Rich Pawlak

No argument from me regarding the beer! Much better at Independence. (In fact, it's no contest.) As for the food, it's good pub grub at Independence, but suggesting (as your comments do) that it's better than a Tommy DiNic's roast pork sandwich is itchin' for a fight, Rich. ← No, Bob, not my intent. Indpendence's food is superior to the food at the Marriott, is what I meant.

Dont miss SIMPATICA!! I also second Paley's Place, Higgins, Park Kitchen, clarklewis, and I would personally add Noble Rot to the list.

Independence Brewpub is, to me, a better sports bar, with better TVs, much better food and very very good beers from brewer Tim Roberts. And its across Filbert St from the Market!

It was indeed Rx (there's a hot new place in DC called "PX", hence the confusion) and is was selected after perusing some other eGullet threads -- given the quality of the PA board (I especially trusted Rich Pawlack on this) it is no surprise that I stumbled into a great spot. ←

<<<<<<<<<<<<<Ok Rich, whatever you say. For being so opinionated, it seems you may not be aware of how the magazine world works.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I am currently the food editor of a magazine, and have been the food editor for two others. I keep up pretty well on the industry.

John Mariani doesnt use anyone to scout restaurants; he does all of the dining himself, with friends and acquaintences in tow most of the time. He has no assistants of any kind. I think you were had.

I beg to differ, Vad. Ive been on a few of Mariani's "Best Restaurants" dine-arounds, and his criteria has always seemed to be 1-year-old-or-less newness, coupled with exciting food and decor, not necessarily ground-breaking cuisine at every place. Read the article this year; it's not about that at all. All the more why I'm miffed that Amada didnt make the cut.

I strongly second Jim's recommendation of Carmine's, a terrific restaurant in every way. I would also recommend the new Blush in nearby Bryn Mawr. Also in Bryn Mawr, a few steps to the left of the Bryn Mawrd theater is the new Ha Long Bay, a delightful Vietnamese place that is worth a visit.

