SaxChik

did take out ... ma po tofu ... very nice, decent amount of spice, loved the ground pork, sausage fried rice ... was quite tasty, and got the lamb and cumin again cause i had to see if it was spectacular the second time ... it was! i really like this place (even more so cause i can walk there!)

hmmm ... might be time to do a chin-a-thon in exton soon.

there was much joy in exton tonight! on a whim, dr. sax, myself and another couple went to han dynasty for dinner. han dynasty is a new chinese place that opened two weeks ago in the exton plaza (near the mcdonald's ... 260 n. pottstown pike). while we were outside waiting for the other couple to arrive, i peeked at their menu and was happily surprised to see they had a full menu of authentic szechuan dishes, as well as taiwanese and cantonese dishes. they also have an american chinese menu. when we arrived, we were given forks and the american menu, to which we asked, "where's the good menu?" the waiter was very gracious and asked if he could order for us. the only thing we specifically asked for was the szechuan wonton w. chili oil. he brought us eggplant & minced pork with garlic sauce, which was delicious, boiled sliced pork in hot sauce with cabbage (again, delicious), chinese meatball (from the taiwanese menu) ... 4 huge meatballs served with steamed broccoli and the szechuan wonton. there was not a bad dish. we were still hungry so we got the beef & tripe with hot sauce (also had tendon) and the lamb with cumin. one of the problems i've always had with lamb with cumin is that the lamb is usually dry. this lamb was succulent and amazing! my only complaint was that the food was not spicy enough. i mentioned this to the waiter and he said since he didn't know us, he erred on the side of caution and didn't make everything really hot. the next time we came in he promised us he'd make things more spicy. i wish i brought my camera, cause all the food was very nicely plated, the waiter staff was highly attentive, the owners came out to see how we liked it and the food arrived in a timely manner. they gave us 15% off and the whole bill came to $54. can't beat that! 90% of the patrons were chinese. when we walked in, we were the only caucasians. we were told that people have been coming from all over the area (princeton, state college, delaware, etc) for their food. i can see why. we were also told not to come on saturdays, since it gets really crowded and their still a little short on wait staff. many businesses have tried and failed in this location. i think this restaurant is a keeper. i look forward to other people trying it and seeing if they love it as much as i did!

i went to banana leaf before i went to see fountains of wayne at the troc the end of april. it was very good malaysian food, although i think i still prefer penang around the corner a little more. we had roti canal (the great bread with the curry dipping sauce), beef rendang and some sort of squid dish. banana leaf is literally right next door to the troc, penang is around the corner to the left ... both are just a few steps away. penang is cash only, so keep that in mind. if you've never had malaysian food before, it's a nice mix of chinese, thai and indian. very yummy.

i went to college in york and my husband's family lives in spring grove, so we visit there often. i've never heard of the sheppard mansion, but the menu looks good and they certainly know their way around a pig. i stayed at the yorktowne last november and was pleasantly surprised at the quality, creativity and taste of the foods they offer. almost makes you forget you're in york. the market street viet-thai cafe is a place we often frequent while in the area. it's small, but the food has always been good and it's got a very homey feel to it, like eating at grandma's house. ginmaya on eastern blvd is another good asian place, serving both chinese and sushi. their sushi is very good. i look forward to finding roburrito on our next visit.

a BIG BIRTHDAY THANK YOU to ms. katie, queen of the cocktails! i had my big birthday dinner at M on tuesday. we ended up with six people and everyone left very, very happy. we got to sample a large portion of the menu ... 1st courses included the risotto, quail, scallops and pork belly. 2nd courses included duck, steak, tuna and sea bass. for dessert, molten chocolate cake, bananas tartartin and creme brulee. the food and the servers were lovely and i can't wait to go back when it's warmer and eat al fresco.

you know, i didn't ask. i just went in, got a 12-box, which pretty much encompassed all they had out. they have all sorts of chocolate bunnies for easter, as well as chocolate easter eggs filled with chocolates. my blood sugar's rising just thinking about it. i did, however, manage to make the 12-box last 3 whole days! yay willpower!

i stopped by eclat chocolates while running errands in west chester today. here i sit, alone, a 12 piece box next to me and i need to keep typing so i don't down the whole box in one sitting. OMG, those calvados carmels are to die for! even the champagne truffle and orange, which i'm not huge huge fans of, are excellent. my taste buds are doing a very happy dance! vogue voted them "best caramels". not sure vogue is the end all and be all of food critics, but hey, good press is a good thing. the nice thing about eclat is they're right next door to my favorite parking garage. easy access.

is it my birthday yet? i can't wait!!

I had a friend that lived in the art museum district, so we used to haunt brigid's on a fairly regular basis. Still one of my favorite drinking holes. M looks like a winner! Thanks folks! p.s. Diann, you youngin, you.

Musta be cool to have two numerically significant birthdays ... 7/7/77 and 07/07/07. Thanks for the suggestions! I miss Studio Kitchen. I'm not sure if it's appropriate to say i want an orgasmic tastebud experience, but that's what i'm looking for.

