jm chen

All the fauna in Madison Square Park are overly aggressive. Those squirrels are terrifying. I assume they've been emboldened by being fed, or maybe people throw fries at them to drive them away and then they get to eat the fries. Win-win... for the squirrels. That would definitely be a very popular location - easily reachable from a huge number of Center City offices. Like others, I'm not sure I'll make it over to Franklin Square for this one, though I understand why the City would want it there.

I can't vouch for these personally, but there are some interesting-sounding events at Relish Culinary Center in Healdsburg, including a mozz-making class tomorrow and a wine-tasting event next Thursday.

Good point, and good catch, Holly. Come to think of it, some of the RTM merchants will be closed on Monday too, particularly the Amish stands. There'll still be plenty to do and see and eat, but check ahead.

I've put my Philly recs for the trip on the Philly forum already, but for DC I have to echo Busboy's praise of Komi, and also recommend Central Michel Richard, Palena, and Ray's the Classics. Also one of the Ethiopian restaurants, though I don't know which is doing best right now. If you can get into minibar, absolutely do, but it can be a challenge, especially since you're arranging from outside the US.

Oh, wonderful! You'll have a great visit. A possible itinerary: Monday AM: breakfast or brunch at Famous Fourth Street Deli (knish, bialy, bagel, anything with corned beef) Monday midday: wander through the Italian Market (don't miss a hoagie at Sarcone's) Monday night: $45 prix fixe dinner at Matyson (BYO) Tuesday AM: pancakes in Reading Terminal Market at the Dutch Eating Place Tuesday midday: continue at RTM: roast pork at DiNic's Tuesday afternoon: nibble on cheese and sip beer at Tria Tuesday night: oysters et al @ The Oyster House Two things you definitely can't get in DC are good deli food and the BYO scene, so those are good to focus on here. They don't have anything like the Oyster House or Reading Terminal Market either. They do have excellent wine bars, casual Italian, high-end tasting menus (if you can get to Komi, you should), and lots else to choose from. You're going to have a wonderful trip!

Haven't verified it visually but since the sign yesterday said they were hoping to be open today, and the website has a flavor list, I'd say 13th Street is probably back up and running.

Thanks for the quick response. I called them yesterday when the phone line opened and didn't get through for the first hour and a half, then found out July and August lunches are definitely fully booked at this point, so we're sticking with what we've got. Very, very excited!

Replacement must be taking longer than planned, and I noticed someone in there the other day painting, so maybe they're taking advantage of being closed for a little spruce-up? Thank goodness the 20th & Sansom location is still open or I'd be inconsolable. Three pounds lighter, maybe, but inconsolable.

What's the conventional wisdom these days on scoring lunch reservations? I was lucky enough to grab one on OpenTable for 2, but the way things are working out, it might be easier for us to go later in the summer (we'll be in the area for a couple of months) instead of when the reservation is for. But if I cancel this res and then never get another one, I will be pretty cheesed off. There are 14 tables and they don't turn at lunch, correct? One seating for each table?

Rye Triscuits rock my world. (And for those of us on Weight Watchers, they are only 2 points per serving, while most crackers are 3.)

Thaw and chop to make deviled shrimp dip. I don't have the recipe on me but I'm sure there are endless variations available online: key ingredients are mayo, parm, cream cheese, cayenne, bacon, lemon juice, horseradish, scallions. Bake 20 min or so and serve hot with sturdy dippers like pita. Very very popular at parties.

Haven't been lately but I keep meaning to go on Wednesdays, when I hear they have $2 Hoegardens and half-price pork belly buns for Center City Sips.

If you're still looking for a not-cheap-but-not-blowout dinner spot, the 5-course $45 menu at Matyson this week (crab-stuffed squash blossom, squash "spaghetti" with clams, duck breast on zucchini curry, and more) is tremendous. BYO. There's a wine store around the corner on Chestnut btw 19th & 20th.

I recently made the cinnamon, tea, and coffee ice creams for the first time, and the cheesecake ice cream again. The cheesecake is great because it's ridiculously easy, you don't have to make a custard, and you can blend/churn/serve in the same evening without any chill time between blending and churning. Everything's already cold. I made it before dinner and served it after. I love his recipe for peanut butter for the same reason. For the cinnamon, tea, and coffee, they are all the same technique: warm up cream and put the items in it, cover and steep for an hour, strain the things out and go custardward from there. Thank goodness for my Thermapen, I can usually hit the right point where everything's cooked and thick but not yet curdled. Between his instructions in the front of the book, the safety net of the instant-read thermometer, and the part where I just skip the ice bath, I have found custards to be far less horrifying than they used to be. The coffee flavor was very subtle. Next time I might crack the beans a bit, or steep for longer. I also tried to cheat by using espresso powder instead of the "finely ground beans" he calls for to add a little texture constrast, but... der... the powder dissolved, which is of course what espresso powder is intended to do. The black tea flavor was a little bitter, but I let it steep longer than the recipe called for (a shopping trip ran long), and some people really loved it. It is kind of weird, creamy at first and then that black sharp taste. Your mileage may vary. The cinnamon was lovely, though again, fairly subtle. All very light in color, incidentally.

