Archive for the ‘Restaurant Reviews’ Category
Manly Epicurean Adventure
t says: I had the opportunity to visit Napa with kp and another colleague (our fourth, a, bailed at the last minute), but only for a day; we had a lot of stuff to cram in a single afternoon+evening. Realizing that our better halves were unable to join us, we nicknamed it “the manly epicurean adventure”. Below is a recap of all we conquered:
First thing we did was conquer brunch at Zazie. We killed some bread pudding pancakes that were out of control. On one hand, some were put off by the soft almost-mushy texture of the pancake, but I loved every bit of it (it was like real bread pudding!). I likened the experience to eating forkfuls of sweet sweet banana-laden clouds …
Zazie also served up some poached eggs which we wasted no time pillaging. One had the equivalent of salsa and bacon, while the other had tomato and prosciutto. Beautifully balanced salty-savory-acid in both cases – could not think of anything worth improving upon. We now know why there is a line to get into Zazie when they open at 9am on a Sunday.
Our first Napa destination was Ma(i)sonry, but have no photos, as we’ve already photo’d the bejesus out of it on the blog. My tastes must have changed over the past 6 months because this time, I was drawn to less fruit-forward cabs, favoring instead some well-done 2011’s with the right balance of acid and fruit. Funny how things change. Overall, Maisonry was a fantastic way to get in the mood for the cabs of Napa (the gang preferred reds to whites, so that’s what we focused on). Our second tasting of the day, at Paloma, courtesy of hookups by a and a’s dad, is pictured above. We could have listened to Barb, the proprietor, for hours upon hours, with her stories from 31 years in the valley. As you can see, her view is incredible (the tasting is literally at her house). Her wines were impressive expressions of Merlot, inspiring us to walk away with a few bottles in hand. A great visit!
In contrast to Paloma, MacDonald Vineyards, our third and final visit for the day, was a super-tiny cottage hidden amongst the vines …
… and some gnarly old vines at that! As Graeme and Alex walked us around, it was exciting to hear their story. It was hard to not catch their infectious enthusiasm. This was not one of those times where the goal was to wow you into believing that they were the end-all-be-all of vine mastery, rather, humble pupils who recognize that they have a unique opportunity to make great wine from hallowed land. These guys are young, they have no obligation to any sort of winemaking legacy, and they have open minds … in the world of wine, they are dangerous as hell … in a good way …
There’s no tasting room at MacDonald – instead there’s a picnic bench under a giant tree next to some vines. I cannot imagine a more perfect setting. Even when these guys do get around to building a winery and a cellar and a tasting room, I hope they never lose that sense of chatting around a wicker basket and vinyl tablecloth. I have to say that out of every tasting I’ve ever had, this was probably the most personal. I don’t know if it’s because my tablemates had already consumed ample amounts of wine throughout the day (I spit at every tasting, so I was DD), but the conversations meandered from wine to friends to weightlifting to medicine to bachelor parties and back to wine. Before we knew it, the sun had set and we were near-shivering … now that is a tasting!
Oh … and the wine … we had the opportunity to sample the 2011 MacDonald Cab, which was really a treat. Not to be released until Fall 2014, I have to say that this was easily the best wine we had all day, and we had had wines from multiple talented winemakers (Thomas Rivers Brown, Melka, Jeff Ames, Pahlmeyer) over multiple vintages from multiple sites! My companions agreed. But beware – this is no fruit bomb or berry milkshake; certainly no oak monster here. Bright red-and-dark fruits up front saturate the palate with silky tannins so smooth that you forget they’re there; the fruit is followed by a mouthwatering, moderate-length finish of cool-vintage cab flavors that dance on the palate. As time passed, it took on even more layers of flavor, including herbs and baking spices. Overall, it’s a feminine expression of cab, but don’t construe that as “wimpy”, rather, think of that seasoned, graceful principal ballerina, floating across the stage … no one would dare call her “wimpy” – she’s just ridiculous at making it look effortless.
