Archive for the ‘in Philadelphia’ Category
Hi to Hai Street
t says: When it first debuted, Hai street was reported as peddling “Japanese Burritos”. It kind of turned me off. Does that mean that ssam are “Korean burritos”? Does that mean that Samosas are Indian empanadas? Or maybe these are all just wannabe ravioli? In any case, the idea of Japanese burrito, in my mind, involves a flour tortilla – kinda how like when Korean tacos were a craze (?anyone remember that?), it was korean shortrib and rice in a tortilla. But lo and behold, there is no tortilla anywhere at Hai street Rather, it seems that the product in question is basically ginormous maki. But, to keep the “Japanese Burrito” theme alive, I’m going to compare Hai Street to Chipotle … because … you know … why not propagate a fallacious simile?
August 2014, Thursday Lunch, Party of 2.
The setup is very chipotle-esque. You see a menu behind that gives a rough idea of your “burrito” contents and then you can select the fresh ingredients in front of you.
Unlike Chipotle, however, they have a structured box that protects the maki from crush injury, which is great – I never did like the foil solution. Also unlike Chipotle, they make you buy ridiculous water, which I’ve already discussed here. And the price is definitely up there, reaching ~$10 when all was said and done for my “screaming tuna” roll (it was a special that I saw outside). That’s a few bucks more expensive than Chipotle (and I did splurge on the guac), so let’s see what I found …
I tried to get as up-close-and-personal as possible. So now some people might be upset with Hai Street because the star filling that you selected isn’t very plentiful – it’s not like the enormous portion of meat you’d get in a Chipotle Burrito, rather, in equal proportion to the various ingredients that’s added. To be honest, I kind of like this way better! And the reason is because it comes off more like a maki this way. No one should complain of a maki having too little of the protein – makis are supposed to have a balance of ingredients in their innards. And here, with the plethora of other interestingly flavored items (e.g. garlic chips) and interestingly textured items (e.g. mango), it really was like eating a lovely salad and a splash of seaweed and rice. OH – and the rice wasn’t bad! That was what I as expecting would have been the biggest problem: bad rice. But I guess if someone is going to be a sous for Morimoto, they better know how to make consistently decent sushi rice (I mean, it wasn’t blow-me-away rice, but it was good!).
In all, I’m a big fan of the single maki I had there, and was substantially full by the end. I didn’t feel gross-full (if that’s what you’re in to), and might even consider the ingredients “healthy”. I decided that if I ever had to be gluten-free (Why can’t we call it “Celiac Disease”? Why is it “gluten sensitivity” or “gluten intolerant”? People with a nut allergy have a “nut allergy” – they’re not “nut intolerant”), I would not hesitate to make Hai street play a larger roll (“roll” … get it?) in my dining repertoire. Someone might say, “well, you could make this at home”. There is truth to that … but if I had to individually prepare carrot, radish, mango, aspargu, lettuce, tuna, kimchi, rice, garlic chips, I’d … have no other job …
Is Hai street the end-all-be-all of Japanese cuisine? No. Is it going to replace Chipotle? No (but man, we’d be a helluvalot healthier if it did). Will I go there again – you bet!
Jamonera Jappiness
t says: In case you were wondering, yes, that’s pronounced “Happiness” (I know, my attempt at humor was not a success – do I get points for trying?). g, a, v, a friend, and I went to Jamonera just recently, and all I can say is “wow”. Since the first time we went, two years ago, until now, there has been such refinement in the offerings that we were all uber-impressed this time around. It was the gang’s first meal together like this since coming back from Spain (so obviously, we chose to go to a Spanish restaurant), and it was like we never left. The jamon iberico was acorny. The veggies were spot-on. Every fish was done beautifully. The meats had a simplicity about them but were full of flavor. In all, it was a splendid evening of food, made even more splendid by Jamonera’s wonderful hostess that evening. While we were the recipients of some preferential treatment (a, v, and the hostess are friends), I refuse to believe that this somehow translated into Jamonera’s chefs to do anything different with their food – I think the food is just that good. It’s a shame that I wasn’t fast enough with the camera for the multi-course event – this is what I got:
August 2014, Friday Dinner, Party of 5.