What can I say that hasn't been said? Another vote for roast pork w/provolone and broccoli rabe at DiNic's. Corned beef at Herschel's is also very strong (you won't find any worth eating in DC unless you spring for lunch at Central Michel Richard) and anything from Termini's is fab. The tiny bag of assorted cookies there is expensive but worth it. I also like the cupcakes at Flying Monkey. Whatever you do, do not waste any digestive real estate on a cheesesteak. Anyone know if Fair Food is still selling pints of Capogiro? I haven't checked in a few months. I like Bassett's but I like Capogiro a whole lot better. (You could also trek a few blocks south for the scoop shop on 13th... they should be back up and running by then.) Don't forget to get your parking validated. And for the cooler, you could do worse than a baguette from Metropolitan and assorted cheeses from either Salumeria or Downtown Cheese, and pears/plums/whathaveyou from Iovine's or Fair Food.

Goat report! Did a roast goat experience with a few folks at Kanella last week. Delicious, of course. But very mild and not "goaty" -- due to the youth of the kid, and the chef himself said he liked his a little older. We didn't have enough people to go in for the whole goat, so ended up with a few large pieces instead -- maybe two legs and a shoulder? A good amount of meat, not excessive, and we did apps and desserts as well. The only thing that comes with the goat automatically is fried potatoes (which are, incidentally, out of this world.) For roast meat bargain-hunters I think the suckling pig experience at Amada is a better value (that one's closer to $40 a person before tax and tip, this was more like $60) but it was a solid, unusual, delicious meal.

Diversity of opinion is what makes this country great. That, and pork. Mmm, pork. My desert island pork sandwich would be DiNic's. But, barring the Survivor scenario, there's room for both. (Perhaps not on the same day without some recovery time in between.)

Yeah, Porchetta makes a great sandwich and no mistake, but I prefer DiNic's. You sometimes get a glob of fat or a square of hard-to-chew skin in the porchetta, and it doesn't have the lovely contrast of the pork/prov/rabe. Excellent but not unmissable.

Open for dinner, yes; word from the hostess tonight was that they are only taking reservations for 6 or more (at this time.) Going tomorrow, can't wait.

I haven't had the James version but the duck "prosciutto" at Supper is very nice, the stuff at DiBruno's less so (though it was thickly sliced when I had it there and that makes a big difference).

Maybe they're easier on the ladies, but I pick out my own vegetables all the time. Or maybe it varies from stand to stand. Or week vs. weekend. Worth noting though that these are not pristine pretty farmer's market vegetables. For that, go to Reading or Headhouse. A $5 crate of mangoes or 6-for-$1 red peppers, that's the Italian Market sweet spot. Definitely shop for dinner in the Italian Market, but don't wait til dinnertime to do it. Sarcone's Bakery closes when it runs out of bread. And you don't want to miss out on the burrata at the fresh-mozz shop part of Claudio's, which is another sell-em-til-they're-gone situation. If convenience is more important, shop at the Rittenhouse DiBruno's, which is much more like a Dean & Deluca. But if you want authentic straight-up in-your-face Philly, go to the Italian Market. Brunch at Sabrina's followed by a post-lunch shopping trip for dinner ingredients, plus an hour or so whiled away poking around the kitchen implements at Fante's, and maybe a couple tacos, well, I can think of worse ways to spend half a day. (You can also walk from the Italian Market to the Pat's/Geno's corner if you really can't stand the thought of being in Philly without eating cheesesteaks.)

Tria, Sarcone's, DiNic's, Capogiro. The $45 tasting menu on a weeknight at Matyson. Maybe Zahav. And make sure you hit at least one BYO (either Matyson or another). Bibou, Cochon, Meme, Mercato, Kanella, Melograno, they've all got threads here. Nicely done French or Italian may not be something you "can't get in New York" but you can get it for less here, especially when bringing your own wine. If money is a concern focus on our sandwiches for lunch. And buy a seeded loaf at Sarcone's to eat with your charcuterie.

Four of us had an excellent, excellent dinner here last Friday. Seated well after our reservation time but with a place this small, in only its third week of operation, it wasn't too shocking. Hanger steak and halibut were both outrageously good, as was the corn and crab soup. Service was warm and welcoming throughout. Great cheese. Great bread. We'll be back.

They've also got a sign up that they can do a few things roasted whole with notice -- I think they listed goat, pig, and lamb -- and to call for prices. (Amada's "whole" pig doesn't have the head on it, at least not as the default, but with Kanella I'm not so sure.)

Kanella's starting up brunch again, as of this weekend. Saturdays and Sundays.