We had visited Oakville Grocer earlier in the day for a cheese break (after all, with all the wine we had been tasting, we needed a little something in our stomachs), but when it was dinner time, we needed to get some serious grub. I picked out Bistro Jeanty – a Yountville staple at reasonable prices. And that night, they were on fire. The above escargots were amazing, exceeding the deliciousity, texture, and size of Bibou’s. Similarly, the bone marrow in the background with that red wine sauce was absolutely stunning – made oh-so-simply but so profoundly flavorful that I could have eaten every single piece if allowed; once again, it bested even Bibou’s bone marrow.
Bistro Jeanty’s momentum carried through the main courses. My lamb was perfectly prepared, coupled with blue cheese potatoes and green beans …
… and kp’s cassoulet surprised the hell out of everyone. On the menu, it sounded almost benign – like a “light bean dish” … except for, you know, the hidden duck confit, bacon, and garlic sausage … Oh, and the beans that could have potentially been healthy? Not no more – because all the fat from those meats had to go somewhere …
Dessert was of high caliber – maybe not as crazy as the first two courses, but still damn good. The chocolate creme brulee struck again (I loved it before when I had it), and the lemon tart was so close to being perfect (the orange marmalade-ish sauce was confusing – they should have kept it lemon … or maybe gone lime … but orange was weird).
Don’t let the above picture mislead you: I was sad that g wasn’t there – she would have loved it. And of course we missed a … but … be that as it may, I’m pretty sure I can say that Man Trip 2014 was a success!
Rex 1516 does brunch right!
t says: Ah, Sunday morning brunch … who doesn’t love eating brunch on a Sunday morning? Well – as much as people enjoy eating brunch on Sunday, the truth of the matter is that finding a venue is difficult. You want to go to Honey’s on South? You have a better chance getting in if you blasted through the wall from the neighboring petshop. Sabrina’s? Good luck – they serve enough French toast per platter so that patrons can sit and linger over two meals worth of time. Or even cute little ‘ol Day by Day? Beware – they start seating people a good 10 minutes before they’re open. So what’s a hungry person to do at, let’s say, noon? Well, with bw, g, and another friend, we decided to let Yelp help our cause … and before we knew it, we were walking down the treacherous ice-laden sidewalks to Rex 1516.
February 2014, Sunday Brunch, Party of 4. The place is kinda cool – it just sneaks up on ya’ as you’re walking. They do have one of those ridiculous golden stands outside with a menu, but I would have walked right by it had I not been forced to count down the blocks (each block was another opportunity for me to fall on my butt and look like an idiot).
The atmosphere is dark, by virtue of the exposed brick and dark (but well-worn) wooden floors. Pretty cool bar scene, probably. As far as the menu, it was chocked full of what I like to call New-Orleans-to-the-Extreme! There’s shrimp and grits … with pork belly. Biscuits and gravy … using “everything bagel biscuits”. Chicken and waffles … benedict. I’m ok with New Orleans-to-the-Extreme – I wanted to eat everything. But, first things first – before I could go for creative dishes, I went with something potentially easy: Bananas Foster French Toast. Just take some French Toast and toss it in some Bananas Foster, right? Nope – make the French Toast out of Banana Bread while you’re at it. The result was DELICIOUS. Visually, it looked like a large plate of “brown”, so they aren’t going to win any beauty contests with this dish, but it tasted wonderful. I don’t think I’ve been this happy with a brunch dish since Cochon (R.I.P.). And my brunchmates seemed as if they enjoyed their selections, and each voiced an opinion that it’s definitely worth coming to again. Because of this, we went back to Rex 1516 1-2 weeks later … this time with sr and ha!
February 2014, Sunday Brunch, Party of 4. This time, I took pictures:
Chicken and waffles benedict: An interesting combination, I will say that that chicken was aggressively seasoned – verging on being too salty. Fortunately, the chicken was tender underneath its fried shell, and the waffle, egg, and Hollondaise were spot on. However, the dish only really sang when I added a dash of maple syrup to give me someone other than rich-rich-richness, allowing me to enjoy enjoy the piece that ha gave me. I’m a fan if they can tone down the salt on the chicken.
