philadining

Memorial DayWeekend.... ← Indeed, I'm sure that was a factor. Who knew so many tourists were foodies? And maybe there were a lot of locals shopping for some awesome Memorial Day barbecues. Whoever they were, there were lots of them... I braved a moderate wait for some chocolates at Recchiuti. I tried the Tarragon Grapefruit, Fluer de Sel, Mandarin, Burnt Caramel and Star Anise Pink Peppercorn. I liked them all, but found the flavorings pretty subtle. Nothing wrong with quiet elegance, it's just that the accents were less vivid than similar offerings at, say, Jaques Torres in NY, or Eclat in Philly. Nonetheless, I thought they were very good, and fairly-priced. As I said above, I'll be back, but on a weekday, and certainly not on a holiday weekend!

Despite following this thread, I was unprepared for the CRAZY crowds on a sunny saturday. I managed to be amazed by the breadth and depth of the selections there, but many of the places I was planning on checking out had such deep lines that i just kept moving. Still, loads of fun to check out. I happened to catch an ebb in the line at Primavera, out back, so dove in and grabbed a plate of Tlycoyos. They were really delicious, almost worth the rather irritating non-system of actually getting food onto a plate and into a customer's hands. About 15 minutes after ordering, I finally saw a plate with masa cakes and chorizo on it, sitting on top of a check with my name on it. But instead of dripping some salsa and scattering some cheese, and giving it to me, the cook, carefully preserving the order in which they came up, staged 6 more plates, which then sat there for several more minutes. They then got (slowly) finished and delivered to the counter in exactly reverse order of how they had been plated. So, over 20 minutes after I ordered them, I managed to get two corn cakes with some stuff spooned on top of them. Quite tasty, really. probably would have been even better if I'd gotten them closer to when they came off the grill. Regardless, big fun. I'm eager to get back there sometime, but will shoot for a weekday, or much earlier on a saturday!!

I must second dagordon's recommendation of Brick. I didn't happen to go all that late, but I loved the idea that I could have!

Home Plate 2274 Lombard St. (Between Steiner and Pierce) 415-922-4663 As witnessed by the various write-ups and awards in the window, Home Plate is not exactly unknown, but I have been surprised that nobody here mentions it. The selections, either on the regular menu, or the "specials" posted on a board on the wall, have not changed a bit over the several years I've been going here, whenever I'm in town, but there's so much to choose from, I don't get tired of it, even several days in a row, which I do from time to time... Things always start out on the right note with a freshly-baked, warm scone. This trip only allowed one visit here, and despite the more exotic options available, I have a hard time resisting their pancakes. There's nothing unusual about them, except that they're impossibly light and fluffy, and served with generous amounts of good, fresh fruit. The applewood-smoked bacon is a side-order, but always worth-it. I've had most everything on that white board, and liked all of it. Wish I'd had a few more days to work down the list... There's less-than-zero ambience, just basic diner tables and an open kitchen. Service is friendly, if a bit frazzled at all times. Prices are not cheap, but seem fair to me for the quality and portions. I apologize in advance if I cause any addictions to their scones and the little potato pancakes that accompany most plates.

