Diann

Good to hear all the positive feedback. It's times like this when I wish LaBan, Sono Motoyama, Lauren McCutcheon and company DIDN'T review the same restaurants all at once, because then I would have heard about Paloma. On the other hand, I think reviews are more trustworthy when everyone has good things to say about a place (ex. Marigold, Pumpkin, Matyson, etc.) Anyways, thanks! I will report back after our visit this weekend.

Has anyone heard of this place in Northeast Philadelphia? It is "Mexican/French haute cuisine." Apparently it got a 29 from Zagat for food, so friends of mine who are in town this weekend want to try it. I figured I should turn to trusty Egulleteers for opinions before we went. Thanks! Diann

I knew I'd be posting about my dinner here, so I felt I had certain standards of decadence to live up to Speaking of which, as I was typing last night, slightly inebriated and about ready to fall asleep on the keyboard, I couldn't help but be reminded of Lauren McCutcheon's reference to the "I-can't-go-to-bed-until-I-post-every-intimate-detail-of-each-bite impassioned eGulleteers and Chowhounds" in her review this week. Sigh. Have fun on Tuesday! I'm excited to see what the chef will come up with. Haha, thanks! I'm always worried that my writing will not be descriptive enough to convey my enthusiasm about the food -- that's what comes of reading the amazing foodblogs on this site.

all right -- i followed suggestions and asked them to describe the menu to me, and ended up bringing the cosentino, a st. francis cab, and the hogue pinot grigio currently on sale. i loved the cosentino and the st. francis (which i've had on multiple occasions and loved); the hogue was fine but not exciting (maybe it was the food i was pairing with). i went with a couple of decadent friends, so we ended up ordering the following: --appetizers-- smoked trout and avocado salad grilled cheese rabbit rillettes with chicken liver pate of some sort clam chowder risotto --entrees-- the braised lamb described by capaneus the smoked paprika tagliatelle described by shacke ribeye (as described on the menu posted by capaneus) --desserts-- cheese plate pernod creme brulee tiramisu bittersweet chocolate tart coconut(?) tapioca with passionfruit sorbet and various fruits mango carpaccio there may have been a sixth dessert, but i cannot recall the smoked trout salad was perfect: a scoop of mild smoked trout salad (like whitefish salad) topped with creamy avocado and a spoonful of salmon roe with segments of grapefruit and mild golden beets. wonderfully contrasting textures and tastes. the clam chowder risotto was excellent as well: clams tasting like the sea, topped with a good amount of oniony chives, served with creamy grains of rice and potato with a hint of bacon smokiness. but the grilled cheese may have been my favorite (thanks shacke!), because of the bacony potato foam. it was, as advertised, incredibly bacony (smoky and "porky") -- the pure essence of potato and bacon. it came in a cup served with the sandwich, and i licked that cup clean. i am in love the pappardelle was good (especially the beautiful fresh mushrooms) but i think i will have the lamb next time -- i had a taste and it was tender and sweet and everything that lamb should be. desserts -- the tiramisu was ridiculously divine. imagine a streak of dark chocolate, the most concentrated rum-soaked cake (i'm not sure if it was ladyfingers), cold coffee ice cream with espresso beans -- all good by themselves. now combine them and add some kind of whipped cream that i couldn't identify because we didn't look at the menu when we ordered the desserts -- my friend just said "we'll have everything on the menu." i love my friends! the mango carpaccio actually worked, as well -- a cold ring of finely cubed mango topped with passionfruit sorbet, kiwi, and some kind of fruit soup. unfortunately, i'm not generally a fan of creme brulee, but it was fine; i barely got a taste of the chocolate tart because another friend didn't want to share it; and the tapioca was probably upstaged by the other desserts, but it was an interesting combination of textures and tastes. the cheese plate was lovely--i apologize for not being able to remember what we were served, but the blue was served with a quince jelly that made for a wonderful combination of sweet and salt. i've been feeling restaurant fatigue lately because i've been working on improving my own cooking skills, but marigold is magic. it has got to be one of the best restaurants in philadelphia. i apologize for my current lack of descriptive skills--the wines were EXCELLENT--but if you have not been, please go. and if you've been, please go again. i wish i could join all of you on tuesday, but i'm sure you'll have an amazing time. and i hope you post plenty of pictures and menus!! [i should also mention that the servers are patient, enthusiastic about the food, and generally great. and the manager, jonathan, is cute--a nice bonus!]

