Zahav: Named for the Hebrew word for “gold,” Michael Solomonov’s modern Israeli is a perfect place to go all out for a holiday meal you won’t soon forget. Four courses run the gamut from old-world to newish combinations like fluke crudo with labaneh and caviar or hummus with spicy beef and pickled artichokes. Be sure to save room for the chocolate-hazelnut babka with orange-vanilla ice cream ($65, add $35 for beverage pairing; 215-625-8800).

New Year’s Day

Federal Donuts: This Pennsport hot spot may have just invented the new best way to combat a night of partying: twice-fried chicken wings. Choose from za’atar-dusted, garlic-chili-glazed or other flavors, and top them off with some coffee and fresh-fried donuts. Your recovery will be swift (267-687-8258).

Paramour: The build-your-own Bloody Mary bar is reason enough to make it out to the suburbs when you awake from the previous evening’s escapades. Over 20 sauces, olives, house-pickled veggies, beef jerky, shrimp and more are available to garnish your vodka-tomato beverage, and if you have room, there’s also quail-egg sliders or blue corn pancakes for brunch (610-977-0600).

Supper: After spending New Year’s Eve with friends and family, make it up to those who keep you happy all year long: your pets! Bring your furry one to Mitch Prensky’s South Street New American, where he’ll be serving his now-traditional “Hair of the Dog” brunch to humans and their best friends (215-592-8180).

danyaz: Heirloom: A New BYO Debuts in Chestnut Hill

2011-12-19 05:00:00 GMT

Shared link: Heirloom: A New BYO Debuts in Chestnut Hill

At Heirloom, a new BYO situated on Chestnut Hill’s Germantown Avenue, proprietor Robert Bynum (Warmdaddy’s, Relish) has partnered with well-traveled Philly chef Al Paris for a take on “fine American cookery.”

Paris researched old cookbooks from all over the country, including the South, the Midwest, New England and more, to find traditional recipes that have been lost in recent times. His reconfigured classics will appear on a frequently changing menu, split into salads, appetizers and mains. These are hearty, belly-filling plates: a huge dollop of burrata comes surrounded by a profusion of lightly warmed whole tomatoes ($12), and a large diver scallop is plated with a generous slab of Berkshire pork belly ($14). Entrees top out at $29, which brings an entire lobster’s worth of meat, expertly plucked from its shell and accompanied by a scoop of fluffy gnocchi, garnet yams, morels and more. The ample serving of braised short ribs is highlighted by a chunk of fresh-baked spoonbread, adapted from a 1930s recipe ($24).

Desserts are all housemade, including Paris’ answer to the current donut craze: a glazed, yeast-based rendition that comes topped with warm, cinnamon-baked apples, ice cream and a crisp of oatmeal and accompanied by a petite caramel-coated apple on a stick. There’s also sarsaparilla soda and unique mixers to complement diners’ bourbons or other spirits (it’s directly next door to a Wine & Spirits shop), plus small-batch root beers and refreshingly spicy Blenheim ginger ale.

The warmly lit room seats 50, including two-tops, four-tops and banquettes that surround a dramatic wood-slab communal table. The hand-stacked slate walls, bamboo flooring and vintage reproduction fabrics lend the space the feeling of a classic cottage. Much of the construction was done by Paris himself, a talented artisan whose friends call him a true Renaissance man.

Heirloom will serve dinner 5–10 PM, Tuesday–Thursday and Sunday, and 5–11 PM Friday–Saturday, with weekend brunch from 10:30 AM–2:30 PM.

8705 Germantown Ave.; 215-242-2700

danyaz: DeLorenzo’s Closing in Trenton; Shane Candies Reopens

2011-12-16 05:00:00 GMT

Shared link: DeLorenzo’s Closing in Trenton; Shane Candies Reopens

Prepping a pie at DeLorenzo’s

It’s a rarity, but a select few restaurants survive long enough to become an institution. Often these are eateries of the simplest variety, not catering to trends or fads, but sticking to a trusted, time-worn formula. Today, the Times of Trenton brings us news that we will soon lose what is thought of by many as the best pizza in the region. After 65 years, DeLorenzo’s Tomato Pies in Trenton will shut its doors on January 15. Its crispy thin-crust pies, sprinkled with cheese and crushed tomatoes (never sauce), garnered a cultlike following over the years, drawing pilgrimages from Philadelphia and beyond. “It’s time…to take a breather,” says owner Gary Amico. A second location that opened in 2008 will remain open, and – happily for Philly folks – the Amicos are considering a new outpost in Pennsylvania.

In the positive vein, historic Philadelphia confectionary Shane Candies has just relaunched, after a nearly year-long renovation by Eric and Ryan Berley (of nearby Franklin Fountain). The candy shop first opened in 1863, and was run by the Shane family for over a century before they sold it to suspender-and-bow-tie-wearing Berley brothers in May 2010. The pair has preserved the Victorian touches inside the Old City storefront, including the antique candy-making machinery, which has been revamped and is ready to start pumping out sweets, just in time for the holidays (110 Market St.; 215-922-1048).

danyaz: Ella's American Bistro, Oddfellows Cafe and Calaca Feliz Coming Soon

2011-12-15 05:00:00 GMT

Shared link: Ella's American Bistro, Oddfellows Cafe and Calaca Feliz Coming Soon

Courtesy of Ella’s American Bistro

The end of the year is a somewhat risky time to launch a new restaurant, what diners busy being merry at home. But that hasn’t stopped several ventures from preparing to open their doors in the coming weeks.

This Monday will be the first day of service for Ella’s American Bistro, a casual farm-to-table coming to Wayne. Devon Hill BMW owner Cortright Wetherill Jr. has brought in chef Matt Schuler, a former instructor at the Pennsylvania School for Culinary Arts to head the kitchen. He’s taken advantage of organic produce, local meats and artisanal cheeses to craft affordable lunch and dinner menus for the 100-seat white-tablecloth dining room, which is decorated with distressed wood. The bar is made from an organically milled Sycamore tree, and will serve craft brews, classic cocktails and a handpicked wine list, 50 in bottles and 12 by the glass (214 Sugartown Rd., Devon Square, Wayne; 610-964-3552).

