zeffer81

I love me some Bodhi Coffee at Headhouse Square. Yum!

Hit up Adsum the other night. Yes, the fried chicken is everything it's been lauded to be and much, much more. Also enjoyed the pierogies and fried oysters. They just premiered their fall menu (starting today, I think.) I'm interested in checking out their late night specials!

I'm down. Make it happen!

Your best bet in Chinatown would probably be Vietnam or Vietnam Palace. There are a broad range of foods at both of them (and they're right across the street from one another.) If your interests vary so much, don't veer from the Reading Terminal. You can have Sang Kee and they can have DiNic's roast pork, Salumeria hoagies, Fisher's soft pretzels, etc, etc. Frogburger just opened right outside the Franklin Institute. If it's a nice enough day, grab burgers for the family and sit outside. Otherwise, Aya's Cafe between 21st and 22nd on Arch has decent Mediterranean, the Mission Grill on 18th (I think) and Arch has tasty American heavy tex-mex (don't go to the Mexican Post) Darling's Cafe at 21st and Race has a pretty basic sandwich selection. If you're in the mood for sour diner service, Pete's on 21st south of Race has some ok greasy food.

I wonder if you could fit 50 into one of Villa di Roma's rooms. Scannicchio's is another option if you're looking for straight up Italian with South Philly flair!

I had a chicken last weekend and it was fantastic! With full disclosure, I did not pay for the chicken, yet I will happily return to purchase one on a rushed weekday evening.

Villa di Roma is great (I've never been to Ralph's.) I like their cheap house wine. You could also check out Marra's or Scannicchio's, if you want to go a little further south.

Visiting my husband's grandparents for a few days and was hoping for something fun to do (and something good to eat!) in the area. I understand that we'll be close to Clemson University. Please help us get out of the house!

I've been to GTC twice this week--once for coffee and to play amongst the meat and cheese and another time, today, for lunch. We went on Thursday when I had an unanticipated (and entirely unnecessary) snow day. We popped in around 2:30 for a leisurely cafe au lait and the family style table in front of the cash register. This table is separate from the actual eating area. We enjoyed the coffees and the pleasant service from the gentlemen behind the register. After the coffee we perused the cheese and meat selections--the cheesemonger with big glasses was especially helpful. The guy at the meat counter was a bit, how can I say it...odd? He was helpful yet less effusive than the cheese guy. I got a delicious monje cheese with a sausage (forget what kind--I don't eat pork, it was for my husband) and a thin ficelle. We then popped into the glass encased wine room and chatted with the friendly PLCB workers (an oxy-moron usually, but these ladies were extremely pleasant and helpful!) My friend bought two reds and I bought a bottle of port and a lambruso--I've been searching for a good one since our time in Emilia-Romagna in 2008. Overall we were there for about two hours just hanging out and chatting with the staff. Today's lunch was pleasant as well. We got a table for three immediately. We ordered two sandwiches: the spaniard with grilled chicken, bacon, romesco aioli, manchego cheese, romaine and tartine aux fromages with brioche, tomes crayeuse, marinated tomato (copied from menu.) The sandwiches were tasty and VERY different. The spaniard was served on a chewy seeded long roll and the tartine on a slice of brioche. We both loooved the tartine but would have been happier with a slightly larger portion. Both sandwiches came with a side salad of (I think) roasted pepper and garlic? We also received a tasty sourdough with olive oil and salt when we arrived. I haven't had any of their sweets, but my friend is obsessed with their muffins. Their pastries and cookies look delicious, especially the lemon ricotta cookies, grapefruit macaroons and madelines, which you can order by the dozen (and possibly half dozen.) I will definitely be returning!

I've heard some good things but haven't been myself so I will reserve judgment until I can do so. However, you've been? Do tell.

Oops, I forgot to report on my trip a couple weeks back... Started with some tasty cocktails. Can't remember the specifics (and can't find the cocktail list online) but mine was a vodka drink with a lemon-lime semifreddo. Frothy and delicious. Friend got a champagne cocktail with ginger. Complimentary focaccia was pleasantly oil with sweet peppers and onions. We also got a dish of olives as friend is a fan. They were nothing special, but I enjoyed dipping my bread in the pool of olive oil they sat in. Bruschetta--eggplant caponata--was tasty and sweet with pine nuts and plump golden raisins. Served with nicely charred bread. Arancini--tied for my favorite dish of the evening. Crunchy rice balls enclosing a meaty ragu. I could have eaten them all night long. Seriously. Polenta with brown butter--great texture. Would have liked more of a punch. Maybe it needed salt? Gnocchi with oxtail ragu--this was amazing. Two large, pillowy gnocchi topped with a generous portion of the rich ragu. This was tied with the aranici for my favorite dish. Guinea hen saltimbocca--this was fine. I've never eaten guinea hen before and the texture was chewy with great saltiness. I didn't love it but I think it's because of personal taste. Waffles Amis--one small belgian waffle topped with nutella and semifreddo. I'm not normally a dessert person but this was pretty tasty, albeit small. The crunchy warmth of the waffle melded perfectly with the creamy nutella and cold sweetness of the semifreddo. Amis also offers half and full carafes of house wine which are a bit more reasonably priced. We split one of them with dessert. I also had a limoncello and friend had a cappuccino. Overall, I really enjoyed the food, although it was a bit pricier than I would have hoped. The portions are small, so be prepared and order accordingly. Also, I had a view of the open kitchen from my table, but would have loved to sit at the counter facing the kitchen. Snag one of those seats if possible.