“everything bagel” bidscuits and sausage gravy: I had high hopes for this dish, but I suspect it was because I I was expecting the biscuits to be more bagel-y. The only similarities it has with an everything bagel is that someone sprinkled some toppings on the biscuit. Sorry Rex, that’s not an everything bagel, so much as an everything biscuit. Fortunately, the biscuit, itself, was quite good (good texture on the outside, soft on the inside – everything a biscuit should be !), as was the sausage gravy and poached egg. All in all, a solid dish that I wound definitely try again, but with the knowledge that it’s a very rich dish: buttery biscuit, the hearty gravy, and runny egg – I almost didn’t finish mine!
huevos: g went for the huevos this time. They were solid, but nothing extra-special – she actually preferred her po’ boy the week before.
So I guess the second time around, we came across some dishes that were “good”/”solid”/”well-done”, but not necessarily blow-me-away like the banana bread French toast. I do like some of the little spins they had to the chicken and waffles and the biscuits and gravy, but they could have been executed a little better; ultimately, I can’t say they were so addictively-good or head-and-shoulders-above options available at other brunch establishments in the city (and everyone knows how prone to hyperbole I am!). What I can say, however, is that they take reservations, they’re not crowded, and they have what seems to be a very intriguing wine list:
someone with eclectic tastes picked out this wine … i love it. While I haven’t tasted a any of the wines on the list [yet – I’m waiting for a real meal], I have to say that I admire audacity of the following moves: Colombard/Ugni Blanc as well as Picpoul de Penet – I’ve never had either, so I definitely want in on those. Pinot from Germany – well played – I’ve been hoping that someone would do this. Pinotage, Carmenere, and Bonarda – I like how you think! No malbec and no cab – very ballsy! While I think that a list like this is fun, I guarantee that patrons probably order “Chardonnay” and “Pinot Noir” the most due to recognition; I think they could generate more interest in the other wines by giving three simple flavors that are in the wines – kinda like Tria, but not as over-the-top – something like “cherry, strawberry, licorice”. In any case, with wines like these, now I know I have to come back.
in case there was doubt
t says: With the opening of Le Cheri, the Calmels’s new spot on Rittenhouse, one could imagine a scenario where their flagship Bibou might suffer. After all, Pierre can’t be in two places at once. Always up for an investigation, the adsz team was all over it like white on rice, making the state-of-emergency-all-hell-is-breaking-loose snowstorm into an opportunity to dine at a restaurant that normally is just too booked to get into. Well here are the results …
February 2012, Thursday Dinner, Party of 5. Roll the pictures:
We started the dinner off with a unique wine from Ayoub, a small production winery in Oregon. This was a Blanc-de-Noir, a white wine made from pinot noir grapes, similar to a Blanc-de-Noir champagne. Only 20 cases were made in total, so to say that it’s limited would be accurate. As you can see, it’s not a completely “white” wine, with a hint of orange in the glass. On the nose, it smelled of apple pie, and on the palate initially there was rich fruit and vanilla (almost like a Chardonnay that had undergone MLF), but then such a bright citrus zip on the finish that was quite amazing. A very different style of Blanc-de-Noir than I’ve had in the past, but we’ll see what some bottle age does for it.
Shrimp salad / “Crevette”: This was a very refreshing appetizer and highly recommended. Although there are a lot of other things on the plate, the shrimp was the highlight and came through nicely.
bone marrow: this was supposed to be an entree but we got one for the table to share as an extra appetizer. Yes, it was rich and luscious and everything you’d hope bone marrow could be. I do wish there was a little less breadcrumb so you could get a little more of that unctuous bone marrow texture, but it was nevertheless a great appetizer. And yes, a and I did do a small 2001 A Space Odyssey reenactment. g and v disapproved.
oh the escargots … still bowl of garlicky crack if there ever was such a thing.
