philadining

Maybe: The Standard Tap, Johnny Brenda's, North Third, The Abbaye, Royal Tavern, Cantina los Caballitos, 1601, Grace Tavern, Monks, Nodding Head, Sugar Mom's, Fergie's, Brigid's, Rembrant's (Bar), White Dog (Bar) The Gray Lodge... I'll agree that none of them exactly have that local British pub vibe, but then, we've got no place that's been pouring beers since 1278! But I get the sense that many of the folks patronizing those places are from the neighborhood, and drop in often, meet friends, grab a beer, get something simple to eat. But we just don't have quite the same tradition of everyone, of all ages, all walks of life, dropping by the local public house regularly. But as cities go, I think Philly does pretty well with the pub-esque thing.

The predictability of sous vide is one thing, but I've found those eggs to have an entirely different texture from the basic poached egg: still soft and runny, but almost set throughout, with a really interesting custardy consistency. here's the process that Shola used at StudioKitchen. He was riffing on those eggs for a while, including one version with foie gras custard and truffles that Doc might be remembering... I've been seeing it quite a lot elsewhere too. One of my favorites accompanies pork belly, submerged in a smoked onion dashi, at snackbar in Philly: Of course, a soft egg is great in the Momofuku Ramen too: I hope this trend stays with us for a while!

I'm lamenting it! And noting that there is indeed some of that at places like snackbar. But I'm not sure people are lining up to eat the ocean trout with vanilla pomme purée and cranberry, or the pear jam with beer foam. But they should, not because they're cutting edge, but because they're delicious. A small place like this, serving innovative food for not a ton of money, with an interesting and reasonably-priced wine and beer list is a really nice exception to the same-old predictable places, no matter how good those may be. (and no, I'm not on their payroll, I just like snackbar, and think they're a good example for many of these discussions.) snackbar's Johnny Mac and others in the Salt diaspora are doing some really interesting things in the Philly scene, and although Vernon Morales decamped for San Francisco, his influence remains in many cool places round town, just one of the reasons there's reason to be excited about the food around here. I'm not sure there's a market for an outpost of Moto here, but I do hope there are enough adventurous diners to support a few chefs trying some experimental stuff. As long as it's tasty food, I find new approaches to be exactly what we need to keep us out of ruts, and hopefully some of that will drift over into the other places around town. I like traditional cuisines, be they ethnically regional or the modern semi-fancy-restaurant tradition of good protein - pan sauce - seasonal veg - unsurprising starch. But that can get dull. I like trying something I've never had before, something I've never even thought of before. Not weird for weird's sake, just different. But I'm not confident that a large percentage of Philly diners are like that, so the chefs trying that are in for a risky journey. I just hope there are enough of us to keep them encouraged, and in business! And to keep the food trends out of ruts.

Wegmans, as a chain, is increasingly getting into setting Wine. They already do in New Jersey and Virginia, and have proposed a large liquor store adjacent to their flagship supermarket in Pittsford, NY. They recently purchased Century Liquor in Rochester, a large, established wine and liquor retailer in Rochester, with a pretty deep wine expertise. Whether any of this will impact the way things are done here in Pennsylvania remains to be seen, I kind of doubt it, but pressure from large businesses like Wegmans and Acme is likely to have more influence than a few foodies grousing about how we don't like it... In the short term, it should mean that one will be able to have beer and wine and maybe even mixed drinks in Wegmans' cafes, and more practically, one might be able to buy a 6-pack of beer to go there, from the Cafe, the beer won't be stocked in the main supermarket aisles like it is in most of the civilized world, but hey... baby steps.

I believe Capaneus found the John and Kira's chocolates in the Reading Terminal Market, at the PA General Store. Although you're right, their main focus seems to be mail order at www.johnandkiras.com As noted above, supposedly Eclat can be found at Fork, Etc, in Philly, in addition to the West Chester Eclat store/kitchen.

