shacke

First a joke. A prostitute walks up to a guy’s car and says it’s $200 for a date. The guy says how bout $100. She says OK but I want you to know I am not making a penny off this. In the same vein, I don’t accept any sob story that even with the flood tax and the PLCB and all these factors that alcohol is not profitable for an establishment. Last I checked, no one was in it for the charity. If the licenses were not so limited, there would, I suspect, be a lot fewer BYO’s in the area. I also think Starr is not going to open a BYO anytime soon. Ansill said if he didn’t get a license for Ansill, he wouldn’t have done it. That says something to me – the ignorant consumer. If an establishment sinks because of the alcohol – whose fault is that? Maybe I haven't looked hard enough but are total prices here really any different than prices in NY or SF or Chicago? I suspect not but that is a guess. Would wine really be much cheaper without the 3 tier state system? Is it a sin or unconscionable to mark up a wine 100, 300, a 1000%? No. Anyone is free to charge whatever they want and let the market decide whether that is wise or not. Maybe people in this city pay more attention to wine prices because the presence of the BYO on every corner has bred a knowledgable wine consumer – myself included – that perhaps are more in the know about how much someone is charging over retail market prices for a bottle of Frog’s Leap merlot. It doesn’t make it more wrong or right. There is still a great number of people who don’t know, don’t care both or neither. Two years ago, I was clueless. Now this week I am headed to Django with my folks and a damn fine bottle to celebrate their visit. How is that bad for me? Are BYO's a house of cards? I can’t make a plate of pasta like the folks at La Famiglia but the bottles in their cellar taste no better than the ones I have in mine. People may feel safer launching invective over high wine prices than they would over food they can’t dream of making in their home with Georges' spoon and Shola holding your hand as you mix with it. Charging $30 for a plate of pasta is just not the same as charging $30 for a bottle of $10 XYZ vineyards to the average Joe. I can see how a talented someone on the other end of the stove can disagree. I admire these folks who run restaurants and I wouldn’t do it for anything. There must be a great balancing act – charge more for the plate of pasta that costs $3.00 to produce, less for the hangar steak, lose money on the truffle, whatever. It seems that wine prices are an easy variable and who hasn’t grown up just assuming that wine in decent restaurants just costs a whole lot more? There is no shame in wine pricing. There should be no excuses and that is not to say that gouging is the norm - I would doubt it. If you don’t like paying for the wine, don’t give a place your business. In PA, it's got to be tougher since they are starting at a higher price point for sure but high prices are everywhere and restauranteurs seem to really want these liquor licenses. The article is showing an attempt on the part of some establishments to capture another not insignificant piece of the market. People like me. It will work too. That’s my rambling 2 cents. I certainly don't know anything about the "biz" but I am the guy who is plunking down the money in a lot of places in town - pretty often. That should make opinion worth at the least the bandwidth its written on - however misguided it may be. ........... STOP edited to reduce rambling ....

I now have Raw squarely in my sights. Good sushi is a good thing, as Martha says.

Having kids myself, my opinion is that taking a baby to an upscale restaurant for dinner is never appropriate unless it is a private affair. The parents should have known this. In this situation, this was obviously not the case. It's not like it's an airline flight where you have no choice but to take your kid when you know they are going to wail. But what can Lacroix or other restaurants do in this situation? I say this not rhetorically but with serious curiosity. It must be a serious balancing act. Tell the parents to take the baby away? Perhaps so. In some ways it is an incident like this that puts the restaurant in a pickle because a patron has poor judgment. What if the guy next to you smells really awful and its really getting to you? Does the restaurant tell him to leave? What if the gal next to you won't stop coughing and won't cover her mouth? At some point should the diner be the responsible party to say something or is it easier to have someone do it because it's confrontational and its happening on their turf? What have those of you with restaurant experience done in cases like this? WB Kim brings up an interesting management question here. Bottom line is her evening sucked and that's a major bummer in a place like Lacroix. I am certain they would appreciate the feedback. Evan

Why doesn't it say "Percy Nikora of Studiokitchen West"

I am going to Brian Streeter's Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Cookbook dinner. Evan

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? ← David Ansill hasn't been in the kitchen for a long while now and the current chef , David Kane, is solid. Still great food. An old favorite. Get the entrecote if it's on the menu. Evan

Wow - a wart remover and confection maker. Isn't technology swell? Sure hope they don't mix the two.