I'm turning 40 next month. My husband and sister are planning a day of fun in Philly, which includes museums and the zoo. The most important part, at least for me, is going to be DINNER! It's on a Tuesday night. I want to go someplace spectacular, where I don't have to get dressed up, and where my tastebuds can enjoy the day as much the rest of me. I know some of you and trust most of you, so give me some good recommendations of where to eat! Seems like nearly every time I'm in Philly I end up in Chinatown, so I want to try a new neighborhood. Doesn't have to be in the art museum area, it can be anywhere in or near the city. Thanks in advance!

i always found the duling-kurtz house in exton to be a very romantic place. so much so, i got married there!

my parents lived in the mt laurel/marlton area for a bunch of years. some of our favorites were: Jasmine Oriental Cuisine - a nice variety of chinese, japanese (including sushi), thai and occasionally other asian dishes, like malaysian. 175 Route 70 Medford, NJ 08055 (609) 654-8818 Tarantella Restaurant - GREAT italian food, big portions. go early, they don't take reservations and it can get packed. 128 Route 70 # 7 Medford, NJ 08055 (609) 714-9050 Maxims Restaurant - glatt kosher REALLY GOOD middle eastern/israeli food 2240 Route 70 W Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 (856) 488-3555 http://www.maxims-glatt.com/ Two really good deli/Jewfood restaurants ... Kibitz Room - worth it just for the pickle bar. 100 Springdale Rd. Cherry Hill , NJ 08034 (856) 428-7878 Short Hills Restaurant and Deli - stuffed cabbage like grandma used to make! 486 Evesham Road Cherry Hill, NJ 08003-3367 (856) 429-6900 The Robin's Nest - good french-inspired food, really cute restaurant, kickin' desserts! 2 Washington St Mt. Holly (in the city), NJ 08060 (609) 261-6149 http://www.robinsnestmountholly.com/ Pacific Grill - Asian fusion, VERY creative, healthy and yummy! BYOB 1200 S Church St Mt Laurel, NJ 08054 (856) 778-0909 http://www.pacificgrill.com/ New England Soup Factory - a franchise restaurant, but their curried crab and coconut soup truly hits the spot, even in the summer. there are a number of locations in Mt Laurel, Moorestown, Cherry Hill, Marlton. check out the website. http://www.nesoupfactorynj.com/ Gelateria Dolce Crema Artisan Gelato - the closest i've found to Capogiro outside philly 128 Route 70 # 7 Medford, NJ 08055 (609) 714-9050 http://www.dolcecrema.com mom's moved to florida and dad's out near great adventure now, so i don't visit too often. good luck and happy eating!

yay! i first found penzey's in minneapolis. i used to stock up every year when i went to visit my friend who lived there. then i started buying through the catalogue (which REALLY needs scratch-n-sniff), then they opened one near my cousin in california, whom i visit fairly regularly. i'm VERY happy to hear there's finally one in pennsylvania ... i can stop traveling so much now!

actually, both those restaurants (devi and riverstone) are in the whiteland towne center (the shopping center with the acme and kohl's). jack's pizza, also in that shopping center, makes a pretty mean cheesesteak. china bistro is also there. it used to be our mecca for sezchuan, but has changed chefs and has toned down the heat. can't say i recommend any restaurants in marchwood, although the exton diner's the only place open late to go after drinking or a late night show.

i had my wedding at DK on august 26th. i had 18 people total and we ordered ala carte off the menu. they gave us the terrace room (the "porch" area upstairs), which had a lovely view of the gardens. both the food and the servers were delightful. everyone was raving and quite full. overall, it was an excellent experience. i haven't been to DK for a regular 2-person dinner in a while, but i was not at all disappointed with the party.

Computer froze on you? ← stupid work pc. they need macs here.

i've driven past, now i'll have to stop in! thanks!

i've driven past, now i'll have to stop in! thanks!

i've driven past, now i'll have to stop in! thanks!

i've driven past, now i'll have to stop in! thanks!

hey, i have a question for all you chester county people ... where do you think is the best place to get italian food? i'm spoiled cause my mom lives in NJ and i get my fix at tarantella's in marlton, which, IMHO, is AMAZING italian. i'm talking big plates of pasta, kickin red sauce, a great marsala. i've been to allegria in exton and basil in malvern, and they were good, but more fancy than "mama's kitchen" type food. i've lived in exton for 10 years and i have yet to find really great italian. maybe you know someplace i don't.

you guys are going to love quidam! it was VERY cool! and ... taqueria la veracruzana was AMAZING! the guac, the horchata (sp?) ... we got beef burritos cause we were in a hurry and they were as big as my head. YUM! thanks holly's website and old eG posts!

i'm going tomorrow night. any thoughts for dinner? it'll have to be within walking distance, since we're training and cabbing it into the city. we were thinking taqueria la veracruzana, but if you have better ideas, we're open. thanks!