Diann

It's true -- Liberty (the developer) sent out a press release about that a while back: Perrier and Scarduzio opening restaurant at the Comcast Center.

This is the same shopping center where the good Specialty PLCB shop is, yes? I think I saw this last weekend whilst up thatta way and it rang a bell but I couldn't figure out why. Now I realize it was this thread that made it seem familiar. ← Yup, I love me that PLCB store. (It's a great way to spend half my paycheck, and at lunch nonetheless -- how efficient can you get?) Charlie's Pizza & Beer and a Panera are there too.

Soo Percy... how'd it turn out?

I thought you were trying to get into swimsuit shape for your jaunt to the Caribbean! I suppose there's always room for a little Studiokitchen action, bikinis be damned. Jeff, I think you would eat three meals a day at Studiokitchen if Shola let you do so. Starting with some lobster scrambled eggs, toast, and champagne.

Oh man. Just when I thought I had eaten The Best Dinner Ever and could die happy, you go and post about another Studiokitchen dinner. And I know a third one is coming either tonight around 2AM or tomorrow bright and early (you've got to appease the teeming masses with some food porn!) Anyways, I am definitely way late in the game for posting, but uh, I thought Saturday's dinner (remember that one? I know it was ages ago) was pretty freakin' awesome. I still laugh every time I see that quail picture--who was it who said it looked like a sorority house at midnight? (Shola?) Honestly, I had thought the Latour Beaune was a little thin the first couple of times I had it, but with that bergamot prune and the ravioli it was perfect. I'm learning more about wine every time I go to one of these things, too (diagonal tasting, anyone?) The nimono: I sat there sniffing it for a while before I dove in--it reminded me exactly of the food at this mountaintop inn in Japan (except Saturday, there was the added bonus of foie gras. I'm starting to understand why people like these liver things!) Anyways, wouldn't it be great if Shola opened a Japanese restaurant? Pickled mackerel sushi with green apples, foie gras nimono... I find somehow that I like his amuse bouches (or is it amuses bouche?) and little tastes the best (ex. cauliflower antipancake with mandarin orange). Maybe the crazy-wow factor is highest with those dishes. I'm surprised that after sixteen bottles of wine, you couldn't get at least ONE person to lick that innocuous-looking anti-griddle, Philadining... I am a huge fan of that Grgich Hills fume blanc: tons of exotic fruits (like maybe guava?) while still dry and crisp. Go get some! Thanks to Karen & Carl for extending the invitation once again, and to Daniel & Alicia for kindly donating a veal cheek for my SK doggy bag. And of course, thank you, Shola, for the food, the ideas, the education, everything!

Y'know what VP has that I think V is missing? Beef STEW pho. Comes in a tomato-based, obviously thicker-than-broth soup, with chunks of beef (no thin-sliced ribeye or anything), maybe some tendon (I love me some tendon), and standard pho accompaniments. Now if I just had some baguette to go with that (I also love me some carbs). (But I actually like V AND VP. It's possible to have room in your heart for both!)

I seriously need to get over to Artisan Boulanger Patisserie, but for now, I like Le Petit Mitron in Narberth. You usually have to get there before 10AM to grab a baguette.

I have nothing but praise for this restaurant as well. It's a beautiful space (nicely set up to accommodate large parties and single diners) with a great four or five seat counter where you can sit and watch the chefs making magic. I AM going to pick out some favorites among the tapas -- the garlic flatbread with tuna dip, the garlic shrimp (can you tell I like garlic?), the squid, the ham croquettes (you MUST try these), and the really lovely cheese plates. The accompaniments (truffled lavender honey, cherry marmalade, balsamic strawberries, etc) really gave all of the cheeses an added dimension. Gives me something to aspire to when I make my own cheese plates. Let's not forget the pigs (there were two, and among the 11 of us we nearly finished off both of them) -- incredibly succulent and tender. The garlicky mustard accompaniment managed to improve on a good thing, I think. And the sides were fantastic. Who knew grilled scallions were so good? Thank you to everyone for coming, and bravo to Katie for assembling a really interesting wine/beer/cocktails/etc list -- although we only tried the sangrias, I'm looking forward to a couple of Bad Educations in the future, along with some bacalo croquettes, maybe some anchovies, oh hey, throw in some flatbread while you're at it. All the rave reviews of this place are spot on. Hats off to Jose Garces!

