Diann

Thank you to all. I know this is late, but I actually went up to Princeton again this past weekend, and I had those soup dumplings from Shanghai Park AGAIN. They are fantastic -- probably among the best I've ever had. I'll probably be in Shanghai next year so I can do a true comparison, but I would recommend these dumplings to anyone within a 200-mile radius. Shanghai Park also does a nice rendition of some of my other favorite foods - lion's head meatballs, stir fried sticky cakes with pork and preserved vegetable, chive dumplings, etc. (These are just my awkward Chinese-to-English translations.) I have now seen photos of Wegmans on Percyn's blog and plan on stopping by next time I'm in the area...looks like the ultimate supermarket.

funny! i just went last night -- and granted, it's a relatively small menu, but i went with that tartare/carpaccio dish too. YUM. sir, may i have more? i also had the grouper. i liked the tastes together, but i liked my companion's salmon even more. can't remember what was on it, but the salmon was almost rare (very pink and fleshy inside) and nicely smoked. dessert: one of the best bread puddings ever -- not overly sweet, not cloying, just highly perfumed and a nice texture contrast between crunchy bits and moist chewy bits. served with pumpkin ice cream (a mild disappointment -- slightly on the bland side) and some kind of tart sauce...sorry, i should have paid more attention to the menu. sauce was good, though. other dessert: chocolate ganache/hazelnut "stripes", i think they were called. these would make the best fun-sized candy bar. somebody should give these out for halloween (dark rich intense ganache, crunchy hazelnuts, a little caramel or praline or something...) next time i want to try the escargot and smoked salmon/toast/egg appetizers, the roast pork loin, that monkfish, maybe the steak, and the pignole tart with lavender ice cream (i think that's from the "original" marigold menu.) oh! and those lemon brie napoleons mrbigjas mentioned. but now what i really miss is that steven cook pasta dish -- the paprika tagliatelle, i believe, with the amazing mushrooms. that's autumn in a bowl, and right now is the perfect time to eat it. anyone know a good source of paprika tagliatelle? wine was slightly an afterthought -- i just picked a bottle and ran with it, and i didn't anticipate ordering fish. so i brought a chilean red, the nido de aguila armonia (2002). it's mostly cabernet sauvignon with a little merlot and cab franc thrown in. generally i like those kinds of wines, and i probably would have liked this more, but i didn't pair it with the right foods. to my untrained palate, it was chocolatey with berries (dark ones, like blueberries and blackberries), maybe a little smoky. good -- quite good with the carpaccio actually -- not so much with my fish. good again with the chocolate dessert. all in all, a memorable three hours. appetizers are in the $7-$14 range ($14, i think, for the foie gras. either that or it's $12.), entrees in the $20-$28 range, desserts all $7. cheese plate: 3 cheeses $9, 5 cheeses $15.

Thanks Sandy! I've been looking for this.

Sandy, I'll head on over to the SF/NY thread when I get a chance, and proudly advocate for my adopted city. I hope this doesn't constitute thread hijacking (p.s. to my employers: I do honestly do a lot of work, inbetween posting!) -- but I just wanted to mention that this thread exemplifies my love of the Pennsylvania board. Gastro888 posts this morning and already there's been like twenty-seven recommendations on what he (she?) should go do! Neat.

Thanks Jeff! Italian: the BYOs help keep the total tab down. There is AMAZING Italian food to be had in Philadelphia. I'm from the Bay Area, originally, and (this may be controversial...it's just my opinion) I think Philly is a better food city than San Francisco. There, I said it. For incredibly authentic Italian, I like Radicchio in Old City. As a caveat, it tends to get noisy, and crowded... Also good: Melograno and Caffe Casta Diva in the western part of Center City, and Tre Scalini/L'Angolo in South Philly. All of these places are small so they fill up quickly; Melograno does not take reservations. Bring a good bottle of wine (or two or three) and enjoy!

