philadining

As I mentioned over in the Distrito thread, it's a pretty great time for Mexican food in Philly. It wasn't all that long ago that we were bemoaning the lack of really great Mexican food in the city, then we finally got some good taquerias, then the last few years have seen some places aspiring to to more than that, offering interesting, modern interpretations of the cuisine. There's nothing at all wrong with the basic Taqueria, but there's more to Mexican food than tacos and enchiladas. Over the last year or so, some of my favorite examples of contemporary Mexican food have been emerging from the kitchen at the Cantina Los Caballitos in South Philly. The preparations are not especially fussy or delicate, not fusions or post-modern experiments, more straight-ahead and homey, done with great attention to detail. As a result, the conchinita pilbil, the goat tacos and the ribs have become favorites with my circle, eliciting many repeat visits specifically to get those three things, and whatever was on the specials board. I think I admitted in the Los Caballitos thread that a friend and I went two nights in a row, and got the same things both times... So it was pretty exciting to hear that there was going to be another Cantina, this time in Northern Liberties. For one, it's been really hard to get into the original one in south philly, on a weekend night, waits of over an hour are not uncommon. Also, Cantina Dos Segundos is not merely a duplication of the first one, it features a larger menu with some unique dishes, and even deeper explorations into regional cuisines rarely seen in Philly. I can't claim to be a completely disinterested, anonymous critic: I've known one of the owners for many years, oddly enough from a completely non-food context. But I'm writing as a sincere fan of the food, not as a favor to a friend. I've had one dinner and one brunch so far, and grabbed a couple of other bites as they were going by, and so far, I've been really impressed. Chef Mark McKinney has a great feel for intense, hearty flavors, and has been sourcing high-quality ingredients, raising the bar for even seemingly routine dishes. The turkey remains tender and moist in the vivid moles. Pork chops are exposed to some sort of magic marinade that renders them juicier than seems possible. Even the Carne Asada is a revelation, a high-quality rib-eye, rubbed with earthy spices. Who'd have thought my favorite steak could be at a Mexican Cantina? If it's anything like the Cantina Los Caballitos, I'm keeping my eye on the specials board, some of the most interesting stuff will show up there. But I'll also be in on a regular basis for some new (and old) favorites. It's always a good idea to start with a ceviche, chef McKinney does a great job with these. I'm especially fond of the Atun with creamy coconut and sweet onions. Their Goat Tacos are one of the best things to eat anywhere. The shredded meat is juicy, tender and deeply flavored. It's not too funky, just a bit more vivid than beef or pork, you really should try it. Carnitas Estilo Michoacan are different from any carnitas I've ever had, apparently this is a particular technique from Michoacan, in which the pork is cooked slowly in fat, much like a duck confit. The result is a rich, tender shredded pork, with intense flavor, and yep, a little delicious fattiness left to them. It's crisped-up a little to order, giving a nice combo of crunchy and soft shreds. I had one of these tacos that was a little dry, but the others were a nice mix of textures. The Tacos al Pastor here have passed those from Taquitos de Puebla on 9th street as my favorites. Both have great charred edges from the vertical spit, but I think this version at Dos remains a little juicier, and has a more aggressive marinade, which I like a lot. The chunks of pineapple mixed in make this an addictive treat. Pulpo a las Brasas al Mojo de Ajo is a unique presentation of a philly favorite: tiny whole octopuses grilled to add a smoky charred edge, remaining very tender, tangy with citrusy, garlicky marinade. It's going to be hard to resist ordering these every time. To accompany, be sure to check out the Frijoles Refritos, refried beans, rich with lard and bacon. Yes there are vegetarian, and vegan versions of the beans, and actually quite a lot of options for vegetarians and vegans overall. The tacos, burritos, and chimichangas can be filled with various meats, or rice and beans, or vegan "ground beef," or what they call "verduras," which is roasted squash, mushrooms, spinach and cactus. Speaking of chimichangas - I don't really like chimichangas, but I had a bite of one here and was amazed at how light and flaky it was. I just might have to get one... Also on the side, we like: Platanos Machos sweet plantains with dark caramelized edges, doused with crema and cheese. Elote Asado sweet corn, roasted to a sugary char, slathered with mayo, dusted with cheese, sprinkled with lime. Papas Fritas nicely spiced fried potatoes. There was some debate at our table about whether there was too much salt and spice, but the opinions were evenly split. Some of those dishes above we had for brunch, the lunch menu is available through brunch. One of the brunch specials really got me though, I REALLY hope it will be a permanent fixture on the brunch menu: Huevos Dos Segundos This is a variation on Eggs Benedict, with corn masa cakes subbed-in for the english muffins, a smear of refritos on top, perfectly poached eggs, chorizo-infused hollandaise sauce, and - hang onto something - Benton's Bacon. I could smell that distinctive smokiness when the plate got within about 10 feet of our table. The combo of the intense bacon and the porky beans, with the creamy eggs and lemony sauce... wow. I've had a few drinks too, and quite like: Cadillac Margaritas (with Guava); the "Los Ovnis," a gingery drink with rum and Boing! soda; a really weird one, the "Cola de Caballo," a bourbon and coke with liquid smoke! There's a crazy selection of tequilas, including some interesting "flights" comparing different styles or types or origins, or aging, etc. I can't think of a more fun way to educate one's self about the finer points of tequila. I'm looking forward to trying some of the obscure mezcals, from tiny producers. So, wow, as I read back over this post, it looks like a fluffy PR piece, but I don't really want to invent bad stuff to make myself look like less of a shill! All my food has been really good. It's true enough that some of the staff surely recognizes me, but I don't think the waiters can suddenly become knowledgeable about the food or the drinks on the spot, they seem very well informed, and are friendly and helpful in a relaxed way. Oh wait, I have a criticism: the Air Conditioning is a little flaky in some areas, mostly up front, by the doors. But then, the outdoor temps have been in the upper 90s, and it's a new renovation, that's a challenge for any place. I'm sure they'll work it out. The look of the restaurant is very welcoming, with exposed brick, funky mismatched chairs, distressed wood, and warm colors. I really like the bar, which is plenty deep for eating, or just hanging out with a drink. The only real problem I have with the place is that I really like the Standard Tap, which is a few doors to the south. But it's going to be hard to resist the siren call of those Tacos al Pastor. Or the goat tacos. Or the empanadas. Or jeeze, those ribs. www.cantinadossegundos.com 931 N 2nd St 215-629-0500