And not a minute too soon! I just received this press release this morning: IT’S OPEN ENROLLMENT AT PHILADELPHIA’S FIRST FERMENTATION SCHOOL PHILADELPHIA, PA – The Tria Fermentation School, the city’s first institute dedicated to the study of wine, cheese and beer, at 1601 Walnut Street, Suite 620, will begin offering classes on Wednesday, October 18. Through exciting coursework, students can satiate their intellectual curiosity while drinking and eating the syllabus. Regularly scheduled sessions at the state-of-the-art, 24-seat classroom will be led by winemakers, fromagers, brewmasters, authors and other fermentation experts from all over the world, who will share their area of expertise. “Whether you’re a novice or an industry professional, these classes will help you to better understand and appreciate your love for wine, cheese and beer,” says Tria Fermentation School founder Jon Myerow, who also owns Tria, the innovative café which celebrates the finest artisanal fermented goods. Myerow is already receiving national recognition for this new venture; Food & Wine magazine (October 06) picked the Tria Fermentation School as one of “America’s 50 most amazing wine experiences.” Upcoming classes include: BEER: The Extreme Beers of Dogfish Head, with Sam Calagione, Wednesday, October 18, Calagione, founder and CEO of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery will lead this tasty history lesson covering two of his Delaware-based brewery’s most remarkable beers Midas Touch Golden Elixir, a handcrafted beer based on the beverage served at King Midas’s funerary feast in 700 BC, and his recently released Chateau Jiahu, a recreation of a 9,000-year-old beverage served in China’s Hunan province. CHEESE: The Artisanal American, with Liz Thorpe, Friday, October 20, Thorpe, Director of Wholesale at New York’s famed Murray’s Cheese, and co-author of the forthcoming Murray’s Cheese Handbook, will present her six favorite autumnal American cheeses, sourced from Vermont to Oregon, and crafted by passionate farmer-artists. Wine will be served to complement the cheese. Thorpe will sign copies of her new book. BEER: Brewing with Wood with Rob Tod. Tuesday, October 24, Rob Tod, owner-brewmaster of Portland, Maine’s Allagash Brewery is part of a new generation of American brewers who have taken the beer world by storm with innovative wood-aged beers. He will share and discuss four examples of wood-aged beers from Allagash, along with examples from California’s Russian River and Michigan’s Jolly Pumpkin breweries. WINE: High Elevation Wines from Down Under with Michael Dhillon. Wednesday, November 1, Considered one of Australia’s preeminent boutique producers, Bindi Wines is run by the young and talented winemaker Michael Dhillon, who was educated in the legendary Champagne region of France. Dhillon will share the trials, tribulations and extraordinary rewards of high altitude winemaking and small production—Aussie style. He will pour selections of his extraordinary Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (and perhaps a few surprise bottles) for this exclusive tasting class. WINE: The Allure of the Languedoc with Bruno LaFon, Friday, November 3, Experience Languedoc through the lens of one of its rising stars, Bruno LaFon of Magellan Estates. Students will learn why LaFon, a former Burgundian winemaker from the family of Domaine des Cômtes Lafon, headed to Languedoc to participate in the rebirth of the region. LaFon will host a tasting of his delicious estate wines. WINE & CHEESE: Classic Pairings with Michael McCaulley. Monday, November 6, Learning from Tria’s culinary adventures (and misadventures), we are able to share some helpful pairing guidelines. After covering wine and cheese basics, McCaulley will introduce students to some classic marriages that have withstood the test of time as well as some more modern pairings. McCaulley, Tria’s wine director, is one of Philadelphia’s leading wine educators and sommeliers. BEER: The Dark Side with Tom Baker. Wednesday, November 8, Baker, a highly acclaimed brewer and owner of the recently departed but still beloved Heavyweight Brewery of Ocean Township, New Jersey will debunk the myths and demonstrates the incredible diversity of black beer. Learn that black beers are not all thick and strong (some are lower in alcohol than Bud!), and that their vast range of flavors and aromas offers something for everyone. Baker will lead a tasting of six dramatically different black beauties. CHEESE: Spanish Dairy Rising with Adrian Murcia. Tuesday, November 14, . Join cheese specialist Adrian Murcia, fromager at New York City’s Chanterelle restaurant and long-time special adviser to Tria’s cheese selection committee for a tasting tour of Spain’s finest cheese terroirs. An accomplished food writer and educator in his spare time, Murcia has written on the topic of Spanish cheese for Saveur, Foods from Spain News and Epicurious.com. . For more information, please visit http://www.triacafe.com/ and click on the Tria Fermentation School button or call 215.972.7076.

Will someone alert the Metaphor Police?! Or the Bulwer-Lytton competition? Thank you in advance.

And the ONLY thing Philadelphian mentioned in the entire article. A terrible slight to Amada, IMHO.

The MENU at the Grey Lodge has greatly expanded since your last visit, Chris, and it's served all day.

Tomorrow comes the next Friday the Firkinteenth at Philadelphia's Grey Lodge Public House (6235 Frankdford Ave., Phila, PA), and I still can't believe the lineup that will be poured via gravity, 7 firkinsns at a time, starting at noon, from atop the bar at the GL. to wit: Appalachian Cherrypacker Porter Brewers Art Resurrection Dogfish Head Punkin Ale Flying Fish Farmhouse kreusened with Grand Cru and dry hopped with Summit and Chinook hops General Lafayette Oak Malted Stout Iron Hill Pumpkin Lancaster Hog's Milk Legacy Nor'easter Nodding Head 3C Extreme Double IPA Rock Art American Red (dryhopped and oak aged) Sly Fox Simcoe IPA Sly Fox ESB Stouts Scarlet Lady ESB (dry-hopped with Summit) Troegs Double Hopped Hopback (unfiltered and two bags of Nugget Hops) Victory Dr. Decibels Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA Yards IPA First time i've ever seen two beers from one brewery, but, hey, it's Sly Fox, so it's all good! ANd, keep in mind that some of these beers tomorrow will be one-off brews, made just for this event. Another swesome killer lineup!