I'm going to Marigold tonight and I was wondering if anyone had been recently, so I can get a sense of what's on the menu? Mainly I'm looking for wine recommendations -- I'm thinking of getting the Cosentino "Poet" meritage because it's gotten rave reviews over on the PCLB bargains thread -- thoughts? (Another possibility would be one of the zinfandels that are on sale, since I've never had one before.) Thanks, everyone!

I'm not sure where the train station is in relation to Primanti's, but I'd skip it, actually. I went the last time I was in Pittsburgh (January) and it wasn't that great -- yes, they put fries and cole slaw on your sandwich, but both are utterly bland. And they use boring white bread and undistinguished deli meats. So all in all, it wasn't a very interesting sandwich. I think there's good food to be had on the South Side -- for example, Fatheads' burgers. And they have a bunch of beers on tap to tide you over until Cleveland

Yes, do try McCann's sometime. Get the metal tin -- and swallow hard when you see the price tag. It will be worth it, trust me! ← I will! How much IS McCann's, anyways? I don't pay attention to oatmeal prices. But it sounds like a great option when the weather starts to cool down again...

I am a closeted cereal hoarder. I'm all out right now (!!! -- part of a concerted effort to eat my way through my pantry before spending more money) but my ideal lineup of cereals includes Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Blueberry Morning/Cranberry Almond whatever/Vanilla Almond Crunch/Banana Nut something (I can't remember the names for these cereals since I usually buy the Trader Joe's versions), TJ's triple berry crunch, Berry Burst cheerios (triple berry and strawberry), Honey Nut Cheerios, Raisin Bran, Cracklin' Oat Bran (like mini oatmeal cookies!)... all with nonfat milk. In a big bowl. I am a huge sucker for dried fruit in cereal. Except when Kellogg's does it (Fruit Harvest, I think it's called). And I just discovered that TJ's has an ALL-CLUSTER version of vanilla almond crunch I think I should try real steel-cut oats sometime. I used to like my mom's version of oatmeal (made with real oats, milk, and for some reason I recall an egg. I should ask her...) but instant oatmeal scares me. And grits...mmmm...cheddar grits.... But on the topic of hot cereal-like foods I guess I'd have to throw in congee with pork and preserved egg (or chicken and ginger) and I think that's REALLY unrelated. Or not.

I love cereal, but AS a current Penn student, I have to say -- yuck. I know people who go to Cereality on a regular basis because it's a relatively cheap meal compared to other lunch options, but still, there are a ton of lunch trucks around here, and who wants to pay $3+ for a bowl of cereal? I *do* think it's an interesting business venture, given that they're partnering with Quaker (to do market research, I think?). And it's a good fit for Penn -- it matches the other yuppie retail outlets on campus. But I wish we could replace Cereality with a decent Italian place (there are no shortage of these in Philadelphia, but you have to cross the Schuykill to find one) Cereality did get a ton of press during its opening, though, and I think they do decent business, though I don't really understand why. (I know I mentioned the "cheap lunch" option above, and it does have a central location, but flavored milk really isn't for me. Or stirring a bunch of stuff into my cereal. Or making multiple cereals into "shakes".)

Sadly, I missed the pilgrimage to Samba by a bunch of intrepid PhilleGulleteers (I was working, of all things), but I think that's pineapple grilled with a splash of butterscotch schnapps aka Buttershots. ← Butterscotch! That's exactly what it is. Katie, if you haven't been to Samba yet, you definitely have to go. They mix a mean capirinha, as well.

Dear Chairman Newman, First, let me echo the appreciation of others on this thread for taking the time to answer our questions. I also wanted to thank you for instituting the Chairman's Selections programs, since they have given me (a college student trying to teach herself about wine) a chance to drink some truly great bottles of wine for under $20 a bottle. I just have one question for you -- recently, Ristorante Panorama hosted a Chairman's Selection wine dinner that sounded great, although unfortunately, I was unable to attend. Do you plan on having more events of this type, or as was suggested by other posters, other types of wine tasting/education events? Thanks again! Diann

