tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23365404951970721522012-01-30T01:52:48.777-05:00You gotta pay the troll toll to get in.adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.comBlogger3051100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-65284312431906219842010-03-24T11:58:00.000-05:002010-03-24T12:10:05.444-05:00

First our gal J. Manning peaced out to become the editor of Tasting Table. Now comes word food editor Ashley Primis is saying bon voyage to the regional mag for the Director of Special Projects position at the recently James Beard-nom’ed Starr Restaurant Organization. Successors for Manning and Primis have yet to be named. Food writers, start your resumes.

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-20198762406362784192010-03-05T09:29:00.008-05:002010-03-05T10:39:12.676-05:00

Photo: Mike Persico for Philadelphia WeeklyCheers to Al Sotack, head bartender at Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co., for dropping us a line with the speakeasy's new 34-drink spring menu. "Containing not only our take on nine classic cocktails, our Spring Menu features twenty-five staff contributions, undoubtedly representing the style and personality of our barkeeps more than either previous."

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-51183755664405919192010-02-24T16:09:00.003-05:002010-02-24T16:27:33.706-05:00

We've been M.I.A. more than minute, but this post brings us back with a bang. Carla Goncalves, better half of the twosome behind KooZeeDoo, shared with us the secret formula for her heavenly buttermilk biscuits, named "Best Back from the Dead Baked Good" in Philly Weekly's Better Than Best issue. The biscuits pictured above are not hers; you have to go to KooZeeDoo at lunch to get them, or now,

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-80147069845418253212010-01-13T12:41:00.005-05:002010-01-13T13:08:37.915-05:00

You'll have to wait till next week for our official review of Mike Stollenwerk's sequel to his maddeningly popular Little Fish, but for now we can tell you the restaurant is set to begin brunch on January 31st. Surprisingly--and very unlike the dinner menu at fish--the carte du jour isn't nearly as seafood-dominated. And though we'll say yes please to baked eggs with lobster and uni emulsion,

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-84320286128084992422010-01-11T12:47:00.005-05:002010-01-11T13:15:57.058-05:00

January is shaping up to be the month of the pre-fixe menu. Consider this dealsky of a dinner menu recently slipped into the check presenter at newish Portuguese kitchen Koo Zee Doo: a “Regional Taste of Portugal” from chef/owner David Gilberg featuring five courses for $75—per couple! Do the math, kids; that’s only $38.50 per person, available every night from January 15th through February 15th.

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-8885065013834652472010-01-06T15:15:00.005-05:002010-01-06T15:29:40.087-05:00

Heather deRussy, co-owner of the Institute at 12th & Green got in touch to tell us about the pub's new chef and menu. But didn't they already have a chef, Brian Bosch of Parc... And what happened to the Puerto Rican fusion menu? "Frankly, it didn't work," deRussy says. In is chef Kyle Grayson, whose resume includes El Vez and the Witch in Pennsport. Peep the working (read: not spellchecked) menu

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-28645081082680811092009-12-30T12:43:00.002-05:002009-12-30T14:17:02.563-05:00

Choosing only 10 dishes for the Best of 2009 story in this week’s PW was about as easy a decision as choosing a movie to watch OnDemand. So without further ado, the runners-up.Hot Legs, Lucky 13 / Yes, the name is unfortunate name, but these braised chicken legs thawed 2009’s winter frost with green olives, preserved lemon and a Moroccan-inspired marinara suffused with cinnamon and mint. (January

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-46582037978287344852009-12-09T14:50:00.006-05:002009-12-10T14:13:24.741-05:00

Book your tickets now, cowboys and gals, for Spinal Tapas' second gastronomic orgy at Philly Kitchen Share. Chefs and Philadelphia Weekly food writers Tim McGinnis and Brian McManus themed their first Spinal Tapas event around the Philadelphia Weekly package Must Eats they coauthored with yours truly. This one, happening January 16th with seatings for 16 at 6pm and 9pm, will take carnivores on a

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-9380218192504625192009-12-09T12:36:00.002-05:002009-12-09T12:52:18.439-05:00

Avenue P’unks rejoice! The beer gods have heard your prayers. In early 2010, former Temple classmates Gena Montebello and Michele Aquino will open the Bottle Shop on 1941 East Passyunk. The 26-year-old self-proclaimed craft beer geeks, Northeast and South Philly natives, respectively, are in the final stages of the liquor license transfer and have already signed the lease for the 1200-square-foot

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-22279535322440315902009-12-07T09:35:00.005-05:002009-12-07T09:43:03.421-05:00

Just received word that chef Steve Cameron has resigned from his position of executive chef at Noble American Cookery on Sansom Street. Just last week, a rumor told us this was imminent. Was it the tepid reviews? Or something else? Either way we'll miss his braised short ribs over sweet onion risotto. At least cocktail wizard Christian Gaal is still behind the bar.Photo: Noble

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-50584339186570633252009-12-05T11:36:00.003-05:002009-12-05T11:44:08.463-05:00

Thursday night at Café Estelle, chef Marshall Green teamed up with Adamstown microbrewery Stoudt’s for a five-course menu we knew we couldn’t miss. For $40 a head, there was a lot of food and a lot of beer, as well as Bourbon provided by bad influences and blogalicious buddies Felicia D’Ambrosio of Meal Ticket and Philly Weekly photographer Mike Persico. Stoudt’s Munich-style Gold Lager drank

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-70093120468603896272009-12-01T17:25:00.003-05:002009-12-01T17:35:46.013-05:00

Just got word from fish chef/owner Mike Stollenwerk that black and white truffles with be the star in his New Year's Eve menu. And if you, like us, instantly wondered if the menu would include his otherworldly seared skate wing over truffled spaetzel: YES! The menu for the rest of the 9-course feast ($110 per person or $150 with paired wines) follows. Amuse Blue Point OysterPotato bisque, black