Here is the rundown of this year's medal winners at the 2006 Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Co, the 25th Anniversary of the Fest: 2006 Brewery and Brewer of the Year Awards Large Brewery Company and Large Brewing Company Brewer of the Year Sponsored by Beer Institute Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL Bob Newman Mid-Size Brewery Company and Mid-Size Brewing Company Brewer of the Year Sponsored by HopUnion CBS, LLC New Glarus Brewing Co., New Glarus, WI Daniel J. Carey Small Brewery Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year Sponsored by Microstar Keg Management Bear Republic Brewing Co., Healdsburg, CA Richard G. Norgrove Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub Company Brewer of the Year Sponsored by Brewery Supply Group Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR Darron R. S. Welch Small Brewpub Company and Small Brewpub Company Brewer of the Year Sponsored by Briess Malt & Ingredients Co. Flossmoor Station Brewing Co., Flossmoor, IL Matt Van Wyk -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Category: 1 American Cream Ale or Lager - 24 Entries Gold: Red Dog, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI Silver: Lone Star, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL Bronze: Henry Weinhard Private Reserve, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI Category: 2 American-Style Wheat Beer - 23 Entries Gold: Pyramid Crystal Weizen, Pyramid Breweries, Seattle, WA Silver: William Jones Wheat Beer, El Toro Brewing Co., Morgan Hill, CA Bronze: Shiner Dunkelweizen, The Spoetzl Brewery, Shiner, TX Category: 3 American-Style Hefeweizen - 37 Entries Gold: Hefeweizen, Widmer Brothers Brewing Co., Portland, OR Silver: American Wheat, Opa-Opa Brewing Co., Southampton, MA Bronze: Mueller Unfiltered Wheat, Springfield Brewing Co., Springfield, MO Category: 4 Fruit and Vegetable Beer - 46 Entries Gold: Belgian Red, New Glarus Brewing Co., New Glarus, WI Silver: Blue Moon Chardonnay Blonde, Blue Moon Brewing Co., Golden, CO Bronze: Patty’s Chile Beer, Wynkoop Brewing Co., Denver, CO Category: 5 Herb and Spice Beer - 64 Entries Gold: The Wind Cried Mari, Cambridge Brewing Co., Cambridge, MA Silver: Leinenkugel’s Sunset Wheat, Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., Chippewa Falls, WI Bronze: Fred Miller’s Classic Chocolate Lager, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI Category: 6 Coffee Flavored Beer - 28 Entries Gold: Fuel, Capitol City Brewing Co., Arlington, VA Silver: Black Magic Java Stout, Barley Island Brewing Co., Noblesville, IN Bronze: Arctic Rhino Coffee Porter, Midnight Sun Brewing Co., Anchorage, AK Category: 7 Specialty Beer - 16 Entries Gold: Smokin’ Mesquite Ale, Humperdinks Restaurant and Brewery, Dallas, TX Silver: Pullman Brown Ale, Flossmoor Station Brewing Co., Flossmoor, IL Bronze: Maple Nut Brown Ale, Tommyknocker Brewery, Idaho Springs, CO Category: 8 Rye Beer - 22 Entries Gold: Worryin’ Ale, Piece Brewery, Chicago, IL Silver: Sun Rye, Redhook Ale Brewery, Portsmouth, NH Bronze: Surfer in the Rye, Huntington Beach Beer Co., Huntington Beach, CA Category: 9 Specialty Honey Lager or Ale - 26 Entries Gold: Blue Moon Honeymoon, Blue Moon Brewing Co., Golden, CO Silver: Ray’s Honey Rye, Boscos, Memphis, TN Bronze: Hummingbird Ale, Mountain Sun/Southern Sun Pub & Brewery, Boulder, CO Category: 10 Experimental Beer - 37 Entries Gold: New Grist, Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee, WI Silver: Angry Mike’s Stoudt Creek, Flossmoor Station Brewing Co., Flossmoor, IL Bronze: Samuel Adams Utopias 2003, The Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA Category: 11 Wood- and Barrel-aged Beer - 29 Entries Gold: Cherry Stout, New Glarus Brewing Co., New Glarus, WI Silver: Barrel 001, Santa Barbara Brewing Co., Santa Barbara, CA Bronze: Bourbon Ivan, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant - West Chester, West Chester, PA Category: 12 Wood- and Barrel-aged Strong Beer - 58 Entries Gold: Bourbon Cherry Stout, Central Waters Brewing Co., Junction City, WI Silver: Full Sail Black Gold Imperial Stout, Full Sail Brewing at River Place, Portland, OR Bronze: Wooden Hell, Flossmoor Station Brewing Co., Flossmoor, IL Category: 13 Aged Beer (Ale or Lager) - 28 Entries Gold: Triple Exultation - 2004, Eel River Brewing Co., Fortuna, CA Silver: Hibernation Ale 2005, Great Divide Brewing Co., Denver, CO Bronze: World Wide Stout, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE Category: 14 Cellar or Unfiltered Beer - 18 Entries Gold: Kellerbier, Herkimer Pub and Brewery, Minneapolis, MN Silver: U.C.I.P.A., Steelhead Brewery - Irvine, Irvine, CA Bronze: Wild West Fest, Great American Restaurants, Centreville, VA Category: 15 Smoke-Flavored Beer - 20 Entries Gold: Smoke Creek Rauchbier, Great Basin Brewing