What was formerly slated to be just a second location for Spruce Street Espresso has morphed into a full-blown eatery, MealTicket reports, and will open to the public on December 28. Named after the building it occupies at the corner of 12th and Spruce (in the early 1900s, the national headquarters for the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows), Oddfellows Cafe will launch first as just a coffee shop, but come January 5, chef Jorge Reyes (previously at El Vez) will dish out contemporary Latin-influenced food for lunch and dinner.

Also in early January (the exact date has yet to be pinned down), the second undertaking from Cantina Feliz’sTim Spinner and Brian Sirhal. Helmed by former Xochitl chef Lucio Palazzo, Calaca Feliz will offer contemporary Mexican cuisine in the former Illuminaire space at 2321 Fairmount. Per the name (translated as “happy skeleton”), expect vibrant, Day of the Dead themed decor, similar to the Fort Washington original.

danyaz: Year in Review: Philadelphia's 2011 Trends

2011-12-13 05:00:00 GMT

Shared link: Year in Review: Philadelphia's 2011 Trends

Courtesy of The Dandelion

At this juncture, there’s no doubt Philly throws down with the best as a serious food city. Continuing the upward trajectory of the past decade, 2011 has seen an unprecedented number of openings. Our hometown celebrity chefs are gaining national followings and spurring on that popularity with new concepts both local and national. Gourmet has gone mobile, with fanciful food trucks dotting streets from Center City to University City and beyond. A focus on local ingredients is now a given for any establishment, with many taking to brick ovens and presenting dishes as plates to share. All self-respecting bars now sport impressive craft beer lists, and craft cocktails are not far behind. All in all, the year was a banner one for the dining scene here, with some of the biggest highlights and trends listed below.

Big Name Restaurateurs Expand

Stephen Starr is widely credited with sparking the restaurant renaissance in Philadelphia with his ’90s launches of martini bar Continental and Asian-fusion Buddakan. Starr Restaurants now operates over 25 establishments in New York, Florida, Atlantic City and Philly, where he added four new themed destinations in 2011. Multiroom English pub Dandelion launched in Rittenhouse just after the holidays a year ago, and chef Robert Aikens’ elevated but comforting British fare has been well-received. In the spring, German biergarten Frankford Hall brought valet parking to rapidly gentrifying Fishtown, with huge tap pours and outdoor picnic and Ping-Pong tables. This autumn, longtime organization vet Chris Painter finally got his own kitchen, when white-tablecloth Italian Il Pittore took over the former Noble space on Sansom Street. Just on its heels came Route 6, an expansive seafooder on North Broad that marks what Starr claims will be his last launch in our city, at least for some time.

Jose Garces and Marc Vetri are undoubtedly the other best-known names in town, and though neither of them opened in the city during 2011, both are working on new projects. In 2012, Vetri will launch Alla Spina, an Italian beer bar located just across the way from Starr’s Route 6 on North Broad. He’s also planning his first suburban outpost, coming soon to NJ’s Moorestown Mall. There are also rumors that a Vetri restaurant is coming to Atlantic City, which the spirited toque currently denies. Garces, on the other hand, is definitely duplicating three of his popular Philadelphia concepts to Revel casino at the seaside resort, including Amada, Village Whiskey and Distrito. The Iron Chef also recently launched dining operations at a high-end hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Brick-Oven Cooking

In addition to using locally sourced meats and produce, a slew of eateries are taking retro further and going back to cooking with fire. Brick or coal-fired ovens create crispy pizzas at Gordon Dinerman’s new East Passyunk beer stop Birra, in the back of the roving Pitruco Pizza truck, at Old City’s Revolution House (here made of white marble!) and at the Rittenhouse outpost of NYC’s Serafina. A wood oven has already been set up at the former Horizons, just off South Street, where a branch of Hopewell, NJ’s Nomad Pizza is set to launch any day. Spread Bagelry has finally brought great bagels to Philadelphia – long lacking – by baking them fresh over roaring logs each morning, and the lines out the door every day make the three-month delay in opening (thanks to an electrical fire) seem worthwhile. Fancier coals heat up the Tandoor ovens at Broad Street’s Tashan, the first upscale offering from Tiffin mogul Munish Narula, where chef Sylva Senat is stoking the fires to produce unique Euro-Indian cuisine.

Craft Beer Is Everywhere, Craft Cocktails Are on the Rise

When Brooklyn-based beer-and-video-game spot Barcade opened in Philadelphia this summer, partner Paul Kermizian confirmed what we already knew. “You’re more likely to find a great variety of craft beer in any given bar here than you are in New York City,” he told us, and that may have been an understatement. Over two dozen beers on tap accompany many recent launches, from Queen Village’s Tapestry to Barcade to Old City’s revamped Khyber Pass Pub. Broad Street pre-theater spot Upstares at Varalli has been transformed into full-on craft beer haven Perch Pub. Even Reading Terminal Market now holds a gastropub, Molly Malloy’s, offering tourists and conventioneers a chance to sample from our vibrant brew scene.

Two dozen rare European pours are only half the focus at Walnut Street’s Farmers’ Cabinet, where bar manager Phoebe Esmon has created an ever-changing menu of handcrafted cocktails. Housemade syrups, shrubs and bitters factor into the unique recipes here, as they do at Easy Passyunk’s Stateside and Locust Street’s Vedge. Subterranean speakeasy Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co., which precipitated Philly’s current mixology focus, is still going strong and also has plans to expand their creative beverage program with a Fairmount tavern (in partnership with Supper’s Mitch Prensky).

Medium Plates and Tasting Menus

While tapas and miniature bar bites were all the rage a few years back, the new trend leans toward slightly larger dishes meant for sharing. At a.kitchen on 18 Street, patrons are advised to order two-three items per person off of Bryan Sikora’s menu, and to share each one. Rich Landau’s vegetable-rich meatless dishes at Vedge follow the same canon, as does much of the Italian fare at Il Pittore. George Sabatino’s bill of fare at Stateside offers but a trio of entree-sized mains, and the same goes for Jason Cichonski’s Ela, new to the corner of Third and Bainbridge in Queen Village.

