Archive for the ‘in Philadelphia’ Category
Mixto: Great Potatoes
t says: We got together at Mixto this past weekend with a fairly large group of friends. They take reservations and have ample space to handle such large groups, so we figured it’d be a safe bet; we were also far closer to Mixto than Cochon, ruling out a trip to my favorite pancakes. We’ve been to Mixto at least once before – if we’ve gone more than once, I’ve forgotten. In any case, I distinctly remember their croissant French toast, which were quite tasty (how can you go wrong if you start off with a croissant? Dunkin’ Donuts and Burger King have been relying on croissants for years), although small in serving size, so I was pumped to try something else.
5/2010, Sunday 12:30pm, Party of ?12?. We arrived and were seated promptly. There was some snafu with the table we were seated at and the number of people we had coming (g and I were last minute add-ons … oops!), so we had to be reseated at a larger table. I appreciate their ability to “roll with the punches” on a fairly busy Sunday. As we sat and got reacquainted with our friends, I perused the menu. Would I go for the pancakes? That’s the natural move, as last time I had the French toast. But, in my head, I doubted whether they’d stack up against Cochon’s, which is a tall order to fill. So, instead of set myself up for disappointment, I went for a g-dish: steak and eggs. Now, Mixto claims that theirs is “Argentinian steak and eggs”, so I was excited to taste something a little different. I ordered and “patiently” (i.e. looked longingly) at servers holding trays, hoping that one would carry my steak and eggs.
When my dish arrived, my nostrils were filled with the beautiful smell of beef and potatoes. It was a manly smell – the kind that puts hair on your chest … well – the kind that smells good and puts hair on your chest. The portion of beef looked substantial (vs. what I had seen a friend recently enjoy at Parc) and the potatoes were golden brown. The two perfectly over-easy eggs stared at me, like a deer in headlights; they knew what was coming … and there was nothing they could do to stop it.
I then sliced into the beef … or at least, I tried. It was a little more resistant to cutting then I had hoped – a combination of the knife’s fault (it was fairly blunt) and the meat being a little over-done; I ordered medium-well, but there was not a trace of pink in sight (as a general rule, I save medium and medium-rare for places that either specialize in steak or have small enough volume to ensure consistency coming out of the kitchen). The beef was seasoned well, but its toughness dampened my spirits. I also didn’t really taste a whole lot of bold flavors or anything to justify the tag “Argentinian” (I actually had no idea what flavors make something Argentinian, so I was looking for anything).
The potatoes, on the other hand, were delicious. They had a little crust but were soft and moist the whole way through, just how I like my morning potatoes. Bravo!
There was also a side salad that was little more special than a side salad. A friend of ours swears by the dressing that accompanies the salad, but compared to great salads like kp’s spinach-and-pancetta salad or g’s super-summer-special salads, it really didn’t stand out. It did however add much needed vegetal zing to an otherwise heavy dish – so I was happy it was there.
g had the huevos rancheros, another classic g-dish. She seemed satisfied with it, but it was a little more deconstructed than she had had the last time she was there, so it didn’t sing quite as harmoniously. That said, she did eat it all, so I’m sure it was fine (I had a taste – it was fine) … just not fine enough for her to rave, “hey – you have got to try this”.
In summary, outside the overcooking of the beef, I don’t have any problems with Mixto. I think that the food is “good”. But I think that in the future, I’ll mostly think of going to Mixto because of their ability to accommodate a group, not because I’m looking for mind-blowing food. But when you have friends, who needs mind-blowing food? Mind-blowing food doesn’t drink a mojito, get an Asian flush, and then state emphatically at the top of its lungs: “most men do NOT do yoga”.
Melograno: Pasta Heaven … Again
t says: Last week was a pretty tough week at work, so g and I were in dire need of some Thursday excitement just to make it through to Friday. It was a beautiful day, and, although it was a bit windy, we were determined to sit outside. g suggested Melograno. I was hesitant given the number of other restaurants that were on our hit list – but when you’re in the mood for pasta done right, then you go to Melograno. As a matter of fact, when g had some out-of-town friends from the Big Apple come and visit Philly, she took them to Melograno. They were quite impressed and still bring up the meal every now and then.
