[Matyson (LaBan, etc.)]

This week's tasting menu is “BBQ a la Matyson”:

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Watermelon Salad

Feta, pickled red onion & jalapeno, ice wine, mint & opal basil

Crispy Smoked Baby Back Ribs

Avocado mousse, grilled corn salsa, Georgia peach glaze

Grilled Diver Scallop

Banana mash, grilled porcini mushrooms, fig vinegar

Barbequed Duck Breast

Baked beans, molasses, coffee, jicama-mango-orange slaw

Berry Cobbler

Vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce

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Could anyone suggest some wine to pair with these dishes? Mr. Pawlak, I hear that you're a beer expert; is there any beer that you think might go well with some of this food? Is it looked down upon to bring beer to a restaurant of this caliber?

[Grain- vs Grass-Fed Boneless Sirloins in NYC]

Interesting, though of course there are so many variables not being held fixed... Ideally we'd want two identical twin cattle raised in the same environment and processed identically, the only difference being feed.

I've yet to be wowed by a grass-fed steak, and I'd love to hear where the best example can be had in nyc or elsewhere. I ordered an Alderspring ranch steak a while ago and while it was good I didn't notice anything very distinctive about it.

[Snack Bar!]

From the pictures and descriptions of the latest meal it sounds like it was great. But I think that the restaurant has a serious problem with its reservations system. Emails to jam@phillysnackbar.com were not returned, and calls to the restaurant went to a full voicemail box every time. There has to be a better way to do this.