Burma Superstar 309 Clement St. (Between 4th and 5th Avenues) San Francisco 415-387-2147 www.burmasuperstar.com I know this restaurant has gotten a few mentions here and there, I remember seeing that Carolyn went recently, but seriously, this place is so good it really needs a thread! There's a very good restaurant called Rangoon in Philadelphia where I live, but as authentic as it seemed I didn't really have anything to compare it to - Burmese restaurants seem to be few and far-between in the states. So I'd been looking forward to trying Burma Superstar for some time. I was not prepared for the crowds lining up for this place, even on a (typical) damp, windy, chilly night, people were tolerating waits of over an hour and a half. They say that they don't take reservations, but I witnessed people calling in and at least getting on the list. I didn't have to wait quite that long, but it was close to an hour, which gave me an opportunity to wander the neighborhood a bit. I must say I was tempted by several interesting spots within a few blocks on Clement, but I was on a mission... I started with Ginger Salad It was presented as attractive, discrete piles of the various components: julienned ginger, shredded romaine, sesame seeds, crunchy fried yellow dal, peanuts, and fried sliced garlic. Sadly I wasn't quick enough on the draw to get a photo of that, before the waiter tossed it all together. This was a little bit less-intense than the version I get in Philly, but perhaps equally delicious, I would have a very hard time not ordering this every time. Interesting side-note, it's my understanding that ginger salad is traditionally eaten as a dessert in Burma. Beef Kebat Very high-quality, tender slices of beef, stir-fried with onions and a few chunks of tomato, in a moderately spicy, minty sauce. I loved this, although the dish somehow got progressively saltier, to the point where I really had to stop. No matter, i was stuffed anyway, but I'm not even sure how that can happen... Still, I'd risk it again. To accompany: Coconut rice This had nice flavor, especially the spoonfuls that included some sweet, fried shallot. It was the perfect soothing compliment to the spice of the kebat, even though the rice was a touch overdone, mushy in spots. and Platha This might have been really good when it was fresh and hot, but sadly the one I got was cold and just didn't taste like much. I'm not sure if that's just how they serve them, but it wasn't nearly as good as a similar fried bread thing I get at Rangoon here in Philly, or any Indian-style breads, when they're fresh and hot. Nonetheless, it made a decent scoop for some beef and sauce, so it didn't go to waste! Despite the absolute crush of people, service was prompt and extremely friendly. They were even nice to me even though I was a single-diner killing a table at prime time. Interestingly, they've opened a second place, a few blocks lower on Clement, called B-Star. It's more of a bar/lounge kind of place, with a much smaller space and more limited menu, but it might be a good alternative on those crazy busy nights, or just as a spot to grab a drink and a bite.

Sign me up for the Karina fan club as well, her contagious excitement about the wines at Osteria has significantly improved my last few experiences there. In dagordon's defense, I was with him for those slightly weird experiences he mentioned (a seemingly short Moscato pour, a glass of corked wine, a compensatory glass delivered to the wrong person) and those certainly lend put an off-taste to the wine experience. But in defense of Ms Lyons, we weren't actually dealing with her that evening, I'm not sure she was in the house. I've noticed her giving a good sniff to all the glasses she's pouring, there's no way a corked wine would have made it out under her watch. I thought it was very gracious that they offered compensation for sending out a bad glass, unfortunate that they sent it to the wrong person, but I think that's a factor of their too-many-servers problem. The moscato portion might be her policy, and I can't say I agree with it, but there's a logic to it. Overall I think the prices and pours for wines by the glass are more than fair. Sure, everything should run perfectly no matter who's actually pouring, checking, delivering, but hey, it's the real world... In any case, it's nice to see yet another review from New York admiring what we've got going on down here in Philly.

And stand by: funky cocktails coming soon...

Oh, and fiddleheads. Get 'em while they got 'em. They were like a delicate, lacy baby asparagus, but with a little more forest floor funk. A little Pancetta never hurts.

I was just thinking about this kind of technique thing the other day in a Thai restaurant when I was presented with a very full bowl of very soupy curry, and a very full bowl of rice. Wasn't sure how to elegantly eat this. I ended up alternately dipping, dumping, eating each separately, eventually tossing everything together. Hey, it tasted great. I was also slightly flummoxed once by a Dosa the size of a Boy Scout pup tent, until the waiter, sensing my confusion, told me to just use my hands. I'm less concerned with looking cool and in-the-know as I am with knowing the local custom for the sake of maximizing the enjoyment of the dish! Although I do also appreciate the tips on courtesy, for the sake of avoiding offending any tradition-bound types. So, OK, no picking up the individual Korean rice bowls. But always picking up the individual Chineses rice bowls. Got it. I think this thread could be really handy repository for tips about all sorts of cuisines: yes, it's OK to eat sushi with your fingers, just do it one bite, and tip it over to dip the fish in soy, if desired, don't sit the rice in the soy, etc...