Couple of notes from a VERY recent Penn grad: 1) Pho/Cafe Saigon is good, but only because it's the one real Vietnamese joint in the neighborhood (there are those food trucks around 38th and Spruce -- the two Le Ahns -- but Cafe Saigon is better). I wouldn't go out of your way to check it out, since I think the places in South Philly do it better. That said, it's great for Penn students. 2) Jeff L, be warned that if you go to Yue Kee, you should definitely call ahead. The wait around lunchtime takes forever. If they tell you 20 minutes, I'd anticipate 30 or 40 minutes, unless things have changed in the last six months. I think this is their number: (610) 812-7189. I like the beef chow fun, anything with eggplant, and their dumplings -- it isn't gourmet by any means, but it's good for a food cart. (I think they use MSG, though...)

What comes after Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's? Why, Porkapalooza, of course! If you're interested in trying that whole roasted suckling pig at Amada sometime in the next few weeks, PM me. I am vague on dates at the moment, but almost any day between January 12th and 27th will work. Edited: Here's a link to the pig's press release.

Hurray for websites! Also, Katie, if you were in any way responsible for the specialty cocktails, I applaud you. Lavender white grape gimlets, pear cognac martinis, grapefruit mimosas -- I am giddy with anticipation.

Diann, I think you have something here...Roast Pork Italian air freshener. Instead of a little pine tree, you have it shaped like what else! Beats the pine tree. Beats the fresh-car leather scent. MARKETING GENIUS!! ← Good to know MKTG101 is finally paying off. Joint venture, anybody? (You provide the capital, I'll provide the genius.) Charlie, that Cheesesteak Italian looks good...I'll have to check out Dakota Pizza Co.

1 - Sandwich stooopid for sure. Dammit, I was hoping the arrival of a Tony Luke's on Penn's campus would expose the kids to the joy of a roast pork sandwich, but no takers, apparently. 2 - But it's such a GOOD funky smell! I love it when I go to Tony Luke's, drive home with my loot, and the next day I open the car door and you can still smell the garlic and provolone scent clinging to the seats. MMMMM. I'll take that over a little pine tree hanging from my rearview mirror any day.

Maybe they aren't back yet....... ← Here's a post for ya: The pies at De Lorenzo's are a transcendent experience. Completely worthy of their legendary status. The plain tomato was my favorite (big chunks of tangy tomato -- I think most pizza sauces are too sweet for me) but they use quality sausage, and the white clam is nice and garlicky. I'm going back as soon as humanly possible. Top Road and Conte's were nice, but not in the same league (although others thought differently).

Excellent! Hope your kids like them now too (or is that too much to ask?) To keep it on topic, that Two Hands Moscato is a bargain at $11.99/500ml in state stores...

So, I am no longer a Studiokitchen virgin, and it was everything it was billed to be -- and more! I think the way to describe Shola's food is a brilliant mix of (1) familiar tastes improved and intensified, and (2) new flavor and texture combinations that laymen wouldn't think of...which is why we turn to Shola. The wines were lovely, especially that rose champagne, the HW gewurztraminer, the Gigondas, and the muscato, but I agree with Philadining: I didn't want to focus on the wines -- the food here should command your complete attention. (Which is not to say that those of you with deep cellars shouldn't share the wealth when attending a SK dinner -- just that the $300 bottles aren't totally necessary.) Onto the food. My favorite parts: the mackerel-and-apple combination, the Chinese celery broth (this is what ramen broth dreams of being when it grows up, I swear), the rabbit encased in puff pastry (again, the purest essence of a sixty-cent Chinese barbequed pork bun), the foie gras plate... Let me tell you about the foie dish. I don't even like foie gras normally -- not when it's a big ol' hunk of liver seared and slapped down on the plate. (Sacrilege! I know!) But this foie I could eat for days and days -- just a tiny bit of creamy, smooth, fatty pate to offset the tart/bitter endive, the sweet crunchy pears, the intense honey miso, the salty rye crisp, and the tea-soaked prunes. This dish was a revelation. Everything in life should be this perfectly balanced -- and this interesting. Speaking of interesting, lovely conversation as usual, lovely folks, lovely room, lovely furniture... Huge thank you's to Herb, Karen and Carl for organizing and bringing wine, Jeff for that gewurz., and to Shola, of course. Hurray for Philadelphia!