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-43106974487525783482009-11-25T15:14:00.003-05:002009-11-25T15:17:12.389-05:00

Philadelphia restaurant critic and blogalicious friend and neighbor Joy Manning launched her fly new blog today, the Oyster Evangelist. We approve, as we're down with all thing oyster. The blog features thoughts on food and easy recipes like the one for this improvised lunch based on the Incan supergrain, quinoa. Knowing Manning, who coauthored cookbook Almost Meatless with Tara Mataraza Desmond,

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-68844129015291301232009-11-02T16:30:00.002-05:002009-11-02T16:33:00.769-05:00

At blogalicious, we are ardent fans of the tasting menu. The element of surprise, the ability to taste several different things, the sense that you’re getting the chef’s best. We dig. So when we got word of this curious tasting menu at Buxco bistro Honey, we had to pass on the info. Chef Joe McAtee, who owns Honey with wife Amy, has billed his special menu “Surrender” because the courses keep

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-64948948601316109042009-10-22T15:13:00.006-05:002009-10-22T15:24:04.426-05:00

JohnnyMac, you mind reader, you. The chef of Pub & Kitchen has tapped into our food fetishes twice in one week! First came these warm, gooey Rice Krispie treats the good folks are serving at University City’s candy apple-red Hubbub Coffee truck. Second was today’s announcement of a special izakaya menu Mac is doing at P&K this weekend starring our favorite heel-stinging sea critter, uni! If you’

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-11870746587706561822009-10-09T14:40:00.003-05:002009-10-09T14:49:37.471-05:00

Sipping a lovely Finca Kilimanjaro coffee from Brew/Ultimo the other night, a Lucky Old Souls flyer caught our eye. Seem October 25, the radio show and Dan Peterson (of the trio Truth & Consequence) is presenting a mini concert at the Moonstone Arts Center (formerly Robin’s Books) in Midtown Village. There are three acts, but we’re most excited about #4 in the line-up, Peterson’s “3 x 5 Chili”,

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-72001178766587255022009-10-08T15:58:00.003-05:002009-10-08T16:03:41.944-05:00

Trim the sails, mateys! We have no idea what that actually means, but you might after this Saturday’s fishing excursion with Fork’s Terence Feury and fishmonger Anthony McCarthy. You’ll also learn how to catch, clean and break down the whole striped bass, porgies and bluefish that’ll hopefully be biting over the shipwrecks 10 to 20 miles off the Cote d’Jerz. Since this is fishing with Fork, it

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-56008442511111472752009-10-07T09:33:00.002-05:002009-10-07T09:38:50.140-05:00

So it's come to our attention we've become one of those lazy bloggers we talk about. It's been almost a month since our last entry! A torrid Twitter affair we thought we'd be over by now is partly to blame, while Green Aisle is the other woman in our life, gobbling up our free time like a Hungry Hippo. Truth is we're psyched about our nifty Passyunk grocery, even if it comes with one big downside

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-67605654027492223272009-09-16T09:04:00.002-05:002009-09-16T09:07:29.166-05:00

O draconian devil! O lame saint! On Monday, September 28, Passyunk ristorante Le Virtu will host Azienda Agricola Dino Illuminati, a cutting-edge vintner in Teramo’s burgeoning Controguerra wine country. Chef Luciana Spurio—who served us a simple but mesmerizing tagliolini with lemon and prosciutto the other night—is doing five courses for $75 per person (see menu below), including wine pairings

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-32910736159619616602009-09-14T16:10:00.004-05:002009-09-14T16:26:54.793-05:00

The grass-fed burgers from Elevation might be better for the environment, but driving way up 76 to Wynnwood is not. Such is the catch-22 of the eco-minded burger connoisseur living in Philly proper. But hark! Word comes today from general manager Dan Marino of the Main Line outpost--we interviewed him for our awesome upcoming Burger Smackdown in PW--that the company is six to eight months away

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-15224135421485138962009-09-04T10:30:00.002-05:002009-09-17T08:41:14.231-05:00

It was one of those weeks all too typical of the food writer’s life. Too many lunch-eclipsing afternoons at the computer. Too many evening spent eating out. Too much of Sunday’s Headhouse booty in the fridge, wasting away like so many Project Runway models. Specifically, a big-ass bowl of sliced yellow watermelon we could never hope to finish before it turned to seed-speckled Highlighter-colored

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-71093629306439090882009-08-26T12:45:00.002-05:002009-08-26T12:51:52.045-05:00

What do the Parc baguette, Claudio’s smoked mozzarella and Stock’s pound cake have in common? Yes, they all landed in Philadelphia Weekly’s recent Must Eats package, authored by yours truly and fellow PW food dudes Tim McGinnis and Brian McManus. But those ingredients will also be turning up at the Philly Kitchen Share on Saturday, October 24 for Must Eats: The Event. McGinnis and McManus will be

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-57772509734516616832009-08-26T08:47:00.005-05:002009-08-26T08:53:31.891-05:00

Yesterday, the enigmatic Shola Olunloyo leaked on his Twitter feed details for the Sweet Corn Modernista dinner he’s doing September 4th and 5th. Modernista, according to the Nigeria-born and London-raised chef’s blog Studiokitchen, refers to the Spanish aesthetic in art, architecture and literature popular from late nineteenth century through WWII. How does that zeitgeist translate to the $150

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-30298244161186931442009-08-13T14:15:00.005-05:002009-08-13T14:34:38.887-05:00

Corn, corn, corn. This time of year, feels like we eat it three times a week. Oh, no, we’re not complaining. What’s great about corn is how versatile it is. Grill it, roast it, bake it into bread, buzz it into soup. This week we shore two A.T. Buzby ears clean of their gleaming kernels and did a riff on the American classic creamed corn with roasted Corno di Toro chilies purchased last Sunday

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-21809515370332262452009-08-07T14:43:00.004-05:002009-08-07T15:01:11.943-05:00