I have to say that I was really surprised by Distrito. I'd been following all the PR, and had developed an impression of the place that it turns out was wrong on several levels. I like the food at Amada and Tinto, and enjoyed El Vez when Jose Garces was chef there, so I was pretty sure the food would be good, but I was getting very confused about what the overall focus and feel of Distrito would be. I'm still perplexed. As mentioned above, the massive space is VERY PINK!!! It's got an open, fun, casual feel, with movie-marquee-style signs over the downstairs bar and upstairs kitchen, a wall of luchador masks along the stairway, rattan booths, some swinging seats, other chairs seem a bit like patio furniture. Overall it looks and feels a bit like a beach party. To be blunt, I don't like the look. But that's just me, I'm sure that most people will like it, and the lighthearted vibe will almost certainly appeal to the 8 bazillion college students nearby, and surely many others. But it just strikes me as a little too silly, and a bit cold and empty-feeling. Imagine my surprise when the food turns out to be extremely elegant and refined, tiny jewel-like constructions of delicate flavors and complex textures. Everything we tried was absolutely delicious, often surprising, and very meticulously composed. On one hand, this should be no surprise, given the level of polish seen on the dishes at Amada and Tinto. Those places are a good analogy for Distrito: there was some grumbling about how the casual, informal tradition of tapas may have been buffed to too high a gloss at those places, resulting in expensive, overly polite versions of the originals. But beyond that conceptual argument about what tapas should be, there was (general) agreement that the food was very well-executed and quite delicious. The same thing happens at Distrito. The concept is "small plates" and indeed the portions are surprisingly diminutive. But within those compact proportions are some pretty amazing flavors, and extremely artful constructions. I'm leaning toward the position that the portions are exactly right, that these particular versions of dishes should be experienced in measured, intense doses, rather than in massive bowl-fulls. Just don't be surprised when your order of Pork Belly with Mole Verde arrives in a 4-inch Staub mini cocotte, four bite-sized pieces of meltingly tender pork over rice, a dollop of green sauce. It's delicious, but not what one would expect at a Oaxacan restaurant, or quite what I was expecting in this party-like atmosphere. So if one can get past the cognitive dissonance presented by what's on the plate and the atmosphere in which it's being served, there's some pretty impressive food to be had. I had the good fortune of dining with Katie Loeb, who knew some of the staff from her days working at Amada, so we benefitted from a little special attention, and a couple of complimentary dishes. The first of those was a revelation, it didn't sound all that interesting from the menu description, but after a few bites, we were telling our waiter that they should make this a mandatory item: just put it on the table without asking, nobody will ever complain. Jicama Salad It's somehow sweet and savory at once, crunchy and juicy, refreshing and intriguing. Seriously, just get one of these and have it on the table, it'll be a nice starter, a perfect palate-cleanser, it would even be a good dessert. The chef was also kind enough to send us a Tuna Ceviche Pristine raw tuna, very gently touched by citrus, if at all, but nicely salted, accompanied by spicy creamy coconut, cool lime sorbet and a nice crunch from crispy micro tortillas. Very nice. From the "Huraches" section, we ordered the Los Hongos, which featured mushrooms, huitlacoche sauce, cheese and corn shoots. The huarache itself, a very thin, crispy flatbread, was much thinner than any I've had before, but it worked very nicely, transmitting an earthy corn flavor and nice crunch. The topping was very tasty, the creamy wild mushroom flavors lightened by the corn shoots. Carne Kobe Tacos This is one of those dishes that may induce portion size sticker shock: it's two tiny tacos, maybe 4 inches in diameter, with a few slices of beef on each, for $12. Yes it's luxuriously tender beef, yes it's extremely tasty, and yes, I'd order it again. But it's a bit of a surprise when they arrive, looking so... dainty! The flavors are anything but: the meat is assertively beefy, there's a tingle of horseradish, a crunch of potato straws, and a comforting smear of truffled potato. Mole Verde with Pork Belly As mentioned earlier, I laughed a little when this arrived, I'm used to Moles being large, deep plates of sauce, with a chicken breast island in the middle. This is obviously a whole different thing. And for what it is, it is quite satisfying. Four bites of pork belly might not seem like much, but what there is is very nicely executed. The rice is light and tender, the sauce vibrant and complex. I could use a little more sauce... I could use a little more of everything in this dish, but it's only $8, and I did enjoy it quite a lot. Queso Fundido with Duck Barbacoa I was a little skeptical about this one: I love queso fundido, I love duck, I never thought of them together. I must say, I thought it worked very well. Smear some of that on delicate, made-to-order tortillas, and it's a great flavor combo. We also got some black beans and rice, also served in a tiny Staub cocotte, which were basic, but good, but didn't photograph well. We ended with Tres Leches This was ethereally light, no small trick for tres leches, and had a nice bright flavor from the mango on top, and nice layers of sweetness that evoked the traditional tastes of this cake, while giving it a modern spin. I'll let Katie go into details about the drinks, but we had a few, all of which were good, and often quite interesting, with surprising elements like tomatillo, or cumin, or chile incorporated. As I mentioned, Katie was recognized, so I'm not sure how typical of a service experience we had, but our waiter was very nice, very well-informed, and gave us good suggestions. There's a hive of worker-bees waiting to refill your water, clear your plates, or bring you another something, so overall, the service seems quite polished, especially for so early on. So overall, I loved the food, I'm still a little mixed about the whole experience. It'll be interesting to see how it feels with a full room, maybe the decor won't bother me so much, but or right now I just wasn't digging the visual aspect of the space, while quite impressed by the visuals on the table. Plates and glasses and other serviceware are very elegant, as is the food itself. It's not cheap. The 4 plates we ordered, and a side of beans, and dessert, with three drinks, came in at about $90. That probably would have been enough food for two, although we might have wanted another plate or two. With the two things the kitchen sent us, we were stuffed. It's an interesting time for Mexican food in Philly. We've slowly accumulated several good basic taquerias, and the last few years have seen a few more upscale offerings as well with Xochitl, Cantina Los Caballitos, and whatever Molcajete Mixto has turned into as good examples. The also-new Cantina Dos Segundos offers an interesting contrast to Distrito - they too are doing serious cooking, based on traditional recipes, tweaked with high-quality ingredients, but the presentations are very different. Their portions are huge, prices lower, and the overall feel is a bit more relaxed. The food there is surprisingly refined as well, I've been really impressed by a couple of recent meals, but it's presented in a more low-key way. I'm pretty thrilled to have both options. I like the food at both places, and their approaches are different enough that I don't think I could say one is "better" than the other. I suspect I'll find myself at Dos Segundos more often, as a regular stop in the dining rotation, and reserve Distrito more for special occasions. I'm not sure that's what Garces intended, but by the middle of the meal, it was feeling a bit more like a destination restaurant, not an everyday spot to drop-in on frequently. It'll be interesting to see how others use it. I'm very curious to see what the university community of Penn and Drexel students and staff makes of it. It's got the look of a perfect party spot, but the prices and elegant presentations may dissuade some of them, this is not really a spot for nachos and beer. They do have those things on the menu, along with a few other not-so-challenging dishes, and who knows, maybe that crowd will embrace expensive tiny Kobe beef tacos. In any case, it's a good time to be in Philly if one is interested in Mexican food...

