philadining

Agreed, I don't mean to poke fun at Kelly, he was great: extremely professional, without being stuffy, in fact he was very friendly and funny. And yes, we had a slight drip on our tablecloth, which was covered by a napkin about 37 milliseconds after it was revealed... No, it was pretty dim, so these pix are the result of some slow exposures with a wide-open fast lens, in RAW mode, and some Photoshop tweaking. Oh, and one flash for the dry-ice, the dining room was pretty empty by then. So the plates were even prettier in person!

I suppose this doesn't quite belong in the topic Susur 2005, as it recounts a dinner in June of 2006, but for the sake of keeping the topics together, I'll just tack it on... There seem to be a lot of Susur skeptics in this forum, and I won't argue with anyone else's impressions, but mine have been overwhelmingly positive. This was my second dinner there, each time our table ended up with three separate tasting menus: one vegetarian, the other two the usual alternating anything-goes. Kelly Kwan promised to send me a more detailed list of our dishes, so I'll update with more accurate descriptions when I get them, but in the meantime, here are some pics, and basic descriptions. (Apologies for the image grain, it was very dim, and I didn't want to annoy anyone with the flash...) Vegetarian amuse: (The bowl held a gelée of Gazpacho, the stack on the end had goat cheese, hazelnuts, beets, and something else... ) Amuse (each got all three) I have already forgotten what the little scallop-looking thing was, except that it was delicious, but the others were an impossibly creamy lobster mousse, surrounding lobster meat, on an herb sauce; and a refreshing slice of citrus in gelée. 1st Course Roasted Artichokes, Baby Leek, desiccated tomato Cornish Hen v1 Cornish Hen v2 2nd Course Belgian White Asparagus, Morells Foie Gras wrapped in Beef Carpaccio to be dipped in hot broth: Seared Foie Gras with wine reduction and grapes, Fried Vermicelli cage 3rd Course Fried Tofu with spicy Thai sauce Sablefish with Crab Sauce Sablefish with sweet corn sauce, corn cake 4th Course Vegetable Tempura Softshell Crab Tempura Grilled Prawns (several of them....) 5th Course Tomato Soup, Roasted Onion, Black Olive oil, Tomato Gelée (2 of us got this) Another appearance of the white asparagus (for a different diner) 6th Course Strawberry Sorbet, Rhubarb compote, over dry ice 7th course Too many desserts to count... there was a whole tier i didn't photograph... It was an exciting, surprising, and most importantly, delicious meal. Last year i encountered a couple of things that were interesting, but not all that pleasing, but this time, every bit of every course was extremely tasty, in addition to being stimulating and attractive. The patterns of plating were interesting, with visual echos between many of the plates, a few common ingredients, but always recontextualized, rather than simply repeated. The dish that appeared twice, the asparagus, was so delicious, just about singing with a tarragon-righ creamy sauce, I wouldn't think to complain about redundancy. I hadn't had a chance to taste it, only heard how great it was, so I was thrilled to have a plate of it myself later. Service was paced perfectly, Kelly made some excellent wine suggestions, and kept everything running like clockwork. I hope he didn't see us joking about his smooth, balletic rearrangement of our glassware and place settings between each course, we appreciated it, it just got increasingly humorous. I'm sure he was making the proper space for the next course, but we suspect just a touch of obsessive-compulsive desire for symmetry... Our impression was of absolutely top-notch, scrupulously fresh ingredients, imaginatively conceived and skillfully prepared. A few of the servers delivering plates had pretty thick accents, making the fairly complicated descriptions a little tricky to follow, but we just listened more carefully. Overall, as last year, one of the most interesting and satisfying meals I've ever had. And outside of Per Se and the French Laundry, one of the few vegetarian menus I've seen that accomplishes this level of artistry and sophistication. 7-course vegetarian menu - about $75 7-course full menu - about $125 worth every penny, if you ask me. more details about the menu as I get them.

Sign in the window now says they'll open on June 3. I could see in through the windows, and they've changed the layout of the dining room, but it doesn't look all that different... No menu posted yet, we'll see....

Stein's Fishmarket resurrected for a minute and a half in its original location, in late 1999-early 2000, then quietly sank to the bottom of the sea. I lose track of the exact progression of tenants in that space, but Bob's right, there was a Fishmarket phase 2 in there...

quelle surprise! I think what that corner needs is a few pots of nice orange flowers of some sort...