Hungry? Check out Must Eats, the PW cover story we coauthored with fellow food writers/culinary bad-asses Tim McGinnis and Brian McManus. This ain't your mom and pop's top 50--unless your folks are into lamb tartare, oxtails, banh mi and whole roasted kid goats, of course. And once you've salivated your way through the whole story, peep Must Eats: The Contest. First reader to eat all 50 items on

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-11073852196500396092009-08-04T11:11:00.007-05:002009-08-04T11:50:34.989-05:00

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer var so = new SWFObject("http://www.db798.com/pictobrowser.swf", "PictoBrowser", "500", "500", "8", "#EEEEEE"); so.addVariable("source", "sets"); so.addVariable("names", "Roasted Tomatillo Salsa"); so.addVariable("userName", "adamerace"); so.addVariable("userId", "30407112@N02"); so.addVariable("ids", "72157621819791617"); so.addVariable(

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-30376558615442237662009-08-04T11:08:00.007-05:002009-08-04T11:48:57.259-05:00

While there are plenty of things to gripe about Jersey (its cops, its Housewives), the corn grown in the Garden State is not among our complaints. Gift-wrapped in lime-hued husks, the elegantly slender ears are piled like firewood on Buzby Farm's table at Headhouse. It’s an embarrassment of wealth, actually, so the farmers a favor and take some off their hands. The husks reveal orderly columns of

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-56461426266326561252009-07-28T10:52:00.006-05:002009-09-17T08:44:11.257-05:00

We’ve been on a tear with our awesome new pizza stone lately—ye-ah, Fante’s!—so when Fairmount food writer and recipe developer Tara Mataraza-Desmond approached us to join in a virtual potluck promoting Almost Meatless (Ten Speed), the book she recently coauthored with Philly Mag critic and bogalicious buddy Joy Manning, we already knew what we would make. Their meat-light pizza employs just two

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-45066607002431366052009-07-26T10:59:00.003-05:002009-07-26T11:09:59.824-05:00

New daddy Jim Burke, that's who. At James, these raspberry relatives bejeweled the foie gras terrine over brioche and honey-duck jus served last night. Wineberries are native to Asia, look like little razzies and vary in color from orange to maroon. We couldn't tell you what their flavor is like (, as we'd never even heard about a wineberry till now. But therein lies the intrigue. Few are the

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-12479051446620265922009-07-17T08:07:00.002-05:002009-07-17T08:14:33.147-05:00

Stuck with a surplus of farmers market ingredients—say, a shitload of squash blossoms—and not sure what to do? Pizza is your answer. Give me your tired, your weary, says the pizza pie, your slightly bruised tomatoes and flaccid asparagi. Of course, fresh is best, but when it comes to the just past prime, a thin crust is an equal opportunity employer.We've never made pizza before, but armed with a

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-46181987131753055022009-07-11T13:46:00.006-05:002009-07-17T08:06:19.461-05:00

The biggest occupational hazard of being a food writer is never getting back to those places you’re always meaning to get back to. (Art Etchells of Foobooz eloquently describes said occupational hazard here.) For us, La Minette was one of those places. We reviewed back in the fall, liked the buttercup-colored bistrot well enough, but haven’t been back since. Rectified. Chef Peter Woolsey’s $14

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-53727478256245145652009-07-05T12:49:00.004-05:002009-07-05T12:58:04.369-05:00

David Myers--not Danny Meyer--chef/owner of Sona in Los Angeles will be joining Tom C. on the guest list tonight for the star chef-studded wedding at the Cescaphe Ballroom. Kerry Heffernan, chef of South Gate at NYC's Jumeirah Essex Hotel, also confirmed. Talk about Judge's Table.

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-50920880968325267752009-07-05T08:51:00.004-05:002009-07-05T09:12:24.357-05:00

Tom Colicchio will be in Philly tonight, but he's not cooking or hosting a charity event. The Top Chef head judge is among the invitees for the wedding of (unGoogleable) Cali chef Nick Liberado (sp?) at the Cescaphe Ballroom in Northern Liberties. (Also reportedly attending: Shake Shack's Danny Meyer.) Really just an an excuse to use this picture. Photo: GreenBayPressGazette

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-7319681594225708062009-06-25T16:56:00.003-05:002009-06-25T17:00:39.656-05:00

What beefy braised short ribs are to winter tenacious baby backs are to summer. You don't need a smoker (or even a grill) to make these bad boys. Just a regular oven, 250 degrees of heat and four hours. The marinade, which owes it's complexity to sticky, sour pomegranate molasses, a staple Middle Eastern condiment, becomes the sauce when reduced. Baste the ribs every hour on the hour and finish

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-27121063085841871042009-06-24T15:21:00.004-05:002009-06-24T15:32:34.964-05:00

We've been itching to get to Fork etc. for Terence Feury's $40 Wednesday dinner. Tonight just might be the night after seeing the menu via Profile PR on Twitter: First CourseCopper River salmon tartarered sorrel, mustard oil & crispy shallotsSecond CourseHouse made swiss chard-ricotta agnolotti with garlic scapes, lemon and parsleyThird CourseChoice of:Pan roasted duck breastpickled local

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-48333940087168325412009-06-24T12:29:00.006-05:002009-06-24T12:38:25.752-05:00

The just-dropped July ish of Bon Appetit treated our fair city to a two-page travel spread. Woo-wee! Restaurant Editor Andrew Knowlton (AKA the dude that made every critic in the city, present company included, revisit Little Fish after placing it on his Top 10 US Seafood restaurants round-up) drops the official rec on nationally recognized favorites Franklin Fountain, Zahav and Osteria, but also

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-1847990519729959192009-06-16T09:18:00.003-05:002009-06-16T09:52:08.409-05:00