Just wanted to update with the report that many of the service issues were worked out in a recent revisit. Granted they were much less busy due to the snow, but I was much happier and will gladly return. The hostess was a welcome addition and helped to straighten things out. Counter service was friendly and attentive and we didn't have to ask for silverware, salt and pepper, etc. as we did last time. Foodwise, my husband got eggs benedict again and I got the $7 eggs your way breakfast which included 2 eggs, meat, potatoes and toast. The eggs came perfectly poached with nicely toasted multigrain Lebus toast and the turkey bacon was, once again, thickly sliced and delicious.

Has anyone been yet? I'm going on Tuesday and would love to hear an early report!

I was excited when I found out that Green Eggs Cafe would be opening just a few blocks from my house. An eco-conscious bruncherie, Green Eggs Cafe took serious strides to live up to the "green" in their name. With an LEED certified products, biodegradable takeout products and local products, they definitely seem to fit the bill. All else aside, South Philly could surely use another brunch spot south of Washington. The husband and I headed there just before 11am this past Saturday. We walked in directly in front of two gentlemen. The host practically pushed past us to greet the other men (who he obviously knew) and tell them how long the wait for a table was. I tried to insert myself to no avail and he quickly departed. At that point, there were no other employees present, so we took a seat at a cafe table where they weren't serving food and waited to be approached by someone. While waiting, we took in the decor. The space is very nice and welcoming. It is divided into two rooms. The first room holds the counter and register, with a small open kitchen in the back. In the front part of the room are comfy leather (I think) couches and high cafe tables for enjoying coffee and a newspaper. There's also a lovely fireplace, but I didn't notice if it was real or electric. second room is full of tables and lots and lots of windows. It was bright and welcoming. Definitely the kind of place I'd like to enjoy a lazy brunch. I finally tracked down a flustered employee who took our name. The list, however, is only for the seating area. The counter seats are up for grabs. I went up to purchase some drinks while we waited. I waited a few minutes to order as the young man behind the counter was doing a number of things at once. As I finally attempted to order my coffee, the energetic host loudly (and rather aggressively) admonished him to "clear your dirties," meaning the dirty plates of the folks who had just gotten up. This is just one example of his general negativity and stress. I can't recall a time when I've seen one person really bring down the energy of a place as much as he did. He was rushing all over the place and rarely took a moment to breath or even smile. My husband ordered eggs benedict while I got the scrambled tofu. I added cheese to the tofu scramble, along with a side of turkey bacon. When we finally got our food after a 15ish minute wait, I had no cheese or turkey bacon. The young man behind the counter gladly brought my plate back to the kitchen to correct this. I also asked if the dish came with toast, which I recalled from the menu. When I asked one of the waitresses, her response was "well, do you want toast?" I again asked if it came with the dish and she said that she would make me toast if I wanted it. A few minutes later, two limp slices of Le Bus bread arrived at the table. By the time I got my dish back, my husband was practically done his meal. Even then, it was another 10 minutes before I got my side of turkey bacon. The order came with two thick and generous slices of turkey bacon, which is a steal for $2. When we got the bill, we were charged for two cups of coffee that we had not ordered. The server apologized and quickly corrected the mistake. Although there were some major service kinks from all areas (we were waited on by more than one person,) the gentleman behind the counter was pleasant and eager to please. During our meal, we saw numerous dishes being sent back for one reason or another--a biscuit, for example, was sent back because they were almost done the meal by the time the accompanying biscuit got there. A steak sandwich was sent back because the person had ordered something totally different. The host said--and I wouldn't believe this if I hadn't actually heard it--"can't he just eat the steak sandwich?" Overall, the food was solid. My husband devoured his eggs benedict and my tofu scramble hit the spot. The la colombe coffee and le bus bread were delicious, as usual. This is the type of place that was real potential, although it must work out its major service kinks. Also, South Philly is like Cheers "where everyone knows your name." A friendly face at the door, especially in the opening weeks, speaks volumes. A friend, for example, accidentally wandered into Zavino on their opening night and the owner made a point to chat with them. They live in the neighborhood and plan on returning. I don't need you to fawn over me, however I would like to feel welcome and I did not feel that there at all. The space at Green Eggs is beautiful and welcoming, unfortunately I did not get the same vibe from the staff. I am hoping to return in a few weeks, after they've worked out their kinks, and would love to become a regular. I hope I'm able to share a more favorable report after my next visit! Overall, I hope it doesn't seem like I'm trashing this place. I'm hoping to share my experience with others and would love to hear from others who have had more successful visits. I want this place to succeed, I really do.

Not sure about fish, but I've gotten turkey sausage without pork casing from Trader Joe's.