Gelato: Definitely check out Capogiro (the link is to the eGullet thread about the place, but they also have a website; I just don't remember what it is offhand). Amazing flavor combinations -- my favorites being grapefruit and campari sorbetto and the Mexican chocolate gelato. It's at 13th and Sansom, for reference, and what might be fun is going to Lolita (a Mexican-influenced BYO across the street with fantastic, fresh-squeezed margarita mixes) for dinner Saturday night, and then having dessert at Capogiro. There's a state liquor store at 12th and Chestnut, for picking up tequila. Note: Lolita doesn't take reservations on Saturday nights, and it's somewhat small, but if you have to wait, you can go across the street and have a pre-dinner gelato. Or, have an expensive drink at El Vez, which is similar to Lolita food-wise, but has a full bar. Cheesesteaks: I have never personally been that impressed by Pat's or Geno's, but I think the neon spectacle of Geno's is certainly worth seeing at least once. I actually prefer Tony Luke's (also in South Philly, I think at Front and Oregon) for cheesesteaks AND that true Philly sandwich, the roast pork Italian (tender roast pork, sharp provolone, spicy broccoli rabe, crusty roll. Perfection.) You should definitely check that out. And read through Holly's site for some other cheesesteak recommendations, as well as general good eats around town. Dim sum: Don't know if you've already picked a place but my recent favorite has been Lakeside Chinese Deli (funny name, really fresh high quality food). They don't roll the dim sum around on carts like most other places, so you miss out on that aspect of the experience, but because the food is made to order it tends to be hotter, fresher, and better. Since you'll be visiting on Sunday, the Reading Terminal Market will be closed -- otherwise I would definitely advise you to check it out. If you can squeeze in a brief visit on Saturday (they close at 6PM), I would still try and go. I don't know if the Italian Market is open on Sunday or not (my guess is yes) but I'd definitely visit...you'll be in the neighborhood when you hit up Pat's and Geno's, at any rate. There's lots of great Mexican and Vietnamese food in the same neighborhood, too, if that interests you. The DiBruno Bros. store at 17th and Chestnut is a gastronomic paradise, full of cheeses and smoked meats and all sorts of other goodies. Great for a picnic or stocking up for the ride home. If Mexican doesn't strike your fancy, there are a ton of other amazing BYOs you should check out for dinner Saturday night. I think the glut of BYOs here is a distinctive feature of the city, which is why I'm recommending them -- Marigold Kitchen, Melograno, Matyson, Pif, Radicchio...take your pick. There are threads about all of these restaurants on this board. Pick up one of the Chairman's Selection wines in a Wine & Spirits store; it will be a great bargain and I have yet to try one that I didn't like. Hope this is helpful, and enjoy your stay in Philadelphia! Edited: So Jeff and I obviously share the same mindset...sorry for the repetition; we were posting at the same time

Soup dumplings! And other Shanghai-style goodies (mentioned in the NYTimes review). Rozrapp, you are my hero. Try as I might, I have not been able to find a good version of these in Philadelphia.

This is a slightly wishy-washy request as my plans aren't set in stone yet. But one of my best friends will be in the New Brunswick/Princeton-ish area this weekend and I'm thinking of having lunch (or dinner, or both) in that approximate area with her. Here's what I want: Great food. Cheap prices. Atmosphere doesn't matter as much. As for specific cuisines, anything works as long as it's freshly prepared, made with love, and so on and so forth. I will, of course, be stopping by Trenton on my way back to pick up one of De Lorenzo's famous tomato pies... Thanks in advance! (Edited to add that I tried to be good and thoroughly search the New Jersey posts before I added this, but I can't find anything.)

Just wanted to thank everyone who sent me recommendations - I really appreciated it. Ultimately, we decided to go low-key and lower-end for the weekend (which fit my budget better), so Lola, York Street, and all the other wonderful Dallas dining destinations will have to wait until next time. I did get to eat some great barbeque, burgers, and Tex-Mex, though. North Main was great - I couldn't get enough of the smokey brisket and sausage. I will also always love Snuffer's and Burger House (it shouldn't be hard to make a great burger, but these were exemplary)... Next time: Manny's (or Mia's), Doughmonkey, some wineries... Anyways, thanks all. You have a beautiful city

I think the trick is to go with a smaller party, since I was able to walk in at 6:30 Saturday night without a problem. We shared the shrimp/asparagus/canellini bean/radicchio appetizer -- I plan on making something similar at home soon; it was excellent -- the grilled calamari special (with olives, capers and the most amazing tomatoes), gnocchi, and a side of broccoli rabe. Seriously good food. And you can't beat the complimentary bruschetta. Tiramisu was nice too, though mostly marscapone -- I like more ladyfinger layers. Katie's right, it's always really loud in there, but we saved our talking for after dinner and focused on mopping up every last bit of food and sauce.