Edible flowers. If you've ever been to a wedding reception, or a certain breed of trying-to-be-chic-but-not-really-succeeding restaurant, you've seen them. Orchids, probably. Dewy and crisp. Vain white petals, bursting open to flaunt their fuchsia insides from a corner of the plate. We spent six years working in catering, during which we saw (and ate) enough of these showy (but flavorless) blooms

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-14580959717031083712009-06-14T13:17:00.006-05:002009-06-14T13:36:48.069-05:00

At blogalicious, we like to cook, which involves tasting, guessing, improvisation. We do not, on the other hand, like to bake, which involves math, science, measuring and all kind of yucky numbers that just make us hungry. To this effect, you might say we're like Rachael Ray. With better boobs. Due to this baking aversion, dessert in our kitchen in the summer often involves granita, so easy it

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-56714839734339896332009-06-14T12:53:00.005-05:002009-06-14T13:16:53.107-05:00

We've written about these curly green critters before, but truth is, we love us some garlic scapes so much you're just gonna have to sit there and listen to us extol their virtues all over again. The twisting coils impart such a cool garlickiness to dishes; the flavor is not quite ramp, not quite leek or scallion, definitely not full-blown head of garlic. Singularly scape. They're great raw,

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-56977585174884058662009-06-09T14:25:00.003-05:002009-06-09T14:30:01.949-05:00

Christopher Lee, former four bell-winning Striped Bass chef and current big fish at NYC's Aureole (we really just want to keep calling it Aereola), spoke to us last week about his experience on new Bravo series Top Chef Masters. Dude had some interesting things to say.Photo: NBC

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-17707627725254115252009-06-05T09:39:00.004-05:002009-06-05T09:46:13.229-05:00

In scouring the web for a truffle shot worthy of the post above, we stumbled across this awesome blog: Panemiele. If high school Italian serves us right, it means ‘honey-bread,’ and blogmistress Elisabetta Tiveron, has put a spell on us with her so-good-you-could-eat-them pictures of fiori di frolla, peach and lavender muffins, almond budini and (above) pink peppercorn frullati. Once we removed

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-89285457937266530502009-06-05T09:23:00.004-05:002009-06-05T09:27:09.363-05:00

Every Tuesday through Friday from 5:30pm to 8pm, chic chocolateria La Golosa runs a happy hour with specials on its chocolate shakes ($4.50), hot chocolate ($4) and truffle degustazione (10% off). We’ve already creamed over the frothy clove-and-cinnamon-spiced chocolate frullato here; now owner Fabio Scarpelli is aiming for multiples with new flavors like Chocolate Coconut and Salty Chocolate &

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-61838003725224195092009-06-04T12:38:00.007-05:002009-06-04T12:46:00.402-05:00

Every summer, there is one meal we just can’t wait to tear into: Mack & Manco pizza on the Ocean City boardwalk. From the moment we finish the last slice of Labor Day pie, the clock starts ticking down the months till the following Memorial Day. This storied pizza parlor—there are three on the b’walk—is open year-round, but out of its summer context, it’s just not the same. So it was with great

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-38034920473736215562009-06-01T10:36:00.003-05:002009-06-01T10:42:51.370-05:00

Late spring means one thing: strawberries, baby. Yesterday, we picked up two pints of Tom Murtha and Tricia Borneman’s pretty little antioxidant bombs at the market. Today, they were the sweet-tart foil to creamy Patches of Star chevre in a summery breakfast salad. Eat your heart out, Driscoll’s.Photo: blogalicious

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-58124412300513454962009-05-17T14:26:00.002-05:002009-05-17T14:37:00.701-05:00

It was one of those perfect late-spring Philadelphia afternoons at Pub & Kitchen. Sun streamed through the peek-a-boo shutters opened along the 20th Street facade, washing the long, narrow saloon in honey light. A solo customer with a Windsor burger. A vase of lilies swaying in the cool zephyrs. Barbacks moving boxes, bringing up lemons and fronds of fresh mint so big it was like they were

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-37941675639242124332009-05-14T09:53:00.005-05:002009-05-14T09:57:41.360-05:00

It shouldn’t even be legal to call the frullati blended up at matchbox-sized Queen Village chocolateria La Golosa by their American name, milkshakes. Golosa owner/chocolate aficionado Fabio Scarpelli’s frullati are thick and rich, but also possess an unusual, ethereal frothiness—check out all those bubbles—that makes them endlessly drinkable (though a translucent pastel bendy straw, naturally).

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-9246134767310048612009-05-08T09:48:00.004-05:002009-05-08T09:54:01.994-05:00

After dinner at sushi newbie Aki (see the PW review in two weeks), blogalicious hit Capogiro as we often do for a second dessert: orange-cardamom sorbetto and chocolate malt gelato on a slender, brittle, waffle-ironed cone. Across the street, Lolita was jumping, and we could help but notice Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran’s fifth concept, the just-reported flower/chocolate shop Verde (it means '

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-35348301190125806232009-04-24T09:34:00.003-05:002009-04-24T09:44:29.755-05:00

At an unholy AM hour on Sunday, one that freelance writers are very unaccustomed to, blogalicious departs for its first trip ever to Central America. We're spending four days on the Pacific side of Costa Rica, on the Papagayo Peninsula of the Guanacaste region. Our experience with CR is limited to what we've seen in Jurassic Park, so please, share your tips and maybe we'll bring you home some of

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-86475386719498696372009-04-20T15:13:00.003-05:002009-04-20T15:22:23.363-05:00

Just wondering.Now with a side of breadsticks and type 2 diabetes for only $9.99! Vid: sexiifhy via YouTube

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-29746195770773842972009-04-20T10:56:00.007-05:002009-04-20T11:18:58.011-05:00

Maybe one day, somewhere, somehow, some way, Philly will have a waterfront worth spending time on. While other metro areas (Chicago, Vancouver, New York) have capitalized on their harbors and riverbanks, we’ve been content to gaze at ours from the Ikea cafeteria rather than risk life and limb Frogger-ing across Delaware Ave. Penn Treaty Park, seemingly serving as the village green for Fishtown/