I've been eating a lot of barbeque lately -- first Porky & Porkie, then Sweet Lucy's. Finally made it there on Thursday BEFORE 8PM, which is when they close (except for Fridays and Saturdays, when they're open until 9). Last time I tried to go, we pulled into the parking lot at 8:01, and the doors were locked! :( I had the brisket sandwich platter, served with beans and coleslaw; we also tried the ribs, brisket, pulled pork, wings, garlic mashed potatoes, collard greens, and cornbread. I really liked everything -- including the baby backs and the fact that the sandwich was served on a slightly squishy roll (I was afraid it'd be on a Kaiser roll, which I don't think is right for brisket). All the meats had a good deep smoke, and I'll be back for the ribs, brisket, and cornbread (slightly sweet, very pale yellow and fluffy). Greens were slightly dull, and sides were kinda skimpy overall. Overall opinion varied on the ribs--others didn't like them, so I think it really just depends on personal taste. Everyone liked the brisket; the pulled pork felt "off" because the sauce seemed to be the same as what was on all the other meats -- not vinegary, basically sweet. But oh, that smokey, tender brisket... You should definitely eat there when you go, too -- it's impressive inside. And the rolls of paper towels on each table are a nice touch.

Wanted to add my two cents and say that the wait staff is extremely nice, and conscientious about refilling water, getting tongs and extra napkins, etc. I'll be going back, too--like others have noted, it may not be the best Korean food in the world (or even the most authentic), but it's all-you-can-eat BBQ in a relatively convenient location for a very reasonable $15. It definitely satisfied my craving for bulgogi. And I left smelling pleasantly smokey. And you can experiment with grilling pineapple! (Reminds me of Samba, where they serve grilled pineapple doused in cinnamon(?) liqueur for dessert...mmm!)

Tandoor! I live (for now) a couple blocks away, but I always find myself going to New Delhi instead. Not sure why. Do you order off the menu at Tandoor, or do they have a bunch of interesting things in their buffet? I don't consider myself an expert in Indian food, but I do like Sitar's buffet (38th and Chestnut, behind Chili's) -- good buttery fresh naan, masala dosas and samosas, and both rice pudding and gulab jamun for dessert.

On that note, what do you guys think is the best Indian to be found IN the city? (if I'm taking this too off-topic, I apologize)

I don't know how it's done (what oven temperature, if there are any seasonings, etc.) but I believe a classic French preparation is roasting chunks of marrow bones in the oven and serving with grey salt, mustard, toasted baguette, and cornichons. You scoop the roasted marrow out of the bone, spread on the baguette like butter, top with sea salt, and eat. I've never made it, only eaten it and loved it. Anthony Bourdain mentions that Henderson does a roasted bone marrow (from veal shank) with parsley and caper salad, croutons, and sea salt.

I must, mustn't I? Have I mentioned both the Burgess and the Liparita were very good? ← If you wind up planning this, I'm definitely in! Me and anyone else I can drag along

Just got back from brunch at Marigold. They are indeed fantastic. It was my first time there, and I'm going back on Wednesday for dinner--can't wait! Unfortunately, I need to be productive today, so no champagne at brunch, but both the coffee (La Colombe) and orange juice were very good and priced right, at $2 each. The table next to us was making mimosas, and I noticed the good stemware. Rough menu, as far as I can remember: - Two frittatas: Red bliss potato, and sweet potato/mushroom?/asparagus. Apparently (I didn't get a taste, but I generally don't like frittatas) the former didn't actually have potatoes in it, but rather mushrooms and other unidentifiable (but good) things. The potatoes came on the side, in some kind of mustard sauce; they were the highlight of the plate. - Cornflake-crusted brioche french toast with cranberry butter, chestnut puree, and maple syrup. Truly spectacular. Finally, french toast that's full of flavor and texture. Plenty of cinnamon in the batter. - Sausage mushroom and potato fry-up, with three(!) eggs (over easy) -- yum. Served with mesclun greens -- I love mixing wilted greens with egg yolk and sausage...maybe I'm weird. - Seared Arctic char with asparagus and something else - Homemade turkey scrapple, "custardy" eggs, spicy ketchup - Bowl of granola and yogurt; also a salad with vinagrette - Sides of cheddar grits, thick-cut double-smoked bacon (yum), and something else. There were probably eight entree choices in total, so that means I've forgotten two. But it was one of the best breakfasts I've had in a long time. I'm picky about brunch, since it usually feels like food that I could have just as easily made it myself, but this was different. I'm so excited to have Marigold AND RX in the neighborhood now. Next on the list (eventually) is Carman's...

I haven't been there, but I knew I had read about it. Craig LaBan gave it one bell ...but I don't always agree with Mr. LaBan's taste buds. And here's an excerpt of one from Citypaper, courtesy of PhillyLunchBox -- scroll down the page a bit. I know Philadelphia Weekly also reviewed the place, but I can't find the link -- sorry!