5/2010, Thursday 7:30pm, Party of 2. Melograno was super-busy! I squeezed through to the hostess and asked for seating for a party of 2. As she was about to tell me an approximate wait-time, I said, “and we’re willing to sit outside!”. Done deal. A table was just being cleared, and I guess the other diners feared the wind. We took our seats, uncorked a bottle of red from Va La, and off we went!
The “pear carpaccio” was still on the menu, so we gave it a whirl. k had this before, and it looked so good! It involves thin slices of pear with an aged balsamic, toasted pine nuts, parmigiana reggiano, and micro-greens. It was quite an effective combination and reminded me that I need to start adding pine nuts to my salads at home. It was very good, but I do recall scrutinizing a forkful and saying out loud, “you know … we can do this”.
g and I then went for two pasta dishes that were both phenomenal. g went for the wild boar bolognese which came with a rich red sauce with overtones of pig and rosemary. The rosemary totally surprised me, but I guess had I read the menu, I would have known that rosemary was in the dish. In any case, it is no wonder g gets it all the time – it was delicious. I went for their “other” red pasta, the one featuring pancetta in a spicy red sauce with macaroni that were kind of like really thick rigatoni. The salty pancetta bits were like nice little surprise fireworks, cutting through the smooth heat of the sauce. The sauce was also curiously “creamy”? No, it wasn’t white, but I think the Pecorino came through and tricked my tongue into thinking the sauce was smooth and velvety. Oh, and the pasta … perfectly cooked … again.
Drawbacks? Well, g was satiated perfectly by the quantity given – she sneezed a few times (i.e. the meal was “sneeze-worthy”). I was also happy with mine but would have gladly eaten about 15% more. Of course, this also meant that I had room to go to Capogiro and get some of their strawberry and avocado gelatos … so there was a silver lining to the cloud. Man … if Melograno was $3-4 less expensive, we’d have to move because I’d make us poor by going there every day …
Cochon: The Pizza that Ruined Pizza for g
t says: Ok, yes, we’ve already been to Cochon for brunch multiple times (1 and 2). You’re tired of reading about it. I’m tired of writing about it. But this time was different. Every time we go, we tend to eat breakfast-y things. This time we went for lunch. It was a miserable Sunday, looking like it was going to rain at any moment, and g and I forgot to go grocery shopping, so there was no food in the house. We needed some … comfort … we needed some … pig.
4/2010, Sunday 2:30pm, Party of 2. Once again – no line. We made the opentable reservation only for the dining points – but we didn’t need it. The hostess/waitress recognized us. Might we be almost-regulars? We sat down, ordered some tea, and pondered the menu. I actually originally wanted pancakes, but decided, for the good of the blog, to try something new one last time. g was also game for this idea. We decided to try one pizza and one sandwich. Pulled pork shoulder sandwich, of course – why try anything else? Plus, we’ve been dying to try Percy Street BBQ, so this would give me a measuring stick when we go. For the pizza, g suggested tomato pie, but I vetoed it … unless she let me order a side of bacon. We compromised and got the “Flammenkuche”, a pizza featuring gruyere, carmelized onions, bacon, creme fraiche, and some kind of orange (in color, not flavor) sauce. What does “flammenkuche” mean? That waitress didn’t know, but suspects that the chef may have made it up. While I’m not sure I believe her, as Bistrot La Minette recently offered a dish by the same name, I totally dig her honesty. You know – I really hoped that the chef did just make it up.