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-19578393402289125732009-04-17T13:57:00.007-05:002009-04-19T10:46:14.004-05:00

The other day, this Foobooz post got us hungry for those harbingers of spring, ramps. (Some light ramp reading here.) We picked up a bunch at Reading Terminal’s Iovine Produce on Wednesday, stirred some into our omelet this morning, and used them to make pesto this afternoon. For home cooks just starting out, classic Genovese pesto is one of the most invaluable recipes and as well as one of the

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-11284908819661162922009-04-16T10:01:00.003-05:002009-04-16T10:05:52.479-05:00

We’d very much like to tell you we didn’t cream our pants when we heard Capogiro was opening a gelateria on East Passyunk, but that would be a big fat lie. The thought of not having to venture into Center City for Cap absolutely boggles the mind of the downtown addict. It’s like in season three of The Wire, when the cops round up all the drug dealers in one are and let them sling with impunity.

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-37322633453746954612009-04-15T09:14:00.004-05:002009-04-15T09:17:59.647-05:00

On April 6, a deadly earthquake crushed the Abruzzo region of Italy. L’Aquila, the inspiration for East Passyunk’s Le Virtu, was one of the worst towns hit, and owners Francis Cratil and Catherine Lee are hosting a benefit for the quake victims on Tuesday, April 28. “L'Aquila … was home to Cathy and I—and our Jack Russells—or six months in 2001,” says Cratil. “We go back every year and have done

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-70894752267366016502009-04-09T10:07:00.003-05:002009-04-09T10:14:03.249-05:00

Good grief, Chip Roman. You’re on this blog more than Miley Cyrus is The Soup. (It’s Chip!) Still, on a day like today, the Margate sea hags seem so close we can smell their Panama Jack and Marlboro Reds, and it makes us happy to mull over what we’ll order at Blackfish at the shore, recently relocated from Avalon to Stone Harbor in the old Henny’s spot on 9628 Third Ave. We’ll be starting with

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-29705414206895506642009-04-03T10:45:00.005-05:002009-04-03T11:11:24.162-05:00

West Philly's beloved Marigold Kitchen just landed on Bon Appetit's top 10 brunch list. "Enjoying Southern dishes...in a converted Victorian home, you'd think you were somewhere in Dixie," says author and BA restaurant editor Andrew Knowlton. "But no: It's just Sunday at this lovely University City BYOB." Congrats to chef Erin O'Shea. If this nod does for Marigold what it did for Little Fish,

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-81565269642717789412009-04-03T10:34:00.003-05:002009-04-03T10:37:41.990-05:00

There is an area in the mountains of Abruzzo called Campo Imperatore, Italy’s “Little Tibet.” In the winter, the gondolas of medieval ski resorts whisk fashionable Romans to snow-capped trails. In the summer, wild boars and European antelopes scamper along the blooming alpine meadows crisscrossed by autostradas lined with roadside barbeques serving arrosticini. These skewered lamb kebabs are

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-48119236781674959792009-04-02T09:27:00.014-05:002009-04-02T10:02:26.723-05:00

If we were the graphic-novel-writing types, we think we'd have to christen our badass heroine Chartreuse. She'd be an exotic dancer turned vigilante when her twin stripper sister Chanteuse is murdered by the head of an evil crime syndicate. She'd be blonde with green streaks, and her weapon of choice would be a brass pole. Her costume would be tastefully sheer. But we're not the

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-473481703762566152009-03-27T14:45:00.008-05:002009-03-27T15:19:14.206-05:00

Especially now... Starting April 12, Jim and Kristina Burke (who are expecting, btw) are opening their acclaimed Bella Vista restaurant on Sunday nights. The hook? A three-course pre-fixe for $40 that'll include a weekly-changing pasta, entree and dessert. (The regular menu will be available as well.) Here's hoping the pre-fixe includes this pasta we savored earlier this week: fingernail-sized,

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-1827970507519339922009-03-25T09:09:00.013-05:002009-03-25T09:37:17.711-05:00

This month's issue of Details is worth a look not only for the shots of the everyone's favorite amnesiac major league doper--so poignant we had to choke back fake tears--but also for the round-up of America's best dive bars. The drag show and $3 "borderline-irresponsible" (ha) JB-and-PBR dealsky land South Street's Bob & Barbara's a mention. Even more borderline-irresponsible: letting a

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-21468374740722963722009-03-22T10:27:00.004-05:002009-03-22T10:37:42.081-05:00

If you’re gonzo brewer Dogfish Head, 60, 90 and 120 minutes are the marks for their award-winning (and delicious) flagship ales. But on March 26, all that changes with a Simul-cask event that will premier their new 75 Minute IPA in Dogfish’s Rehoboth brewpub and select gastropubs in Philly, New York and Boston. For hopheads like us who love the drinkability (take that Bud Light) of 60 but also

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-7313090445765485252009-03-20T22:04:00.003-05:002009-03-20T22:09:16.998-05:00

For great Vietnamese food, we recommend exactly three places. We’re sure there are more gems out there, but we’ve latched on to this trio: 1) Ba Le on Washington Avenue pork banh mi tucked into heavenly, fresh-baked baguettes, 2) Vietnam offshoot Vietnam Café in West Philly for nem nuong and killer corn pudding, and 3) Little Saigon, located 60 miles away in Atlantic City. During an overnight

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-25422408814434927212009-03-12T09:47:00.006-05:002009-03-12T10:06:02.085-05:00

Blogalicious buddy Tim clued us into this documentary that drops April 16. Director Anat Baron's modern-day David & Goliath story takes us through the American beer industry, one in which craft brewers (like Dogfish Head's Sam Calagione, featured in the film) fight the good fight against the greedy hydra of big corporate brewing. Check out the trailer below, as well as this clip of Dogfish Head

