Holly Moore

From Mike Klein's article on Philly.com The Reading Terminal Mall Market board and management should be ashamed of themselves for letting things get to this point. But I understand - it's just business.

I'm a big fan of Metro stainless steel shelving in a kitchen. Gussying up Metro shelving would be akin to putting a bow tie on a Hobart mixer. Edited to add: I'd focus more on displaying the items on the shelves.

I guess TV really does just work in one direction. Otherwise Sudhir would have heard me yelling at him when he decided to Chipotize his entire menu. It kills me to admit it but Curtis was right about an Indian restaurant without a curry. Almost as idiotic as a soul food restaurant without fried chicken. But then he would have had to satisfy Bobby with dipping sauces for the fried chicken. Also thinking it must be great to open a restaurant after something like eight weeks of free (other than selling one's soul) national network TV publicity. Kinda tops the typical mention in the weekly Pennysaver.

For 5 AM sandwiches - take a cab to Pat's or Gino's. Everyone should try Pat's at least once - that's where it all started. I'm one of those few people not born and bred in South Philadelphia who is a Pat's fan. As an alternative, consider Philadelphia pretzels from the Center City Pretzel Company at 816 Washington, on the edge of the Italian Market. They start baking at midnight. Great train fodder. Shouldn't be any issues walking from Center/Old City to the Italian Market. Easiest route is walking south on 9th. The Italian Market starts at Fitzwater and Sarcone's Deli and runs to Federal just before Pat's. If by chance anyone likes tripe, that is a specialty of George's just south of Christian. George's also does great meatball sandwiches, pork, Italian sausage and cheesesteaks. I really like Paesano's too, but George's has the history and the South Philly cred. There is a great sandwich place in Center City that I'm not sure anyone has mentioned - Jake's Sandwich Board on 12th just south of Sansom

Just discover Jake's on the web last week. Getting there real soon. Alas, no butter burgers, but everything else appears to be pure Wisconsin frozen custard stand.

Late afternoon is not the best time to visit Reading Terminal Market (RTM). Not the energy of other times. Used to be some of the shops closed early or stopped serving sandwiches - not sure if that is still the case as they've gotten more mall-ish in some of their operating policies, though not in the caliber of the stands and shops. Late afternoon and early evening is a great time to walk Center City though. I'd recommend Walnut Street west of Broad, especially the Rittenhouse Square area. Lots of pseudo-sidewalk cafes along the route. Many visitors are surprised by the walkability of Center City Philadelphia. Thursday AM is a better choice for RTM. For sit down breakfast, consider Jack McDavid's Down Home Diner or, in the Amish Section, the Dutch Eating Place. You'll do good at both places - I'm a fan of the Down Home Diner. There's also the Metropolitan Bakery for great baked goods.

According to Foobooz.com Shake Shack is looking at a Philadelphia location in Center City - maybe in the area of 20th and Sansom. While it will be good to get Shake Shack hamburgers, I am most excited at the prospect of real frozen custard.

In days of yore, a shrub was also an appetizer on a country club and restaurant menus - usually orange juice with a scoop of lime sherbet.

I vaguely remember french fry as a verb back in my formative restaurant kitchen years, especially at Sip and Sup Drive-In where the short order cooks french fried the 50 lbs of shrimp I had to peel, devein and bread every morning. Was thinking about the term deep fat fry, the modern day equivalent. How deep is "deep," or is "deep" superfluous? If I put a couple of inches of shortening in a frying pan, and then fry some onion rings, are they being fat fried rather than deep fat fry? I don't consider two inches to be "deep." Yet the cooking method is the same as in a restaurant fryer. Also, throughout my hands-on restaurant years, including McDonald's, we always referred to fryers as fryers and never as deep fat fryers.

I'm still rooting for the Indian restaurant, Spice Coast. Trouble is, after the investors finish Olive Gardening the concept, it will end up as mediocre as all the other pseudo-ethnic national chains.

Dang, we won't be able to see Bobby's suggestion for pesto dipping sauce for a grilled cheese sandwich come to pass.

To supplement my earlier post - for me breakfast is a meal best consumed at a five star hotel dining room or a New England diner, but, at the minimum, eaten away from home.

Just one more time I am lying to myself I guess. McDonald's is capable of producing a very good fry - but a shoestring french fry can not be the reference french fry.

One reason I enjoy travel is the breakfast variations region to region in the US and country to country elsewhere. If I eat a traditional (for me mid-Atlantic) breakfast, it is because there is nothing more interesting on the breakfast menu. For many, it is probably a restaurant's lack of imagination or desire to play it safe that accounts for nothing above and beyond American breakfast basics.

Perhaps Top Chef has matured over time in that they resisted a finals format that would have forced Marcel onto one of the teams.

Back when a company in which I was involved was conducting military interrogation training experiences, a favorite tactic of one of the instructors when preparing for a harsh interrogation, was to eat a raw onion and chase it down with a glass of milk. Gave him incredibly rank breath which he used to his advantage during the interrogations that followed. Just saying that the same may work when sitting down with an auditor in slightly more civil situations.

Dipping sauces for grilled cheese sandwiches, Bobby? The investors must have side bets going - which restauratestants will bend to folly and adopt really dumb ideas from the investors.

Tried Center City Philadelphia's newer Five Guys on the 1100 block of Walnut. Fries were ok. The burger reminded me of the emperor's new clothes. Patties way overcooked. Buns and garnishes insipid. I just don't get what people see in the burgers.

Thinking how glad I am I didn't get this assignment. Even happier I didn't pitch it.

The Next Culinary Apprentice where contestants vie to become Ruth Bourdain's intern.

Full title please. As Bravo kept saying last night, "Celebrity Chef Curtis Stone."

I admire Eric Ripert and Louis Vuitton - a dedication to craftsmanship from a long forgotten era.

Not sure if this is an "I told you so" moment. A lot of work and, evidently, a lot of money went into Speck. It is sad that Speck restaurant can't make it past a couple of final hurdles. It would have been a significant addition to the Philadelphia dining scene. Being the optimistic sort, I am still hoping there is a resolution to be found. But it is tough to restore trust once it is lost.

From The New Yorker, Eric Ripert's Knife Carrier

Le Charte de la Bouillabaisse Marseillaise sets the standards for bouillabaisse in Marseilles. These are the restaurants that subscribe to the charter. I settled on Le Miramar and highly recommend the experience. Locals say there are better (less expensive, perhaps), but Le Miramar is convenient, right off the harbor and served my bouillabaisse with proper pomp, ceremony and ingredients.