first course of a peculiar mixture of jamon, shisito peppers, some pickles, and then on the right, a pile of smoked salmon atop tomato and goat cheese, which was the biggest “bam” of the dish (i never would have put those together – but now I might!). And yes, shisito peppers are like new “it” vegetable, seemingly found anywhere that wants to char a vegetable, but I can’t fault them for doing it well.
dates+bacon+cheese=happiness. there really is no other way to solve that equation. It did remind us of Mercato’s bacon-wrapped figs, and if the two got into a monkey-knife-fight, I would have no idea who’d win. I will say that this was a wonderful bite overall, and I’m thankful there weren’t more because I would have definitely have eaten all of them. The background had these eggplant-fries that also made me wonder, “why had I not thought of this?”. Answer: I’m not as smart as Jamonera.
steak. potatoes. ’nuff said.
you have to do the doughnuts for dessert. Now, the doughnuts by themselves are “ok” – but when you dunk them in the heaven-sauce above, you realize just how lucky you are to be able to finish a meal with this amazing mix of fat and sugar. sad will be the day i have to start a statin.
Jamonera did a fabulous job, but I’m afraid that no one’s noticing. All too often, I even catch myself zipping through those 13th street emails (the ones with the “special dinners” at Jamonera, Barbuzzo, and Little Nonna’s) without even noting Jamonera’s offering. Shame on me! Is it because everyone’s “over” Spanish food? Is it because there’s already Amada and Tinto in town, along with the Mediterranean likes of Barbuzzo? Or maybe we’re now just too stuck on “plant-friendly” (if I hear or read another thing about Charlie was a Sinner or “the new Vedge place”, I might savagely poke someone with the blunt end of a carrot), so richness and decadence in animal form is so “last year”? Regardless, I will say that the flavors were quite good in this meal – don’t believe me? Ask a. a states: the dates, the branzino, and the desserts crushed it (including our double secret desserts that you can’t mention here). t comes back on: Oh – did I mention the Branzino was to die for? It was. We ate it so fast there were no pictures. So yes, the food is good – like “almost Zahav” good; I think Jamonera is one hummus plate away from winning that battle (unlike others, I don’t give Zahav extra points for using “off” cuts of meat like duck heart, ground lamb, etc – if it tastes good, it tastes good – I don’t care about what it was). The difference, however, might come down to price. While the preferential treatment we had thrown our way did result in a meal that was cheaper than Zahav, we know that technically Zahav is the better “deal”. Be that as it may, while Zahav’s desserts are quite good, Jamonera’s doughnuts put such a smile on my face that when it comes time for the bill, I’d sign almost anything …
Catching Up
t says: It’s actually be a while since we’ve had some consistent posting – I’ve fallen way behind! So now it’s time to play some catch-up.
For one of our recent goodbye dinners with cm and k, we went to Zahav. The tasting menu is still as good as ever was, making me wonder how we could have ever have doubted this place (when they first opened, we found a lot of the flavors to be monotonous). I will say, however, that the hummus portion is actually a bit daintier than it once was (the pita is plentiful, but the humus could barely be enough for 1 pita, much less two). The salatim was phenomenal …
… as was our appetizers and entrees (shout-out to the watermelon-feta-olive salad in the foreground, cauliflower on the left – the only dish we purposefully ordered two of).
I will say that the desserts were solid, too. Nothing too out of this world (cake and baklava, chocolate mousse thing, vanilla panna cotta thing, watermelon sorbet), but a wonderful ending to the meal. In short, go to Zahav, get the tasting menu, and dine happily. It is a pretty good deal when all is said and done (and this comes from someone who used to be <$40pp when they first opened!)