At Cichonski’s previous stop, however, the multiple courses are not optional: Chip Roman’s Mica in Chestnut Hill presents several variations on prix fixe meals for diners to choose from. Top Chef winner Kevin Sbraga took the same route with his eponymous restaurant on the Avenue of the Arts. Marc Vetri ceased all à la carte service at his flagship Italian on Spruce Street, where guests can partake in tasting menus from $135 and up.

Food Truck Explosion

Folks who want to pick and choose their eats should instead take to the streets. A seemingly never-ending stream of high-end food trucks have launched in Philadelphia this year, following the lead of cities like Los Angeles and New York. No longer the province of gruff immigrants serving greasy cheesesteaks or bacon-egg-and-cheese, Philly street food now includes several innovative options. Barbecue maestro Mark Coates serves addictive meats from The Smoke Truck, and Matt Feldman took his jazz joint on the road, providing patrons both local, handmade burgers and a dose of good music when they stop by his window at the Lucky Old Souls van. Say Cheese is grilling up artisan cheese and Chez Yasmine is serving a variety of vegetarian-centric exotic eats from their rolling perch. Even Iron Chef Jose Garces got into the roving scene with the Guapos Tacos truck, covered with thousands of glinting bottle caps.

The Food Trust’s Night Market series has only served to enhance the mobile food scene, bringing together dozens of vendors in one spot every couple of months or so, and this year saw the first Philly Vendy Awards, in what will hopefully become an annual tradition following in the steps of the NYC original. Dessert trucks are still multiplying too, adding macarons, frozen yogurt and other treats to the cupcake staple, and Pub & Kitchen’s Jonathan Adams recently launched Rival Bros., a coffee-roasting truck tricked out with fancy La Marzocco espresso machines.

danyaz: Starr Begins Composting; Center for Culinary Enterprises Underway

2011-12-12 05:00:00 GMT

Shared link: Starr Begins Composting; Center for Culinary Enterprises Underway

Talula’s Garden

The culinary scene in Philadelphia is growing by leaps and bounds, which means its impact on our culture and environment is growing. Two new projects aim to make sure the way it affects our lives and surroundings is positive. Starr Restaurants is launching a composting program, which will be piloted at North Broad’s Route 6 and Talula’s Garden in Wash West.

All food and paper waste generated by these spots will henceforth be used to enrich soil at local gardens and farms, thanks to trice-weekly pickups by New Jersey-based composting firm Organic Diversion. The trial will take advantage of Talula’s co-owner Aimee Olexy and Route 6 chef Anthony DiRienzo’s previous experience with commercial composting, and the program is set to expand to the majority of Stephen Starr’s Philly operations in due time.

In West Philly, construction has begun on the new Center for Culinary Enterprises. Developed by a local community development organization with funding from the city, the federal government and others, the CCE aims to provide resources to emerging food entrepreneurs. Three shared-use commercial kitchens will be available for lease, for home-based caterers or food truck operators. A demonstration kitchen will be tricked out with multimedia for classes on nutrition, urban farming, restaurant marketing and more.

There will also be retail on site, enlivening a neighborhood in need of storefronts. Full service ‘cue joint Little Louie’s BBQ will include a youth training program, and two additional shops are to be announced. The advisory board for the project includes recognizable names like Michael Solomonov (Zahav, Percy Street Barbecue, Federal Donuts), Daniel Stern (R2L, MidAtlantic), Michael Chow (Sang Kee), Benny Lai (Vietnam Cafe) and more. A summer 2012 opening is anticipated.

danyaz: http://www.zagat.com/buzz/jose-garces-revels-in-entering-the-atlantic-city-scene

2011-12-08 05:00:00 GMT

Shared link: http://www.zagat.com/buzz/jose-garces-revels-in-entering-the-atlantic-city-scene

Courtesy of Revel

The Atlantic City dining scene will get an infusion of culinary cred this spring, when the brand-new Revel casino and resort opens with threeJose Garces restaurants. The Philadelphia-based Iron Chef’s concepts will anchor the food offerings at the 6.3-million-sq.-ft. Boardwalk property, which will also feature nearly a dozen other eateries, three clubs, retail, two theaters and a huge gaming floor.

An outpost of Garces’ first restaurant, Andalusian tapas bar Amada will be nearly double the size of the Old City original, and serve signature small plates, sangrias, cocktails and Spanish wines. Mirroring his always-packed Rittenhouse location, Village Whiskey will sport a brown-liquor library more extensive than any other at the Jersey Shore, and also offer the renowned custom-blend La Frieda burger, housemade pickles and raw bar selections. Distrito Cantina will combine the margaritas, flatbreads and ceviches found at the University City original with tacos from the popular Guapos Tacos food truck.

Garces recently set up several dining options for the Saguaror Hotel in Scottsdale, AZ, operates swankyMercat a la Planxa in Chicago, and runs seven Philadelphia properties, in addition the mobile taco operation. The 39-year-old chef is excited about the oceanfront expansion, according to a representative, and has no plans of slowing down anytime soon.

danyaz: Lemon Hill in Fairmount, Good Dog to Pennsport, Matt Levin in Wash West

2011-12-07 05:00:00 GMT

Shared link: Lemon Hill in Fairmount, Good Dog to Pennsport, Matt Levin in Wash West

Matt Levin and friend, via Twitter

It’s about to get chilly, and if you’re like us, there’s no better distraction from the dullness of winter than a look ahead to forthcoming food and drink. In Fairmount, the collaboration between Supper’s Mitch Prensky and the spirit experts at Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. coming to the former Lucky 7 now has a name and a projected soft-opening date. Lemon Hill will launch just after Christmas, possibly as early as December 26, with neighborhood-friendly cocktails and brick-oven eats.