Co., Sparks, NV Silver: Smokestack Porter, Rocky River Brewing Co., Rocky River, OH Bronze: Stewart’s Smoked Porter, Stewart’s Brewing Co., Bear, DE Category: 16 German-Style Pilsener - 40 Entries Gold: Organic Pilsner, Butte Creek Brewing Co., Chico, CA Silver: Eagle Pride Pilsener, Elk Grove Brewery and Restaurant, Elk Grove, CA Bronze: Dog Day’s Pils, Big Buck Brewery and Steakhouse - Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, MI Category: 17 Bohemian-Style Pilsener - 33 Entries Gold: Schtolen Pils, SandLot Brewery at Coors Field, Denver, CO Silver: La Plata Pils, Carver Brewing Co., Durango, CO Bronze: Papa’s Pilsner, 75th Street Brewery - Lawrence, Lawrence, KS Category: 18 Münchner-Style Helles - 32 Entries Gold: Sunfest Lager, Ham’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, Greenville, NC Silver: 6X Golden Lager, C.B. & Potts Big Horn Brewery - Fort Collins, Fort Collins, CO Bronze: Gordon Biersch Golden Export, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group, Chattanooga, TN Category: 19 European-Style Pilsener - 23 Entries Gold: Gold Mt. Pilsner, Silver City Brewing Co., Silverdale, WA Silver: Schell Pilsner, August Schell Brewing, New Ulm, MN Bronze: Widmer Export Lager, Widmer Brothers Brewing Co., Portland, OR Category: 20 American-Style Light Lager - 29 Entries Gold: Old Milwaukee Light, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL Silver: Milwaukee’s Best Light, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI Bronze: Southpaw Light, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI Category: 21 American-Style Lager - 27 Entries Gold: Pabst Blue Ribbon, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL Silver: Miller High Life, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI Bronze: Blatz, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL Category: 22 American-Style Specialty Lager - 19 Entries Gold: Mickey’s Malt Liquor, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI Silver: Icehouse, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI Bronze: HG 800, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI Category: 23 Vienna-Style Lager - 20 Entries Silver: Balto Marz Hon, Clipper City Brewing Co., Baltimore, MD Bronze: Schild brau Amber, Millstream Brewing Co., Amana, IA Category: 24 German-Style Märzen / Oktoberfest - 45 Entries Gold: Samuel Adams Octoberfest, The Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA Silver: Michelob Marzen, Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, MO Bronze: Dominion Octoberfest, Old Dominion Brewing Co., Ashburn, VA Category: 25 American-Style Amber Lager - 35 Entries Gold: Steam Engine Lager, Steamworks Brewing Co., Durango/Bayfield, CO Silver: Toasted Lager, Blue Point Brewing Co., Patchogue, NY Bronze: Oktoberfist, Bluegrass Brewing Co., Louisville, KY Category: 26 European-Style Dark / Münchner Dunkel - 21 Entries Silver: Storm King, Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co., Glenwood Springs, CO Bronze: Dunkel Rico, Stewart’s Brewing Co., Bear, DE Category: 27 American-Style Dark Lager - 13 Entries Gold: Leinenkugel’s Creamy Dark, Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., Chippewa Falls, WI Silver: Freidafest, Humperdinks Restaurant and Brewery, Dallas, TX Bronze: Ziegenbock, Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, MO Category: 28 German-Style Schwarzbier - 21 Entries Gold: Black Wolf Schwarzbier, Flossmoor Station Brewing Co., Flossmoor, IL Silver: Schwarzbier, Rock Bottom Brewery - King of Prussia, King of Prussia, PA Bronze: Iron Horse Lager, Great American Restaurants, Centreville, VA Category: 29 Bock - 33 Entries Gold: Maibock, Blind Tiger Brewery Pub & Play, Topeka, KS Silver: Tröegenator Double Bock, Tröegs Brewing Co., Harrisburg, PA Bronze: Fornicator Maibock, Piece Brewery, Chicago, IL Category: 30 German-Style Strong Bock - 12 Entries Gold: Autumnal Fire, Capital Brewery Co., Middleton, WI Silver: Eisphyre, Capital Brewery Co., Middleton, WI Bronze: Procrastinator, Back Street Brewery - Vista, Vista, CA Category: 31 Baltic-Style Porter - 8 Entries Silver: Raven, McKenzie Brew House, Glen Mills, PA Bronze: Neptune’s Nemesis, Rocky River Brewing Co., Rocky River, OH Category: 32 Golden or Blonde Ale - 41 Entries Gold: Kiwanda Cream Ale, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR Silver: Korruption Kölsch, Bottoms Up Brewing Co., Pinedale, WY Bronze: Aud Blonde, Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA Category: 33 German-Style Kölsch / Köln-Style Kölsch - 43 Entries Gold: Chaser Pale, Blackstone Restaurant & Brewery, Nashville, TN Silver: Clear Water Kolsch, RAM Restaurant and Big Horn Brewery - Boise, Boise, ID Bronze: Saint Arnold Fancy Lawnmower Beer, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX Category: 34 English-Style Summer Ale - 25 