After a recent dim sum binge, we did an informal chocolate tasting. One of the futball hooligans in our midst insisted on casting it as a "smackdown!!" but I was think of it more as a survey... I'm not sure if this was the point at which my camera went crashing onto the tile floor, or whether I was just obsessed with trying to decode the handwritten key, but I somehow failed to take any pictures of the box of 20 assorted Eclat truffles we sampled. For comparison, we had some other local artisan chocolates, a box of John and Kira's (formerly known as Jubilee) truffles. We sent both around the table a few times, and I must say I saw a couple of happy dances going on in the chairs, as well as a few rapt expressions, and more than one awestruck exclamation. My personal take was that they are both amazingly good chocolates, with excellent flavors and textures. They're not identical by any means, but not radically different either. There were a few indications that folks preferred the Eclat flavors, but the Dave and Kira's creaminess, but I'm not sure that counts as a consensus. In any case I think that the Eclat at least held their own against the Dave and Kira's, I'd even venture to say that I preferred the Eclat by a tiny bit. And let's remember that Gourmet magazine called Jubilee Chocolates their "favorites" back in 2003, so this is no mere parochial contest. All in all, I don't think you can go too wrong with either one of them. Except for the mint, the flavors of Dave and Kira's actually seemed to be a touch more subtle than the Eclat. Eclat seems to offer a wider, weirder range of flavors. ANy more thoughts from the testers? I'm thinking we might need to do a head to head with some out-of-state talent, maybe Jaques Torres or somebody. I doubt I could find anybody to participate in that test though...

This is another thing that people not from the area often miss: in virtually all BYOBs in Philly, the corkage fee is zero. I've never been to any that charge, although I've heard of it -(Divan?) Not that it changes the argument significantly, but it does underscore what a great deal it is to drink your own wine at a nice restaurant in Philly. Additionally, several upscale places with liquor licenses have added BYOB nights once a week, either regularly or for a limited period. My understanding is that there are no corkage fees there either.

This is just me, but I'm not all that interested in "authentic" per se. I'm interested in sincere, and delicious. There's just too much bound up in the authenticity argument: I'm not sure one can really have authentic experience divorced from the context of the original place. So outside of its home, it's all an interpretation. And those acts of interpretation strike me as a much more "authentic" expression of the world we inhabit. We're not living in an isolated village in 1807, we're in a multiculti, cosmopolitan 2007. Cuisines, and all artistic expressions, expand and embrace new influences. If a penguin had waddled into a mediaeval French town, its legs would probably have ended up in a cassoulet, and they would have done something bizarre to its liver, and we would have thought that authentic French food used penguin. I don't happen to subscribe to the opinion that Miles wasn't doing Jazz anymore when he used a wah-wah pedal on his horn, so it's OK with me if Tinto decides to serve foie gras pintxos. I'll bet Arzak serves a few things that would have mystified his grandmother. But that's just my perspective. I trust V's opinion that Tia Pol has better tapas than Amada. But I always leave Amada very satisfied, and impressed, so I'm just not concerned with comparing it to anything. I'm just saying it's an enjoyable place to have a meal, and that's something Philly's got going for it.

Jonathan Newman was on WHYY's Radio Times this morning, taking calls, and commenting on the whole situation. The show should be re-aired tonight (Wednesday, Jan 10, 2007) at 11pm on 91FM, or it's available as a stream right now at http://www.whyy.org/91FM/radiotimes.html:

I agree with matthewj: I'm glad this has inspired so much discussion, and I can only hope that it's prompting some similar contemplation amongst aspiring restauranteurs. I think it's a great article if only for prodding people to think about it. But I might argue with a few of the primary assumptions. Let's start with the propositions that the Philly restaurant scene is in a rut, and that new restaurants opening are laughably predictable. (Relatively) recent openings saw Gayle, Rae, Ansill, Snackbar, Bar Ferdinand, M, James, Oceanaire, Fogo de Chao, Cebu, plenty more, none of which is a cutely-named, fresh-and-local, him in the back-her out front, BYOB. I think we're out of that rut, and if there's a glut of small-plates, at least they're not all the same. On the flip-side, as much as we may roll our eyes about it, as Capaneus points out, the BYOB phenomenon has catalyzed some really good cooking, and eating, in town. Sure, other regions allow BYOB, but I travel a bit, and I've never seen such a concentration of creative cooking in little places, that allow one to eat well without breaking the bank. It's true enough that a city can't have a world-class dining scene if all the restaurants are tiny, casual BYOBs, but we don't have that problem. Some of the best meals I've had in the last few years, irrespective of cost, have been in BYOBs. As to what we need, I'll have to disagree with some of the contributors, including some respected colleagues here: we DON'T need more freaking Italian restaurants!! Sure, any new GOOD restaurant is welcome, and I look forward to Vetri's Osteria, but the suggestion that there's nothing in between Ralph's and Vetri is ridiculous. More gastropubs? Sure I love them, but we've got lots. If you're tired of them, you're tired of life... I think the larger point is that the best restaurant scenes and movements arise organically. And that's happening. There's an amazing Mexican scene springing up here, and it's coming from Mexican cooks and chefs, not someone pondering what the city needs more of. The little taquerias and shops that are revitalizing a previously dismal section of the Italian Market are just one part of it. Want a little more fancy than just basic tacos and enchiladas? We've got that too. Sure, we could use some more regional focus in all the larger cuisines, I'd love a good Oaxacan place, but we'll get there... We got TWO good Sichuan places in Chinatown recently. We have four Malaysian restaurants. Manhattan doesn't have four Malaysian restaurants. But more importantly, ethnic influences are being felt from within the kitchens of upscale restaurants, much like the Thai kitchen workers fueled much of the earlier restaurant renaissance of the 70s and 80s. It's already happening, but I expect we'll see more interesting places open as the line cooks and sous-chefs decide to open their own places based on the food they grew up, filtered through the chops they learned in other kitchens. Many of those workers are Mexican and Central American right now, so I predict we'll see more and more good little independent places with that cuisine at the core, and some modern polish too. I guess I'm just feeling that the kids are alright. I'm not sure we are at a momentous crossroads, it seems to me that the restaurant scene is pretty interesting and diverse and exciting. Garces really did it right at Amada, and we'll see some new, regional, spin-offs soon. That's cool. We've got some city-edge action, with cool BYOBs and little ethnic spots out in West Philly; Pif and James and Vietnamese and Mexican places among the flood of Italian in South Philly, Gastropubs, Tapas, Mexican and more in Northern Liberties and beyond; the Osteria soon to be on North Broad; the Korean, South American, Russian and Eastern European out in the Northeast; the diversity in Upper Darby... We're really not in bad shape. I'm never bored. On the flip-side, whether Philly will support the real forward-leaning places remains to be seen. There's really thrilling food coming out of the kitchen at snackbar, but we've still got people on this list, this crowd of gonzo foodies who haven't gone, or went once. Lacroix gets four bells largely from its being experimental and yet I haven't seen any recent reports here. Ansill has been serving up some great stuff you won't see elsewhere, but I've never had to wait for a table. If even we're not going, what lessons should a restauranteur take from that? There are not a ton of experimental places in NY either, Chicago seems to hold the cards on that movement for some reason, but Philly ought to be able to support some of that, with the relatively low overhead (compared to NY or San Francisco or even DC) and an active, informed dining scene. I hadn't thought about the PR angle, and it could be a factor. Say what you will about the Starr organization, but they know how to create buzz, but they haven't done much around here for a while. I do look forward to the bistro on Rittenhouse square, I too loved the Blue Angel. But given the location and the owners, it's likely to be a bit more expensive and scene-y than those of us craving a neighborhood haunt for simple French food. But other restauranteurs could take a lesson from them - it's immaterial whether Buddakan is "gourmet" or not, the fact that they have been able to maintain excitement about it far outside center city (I've been asked about it by people from out of state) explains why they're still busy after all these years, without making significant changes to the menu or the decor or the overall concept. And people aren't stupid, they go, and go back, because they had a good time. Sneer all you want at the "theater" of it, but people like to feel that they've gone somewhere different, special, exotic. Giant Buddhas, water walls and glowing communal tables aren't required, but giving a sense that the dinner is a special event is a winning formula. It's not the only one - plenty of our faves succeed with little or no flash - but if the restaurant is putting out good food, but having trouble staying full, a little PR and marketing is probably the answer. And that helps on a national scale too. It's true enough that not many people go to a city merely to eat, but it can sway the argument - I'm sure many vacation decisions have tipped toward New Orleans or San Francisco, or NY, based on the prospect of getting good food along the way, because it's just understood that those are great food towns. Chicago is starting to get that rep. Philly deserves it, but I don't know if the outside world knows more than cheesesteaks, Le Bec Fin and who was that Iron Chef guy? Is he still there? I think the strength of Philly in general is that it has a comfortable scale, a neighborhoody feel. And many of our best restaurants reflect that, and should. Whether it's the ingrained Philly low-self-esteem or more of an admirable modesty, we're generally not all that concerned about being world-class, and I don't think we need be. We have lots of really great culture of all types, including food, that fits our lives very well, and if anybody else notices, well, fine. If not, their loss. That's the Philly character: deserving of more respect and recognition, but resigned to not getting it, and a little pissed about that, but not too much. Recognition happens sometimes - Vetri gets good national press, Amada has gotten attention outside the city, and within our eG world, a few folks listed StudioKitchen as among their best meals of the year (including one listing it above Alinea, French Laundry and other heavy-hitters.) All this does create some sense in the outside world that we've got something going on here... So again, I think Philly's doing fine. But stop with the pasta already, go eat some weird food, it's going to inspire and influence the other chefs around here, and everything will get more interesting. Support those restauranteurs who are trying something new. Go eat some buffed-up Mexican at Molcajete Mixto, it's good! Go order something with powders and foams at snackbar, it's delicious! Go eat some lamb's tongues or sweetbreads at Ansill, you'll like them! Go set your mouth on fire at the Tasty House, it's addicting! Oh, and those little mom-and-pop BYOBs that we roll our eyes at are still putting out some excellent food. I'd be fine with a new swarm of those, if they're as good as Mandoline and Matyson and Melograno. Nope, I'm not gnashing my teeth about our restaurant scene, unless that gnashing involves chewing on some roast duck...