On the opposite side of town, the folks at Center City standby Good Dog Bar are planning a new tavern in Pennsport, at the corner of Reed and Moyamensing, according to Philly.com. No details on what to expect just yet, but we’re hopeful the blue-cheese–stuffed burger and well-priced craft drafts will follow the team south.

Chef Matt Levin appears to have found a new showcase for his whimsical (and highly regarded) creations in Wash West. After a legal tussle (check Philly.com for the gossipy details), the Spain family is parting ways from longtime Marathon Grill partners the Borishes, and as part of that deal, the 10th and Chestnut location will become something new. Cuba Libre owners Barry Gutin and Larry Cohen have been brought on board, along with Levin (most recently at Adsum). Look for the renovation to be a quick one.

If those future spots aren’t enough to excite you, know that starting today, Larry Rosenblum and MarcCosgrove’s Spread Bagelry begins serving pastrami from none other than NYC’s famous Katz’s Delicatessen. Cured and smoked meat is being delivered by courier, and will be finished off every morning in the 20th Street wood-fired oven. Hot pastrami will be sliced to order and served on rye bagels for $10 a pop, until the day’s supply is exhausted. As Meg Ryan once said in When Harry Met Sally, “Yesssss!”

danyaz: What to Eat at the New Stateside on East Passyunk

2011-12-06 05:00:00 GMT

Shared link: What to Eat at the New Stateside on East Passyunk

The hip restaurant scene of East Passyunk just keeps growing. Across the Singing Fountain from Izumi and Da Vinci, in a corner location that sat vacant and boarded up for the past 15 years, now resides the small-but-ambitious Stateside, whose smartly burnished wraparound windows and dark slate siding give off the vibe of a prime spot.

The wine and whiskey bar is the first dinner-serving venture for Green Eggs Café proprietors Stephen J. Slaughter and William Bonforte, and they’ve given themselves a head start by bringing in George Sabatino as executive chef. Sabatino was opening chef de cuisine at Midtown Village’s Barbuzzo (after spending several years in Marcie Turney’s other kitchens at Lolita and Bindi), and helped land that petite Mediterranean national acclaim. He’s bringing the same sensibility to Stateside, which has been doing brisk business in its first two weeks.

All ingredients for the menu are sourced from within the U.S., everything from meats, cheeses and produce to olive oil, salt and spices. A handful of $4 bar bites includes housemade pickles (made with unique ingredients like fennel and butternut squash) and cheeses with house chutneys or bacon-flavored caramel. There are over a dozen small plates to choose from, all gorgeously plated: think umami-rich foie gras butternut squash mousse spread on a crunchy baguette and then topped with cubes of gelled blood orange and fresh microgreens ($11); crisp pork belly laced with maple flavors and served atop squares of coarse-milled grits beside firm pickled apple slices ($12); and goat’s milk that’s cured in-house into a cube of fresh cheese, panko-crusted and fried, and then rested on a layer of escarole and roasted pine nuts ($9). A trio of larger plates tops out at $21, with choices like grilled cap steak with smoked bone marrow butter.

Sitting at the 10-seat concrete bar is more amusing than usual: it faces the large windowed outer wall, instead of being shoved into a corner, so people-watching and fresh air abound. All liquors are also produced domestically, which means that – although there’s no tequila – the spirit selection is relatively high-end. Specialty cocktails from bar manager Jenn Conley (Sabatino’s girlfriend) run $8–$9, and include choices like the Prohibition-era Clover Club. Ten taps offer a rotating selection of domestic craft beer, along with another 10 in bottles or cans. The wine list is a work in progress, general manager Anthony Gualtieri tells us, and you can expect to see reds and whites expand past a half-dozen choices each very soon.

Exposed brick lines the small dining room, which is not tightly packed and gets plenty of natural light. Seating capacity will double during warmer weather, when outdoor tables will fill the sidewalk on Passyunk and around to Greenwich Street. Dinner is served daily starting at 5 PM; there are no plans for lunch or brunch (Green Eggs is just down the block for that).

1536 E. Passyunk Ave.; 215-551-2500

danyaz: 7 Options for Christmas Dining in Philadelphia

2011-12-05 05:00:00 GMT

Shared link: 7 Options for Christmas Dining in Philadelphia

R2L

The buildup to the holidays can be somewhat stressful, what with juggling office parties, angling for the best shopping deals and entertaining visiting friends and family. What better gift to give yourself for making it through than a relaxing dinner out? We picked seven of the best options for Christmastime dining in Philadelphia (remember to call ahead for reservations). Merry eating!

December 23

Amis: Start your celebrations a day early at Marc Vetri’s Wash West trattoria with a four-course rendition of the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Chef Brad Spence will break out the baccalà and plenty of other classic Italian-American treats for a family-style sit-down ($65; 215-732-2647).

Christmas Eve

Bistro La Minette: The French traditionally pull out all the stops for Noël, and chef Peter Woolsey is bringing that decadence to Philly with a luxurious six-course meal. Feast on the rich flavors of caviar-topped oysters, butter-poached lobster, roasted venison loin and more ($65; with wine pairings $100; 215-925-8000).

Meme: David Katz is roasting a goose for this holiday meal and serving it family-style along with glazed ham, the buttermilk biscuits his Thursday fried chicken lunches have made famous and more. Bonus: free eggnog ($35; 215-735-4900).

Pumpkin: Bring a bottle of wine (or several) to a four-course meal at this cozy South Street West BYO. Expect chef Ian Moroney to bring festive flair to farm-fresh winter-appropriate ingredients as partner Hilary Bormakes you feel at home ($40; 215-545-4448).

Christmas Day

10 Arts: Take the opportunity to try the fare of newly installed chef de cuisine Nathan Volz in a four-course holiday feast at this Eric Ripert bistro in the Ritz-Carlton ($110; kids four–12; $55; 215-523-8273).

Nineteen (XIX): Go à la carte while overlooking the light show on the Avenue of the Arts at this elegant perch atop the Bellevue. Look for several holiday-appropriate items to complement the raw bar and New American menu (215-790-1919).

