Capaneus

"BYOB" is a pretty handy shorthand for that stereotype; it's one that most of us use and recognize. As far as I can tell, White is referring to that stereotype (as was I). White's point isn't anything about the sale of alcohol in Pennsylvania, it's about a stagnation that has followed the growth of this style of restaurant over the last five or so years. And wkl raises a good point. The PALCB doesn't control the number of liquor licenses in Philadelphia; there are also lots of liquor license-free restaurants in New Jersey. ← Fair enough. For what it's worth, I was not in fact addressing the article: frankly, it struck me as typical mealy-mouthed, half-baked reasoning intended to appeal the PM's readership's perceived prejudices. I was replying to points made on this forum, from which I expect better. As to the substance of your point... we are a bunch of snobs. I come from a place where "innovative" cuisine was unknown, at least while I lived there. A fancy restaurant was a place dumb people on expense accounts went to waste money. The rest of us enjoyed ourselves in inexpensive, street-corner little joints, called "tascas", where the food served was predictable - very probably the same dishes my great-grandfather would have found if he had visited the same place, and been served by the owner's great-grandfather. They provided inexpensive food, cheap rough-and-ready wine and beer, and a welcoming table. None of this was original, none of this was creative, none of this was, probably, terribly sanitary. But we had some amazing meals in places like that, a dozen friends and acquaintances sitting around for several hours making and discarding drunken philosophy. BYOBs aren't necessarily "cuisine", nor, I would argue, should they be. Ideally, they would serve the function tascas filled in Lisbon. Or bistros originally served in Paris, before the Americans ruined everything by winning WWII and overstaying their invitation They're supposed to serve good, solid food around which friends can sit and enjoy themselves. And since the economy of this country somehow doesn't allow for the $1 glass of wine, they let me bring my own. All of which is a necessary component of the model. In fact, if they have a flaw, it's that they're often too expensive for daily use, which limits their suitability as neighborhhod hangouts. That's what this country needs lots of - not clones of Alinea, with all due respect to a great chef. The original will suffice. In fact, that's what we all here, on some level, really crave, it seems to me. That's where our constant talk of the rarity of bistros, of the greatness of Italy's trattorias, really leads: we want public spaces where we can eat and hang out. We got none, really. Whatever happens in most bars is a pathetic approximation. Leave my BYOBs alone. They're the closest we've got.

What they said: rockin' meal, made better by great company. David is regularly in the kitchen at Pif. When I expressed my sorrow at the restaurant's imminent demise, he told me to stop worrying. Make of that what you will. He was certainly not talking about being tired, even minded when I mentioned he looked it. Didn't mentioned the Barbe Rac because it's all gone: our post-dim sum raid seems to have cleaned out the state. Sorry about that, folks. I'm sure there will be another excellently-revued $100 CdP selling for $30 coming along any day now.

Couple of points: absolutely correct that to compare Philadelphia with NY, San Francisco, Chicago, is tendentious. Fairer to compare us with other East Coast cities with similar economic and geographic situations, like Boston and Washington. That comparison I believe favors us, in the main - in spite of the fact that our closeness to Manhattan is a problem they don't have to deal with. Yes, Le Bec Fin is worthy of comparison with other haute French kitchens. I don't think it comes out on top, but it's no slouch. And as to the whole BYOB/LCB discussion, I continuously fail to understand why only the restaurateurs' viewpoint is ably represented in these discussions. So allow me: - There was a seriously crappy restaurant situation in Philadelphia. Then BYOBs hit, allowing an entire demographic to partake of (something like) the pleasures they could only, until then, watch through plate glass. Now, we have a booming restaurant scene which is regularly mentioned with envy in publications nationwide. Cause and effect? Can't prove it, sure, but Hell yeah! - A related point is that customers vote with their feet (why do all you kitchen-sink libertarians ignore that set of freedoms when discussing the situation?) Not only has the boom in BYOs put into relief the longstanding obscenity of winelist prices, there is now an ensuing boom of restaurants that have learned that lesson, and are thriving, at least in part, becuse they have fairly-priced lists. Which were in rare supply until BYOB hit town in force. Again, causality? Believe it, friends and others. Market at work. - And finally, I will grant that the price of liquor licenses distorts the market. But it is a distortion that has many advantages for consumers: last Saturday, I had a truly excellent meal at Pif. With it, I had a '99 Chapoutier CdP "Barbe Rac". In NY, that would be a $250-$300 bottle. In pre-BYO Philadelphia, that might have been a $450-and-up item. In other words, some of you might have been lucky enough to enjoy the pairing of entrecote with anchovy butter and excellent Rhone wine. But I never would have. So, once again, I profess my abiding love for every paunchy, balding, grey-suited, grey-souled bureaucrat at the PLCB. May they prosper and multiply, and continue supplying me and like-minded drinkers with wines far above our meager deserts.