Melograno and Caffe Casta Diva are on vacation until Sept. 8.

I'll miss Steven Cook, even though I never got up the nerve to introduce myself. According to another food board, the new chef is coming from Vetri--but my caveat is that I myself have NO sources, reliable or otherwise.

Hi all, I'm going to be down in Dallas soon and the plan is to embark on a weekend of eating, eating, and some more eating. Definitely lots of brisket and Tex-Mex for lunch (including North Main BBQ...I'm so excited!!!), and planned dinners at York Street, Lola, and La Duni. So here are my questions: - If I don't eat at Lola's tasting room, am I missing out? How's the regular menu? - Do you have any must-have dish recommendations for the restaurants above? And if there are any other places that I absolutely have to visit while I'm in town, please let me know. I'm looking for food that I don't get enough of in Philadelphia, which in my mind is specifically BBQ brisket sandwiches and quesadillas/fajitas/etc, OR really innovative cooking (along the lines of York St and Lola) OR a great wine bar. I want to visit some of the Texas wineries I've been reading about but most seem pretty far from Dallas... Thanks for your help! Edited to add that the (somewhat ambitious) lunch plans are: North Main BBQ, Snuffers, Casa Navarro (I haven't heard anyone mention it on this board but I love it), and maybe Sonny Bryan's. (God help me, but I do love their buttery, squishy rolls.) Everything in moderation, right?

Mike, Happy early birthday! For Italian, how about Vetri? Romantic atmosphere, wine list (and probably full bar), interesting cooking, and formal enough for a special occasion. I don't think it lives up to all the hype, but it's still good food. I've also heard good things about Sovalo (but that Cal-Ital style may annoy you, and I've never actually eaten there so I don't know what it's really like). My usual suspects for sublime Italian food are all BYO: Melograno, Caffe Casta Diva, L'Angolo, Radicchio, Tre Scalini etc. Marigold is excellent, but they may still be on vacation. If you bring the liquor, they can provide you with basic mixers. If I were you, and had an unlimited budget, I'd do brunch at Lacroix AND dinner at one of the aforementioned places

My two cents - I liked it, but like Evan, I wasn't bowled over by it. I don't have a burning desire to go back (although if someone else was paying, that might be different...) Still, I'd say you should go check it out at some point. Just don't go with insanely high expectations, like I did.

Evan: Run, don't walk to the Jamaican place at 60th and Baltimore (housed in a former trolley station and right next to where many trolleys congregate). The patties there are exactly like the ones I had in Negril. Plus the guy makes great rice and peas, oxtail stew, rotis, and desserts. The jerk is on and off, as far as I can recall. Sometimes it's fantastic (crispy spicy skin and tender moist chicken) and sometimes it's dry. But that's off-topic -- the patties are always great. :) Let me know if you like it! Diann

I think you mean salmon roe. I love that stuff. And the corn sounds great...

I just found these sites -- they might be useful to others: Listing of PA farmers' markets, courtesy of the USDA LocalHarvest.org -- lets you search for farmers' markets, CSAs, etc. close to your location.

Thanks all-- I'm in Narberth, so I've basically been shopping in Ardmore/Wynnewood. Can someone give me the exact address (or more detailed directions) to Lee's? I'll check out that and Produce Junction this weekend :)

So...I'm living out in the suburbs, temporarily. And I'm discovering all sorts of cool things--the Ardmore wine & spirits premium store and the Bakery House, for example--but for the life of me, I cannot seem to find a good reliable source for fruits and vegetables. No farmers' markets except the ones I'd normally go to anyways (Clark Park and Rittenhouse), no Sue's Produce, no Italian Market... I've tried the Ardmore Farmers' Market, Whole Foods ($$$!), Trader Joe's, Acme, SuperFresh, Genuardi's... all without notable success. I searched the Farm to City and Food Trust websites and that hasn't been particularly helpful, either. So does anyone have any suggestions for places I should shop at every week? Or should I just stick with shopping in the city? (It's too late in the season to order a CSA share, otherwise I might do that.) As always, thank you!