R2L: Chef Daniel Stern is offering several options for a family-style supper at his white-tablecloth restaurant on the 37th floor of Two Liberty Place. Choose from mains like roast turkey, prime rib or seven-fishes stew, accompanied by the likes of foie gras terrine and parsnip-chestnut soup. Finish with an expansive dessert buffet ($65; kids under 12, $30; 215-564-5337).

danyaz: Honeygrow to Launch This Spring

2011-12-05 05:00:00 GMT

Shared link: Honeygrow to Launch This Spring

New Yorker-turned-Philadelphian Justin Rosenberg(he holds an MBA from Temple) is aiming to combine the sleek style of chef-driven Momofuku Noodle Barand technology-focused Chop’t with a new concept, set to debut in Rittenhouse this spring. Honeygrow is the name for the fast-casual eatery, the first of which will land at 1601 Sansom Street, in the former Pita Pit location.

Stir-fry bowls, meal-worthy salads and gourmet shakes make up the menu, displayed on touch-screen kiosks for easy and accurate ordering. Guests will be able to create a personal profile and view previous orders, as well as pay for their lunch or dinner by swiping a card right at the order station. Prices will range from $4–$10.

Rosenberg is partnering with venture capitalist David Robkin, who is a lifelong Philadelphian on the board of Stephen Starr Restaurants, as well as other local companies. The pair intend to grow the concept swiftly, with several DAS Architects-designed branches launched within the next two years.

danyaz: Tapestry, Stateside and Vedge Coming Soon to Philadelphia

2011-10-06 04:00:00 GMT

Shared link: Tapestry, Stateside and Vedge Coming Soon to Philadelphia

George Sabatino

A new round of autumn restaurants are ripe for launch. Proprietor Kar Vivekananthan says he’s less than two weeks away from re-opening the former Adsum as Tapestry. The Queen Village bistro will become a neighborhood gastropub, with a dozen taps, nearly double the number of barstools and an accessible tavern menu from former Wishing Well chef Carmen Cappello. And what is former Adsum chef Matt Levinup to these days? He’s been collaborating on pop-up dinners with David Katz of Mémé, cheering on the Phillies and relating all of it on Twitter.

We’re hearing that Stateside, an American wine and whiskey bar from the owners of Green Eggs Cafe, is relatively close to opening at 1736 E. Passyunk, directly across from the singing fountain. Rumors have circulated that the opening chef will beGeorge Sabatino, who helped Barbuzzo garner acclaim. Further down Passyunk, George Dinerman’s Birra is up for a fall launch. Originally slated to begin serving just after Labor Day, the Starr Restaurant and City Tap House veteran is still tweaking his menu of rustic Italian food and brick-oven pizza.

In Center City, former Horizons owners Rich Landeau and Kate Jacoby are also about a fortnight out from opening the doors at Vedge. They’ve released the menus for this upscale, all-vegetable restaurant, which includes an assortment of small plates Landeau calls “vegetable charcuterie,” a changing selection of veggies pulled that day from the farm (called ”the dirt list”), and a large cocktail, wine and beer menu.

Over on South Street, it’s all fries, all the time. Wildwood joint Paul’s Idaho Potatoes, who we told you last month was relocating to Philly, is hoping to start dishing baskets of crispy spuds by Halloween. And European Republic, the Old City sister of NYC’s Potato Republic, is opening a second branch on Sixth and South, which could be ready as soon as three weeks from now.

danyaz: The Night Market Hits Chinatown This Week

2011-10-04 04:00:00 GMT

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Photo: miss-britt via Flickr

This Thursday, October 6, the Food Trust’s wildly popular evening food bazaar comes to Chinatown. The fourth-ever installment of the Night Market will take over several blocks surrounding 10th and Race Streets. A wide variety of tasty treats will be available during the event, which is open to all comers. The Trinidadian Mini Trini truck we mentioned last weekwill be dishing out roti, Pitruco Pizza will bake up artisan pies in its mobile wood-fired oven, and sustainable-themed Local 215 will make its city debut with hearty lasagna. New paean to fromage Say Cheese – a truck usually found in the area of Temple University – will be serving up creative grilled-cheese sandwiches and regular and sweet potato fries. Live music, lion dancing and other Asian arts will add some extra fuel to the fun (7–11 PM; 10th and Race Sts).

danyaz: 5 Things We Learned From Keith Wallace's Corked and Forked

2011-10-03 04:00:00 GMT

Shared link: 5 Things We Learned From Keith Wallace's Corked and Forked

Keith Wallace is a busy guy. The full-time director of the Wine School of Philadelphia (which he founded) is also a wine columnist for the Daily Beast, as well as several local publications. He was also a chef by the time he was 17 years old, and he combines all these experiences in his new book, Corked & Forked: Four Seasons of Eats & Drinks. The unorthodox cookbook presents a series of recipes for food and drink, organized into whole meals and divvied up among the seasons of the year. Here are some of the best takeaways from this fun new kitchen addition.

There’s no such thing as the perfect recipe: Chefs don’t want us to know this, Wallace claims, but unless we live in a “parallel universe constructed of Legos,” every piece of meat, fruit or vegetable is unique. This is especially true during prime farmers market season, where the regular shopper has access to produce not sanitized or regulated by corporate supermarkets. The best way to make a great meal is to improvise (and just watch out for that killer cantaloupe).

Red wine goes with vegetables:If you thought dark varietals were only for steak or duck, think again. Wallace describes a completely vegetarian meal of French onion soup, panzanella salad and mushroom risotto, then advises us to pair it with Beaujolais crus, Rosso Conero and Pinotages.

Tag your buffet: In today’s world, your circle of friends might include vegans or people with allergies to lactose or gluten. At brunch or dinner parties where you set out self-serve food, write labels with ingredients to place in front of each dish so everyone is sure of what they can enjoy. Or invite all your allergy-prone frenemies, switch the labels and let loose a dastardly cackle (we kid, of course).