One thing I like about this place is that the offerings are often adjusted and altered, so while there will be a fairly predictable range of things, the rillettes might be oxtails, or pheasant, or salmon; the ceviche might be fluke or bass, or something new today; the langoustines might have a different sauce drizzled over them; the spaetzel might be holding up the belly of a wild boar, or a more domestic pig. So I'm not too surprised to find varied reactions to some of the same dishes, especially when factoring-in personal preferences. The ceviche we had recently was in no way muted. And the scallions we had a while back were just sort of blah... but I'll bet much of that is down to the particular fish or meat or produce that day. A dish like the scallions is going to soar or drag based on how good the onions are that day, regardless of what happens at the stove. But Ansill's romesco sauce is quite nice... Anyway, glad you liked it overall, dagordon, thanks for the report! And good to see that they're getting some notice.

I agree that Chester Springs Creamery makes very good ice cream, and I like that style too, it doesn't all have to be gelato! I was just making the comparison to Capogiro to acknowledge the hypocrisy inherent in my complaining about a $3.50 ice cream cone... But I'm also a little more ready to spend more for the experimentation and exotic ingredients one encounters at Capogiro, than for the relatively conventional concoctions at Chester Springs. But there's nothing wrong with conventional, if it's good! I'll be back for sure, I was just rather surprised by how long it took to get through the line!

I managed to find a parking space directly in front of Amada on Memorial Day, and --what? I'm supposed to disregard divine intervention like that? I don't think so... A pitcher of the Red Sangria was really quite large, a little dangerous for two of us in the mid-afternoon! We were on our way to dinner shortly so we meant to just drink, but, having absolutely no self-control, we fell victim to the siren call of the tapas menu. Croquettas de Bacalao Very light and airy, with a great crunch, the mild salt-cod flavor was amped-up a bit by the dollop of caviar. The intense tomato sauce below provided a bright counterpoint. Not too fishy, not too salty, but still reminiscent of the sea. Really nice. Amada's Empanada This was transcendent... a surprisingly fluffy filling of spinach and manchego was surrounded by an amazingly flaky, tender, crispy wrapper (apparently from Grandma's own recipe.) As if that weren't enough, and it would be, a bed of marniated artichokes, peppers, onions and potatoes adds a bitey acidic note that balances the richness of the empanada perfectly. Among a list of amazing tapas, this one still stands-out. We honestly had a long debate about blowing-off dinner plans and just staying there at Amada's bar all night. In the end, I'm glad we checked out Cantina El Caballito, but we could have been perfectly happy staying at Amada...

Lots of Capogiro gelato for breakfast?!?! I'm in!

I stopped by the Chester Springs Creamery on saturday night for a quick ice cream cone. Well, I thought it would be quick... Now, I realize it was Memorial Day weekend, and a nice warm day, so I was not surprised by the line, maybe 50 people. But I figured it's just ice cream, these lines move fast, right? 40 minutes later I had an ice cream cone. And you know, it was good, but not that good! I really couldn't see what was taking so long, they had 3 or 4 people scooping, and even though many of the people in line were ordering several things for family, it still seemed a bit slow. I think part of the problem is that they had the same people scooping and taking money, and they seemed a little perplexed about how to deal with money with ice-cream-covered gloves. And no, at least my server didn't take off the latex gloves to handle money, or put new ones on when she went back to scooping... It's a little on the pricey side: there's no per-scoop price, they weigh everything. My solid, but not huge, two scoops was a little over $3.50. (Of course I happily pay more at Capogiro all the time, but, that's Capogiro...) The ice cream is good, and I'm behind supporting a local, family-run dairy that has their cows grazing in the pasture right there at the dairy/ice cream shop. So I'll be back lots this summer, I'm sure, but I'm going to have to think twice if there's much of a line. www.milkywayfarm.com Chester Springs Creamery

I'll concur with Katie, the Cantina is going to be a great place: good vibe, friendly people, and most importantly, delicious food. Oh yeah, and very tasty margarita-ish cocktails too... This was a get-the-kinks-out, soft open, so I'm not going to get nit-picky about anything, but I can honestly say there was very little that seemed to need tweaking, we really enjoyed everything we had. Guacamole Empanadas (these were especially good...) Flautas Snapper with Mole Verde (outstanding) Chicken with Mole Negro Tinga Poblano Vaca Frita "Macho" Plantanos (outrageously good) A Chocolate Mousse-ish thing with a hint of chile.... The food really was all good, and I'm eager to go back. More reports, with more specific critiques after they open for real, but this preview bodes well. It's good food, a cool place, and fills a niche I didn't even know needed filling: simple, but slightly haute Mexican food, with good drinks. But you know, it does need filling. And I think these folks are just the ones for the job....