In other news, it seems that now there will be ramen right on Penn’s campus. I’m happy they’re there, but I do hope they can step up their game from the first (and last) time I was there.
For my last update, enter this pretty awesome Sauvignon Blanc that I found at the PLCB store on 21st and Market. I’ve been a big fan of Greywacke since 2011. New Zealand rubber/petrol with plush zingee stone fruit and pineapple up front, and then finishes hard with a chalky, lemon pithy finish that is very addictive. Warning: not everyone will love this wine. But there will be a population that does. And hopefully they will leave a few at the store for me so I can reload whenever I need …
Mercato kicks it up a notch
t says: Those who have read our blog know that we love Mercato. As far as Italian BYO’s go, it’s up there with Modo Mio, Monsu, and Melograno. But now, let’s just say that it made a play for the #1 spot in our hearts.
July 2014, Monday Dinner, Party of 2. g and I wanted a date night, so out we went, with a bottle of wine in hand. We wanted something casual and tasty, and because our nearby restaurants are so pricey (looking at you, Fitler Dining Room). Mercato delivered …
We pulled out this special bottle of Blanc de Noir, courtesy of Ayoub. An orange color, it had this interesting mix of vanilla and apple pie up front, with a thunderous lemony, chalky snap. It was a refreshing way to cleanse the palate between each delicious bite that was to follow.
If you go to Mercato, you have to get the antipasti. Made to share, this dish featured meats, pickled items, and pesto brushetta that I would have kept eating and eating and eating had there been more. Yes, it’s pricey, at nearly $20, but between two people it’s worth it.
g went pyramid pasta – an item which she has had before that was still every bit as delicious as it was. But mine. Oh mine. It was a roasted suckling pig and mushroom papperdelle that is most definitely the best dish that I have ever had at Mercato. Some of Mercato’s pastas can be kind of wimpy. The sauces can be a little thin, with not a lot of meat shreds. Not so with this one, where the meat helping was bountiful and had this intriguing mix of pork and herbs. And I’ve had issues with some of Mercato’s noodles being flimsy – but not this one – the papparedelle had a hearty bite that sticks to your ribs. I loved every bite. Now if only it wasn’t a “special”, and was on the daily menu.
We were too full for dessert, but were so happy we didn’t care. We stumbled home smiles on our faces. Thanks Mercato!
this break brought to you by FedNuts
t says: I’ve been waiting for this for a long time:
Now, Federal Donuts has remarkable donuts. Duh. But their cake was always plain … that is … until now … Welcome to the chocolate cake donut! Simply glazed! In all of its chocolate glory. Couple this with an iced coffee and what you have is an awesome mid-day treat. Thank goodness for Uni City FedNuts! (and they deliver to Penn/CHOP!)
hodge podge 2014
t says: I was looking through old pictures, and I happened to be reminded of a few new food experiences that I had not yet posted … get ready for a hodge-podge!
So … let’s say you were sitting on the beach, baking in the sun, getting some rays in your bathing suit. As you think to yourself, “gee, I’m kind of hungry”, what foods might pop into your mind? Perhaps some boardwalk pizza, or a sandwich or fruit you may have packed, or maybe the bathing suit has made you self conscious, and all you’ll take in is water … Well, this is the opposite of all of those options: mac and cheese balls from Steve’s Grilled Cheese in Sea Isle City. They guys were absolutely crazy. Never have I seen g lose control over a fried food item. Sure, they’re sloppy, and sure, consuming any more than 1 will cause an instantaneous heart attack, but there’s nothing like a fried ball of cheese and starch. And the best part: I believe you can even have these suckers delivered to the beach! OH – did I mention there’s a cheese dipping sauce, too?
