CMN

I also live in the Philly burbs, and I find it's a toss-up as to whether more "exotic fare" will be consumed or not. I have gone to pot-lucks where the first things to go are items such as those you brought, and other times where those items are avoided like the plague. I typically try to bring something that I would like to eat that I also know won't go bad by sitting outside for a few hours. I'm a transplant to the area, and I can't seem to figure this area out... What a bummer. Your food looked delicious.

It would depend what my mood was. If I was in the mood for "sushi", I would probably want to go somewhere more authentic. However, I also appreciate the sort of sushi listed on your menu. I have had some really creative, nontraditional, and tasty rolls before. I would say that if you are getting a lot of business with your current menu, you should keep it since it suits your demographic. I would liken the more creative sushi to the less traditional pizza options. If I am in the mood for pizza, I want a simple thin crust pizza. Tomato sauce, mozarella, and some basil. I don't want a ton of toppings, a white pizza, bbq sauce, etc. If I am going out not expecting or craving "pizza", I can certainly have an enjoyable meal with the more eclectic pizza options. Same thing with other cuisines, like sushi.

How about something like a caprese salad. Something about thick slices that seem a bit hardier than a regular salad. Or you could layer roasted vegetables (portabello, squash, eggplant. peppers) with cheese and tomatoes also. Steakhouses seem to serve a lot of iceberg wedge-type salads with bacon also, so maybe there's something about it that seems more "manly".

I remember the Belair market at the gas station had pretty good sandwiches, but I haven't been there in years. It's good to hear that the C&O and Ivy Inn are still doing well b/c they were among my favorites when I was in school nearly 10 years ago. On a recent visit this month, it looked like the Hardware Store is now closed. I went to Mas(?) which is a Tapas place near the downtown mall area which I loved. Also check out Gearharts chocolates!

For a chocolate dipped waffle, I picture something more cookie-like than a belgian waffle. More like a pizelle or waffle cone. You might ask her to clarify what she's looking for.

Thinking about going this weekend. Anyone been recently? Any news on the new chef? Thanks in advance!

So far this season: 1) "stir fried" with a) tomatoes, peppers, corn, onions, italian seasonings and a squeeze of lime. b) peppers, onions, spanish seasonings 2) stuffed with garlic, onion, tomatoes, zucchini (what I scooped out), herbs, bread crumbs, and parm. 3) curried soup: onions, garlic, curry powder, broth, milk, butter blended together. 4) simply grilled I'm thinking about a batc of zucchini bread next...

We had a wonderful dinner at Gayle last night. The weather was nice, so we dined out on the patio. It was a very nice, intimate atmosphere with excellent service. I started out with the #5 scallop and pork cheek combination, which consisted of a beautiful seared scallop and a pork cheek ravioli seated upon a tender and flavorful piece of pork. Very well presented and incredibly tasty. He had the crispy risotto, which looked like tater tots, but tasted much better. The crispy exterior yielded to a meltingly creamy risotto which paired well with the dipping sauce. I chose the monkfish entree, which was accompanied by artichokes and potatoes. A solidly executed dish. He had the tuna with basmati rice. The tuna was a perfect rare, and was accompanied by a smidgen of curry ice cream which provided a nice contrast not only in flavor, but in texture as well. We finished off with the endive parfait, which was very subtle, but quite refreshing. As an added note, the waitress brought over a complimentary endive parfait to the next table who were debating what to order for dessert, but not sure that they were adventurous enough to change the endive parfait. In addition, after we had already paid our bill and were walking back to our car, the waitress chased us down (literally running) to present us with a bottle of champagne in honor of my birthday. We had already decided that this was a place we would definitely go back to, but it was really the icing on the cake. It seemed like a place where the staff cared not only about the food, but the customers as well (or at least it felt that way to us). I was surprised that there hasn't been much written up on this thread recently, but we would highly recommend a visit!

They're only allowing reservations for up to 50 people, and they're trying to spread it out over the course of the night to make the service more manageable. Their hours are 5-9pm, and they're BYO and cash only. I didn't ask about any regular menu options. I already booked my husband and I for 8:15 pm

A lot of Asians are lactose intolerant, so maybe it has to do with the cheese. You can avoid it to a certain extent with Italian cuisine...

Moon cakes, almond cookies, or egg custard tarts?

We were in the Portland area for a mini-getaway from Philly. We stopped by the Lobster Shack in Cape Elizabeth and had the Lobster Roll Basket. We were surprisingly disappointed. The fries were soggy, the coleslaw a tad watery, and fountain refills cost 25cents for a small cup. The lobster roll itself was quite tasty. The roll nicely buttered and toasty, and the lobster simply prepared with a dollop of mayo. We were surprised at how small they were, though. Perhaps we're spoiled by the size of the cheesesteaks at home... For dinner, we stopped by 555, based on some comments we read on this thread, and had a fabulous meal. The ambience and service were warm and inviting. We didn't have a reservation, but were fortunate to be seated almost immediately due to a last minute cancellation (we witnessed a mini-fight b/t a couple prior to their sudden cancellation. bad luck for them, good luck for us ). He had a local amber ale to go with dinner, and I had the Unibroue Ephemere--an apple ale. I would highly recommend it as a nice summer beer--light, refreshing, and not at all cloyingly sweet. I started with the Maine blueberry salad which was a wonderful mix of textures and flavors--the creaminess of the blue cheese, the crunch of the walnuts, and the addition of large and small blueberries. Not overly dressed, and again, not overly sweet as a number of fruit-accented salads I've had have been. He had the maine market salad which had goat cheese and balsamic marinated squash. It was also garnished with cripsy shreds of red onion which added an interesting texture and flavor, and was likewise pleased. For the entrees, I had the crab risotto, which was cooked to a perfect consistency. It was flavored with marscapone cheese, and had mushrooms and a surprise addition of fresh cut corn--a nice burst of sweetness in each bite. He had the chipotle marinated hangar steak--again prepared a perfect, tender medium rare as requested. Yummy! For dessert, we split the cake and ice cream--green tea ice cream with an asian style sponge cake, sesame tuile, and candied ginger. A nice light dessert with an interesting play of flavors. All in all, a great experience and a place we would highly recommend.

I believe Maya Bella, which is across the street from Fayette Street Grille, is open on Mondays.

I don't know what's wrong with my husband's phone--he said he tried three times and got an insurance company, whereas I hit Ansill on my first try! Anyways, they said that they are currently open from ~6:30-11pm 7 days a week except for Friday and Saturday when they're open till midnite. I'm hoping to check them out sometime in the next week or two. Thanks for your help. The number is correct. I used it and got Ansill. They will not be taking reservations. For last weekend, they were only open Friday and Saturday nights. They eventually plan to be open from 11:00am, seven days a week. I don't know when that will start however. ← I was there again last night and I asked about this, they said they intend to start opening at 11 am in the summer. Right now they open at 5:30. I believe they said they would start opening on Sundays sooner than that though, maybe in the next couple of months? The phone number Dish gave works. In fact, I wasn't able to find the phone number anywhere on the net apart from this thread. ←

I tried the number Dish listed above but didn't get Ansill. Anybody know what their current hours are and if they will be taking reservations?