Serve holiday classics with plenty of booze: Make your family feel at home by preparing a holiday dinner with updated takes on traditional dishes like Caesar salad with grilled lettuce or oysters Rockefeller spiced up with hot sauce and absinthe. Help them enjoy the gathering by pairing the meal with high-octane, American stouts and plenty of vino. But once your aunt starts telling you unwanted details about your mother’s young adulthood, you have the right to cut her off…

At dinner parties, keep your guests happy, but not drunk: Especially during the dark days of midwinter, a humming party with a wide range of acquaintances can help lighten the mood. What you don’t want, however, is a houseful of drunks (see above). To keep the atmosphere genial, serve easy finger foods and low-alcohol wines and beers, poured into smaller glass or plasticware. And if that same aunt hits the sauce twice as frequently as a result, politely remind her that she’s not too old for nap time.

danyaz: Celebrity Chef Tour Dinner at 10 Arts

2011-09-30 04:00:00 GMT

Shared link: Celebrity Chef Tour Dinner at 10 Arts

10 Arts

A few tickets remain for the Celebrity Chef Tour Dinner taking place next Wednesday, October 5, at the Eric Ripert-run 10 Arts bistro in the Ritz-Carlton. To start the evening, a dozen of Philadelphia’s best chefs and mixologists will prepare a special farewell reception for chef de cuisine Jennifer Carroll, who’s leaving to open her own place. Carroll will be in the kitchen along with six other celebrity chefs to prepare the main dinner, a seven-course meal with wine pairings. A spot at the extravaganza will run you $180, which includes everything including food, drink, tap and tip. The event is part of a nationwide tour that benefits theJames Beard Foundation. Check out the menu and list of participating cuisiniers below, and score your tickets here.

Reception:Marcy Turney– chef/owner of Barbuzzo, LolitaMichael Solomonov – chef/owner of Zahav, Percy Street BarbecueDavid Katz– chef/owner of MemeAkiko Moorman – consulting chef of Hapa Kitchen, Bar Ferdinand, El Camino RealKevin Sbraga– Chef/owner of SbragaJeff Michaud – chef/owner of OsteriaPhoebe Esmon– Mixologist at Farmers CabinetKatie Loeb – Mixologist at Oyster HouseChristina Tessaro – Mixologist at London GrillAl Sotack– Mixologist at Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co.John Conner – Mixologist at 10 Arts Bistro & Lounge by Eric RipertDinner:Jennifer Carroll – 10 Arts by Eric Ripert – 1st courseTuna, jalapeno, white miso, gingerpairing with cocktail from PhoebeRodney Strong Sauvignon BlancVictor Albisu – BLT Steak– 2nd courseWagshalls Market Fermin Iberico Pork / Caviar / Greek YogurtSegura Viudas Brut RoseMichael Ginor – Hudson Valley Foie Gras– 3rd courseRoast Hudson Valley Foie Gras & Magret De Canard, Parsnip mousseline & RhubarbDomaine Serene Yamhill Cuvee Pinot NoirEli Kirshtein– Atlanta, GA – 4th courseMarvesta shrimp, whipped cauliflower, piment d’ espeletteDomaine Serene Clos du Soleil ChardonnayAdam Sobel – Bourbon Steak – 5th courseSturgeon Poached in Duck Fat, Apples, Chanterelles, Celery RootDavis Bynum Pinot NoirScott Drewno– Wolfgang Puck’s The Source– 6th courseCreekstone Farms “Szechuan Style” Filet, Kabocha Squash Puree, Caramelized Shallot SauceRodney Strong Ridge Brothers Cabernet SauvignonMonica Glass – 10 Arts by Eric Ripert – 7th courseDessert inspired by bourbon.

danyaz: New Food Choices for Eagles Fans

2011-09-30 04:00:00 GMT

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Photo via Facebook

Football games in Philadelphia now come with a slate of offerings that represent the city’s dynamic culinary scene. Aramark (the Philadelphia-based national corporate food and services purveyor) announced last week several new additions to step up the food at Eagles’ games. During every Sunday home game, the Dapper Dog food truck – usually found feeding the late-night crowd on Second Street in Northern Liberties – will set up shop just outside the Linc in Headhouse Plaza. Each week the frankfurter-slingers will be joined by another mobile operation (this past weekend it was Jose Garces’Guapos Tacos).

Additions inside the stadium include local craft beer from Yards and Victory Brewing Companies, kosher food from Elkins Park’s Max & David’s, gluten-free baked goods from Sweet Christine’s and Johnson’s Popcorn, imported from the Jersey shore, Philly.com reports. Also new at the concession stands: the cheesesteak pretzel from Philly Pretzel Factory; a hot London broil sandwich with horseradish cheddar; chopped brisket with jalapeño slaw on a kaiser roll; and a jumbo shrimp and crab claw cocktail. And one more perk for club-seat season ticket-holders: the ability to have a custom meal delivered when ordered through the Bypass Lane smartphone app.

danyaz: Supper and Solomonov Roll Out Rosh Hashanah Specials

2011-09-29 04:00:00 GMT

Shared link: Supper and Solomonov Roll Out Rosh Hashanah Specials

Supper

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, has begun, and there are a few options for festive feasting. At South Street’s Supper, chef Mitch Prensky has prepared a menu of traditional favorites, updated with his creative cooking style. For $52, each person can choose one of two hors d’oeuvres, an appetizer, a main course, a side dish for the table and dessert. Choices include chicken liver mousse on matzoh, housemade gefilte fish and Prensky’s mother’s beef brisket (it’s world-famous, she swears!). Reservations are recommended for the meal, and you can see the full menu here (215-592-8180).

