Fork It Over

Keeping up with the Philly dining scene is no easy task. With restaurants multiplying like hamsters on Spring Break, it's hard to eat everywhere at once and even harder to remember the standbys that have become a part of this city's culinary fabric. Like Fork. Until a sunny sidewalk lunch yesterday, we'll admit we'd never been to the chic bistro and Old City pioneer. Shame on us.

A trio of pavement perches were the best seats for the Market Street fashion show. Fanny-packed tour groups led by a costumed Betsey Ross, long-legged fashionistas destined for Charles Porter, Pennsters in plaid shorts and big shades, and of course the occasional bum modeling the latest in Derelicte make great sidewalk theater as we sipped blood orange iced tea and waited to sample Ellen Yin's seasonal cooking.

Arugula and endive were the base for a nicely bitter salad with grapefruit and citrus vinaigrette. Perfect for summer, but more than three grapefruit segments would have been nice. Hummus was yummus with chewy pita, while a circle of flatbread was the crispy dock for sweet rock shrimp, caramelized onions, jicama pico de gallo, Manchego, and Jack cheese. Quesadillas necessitated a fork and knife, because of their monster size and lack of cheesy glue holding the tortilla sandwich together. Inside, chunks of adobo chicken, white beans, goat cheese, and Gruyere created a fearsome combo.

Can't say it was an amazing lunch, but certainly tasty (and inexpensive at $40). Next time, we'll head over to Fork, etc. for edamame salad, fluffy pillows of foccacia (pictured), Eclat chocolates, and panini pressed to order. A search of the well-stocked shelves scored us summery Havest Song artisanal peach preserves, a freshly baked flour-dusted baguette, and Fork's blood orange vinaigrette stored in an attractive corked glass bottle for only $6.

Photo: Fork, Blogalicious