jmbrightman

had a terrific lunch today - pulled pork sandwich w/ coleslaw and baked beans, also a couple of the smoked wings. I have had the wings twice at The Smoked Joint, and each time they have been rubbery. It is difficult to pull them apart, and the skin is near inedible. The wings at Sweet Lucy's, smaller than TSJ, were great. The wing tips were among the best I have tasted (a true guilty pleasure).

Oh my -- looks like quite a place! Probably a bit much for our group, but I'll keep a note of it. ← how many in your group? it is tough to recommend a place unless you know the number you want to entertain.

"sushi circuit" makes me like Circuit Sushi

I'm sure the S&W steaks are grossly overpriced. Heck - I've found good steaks at Acme and ShopRite from time to time. Since you're already acquainted with Harry Ochs you're in good shape for steaks. Other possibilities include Cannuli's (they sell more than pork) and Sonny D'Angelo in the Italian Market for steaks, game and amazing sausages. ← Katie, I notice you don't mention Esposito's on 9th St.. Are they a bit too "factory-esque" for your taste?

I am sure that is a thoroughly unbiased recommendation

try Lombardi's Prime Meats at 18th and Packer. As a bonus, they also sell Bobby Chez crabcakes and shrimp puffs.

try the spare ribs in black bean sauce. on an off night the consistency of the sauce is thick and gloopy, but 9 out of 10 it is great. cheap, too. an order is around $7.50. Another funny thing about J.C. - they only include a 1/2 pint of white rice with their takeout orders (and the black bean sauce is really good over rice).

agreed (but without the mustard)

Fisher's is great, but it is to the Philadelphia soft pretzel what Salumeria's version is to the traditional hoagie...better in some ways, but not the real deal.

Cath, here is a list of items that I try to consider: Marketing Advertising Public Relations Promotions Branding Community Relations Environmental Stewardship Accounting Purchasing Receiving Staffing Training Financing Insurances Payroll Designing Employee Morale Repairs & Maintenance Financial Reporting Employee Manuals Job Descriptions Health Department Storage Conveyor Belt Strategy Uniforms Policies & Procedures Lunch Menu Dinner Menu Kids Menu Takeout Menu Security Internet Presence Trash Removal Exterminator ← I don't see computer hardware or POS software in the list...

my nominee for best S Philly Chinese takeout...China House #5 at 21st and Oregon.

in my experience they make two things that are good - honey bbq wing appetizer and spare ribs in black bean sauce. their wonton soup is the worst I have tried - extremely heavy pasta in a dark salty broth. that they deliver day and night is their selling point.

the Weber Genesis Silver A or B are great propane grills - remarkably well crafted, cooking grates can be upgraded to stainless from the standard porcelain, and well suited to apartment balcony living in terms of size and convenience. They are closer to $400 - $500 than $200, but will last 10 years or more if maintained. The only problem I had with my Weber kettle was the cooking time with charcoal is limited - if entertaining, and I wanted to do grilled peppers and other vegetables, then do ribeyes, the charcoal does not remain hot enough to cook everything properly.

I have not visited the new Bookbinder's and it is likely I never will. It is a conventioneer choice, not a local resident choice.

much respect to you both, but I don't get trashing a review of a place you haven't been.

glad to see so many are enjoying "my" topic.

it seems to me that a restaurant that understands customer service and wants to make money off repeat business and referrals is preferable to all (provided the food is good, of course). gay or straight, the money is green. targeting any particular vertical market means excluding others, something most restaurants can't afford. the best restaurants are people friendly, with no exclusionary vibe. Judy's is a great example of that.

that is quite an endorsement!

last night, of the four pies ordered, nothing came close to the spinach tomato.

I remember Silveri's as extremely gay friendly. Judy's has always been a 50-50, 60-40 mix of patrons. is there aleady a "gay friendly establishments" topic? if so, recent contributions to this burger topic will likely migrate.

tomato basil, white w/ prosciutto, and red w/ pepperoni will make a perfect foursome witth your spinach and tomato pie. just right for four people.

Wherever Chef Vince Alberici is, so too is a good veal chop. With the closing of the Adam's Mark, where he toiled for many years, he has moved his considerable expertise to Delmonico's at the Hilton City Ave. I would expect a flawless veal chop to be served there now. ← unfortunately, Hilton City Ave is not close to meeting the Center City requirement...

Carrabba's is the best of the big chains I have tried. I had a good meal at the Longhorn Steakhouse in Exton a few weeks back. Flavorful ribeye cooked a perfect medium rare.

I went last Friday and Sunday for takeout, and the quality varied. They do a great job with takeout packaging. Each time I ordered the all-american feast for 2, offering 3 meats, baked beans, cole slaw, potato wedges, 2 (1/2) ears of corn on the cob, and cornbread muffins. The platter is packaged in a hoagie tray dome, with the cole slaw in a separate container. The brisket (5-6 slices) and chopped pork (about a 1/4 lb.) are served on thick sliced white bread, the beans are under the dome in their own container. The only flaw in the packaging was the pats of butter for the corn muffins were included with the hot food. I liked the ribs both times. I enjoyed the sauce they were basted with, and did not feel the need to dip. They were meaty and tender, and the meat and fat had an appealing char. They are not overly smoky tasting. The brisket was tender and flavorful. again, mildly smoky. The chopped pork was excellent on Friday, but close to poor on Sunday. More fat than meat. The corn was mushy, not surprising for frozen ears, and doesn't merit inclusion in the platter. The potato wedges were good after a few minutes under the broiler. The beans were very good both nights - a bit spicy, with small chunks of pork. The corn muffins are too sweet for my taste. All in all, I would return. It is no Sweet Lucy's, but it is way better than Nick's Charcoal Pit takeout. For $30, the feast for 2 is a pretty good value.

The Saloon at 750 S 7th has a great double veal chop, and is open for lunch. also stuffed veal chop filled with parmigiano-reggiano cheese, spinach, prosciutto in a marsala wine sauce over Yukon gold mashed potatoes not sure if that is technically Center City, though.