I would just like to note the appearance of the words "wuvs" and "simulacrum" in this discussion. Who's got trump?

O, whoops, right, Charcutierie! And there seems to be some confusion: David Ansill IS cooking at Pif, David Kane has been gone for some time. Kibett Mengech is chef at Ansill. I wouldn't hazard a guess about the future of Pif, but it seems to be going just fine for now. I thought the food was delicious. I didn't dislike the foie, I just liked the other starters better. The duck was billed as medium-rare, but I thought it was a little less-done than that, and I think it would have had a better texture cooked a little further, but the flavor was excellent, especially in concert with the spicy arugula and shreds of salty duck confit. We were all thinking that we would never normally order a steak at a place like this, it just seems like the skill of the kitchen might be put to better use, but wow, that was indeed a tasty piece of beef. The poached pear was intriguing, with all sorts of mysterious wisps of flavor swirling across the palate. I'm normally opposed to flavored creme brulées, but this pistachio version was excellent. And along with the roquefort and morbier, the third cheese was an Alsatian Muenster, which was pretty good, but the least distinctive of the three. That roquefort was super-intense, and as Diann mentioned, through a happy accident we discovered that some bread, dipped in the pear-poaching liquid, was the perfect platform for its pyrotechnics. The food was really quite delicious, and the place, as always, has nice nice casual vibe. The evening was lubricated by: which we don't want to talk about, because the CdP was freaking awesome, and we don't want you maniacs going out and buying it all up before we have a chance to, and we're not sure how the Cave Springs Riesling got in the state. So let's just keep quiet about the wines, OK? Forgot to take a picture, but at the end of the meal, we drank a split of Late Harvest Gewurtztraminer from Amity in Oregon, which I liked quite a lot.

I think you're right, the only things I've seen Lakeside push without being ordered are the fried balls of crunchiness. I can imagine that it would be weird if one was expecting a range of dim sum to be offered like a typical cart place, but I usually just ignore them and order from the menu. As will certainly be documented here, the Ducks and company are trying to eventually visit all the places that do dim sum around town, so hopefully, soon, we'll have pretty recent reports from most of the places, at which point it'll be time to start again. Darn.