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-29672878391903274542009-03-11T18:09:00.006-05:002009-03-11T18:15:28.285-05:00

The new site is up and running and looks pretty sick. Check it out, as well as our review of MangoMoon in Manayunk. Still dreaming about that sausage...Photo: Perisco for PW

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-46114927823259789192009-03-06T12:20:00.005-05:002009-03-06T12:30:31.234-05:00

Europeans do lots of things better than Americans. Off the top of our head: playing socc—err, football, making wine, staying thin in the face of gobs of chocolate and bread. Until last night, we’d never consider putting ‘que in the Continent’s W column. But alas, Ansill’s European BBQ showed us Euro can grill like a motha.Chef/owner David Ansill is not European, but his wife, Catherine, and his

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-25425877754525118082009-02-28T17:30:00.021-05:002009-02-28T17:53:22.250-05:00

Tomorrow marks the last day for Kristin Mulvenna, former co-owner of cozy, charming Café Estelle and former squeeze of the bruncherie's other half and chef, Marshall Green. “We broke up,” Mulvenna told us, “and thought it would just be best if I left the business.” Her name is already wiped from the website.Maybe we should have seen the writing on the wall when Mulvenna (commenting on the media's

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-84595611966028889552009-02-27T11:33:00.003-05:002009-02-27T11:39:51.452-05:00

And for a complete listing of where you should order that pizza, peep our recent Philadelphia Style article (co-authored with editor Peter Proko) outlining the best pies in town. From the simple, fresh Margherita at kooky capitalization-afflicted SliCE to the sweet, almost dessert-like zucca pie at Osteria, here are the ones not to miss. We're told they're almost as mouthwatering as our MVP

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-18113414382268089842009-02-20T15:50:00.017-05:002009-02-20T16:07:57.636-05:00

Welcome to the second edition of Cooking 4 Dummies. Now that you’ve learned to cook fish—easy, no?—a recipe for meat. These tacos call for lean, mean, healthy bison (here we’re using a sirloin cut), but you can just as easily sub beef, chicken, tofu, or as T.I. might say, whatever you like. ‘Cause that’s what cooking’s all about, baby, improv. We had no sour cream in the house, so we used Greek

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-26848355176184301062009-02-19T16:52:00.002-05:002009-02-19T17:22:25.831-05:00

In the realm of the Best Presents Ever, this one is hard to beat: a subscription to Zingerman’s Bacon Club, “a monthly ration of America’s best rashers.” If you don’t know the big Z, they’re an Ann Arbor-based treasure trove of artisan foods. In their store and online, the company sells everything from Tunisian preserved lemons and Quebecois goat butter to wild pine cone syrup and caramels dusted

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-90420745053574575372009-02-18T20:22:00.005-05:002009-02-18T20:31:00.706-05:00

Some people seem to think our job involves sitting around the house while Padma Lakshmi look-alikes spoon-feed us Osetra caviar as we peck out nasty one-liners on a laptop. Partly, this is true (namely, the laptop), but if you talk to any food pro they’ll tell the life ain’t always so glamorous. You’ll frown when we tell you this. You’ll protest that, no, we have the coolestjobever! You’ll

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-6481810942190989242009-02-18T11:29:00.006-05:002009-02-18T11:38:21.912-05:00

Perhaps you've noticed the Cara Cara orange has graced our monthly changing List on the right right side of this page, but that little line doesn't do this citrus justice. This strain of navel orange originated at the Hacienda de Cara Cara in Valencia, Venezuela in 1976 and has been a cult favorite since. Also called pink navels for the blushed color of their flesh, Caras have a mellow acidity

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-36503605684990034852009-02-13T14:38:00.007-05:002009-02-13T15:04:24.762-05:00

If, like us, you dig your breakfast sweet and savory, get thee to Black N Brew now. This week’s specials include the Morning Buzz French Toast, double-decker egg-battered bread topped with two perfect poached eggs. The taut huevos popped like water balloons when we dove in with our fork, sending forth a gush of rich golden yolk into the maple syrup and powdered sugar. Sweet and savory f’real,

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-46754367565411280442009-02-12T10:39:00.002-05:002009-02-12T10:43:09.882-05:00

Here’s why Jose Garces is so great: Even while he’s in the thick of opening week shenanigans at Chifa, he’s got something simmering on the stoves at his other restaurants just in case, blinded by novelty, you temporarily forget about them. Today, Amada announced the addition of Spanish beer Inedit to its bar menu. Sounds like an unpleasant publishing term, but actually means “never been done

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-89865758673527360392009-02-06T14:03:00.005-05:002009-02-06T14:37:33.655-05:00

From CNBC yesterday: In the face of the economy, chain restaurants “trimming the fat” by cutting portions. Check out the vid here with Wendy Bounds of the Wall Street Journal.Photo: PencilRoving

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-3175407827624755542009-02-06T11:21:00.010-05:002009-02-11T17:04:15.038-05:00

Outside the ristorante lining the winding alleys of Florence, the grand avenues of Rome and pretty much everywhere else in Italy, you’ll find the turista menu. Judging from the name, you might decline. Even the Perillo Tour groups strolling the Via Veneto in PayLess kicks probably wouldn’t want to self-label themselves tourists. However, the turista menu isn’t something to snub; rather these

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-82894756114412308132009-02-05T19:02:00.002-05:002009-02-05T19:06:15.245-05:00

Along with the streets of Philadelphia, hell has apparently frozen over. Not only did we have a delicious September Restaurant Week, but another mostly positive experience this time round. When friends of blogalicious booked a table at Panorama, the elegant always-been-meaning-to-get-there ristorante in the Penn’s View Inn, we felt pretty good. We’d always heard nice things about Panorama and

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-81729365933025366492009-02-05T10:35:00.005-05:002009-02-05T11:15:53.534-05:00