The pulled pork sandwich was accompanied by a fennel slaw, pickled tomato, and french fries (with a few splatterings of hot sauce). The large mound of pork was nestled between two slices of brioche. Aha! The brioche! The object of much criticism from our last visit! And now I’d get the chance to taste it! The meat was fantastic. It was tender and juicy and shredded perfectly (the pieces weren’t too tiny, but they weren’t too big, either). The brioche bread was … interesting. You know – I can see why some people might not like it. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t think it was bad – at least – not for this sandwich. The bread is kind of dry and crumbly. It does soak up the flavor (and grease) from the pork, which I like. And when I bit into it, the bread’s texture rapidly disintegrates into crumbs which mixes evenly with the pork. I thought it was a very unique sandwich experience. BUT, as the main bread for a dish like Eggs Cochon, I can see how this could be a turn-off. I suspect in the sandwich, the brioche wasn’t a horrible mis-step, but definitely could be improved upon. Fortunately, it took a back seat to the pork, so all was well. The fennel slaw and pickle brought a nice lightness (some acid and some anise-flavor) to cut through the heavier, greasier pork. And the french fries were wonderful. I would have liked a slightly crispier fry, but g said those were among her most favorite fries, ever. I think she was just full of superlatives today …
g says: Oh hush, you know they were delish! Just because I like my fries different than you like yours doesn’t mean anything. Although, I may just have better taste… (haha!)
Now … the pizza …
g says: It was the best pizza ever.
t says: So, why don’t you write about how good it was?
g says: I did. “It was the best pizza ever.”
t says: Ok, so maybe g just doesn’t have the words to describe the pizza, but the woman knows what she loves. I liked it as well, but I’m not sure it’s the best pizza ever; I feel like it falls into the same category as Pepe’s Pizza – it was a super-delicious pizza-like “thing”. The crust hit just the right thickness between too-thin and too-thick. It also wasn’t too floppy/rubbery, either. The onions were sweet, and the cheese and bacon played so nicely with one another. I’m not sure what that orange sauce had in it, but it brightened up the pizza, giving it just a dash of whimsy for what would otherwise be a very “heavy” dish. But ultimately, it does lack tomato sauce or tomatoes, so it’s disqualified from the “best pizza” competition on a technicality in my book (g’s book is written differently). Ultimately, it makes me really want to try more of their breakfast pizzas.
g says: It’s true – that particular dish was balanced so delicately with salty, sweet, and smoky flavors (or flavours, as t would say). For this reason, and because the culinary stars aligned at that exact moment to give me the best pizza tasting experience possible, I decided right at that table something very important: pizza would be ruined for me. I just can’t look at it the same anymore – pizza is so pedestrian, so just pizza, now that I have tasted the glory of the flammenkuche. I fear that whenever I have a pie now, I will only be thinking of what it could be if it were made at Cochon with their bacon. ::looks in the air dreamily:: Sigh. (dramatic enough for you? I hear some of our readers really like drama…)
t says: Once again, we paid as much (g: actually, less I think) as we would have for one person during restaurant week. We were full for 8 hours. We’ll go back again and again.
cm says: Flammenkuche is not just at cochon, it is an option we saw at dock street brewery (great pizza there, i would recommend trying it, even k liked it
and she is not a pizza fan).
Vic Sushi: No Dog-Fights, Just Fish
t says: There’s a small place near us that serves some reliably tasty sushi rolls. We’ve been to Vic Sushi a couple of times and have never been disappointed with whatever we ordered. Yes, it’s small. Yes, the AC doesn’t always work spectacularly. Yes, the lunchtime crowd can sometimes be too large to sit through. But, when g and I are in the mood for a couple of quick rolls at an off-peak hour without breaking the bank, we pop in, get their 3-rolls-for-$10 deal and a specialty roll, and we’re good-to-go! While I’m well aware that rolls aren’t the best way to gauge sushi – but my mouth and wallet know what they like, so we’ll be back for more fo’ sho’.
The Pig Crawl [and Percy Street BBQ: A Taste of the South on South]
t says: Last Sunday, g, kp, and I wanted to do a pig crawl. We wanted to sample some notable pig dishes and truly experience pig in all of its glory. We originally planned to go to DiNic’s (in Reading Terminal), Sampan, and Percy Street BBQ. Things don’t always work out as planned.
