Holly Moore

Being pissed at myself for forgetting the DDC meal at Bristol, and even more pissed after seeing the meal you guys got, I dragged a couple of friends there this evening. Them menu had changesd some, but the food was every bit as great as I remember it. And the place was mostly empty. It's tough running a Turkish restaurant so far from Center City. Sales are generally slow, more so for some strange reason since the invasion of Iraq and, more recently the bombings in Turkey. I raise this issue in the hopes that more people, in those inevitable discussions of "where to eat tonight," will settle on the Turkish Restaurant. It's well worth the drive.

I can help with lobster roll and especially quirky. Fried Clam's too. For lobster roll - Kelly's Roast Beef. Be sure to go to the original on Revere Beach Quirky: Boston Speed's. An 80 some year old Boston tradition/hot dog vendor who grills up his own style, very unique, half pound hot dog. Fried Clams: Drive the Ipswich area on Boston's North Shore. My favorite, though most everyone seems to disagree with me is Woodman's of Essex which invented the fried clam. Also very good is the Clam Box. I have yet to visit, but have heard great things about Farnham's just down the road from Woodman's. The above mentioned Kelly's also fries a decent clam.

Top of your list should be the Lexington Market. Top of your list for the Lexington Market should be Faidley Seafood for what just about everone considers to be the best of the best, crabcake wise. Excellent raw bar too. If Faidley is open Sunday, and if they have a TV and if you don't mind standing and if they'll tune to the Eagles game, it would be a great choice for that too.

Katie Loeb is assuming co-hosting responsibilities for eGullet's Pennsylvania forum. Hooray!

Looks like, but doesn't taste like. Donkey's is a real cheese steak. Just better meat to bun ratio. My understanding of BB's is that they are doing their own thing and make it a point to stress that they are not attempting a real cheese steak or what netherlanders refer to as a Philadelphia cheese steak.

Jack McDavid's Jack's Fire House comes to mind.

Never heard of Tommy's. My loss. Where were they? Tony Luke's sandwich is indeed decent - but my favorite is DeNic's in the Reading Terminal Market (with aged provolone and greens). Also check out George's in the Italian Market - the one across from D'Angelo's Butcher Shop. Their's is a different pork sandwich and very good. Tommy - place that slab of pork on a kaiser roll and we're talking a good eatin' sandwich.

I'm heading to NOLA and environs in mid January. Sure I'll be asking more later, but such great info in this thread that I've got a few top of mind questions. Breakfast - No matter what objections are raised, I'm going to do Eggs Hussard at Brennan's one morning. But where else for breakfast. The Hummingbird is closed. For me Cafe Du Mond and Morning Calls are for finishing off the evening as opposed to breakfast. So where else to eat? Oysters - Had my first-ever three dozen raw oysters at Felix's Oyster Bar way back when. Is it still a good choice or other recommends? Hot Dogs - Lucky dog of course. Any corners better than others? Any other dogs worth downing? Where to stay? Going to be spending some time at the convention center, but not sure that's where to stay. I am one who, while appreciating grand hotels, is loath to spend grand sums for the experience.

Donkey's Place (and Bar) on Haddon Avenue in Camden has been around for years. I finally made it there. Their claim to fame is a round cheese steak built on a poppy seeded Kaiser roll. It is now one of my favorite cheese steaks. I didn't do the geometry (though I could if I could find my slide rule), but am estimating that a round kaiser roll has less square inches than a rectangular steak roll. Since Donkey's uses the same amount of steak as for a traditional steak sandwich, the steak is piled higher and Donkey's meat to bun ration favors the meat more than Pat's or Gino's. It's a great sandwich.

If your quest becomes an obsession and a drive (or perhaps a ride on the Reading RR) to Reading PA for a Sloppy Joe comes to seem reasonable there is a place called Schell's that is famous for it's Beef Bar-B-Q or Sloppy Joe's. Both as a sandwich unto itself and as a sweetish topping to a hot dog. ...........

This is indeed progress.