Don't forget to make a reservation. The place is tiny. ← Thanks, I will. Anyone care to comment on the quality of the food at Pif since Mr./Mrs. Ansil opened Ansil's? I've read nice reviews about it but not since the new place opened. Is the same chef still at Pif? ← I'm not sure when you're going, but keep in mind they're now open just Thur.-Sun. I'm going Saturday, so if your visit is past that I'll definitely comment. I have been since Ansill's opening, and it was as good as always. As far as who's cooking... I thought some of the reasons David Ansill was thinking of dropping Pif was that he wanted to spend less time there - meaning that he currently does - and that he has had trouble finding a chef to run the kitchen. Still, I don't have that from the horse's mouth, like some here, so I'll defer to their insight.

I fear it might be completely futile, but does someone have any idea where and to whom I might vent the not inconsiderable head of steam this news has built up in my inmost boiler?

true that. but if he does, jersey is still right next door... ← That's the thing, and it's why I always got miffed at people who pooh-pooh'ed the CS program: it did very different things than Canal's ever did, at least for me. It gave me access to wines I can't afford otherwise, and probably never really will. Not everything was a home run, but I drank many a bottle I loved and would never have bought at the original price. Plus, and this is no small thing, it made me focus. Instead of walking blind into aisles piled high with cases I know nothing about, I can research the wines, get opinions from friends and nice strangers on this site, and make a pretty informed decision. I'm even more worried because I'm reasonably sure there were already plans in the pipeline to change the CS program. Under Newman's stewardship, that would have been only slightly worrissome. Under Conti, I have no idea what will ensue. And, basically, I trusted Newman. I have a hard time imagining the new administration will measure up.

Hmmmm.... What I like about J&K is the intensity and clarity of the flavors. The fact that there is great chocolate underpinning them is a plus, but it is, in a way, secondary. I'm not sure whether subtlety is something I have hitherto looked for in my bonbons (I know, sorry, love that word). I wonder if this is a folks-and-strokes thing. Clearly, further research is in order.

Do you like them better than Jubilee's, or John and Kira's, or whatever they call themselves these days? Those are currently my favorites, but I'd love to give them a run for my candy money...

A couple ofitems currently on the CS list made it to dinner at Mandoline with some eG friends: a '03 Faiveley Mercurey, and the '04 Chateau de Tracy Pouilly-Fume. Opened both bottles at the beggining of the meal, since our appetizers ran the gammut. That gave me an opportunity to see how the wines stood by themselves. The Tracy was delicious. I've long been very fond of Pouilly-Fume: not quite as austere as Sancerre as a rule, the Tracy was a little fruitier and juicier even than most, though no one in their right mind would confuse it with a New World Sauvignon Blanc, since the melon and lime fruit is underpinned with strong minerality and a vegetal streak that wed the acidity to the fruit and give the wine great structure. Though it is very tasty on its own, it really opened up with my first plate, a really fine crabcake. The acids cut right through the slight fattiness of the frying, and the fruit just delicately framed the seafood, a perfect example of the synergy of a good match. On its own, the Mercurey was slightly tough for some of our group (though I didn't think it so). It has very firm tannins and surprisingly lively acids for the vintage, though the ripe fruit I've come to expect from the '03s kept it well in balance. With my pork chop, the wine came into its own, rich cherry-berry flavors coating the tongue, the tannin and acidity gripping the meat's fat to, once again, produce a fine match. Overall, an excellent meal, and two wines that I recommend heartily to those among us who prefer what's sometimes called a classic style. But you'll need to move fast: at two separate PLCB stores I had some of those reprehensible wine-professional types buy the entire stock right out from under me, once the Faiveley and once the Tracy. A recommendation of a sort in its own right, I suppose.