pig’s foot. Yea – it’s still my number 1 choice. The lentils were a little more al dente than I’ve had in the past, but the trotters piggy sweetness still sang its 80’s-style power-ballad with such dramatic flare that you cannot help but be moved. (v says: but mine didn’t rock my world as it usually does! something just doesn’t seem right.) I felt like it was the lentils – they could have used a bit more pork and a bit more of that smokey/salty flavor.
a suspected that his venison special was superior (a says: My venison was prepared beautifully, the best meat I’ve had in a long time – gamey without being overpowering; succulent), and while I agree that that, too, was an extraordinarily well-executed piece of animal meat, it could have been a touch too sweet for my taste. a promptly told me to stop being an idiot.
g went for the steak, which is not surprising. She gave me half of one piece in lieu of the typical two-piece allotment of steak I routinely get. Conclusion: it’s still awesome. The secret is in that peppercorn, asparagus, red wine sauce. Similar to the pig’s foot, there may be crack in there, too. Never having had crack, I have no basis for comparison, but I know the flavor haunted me long after the waiter had cleared the plates.
Bibou’s weakness has always been dessert. The desserts aren’t flashy, which I understand, as this is supposed to be “French peasant” after all. My problem is that just because they’re simple doesn’t mean they have to be boring. This is a piece of chocolate cake with some banana and banana-rum topping. That’s it. Chocolate, banana, rum. Maybe a few berries strewn around. The cake is like a dense, slightly crumbly chocolate cake. Alas, it does not at all compare to the likes of desserts we’ve had at Serpico and Talula’s Garden. It is a sweet way to end a meal, but deep down inside, don’t you wish for a finish with a bang? (or at least a nearby Capo Giro …)
Similarly, the cheese selection and accompaniments are not that blow-your-mind, either. It strikes me as very simple. Very European. Bibou’s just like: “hey – here’s some cheese and some bread.” No candied nuts. No lavender honey. No garlic dulce-de-leche. No 6 different kinds of crisps. Just some cheese and some bread and some apple. Oh – and there’s some tomato jam as well. Don’t get me wrong, the cheeses are solid selections, and they are able to end a meal just fine … but don’t you wish there were fireworks? Maybe I’m just too American about my desserts …
So, in summary, Bibou’s food is pretty much the same as it was in the past. Sure, there are some very subtle rough edges (the lentils didn’t have as much pork strewn about, the escargots were a smidge smaller than previous), but it’s still absolutely worth going to, as the kitchen is still cranking out top-notch foods that make you feel all warm and happy inside. And had we not known that Pierre wasn’t there, maybe we wouldn’t have even noticed … well except at the end when Chef Ron comes out to say hello instead of Pierre (he’s still a very nice guy – maybe lacking the charm of Pierre’s bashful French accent, but still very nice). I think what adsz will miss the most, however, is the front of house. Our favorite server has moved on to Le Cheri (the replacements are very capable and kind, but we miss our guy’s award-winning smile), and we miss having Charlotte flit about the room, speaking French, shmoozing with guests (although Yuki’s demeanor is very warm and inviting). In sum, we’re sure they’ll do very well there. For the future, we look forward to tasting the non-steak, non-pig’s-foot, non-escargot dishes (i.e. the ones chef is obligated to continue to serve because too many people would cry if he stopped), as I’m sure we will come to find Chef Ron’s voice among the Pierre’s legacy.
All in all, it was a great dinner. And to be honest, the only real “bad” part was trudging back to South Street through Snow-pocalypse IV due to lack of cabs in the area.
catching up!