Holly, don't be diameterist! Fries of all shapes and sizes can be good when well-made. I might agree that a Belgian-style frite is the ultimate expression of the fried potato, but there are plenty of other geometries that are quite tasty too. The Parc frites were crispy, but still tender, and I think they went well with the steak. I liked them. And yes, they taste a little like McDonalds' fries, if you get them fresh out of the frier. I'm not reluctant to say that I like those too.

You're right, it looks a bit more like a skirt steak, but I'm pretty sure it was a hanger. I've never been served one that looked quite like that in a restaurant before, but I bought a whole hanger once that had some sections were vaguely that shape.

I'm going to have to agree pretty completely with my wind-blown dining companions David and Rae, the overall experience at Parc was a mixed bag. On the upside: It's a lovely space, indeed evoking a bustling French Bistro or Brasserie. The light is low, and a little yellow, which makes photography a challenge, but it's a pleasant, and authentic-feeling look in general. They make a good Sazerac cocktail. (Sure I should have just had a glass of wine, but I'm just back from New Orleans, and not happy about having to leave that city, so I'm weaning myself slowly... ) The staff was very nice, and service was generally very good. It would have been nice it the manager had just come back and told us what was up with the fans, after promising to turn them down, but he assured us that he'd take care of it, nothing changed, and we never saw him again. Maybe he's still looking for the controls... We got a very weird, funky glass of wine, and they were very prompt and professional about pouring a replacement and making sure that it was OK. As it turns out, it is a very odd Shiraz in any condition, but that first glass we got was sour and acrid and way more funky than it was supposed to be. The replacement, apparently from a new bottle, was significantly better, and they handled the situation well. The bread is excellent. We loved the baguettes, and liked the heartier, darker bread too. When we first asked for bread (it may have been coming anyway, but we were desperate for a taste... ) we got a fairly modest selection, which we powered-through in about 35 seconds. Shortly afterward, we snagged someone walking by the table and asked for more bread, and to her credit, her response was "I'll make sure that happens" not "I'll find your waiter" or some other evasion. And indeed, a very short time later, we got a much more generous basket. I'm only a little embarrassed to say that we came pretty close to finishing all that. Also, the charcuterie was very good. There's prosciutto under the salami, and what I think was duck prosciutto on top of that, all of which were delicious. The country pate and duck rillettes were both quite pleasant, but the unexpected star might have been the chicken liver mousse, which was creamy and airy and intense all at once. Extra points for good cornichons and pickled onions. On the down side: As reported above, it's freaking deafeningly loud. This place puts the "din" back in dinner. Yes, I know noisy restaurants are very common these days, and I generally put up with it, but this was viscerally unpleasant. It's a big tile room with a lot of people in it, it's almost inevitable, and sure, part of that Brasserie vibe is a bustling energy, but I've been in similarly-designed restaurants that didn't leave my ears ringing. There was enough about this restaurant that I liked that I want to return, but unless something serious changes about the acoustics, I think I would only do so at a really slow time. It's very possible that most people don't get all tense and irritated in blaringly loud environments, so maybe it won't be an issue for most folks, but I was having a very hard time relaxing and enjoying my food, let alone hearing the person sitting next to me. This could be just an early-days quirk that they'll figure out, but it was rather cold, and very windy, under the ceiling fan where we were sitting. Yes, it was a hot day yesterday, but the A/C was on, the place was not hot, and certainly didn't need the fans cranking so hard that they literally kept blowing out the candles on our table. Picture that amount of breeze, enough that it blows out candles, blowing constantly across your food. It gets cold REALLY fast. Our lamb dish, as Rae mentioned above, was very tasty, one of our favorites, but was cold almost instantly because the sliced meat was subjected to a constant cold wind. The majority of our food was in a middle zone - not at all bad, but not incredibly thrilling either, and we actually do get thrilled by a good steak frites, or a perfectly roasted chicken. The Lyonnaise Salad was good, I'd probably get it again, but it was missing a little spark, I think mostly in the dressing, it needed a little more bite, or intensity or something... But not bad. I didn't get a good photo of the escargots, but they too were good, but not transcendent. I liked the garlicky sauce soaked up with the nicely-toasted rusks, and the snails were tender, but didn't taste like much themselves. I suspect we're still pining for the Pif snails, and these are a different style, which may be an unfair comparison. Regardless, overall good, but not a must-have. Frites: excellent. The steak had a good solid beefy flavor, but that was about it. The compound