I've just recently come to understand the seating/scheduling thing a little better from an experience as a diner. Two of us walked-in to a pretty popular restaurant with no reservations on a Thursday night. From the front window, it looked like they had plenty of open seats. We inquired about a table, and they said they'd have something in about a half-hour, which was fine. We walked around a bit, and returned in almost exactly that time. Then, inside the restaurant, we waited probably another 45 minutes, until finally being seated at the bar. All this time there were a few open tables, and I was a little mystified why they just wouldn't seat us. At a few different points there seemed to be grand tidal shifts, where half the room would empty, and there we sat, waiting for a 2-top. But it did finally make sense as I paid close attention. Sure enough those ebbs would fill-in with a new tide of diners, and although there were always one or two tables open, they were different tables in different sections, and I could tell that those were reserved seats that a party was just a little late for, and/or that were intentionally being held for later to pace the servers and kitchen. I had been getting a little irritated that we were waiting when there were 5 tables open, and that we ended up at the bar when we would have preferred a table. I'm always flexible as a walk-in, so I felt no entitlement to the best seat in the house, but it just looked as if there was plenty of room for us. But by the end of our dinner, watching the traffic flow in the room, it made sense, and I realized that there actually was a plan. It just so happens that I had a good view of the floor, and while I started out a little annoyed that they wouldn't give us one of the several open tables, so I really paid attention to who was sitting where when, and it eventually dawned on me that they weren't messing with my head, they really didn't have a table to give me. The hostess was really quite gracious: when we figured out that she was looking for a spot at the bar for us, we asked for a table in the main room if possible. She said she was fully booked there, but that she'd definitely give us a table if someone was more than 15 minutes late for their reservation. Turns out everybody showed up, although at any given moment it looked like there were tables. I think it worked out about the way it should have, given that we didn't have reservations: we asked politely, she said she'd try, it didn't work, we didn't get upset about not having our ideal seats, and we had a perfectly enjoyable meal. So I'd say, there's no harm in asking for a different table, in some cases it really won't make any difference, or closer to Markk's point, the restaurant often can change their plan to make the customer happy. But one shouldn't be surprised if the place can't grant that request, even if it appears that they should be able to, there may be larger patterns at work that aren't apparent to the layperson. I think restaurants ought to do whatever they reasonably can to accommodate customer requests, and staff shouldn't get all bent out of shape if it's not what they'd planned. That's real life, it's part of the gig. But at the same time, customers need to understand that they can't always get exactly what they want. It would be great if I could dictate exactly where I sit, and who's around me, and what music is playing and what the ambient temperature and lighting is, but I also realize that I'm not in my house, and that the restaurant can't possibly do everything I'd like, because they're serving other people too. We've all had that odd mantra that the customer is always right drilled into our heads, but of course he's not, and it's not vaguely practical to comply with every possible request. At the same time, hostesses' and managers' goals shouldn't be to execute their plan like clockwork, it should be to make the customers as happy as possible, so the plan's got to have room for flex. The good news is that it's not heart surgery - if it all goes to hell, both sides of the podium have a couple of annoying hours and then try again next time...

I liked the dim sum at Lakeside a lot, and it was great to go in a large group, because I got to try several things I might not have. Left alone, there's a distinct risk of my just getting about 15 orders of the sausage buns and calling it a day. In groups of 2 or 4, I've always liked the menu-based format rather than the carts, but I must say that in a huge gang like we had, it was a little hard to coordinate and pace things. I feel like on previous visits, I'd ordered a bunch of food which came out gradually, but this time most everything we ordered descended on the table at once. I'll take the blame for this, there were several voices pleading with Diann and I to STOP ORDERING!!! And indeed we might have been better-served to do it in a few waves, (although we did a bit of that too.) That said, there are worse things than fighting through an avalanche of good food. At this particular restaurant, groups larger than 8 or 9 get cumbersome, it's a small place with smallish tables, even the big ones. We ended up having some seating weirdness trying to get all of us at least in proximity to one another, so it's probably worth having a plan from the start to break up into smaller tribes if there are more than 8. We also discovered that they'll take reservations for larger groups, which could be helpful during prime time on Sundays especially. We wedged ourselves in, but just barely, the place was pretty hopping. As for the food, I'll concur that the jellyfish was quite delicious, although I like it a little better cut in thinner and shorter strands. I found myself a few times with huge tangles of ribbons that just refused to unravel, forcing me to try to get a big wad of jellyfish into my mouth all at once in a dignified way. I think I failed at that. Not quite as sloppy, but maybe even more tasty were the sesame noodles. Indeed those might be the best I've had around here, featuring a nice spicy kick. The roast duck was surprisingly good. I'm not sure why it was a surprise, I guess I don't expect it to be this tender and tasty at a place that doesn't specialize specifically in duck. And indeed, mad props to jas for the duck-baby-chopstick juggling, we're impressed! The snow pea leaves and the Chinese broccoli were great, and I usually order the baby bok choy when I'm there, so I think it's safe to say: get greens. The pan-fried dumplings were pretty rocking as well, they had a nice texture and the sweet/salty sauce played well with the beef and peanuts. We went through a few orders of Har Gow, but I'll let someone who ate them review them... I liked most of the buns/dumplings, etc. The Char Siu Bao are really good here, I'm a little surprised there wasn't a bigger fight over them. That is another problem with the large groups: it feels odd to ask for 4 or 5 orders of any one thing, but that might be what is needed if it's something everybody likes. There was a touch too much courtesy around the table, resulting in rampant dumpling division and bun bisection. This is just wrong. All in all, I still subscribe to the opinion that Lakeside has the "best" dim sum, on a purely food level. But for a large group, it's easier, and more fun, to go to a larger place with carts. I'll be back at Lakeside soon, for sure, but maybe with only 3-5 of you!