t says: I know – I know. It’s been way too long since our last real food post! I wish I had a good excuse, but I really don’t. There have been a lot of great at-home meals because of the snow (g and I are afraid of the cold). g’s mastered a bourbon-maple-apple sauce for pancakes/waffles/french toast (the secret ingredient: two types of cinnamon). As for me, I took on the cookery of a some rather pricey slabs of beef tenderloin that I do confess came out quite awesome (with some charred broccolini and fingerling potatoes). And, as usual, several bottles of wine have come and gone, including a Riesling that was like sucking on a lemon (2011 Ransom Wines Riesling). But we have gone out a few times, so let’s start up a firestorm of reviews from places we’ve been:
First off, we visited Spice28 with some friends. The food, much like the last time we visited a little over a year ago, was pretty solid. While nothing super-crazy went on here, we were happy to enjoy the company of good friends as well as the flexibility of the menu to accommodate vegetarians and meat-eaters alike (yours truly went for some kind of very nice lamb-and-eggplant dish that was two thumbs up!). Oh wait – there was something a little crazy. We happened to have gone during restaurant week, meaning there was something like 4 courses for $35. On one hand, this seems like a deal. The truth: it’s not. I’ll allow g the opportuniyt to soapbox it: g clears her throat: If it costs less than $35pp to eat at a restaurant normally, then that restaurant has no business participating in restaurant week. t agrees: Case in point: the 6 of us decided to not to participate in the RW deal, spending ~$45 per couple … including tax/tip … thus coming in at nearly 50% less than we would have paid via RW. Now, it is true that we didn’t get dessert, but you have to admit that with Capo Giro so close, who is going to bother with Spice28’s 1990’s-styled desserts? (have you seen their dessert menu?) In any case, we had a fine time.
The Strip Joint (i.e. the artist formerly known as “Sowe”): g and I hit it up “The Strip Joint” for brunch, and within seconds, I knew I was headed towards the fried pork over waffles. I have to say that I applaud this idea (especially with the bourbon syrup), but I would have appreciated a smidge more pork – there was great crunch going on, but not enough oink! This was a case of pork being cut/pounded too thin. The waffle was “ok” – but really – it was just a vehicle to put syrup-slathered pork into your mouth for breakfast!
g ventured the steak salad at The Strip Joint that suffered some technical issues. Construction was not the most intuitive, as the carrots were tiny pieces, but then the cucumbers were in long strips, against a background of big pieces of lettuce. Additionally, the overcooked meat (so much for “medium”) was a downer (not intolerable, just a few shades more done than expected). But the bread was nice, and the ingredients were fresh. And just to confirm: nothing tasted bad – it just had some execution issues!
I submit this dark picture to remind myself that we also went to Butcher and Singer for RW. Now here’s a place where the RW pricing is absolutely critical, as there’s no way that g and I can afford to drop upwards of $50 on a piece of meat … not including sides … a and v joined us on this adventure, so we knew we were in for a good time – but would the food live up to the friends? This being my first time at B&S I must say that I was super-impressed with the setting. This is a grand restaurant environment if there ever was one. The staff was courteous and prompt, which was a bonus – they were dealing with their completely-booked-for-RW-schedule just fine. But there were some issues … The wine list made us weep. While a spotted a nice bottle of ’07 Duoro that we sprung for, seeing other fairly commonplace wines at 4 times the local wine shop price made us die a little inside. I understand that the whole “idea” of a fancy steakhouse is to be fancy … but at least let someone in the beverage department flex some muscle and put up a little section of wines that aren’t total rip-offs – or maybe make up an “interesting wines you’ve never had” section which would feature more reasonable prices for those willing to take a chance on something relatively unknown (looking at you Greece, Slovenia, Fingerlakes, China, India). Maybe this way a, v, g, and I would be more inclined to visit? Well, wait a second, that’s untrue – in order for us to visit on not RW, they’re also going to have to kick some more ass in the food department. The filet was fine … a nice, solid, appropriately-sized filet … but to be honest, g, who doesn’t do things like “play favorites” (g can be very tiger-mom-ish) admits that our home-cooked filet is superior. Boom. TKO. Similarly, the vichysoisse was good, but uninspired, as was the mashed/whipped potato. Maybe there are strict rules against adding a twist of novelty here and there to tickle the senses?