butter was pretty subtle, and relatively sparse, and there was not much of a sauce, maybe just juices, which could be OK, but it just wasn't as vivid as it should be. This dish at Blue Angel was not much different in composition, but tasted WAY better. My chicken picture is kind of blurry too, and you know, it looks like a roast chicken... I liked it more than Rae, but I completely agree that the texture was not good at all, it had a mushy, mealy feel that I can only assume comes from brining. I can't imagine what else would to that to a chicken. The lamb was delicious, one of our favorite things all night. As we whined about above, this dish, probably because it was sliced, suffered most under the fans, or maybe it wasn't all that hot when it arrived, but we can only imagine that it would have been even more delicious hot. As Rae noted, this is normally served on top of polenta, so don't be surprised if yours doesn't look exactly like this. The polenta was good with this, we got it on the side. If I had any complaint, it would be, as mentioned above, that the sauces on everything seemed a litle too similar, as if there were one huge pot simmering back in the kitchen labeled "Le Sauce." I've had lots of duck confit like this, enough that I feel like it might be a style, not a flaw. But if so, it's not my favorite style. It had good flavor, but was just too dry for my taste. The duck confit at Standard Tap, or one we got as part of a tasting menu at Matyson were much more tender and moist, while still gaining that concentrated flavor from the preservation process. Again, not bad, just not something that I MUST return for. So overall, I'm just not sure what to make of it. As mentioned above, this stuff isn't rocket science, and we're not impossible to please. I've been quite happy with meals I've had at Balthazar in NY, at Brasserie Jo in Chicago, at Jeanty at Jack's in San Francisco, at Blue Angel here in Philly, and at Paris bistros so small and undistinguished that I didn't bother noting their names. So I don't think we're holding this place to an impossible standard, it just left us a little cold, in a few senses of the word. I wouldn't hesitate to go back some time at an off-hour and have some bread, the charcuterie platter, and try some more from the menu. But I might have to sit outside, or avoid a table anywhere near a fan. Of course, it is early days, and some of these things, like ceiling fan control, might be still in the process of being worked-out. I hope so - I like the look and feel, it's got the kind of food I'd love to eat on a regular basis, and the prices are not totally out of line. We'll see...

Do the crayfish require any assembly, and if so, does IKEA provide a tool and a perplexing pictographic instruction sheet?

Wow, and I thought the Maldon salt grinders were pretty out of control. Although, nothing improves movie theater popcorn like a dose of Maldon. I highly recommend going to the movies with David... (oh, and do you think we can use your egg carrier thing for melted butter?)

After sleeping off those cocktails from the night before, we were finally ready for one last taste of New Orleans, before having to head back home. It really was down to a coin-flip - whether to do something simple and funky, or to just throw the rest of our money at an iconic experience. It's tails. We head to Brennan's. Turtle Soup. Fantastic. Really, it's balanced, complex, with great texture and flavor. Couldn't be better. Seafood Gumbo. My friend likes it a lot. Grillades and Grits. It looks a bit like a plate of something at a diner, but underneath that Creole sauce are three of the tenderest, most delicate veal cutlets I've ever had the pleasure of tasting. The grits are creamy, buttery, just the right compliment to the tangy sauce. It's a great dish, buffed-up a bit from its origins I'm sure, but still delivering that primal pleasure. Eggs Nouvelle Orleans. Poached Eggs, lump crabmeat, Brandy-cream sauce. This is rather blah. There's a ton of good crab, but the sauce is sparse and not that great. Kind of a disappointment. Bread Pudding. It's impossibly light. I'm going to guess it's made from croissants, but whatever it is, it has a wonderful airy texture, while still being sweet and creamy and decadent. I loved it. And what, you think we're going to do breakfast at Brennan's without Bananas Foster? Are you nuts? It's a classic, it's a cliché, it's one of the greatest things to eat on the planet. All in all, mostly a very good meal. Service was very good, but not quite as polished as I was expecting. And we were stuck in a side room, making for not quite as nice of an atmosphere as we'd have gotten in a room overlooking the courtyard. Still, a very elegant, pleasant way to spend a sunday afternoon. Was it worth the over $100 per person? I really don't think so, yet I'm perversely glad to have done it. Once. But I think I am going to dream of those grillades and grits... Heading back to the hotel, we can't resist one last drink, this time at the Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone. The carousel is full, but we get to watch, which is almost as much fun... Then, off to the airport, and back to reality. We really had a wonderful time, thanks to everyone who posted in response to Daniel's original query, it was very helpful to us too. I can't wait to get back, and hit the other 3,285 places I'm dying to try. Or to just camp out at Cochon.