I know you were asking Katie, but I definitely preferred the Sycamore. It had more of a bite (tannins, maybe?) and I like my wines dry. The St. Francis chardonnay was better than I remembered (from the last time it was a Chairman's Selection) -- I was afraid it would be overly oaky, but it still retained an edge and was an excellent pairing with the fish and the skordalia. Mmmm... garlic... (and fried capers!) The syrah is fine for a twelve dollar wine, but maybe I'm not much of a syrah person. I preferred the Sycamore cab with both my oxtail and lamb. And that Two Hands Moscato, with some vanilla ice cream plopped in the glass -- cold, fizzy, creamy, peachy, perfumey. It's good. Go get some. One observation and one request: 1) Oxtails seem to be the hot cut of beef right now (RX, Studiokitchen, the Modern...) I'm not complaining 2) Now will everyone please start roasting their brussels sprouts? There's no reason to dislike them once they've been caramelized... I really love these eGullet dinners: quality people, quality food. And a second dessert at Capogiro doesn't hurt either. I will see you all at Django in Djanuary (cute, Greg)! P.S. Thank yous: To Evan/Jeff/Pedro for "convincing me" (really hard work) to go, and to Katie/Dee/Jonathan Newman/Greg/Ross and co./etc. for being lovely people.

We did the three Trenton places in an early Pizza Club outing. Now that we're a more sophisticated and experienced group, four stops should be a piece of pie. Several people ate Nathan's hot dogs (a fourth stop) the last time we ventured out-of-state. If we don't go Nov. 12 or 19, we probably should wait until January. ← Let's try for the 19th, meet at Delorenzo's on Hudson at 3:30. This will be the hardest place to try not gorging! ← I can give a ride to anyone coming from the western suburbs/Main Line/Center City (as long as "anyone" means a total of three or four of you). PM me.

It's from Southampton Publick House, a brewpub on Long Island. The Double White has justifiably getting a lot of positive buzz. While they have a long history of great beer, this seems to be the break-out beer for them. ← It is freakin' awesome. Reminiscent of Hoegaarden (no surprise there) but better (more intense? More fruity?). Thanks, Scoats!

I'm a girl. And I hover on the edge of yuppieness. So I like fey -- in bars, at least!

I fell in love with Pegu Club this past weekend and am now feeling hesitant about running out and grabbing drinks with friends here because the bars I know of won't live up to the Pegu Club experience. Is there anything remotely like this in Philadelphia? Places with knowledgeable and friendly bartenders, fantastic drinks mixed with loving care, relaxed loungey atmosphere, etc.? Katie had mentioned on the Pegu Club thread that she wants to open something like this someday, but I'm an instant gratification kind of girl.

Great photos Wendy! I adore L'Express -- especially those marrow bones, my goodness. I liked Schwartz's, too. The black cherry soda is a must-have with that sandwich (I miss it!).

It looks like they do: Carmine's Dinner Menu John Mims is awesome. I adored that short rib (although I don't think it's on the regular menu) and the sticky bun bread pudding (which, thankfully, IS on the menu). And it was nice to finally meet some eGullet faces!

I stopped by the Caspian Grill a couple of times recently and the owner is one of the nicest men I've ever met. He makes great kebabs (I had ground lamb and ground chicken, but he has all of the usual suspects) and all manner of salads, dips, and prepared foods. Plus, he has a generous sampling policy (look interesting? Go ahead! Have some! Oh, you liked that? Here's something else you might like!) I enjoyed the allir allou (or maybe allou alir, and I'm mangling the spelling) -- basically a spiced-up potato casserole -- and his pumpkin pudding (really closer to pumpkin pie). His kebab platters are generous, as well; $9 or so will get you one very large kebab, a heaping portion of rice, pita, some tzatziki, and your choice of cucumber/Greek salads or tabbouleh. He now has a permit for seating and is in the process of constructing a dining area, so it's still take-out only. I will be fair and say that Persian Grill's rice is "better" -- by better I just mean more interesting, because of the crunchy bits they serve you from the bottom of the rice pot -- but Caspian Grill can certainly compete with its wider variety of foods and the personality of the owner.

Percy: Great blog! I'm just sad it's almost over. And I used to think my cats were the cutest things ever, but I see now they have some competition from a certain Miss Peanut...