At Michael Solomonov’s modern Israeli Zahav, he’ll be serving a special Rosh Hashanah menu through Sunday, October 2. The five-course holiday menu is $45 per person, and features his famous hummus (with house-baked challah), griddled honey cake with foie gras and coffee-braised brisket (215-625-8800).

danyaz: Paramour Checks Into the Wayne Hotel

2011-09-28 04:00:00 GMT

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After a two-year renovation, the 100-year-old Wayne Hotel and its signature restaurant are ready for business.Paramour is a swanky modern American that should please overnight guests as well as attract Main Line locals. Four distinct areas offer a variety of atmospheres. In the bistro bar, crisply painted white brick walls are set off by a thick granite bar and high-backed cream-colored barstools. When the weather is nice, there’s a gardenlike veranda with rattan furniture, and when it’s cold or stormy, the lobby lounge offers plush seating and a working fireplace. The main dining room is full of natural light (in contrast to the previous occupant of the space, Restaurant Taquet), and is decorated with marble and glass to create an elegant ambiance. A black granite chef’s bar offers eight diners a front-row seat overlooking the day’s raw and crudo selection.

Developer S.W. Bajus Ltd., which bought the property 25 years ago with the goal of completing this revitalization, has brought in chef Maurice Kim deRamus, most recently at Ardmore’s A La Maison. At dinner, guests can choose from an assortment of raw-bar items, small plates and starters, such as roasted eggplant and tomato flatbread ($13) or crispy duck with quail egg and fresh horseradish ($15). Seasonally changing mains top out at $32, and opening options include a seared red snapper with baby beets ($28) and steak frites with grilled culotte and chimichurri ($27). The all-day menu at the bistro bar incorporates a good number of these offerings, and adds several snacky bites like housemade veggie pickles ($5) and crispy chicken oysters ($10), as well as sandwiches and burgers (also available at lunch).

Lunch is served Monday–Friday, 11:30 AM–3 PM; dinner is Sunday–Thursday, 5–10 PM, and Friday–Saturday, 5–11 PM; bar menu is available daily from 11:30 AM–midnight.

139 E. Lancaster Ave., Wayne; 610-977-0600

danyaz: Mike Stollenwerk Selling Fathom and Little Fish

2011-09-27 04:00:00 GMT

Shared link: Mike Stollenwerk Selling Fathom and Little Fish

Fathom; photo by Phil Gushue

We just got word that seafood sultan Mike Stollenwerk is downsizing his dominion. In order to concentrate on upscale seafood house Fish, he is selling both Fathom, his recently opened ocean-centric gastropub in Fishtown, and Little Fish, his acclaimed BYO in Bella Vista.

Open at 1708 Lombard Street since 2009, Fish is in the midst of a move to a new location. The 13th and Locust space is much larger, and will allow Stollenwerk to expand the raw bar, be more creative with the dinner menu and introduce lunch.

Current chef de cuisine Chadd Jenkins will take ownership of Little Fish, which has been named to several national “best of” lists for seafood restaurants. Expect a menu of delicately prepared fish, crustaceans and sea creatures of all kinds to stay pretty much the same. Negotiations for the sale of Fathom are ongoing.

danyaz: New Fall Launches: Crisp, Mini Trini and More

2011-09-27 04:00:00 GMT

Shared link: New Fall Launches: Crisp, Mini Trini and More

Courtesy of Cantina Feliz

Hopefully autumn brings out hearty appetites, because several new food options are available around town this week. Today, the first Philly branch of NYC’s Crisp is throwing open its doors. Located at 32 S. 18th Street, just north of Chestnut, this vegan falafel house offers light, healthy sandwiches, salads and sides, built around its signature fried chickpea patties. All packaging is eco-friendly, and nothing on the quick-serve menu is over $11.

The Love Park food scene sees a new addition this week with the Mini Trini truck, a Trinidadian operation serving roti and other Caribbean faves. Find the red-and-white striped truck at the park every Monday and Thursday, weather permitting. For other inexpensive tropical flavors, head to Fort Washington’s Cantina Feliz, which is introducing a prix fixe earlybird menu – from 3–5:30 PM, diners can choose an appetizer and entree for just $19.95 (215-646-1320).

Thursday, September 29, is National Coffee Day, and to celebrate Krispy Kreme is giving away cups of their new signature coffee to all guests. Stop by the Center City, Northeast Philadelphia or Collingswood locations to score your free jolt. Then head to Mémé in Filter Square for lunch, where David Katz is commemorating the BYO’s third annivesary by giving away 50 orders of his renowned fried chicken (one per person; first-come, first-served; 215-735-4900).

danyaz: 6 Philadelphia Restaurants From Famous TV Chefs

2011-09-26 04:00:00 GMT

Shared link: 6 Philadelphia Restaurants From Famous TV Chefs

Top Chef star Jennifer Carroll

In honor of our first-ever Food TV Survey, we thought we’d take a look at some of the restaurants around town that feature as-seen-on-TV chefs. As you’d expect, Jose Garces, perhaps our biggest homegrown talent, figures heavily on the list. Which ones are your favorites?

10 Arts: Top Chef finalist Jennifer Carroll brought acclaim to Eric Ripert‘sbistro in Center City’s Ritz-Carlton, winning patrons’ hearts with fun New American dishes like crispy buffalo sweetbreads with blue cheese dressing. If you want to get your celebrity fix, however, head over soon, as Carroll has announced she’s leaving on October 5 to begin work on her own restaurant (215-523-8273).

Amada: This Old City Spanish tapas bar is where it all started for Philly’s own Iron Chef. Jose Garces’ first restaurant hasn’t lost any of its draw, packing in thick crowds of diners angling for a taste of creative small plates. When you make the obligatory advance reservations, satisfy your pork craving and reserve thecochinillo asado (available for parties or four or larger), a whole suckling pig roasted to order and carved tableside (215-625-2450).

Bobby’s Burger Palace: The bubbly, flamboyant personality of Iron Chef Bobby Flay pervades his upscale take on fast food, from the brightly colored decor to the towering stack of potato chips piled high under the bun of the signature Crunchburger. University City’s outpost is a student fave, but it’s about to become easier for families to get their Flay fix: a BBP is slated to open in the Cherry Hill Mall in early 2012 (215-387-0378).