How come none of you has pointed me to the Parma pizza? Arugula and prosciutto piled on top of a crispy, cheesey crust: it's a pizza, it's a salad, it's a salumi platter... That, and a few pastas: life is good. Sit at the back bar, service is always great back there, and if you behave, they'll hip you to something cool like an old-vine Barbera di Asti that just came on the list. Oh, and speaking of the list, watch the corners on that spiffy new folder, you might hurt somebody. It's not so safe in close quarters. Good thing they're never crowded!

Apparently you didn't get the memo: there are no maverick chefs or experimental mixologists in Philly, so settle down, and work on some fruity vodka martinis, like any self-respecting Philly bartender would!

he's got a point: put 12 people in the Famous Deli, tell them it's your Bat Mitzvah, you'll definitely score an extra cookie or two...

I'm not sure if it's an issue for any of your family, but whenever I hear "grandma" I think of stairs... For what it's worth, Vietnam is pretty vertical, you're likely to need to go up some stairs, unless they can set aside most of the ground floor for you. Nam Phoung is horizontal, big and flat and one-level. As mrbig indicated, Vietnam's food and service is a little more polished, Nam Phoung a little more funky. But both are tasty.. Nam Phuoung has a parking lot, but it's likely to be jammed on a friday night, so that's no guarantee of convenience. I'd lean toward Vietnam if stairs aren't a big deal.

Just FYI, the above-mentioned Alex & Ika is in downtown Cooperstown now. www.alexandika.com I don't know anything about it personally though.

I finally tried the snackbar mussels, and they get a thumbs-up from me. I'm concluding that it's futile to try to pick an absolute favorite, but these are up there among the leaders. The toast made a great dipping medium.

Managed to try some new dinner things. Salad with Romaine, Goat cheese, slow cooked egg. Close enough to a Caesar to please the crowds, different enough to be interesting... I liked it. Octopus This was nice and tender, with a smoky paprika glaze, but it also had a slight sandy texture. Not sure what that was, just a little distracting... Salmon with Basil Foam, Fennel and Strawberries. Good fish perfectly cooked is good enough, but the vividly floral, herby foam complimented it nicely in that ethereal way only foams can. And who knew? strawberries and fennel.... Mussels The shellfish themselves were delicate and tender, on the smallish side, which is how I like them. I don't recall what was in the broth, but it had bright, herbal perfume that I really enjoyed. It's rare that a mussel broth needs salt, but we felt like this one did, but that was easy enough to tweak, just a small touch put it back in balance. And could I just put a vote in for that airy toast as maybe the best broth-sopping medium ever? Someone predicted over on the mussel thread that snackbar's version would make my best of philly, and although I'm not sure I'm going to put them at number one, they're up there... might need to try them again. darn. Pudding! Chocolate pudding, chocolate soil, mango purée. Light, soothing, familiar yet slightly exotic, with some interesting textural contrasts. Very tasty, just careful with that soil, don't inhale at the wrong moment... the menu's a little more summery and approachable, with larger dinners along with the small plates. There's a Pastrami Burger, a basic chicken with mashed potatoes, as well as a few of the old small-plate faves. Lovely night to sit at a table out on the sidewalk, food was good, company entertaining. I'm feeling the need for a burger...

damn, I was going to guess "nuclear"...

Yeah, I doubt that there is going to be a ticker running, indicating the current spot market for copper. That "by weight" thing was probably just a simple way of pricing them: bigger pots = more money. If he has a lot of them, and he probably does, I can imagine just not wanting to think about how much to price each one, and just say $X per pound, done. Copper is a great conductor, so copper pots are very responsive to the heat source, but it's not a great surface for foods (unless you're whipping egg whites) hence the tin linings. So, there's a real functional logic to using copper, but I suspect V is right that most folks do it out of sentimentality, they're not nearly as durable as other types of cookware. BTW there are still people retinning copper, with tin, and while it's not cheap, it's not as nutty as I would have thought. Come on, you can guess it... that's right www.retinning.com

That was a really good Bloody Mary. I actually don't order them much, but I remembered both Jonathans saying that they were really into them, so I figured I'd be well-served to try one. Glad I did. We're told there are more variations coming! And yes, the oysters were fried. I'm not sure I'm used to having crunchy things inside an omelet, but it worked...