Oh come on Doc, you guys can do it!! Seriously, which of those dishes are you NOT going to order??!

Saturday: Still in a bit of a food coma from friday night, we skipped breakfast and moved ahead to lunch. We found ourselves hungry around noon a bit uptown, and Parasol was nearby. Boudin Balls are always a welcome way to start the day... as are Gravy Fries. OK the boudin balls weren't quite as rocking as the ones the night before at Cochon, but that's a high bar to set. These were still pretty good, if maybe featuring a bit too much breading compared to filling. The fries were fantastic, due primarily to the excellent gravy, but also to the carefully-made, promptly-delivered fried potatoes. They're famous for their Roast Beef Po Boy, and I can see why. It's sloppy, full of drippy, wet roast beef, but worth the inevitable drips on the shirt. I'm sure I'm going to start a regional war here, but I'd really love to have this sandwich on a Sarcone's roll from south Philly... The Catfish Po Boy was quite good too, the freshly-fried fish remaining crispy beneath the dressing. The place itself is a bit rough around the edges, but we liked it a lot. One orders food at a window in an upper room, drinks (including a full bar) in the lower bar area. Seating is at long tables in the upper room, which works out fine, even leading to some nice folks handing off their surplus cheese fries and onion rings to us when they finished. Parasol 2533 Constance St (at third, one block south of Magazine) It does not seem like the kind of place that would have a web site, but it's a crazy world: www.parasols.com After a Po Boy, when it's a bazillion degrees out, what's required? A Sno Bliz, of course. On the right is my combo: Cream of Peach and Lemonade. Apparently this was a shocking juxtaposition, because they were completely amazed that I wanted those two flavors together, and insisted that I sample it immediately and tell them how it was. In fact it was a pretty good combo, although the lemonade flavor bullied the more subtle peach a bit, so it was important to have some peach first, then some lemonade, then pause, then some more peach, repeat... In the middle is a strawberry-lemonade combo, which was apparently not quite as avant-garde, or maybe they were still reeling from the first order, because they didn't comment on that one. The little one on the left is a coconut flavor on its own. As for the Sno Bliz, I'd have to say that it is indeed worth all the fuss. On one hand it's just shaved ice, and they're pretty slow, and the store is ridiculously hot. On the other hand, there's something special about the texture of the ice, surely due to the clunky-looking machine grinding away at large blocks of ice, each chunk fed into the blades by a hand-held lever. Additionally, everybody is super nice, and they have a vast array of unusual flavors. I'd meant to get something with condensed milk, but became overwhelmed by choices, panicked and forgot. The one I got was quite enjoyable, I'd go back out there, even though it was a bit of a haul. We headed back into the quarter with the idea of grabbing a muffaletta, just to have experienced the prototype. But alas, after trudging down to the Central Grocery, we find that they're sold out, and not making any more. Oh well, next time. Along the way, we stumble across a really fun wedding party, emerging from St Louis Cathedral on Jackson square, and heading up the street, a jazz band in the lead. I can't say that I've ever seen this before: a a bride and groom strutting up the street with parasols, the assembled friends and family waving white handkerchiefs behind them. Very charming. We decided we could overcome the bitter disappointment of being denied a muffaletta with the help of booze. Luckily we were in the right place for this. We grabbed a quick beer at Coop's place, then headed over to Napolean House to indulge in a Pimm's Cup or two. Very refreshing, and the bar is pretty cool. But what we're really looking for is a Mint Julep. And not just any Mint Julep, we want THE mint Julep, mixed by Chris McMillan. Chris is no longer at the Library Lounge, he's now ensconced at the Pere Marquette Renaissance Hotel at 817 Common. The lobby bar there seems a little incongruously modern for Chris's vibe, but wherever he is mixing, I'm happy to follow to go get a drink he makes. The Julep he makes is indeed as amazing as its reputation. I couldn't help thinking that I was really having a mint and bourbon Sno Bliz, but that silver cup, the care and precision of Chris's technique, made for a transcendent cocktail, one that got better and better as it went along. (The bottom-lit bar made for tricky photography, but it was a lovely drink in person! ) We also sampled Chris's take on the Pimm's Cup, very different from the Napolean House version, employing a variety of fresh fruits, but I think we liked it even better. From there, we wandered a few yards over to the bar at Mila, looking to sample a few tastes of the work of chefs Slade Rushing and Allison Vines-Rushing. (The lighting was REALLY not conducive to photography, and I just refuse to use flash in dim public places, so apologies in advance, most if the photos aren't worth looking at. ) We had a great time talking food with the bartender, and had a chance to try a few of the appetizers from the restaurant. We really loved the "Deconstructed Oysters Rockefeller." This was a pleasingly light, delicate revision, offering-up all the flavors of the classic, but in a way that let each element shine. We also quite liked the Tian of Crab, which was cool and vibrant and summery. We also had the Pan-Roasted Sweetbreads with Creamy Truffle Grits. There was nothing at all wrong with this dish, everything was good quality and well made, yet all three of us found it a little bland. I think it might be a personal thing for me: several times I've had sweetbreads on polenta or risotto, or some other similarly creamy foundation, and it's just not my favorite combination. The sweetbreads are creamy enough in texture, I'd rather have a contrast. That said, we ate it, and liked it. I was very excited about the Barbecue Lobster. I can't eat shrimp, and was even taken to Pascale's Manale a few years back, forced to observe, and smell, what seemed to be a delicious dish. So this version, updating that classic dish with lobster sounded perfect. And again, not bad at all, it featured very good lobster, but the sauce was a touch too elegant, not conveying that spicy garlic punch that distinguishes the dish. Even with our mixed reactions, I'd have dinner at Mila any time, there were enough indications in that small sample that there's some serious cooking going on. But we were feeling like moving, so we agreed to reconvene at Herbsaint. Sadly I somehow walked right by it, and ended up FAR down St Charles before I realized I was going the wrong direction. (The really embarrassing part was that I had a GPS thingy with me, but it just wouldn't lock onto the satellites. Are you locals jamming the signals to mess with the tourists?) By the time I got back to where I needed to be, my dining partners had already ordered some food at the bar. They're such nice people that they saved some tastes for me, but the plates weren't too photogenic at that point, so descriptions will have to suffice. Lamb ribs were intensely flavorful, and spiced just right. Duck prosciutto was silky and tender, with a vivid taste. A Pork Gumbo was full-bodied and rich. The Duck Leg Confit was meltingly tender, with just the right level of salt. And I could eat the dirty rice underneath it all day. I need to go back there just for an order of Dirty Rice. All of it was just fantastic, I was tempted to order another round of everything, or whatever else the kitchen felt like making. But we were thinking of moving on, so we held to dessert, which I managed to photograph before we snarfed it down. Green Tomato Pie, with Cream Cheese Ice Cream. This was like a buffed-up Hubig's pie, with sweet tomato inside an airy glazed pastry. I loved it. The bar at Herbsaint also made my favorite Sazeracs of my visit, I suppose that's appropriate... Next visit, the Herbsaint/Cochon folks are probably getting all my money... But we were on the move. I probably would have been interested in eating more, but I was surprised to discover that there's not a ton of late-night eating options, even on a saturday night. Sure there are a few places that will give you food, but real dining destinations? Please let us know if there's someplace we should go after 11 or midnight, we'll be back... Drinking and music can distract us from any worries about whether we were missing another dining opportunity, so we headed out to Frenchmen Street, and d.b.a. That's a really cool bar, with just about any libation you can imagine, available at a reasonable price. It's a little loud when the band is blowing, but hey, it's a happening bar. Things are a little quieter across the street at the Spotted Cat, although the band is no less hot. (I hope that sax player got that strap untangled from his face by the time he had to pack up...) But it was packed in pretty tightly, so we just listened from the street a bit. I used to be a little cynical about the walking around with drinks thing, but I really love it. I'm afraid I'm going to get arrested back home because I won't be able to resist walking out of bars with a cocktail. I'll risk it. After a few rye whiskeys, I had to call it a night, and get ready for one last day in the city...

