Alec Hart

Hello Fujito, What is on the shrimp tempura? Both pieces, the one in the foreground and the one in the background, look as if they have been crusted with something. Admittedly each one with something different. -- Alec

I'll just note that Q BBQ & Tequila, where Philly Fish & Co used to be, is unremarkable. I had the pork and brisket platter for lunch. It was $14 and left me hungry, but worst of all the brisket was dry and the pork had virtually no smoke flavor. The sauce had some promise, so maybe it will worth another try in a few months. --Alec

I'm going to second John's Roast Pork and add in Paesano's at 152 W. Girard Ave. Both are superb.

Where was Walt's? I was just talking with a friend about that place and we couldn't remember exactly where it was. That place and Aglio.

Never mind. I picked the wrong day to stop drinking coffee. I confused Swallow with Sovalo. I've never been to Swallow. http://swallowbistro.com/ --Alec

The last two times that I was there it was fairly mediocre. This about 4-5 months ago. The food was a mixed bag, but on my last visit, the service was terrible with the server telling my friend she didn't order what we all heard her order. The wine list is quite good though. You are probably better off going a bit north to Modo Mio or a bit south to either Standard Tap or Dos Segundos. Or if you really want tapas, I suggest paying a bit more and going to Amada, which on my last visit a few weeks ago was exquisite. -- Alec

Some of these videos are pretty fascinating. http://www.taste3.com/past_events/videos I really enjoyed Blair Randall's talk. --Alec

Reading Terminal and Bahn Mi are my two favorites. --Alec

I'd try the Cantina in South Philly. Either the bar side in the back near the kitchen or the giant table back near the bathrooms. I'm not sure how many it seats, but it's more than 10. Or for more centrally located, The Continental in Old City. If they still open their back bar for happy hour. I haven't been in awhile, but there used to never be anyone back there before 7pm. -- Alec

And Modo Mio

Osteria or Snackbar or Amada

I just saw the menu for Coquette Bistro & Raw Bar on Foobooz and I already dislike the place. http://foobooz.com/2007/07/coquette-bistro...oday/#more-2699 It's a weird amalgam of French and English that is just infuriating to me. It starts with the French, Hors D’oeuvres, then goes to Les Salades, and then mysteriously switches to English with Entrées. How hard would it have been to continue the motif and used Les Plats instead? I mean Caribou Cafe and Pif (R.I.P.) both pull off the French. Or, better yet just gone with the English straight through, like Brasserie Perrier Then of course there's the descriptions that sometimes use French and sometimes use English. The Roasted Chicken is Ratatouille, Pommes Aligot, Natural Jus, but the Steak Frites is Marinaded Hanger Steak, Housemade Steak Sauce (Housemade? Housemade? Is everything else on the menu brought in from someplace else?!?). I don't know what I expect, but is it really so difficult to be consistent? I understand that is impossible to open an authentic French Bistro(t) in Philadelphia. It's basically impossible to do it outside of France, but I guess I was just hoping that with Pif closed we'd get something good and this just doesn't look like it. I'll still try the place and who knows, maybe they'll surprise me. -- Alec

This hardly seems fair. I doubt PW prides itself on this. In fact, I suspect, they do it grudgingly so that they can expand the size of their editorial sections including their dining section. But yes, I would also like to see improvement in the level of food writing in PW. -- Alec

Mr. LaBan might not be anonymous for much longer according to PW. http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/articles/14865 I know this is off-topic, but this article makes me wonder if Craig LaBan is his real name or a pseudonym. It seems to me that it would be much easier to remain anonymous by writing under a pseudonym instead of his real name. I mean, he must get mail, use a credit card and have a bank account. If his real name is John Smith and he writes under the name Craig LaBan, then none of those things matter. How does he keep his next door neighbors from knowing who he is? And if he goes to a restaurant like Lacroix for 3 visits in a a 1-2 week timespan, tries just about everything on the menu and pays cash, aren't they going to notice? How easy is it to get a credit card in a fake name? Since the Patriot Act and the increase in identity theft, I imagine it's very difficult. Basically, I am thinking about this because I wonder if after being "unmasked," he can just pick up and move to a new city and start writing under a new pseudonym and no one will know that "Greg Level" is really "Craig LaBan" who is in actuality, "John Smith." -- Alec

Guillermo left months ago. He moved to Cuba Libre and, I believe, he is still there. Pasion has been in a bit of a decline for awhile. My last visit there was a few months back. The gf's parents were in town and her dad loves ceviche. While the food was almost great, the service was somewhat lacking and the food wasn't quite that same James Beard award winning food that was served for the past few years. The ceviches were still awesome though. -- Alec