I also happened across this cool little PB&J themed food truck on Market street in University City. It had a pretty interesting looking menu, with lots of attractive options (lookin’ at you, ‘The Elvis” and “The Stoner”) …
… be that as it may, I went for a PB&J&Cheese&Apple. Not a bad combo – definitely worth checking out if you see the truck hangin there.
a and I also hit up Cozara, the new place in Uni City done by Zama. We were quite impressed. There was top-notch gyoza involved …
… as well as a very eggy katsu-don (Fuji Mountain does it a little bit better) …
… and a ramen that tasted like actual ramen! yay! All too often, the ramen at places lacks the alkalinity that ramen is supposed to have (like, the noodles will taste like a plain ‘ol flour-egg-water Italian pasta, and lack that ramen’y kick). I feel like there could have been some other additions to the broth to give it a bit more flavor, but it wasn’t bad, overall! I do have to say, however, that the gyoza was probably the best dish we had.
Ok … so now that I’m caught up to date … prepare for the barrage of posts from our vacation …
a fitting last meal
t says: Last meal? Really? Maybe I’m being a little dramatic, but let’s just say that I was really impressed with the meal that Talula’s Garden served up for my 32nd Birthday celebration! Maybe it’s a “fitting last meal before we go on vacation …”
June 2014, Wednesday Dinner, Party of 4. There were several more dishes than these … but here are the highlights … with one exception – we had these boquerones over herb-infused tomatoes that were absolutely amazing! We ate them so fast, I forgot to take a picture!
Talula’s Garden now has a “pasta” section on the menu. It’s pretty awesome, because now I can find the gnocchi dish even faster! (I used to have to search the mains and appetizers for it). While the crab-and-spaghetti wasn’t quite as good as pop-pop’s, the above gnocchi over peas and a pea puree were delectable pillows of heaven. So good.
g and my mom went for the tuna crudo (g? tuna crudo? surprised, right?) It hit all the right signature Talula’s crudo notes: herbs, veggies, bright accents, scrumptious fish. No wonder g falls into the crudo trap every time she goes.
yes, there’s still a scallop dish … yes, it’s still amazing … and no, there wasn’t any left.
but now … it is my honor to introduce the new pork belly champion of adsz. A title previously held by greats like Fond (I look forward to it on every Fall/Winter menu) and Bibou (it was one of those ephemeral Pierre Calmels specials that came and went in a blink of an eye), Talula’s healthily-unhealthy-sized portion has that oh-so-addictive crunch and sweet-sweet-pig-fat flavor that make this pork belly the poster boy of hedonistic meat (I know, I know … people like foie and caviar and wagyu … but come on – how you gonna dis’ pork belly like that? why you gotta be such a gold-digger with your deep, benjamin-lined pockets? think you’re too good for pork belly? that’s ok – more for me.) I’m sure there will come a day when I will not be able to consume such rich dishes like this … and that day will be sad indeed … but for now, I will count pork bellies on my way to sleep, ready to dream of the next opportunity to go back. Oh, did I mention that there were some superbly prepared greens and beans underneath? I ate all of those, too. So it’s healthy, right?
every time there’s a s’more-themed dessert, talula’s kills it. this one was called “s’mores cake”, and it was excellent. The moist, chocolate-laden cake melted in my mouth, giving way to the scorched marshmallow and smoke-infused ice cream. Desserts like this make me regret having eaten so well during apps and main courses (well … except for the pork belly above).
But this little bugger was the big surprise. Don’t be fooled by this slab of white sitting atop a pile of crumbs; this marscapone cheesecake was un-real. I would have expected Talula’s to try and make their cheesecake all light-and-fluffy with cutesy fruit accompaniments. But no. Forget that. They went for rich-and-delicious. ha declared it her new favorite cheesecake – and that’s with 28 years of cheesecake-tasting experience (inside joke).
You know, it’s meals like these that make me wonder why no one’s writing about Talula’s anymore. Hell – it makes me wonder why it’s been so long since the last time I’ve gone! But of course, we always come crawling back to beg for forgiveness for our absence … and Talula takes us in with open arms, feeds us delicious food, and sends us on our way with full bellies and obliterated expectations.
after dinner sneeze 