Stephen, you mentioned this when I was asking about soup dumplings earlier. I really need to get to one of her restaurants... As for Sang Kee, assuming the online menu is up-to-date, they are listed as "Steamed Juicy Buns". At Sang Kee Asian Bistro in Wynnewood, they're "Steamed Shang Hai Juicy Buns".

So I just heard back from Shola. He's booked for the entire summer, and he may close in September. There is no appropriate sobbing smiley (sobbing frowny?) for me to click on to express my emotions regarding this piece of news. :( Now I am fishing for an invite to one of these dinners for which he is booked...next time something pops up on the ISO thread, it's MINE. Squash blossom stuffed with Chinese sausage and Wagyu beef four ways...good lord. Oxtail croquette! This thread is such a tease.

Stopped by yesterday on the basis of all of these recommendations and boy, is this place good. I forgot to check out the things that had specifically been recommended (all I could remember from the thread was that the apple pies were good) but the blueberry crumb bar (? It's cut in squares like a lemon bar and has a streusel-like topping), chicken pot pie (excellent flaky crust), and chocolate cake were all good. Normally, I'm not a big fan of chocolate cake, but this stuff is dense and on the dark side. Yum. I also got a carrot cake muffin, which is still sitting in the fridge (it looks good...but I figured I should control myself). They had lots of samples out, too, which is always nice. I'll be back to check out the pies, the other cakes, the brownies, and almost everything else. Thanks for the tip! David (or anyone else): What is a Bay State muffin? I'm imagining something similar to a popover.

There are a few places serving them around town, but I haven't found any good enough to put in this "highlights" topic. Bummer... ← Ah, the quest for soup dumplings. I tried some at Sang Kee recently and they weren't bad... (but I wouldn't call them a highlight, either). Thanks for starting this thread, Jeff. If I had access to anything other than AOL right now I would be posting like crazy, but for now I just had to add Bao Bao Hao (1004 Race) since I haven't seen anyone post anything about it yet. If you go, get the wonton soup and any form of porridge/congee. The wontons are smaller than the kind served at Sang Kee but PACKED with flavor (meaty and shrimpy goodness). The porridge is also some of the best I've ever had -- the pork and preserved egg (which is my favorite) is packed with really good chunks of pork (I want to say pork butt or pork shoulder but I'm not sure of the cut), rather than the thin shreds you normally get. It comes in a HUGE ceramic pot* and it's cheap, as well. I believe it's all on the English menu. *Four of us ordered two porridges (ok, and a bowl of wonton soup, and some oysters in black bean sauce, and a couple of dishes--I am a chronic over-orderer) and the waitress asked incredulously, "Do you KNOW how big these things are?"/"Are you sure (are you crazy?)" (rough translation from Chinese). Then, as we ate, I noticed that we had also become the subject of conversation among a couple of other waiters because apparently nobody has ever ordered that much porridge and there we were, inhaling it... Anyways, check out Bao Bao Hao. Their other Cantonese stuff (steamed whole fish, clay pot dishes, anything in black bean sauce) is pretty good too. [Edited to add the website, which is interesting -- I should have gotten my free clay pot, apparently. Also note their hours: no lunch, but open till 3AM for any late night Cantonese cravings...]

Never fear, Evan -- perhaps I shouldn't admit this on egullet, but I do have a fondness for ramen Anyways, I didn't make it to Paloma, but my guests did and loved it. I went to Samba instead -- it is so good, and at $22.95, it's also a steal. We were the only guests there Sunday night, so I sure hope they're doing good business the rest of the week, because I want them to stay open. Too bad I can't eat rodizio every week...