When the day began we actually found ourselves at Parc with even more friends! We’d gone there once before and, in preparation for our pig crawl, we exerted restraint in choosing our dishes. We opted for the pastry basket, a side of bacon, and a French75. That’s restraint, right? Starting off the day with some buttery pastries and fatty bacon chased by a bubbly cocktail? Sounded good to us! Plus, the bacon meant we were starting our pig crawl early! (which is actually why we ordered it). The pastry basket was delicious like the first time (although the chocolate croissant still had its rod of chocolate), and it included madelines! Sooo good. The bacon was only ok for me, as I like mine a bit thicker (and a little crispier), but the salty, smoky taste of it was quite nice, and, after all, who’s going to argue with bacon? The French75 was exactly as before, so g liked it a lot! Our friends sampled the pomme frites, pain perdu, the poached eggs, and the steak-and-eggs. By the end of the meal, not a single scrap of food remained, so I think it was a success. Good job, Parc. You might not be besting Cochon’s brunch, but you’re a good ol’-reliable.
As g, kp, and I readied to go to DiNic’s, we called ahead just to make sure they were open. It’s a good thing we did because they told us that they only had like 15 sandwiches left and that unless we were “in the area”, we probably wouldn’t get there fast enough. We appreciate their honesty. But that removed DiNic’s from the Pig Crawl! So we decided to take a little break (that pastry basket was quite filling) and skip straight to Sampan.
Sampan was very nearly empty when we got there (5:30). We were seated and enjoyed the Pork Banh Mi, Brussels Sprouts, and the Beautiful Boy sake. The Banh Mi was spot on (you go, Fernandez!) – I grow weary of raving about it, so you can read about it in all of our past reviews. g felt that the meat was the most tender it’s ever been – I felt that there might have been a tad too much cilantro – but it’s not like any of this prevented us from demolishing the sandwich. The Brussels sprouts were a little firmer than I’d like, but still tasty. The sake was as smooth as a baby’s bottom. When we were finished we got up and readied ourselves for the main event – a restaurant we’ve never visited: Percy Street BBQ.
5/2010, Sunday 6:30pm, Party of 3. When we arrived at Percy Street, I was impressed with how big it was. Maybe it was the open windows or something, but it just felt like a very large space! We were seated promptly and happily perused the menu. kp was happy that there was a roll of paper towels on the table – apparently that’s how they do it in the South. We ordered a PST sandwich, the deviled eggs, the mac-and-cheese, and a half-pound each of pork belly and pork spare ribs. We had no idea that this was WAY too much food for three not-starving people.
The mac-and-cheese and deviled eggs arrived first. The deviled eggs were classic deviled eggs. No dill (like Village Whiskey), no fancy add-ins (like Supper) – just eggs, mayo, and paprika. If there was anything else, my feeble palate missed it. They were quite good! Classic. I’m not sure how they got the filling to be so light and fluffy – but it was like an egg yolk cloud in my mouth. The mac-and-cheese came bubbling in a hot dish covered with nicely-toasted breadcrumbs. It was a nice, plain mac-and-cheese. Once again – no weird cheeses, nothing added to it – just mac … and cheese … It was also done well – the macaroni was a soft-but-not-mushy consistency, and the cheese was calm and smooth. kp and I wanted a little more flavor in the mac-and-cheese (maybe some sharper cheese), so kp requested his go-to fix-all, hot sauce. He was pleasantly surprised and satisfied with Percy Street’s selection of hot sauce: Crystal (apparently this is also the hot sauce that is used in the South). It perked up the mac-and-cheese nicely (although if I used as much as kp did, my mouth would still be burning).