From today's Inky: "This is not transparency in public government," said Jonathan Newman, adding that he learned of Conti's hiring when Rendell's office gave him a job description for the new position at 3 p.m. yesterday." I'd say that's a pretty strong and clear statement, given his usual tact.

Well, the Latour Cotes de Beaune is likely to be a nice frequent-drinking wine at that price, likewise the Faiveley Mercurey currently in stores. And the whites look good as well, of course. The previous batch have done yeoman's duty for me over the past year. They're just amazingly versatile wines.

Ah. That's unfortunate. I picked up a few or the Arrowood Saralee on the strength of the Beau Melange, which I thought was extraordinary - though unmistakably New World. Hopefully they will settle and maybe knit together with a little lie down... I'll have to track down the Rutz Pinots Noirs. I was waiting for the Burgs that are supposedly hitting soon, but it can't hurt to diversify.

A truer statement was never made, and I missed it! Maybe I'll have to go on a hunt for it... ← Huh. Strokes and folks, I guess: I've been working through a bottle of the Arrowood Syrah for a couple of days, and I have to say, well, heh... It's just that it's got that overripe sour cherry-plum tang hot-climate wine sometime gets, which, to me, means someone didn't trust the quality of the fruit, so they let it hang a little longer so it ripens as much as possible. People seem to be okay with that, but it doesn't really work for me. Still, not a bad $10 bottle, I guess. If I'd paid the original price, though, I'd be a mite miffed.

I dont think it should be taken as a slight to Lacroix but interestingly, he praises his legacy and then caps it off with......"The arrival of new chef Matthew Levin, however, is proving to be just the energy jolt that Lacroix the restaurant needed."...............which makes it sound like one of these "We have come to bury Ceasar not to praise him" speeches but I dont think that is Laban's intent. Regardless he is the critic and he can write as he sees fit. What is curiously interesting though is that the food as described doesnt seem to be breaking any new ground per-se but merely being served with interesting accompaniments. I mean really...a lobster tempura, butter poaching another shellfish and seafood cappucinos and lattes. It also seems gratuitous inaccuracies (not lies) are increasingly used to impress the public without really contributing anything to flavor.......such as.... "The multicourse tasting meals, meanwhile, are a showcase for sharp concepts and prized ingredients - like the season's first Nantucket Bay scallops (a tiny harvest Lacroix divvied up with Thomas Keller at Per Se and Alex Stratta in Vegas.) Levin served them pristinely, but with a tweak, the sweet raw scallops shined in prime olive oil and citrus vodka, then scattered with the tart crunch of tiny diced apples and the salty pop of caviar" Since when did serving raw scallops with olive oil, apple and caviar become a tweak ???? Now that is just totally bullshit, all the scallops in Nantucket bay did not go to 3 restaurants in America and prime seafood restaurants like le bernadin and oceana were not interested. But it makes for impressive cache and great company.....Stratta's Vegas place may be the best seafood restaurant in America. But really, at least 30 different people harvest scallops in Nantucket and for any 3 restaurants to *exclusively* share the first harvest requires a lee harvey oswaldian-jack rub-ish conspiracy.... ← Dunno from no mollusk: maybe the very very first harvest, we're talking about? You know, the boat that made it back ahead of all the other boats? As to your other points... There's this thing I call "critic's disease", mostly with respect to movies: they see so many of them that they can get jaded, and things seem familiar and boring when they see a dozen alike every season. They tend to like new things just because they're new. But most moviegoers don't see that many movies. They don't get bored. And to them, a well-made movie is a good thing, even if it's a retread. Now, I know where you stand on novelty just to epater les bourgeois. I know food tasting good is your first criterium, innovation coming in a distant second. But you are still someone who is deeply familiar with the industry, and you recognize all the little touches people crib from one another. It's good to call that out. But you need to realize the hugely vastest majority of diners haven't even heard of butter-poached lobster - or of the French Laundry, for that matter. Heck, I know them both, and I think of myself as well ahead of the curve - but licorice root is new to me, and I like the thought. Apples and caviar served with raw scallops seems like something that would have been tried - but I've never encountered it. LaBan needs to keep his audience in mind when he writes. You're just way ahead of the rest of us. And about the slighting of J.-M. Lacroix... It sounds like there was plenty to like about the changes at this particular restaurant. But I've come to believe LaBan lets his personal biases show pretty regularly. I'd be interested in knowing just how the two got along.