Entries Gold: 312 Urban Wheat Ale, Goose Island Beer Co., Chicago, IL Silver: Sandbagger Gold, Montana Brewing Co., Billings, MT Bronze: True Blonde Ale, Ska Brewing Co., Durango, CO Category: 35 Classic English-Style Pale Ale - 25 Entries Gold: 5 Barrel Pale Ale, Odell Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO Silver: Mac’s Ale, Pyramid Breweries, Seattle, WA Bronze: Denver Pale Ale, Great Divide Brewing Co., Denver, CO Category: 36 English-Style India Pale Ale - 26 Entries Gold: India Pale Ale, Carolina Brewery, Chapel Hill, NC Silver: Beech Street Bitter, Pizza Port - Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA Bronze: Triumph Bengal Gold I.P.A., Triumph Brewing Co. of New Hope, New Hope, PA Category: 37 American-Style Pale Ale - 83 Entries Gold: Tumble Off Pale Ale, Barley Brown’s Brew Pub, Baker City, OR Silver: Brewmasters’ Pale, Widmer Brothers Brewing Co., Portland, OR Bronze: XP Pale Ale, Bear Republic Brewing Co., Healdsburg, CA Category: 38 American-Style Strong Pale Ale - 66 Entries Gold: Big Fish, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery - Chandler, Chandler, AZ Silver: Racer’s, Bear Republic Brewing Co., Healdsburg, CA Bronze: Hop Knot, Four Peaks Brewing Co., Tempe, AZ Category: 39 American-Style India Pale Ale - 94 Entries Gold: HopHead Imperial IPA, Bend Brewing Co., Bend, OR Silver: Apex Ale, Bear Republic Brewing Co., Healdsburg, CA Bronze: Taildragger IPA, RAM Restaurant and Big Horn Brewery - Boise, Boise, ID Category: 40 Imperial or Double India Pale Ale - 57 Entries Gold: Pliny the Elder, Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA Silver: Poor Man’s IPA, Pizza Port - Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA Bronze: Left Coast Hop Juice, Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co., San Clemente, CA Category: 41 American-Style Amber / Red Ale - 62 Entries Gold: Anniversary Ale, Amherst Brewing Co., Amherst, MA Silver: Amber Waves Ale, Capitol City Brewing Co., Arlington, VA Bronze: Sharkbite Red Ale, Port Brewing Co., San Marcos, CA Category: 42 Imperial or Double Red Ale - 24 Entries Gold: Organic Deranger, Laurelwood Brewing Co., Portland, OR Silver: Shark Attack, Pizza Port - Solana Beach, Solana Beach, CA Bronze: Rock Opera Imperial IPA, Vino’s Pizza*Pub*Brewery, Little Rock, AR Category: 43 Bitter - 33 Entries Gold: Raccoon Red, Rock Bottom Brewery - Bethesda, Bethesda, MD Silver: Alaskan Pale, Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK Bronze: Cutthroat Pale Ale, Uinta Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT Category: 44 Extra Special Bitter or Strong Bitter - 45 Entries Gold: Firestone Walker IPA, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA Silver: Autumn Ale, Short’s Brewing Co., Bellaire, MI Bronze: Stone Pale Ale, Stone Brewing Co., Escondido, CA Category: 45 Scottish-Style Ale - 20 Entries Gold: Laughing Lab Scottish Ale, Bristol Brewing Co., Colorado Springs, CO Silver: MacPelican’s Scottish Style Ale, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR Bronze: Kiltlifter Scottish Ale, Pug Ryan’s Brewery, Dillon, CO Category: 46 Irish-Style Red Ale - 32 Entries Gold: TAPS Irish Red, TAPS Fish House & Brewery, Brea, CA Silver: Red Rocks Red, Rock Bottom Brewery - Westminster, Westminster, CO Bronze: St. James Red Ale, Walnut Brewery, Boulder, CO Category: 47 English-Style Brown Ale - 44 Entries Gold: Dawn Patrol Dark, Pizza Port - San Clemente, San Clemente, CA Silver: Old Town Brown, Natty Greene’s Brewing Co., Greensboro, NC Bronze: Balboa Brown, Newport Beach Brewing Co., Newport Beach, CA Category: 48 American-Style Brown Ale - 45 Entries Gold: Doryman’s Dark Ale, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR Silver: Great American Brown, Pizza Port - Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA Bronze: Bear Tooth Ale, Moose’s Tooth Brewing Co., Anchorage, AK Category: 49 German-Style Brown Ale / Düsseldorf-Style Alt Bier- 26 Entries Gold: Otis Alt, Elk Grove Brewery and Restaurant, Elk Grove, CA Silver: “Alt 45”, The Cambridge House Brewpub, Granby, CT Bronze: Terrapin Alt, Rock Bottom Brewery - Bethesda, Bethesda, MD Category: 50 South German-Style Hefeweizen / Hefeweissbier- 50 Entries Gold: Mueller Hefeweizen, Springfield Brewing Co., Springfield, MO Silver: Wapiti Wheat, Wolf Pack Brewing Co., West Yellowstone, MT Bronze: In-Heat Wheat Hefeweizen, Flying Dog Brewery, Denver, CO Category: 51 German-Style Wheat Ale - 34 Entries Gold: Gordon Biersch Weizenbock, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group, Chattanooga, TN Silver: Boscos Hefeweizen, Boscos, Memphis, TN Bronze: Berliner Weiss, Bethlehem Brew Works, Bethlehem, PA Category: 52 Belgian-Style White (or Wit) / Belgian Style Wheat- 36 Entries Silver: Wits End, Great American Restaurants, Centreville, VA Bronze: 35th Anniversary