Friday: It seems inevitable, one must start the day with a stop at Cafe du Monde. Yep, it's touristy, it's crowded, it's formulaic, and it's totally delicious. I can't figure out why those beignets are so good, but they really are incredible. After doing a bit of wandering around in what I'm pretty sure was 203 degree heat, we found ourselves up Esplanade, and within striking distance of Little Dizzy's. I stuck to my tactic of asking my server what to order, and I got an expected answer: Pot Roast. I don't think I ever would have thought of the pot roast. It was incomprehensibly good. I've never had any pot roast like this before. It was very moist and tender, with a deep flavor. Even the seemingly plain-old steamed vegetables had a lots of garlic playing off the sweetness of yellow carrots, red peppers, broccoli and beans. Potatoes were simple, but somehow exactly right. My buddy was too obsessed with photographing up at the St Louis Cemetery #3 that he missed closing time, but I managed to order him some gumbo to go before they closed. It looked incredible, with big chunks of crab and andouille, and he said it was delicious. My shrimp allergy kept me from tasting it, the waitress was nice enough to warn me off of it, even though there was no shrimp in the description of it on the menu board. It took a lot more walking around to work off that lunch, but we finally felt like dinner around 9pm. We managed to sneak into the last two seats at the kitchen bar at Cochon. We ordered entirely too much food, but I'm glad we did, because every bit of it was just spectacular. Seriously, this was one of the best meals of my life, and I've been lucky enough to have a few good ones... Fried Boudin Crispy outside with an earthy pork and rice filling: just the right balance of crunch and big flavor. Crawfish Pie This had a nice stewy filling inside the light flaky crust, like an etoufée empanada. Pork cheeks Words cannot describe how sensually pleasing this dish is. Slow-cooking broke down the collagen in the cheeks, but a hint of that richness remained, amplifying the intensity of the pork. The falling-apart texture, the vivid meatiness, the tang of the mustard, all combined onto something that had me just shaking my head in amazement. I think if you order the cheeks willingly, the chef figures you might be receptive to some other parts of the pig, so he was nice enough to send out a plate of house-made Head-Cheese. This was very elegant charcuterie, it had an unexpected lightness, just perfect on a little toast with a slice of pickle and a dab of mustard. Heirloom Tomato Salad with Pork Tongue Either one of these elements would have been wonderful on its own, but together they made for the best summer salad ever conceived-of. The tomatoes tasted like tomatoes-squared, the tongue like subtle bacon. Pork and Hen Gumbo Incredible dark-roux funk, creamy texture, nuggets of pork and chicken, awesome. Their signature dish: Louisiana Cochon, with Peaches, Turnips, Cabbage and Cracklings. This one nearly made my head explode. The caramelization from a long, slow roast mingled with the sweetness of summer peaches. This kind of dish is why the word "sublime" was coined. A special of Pork Loin with mushroom gravy I couldn't imagine anything competing with the Cochon, but this dish made a valiant effort, playing the other side of the coin with a dark, earthy, salty sauce that made a nice foil for the other pork's sweetness. Smothered Greens I really wish I'd had more room to eat more of these, because they were the best greens I've ever had: tender but not mushy, sweet but not candied, brightly acidic and porky. It was totally insane to order dessert, but we felt like a little dose of sweetness to finish things off, so went with a lemon buttermilk pie, which was mercifully airy and light. Oh and the chef sent out some moonshine, which somehow went really well with the pie, and brought the meal to a perfect end. They were afraid that they'd have to roll us out of there in wheelbarrows, but we managed to make it out under our own power, although just barely. If they'd been open for lunch on saturday I would have been back there, and I was seriously contemplating returning on saturday night. I totally understand why Daniel and Miss A were back multiple times. Everyone was super-nice, and sitting at the kitchen counter was great fun. We traded stories with the chefs and cooks, which is when one of them started telling of this one wild couple from New York... This was a very fine meal. The restaurant is casual and friendly, but they're cooking at a very high level. I'm seriously considering another trip mainly to return here. OK, so at this point, I suspect Daniel would have gone out and pounded a few hand-grenade cocktails, but I did learn something from his travelogue and skipped that part and went to bed. I wanted to be sharp for more eating on saturday.