Had another really nice meal at Ansill Complimentary Olives to start. We realized later that they never brought us any bread.... Striped Bass Ceviche This was bright and fresh, tart and herby. Loved it. Duck Prosciutto The duck was very tender and delicate, delicious, but easily overwhelmed. The figs were a nice compliment, but cut a bit too large, and tended to blot out the flavor of the duck if eaten together. And what exactly is the deal with the three little slices of bread? This is not the first dish I've gotten with way too little bread, I can't imagine it would be a hardship to toss on a few more slices! Actually the portion overall was a touch small, the first thing i've gotten there that seemed that way. Still, very good, glad I got it. Grilled Octopus Excellent. Tender, great grill flavor, nice tangy marinade, complimentary greens. An unequivocal winner. Grilled Langoustines Great flavor and texture, sweet and fresh. The only downside is that there's not a whole lot to eat on a langoustine... Grilled Asparagus Simple, springy, perfect. Osso Bucco Sandwich This is one of my favorite things to eat in all of Philly. With tender, flavorful meat atop a crispy toasted brioche, which is soaking up the rich sauce - what's not to love? Hazelnut - Chocolate Terrine An airy mouse, with a crunchy base, studded with nuts. Smooth, light, restrained, but very nice. Chocolate and Strawberry Jam Panino Gooey, intense dark chocolate, with an overtone of fruit, on freshly toasted bread, a dollop of marscapone in case it wasn't rich enough.... Liked it a lot. Glasses of Vouvray and Viogner were just right on this warm day, and both went well with most everything, right up until the Osso Bucco sandwich. A Coteaux de Layon might not have been a match with dessert, but was a great meal-ender on its own. Overall, another very satisfying meal at Ansill, and I'll be back, both for what have become firm favorites, and to try more...

I've been to Brigid's pretty recently, and it's still a favorite of mine. It has an awe-inspiring beer list, quite extensive in bottled Belgians especially, and always a few good local microbrews on tap (including one gravity tap.) And the food, while not spectacular, is almost always very good in a non-fussy way, and an excellent value. I especially like their Duck Chambord. I like Rembrandt's too. And the closest restaurant might be Goji, at 20th and Hamilton. Thread here.

I don't have answers for your questions but just thought I'd not that there IS a Szechuan Tasty House thread here, that might be a better place for this discussion.

I got some takeout from Royal India last night. I'd been curious about the Indo-Chinese stuff you don't see too many other places. So I got the Chicken Manchurian, and a Chili Paneer (I'd asked for Chili Lamb but the waiter said he thought it was too old... I wouldn't like it... and suggested the paneer.) (The Chili Paneer is the bright red stuff in the left half of the bowl) Both were nice and spicy, but I came to the conclusion that I just don't really care for Indo-Chinese. They were clearly well-made, but I just wasn't loving those flavors. I did like the breads. I got an Onion Kulcha and a Peshawari Nan. That nan had a really nice mix of fruits and nuts and coconut inside, and was delicious, just on its own, in fact I ate most of it in the car on the way home... The onion kulcha was good, but they make a better one at Desi Village. Overall, I like the place, and I'm going back soon for some Indian-Indian food. Plus I managed to stock up on some hard-to-find ingredients at the store in front while I was waiting. The people were super-nice, and hey, they had an awesome compilation of Bollywood dance productions running on the big screen, so I was entertained. It's a shame how much trouble and heartache those lovely young couples have to go through.... (ETA: this morning I reused the meat from the chicken manchurian to make some fried rice with the leftover basmati rice, and the chicken stayed really moist and tender, I might have liked it more the second time around, without the gloopy sauce.)

Wow, sorry to hear that! They did recite a big list of things they had run out of when I was there too, but still had most of what I was interested in. And it's odd: the pork I got was not especially fatty, yet had rather full flavor. But even though mine was pretty tasty, I might have been bored with it if all I'd gotten was pork and rice. It's already feeling like my experience getting the roast pork at Los Mariachi's in Phoenixville: I kept hitting it when it was good, and Percy kept getting served really nasty dregs... Im not crazy! Mine was good, really! But it's bad news if a place like this can't get a plate of Pernil out reliably. Sorry to steer you wrong!