Ale, Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver, CO Category: 53 French- Belgian-Style Saison - 44 Entries Gold: Organic Farmhouse Ale, Bison Brewing Co., Berkeley, CA Silver: Saison, Capitol City Brewing Co., Arlington, VA Bronze: Hennepin Farmhouse Saison, Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY Category: 54 Belgian- and French-Style Ale - 14 Entries Gold: Le Fleur Misseur, New Belgium Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO Silver: Dim Wit, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery - Chandler, Chandler, AZ Bronze: Belgian Double White Ale, Southampton Publick House, Southampton, NY Category: 55 Belgian-Style Sour Ale - 24 Entries Gold: La Folie, New Belgium Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO Silver: Beatification, Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA Bronze: Festina Lente, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE Category: 56 Belgian-Style Abbey Ale - 56 Entries Gold: Tripel Ale, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME Silver: Adirondack Abbey Ale, Great Adirondack Brewing Co., Lake Placid, NY Bronze: Bishop’s Tipple Tripel, Main Street Brewery, Corona, CA Category: 57 Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale - 45 Entries Gold: Golden Armor, C.B. & Potts Big Horn Brewery - Denver Tech Center, Englewood, CO Silver: Interlude, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME Bronze: Reve II, Redrock Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT Category: 58 Robust Porter - 71 Entries Gold: Goddess Porter, Big Time Brewing Co., Seattle, WA Silver: Pacemaker Porter, Flyers Restaurant and Brewery, Oak Harbor, WA Bronze: Total Eclipse Black Ale, Hoppy Brewing Co., Sacramento, CA Category: 59 Brown Porter - 29 Entries Gold: Molly Titanic, Rock Bottom Brewery - Denver, Denver, CO Silver: St. Charles Porter, Blackstone Restaurant & Brewery, Nashville, TN Bronze: Peter Brown Tribute Ale, Bear Republic Brewing Co., Healdsburg, CA Category: 60 Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout - 21 Entries Gold: Maxwell’s Stout, Basil T’s Brewery & Italian Grill, Red Bank, NJ Silver: Slapshot Stout, RAM Restaurant and Big Horn Brewery - Seattle, Seattle, WA Bronze: Irish Stout, Schooner’s Grille & Brewery, Antioch, CA Category: 61 Foreign (Export)-Style Stout - 19 Entries Gold: Tsunami Stout, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR Silver: Black Bear XX Stout, Alameda Brewhouse, Portland, OR Bronze: San Quentin’s Breakout Stout, Marin Brewing Co., Larkspur, CA Category: 62 American-Style Stout - 20 Entries Gold: Sticky Stout, Pizza Port - Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA Silver: Oggi’s Black Majic Stout, Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co., San Clemente, CA Bronze: Terminal Oatmeal Stout, Rock Bottom Brewery - Chicago, Chicago, IL Category: 63 Sweet Stout - 18 Entries Gold: Udder Goodness, Rock Bottom Brewery - Desert Ridge, Phoenix, AZ Silver: Steel Toe Stout, Ska Brewing Co., Durango, CO Bronze: The Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout, The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery, Farmville, NC Category: 64 Oatmeal Stout - 37 Entries Gold: Oatmeal Stout, Schooner’s Grille & Brewery, Antioch, CA Silver: Seabright Oatmeal Stout, Seabright Brewery, Santa Cruz, CA Bronze: Lasto’s Oatmeal Stout, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery - Portland, Portland, OR Category: 65 Imperial Stout - 35 Entries Gold: Russian Imperial Stout, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant - Media, Media, PA Silver: TAPS Imperial Russian Stout, TAPS Fish House & Brewery, Brea, CA Bronze: Siberian Night, Thirsty Dog Brewing Co., Independence, OH Category: 66 Strong Scotch Ale - 25 Entries Gold: Kilt Sniffer Strong Scotch Ale, Big Dog’s Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV Silver: Highland Scotch Reserve, Boundary Bay Brewery, Bellingham, WA Bronze: Rambeaux, RAM Restaurant and Big Horn Brewery - Seattle, Seattle, WA Category: 67 Old Ale / Strong Ale - 34 Entries Gold: Vintage Ale, The Great Dane Pub & Brewing Co., Madison, WI Silver: Tripel Exultation, Eel River Brewing Co., Fortuna, CA Bronze: Curmudgeons Nip, Odell Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO Category: 68 Other Strong Ale or Lager - 30 Entries Gold: Winter Wheatwine, Rubicon Brewing Co., Sacramento, CA Silver: Dragonstooth Stout, Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle, WA Bronze: Pit Bull High Gravity Ice Malt Liquor, Pig’s Eye Brewing Co., St. Paul, MN Category: 69 Barley Wine-Style Ale - 55 Entries Gold: Old Ruffian Barley Wine, Great Divide Brewing Co., Denver, CO Silver: Stormwatcher’s Winterfest, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR Bronze: Arctic Devil Barley Wine, Midnight Sun Brewing Co., Anchorage, AK