I miss Good Dog...I should go back sometime soon. I don't think I actually ever had a bad meal there -- the muffaletta, which doesn't seem to be on the menu anymore, was flavor-packed (if not exactly authentic) and even though I don't really like sweet potatoes, I liked the mix of sweet and regular fries. Also, I feel like I should defend their salads I rather enjoy that calamari salad -- it's a nice mix of fennel, orange slices and squid, with a really interesting "orange vinagrette infused with sun dried tomatoes and dill" -- I don't remember if orange, tomatoes and dill were the flavors that came through, but it was gooood. Much better than any of the dreck served at Marathon Grill. I like the girly salad aliwaks mentioned, too. Vanilla vinagrette. YUM. Need to try this roquefort-stuffed burger.

Whoa. I am super jealous. Do you know if Panorama or the PLCB plan on doing this regularly? It would be really cool if they held Chairman's Selection dinners every couple of months, though I can only think of a few other restaurants in the city that are as wine-obsessed as Panorama seems to be (have not yet been, though I'm looking forward to some pappardelle and wine flights when I do go). I guess to be fair they'd have to move the dinners around the state, to Pittsburgh and such, but I sure hope they do this in Philly again.

Yeah, I think Pumpkin would be a great restaurant to have in the neighborhood, since you would probably never eat the same thing twice. I really enjoyed the SB, but I like most of them anyways. It had that "cat's pee on a gooseberry bush" smell to it...can't remember any of its other characteristics. I think it was either on sale last month or a Chairman's Selection.

Had dinner here last night. Wow -- probably the smallest restaurant I've ever been in, even compared to Caffe Casta Diva and Melograno. But it's cute. I wish I had come with a larger party so I could have sat at the table with the pumpkin-colored couch in the alcove. Small menu, too, which unfortunately means I can't bring some of my pickier friends here (I think there were five apps and five or six entrees). I didn't have a reservation, but I went early (6:30) and was promptly seated. Started with the endive and gruyere gratin and the grilled romaine salad. The endives had been braised until golden and had a nice thick layer of gruyere melted on top. Tender, slightly sweet, slightly bitter, warm, melty goodness. The grilled romaine I want to try making at home when I finally buy a grill pan and/or an outdoor grill -- a whole heart of romaine, lightly touched by the grill, drizzled with a "parmigiano vinagrette" (Caesar dressing, essentially). The other apps I can remember were mussels, scallops, and grilled quail. Prices for apps: $7-$10. Entrees: grilled pork loin with spaetzle, sauerkraut, bacon, and onions(?) for me; grilled Hawaiian swordfish with some kind of ginger foam/sauce and couscous for my friend. The pork was slightly dry (unfortunately, most pork loin is) but immensely improved by the bacon/spaetzle/sauerkraut mixture -- smoky, sour, delicious. I only got a bite of the swordfish, but it was good as well. I was surprised by the relative lack of fish choices, though, since I had been expecting at least two or three seafood dishes and probably only one or two meat entrees. The other entrees available last night were a steak (strip, I believe, with a red wine sauce, mushrooms, mashed potatoes), duck confit with French lentils (I should have gotten this!), roasted chicken breast, and a vegetarian (possibly even vegan) choice. Prices for entrees: I think the vegan was $15; the steak was $26. Everything else was somewhere inbetween. Quite reasonable. Shared a spice cake with poached PEAR and vanilla creme fraiche for dessert. This is probably something I could make at home (easily) but still quite good. I love spice cake. I liked the olive oil (with cloves of roasted garlic), too, though the baguette could have been better. Will go back to try a whole fish whenever they have one next. Drank a Chilean sauvignon blanc (Reserve Morande Terrarum, 2003) and a Yellowtail Shiraz (2004...hey, we ARE college students). In short, if you haven't been here yet, go! Check it out. Edited...because I can't believe I spelled "pear" incorrectly!!

That wouldn't be the building nestled inside the trolley loop at 61st and Baltimore, would it? I remember when that place served barbecue. That was many years ago now. Wonder if it still smells as good? ← Sorry for the late response! I think it IS the building in the trolley loop. It smells "Jamaican" now, for lack of a better descriptor. It's a good smell.

Ooh, I have to try this place, especially since Phoebe's last night made me crave good pulled pork and brisket. (And by that I mean, while Phoebe's is my easy standby for ribs, chicken, mac and cheese and beans, I think their brisket leaves something to be desired. Pulled pork is fine, but not awesome). How are the other sides at Sweet Lucy's?