Now B&S’s dessert, on the other hand, was quite surprising – it was actually pretty frickin’ great. Being a devout chocolate-ophile, I’m pretty suspicious of “chocolate tarts”, “chocolate bombs”, and “chocolate cakes” – it’s going to have to actually do something to make me notice it, otherwise it might as well be like the slabs of chocolate cake they serve at my workplace’s cafeteria (which, by the way, are totally fine – I’ve been known to down a slice or two in my weaker moments!). But one stab of this chocolate tart, and it started bleeding a sweet-but-not-too-sweet caramel that balanced perfectly against the dark bitter-but-not-too-bitter chocolate. I inhaled it. Give me another! Take back the mashed potato and give me one more of these things with my steak! Seriously!
A polar opposite of B&S is Sotto. Ah, Sotto. You’re like the old recliner in every family’s family room. You’re there, you’re not the prettiest piece of furniture, but you’re reliable as hell. g and I returned with k to Sotto and were instantly reminded just how much we love this place. But this time, get this, I did not just get a bowl of pasta! I also tried out calamari, which were fantastic! So well-seasoned, and with a smokey charred flavor that is oh-so-great. And, judging by appearance, it seems like there’s no bung (i.e. pig rectum) – so hooray for us!
And that’s pretty much it for a restaurant roundup for January. We’ll have to get crackin’ with February. Our opentable account indicates that g and I completed 42 reservations throughout the past year – we gotta beat it this year! We’re on a quest for that $100 opentable gift certificate (so we can use it at a restaurant we couldn’t otherwise afford … Per Se, anyone?)
drb storms Restaurant Steiereck
t says: When g and I visited out friend drb in Vienna, we went to Michelin-starred Steiereck for a cheesey luncheon, missing out on the opportunity to eat their for dinner. Well … drb went back and conquered their tasting menu. While he has not given me any comments, he has given me the pictures. So why not just post them here? That’s right, there’s no reason:
Look carefully at those wine glasses. I think they’re Zalto! That’s sexy.
This wine glass also appears to be Zalto. Nice!
can’t get over serpico …
t says: Ok, ok, ok. My name is t and I have a problem. The problem is that I just can’t stop going to Serpico. It really is ridiculous – the moment I know I have a free day, I check out Serpico’s schedule to see if I can make it. It’s no surprise then that when a was looking for a location for his bday celebration, I had no choice but to recommended Serpico. And, after a and v went by themselves to do some reconaissance, we knew we had to go back altogether as a party of 6 with a’s parents. And, unsurprisingly, Serpico totally, absolutely, 100% killed it. Let the barrage of photos begin:
among our first courses included the above pictured the scallops and the lobster terrine “special”. We find the scallops to be one of the more unique appetizers at Serpico – that buttermilk sauce spiked with oil is tres addictive (I totally caught a eating it by the spoonful). a joins: And the lobster terrine was hoarded by v, so it musta been good … and the [unpictured ] sunchoke salad is not yo’ mama’s salad and worth a place at your table …
t says: But I think we all agree that out of all the appetizers, none could not match the raw fluke crudo. g comes from nowhere: I’ll say it again – I love it when someone knows what to do with cucumber. a agrees: Yea – it’s my new flavor of the month. t says: So if you have to have just one appetizer, we cannot speak more highly about any than the fluke crudo – it just hits all the right notes …
t says: This appetizer was also quite sock-rocking. This banh-mi-style duck leg has been written about before by lots of other blogs … and they’re all right – it’s fabulous, from perfect duck to the sweet hoisin and spicy sriracha and right on down to the pickled veggies in that white cup thingee. Seriously, a perfect lunch would be just one of these bad boys.
this wins for most startling in appearance, as the duck liver mousse was scraped onto the plate like a puddle of paint. on the palate, it had a wonderful balance of being both light and rich, which I quite liked. a would have preferred something with a bit more richness, however, so I guess the liver-enthusiasts among us are split!
g got the steak, which we’ve had before and continues to impress (she ate the whole thing!) …
a got the fish … big surprise there … a defends: Hey – that swordfish special was delicate and the best “steak” fish dish I’ve had in a while. It was somehow served like a soup without being one – but that broth was something to be savored.