As I travel, I often ask myself, what would Daniel do? So when the possibility of a three-day weekend presented itself, I decided to do 72 hours in New Orleans: fly in thursday night, back out sunday evening. I didn't retrace Daniel's footsteps exactly, but certainly took his report, and all of the wonderful posts giving advice, into account while wandering, quite pleasantly without a real schedule. After a late flight in, the quickest/closest place seemed to be the Verti Marte, so we headed over to see what we could find to eat. When the guy t the counter asked what I wanted, I just said, "I don't know, what DO I want?" It was suggested that I have the ribs, the potatoes au gratin and broccoli. Awesome, really. Well at least the ribs and the potatoes. I don't think I've ever had ribs quite like this before, clearly cooked long and low in liquid, they were barely holding together, but had perfect tenderness and amazing flavor. The potatoes were buttery, cheesey, creamy, and utterly addictive, I couldn't stop eating them. The broccoli was, well it was broccoli from a steamtable with an average cheese sauce. Edible, but not a thrill. The second recommendation from the counter was for Chicken, Mac and Cheese and we asked for the brussels sprouts. This was only OK. The chicken isn't really the kind that keeps in a case like that, it was probably lovely right after it was cooked. The Mac and cheese was really spaghetti in a creamy cheese sauce, which is fine, but we didn't love the texture. And I think I've just become convinced that roasting is the only way to cook brussels sprouts, these were OK, but didn't have much flavor beyond a boiled cabbage. So it wasn't a complete success, but the ribs and potatoes were SO good that I was feeling really happy to be in New Orleans.

I've always liked Phoebe's sides, especially the greens. I've had the ribs a few times, and they were pretty tasty, if not my favorite style overall. I feel like they must be a result of that boiled/grilled process. So, yeah, not the greatest barbecue ever, but it can be satisfying food if you know what you're in for...

So, we sit at the back counter at Cochon, and get chatting with the guys in the kitchen. Eventually, we end up discussing people that come in and eat prodigious amounts of food. The ultimate story is: "we had this couple from NY - they were here three times! I think they ate everything!" I'm thinking, this sounds familiar... Daniel, you and Miss A are legends.

I've been there most often on sunday afternoons, and although there's always been a steady stream of customers, it's never been totally full then. That said, when I called to confirm that they were open (never a bad idea, just because they occasionally hold private parties, weddings, etc.) they suggested that I make a reservation, because they had been so full that they had to turn people away on a few recent evenings. I'd imagine summer evenings might be pretty busy, especially weekends. They serve continuously from noon to 9 every day except tuesdays (when they're closed) so I'd just suggest just going at an odd time, avoiding the obvious meal rushes, like friday and saturday at 6-8pm. Or call for a reservation, even if it's right before driving up there. www.danosonseneca.com phone: 607-582-7555

Hey, thanks for the Valanni tip, I never would have thought of trying there. And I'll join the chorus agreeing with the above recommendations. My one (early) visit to Apothecary was uneven, but I've gotten better reports from people I trust. Southwark has never let me down. And I've had some great drinks at Xochitl too. And of course we'd be remiss if we didn't mention Chick's down on 7th street just south of South St. Katie's doing creative cocktails down there wed-sat nights. And it's only a short stagger from Southwark, so you can do both without too much trouble. Not that I'm speaking from experience...

