nancygreengrapes

Hi, I'm a frequent reader buy shy poster. I just came back from eating a casual steak and got your new post via e-mail. Just had to let you know. I happened into Rembrant's tonight, I live in the neighborhood but rarely eat there. My friend and I were hungry, wearing jeans and sneakers and it's on the way home so we took advantage of the nice weather and got a table outside. We ordered the Tuscan steak for two, medium rare and got one of the nicest meals we'd both had in a long time. It was cooked perfectly and seasoned just right, served with roasted potatoes and baby asparagus. $34 and was too big to finish. I never thought I'd say this but Yum! This is where you want to go for a nice steak dinner that doesn't require high heels or an approved loan.

← Hi Justin, If you're going to be at the art museum, you might try The Rose Tatoo Cafe. The food and service are always great and reasonably priced. Interesting wine list with several $30-$40 offerings. I reccomand going for dinner although they are open for lunch. Request a table on the balcony, filled with plants and fresh flowers, it's lovely. Mom and Gran will definitely be happy. 19th and Callowhill - 215-569-8939

I know we're all looking for those "gems" - but bomb bomb's bbq - 10th+Wolf - What did ya think you'd get? They clearly don't want or need to be a culinary delight. Nor do they have to be. South Philly will always be South Philly. The tables at local places will stay full, even if us "foodies" don't appreciate their offerings, the neighbors don't really care. I really believe the proprietors don't even want us there.They'd problably be horrified if they knew they were even being mentioned on a food related website. If you're looking for B.B.Q. , try Sanannah or Sonny's - if you want South Philly charm, Ralph's. But most importantly , when entering a neighborhood eatery, take a look at the other diners. This might help you decide whether or not this is the place foryou.

Hi Don, Nancy here -new to posting -please be kind. If wineries don't play to consumers, how do we ( sommailers, wine educaters, restaurant mgr"s stay in business? ) _on a personal note -I dig the packaging -and the campaign.

Congratulations, It might seem a little funky. The Mummer's Museum in south philly has a terrific banquet space. You have to be willing to decorate as it's a blank space. It does have a nice bar though. I'm having my wedding there in Jan. and they offered us a great deal. $1500 for site rental, 4hr. open bar for 75ppl - $8.50 a head after that, 2 bartenders plus custodial(clean-up). We can bring in any caterer we choose and can serve any wine we choose. We just have to have their steward order it for us. We pay for it and can take home what we don't use. The staff couldn't have been any nicer or more helpful. Believe me, as you go through the planning process, that in itself is worth it's weight in gold. Best of Luck!

I worked for a restauranteur as a server and as management, whose 3 places all pooled. They were all smaller houses, so perhaps that is the key. My experience was that it inspired healthy competition among servers to achieve higher tip averages, naturally pushed out those who weren't doing their share and inspired a team atmosphere where the guests benefitted from the "everyone's tables" mentality. The owner or managers never handled the server's money, nor were involved in the tipshare(they never should be) and tip outs for bussers and runners were at the waitstaff's discretion. They tended to be more generous because no one wanted to be a cheapskate in front of their fellow servers. This also eliminated the "extorsion" that takes plece where bussers will not enter your station if you've not overtipped as your co-worker did. All in all, if handled honestly, I think the polling system works. In fact I've recently gone back to serving and in certain sections of thr restaurant where I work, where seating evenly ins't always possible we do pool. I have no issues. It helps that management insures that weak or dishonest servers don't last very long.

Were you listening to my last convo with my co-workers? I've always been front of house, server, manager, sommelier, whatever you need. Staff meals can be amazing and they can be amazingly crappy. It has been my experience in these last 20 yrs. that they are almost always-and this is important, available. Ya gotta eat What I really don't understand is why kitchen folk do not take this oppurtunity. My husband, a chef (also a veteran) leaves the place where the food is and announces he's not eaten all day. We've been working since the A.M., it's after most restaurants in the city have closed and we're too tired to go to them anyway. We both work in the industry so natrually there's nothing to eat in our home excepting the remnaints of the meal we carefully shopped for on our day off. Fresh herbs and peanut butter? If only we'd bought wonder instead of that lovely artisan now hard-as-a-rock bread. This is not just my experience, it's industry wide. I've asked The first response is "I've been handling food all day, I don't want to eat it" So have we (front of house workers) - but Ya gotta eat Sustinance My real question is - Why do so many kitchen people refuse to eat at work? Waht I'd really like to say is: Do not leave the place where the food is and say that you are hungry.