Almejas Lala fresh clams baked with chorizo, bread crumbs, rajas, cilantro and chipotle butter. Sopa Azteca tomato and epazote soup, chicken, crispy tortilla strips, avocado, dollop of cream and cheese Crema Conde pureed black bean soup, touch of cream Chiles Rellenos de Cochinita roasted poblano peppers filled with roast shredded pork, raisins in a light tomato sauce Enchiladas de Mole Poblano chicken breast enchiladas, mole, melted cheese and sour cream Flan We thought everything was delicious. The clams tasted more of sausage than of the sea, but I don't see that as a problem! Both soups were subtle, but quite tasty, each with an excellent texture and blend of flavors. The Chiles Rellenos had a nice kick of spice, offsetting the slightly sweet meaty filling. The mole poblano was not the most intense I've had, but it might be the most balanced, covering three generous enchiladas. The flan was amazingly creamy, not gelatinous, with a slight coconut overtone to the vanilla and caramel flavors. Service was very attentive and professional, the place is really quite lovely inside, the food was excellent, I have no idea why it's not packed. Sure it's more expensive than the taquerias and other casual places in the neighborhood, but the food truly does have another layer of refinement to it, clearly carefully made with quality ingredients. And it's still not exactly pricey: only about $50 for all that food. Sure, I'll still hit other places for a quick taco jones, but for a more sophisticated meal, I'll be back here for sure.

There's a jellyfish dish, but it's pictured between the tripe and the snow pea leaves.... that top-right corner crunchy thing was some sort of deep-fried pork and shrimp croquette.

Lakeside Deli January 7, 2007

Pif Jan 6, 2007

Stephen, do you think that works? Despite whining about the randomness next door at Lee, my two meals at Susur were peak dining experiences for me. But I'm not sure I quite "got" the reverse progression either time. I like the idea of not saving the big, heavy, dramatic highlight of the meal for a spot where one is too full to really appreciate it, but I still think that lighter, more delicate flavors are better preludes for the more dominating ones, rather than the other way around. Susur's food was good enough that I didn't really care, but I think I might have liked it even a little better if it were presented in reverse, that is to say, conventional, order. That said, at least there was some logic in the progression, rather than mere randomness. And incidentally, even "backwards," the foie gras courses I had still appeared pretty early in the meal...

The majority of the Stephen Starr restaurants in Philly operate this way (and presumably Buddakan in NYC too) as do plenty more, as many of the exciting places to open recently around here seem to be in that small-plates zone. On one hand, I actually quite like the "family-style" shared-plates thing, and having the dishes arrive randomly actually encourages this, unless someone really wants to sit sullenly, hungrily awaiting "his" plate. On the other hand, I think there really is something to be said for progression of flavors, especially if one is trying to drink compatible wine. While I love the contrasts and variety offered by a large array of dishes in a typical Asian meal, given the even more diverse range of today's modern restaurants, the random order can result in some jarring clashes. At a recent meal at Susur Lee's "Lee" in Toronto, we ordered 5 small plates between two of us. The very first thing to arrive was a piece of black cod with cantonese preserves, a dish I'd certainly thought of more as one of the "mains" as opposed to some of the other dishes, which felt more like starters or side-dishes. Next came a Feta tart, which I think I would have preferred to have first. Next was a really hearty Duck dish, then later some dumplings, and last a baked lentil dish, which I really would have preferred to have as an accompaniment to everything else. Even with the random order, things came just fast enough that we ended up with all five dishes in front of us as once, which let to an awfully cramped table, a confusion of flavors, and things getting cold because we couldn't get to them in time. I've had this same problem at other places: being forced to either let something sit and get cold, or to dive right into it even if jumping between the flavors and textures of the other dishes is not ideal. I'm fine with a variety of flavors, I don't need to finish my peas before moving on to my potatoes, but I don't always want a bite of ceviche followed by a forkful of pork belly, followed by a cured anchovy, followed by poached eggs.... Oddly enough, the one place I have NOT had this problem is Amada in Philly, a restaurant that is ostensibly serving Spanish Tapas, and therefore should not really be all that concerned about order and pacing. But I've found that even if one orders a huge pile of food, they'll bring it in a logical sequence, and nicely timed. I've even had service slow WAY down to correlate with the leisurely way we were grazing through the early courses, which I really appreciated. Might be one reason the place is so popular. So I agree with most of the posts here, I'm generally not a fan of the "you'll get it when it's ready" style of service, mostly for the jumble of flavors that often results. But it is really quite unpleasant if one is dining with someone who's not into the sharing thing, and really just wants to eat "his" dish. The only thing I will say is that I do like getting everything hot, without anything sitting under a lamp for protracted times... For whatever reason it doesn't bother me in the least if everything we order shows up at once in a Chinese place. More compatible flavors maybe?