Platters are in the $9 range, sandwiches between $4-5 and desserts were around $2.50, as I recall.

Queston: Has anyone tried that Doghouse "Punkin Ale"? I have seen a few on the market and never picked one up. from the sounds of that artical this is supposed to be a very good example of a pumpkin brew. any tasting notes? thanks in advance.. I think you are referring to Dogfish Head Punkin Ale, a rich, bright beer full of pumpkin flavor rather than just pumpkin "spices". Oddly refreshing, with a decent hop prescence. It pairs well with good MExican food, I have found. Paired with good arepas, and even a plate of hot, cheesy nachos, it's a decent brew with food.

It's off topic, but really I have found only one place in Monmouth: BAsil T's the brewpub in Red Bank. Good quality brews and very good food too.

Englishtown auctions is typically known as the Englishtown Flea Market. There are no more auctions held there now. It is a vast collection of merchants and entrepreneurs all tryting to make a buck selling whatever they have. The 6 buildings on the grounds, in addition to the vast outdoor flea market, contain every manner of food vendor. Across from My Two Sons, for example, are a decent pizza vendor, a decent sandwich shop, and the famous Dave's Fries, some of the best french fries you'll ever find anywhere, served in small brown paper bags. Englishtownm Market is, in my opinion, a road-foodie's paradise. It is open on Saturdays, and some Sundays in warm weather.