Made another stop at Dano's (earlier visits documented here and here.) Everything was as delicious as ever, although we were a bit heartbroken that they were out of their Heuriger Eggplant, the consequence of a busy weekend, apparently... We somehow managed to console ourselves, primarily with pork products. This generally works. They have a nice summer cocktail right now. Sorry, I forgot the name, but it's made with Riesling, Strawberries, Woodruff and sparkling wine. It had a vivid fruity flavor, the woodruff counteracting some of the natural sweetness, leaving it very refreshing, but not at all sugary. I can't really imagine visiting here without having a basket of their bread, and some spreads, so indeed that's how we started. That's Horseradish-Walnut, Pumpkinseed, and Liptauer, all quite delicious cheese-based spreads. The specials menu included a charcuterie plate, and it didn't require much arm-twisting to get this approved by the crowd. It consisted of: Garlic Sausage Pork and Duck Rillettes Pork Belly Curried Chicken Wings accompanied by homemade mustard, pear chutney, and cornichons. Surprisingly, the pork belly was overshadowed by everything else on the platter. It was fine, but a little bland compared to everything else. The sausage was smoky, garlicky and shockingly addictive. The rillettes were the best I've ever had, it really took all my willpower to resist asking for a bucket-full to take home. The meat was luxuriously rich and tender, but was not overwhelmed by that over-the-top fattiness that rillettes sometimes can take too far. Most importantly, the flavor was deep and dark, like the caramelized outer edges of a roast, but in tender shreds... And can I ask: why aren't curried chicken wings a huge fad? It's a great idea, delivering an intense and intriguing flavor. These were not fried, rather they were roasted, and served cold, creating an ideal summer snack. In retrospect, we probably could have stopped there, but where's the fun in that? We got some cold salads, including a beet-horseradish that's one of my favorite things, but I've photographed it before, and didn't bother this time. We ordered the Viennese Potato Salad and the corn salad, both studies in elegant minimalism. Neither had a whole lot going on, yet both were stunningly delicious. Then on to the heavy-hitters. Smoked Hungarian Sausage and Bockwurst were accompanied by two mustards, a Merlot Mustard and a Riesling mustard, both made in-house, both quite strong, but good compliments to the sausages. (they're in a later photo...) The Roasted Half Chicken looked a little odd, but was ridiculously moist and full of flavor. That kind-of burnt-looking skin? Delicious... They often have Pork Shanks available as add-ons, look on the specials menu. Like the chicken, the appearance doesn't even start to do justice to how tasty this thing was. The meat practically fell off the bone into tender shreds, soaking in the intense jus on the plate. I could be pretty happy with a few of these, some kraut and some potatoes. Oh, right, Kraut and Potatoes. I think I've raved about both of these before, and these lived up to that hype. The kraut is rather aggressively sauer, and I love it like that. It tastes a little mustardy, and has a solid caraway component. Oh, and bacon. This is not a supporting-role sauerkraut: this is front-and-center stuff. The potatoes are impossibly good. There's nothing especially noteworthy about them, they're just plain old mashed potatoes. Except they're not. I think they're just very high-quality, very fresh potatoes, expertly prepared. It's surprising what a difference doing something simple, perfectly, can make. No room for dessert, which is a shame, because they usually have some nice tarts and tortes. Service is super-friendly, in a good way, and Dano is sure to swing by and see how everything is at some point. We failed to extract the secret recipe for the potato salad from him, but we are not discouraged yet, we'll just have to go back and try again...

Kaizan is closed. Makes it easy, doesn't it?!

yes and yes. Well, that's not exactly true on either count, you wouldn't have to live in a cave to have missed the story, it wasn't especially loudly announced. Plus, it's not really closing for good. It will reopen in the fall as more of a steakhouse, because of course what we need most is another steakhouse. Food and Drinq blurb here>> Striped Bass hasn't gotten much attention for the last few years, but I had a truly excellent meal there back in November. Oh well...

You certainly do want to try the Polenta Budino. I heartily thank the good professor for alerting us all to how good that is. And this might be sacrilegious to suggest, but you might even want to try Osteria's gelato and sorbetto. It's a bit more subtle than Capogiro, but that's not always a bad thing. Try the pistachio in particular.

I think Zahav would make a lot of sense for your circumstance, if only because it's exploring a concept one doesn't see everywhere. Matyson is the kind of restaurant that makes you happy to live in Philly, but not necessarily the kind of place you drag visiting friends to. That's not a comment on the quality of Matson vs Zahav, just on the types of cuisine.

Excellent concept Jael: from now on, I think all recommendations for Ulterior Epicure should include a CPF number.

Just in general, other than cheese, I tend to think of Tinto's menu as offering more unusual stuff, but you've seen both places offerings, and if Amada appeals more, go there. Except... I like Amada a lot, but on saturday nights, it's freaking loud. Not exceedingly so, although it's about as far as you can get from one and still be in Center City! Lunch can be good at either place, many of the items are the same (like pizzas at Osteria) but you'll miss out on dinner specials, which can occasionally be spectacular (like Osteria's Roast pig.) I think this has been covered in recent posts somewhere, if I remember correctly, diners do get some choice from the larger list. Sorry, not qualified to vote. Matyson is excellent. Haven't been to Zahav, but it's been getting good notices. Zahav would be the more stylistically distinctive of the two.

I find it's all about timing at Jim's. The lines are often ridiculously long, and the sandwiches just aren't good enough to justify a really long wait. But conversely, if there's no line at all, you can end up with dried-out meat that's been sitting on the grill too long. Something in-between, a short line, can result in a fairly tasty cheesesteak. I had one within the last few months. I happened to be walking by, and was hungry, and noticed no line, but also, no meat on the grill. So I popped in, waited a few minutes for some steak to be cooked-up fresh for me, and had a quite delicious sandwich. I don't love the rolls, they're a little squishy and boring, but at least they're fresh... But I think Jim's might have the best fried onions of any of the places I've been too. They sit there in a huge heap, caramelizing down to a sweet softness, usually mixed in with a few less-cooked pieces with some texture left. It gives the flavors some serious depth, so don't skip the onions. If I had my pick of all the cheesesteak joints in the city, Jim's might not be my first choice, but it wouldn't be my last either. It's a heck of a lot easier to get to than the ones that usually top people's lists, and has later hours than many of them. And the steaks are a lot better than the average corner pizza joint or cart on the street, so if one is looking for the cheesesteak experience, and it's not practical to get to John's or Steve's or Tony Luke's or wherever, you could do worse...

I wonder if any place's large order of pre-prepared hoagies is going to cross the line from "good" to "great." Hoagies are a little more hardy than some types of foods, but I'd suggest that they're at their best right after they're made. So this is a helpful datapoint for anyone thinking of using Sarcone's to cater a party, but I'm not sure how much it says about Sarcone's hoagies in general. And I'm with Matt - Brown Betty's cupcakes rock.