I actually read about someone starting a tiffin whallah service in Philly sometime in the last year. That's about all I remember, though, and I think they were mainly aimed at the Indian community, so I don't know how easy they'd be to track down.

Well... I approached this review all ready to harrumph and poo-pooh, but I have to admit, the meals he describes sound much better than anything I ever had under Mr Lacroix's stewardship. Personally, the service always seemed fine, but then that kind of thing has to be pretty egregious to bother me. But the food just sounds damn good. Butter-poached langoustines... Sure, minor tweak on everybody's favorite, but I'm happy to exchange boring ol' lobster for my personal favorite seafood (barring carabinieri in piri-piri sauce, but that's a lost cause). And lemon-licorice root puree somehow seems like something that works with this dish. Can't wait to find out if it lives up to my expectations. For the moment, and assuming LaBan isn't just flat off the mark, I think I'm just glad to have the experience to look forward to. Though I'd rather the promotion didn't come across as such a slight to Jean-Marie Lacroix. On an interesting (and hopefully less fraught) side-note, Rick Nichols has some nice things to say about snackbar in his column - until, that is, a last paragraph that I'm having trouble reading as anything other than snide.

Overtures, which Katie recommended, is also quite suited to more formal dress: it has the whole velour-banquette vibe that suggests Old World dining. If you want a meal for which real formal attire might be appropriate, there are a few venues in Philadelphia that work. Of those, I'd recommend Deux Cheminees - which also happens to be (in my seldom humble oppinion) the most romantic venue in the city. Particularly if you go on a wintry day and get a table by one of the fireplaces. Guarantees all kinds of post-prandial snuggling. Oh, and the food is delicious! In fact, I'm surprised the place doesn't get more mentions, now that I think of it.

Everyone? Not I. And I NEED to get there. Are they DDC material? Imagine the possibilities...or mabye I'm just silly. ← You big silly! As to a DDC dinner... I wouldn't think so: pricewise, spacewise, liquor-license-wise. Be hard to make it fit.

I just had bagels from NY Bagels and agree that they are the best in the area. All they sell are bagels (and some bagel sticks), spreads and drinks. Mine were hot off the oven. I didn't see any bialys -- I'll ask next time. "Closed on Saturdays" a good sign, IMO. ← Seeing this thread pop up reminds me that I spotted Rolings bagels in the little greengrocer's at 20th and Rittenhouse (Sam's?). Didn't get any, so not sure if they are as good as they were last I had them, a couple of years ago. If the quality's held up, they are the standard hereabouts. If, that is, you like your bagels boiled, crusted and gnarled, like they used to make them in the shtetl. If you like them puffy-pillowy and doughy... sorry to hear it.

The Rizzi Barbaresco is a great food wine. There isn't any in Philly right now, but you get around, so there might be some not too far. The Ricasoli and the Terriccio also sound like good bets for the price, though I haven't tasted them. I think I must be on an Italian kick. All the others sound either too expensive or too heavy for bird 'n' trimmings. Maybe the Burgess. I loved the '01, but I haven't tried the '02 yet.