I'm never sure which palet(e)(te) to use so I always say he has a "well developed roof of his mouth." Though to be more accurate I should probably say he has "a well developed tongue and the roof of his mouth isn't bad either."

There is always a better grilled cheese sandwich beckoning us ever and ever on from the furthest horizon. This is what it means to be human: to strive. You haven't had my father's grilled cheese sandwich.

Anyone have any idea as to the initial logic in deciding that restaurant food should be taxed and alcoholic beverages should not be?

It states in the article that she refuses to serve police officers, the very same ones who would lay down they're own lives in order to save hers. Not sure who it was who said, "Don't believe everything you read in the newspaper." ? i've been there when she has indeed served cops. Many a morning, in fact. Haven't been there but one time in the last two years, so that may have changed, but I suspect it hasn't. Most likely it was either Carman giving the reporter something outrageous to print or the reporter misinterpreting a statement by Carman. It is indeed true that she has no love for cops. I totally disagree with Carman's attitude towards law enforcement. She knows that, but doesn't hold it against me. Hope I don't sound patronizing here - I respect your opinion and would probably feel the same way about Carman if I was walking in your shoes. I've owned a few retail businesses in Philadelphia and have had many encounters with police officers - all extremely positive. There is a trooper in Colorado who spoiled my day once, though.

Everytime the subject comes up I harken back to my father's grilled cheese sandwich. Pepperidge Farms white bread Sliced Aged Cheddar Sliced Ripe Tomatoes Sliced Baked Ham Softened Butter (Depending on inventory the tomatoes and/or the baked ham would be eliminated.) Preheat and old fashioned waffle iron (as opposed to Belgian) Make the sandwich. Liberally butter the outside of the bread. Place in the waffle iron and close the top. Grill until the cheese starts to ooze out of the sandwich and crispen on the waffle iron. There is no better grilled cheese sandwich.

BTW, the article's placement in the Inquirer was indeed odd. Front page of the Metro/Local section. Extremely rare for a business to be so highlighted. Especially as today, Thrursday, is the day the Inquirer's Food Section is inserted.

Carman is anything but a loser. One way or another she has probably helped as many people as the local precinct. Don't judge her until you've spent some time around her. And it's not that she refuses to feed cops - I've seen them in there in the morning - it's just that for a good portion of her life, she hung with and was married to people who's primary focus was not law enforcement or obeying too rigidly the laws being enforced. Cops won't get the warm Carman treatment, but they won't be kicked out the door either. Interesting attitude as the police station for two Philadelphia districts is directly across the street from Carman's Country Kitchen and could be a regular source of business. For the record, the actual quote on her business card and the doors of her truck is, "She put the cunt back into country."

I wasn't speaking to aspirations. Rather I was wondering about the challenge and the effect on a restaurant suddenly thrust into NY Times triple stardom. In NYC, especially, and at least for the next few weeks, I can see three stars being a mixed blessing.

My first reaction upon reading the article was to wish the restaurant the best of luck. Three stars. Terrific for them. And scary. How does a restaurant handle evolving from apparently being a relative face in the crowd to a NY Times 3 Star restaurant? Not just the influx of business, which will probably be overwhelming, but the nature of the business, the high expectations of the demanding New York Times 3 Star restaurant diner. That, more than Rocco's, would be an interesting story to follow.

I seem to remember sharing a table with a young bulldog and it's charming owners at Carman's Country Kitchen.

I would assume a sophisticated palate to be one that recognized excellence and mediocrity in everything from a hot dog to high cuisine including homestyle Italian. Agreeing with myself I go on to suggest that, for what it was, a sophisticated pallete would indeed have appreciated the cuisine at Strolli's.

Strolli's opened a second place somewhere in the burbs. Went there once. Just wasn't Strolli's. Really miss the place.

I know the terminology is the same, "Seasoned" that is, not "conundrum." Be curious if any who paid more attention than I in Food Chemistry knows why that is?

Not a chef, but yes. Fresh oil doesn't brown potatoes. Don't know/remember why. But it doesn't brown. Have to fry a few batches to get some color.