No, no, I'll defer to you for that honor! One of these days 'll have some time and we'll do some serious damage around town.... I noticed a little Afghan place on South Clinton called Ariana. Looked pretty ragged from the outside, but hopefully it's a little better inside. Heard anything? The City Paper reviewed it pretty positively: full City Paper Ariana review

I also made a stop at Chen Garden in Brighton. As I think I've posted before, there are few big surprises here, it's just solidly good Chinese food, with a deeper menu than most places around Rochester. We ordered a little conservatively for the sake of sharing around a diverse table, but everything was very good. Fried Pork Dumplings Black Pepper Pork Hunan Shrimp and Scallops Shredded Chicken in Brown Sauce Beef Chow Fun with Black Bean Sauce Beef and Snow Peas Young Chow Fried Rice It was all extremely fresh and carefully-prepared, even basic dishes such as the chow fun or beef and snow peas were quite good in their own simple way, due to good ingredients cooked properly. There are a few more-daring things to be ordered, I'll be sure to do that next time. It's not the most exciting Chinese I've ever had, but always an enjoyable meal. Chen Garden 1750 Monroe Ave (585) 241-3070

I ended up having much less time than I'd expected over the holidays, and did very little eating out around Rochester. But I did hit a few of my old favorites. Got take-out from Korean House in the Regional Market in Hennrietta. It's hidden back in a non-descript building near Lori's Natural Foods, and it doesn't look too welcoming from the outside. Inside, it isn't exactly fancy, but it's pleasant enough, if a little plain. Seoul Garden nearby on West Hennrietta Road has a bit more atmosphere, and the great advantage of grilling at the table. Korean House has a wider selection of soups and noodles, and a homey feel to the food. They offer grilled items, but they do them in the kitchen. I realize that most of what I ordered is WAY better fresh and hot, some of it probably shouldn't even be ordered for take out. Even though I was only going a very short distance, items like the Pajun really didn't take to being boxed-up, but I've had it at the restaurant before, and it's rocking good straight out of the pan. There's not much that looks great in take-out containers, so my apologies about the pics, it's more attractive if you order in! Pa Jun This was a regular veggie pancake, they offer a Hae Mul Jun and a Kimchee Jun, both of which are good. Man Du Nice and crispy, with a ground beef filling. Duk Man Du Guk Sorry, that picture doesn't really communicate, but there were little sliced discs of rice cake, dumplings and veggies in a mild broth. The home made rice cakes are really good if you like that chewy, slightly gummy texture, I do... The broth was OK, but I realize I was really craving a Ji-Gae, but didn't think my dining partner would dig the spiciness. Bul Gogi This was much better than it looks here, there was a good portion of tender, flavorful beef. Of course it's many times better hot off a grill right in front of you, so even though this was tasty, I think I'll go to Seoul Garden for Bul Gogi, Kalbi, and the like from now on. Banchan was pretty minimal, but good: I think each Korean place has its strengths, I'll certainly be back here for soups, and anything with the Duk rice noodles. But everything was good, even after being abused by steaming itself in take-out containers. Korean House 900 Jefferson Road Building #1 (Near Lori's Natural Foods) 585-475-9810 Mon-Thr 11am-10pm Fri-Sat 11am-10:30pm

Remember, Laban's cheesesteak project named it as having the best one in town, and they are awfully darn good! Still, you have a good point: if I were coming from out of town and only able to get one sandwich there, it would be a Roast Pork Italian.