When the meat came, I was a little worried that I was getting full … but I pressed on … for the sake of the blog. As the meat was set down, we were asked if we wanted some bread to make sandwiches. Sure! The waitress returned immediately with a basket of sliced white bread. kp was delighted by this as well, as apparently white bread is also how they do it in the South – no fancy baguettes, no brioche – this could have been Wonder Bread. And it worked beautifully. I put some pork belly on the white bread with some of the baked beans. Wow – that was SO tasty. The pork belly was soft and nicely streaked with fat (maybe a little too much for g’s taste – it’s a textural thing). The baked beans had just a touch of sweet and some nice heat and were firm enough so you knew were eating beans, not mush. So good. The ribs were no slouch, either (actually, opposite of my preferences, kp preferred the ribs to the belly!). The meat was super-tender and had enough smoky flavor that made you want to gnaw on the bone to ensure you got every last bit.
g’s PST was a pork belly-coleslaw-pickled green tomato sandwich. It tasted exactly as one might imagine it to taste – the pork belly was the same as I had ordered but the accompaniment of that pickled tomato and cole slaw added some sour and tang. I gravitated towards the belly-bean combination – g gravitated towards her sandwich. I kind of doubted that the belly-bean combo was that good and suspected that the atmosphere was altering my perceptions … Well, I took the leftovers home and ate it the next day; yep – still delicious. I have GOT to learn how to make pork belly like that …
The wait staff was very courteous and the food was quite good, so we liked our Percy Street BBQ experience overall. It was definitely fun to have BBQ-esque food that you could pick up with your hands. I have a feeling that this place could be kind of like a cheap Amada for us in the sense that it would be a blast to dine there with a group of friends. Of course, unlike Amada, the dishes aren’t as polished/refined, but BBQ’s aren’t supposed to be ; Percy Street wasn’t so chic-ified that it lost sight of the whole theme: down-and-dirty BBQ.
g says: Whoa there, cowboy! I wouldn’t go comparing psbbq to the almighty Amada. They are definitely not in the same galaxy of awesomeness. Don’t get me wrong, we did have a great time and really enjoyed our meal, but I wouldn’t get carried away. Are you with me, kp? Okay, I’ve said my piece – back to your regularly scheduled programming…
t says: That said, a true, Southern BBQ seeker I imagine will be disappointed with Percy Street because it’s not that down-and-dirty, but for someone who wants a slight touch of clean with their down-and-dirty (kind of like a down-and-dirty-lite), I think he/she will be satisfied – we sure were. Actually, we look forward to taking our dads there … between ribs (for my dad) and chicken (for g’s dad), I just can’t see how they wouldn’t like it!
Bobby’s Burger Palace: Hype Meets Hamburgers
t says: Bobby Flay came to town, as k had foreshadowed and the end of our Ladder15 review. He was opening up a new burger joint. For $7-8, Bobby’s Burger Palace (BBP) promised some semi-fancy, semi-fast-food burgers that are made-to-order. What makes them semi-fancy? k already told you: unique topping combinations – not uber-fancy stuff like at Village Whiskey or Ladder15, just good stuff like avocado, bacon, hot peppers, etc.
g and cm were at work on the day that BBP was to open. And you know … when g and cm are at work … t and k go and have adventures! k absolutely had to catch a sight of the man, the myth, the legend … Bobby Flay. Personally, I just wanted to taste me some good, cheap burgers (Ladder15 totally did me in with their over-the-top meat-and-fat-fest).