I thought I had posted about our visit last week but was apparently mistaken. They don't take reservations but jtnicolosi and I, along with our respective dates, got in easily at 6:30. By the time we left at 8/8:30, there was a wait--this was on a Tuesday night. We skipped the apps and indulged in 4 pies--one per person. We got two sausage pizzas, the margherita and the tartufo. The husband and I ordered glasses of Lambrusco (reminiscent of our trip to Northern Italy where we were engaged) and then we ordered a chianti for the table. As mentioned earlier, the pours were small. I did, however, like the idea of a cheap house wine. Very affordable at $5.50 a glass and very Italian! Pizzas came out as ordered and we watched them being fired in the beautiful wood burning oven. Sausage was delicious and I don't even eat pork! The fennel gave it a great flavor without overpowering the dish. The tartufo was outstanding. RIch without being overly cloying and the egg yolk was deliciously runny. The pizza was placed on the opposite end of the table and the truffle aroma emanated. I only had a bite of the margherita but it was just as visually and sensorily appetizing as the others. The crusts were nicely charred with the perfect ratio of topping to crust. I would love to get the pistachio and red onion pie next time, although I'm glad to hear the review of the vongole pie, as that was one of our options. I think we ordered well and got a great sampling from the menu. For dessert, my companions split the house made pistachio gelato which received rave "it's not too sweet!" reviews. Sorry for the quick and undetailed review, but the bottom line is we loved it!

Honey's, Sabrina's, Morning Glory...

I remember liking the following: cheese and crackers; instant hot chocolate; peanut butter; pretzels; powdered gatorade (I was an athlete); rice krispie treats; microwaveable rice/cous cous like Near East; nuts, $20 bills The best were the notes that my grandmom would include in my care packages. They always made me smile. Although my dad didn't send care packages, he would send me random newspaper clippings and photos. I always enjoyed receiving them. I started college in 2003 when email and internet was just gaining popularity. I can only imagine how prevalent it is at colleges now--and how rare the written correspondence. Your daughter is quite lucky!

Table 31?

SPTR=South Philly Taproom at 15th and Mifflin Lobster roll=delicious New England treat consisting of lobster meat on a hotdog roll. There are conflicting beliefs about the use of mayo v. butter and the inclusion of lettuce, but that's it in a nutshell. $14 for a lobster roll 3 blocks from my house? Yes, please!

For all you Dr. Phil fans out there, he filmed at the Reading on Saturday (where rlibkind and I had a brush with his fame...or notoriety??) The show is airing tomorrow.

Macaroni and cheese. I can't even make it anymore because I'll eat it all regardless of how full I feel. I would like to add to this topic things that you must, or feel really tempted to order at a restaurant if you see them on the menu (it may have been a thread in the past...sounds familiar...) My list (and they often involve sides) -Mashed potatoes -fettuccine alfredo -fried savory cakes of any kind (corn, zucchini, potato latkes, etc.) -Bread or rice pudding without raisins

This is not so surprising. I hosted a brunch this weekend and a few of the women admiring my cookbooks asked if I bought MTAOFC "because of the movie."

It's on the smaller side (think Mercato,) but give them a call. They should be able to push tables together if they've got room on the books.

Wanted to take advantage of the cooler weather Thursday so we called Fond for a reservation at one of their three outdoor bistro tables. Although there were a few table available when we got there at 7:30, the small space filled up pretty quickly. I started with the sweet corn risotto with avocado and pancetta. It was a pretty substantial amount of risotto and the fresh corn flavors shone through. The pancetta. however, was the highlight of the dish. It was fried and crumbled on top of the dish. I tried to have one or two crunchy nuggets in each bite, and their smokey crunch truly brought the dish alive. I was scraping the bottom of the plate. The husband got a special of foie gras torchon with something fruity--mango and apricot, I believe. He loved the fresh fruitiness of the dish. Moving onto entrees. I had the pan seared halibut in brown butter with sweet pea ravioli. I'll be honest--I ordered the dish for the ravioli and it was entirely worth it. The fresh sheets of pasta engulfed the bright greenness of the sweet pea, which exploded in my mouth with a satisfying pop. The fact that it was swimming in brown butter was an added bonus It came with a side of haricot verts, if I remember correctly. The husband got the grilled beef (strip steak I think?) with gorgonzola, grilled asparagus and some sort of potato. He forgets what kind (it's been a long weekend...) and the menu on the website is not entirely accurate. His meat was prepared perfectly with a nice char on the outside and a rosy pink inside. We decided to forgo dessert for Capogiro down the street (rasberry sorbet for him; half Mexican chocolate, half rosemary honey goats milk for me) but were tempted by a special of warm bread pudding. Overall, the food was spectacular and service was solid. One of the co-owners, pastry Chef Jessie, stopped by to greet us and chat for a moment. The staff was friendly and attentive. We chatted with folks at other tables and those strolling down Passyunk Avenue. In general, the food was well-executed without being fussy or over the top. It would be a great place to bring a special date, foodie friend or picky grandmother. The South Philly ambiance just added to the vibe. I was sad to hear of Clementine's closing and hope that the LBF name will help bring people to the neighborhood, because once they have the food they'll definitely come back.