t steals the mic and runs to his soapbox: But I have to say that there was no other dish better than my pork shoulder special. Seriously. You know that scene in Ratatouille where the snobby food critic eats the ratatatouille and is transported to his childhood kitchen table … bringing a tear to his eye and shattering his mean, abrasive shell. Well this was similar (except my abrasive shell is still intact), as it reminded me so much of the kimchi jige that mom and grandmom used to make for j and me. But it wasn’t “just like mom used to make it”, rather, each element was done-up all fancy- and modern-like while still hitting all of those same classic flavors. A far cry from the overcooked pieces of pork [or spam] in my childhood kimchi jige (not that I had any problem with those – that’s just how it was made!), Serpico’s featured this huge pile of super-tender pork shoulder with lots of pieces of crisped skin strewn about, all atop shallow pool of intensely piggy broth. I’m not sure why his pig tastes more like pig than anyone else’s, but it does! Then add on kimchi (in that white cup in the upper left) that somehow tastes exactly like grandma’s (it was weird – I’m very picky with kimchi – it has to be freshly crisp, with only minimum sweetness if any, moderately spicy, and only a hint of that sour funk that fermented vegetables get … and I swear that the server said it was cauliflower kimchi?!?) and that triangle of singed riced (thus adding some texture and yummy burnt flavors) and I could not be happier. I don’t think I said more than two words from the time my plate hit the table to the last bite I put in my mouth. It was probably the best thing I ate all year … maybe longer! Did anyone else like it? I have no idea – I forget if I even bothered to share it with anyone. Would anyone else like it? Probably not as much as me. And while I’m sad that I’ll probably never be able to have it again (it was a “special”), part of me knows that it’d probably never hit me the same way again, as now I’d be expecting it – the surprise made it truly special. So I guess this dish will just have to haunt my memories, akin to that single bottle of wine you had that one time from a certain producer from a certain vintage that you’ll never see again: you let the remorse fade away and count yourself lucky to have even had the chance to taste it in the first place …
the birthday boy’s cake was delicious …
… but a just couldn’t get enough of the apple cake – it’s his favorite sweet dish in the city. I, too, thought it was great. Maybe not as good as some of the sweets I’ve had at Talula’s Garden … but I guess we’ll just have to “agree to disagree”.
putting seoul in food
t says: A little while ago, I caught up with an old childhood friend (there’s the disclaimer!) who is opening of Seoul Food Philly, a Korean meets Comfort food. Right now still in its infancy, Seoul Food Philly can be found at the Franklin Flea, open for a few more Saturdays between now and Christmas – we recommend checking it out! We went today and this is what we found:
pork sandwich: on a lightly toasted bun, this sweet-and-savory combination packs tender chunks of pork and some cucumber/cabbage with a light coating of aioli/sauce. And in the background, there was a hint of spice, possibly in the sauce. The balance of the sandwich is more on the sweet than the spicy, but it’s so good that you can’t help but keep on eating until it’s gone. I think that most people will like prefer this sandwich to the other, as it has more wow factor …
… but as for me – I prefer this one: the short rib sandwich, with kimchi and wiz on a toasted hoagie roll. The trick, though, is to not confuse this with a run-of-the-mill Philly cheesesteak, or even a tweaked Philly cheesesteak. Actually, just forget the Philly cheesesteak altogether. Instead, I view it as a modernized vehicle by which to transport bulgogi to your mouth. I think it’s because it had a distinctly bulgogi-and-kimchi flavor that reminds me of my childhood, and only the lightest smattering of wiz (just enough to moisten the roll). If you go into it expecting flavors of cheese and friend onions or broccoli rabe, you’ll be disappointed, as those aren’t the primary flavors. But if you go into it thinking about those table-side grills at Korean restaurants, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the update.
The stand at Franklin Flea didn’t offer their Koreanified mac-n-cheese or chicken wings (apparently they weren’t allowed to deep-fry things on site at Franklin Flea), but I look forward to trying them in the future, too. Bravo to Seoul Food Philly – we wish you the best of luck!
after dinner sneeze 