So, at 3pm, k and I cut out of work to head to West Philly for the opening. This was actually k’s second attempt at visiting BBP – she’ll tell you more about that visit, her impressions of this visit, and her one-on-one encounter with Bobby later … after she and cm have had time to visit BBP multiple times (I’m far quicker to pass judgement … does that make me a bad person?) …
3/2010, Friday 3pm, Party of 2. So … I arrived at BBP before k and there’s a line. A very long line … a very long line that extends out the door by about 20 people. Fortunately, it was a nice day, so I stood and waited for k to arrive. As I waited, I found that the line refused to move. There was a BBP employee at the front of the line, so I imagined she was trying to hold us back so we wouldn’t mob the place? After all, Bobby was inside (I saw him through the windows, shmoozing with the customers). It became apparent that I wasn’t allowed to go inside … or at least … not if I waited in this line … When k arrived, I explained to her the situation and that we might not be able to make it during our lunch breaks. Just then … the BBP employee disappeared, and then the whole line waiting outside shuffled into the restaurant … including us! k has magical powers of non-verbal persuasion …
As we picked out our burgers, we saw him … Bobby. And you know what … he’s skinnier in person that I imagined. No, he’s not scrawny, but he’s not “normal American sized male” – he’s leaner, not super-tall, and has pretty highlights in his hair … We didn’t get a chance to talk to him before we ordered, but we did talk about what k should say as an icebreaker.
I ordered a pistachio milkshake and the “Philly Burger”, which featured beef, hot peppers, provolone (my choice instead of cheese whiz). Also, k and I ordered sweet potato fries to share. We paid and were seated at the long curvy-counter – we kept a lookout for Bobby (but he was standing right behind us the entire time, talking to some older gentlemen in suits and ties). My burger came first – it looked pretty good! Not as fancy as pictured here, but for $8, who cares? I saw a sesame bun, a burger topped with hot peppers and topped with melted cheese. How’d it taste? Not bad! The peppers were actually hot! No, they weren’t fancy hot peppers or anything, but they were still good. The provolone could have been sharper (as is the style seen in Philadelphia cheese steaks) to compete with the heat. The meat was cooked well-done instead of medium-well as I had ordered, but it was still juicy.
The sweet potato fries were very good. They weren’t too sweet potato-y, which is a common flaw in sweet potato fries – they’re often just too sweet! These were good. The milkshake was also tasty but not what I was expecting. I expected it to hit me in the mouth with pistachio – but it didn’t. It was a sweet vanilla at first, later followed by a hint of pistachio. The pistachio wasn’t as vivid as CapoGiro’s gelato, but it’s supposed to be a milkshake to go along with what you’re eating, so that might be excusable – and there really isn’t anything wrong with a pistachio-vanilla combo. I’d get it again!
Overall, I was happy with the result. How happy? Well, if I got these at a real sit-down restaurant, I wouldn’t send it back, but I don’t think I’d come back, either. However, at a fast-food-esque setting like BBP, I think it’d be a tough call between Chipotle and BBP – BBP might have an edge due to delicious milkshakes and not charging a whole extra $2 for adding guacamole to a burrito (that’s outrageous!). Of course, BBP has humungously long lines – so long that when I tried to take g there, we stepped out of line and went to Chipotle instead. Actually – to be honest – I think BBP’s opening was the best thing to happen to Chipotle in a long time – there were several BBP menus scattered about in Chipotle, evidently from people who couldn’t wait for Bobby. I will say that if I go back, I wouldn’t order the same thing again … I’d go for chicken and either the Napa Valley Burger (crunchified) or the Sante Fe Burger, the plain fries, and the Black and White milkshake. I think it’d be another satisfying meal. But after that – I dunno – 500-degrees is a little closer to home … and we’ve never been!
Cochon: Brunch Round 2
t says: g and I loved Cochon’s brunch the first time we went there. Simply put, I never had a better stack of pancakes – and I’ve had pancakes everywhere! It brings me great pain to admit that they even bested the pancakes made by our summer-time private chef, g’s grandfather. Of course, g’s grandfather does have some tricks up his sleeve (e.g. fresh blueberries, dark chocolate M&M’s). But now the question – is Cochon a one-trick pony, or can it do more? I guess they can also do “Eggs Cochon”, which g thought were very good – so maybe they’re a two-trick pony? It took us a while, but we gathered together some of adsz’s cast members and went out for brunch. Would Cochon live up to the hype [that I/we gave it]?