I've had the great pleasure of sampling the outrageously good food at this place within the Englishtown Auction grounds, (90 Wilson Ave., Blue Building, Manalapan, NJ) for a few lucky Saturdays, and I haven't had more satisfying Southern food in a long time. The side dishes almost outshine the main courses here, but the fried seafood served here is bracingly fresh, greaseless and expertly seasoned. Yesterday, for example, we had a crab cake-whiting platter and a catfish platter, each accompanied by moist yellow rice and black beans, hush puppies and cole slaw. Sides of macaroni and cheese, grits and stewed cabbage are worth every penny of additional cost. The crab cake was full of sweet crab, assertively seasoned--it was SPICY--and huge. The 3 whiting filets were also large, curled as only fresh whiting does, and flaky. The rice was sensational, the black beans smoky. The hush puppies were airy and addictive. The catfish, easily the most frequently ordered item by observation, are two huge filets in a crunchy coating. Seafood heroin. Be forewarned. What I most enjoy is the care and warmth with which Rita Simmons and her son, Rasheed, who own this friendly cafe, run this enterprise. They mingle through the tables of seated customers, joke with those waiting in line (and there is ALWAYS a line of eager customers), and drop off samples of side dishes and desserts at random to whomever they think needs a little extra. Today it was slivers of dense bread pudding and sweet potato pie. On our last visit it was a small ramekin of cheesy grits for our twins, Ben and Sophie ("this is for another meal," said Mrs Simmons," you just watch how they eat these grits up!"). The sweet potato pie was something otherworldly: not too sweet, impossibly light, a perfect pie. This place is a must-go breakfast or lunch destination on any free Saturday you have. Don't wait.

I was THRILLED to see that the Grey Lodge Pub made it into the Philly Zagat. Notably absent: Delorenzo's Tomato Pies in Trenton.

I'm with you, John, though I would also grab some Stoudt's Fest, which I think you'd also find to be as good a version of Festbier made in the US.

Perhaps a nice mug fashioned from the skull of your enemy could work? ← Ha, but I suppose you'd have to order that in advance. ← Not if you bring your enemy there with you.

I've always considered the Special Italian from Carmen's (nee Rocco's) to be the finest example of the art of the hoagie ln Philly. It IS all about the balance of every ingredient. Perfection.

My top 5 recs: RX Marigold Kitchen Penne White Dog Cafe Nan

Today was an orgy of tremendous tube steak. It was magnificent. My favorites: Tony's Hot Dog Truck: bold, assertive, dog with decent smoke, garlic and beef flavor, and amazing spicy saucy onions; Manny's: a great, flavorful chilidog, with hints of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg in the dense chili sauce; Syd's: a truly great hot dog, in a homey, old school atmosphere of counter service and colorful old timers who know what it means to enjoy a good hot dog; Amazing Hot Dog: FINALLY! I wish we hadn't gotten to AHD so late in the day, when we were all getting a bit of hot dog burnout, but despite that, the hot dogs were awesome, huge monsters, and the fries were absolutely spectacular. Taken as a whole, AHD is a truly amazing hot dog experience. Had the HotBurgerHamDog (with guacamole, and cheese no less) and an Amazing Hot Dog (both split between 3 people!), and we were blown away by the quality, care and enthusiasm with which AHD does its craft. Rutt's Hut: Also FINALLY! Despite being the last stop, it was a great hot dog, topped with that amazing secret, mustardy relish. Dickie Dee's: Actually liked this version of the Italian Hot Dog better than Tommy's, good bread, good dog, awesome taters, onions and peppers. I'll post a few more thoughts once I regain consciousness.