Dropped back in to Xochitl last night and ended up sucked into a weird time vortex, I think we were there for 15 hours or something... It's something to do with the tequila, I think. Had some delicious cocktails, served up by bartender Bob (who will from now on be known as "A Different Bob.") Bob was feeling a little whacky, something about West Ham humiliating Man U, some sort of croquet contest as best as I could tell... His mood fit ours pretty well, so we abandoned our plans for a table and just stayed at the bar and let Bob amuse us. He managed to concentrate enough to make some very fine drinks, the best of which might have been a pretty bangin' margarita, made with a Corazon reposado. Food was quite delicious too. We started nibbling on Queso Fundido with Chorizo and Chiles. This had great flavor, it wasn't not merely gooey, rubbery, oily melted cheese (OK, it's a little gooey, rubbery and oily - it's melted cheese - but way better than most places.) The chorizo was a crucial component, I'd be sure to get that in there. Regarding the Gordons' chorizo trauma reported above, it might partly be an expectation of a Spanish-style sausage, or an unfortunate triggering of terrifying taco-day memories, but I don't think there's anything wrong with the Chorizo here! We thought this was quite tasty, not reminiscent at all of cafeteria horrors. But on a certain level, Mexican chorizo is what it is, crumbly, oily, peppery, and if it happens to spur certain associations, there's probably no getting around it... We also quite liked the guacamole. It doesn't really look like it, but there's a good-sized mound of it under the nice, light fried chips. The flavor was very bright and lemony, one of the better guacs I've had. I managed to grab a sample of the Sopa Azteca, and it struck me as a very good example of the classic Tortilla Soup. I did not sample the ceviche, but it seemed to be getting good reviews, the only complaint being that it was such a large serving! This might be a good one to anticipate sharing... Our amnesiac dining partner decided to try the Pork Shank (again) and he pronounced it quite delicious. Pity he won't remember it... I grabbed a sizable chunk while he wasn't looking and found it to be very full-flavored, moist, tender, and nicely spiced. I'm still surprised by the two "eh.." reviews posted above, I had this twice now, and it has rocked both times. Consumer alert: they will warn you that the onion-pepper condiment on the side is very spicy. Believe them. This stuff is not kidding around... I finally tried the "Chiles en Nogada" a poblano chile with ground beef, nuts, fruits, etc and a creamy sauce. It's apparently traditional to serve this room-temperature, and it tasted fine that way, I suppose this particular sauce might have acted strange if heated. The filling was flavorful, and interacted nicely with the chile and sauce, but in the end it's ground beef. I think I like the similar dish at Molcajete Mixto (served hot, with shredded pork as a filling) a tiny bit better, but this version was quite good too. I forget the name of this dessert - sweet tacos filled with fruit, etc... I was actually so full at this point that I didn't even make a run at it, but it looked good... I opted instead for a trio of ice creams: The upper scoop was supposedly Mexican Coca Cola. Katie and I were joking that it must have actually been made from Coke Zero, it tasted like... well... nothing. Seriously, it tasted like ice. Weird. On the bottom right was Kahlua, and very good: nice and creamy, quite tasty. The bottom left was Mint, and, weirdly, again, tasted like nothing at all. But creamy. It was sitting ON a mint leaf, and didn't taste minty. Very strange. I was almost wondering if I'd blown my tastebuds out on something, but I could taste the kahlua one just fine. I didn't say anything at the time, it was no big deal, the Ice Creams weren't disgusting or anything, just bland, and I didn't really mind. I wouldn't have wanted a replacement or anything, so I didn't bring it up. I'm sure it was some weird thing with flavors not being distributed evenly or something, and I got a couple of unlucky scoops. But jeeze, sorry for doing this publicly like this, but I feel confident word will get back to the folks at Xochitl. The very friendly and helpful manager (who I suspect has her days made much more, umm, interesting, by the likes of Bob!) greeted us warmly, and said she remembered us from the last time, and liked the pictures her on eGullet! I know the big-honking camera isn't the most subtle device in the world, but i do try to be low key... oh well, busted... In any case, we did receive very nice service from everyone, from the hostess to the manager, even Bob in his perapatetic way... Overall a very good night: refreshing drinks, delicious food, good company, and even entertainment from across the bar.