No and no... as in, they were not all that busy, and there's not much seating. That said, I'd still give it a whirl, there are probably 5 or 6 small tables, and worst case, you get it to go!

Paper is off the windows of the Exton restaurant, there are fancy wooden louvered shutters on inside of those windows now. Some handwritten signs say "now hiring." Still no opening date posted that I could see. But it does look like it could be imminent.

I visited Sabor al Tropical in West Chester tonight. Really good Puerto Rican food!

I as driving down Gay street the other day, and the intense sunnyiness of this storefront leapt out at me from Church Street. I'd already eaten that night, but vowed to go back. It's a small place, with only a few tables, but one can eat there, or get take out. I grabbed a few things to go. The Pastelillos were big, about 5 inches in diameter, and had a nicely spiced ground beef, and a slightly gummy cheese. I'd probably get the ones filed with just beef next time, but I liked these, they were nice and crispy, freshly fried to order, about $2.50 each. They had run out of bread for sandwiches, so I got a platter of Pernil with red rice and salad. It doesn't look this way in the photo, but it was actually a quite generous serving, and delicious. About $9. The roasted pork was held in a steamtable, so there wasn't any crispy skin, but it was very tender and juicy, with a hearty, garlicky flavor. I really enjoyed it. The menu is not huge, but they have some intriguing stuff, like octopus salad, Carne Quisada, and homemade soups, along with the expected chicken, pork and bistec. They even sell Pernil, Chicharron Volada, Ribs, Chicken and Morcilla by the pound to go! Service was very friendly. They keep pretty extensive hours, although there was sign inside with revised hours, saying they'd be open thursday-saturday 11am until "late," rather than the 1:30am printed on the menu. I asked what "late" meant, and the woman behind the counter answered "as late as I can stand..." So, you might be able to get a late-night bite there on the weekends, depends on how tough the day was! Otherwise - Mon-Wed 11am-10pm, Sunday noon to 6pm. I'll certaily be checkng out some more of the menu soon. Sabor al Tropical 102 North Church Street (just North of Gay Street) West Chester, PA 19380 610-696-5577

I have some suggestions from a life-long local, and plenty more if you want to get outside of Harrisburg proper. These are all downtown and enthusiastically recommended by her: Char's Bella Mundo (Bistro) 540 Race Street 717-213-4002 Hayden's on Pine ("Gourmet") 215 Pine Street 717-909-5161 Mangia Qui (Italian) 272 North Street 717-233-7358 Passage to India 525 S. Front Street 717-233-1202 Simosans (Fusion) 1530 N. 2nd Street 717-233-5544 What If Cafe ("California") 3424 N. 6th St 717-236-1155 Some other thoughts from Central PA Magazine's Readers' Poll

Best table in the city for people watching, no doubt! There's no shortage of outdoor tables, many of them perfectly pleasant, but as came up a while back when we were debating the term "boulevardier," there aren't too many perfect spots for viewing tout le monde on their promenades. Rittenhouse Square might be as close as we come, so as Bob suggests, get some take-out anything, and sit in the park. Or if you can squeeze in at Rouge, you get a similar view, and a darn fine burger. Not too far away, Tria has a few tables on Sansom Street. It's not as scenic as the park, but there'll be foot traffic to amuse the eyes. Brasserie Perrier has tables on Walnut. The ever hippifying corner of 13th and Sansom has tables outside Lolita, ElVez and Capogiro - again, not so lovely a view, but plenty of people-watching. Sadly Raw is having some troubles opening their little courtyard, I understand, but it has the potential to be really nice. Washington Square hasn't gotten much buzz as a restaurant (and now we know there NEVER was any mouse poop in the rice!) but the outdoor courtyard is a great place for some drinks, unless it's windy... As mentioned above, practically every place along Manayunk's Main Street has tables outside. New Hope and Lambertville do too, if you're in the mood for a road trip. I've always liked the back garden at The Swan in Lambertville, no people-watching, just quiet and comfortable. In the end, just walk around, you'll see plenty of options, just scope it out for a few minutes to determine the balance of a good view, and the likelihood of a bus blowing exhaust into your beer.

It seems like almost every restaurant is tossing a table or two out front, and it's sometimes really crazy - one can end up continually elbowed by the madding crowds on the sidewalk, or inhaling a lot of bus exhaust. So a slight tweak to this question might be, any especially nice outdoor dining situations?

That's what I was thinking. I could make french fries too, but almost never do...

Check this topic.