4/2010, Sunday 11am, Party of 6. Although we had reservations, it was clear that they were not needed: there was no line of people, only two tables had patrons, and, at first, there was only one hostess/waitress/server. I’m happy this place is still on the D-L.
We sat down with our chilled bottle of vodka (for the bloody mary mix!) and contemplated our options. I had the pancakes last time, and while I loved them, I knew that I had to try something new … for the sake of the blog … I felt somewhat obligated to take on the “other” classic breakfast starch: French toast. Cochon prepares theirs with a berry syrup and fresh whipped cream. It seemed like a winner. I was set. Perhaps I was too set – as I might have told the waitress that we were ready when we definitely were not … But the result was funny and fun! It involved a lot of “come back to me – do me last” among our castmates. Oops! Sorry guys! I couldn’t help it! I was excited!
When the French toast came to the table, all you could see were ?3?-?4? slices of bread surrounded by a pool of deep purple and hiding under a mound of off-white whipped cream. In retrospect, I realize now that it definitely wasn’t a dish that you’d look at and go, “wow, that’s pretty”, rather, “wow, that looks delicious”. And it smelled delicious, too; my nostrils were filled with the scent of berries and maple. I was happy. I offered everyone at the table an opportunity to taste my dish – because there wasn’t going to be any left when I was done. I gave them fair warning, waiting 6-8 seconds, and when no one raised his/her voice, I dove in. First, let’s talk about the sauce. That mixed berry syrup was ridiculous. It seriously was like I had jammed a bunch of berries in my mouth with some maple syrup – but it was smooth – no chunks. There also was minimal tartness, so I imagine that lots of sugar went into it – but it didn’t taste any sweeter than normal maple syrup. The whipped cream was decadent, just as it was last time on my pancakes – it made extra creamy Cool Whip look “light”. The toast, itself, was … good. It wasn’t fluffy like at Parc, but it wasn’t just plain white bread, either. It was an inbetween that had a nice crispness on the outside with some give in the middle … but there wasn’t anything remarkable about it. But, honestly, it could have been plain white toast and the berry syrup would have carried me through the meal until the very last bite. I now know the ultimate breakfast … Cochon’s berry syrup … on top of Cochon’s pancakes, with the caramelized banans and walnuts … I might ask them if they can do it next time I go …
g had the steak and eggs. She and I both agree that they were delicious! The steak with the red wine sauce was phenomenal – I’d say almost as good as Bibou’s hanger steak, and definitely the best steak-and-eggs breakfast we’ve had (meaning I liked it more than the fancy-fancy steak-and-eggs at Tinto).
k says: I liked the atmosphere and the crab – they were generous with the crab. But it wasn’t much of a frittata, though – it was more of a scramble.
t says: cm and d both ordered Eggs Cochon. I think they agreed that while the pig and sauce and eggs were all good – the brioche bread left something to be desired. It sopped up a lot of the grease from the meat and had a dry, crumbly texture. g remembered that the bread wasn’t her favorite part last time, either, but she must have forgotten about it because the rest was so good. cm and d still consumed the rest of their dish, so I think they at least were satisified. I didn’t try any of their food, so I can’t testify!
Finally, d’s friend ordered tomato pie. It looked and smelled delicious. Once again – I didn’t taste any, but if she wants to join the cast and lend her comments, we’d be happy to have her!
All-in-all, I think that while I thoroughly enjoyed eating brunch Cochon, both g and I are noting that there are some weaknesses. The brioche bread seems to be the biggest problem – however, g noted that they do serve English muffin with their steak and eggs, so perhaps a substitution can be requested if you ordered Eggs Cochon (actually, g prefers English muffin to any other type of buttery breakfast bread, anyways). That said, for the price and ease of getting in (and ease of finding parking in the area on a Sunday morning), Cochon continues to be one of my favorite places to go. Now all we need to do is try out some of their more lunch-esque items!
LATER …
Cochon has swapped out the brioche in the Eggs Cochon for “pancetta bread“. Two words: Holy Crap.
after dinner sneeze 