As Andrew said, it's a set $20, but as that includes coffee, a bloody mary or mimosa, a brunch entree and one side, it strikes me as a pretty good deal. As you can see from the pix, it's pretty straight-up brunch comfort food, just done very well, and with good ingredients. My French Toast wasn't so alarmingly different from various other renditions of this, except that it was cornflake-crusted, and accompanied by a very tasty bourbon maple syrup. (I think that was a cranberry compound butter too, whatever it was, it was good...) But more importantly, it was executed perfectly, I'm surprised how often I get mushy or slightly-burnt French Toast. As my side, I chose the bacon (I could have had the tater tots, or grits, or a couple of other things, anybody remember?) The bacon was notably good. I haven't perfected my bacon palate enough to identify it, but it was assertively smoky, not quite Benton's-level smoke-alarm-triggering, but really nice. I stole a bit of the oyster omelet and really liked it. The fry-up looked pretty standard, but that's fine for brunch, I might get that next time. Burgers aren't easy to share, and I resisted the urge to distract Andrew and take a bite while he wasn't looking, but he seemed to enjoy it. I like that egg-on-top thing for brunch. I'd actually meant to steal a taste of the Turkey Scrapple but got distracted. Apparently it didn't especially thrill, but then it's scrapple... Even homemade from good stuff, scrapple is only going to be so exciting! I'm sadly going to have to join the chorus in dissing the tater tots. They weren't outright bad, we ate a lot of them, they just needed to be a bit more of a crispy on the exterior and creamy on the interior. I think Andrew hit on it: they need to be deep-fried... But overall, I loved the brunch, and would go back anytime. We had actually anticipated that Mother's Day might be a good time to sneak in here, given that they don't take reservations, and many folks wouldn't want to risk it with mom. Add-in the place's reputation for experimental food and I'd joked that nobody would be crazy enough to take mom here for Mother's Day! We never imagined that theory would work so well. As noted, it was a pretty sparsely populated room. They've only been doing brunch for a little while, and Mother's Day is an odd time, so I'm sure that was an anomaly, they told us a few sundays have been wall-to-wall. But it looks like there might be a good chance to sneak in here before everyone catches on, especially if you go right near 11am when they start. They serve brunch until 3pm. But despite my joke perpetuating the stereotype that the food here is "weird" or unfamiliar, the brunch menu is not experimental or intimidating, just well-made comfort food. (The main dinner menu seems to have made some concessions to the less-adventurous crowd too, so if you've been reluctant to try it, thinking that you, or your dining partners, would be disoriented by avant-garde food, there are some more familiar offerings now.) There was a good crowd there as we walked by during dinner time, all the outdoor tables were full, and several inside too, so they seem to have recovered from the Mother's Day weirdness. Food looked good, going to have to get back there for dinner soon...

Brunch! Bloody Mary (with horseradish foam), Mimosa Turkey Scrapple, Custard Eggs Egg, Sausage, Mushroom Fry-Up Burger Cornflake-Crusted French Toast, Bourbon Maple Syrup Oyster Omelet extra tots extra grits

Diary of a Foodie. (PBS) Only show I bother making time for anymore.

I think you folks overlapped a little, I think I can pick out the Gordon party, weeping quietly in disappointment... Thanks for the pix, cinghiale. Sorry to hear that both parties were underwhelmed.

It may be too late to avoid belaboring the point, but I just wanted to clarify: personally I wasn't so concerned about the omissions per se, any one article can't cover everything, EXCEPT, when those omissions were specifically stated as a shortcoming of the city. It's one thing to not cover the Reading Terminal Market, seasonal markets, etc, another thing altogether to explicitly state that DiBrunos is all we've got. It's one thing to not mention the lab equipment at LaCroix and Snackbar, Marigold, etc, another thing to say that there are no maverick chefs. I actually like the overall drift of the article, that Philadelphia is attractive in unexpected ways. It's just unfortunate that the conclusion came along with promoting some misperceptions.