On the heels of a stinging one-beller and a very different tale from Philly mag, Alison Two has put together a stimulus package that definitely passes in this house. Three courses. $35. Monday through Thursday from 5 pm to 6:30 pm. Yeah, you’ll have to leave the city in the middle of the afternoon to eschew the traffic, but you can spend the whole drive home figuring out which critic you agree

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-61392477375170769112009-01-30T10:14:00.004-05:002009-01-30T10:18:16.755-05:00

This month, blogalicious celebrates its second birthday! That’s 14 in blog years, kids. We’ll be blowing out the candles with this cake from Mayflower Bakery in Chinatown. Crowned with pineapple, strawberries, orbs of honeydew and petals of kiwi, the six-layer dream boasts moist yellow cake and the airiest whipped cream “frosting” filled with fruit. Mayflower = a must for those who like their

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-32680327242333730602009-01-23T12:11:00.004-05:002009-01-23T12:48:02.271-05:00

It’s no secret that the lack of great Thai food in Philly has been long lamented. Personally, we’ve always been pretty happy with the likes of Aqua and Café de Laos, but after ten days eating the real McCoy, we kind of understand the grumbling all of a sudden. The food, oh, man, the food. It really is like nothing we’ve experienced stateside.Our vay-to-the-cay began in Bangkok, then headed east

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-16486256417901624642009-01-22T14:50:00.004-05:002009-01-22T14:59:36.812-05:00

Now normally we leave the Top Chef commentary to our boy Drew—in our book, dubbing Jamie the Duchess of Scallopshire has absolutely earned him exclusive copyright—but after last night’s Restaurant Wars epi, we needed to vent ASAFP. Our beef: When tall drink of Padma introduced guest judge Stephen Starr, she made mention only of his Manhattan restaurants. I mean, what’s wrong with that, right? It’

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-41366394756893635422009-01-22T09:24:00.007-05:002009-01-22T11:25:53.797-05:00

Yesterday, we received an email from Tyler Black, who far as we knew was still the executive chef of Mi Lah ("mercy"), the vegetarian/vegan spice express we had some nice things to say about back in December. "Hey, I just wanted you to know that I was unexpectedly fired from Mi Lah today, without warning or reason," Black said in his note. Hmm. Though some items at Mi Lah weren't so great (

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-52381427248641763162009-01-06T17:24:00.007-05:002009-01-06T17:38:02.446-05:00

Today is a good day, a very good day. Having popped over to Taproom on 19th for lunch, we noticed the darling pub of the DSP is pouring the very awesome Harpoon Winter Warmer. We first savored this coppery ale in Manchester, Vermont, like, nearly three years ago and have not seen it again since. The stuff is spellbinding, all cinnamon, nutmeg and maple up front, followed by a smooth matliness

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-33714631003686330102009-01-06T10:49:00.004-05:002009-01-06T11:01:29.320-05:00

On Thursday, blogalicious departs on a 10-day adventure to Thailand. Thailand, baby! Sorry, we're a little excited. On the agenda: elephant treakking to hidden waterfalls in Koh Samui, island hopping off the coast of Krabi and enough fireball street food in Bangkok to torch our digestive systems once and for all. This site will be dark during the trip, but we do solemnly swear to have plenty of

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-53570358620796123142008-12-27T15:52:00.005-05:002008-12-27T16:00:15.841-05:00

From Fox News: "PHILADELPHIA -- A man enraged about a noisy family near him in a movie theater Christmas night is charged with shooting the father in the arm. It happened inside the Riverview Movie Theatre, located at 1400 S. Columbus Boulevard, at 9:33 p.m. Thursday."Which reminds up of this...So we ask you, art imitating life or life imitating art? Video: YouTube

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-10651679493087185202008-12-27T12:53:00.003-05:002008-12-27T12:56:02.210-05:00

We're feeling faint (in a good way) after dinner at Zahav last night. Though not of the Jewish persuasion, in the spirit of love and unity blogalicious got down with its inner Israelite over weekend at Zahav. Each night of Hanukah, chef/owner Michael Solomonov is dishing up a pre-fixe feast of six Sephardic-inflected courses for only $40. We were shocked there were even reservations available at

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-90601707172532645382008-12-23T22:41:00.004-05:002008-12-23T23:00:00.585-05:00

Seizing on the slightest national acknowledgement like seagull on an apple core... Who’s saying nice things about us this month...Food & Wine gives the thumbs-up to Memphis Taproom in The Neighborhood That Shall Not Be Named. Chef Jesse Kimball represents with kielbasa in their “Best of the Wurst” trend report. One of the things we loved at the Memphis (along with the beer roster) was their Port

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-84230037565099413452008-12-12T10:59:00.009-05:002008-12-12T15:23:05.018-05:00

Cheers, readers. We’re fresh off the Cape May-Lewes ferry, but not feeling so fresh after two days of drinking 18% World Wides and 120 Minute IPAs down in the D-to-the-E. These are the beers of Dogfish Head, whose motto “off-centered ales for off-centered people” is apparent nowhere more in its HQ of Milton and the nearby postcard-pretty towns dotted like bracelet beads along Route 9 and Coastal

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-60794585904304054062008-12-10T17:20:00.005-05:002008-12-10T17:38:27.543-05:00

Talk about bad timing. Just in time for our review of Lacroix's spiffy new Bar 210, chef Matthew Levin peaces out. If we knew he was planning on skedaddling, we'd definitely have squeezed in another of his orgasmic Sunday brunches. Cashman reps tell us today the parting was amicable and not exactly out-of-the-blue. The PR firm will be representing Levin moving forward in his indie project, a

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-89436896563206975322008-12-04T10:12:00.002-05:002008-12-04T10:15:41.477-05:00