Jeff Your photographs keep getting more unbelievable with every post. Can we get a "Best of Philly" food porn here folks? That looks really delicious. I look forward to the text.... Evan

Matt. Funny you should say that. I have never been to Casa Mono. Next time. I had a reservation there but cancelled because we were only going to be in midtown, so I can't answer that. These sweetbreads had a more toothsome texture - almost like a steak fish. Pan. Cara Cara is a variety of orange.

Based on Docsconz' recommendation and the post upthread, I went to J-G for lunch this past Friday and had a fantastic meal and impeccable service. We had a great table overlooking the main dining room. The lunch is a great value to boot. We had an amuse trio of salmon spring roll, parsnip soup with meyer lemon syrup and chipotle oil and a spoonful of cara cara topped with a cheese whose name escapes me at the moment. We also had: Goat cheese royale with beet marmalade, toasted pistachios and goat cheese foam. This was a cheese custard, very rich and salty which played well with the sweet beets. Fantastic. This was for me the highlight of the meal along with the broiled squab that docsconz spoke of above. I agree completely - it rocked and rolled. As my wife loves foie gras, we sampled the foie gras terrine over brioche along with dried cherries and candied pistachios. I had only a taste since I needed to pace myself. We ordered quite a bit for two. Next we tried the turbot with chateau chalon sauce, topped with tomato and zucchini dice. At the same time, we also had the scottish cod over lentils in a gruyere broth, served with glazed carrots. The fish was dusted with a sage powder which was a pretty interesting touch. Excellent. My only knock is that both the fish plates were kinda salty. Granted, I am probably salt sensitive here but I would think a kitchen of this caliber would not need to lay it on so thick. Next up was the Soy glazed veal cheek on a celery root puree topped with a compote of apple and jalapeno. We had that along with the squab course. We finished with the sweetbreads shown above - very good but to me it had lost the consistency I am used to of the semi-unctuous texture. Still, excellent and that lemon puree had some real citrus pop. Desserts were good as well. I had the "honey-nut" option of an orange honey creme tart, accompanied by a soft nougat of cranberry laced with a tiny hint of star anise. We also had the warm chocolate cake, vanilla ice cream and dark cocoa sorbet drizzled with olive oil. Not ringing the closing bell yet, we were treated to a sampling of chocolate truffles and of lightly flavored grapefruit, coffee and vanilla marshmallows - freshly snipped as seen above (by the very same person actually). I went to Nougatine once a while back and that was, for me, pretty average fare. I had mistakenly thought the two rooms served the same fare. Glad docsconz cleared up that misconception for me. Evan

I finally made it to Chloe last night for an excellent meal. It is really a tiny place - 9 tables - but when we went the wait was mercifully shorter than we expected. We had terrific service and more terrific food. I started with a regular menu item - the roasted beet salad which is whole roasted baby beets, sweetened toasted pecans, blue cheese, mandarin oranges and mixed greens. A great combination of salty and sweet all around. My entree was a venison addition to the menu. Medallions, perfectly cooked medium rare in a cherry demi sauce along with a parsnip puree and glazed carrots. I also shared my wife's second plate which was a friggin' awesome pan sauteed sweetbread dish prepared with ultralight potato gnocchi in a veal demi glace. For dessert, we shared a banana bread pudding a la mode. I popped into the kitchen to meet/chat with the chef owners, Maryanne and Dan, whom I'd heard nice things about. They are really nice people who obviously seem to be have a great time in the kitchen. Another great Philadelphia BYO. VERY reasonable at $145 for 4 before tip and everyone had apps and entrees. Worth waiting for a table. Evan

Wifey checked Ardmore. Sorry Herb... no go.