Garces Trading Company: At this combination cafe and gourmet market in Wash West, fans of Jose Garceshave a chance to pick up his goods to go, or enjoy a full-service sit-down meal. The walk-up counter features a wide variety of cheese, housemade charcuterie and an olive oil bar, while the newly expanded dining room serves a variety of salads, sandwiches and a signature deep-dish pizza. The unique shop is the only restaurant in Pennsylvania to host a wine and spirits store within its walls (215-574-1099).

Morimoto: Restaurateur Stephen Starr partnered with Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto at this paean to high-end sushi. From pristine cuts of glistening fresh fish and richly flavored noodle broth to glowing swoops of curvy booths and psychedelic table lamps (as well as the attached price tag), a meal here is an experience to remember (215-413-9070).

Village Whiskey: : Garces struck gold with this Prohibition-inspired whiskey bar in Rittenhouse, where guests regularly fill every available seat in the narrow, white-tiled room. The peak one-to-two-hour wait all seems worth it when you bite into one of the juiciest burgers in the city, accompanied by house-pickled vegetables and crispy duck-fat fries, washed down with one of a hundred ryes, bourbons or other brown spirits. New on the menu is a selection of boozy milkshakes (215-665-1088).

danyaz: King Tut Restaurant Opens Tomorrow

2011-09-22 04:00:00 GMT

Shared link: King Tut Restaurant Opens Tomorrow

Richard Nevada just touched base to let us know that King Tut Restaurant – the Egyptian/Turkish/Greek/Israeli/Indian he hoped to launch over the summer at 13th and Pine – will open its doors tomorrow, September 23, at 11:30 AM. A special grand-opening three-course meal will be available for $25, featuring options like foul mudammas, baba ghanouj, Roman kebabs and baklava, chosen to showcase the multiple cuisines turned out by the small kitchen. Additionally, on Friday and Saturday evening, live belly dancers will be performing from 6–10 PM, setting the mood for the hookah-purveying Middle Eastern cafe. To see the menu, click here.

danyaz: The Times Profiles Michael Solomonov

2011-09-21 04:00:00 GMT

Shared link: The Times Profiles Michael Solomonov

Michael Solomonov; courtesy of Zahav

In a touching article yesterday, the New York Times profiled Michael Solomonov, the James Beard award-winning Philadelphia chef. In 2003, when Solomonov was working in the kitchen at Vetri, his brother died fighting for the Israeli army. The experience prompted the chef to strike out on his own with Zahav, his modern Israeli in Society Hill. Though not kosher, milk and meat are not mixed on the plates there, but the broad range of Middle Eastern flavors on the menu – from those of Syria to Palestine to Turkey to Ethiopia – serve as a metaphor for cooperation in the region, and an end to the ongoing wars there. Solomonov has built upon his initial inspiration by expanding his restaurant holdings; with partner Steve Cook he also runs Texas ‘cue joint Percy Street Barbecue, and is about to open Federal Donuts, a coffee-and-donut stop that will also turn out Korean fried chicken and other juicy birds. The piece is worth a read – check it out here.

danyaz: 401 Diner: Comfort with a Conscience in Conshohocken

2011-09-21 04:00:00 GMT

Shared link: 401 Diner: Comfort with a Conscience in Conshohocken

401 Diner

Local and organic ingredients, a decor constructed with reclaimed materials and dishes composed with flair is what you’ll find at the 401 Diner, which just opened this week on Fayette Street in Conshohocken. Building on the success of their nearby Mediterranean bistro, Isabella, owners Tomand Peter Richter took an old, tired property and completely revamped the interior. With chef Michael Cappon (also of Isabella), they developed the concept of “comfort with a conscience.” The 401 Diner aims to please the modest, quick-serve crowd that might usually patronize a luncheonette, but does so in a healthy and sustainable fashion.

While leaving the rounded metal exterior alone, the Richters did major upgrades in the dining room and kitchen. Gone are the flamingo-pink walls, the plastic banquettes and the greasy linoleum tile. Booths were constructed from old church pews, their straight wooden backs angled slightly for more comfortable sitting. At each table, the menu and condiments are nestled in former Bible-holders. The 100-seat room was painted a cozy, cheery yellow, and ceramic tiles add colorful accents to the room.

Cappon’s extensive menu, covering three meals a day, is unexpectedly creative and modern. Breakfast items, all under $10, include Lancaster County free-range eggs in an assortment of omelets, Benedicts and specialties, along with pancakes, French toast and sandwiches. Lunch, dinner and late-night share a huge set of offerings, including starters like organic veggie chili (cup $4; bowl $5), quick meals like a Tokyo beef wrap ($9.50) and salmon burger ($12), and hearty dishes including local roasted turkey with potatoes, cranberry sauce and stuffing ($13.50).

The diner opens at 6 AM every morning, and on weekends stays open through 3 AM. Eventually, the Richters plan to host events like music performances, and they see the restaurant becoming a central gathering and meeting place for the community. “I’m in the revitalization business,” Tom Richter told the Buzz. “We’re giving this place a new lease on life.”

401 Fayette St.; Conshohocken; 484-351-8029

Monday–Thursday 6 AM–10 PM; Friday–Saturday 6 AM–3 AM; Sunday 6 AM–9 PM

danyaz: Chef Question Settled at Talula’s Garden

2011-09-19 04:00:00 GMT

Shared link: Chef Question Settled at Talula’s Garden

We previously mentioned the chef shuffle underway at Stephen Starrand Aimee Olexy’s Talula’s Garden. Opening chef Michael Santorostepped down (and is looking to open his own Philadelphia spot), and his replacement – Matthew Moon – lasted less than a month. Turns out, the right leader for the Washington Square new American was in-house all along: chef de cuisine Sean McPaul, who had been with the project since its early days, was promoted to executive chef. McPaul formerly worked at Starr’s Rittenhouse bistro Parc, as well as spending time in the kitchens of San Francisco’s Bacar and Quince. He will be joined by sous-chef Brinn Sinnott, in need of a new position after the closing of Noble (which will be turned into another Starr spot, Chris Painter’s fine-dining Italian Il Pittore). “We’re confident we found the right people,” Olexy told the Buzz, adding, “Everything’s moving forward swimmingly.”