On those days we wish we were still in college, we cross the Schuylkill and wander around the old alma matter. As you might expect, food is usually involved.First stop: the MexiPhilly cart on Spruce Street just west 36th Street. Back when this lunch truck used to make us run late for out Food & Culture class in the far-flung Archaeology Museum, it was called MexiCali, but the sweet potato

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-82607909249105278972008-12-01T19:47:00.003-05:002008-12-01T19:53:41.494-05:00

Crawl out from under your shell for this wine dinner we just got wind of. On Friday, Lacroix chef Matthew Levin celebrates snails with a four-course menu with menu wine pairings from sommelier Eric Simonis. If we had $95 extra lying around, we’d go just to try the periwinkles, a snail variety we’ve never had before. Says Wikipedia: “It is not uncommon to find cooked periwinkles on sale in paper

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-91015336887376611842008-11-22T11:07:00.006-05:002008-11-22T11:32:42.502-05:00

With its Golden Girls past and Girls Gone Wild present, Miami is one unusual city. Stuck on South Beach, it’s easy to forget that the beyond the causeway-connected spit of sand there is an actual city. A big one. With neighborhoods and ethnic food and skyscrapers. There’s a whole Miami out there just waiting to be discovered, my gringo friends. Just watch one epi of Dexter. Café con leche with a

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-29590734150459771212008-11-15T14:51:00.003-05:002008-11-15T15:02:35.829-05:00

Welcome to Newbold. Bounded by Washington, Broad, West Passyunk and 18th Street, this formerly nameless hood was knighted Newbold by the SPTR peeps, so in theory, it owes its very existence to ale. Whether your beer of choice is an Ommegang Three Philosophers quad or 40 of Old E, you can drink well here (and get some awesome Indonesian), but as recent as a few months ago you had to cross Broad

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-80698419280086504472008-11-13T00:24:00.004-05:002008-11-13T00:34:23.314-05:00

Anybody else notice on Top Chef last night, sunburned chef-testant Patrick was sporting a tee shirt with the trademark T-shaped Tinto corkscrew? Or at least what looked a helluva lot like the Tinto logo... Is there someone out there who can solve this mystery? Anyone, anyone? Bueller?Photo: blogalicious

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-84953759833816673882008-11-11T14:33:00.003-05:002008-11-11T14:48:40.834-05:00

So psyched that Bravo’s Top Chef premieres tomorrow, even if this season takes place in New York instead of somewhere less predictable like, uh, we don’t know, Philly, maybe? Ask yourself this, Bravo producers: Does New York really need another TV series? Shit, it’s like force-feeding a diabetic Ring Dings. We’re not bitter, though, really we’re not. For all the homegrown talent here and

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-41048464325623983442008-11-05T10:21:00.003-05:002008-11-05T10:26:56.662-05:00

First the Phils, then Obama. Talk about best week ever. Actually weeks, but who's counting? We feel it necessary to point out, though, that Obama's Grant Park rally had just north of 100,000 people, while the Fightins pulled three mil. But it's not a contest. We're just thrilled we got to see two momentous victories this fall. Repeat next year? Yes we can.Video: YouTube

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-44667389659055015042008-11-04T11:42:00.001-05:002008-11-04T11:55:01.371-05:00

Down in South Philly, not far from the new Taproom on 19th everyone seems to dig, you’ll find the original Primo Hoagie. Since opening 15 years ago on Ritner Street, the local mini-chain has since branched out to Center City, Fishtown, Ardmore, West Chester, Marlton, Ocean City, even Delaware. We like the flagship, a stinky store where the walls are lined with Herr’s chips, Tastykakes and

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-45837843872567466202008-11-03T10:22:00.005-05:002008-11-03T11:55:27.972-05:00

Thank you, Chase, for that marvelous introduction. And congrats. Your Tastykake endorsement agent might be trying to wash your mouth out with butterscotch frosting, but we understand. The 2008 Phillies are the World Fucking Champions! “World Champions” doesn’t convey the angst, the exuberance, the relief, the elation, the pride. Maybe we’re still a little drunk from celebrating all last week, but

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-21293252180365584422008-10-24T13:55:00.003-05:002008-10-24T14:05:42.879-05:00

No baseball tonight. What to do? We suggest a hiatus from beers and wings by visiting Bar 210, Lacroix’s sleek liquor cabinet (leather floors, granite-and-mahogany bar, rattan stools, clubby armchairs and stone-based cocktail table) that premiered last month. Throw your suds-stained Utley tee in the wash and put on something fancy for a spell of clever cocktailing under the tutelage of the

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-32942970737491529132008-10-21T10:05:00.008-05:002008-10-21T10:11:59.955-05:00

It’s nice being of Italian ancestry, even if people constantly assume you wear gold jewelry and know where to get hot Samsung plasmas and Louis Vuitton handbags, but we kind of always wished we had a some French family members. By French family we of course mean French family with a pied-à-terre in Paris, winery in Burgundy, chateau in the Alps and beach house in Cap d’Antibes. Of course. In the

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-23808541544485061092008-10-20T15:05:00.003-05:002008-10-20T15:10:24.688-05:00

Today we kick off a recurring blogalicious feature, Discovery! All those out-of-the-way, off-the-beaten-path places people with real jobs would never have the time to find. Rejoice, nine-to-fivers, we’ve done the work for you.Looking for Jamaican jerk on the go? Shawty, we can take you there. Follow us down into the trenches of Deep South Philly, along Passyunk Avenue’s western arm. If you wind

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2336540495197072152.post-10334058617843154402008-10-17T09:57:00.002-05:002008-10-17T10:00:54.666-05:00

Here at blogalicious, we’ve been missing good barbeque since our April excursion to Savannah and the South Carolina lowcountry. In the South, hickory ‘que pits and cinderblock smoke shacks line the backwoods roads; good barbeque is as pervasive there as roast pork sandwiches and carnitas tacos are in Philly. The locals might show poor judgment in liking NASCAR, but they sure do know their way

adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05578704116267312903noreply@blogger.com5