Herbacidal maybe its a goose egg but have you checked the new asian supermarket near your office? They have lots of stuff, including a great bakery section (although its too much MSG for my brain). I can also check TJ here in the burbs - my wife is there at least once a week and I can have her look for you. Evan

Shangrila is terribly average, IMHO, although I haven't had the sushi since it burned down. I assume its reincarnation is the same - the chinese menu is.

I will bring a few to you when I see you next. Evan

I have been frequenting a small shop called the Chapter House on 9th between South and Bainbridge. It's where I have been getting my italian lessons. Fittingly, they serve a really good espresso. They have a small but good selection of sweets as well ( among them are good chocolate covered marshmallows) If you are in the neighborhood, it's worth a "shot" Evan

Ansill is another good example of this too. Evan

Many thanks for restoring my faith in Philadelphia sushi. I have never really been bowled over by sushi in the area for the most part but Hana's fish was just flat out excellent. I will most definitely be back. The "dinner" option is indeed a good choice - adding several little plates for a nominal charge. Being a BYO is always helpful too. The prices are really reasonable. I over ordered on toro as it was just so outstanding and was still happily surprised at the bill. $40 a person with tip. Delicious. Evan

Hana it is. I will report back. Going for a riesling run......

I am thinking of trying a new sushi place on the main line somewhere. I heard of Samurai sushi in Bryn Mawr but only from non-gullet sources. Anyone been there? I have been to Mikado (our standby) and Fuji plenty of times. Anywhere else I may be missing? Going tonight hopefully. Yeah - short notice I know..... Evan

True dat. Evan

I would hesitate calling that a serious "review". I would think from the tone and text of the article that the author would agree. Evan

OK, I sure hope I'm not the trusty wine scribe. If he (or she) is reading this, I am curious as to the name of the dessert wine redolent of that awesome figginess. Picture me in the Newtown State Store an hour or so ago trying to describe this wine whose name I forgot! You know it tastes like figs, went over really big! ← While I leave scribing to Percyn, that wine is Alvear "de anada" PX sherry. Damn fine and a great value. Not in PA stores. Evan

Yes - thank you to Jeff for including me and to everyone old and new. Always the biggest thanks to Shola for performing magic once again. I'll surely miss him this spring. Hopefully Studiokitchen West (hint to Percyn demigod of sous vide) will open and not be "lame". Of all the great dishes these last two dinners, I am strangely enamored with poached eggs now. A perfect example of complex simplicity - poaching an egg in a 63.8 (+/-1) degree bath for 1 hour exactly. The squirt bottle of maple vinegrette for the egg was a particularly nice touch to the skate course which needed no additional power to make it shine - but got it anyway. Evan

This statement is shocking! Shocking, I tell you. The desserts at Pif, over the many times that I've been there, have ranged from excellent to phenomenal. We've never felt that the desserts haven't been as strong as the other food. What are the dessert selections like at Ansill? ← I have to agree with you. I'm surprised by that statement. The desserts, prepared by Mrs. Ansill, have always been wonderful at Pif. Same with Ansill. We were there about a week ago. I had an interesting rice pudding and S.O. had something very good that involved toasted brioche. Sorry I can't be more descriptive. ← As always, to each his or her own. Pif is my favorite restaurant and I have been there more times than I can count. For me the last course has pretty much not been memorable. Creme brulee is good but its just that. They have the financier and coup Lorraine and some other things that I have tried which don't measure up to the level of the food. I am glad the sentiment is not universal but gives me the extra boost to hit Capogiro after I go to Pif As far as Ansill, I don't recall the selections offhand but they are along the same vein if memory serves and so I can't opine without having actually sampled them. Evan