I may be missing something, but hasn't Susanna Foo been doing precisely this (charging French prices for haute Chinese) for several decades now? The value may be open to debate, but the she does fit the model.

I spoke (on background) at some length to a Usually Reliable Source. I am told the whole Chairman's Selections program will be revamped in the (seemed to imply) near future, as part of a comprehensive reform of the system. Details will follow if I manage to nail down confirmation. I also am given to understand that what you call the "Private Cuvee" labels, or at least the feedback thereon (from both the public and PLCB's troops on the ground), have been a hindrance to the happiness of a number of Highly Placed Individuals in the program.

Since they're right around the corner from me, I've been walking my dogs that way to check how crowded they're getting. Last night at midnight they still had several tables going. On the other hand, at 7pm today they had a couple of open tables - on a Friday night, yet... I'm going to say most people haven't gotten the word. Are they actually serving lunch yet?

Liquor--$44 Food--$81 plus tip = about $150. ← Food seems not terribly out of line - about what I'd pay for three courses doubled, around town - but liquor... $15 a drink? Or did you have more than the one cocktail each and shared glass of wine?

thanks man.. rod will do fine. I had the Pork belly which was really good.. FAT and all. I cant even remember if it was a lean peice. The mushroom dish was geat as well. I like what he did with the chicken, being as its always a goto for "picky" eaters, he made it interesting and deliscious. I really enjoyed the talegio polenta dish, the roasted corn on top gave it a nice texture as well as a bit of sweetness. I'm definitely looking forward to the whole menu. The brussels were a hit at the table, but i never could develop an appreciation for the little buggers. I was a little hesitant to try the miso caramel apples with the wasabi peas, but was pleasently surprised when i finally tried one. It was interesting to taste how the hotness and tartness were sort of balanced out with eachother, not what i expected. I cant wait to go back now that the whole menu is there. ← Which perfectly illustrates the Strokes-and-Folks adage. I went yesterday with two friends (supposed to be three, but someone punked - you know who you are ). We wanted to try the whole menu. Didn't get to do that, but we came close. Funnily enough, the apples were one of the few dishes I wasn't crazy about. I got the apple-to-caramel-to-pea thing, texture and flavor progression and so forth, but every element seem to scream itself, if that makes sense. Too garish. I certainly wouldn't wasabi-pea everything, like some . The widdle cabbages, on the other hand, were amazing. The almond milk foam might have been redundant, what with the whole almonds, but the dish was ridiculouly tasty. Other hits for me were the chicken (and I don't usually like barbeque sauce), the tallegio/corn polenta, both fishes, the trout and the whiting, about evenly... The misses, well... There weren't any outright misses, I don't think. There were some things I might argue about on a craky day. Like today. The pork belly, which is a general favorite, is delish, but the immersion in the broth... I dunno, to me it felt waterlogged, somehow. The escargots were good, but the preparation tended to obscure the snails, not showcase them, which was a strength of the other dishes. And the "Fruit" dishes needed to be punched up: the canteloupe was excellent, but it needed more of a flavor/texture foil; the figs needed to have the sheepsmilk custard amped up a few notches - it was completely overwhelmed, and it deserved better (tried a bit by itself, and it was outstanding - until it tried to compete with figs in a wine reduction). Everything was at least very good, I thought, and the stuff I singled out was better than that. I know I forget some. Meant to ask for a menu but spaced. Little help, Diann, Mr. BigJas? The wine list deserves a nod as well: not exactly cheap - bottoms out at $8/glass, $40/btl), but the pours are generous, the pricing is proportional (every bottle 5X the glass), and everything we tried was not only good, but (and this is important to me) extremely true to the varietal, in every single case. Distinctive, full-flavored wines all. I'll single out the Viognier, the Garnacha and the Cabernet for particular distinction. Don't let the silly "Screw Kappa Napa" moniker on the Cab put you off.