KatieLoeb

Thanks James. I've heard of culantro before and even seen it, but wasn't 100% certain it was the same as the ngo gai I'd had in Asian cuisine contexts before.

Hey now. Speaking as a former employee of Striped Bass, which is sorely missed without a doubt, I still think OH is filling a niche in these times that are not the same as the pre-recession times of high end seafood restaurants. Even the vanilla-beige chain seafood places like Oceanaire couldn't make it here, and they appeal to the lowest common denominator, which number in the tens of thousands. I'm not sure another Striped Bass/Le Bernadin type place would survive here of late, and I can't really blame anyone for not taking the gamble that it would. Does it suck that there isn't a really fancy high end fine dining seafood restaurant in Philly right now? Maybe, but I think the answer depends on whether it's your money keeping the doors open or not. And whether or not having a perfectly nice dinner at OH, or at Little Fish or ordering the seafood entrees available on any given night at Fond, or Matyson or Bibou, Ken's Seafood in Chinatown or any number of other possibilities will do instead. If it's all about the atmosphere and getting dressed up to go, then perhaps a night at the Fountain, Lacroix or Le Bec Fin would suffice and scratch that itch for you. If it's about having well prepared fish/shellfish/seafood dishes, you could do worse than the possibilities that currently exist. JMO, of course. I truly believe that someone will open up another high end seafood restaurant in Philly soon. But maybe not by tomorrow or next week. These are trying times in the restaurant business. Imagine how you'd feel if it were your several million dollars tied up in Union Trust or Barclay Prime or wherever, where folks now treat it as a "special occasion" restaurant and the days of unlimited expense accounts are as extinct as the dodo bird. I'm certain three years ago when they were looking at the architects drawings of the gorgeous soaring ceilings that would fill the empty spaces that are now the newer high end steak houses it all seemed like a grand idea. Then the market crashed and everyone was screwed. Someone did the math all that long time ago and decided that building a gigantic 300 seat steakhouse was a sound investment. It would be filled 2.5 times per evening on the weekends at an average check of $87.6/person and it would take X number of years to recoup their investment. Unfortunately that algorithm didn't hold once the shit hit the fan, economically speaking. The first thing that goes when folks are tight for money is their "descretionary spending". For most folks that's high end dinners.

Finally checked out Pho Saigon in the shopping center at Washington & Delaware Avenue. It was really good and a lot closer to home than Chinatown! Summer Rolls were excellent and crunchy and the peanut dipping sauce was delicious. Also tried the basic beef pho (the works minus the tripe) and shared a pork and seafood noodle soup. Both excellent. The pho broth was rich and tasty and not too salty. The broth for the pork and seafood soup was lighter and brighter and also very delicious. I also like that they include other herbs along with the Thai basil for the soup. Those long leaves that have the serrated edges, smell a little like a cilantro alternative. Don't know what they're called but they are delicious in the soups! Servings are generous and the place is really cheap. All this food was $17 before tip! Next trip I'll try the Bun Bo Hue which does NOT contain the nasty cubes of blood I hate and apparently does have pig's feet in it according to the waiter's description. Sounds good. Staff is pleasant and speaks English more fluently than any other Pho joint in town. A bonus for those unfamiliar with the cuisine and who need to ask questions.

Holly: That was part of my point. The manager absolutely should have known what was going on. But as you know, sometimes they get busy or distracted or have to answer the phone because the hostess is on a bathroom break, or have to plunge the toilet or fix the dishwasher or reboot the POS system or attend to any number of crises that have arisen during that service. And I'm not suggesting a long diatribe with the restaurant, but just not expecting them to literally be clairvoyant, and to let someone know if there's a problem that's egregious enough to effect your desire to leave the customary gratuity. We can only fix those things we're aware of. If I serve you a cocktail you really really hate, but you smile and tell me it's lovely when I ask if everything is alright, then I'm going to believe you. I have no reason to think you're lying to me. Then you leave most of your drink on the bar except for the sips you took when you were telling me how yummy it was and you pay the bill and leave. Now I can't offer to make you another or different one. I'm hogtied in trying to have you leave my bar a happy patron. This would all be fine if when the story was retold you told your friends that the bartender asked how your drink was and you LIED to her because you didn't want to get into a confrontation, but that's rarely the case. Most folks retell the tale that the bartender made an awful drink, the service was lousy and the restaurant sucks and they wouldn't go back there on a bet. See what I mean? The patron is part of the process, and needs to be engaged in it. It would be great if all service experiences were as if things happened by magic, water and wine glasses forever refilled, food arriving perfectly timed and always cooked exactly as we wished it to be with never an interruption or a distraction from our dining companions. Before I can show you to our finest table for this epic dining experience, I'll need to herd the unicorns out of the dining room first... Back more specifically to this case, the arrest is just silly. But this place sounds like a pretty basic college dive bar to me, so I'm not certain that expecting fine dining standards of service is reasonable. Having to get up and get your own food/drinks/utensils is out of bounds anywhere, however. And I have had to do that in a few places here in Philly, so I completely understand the annoyance level of the customers in this example. The manager obviously didn't want to own how out of the loop they were on this and overreacted in the most ridiculous way possible. Stupid all the way down the line.

This entire incident was handled poorly by every single individual involved. If I had to get up and get my own silverware or refill my own water glass and my server was outside smoking in clear view, the manager would have heard about it long before the check was dropped. I would have flagged down a different waiter and demanded to see the manager immediately. My server would have been informed when they finally reappeared to drop the check that their tip would be suffering because of their unavailability and incompetence. There was no need to arrest anyone if the diner's displeasure had been handled through the appropriate channels and in a timely fashion. The manager is clearly incompetent as well. He should have realized these patrons were righteously pissed off and offered to listen to their complaint. That server would have worked their last shift and those patrons would have been comped and apologized to. On the other hand, management isn't clairvoyant, and if the patrons wait until it's too late to prove the waitress was outside smoking, then they just look like assholes trying to skip out on the gratuity. If service is a problem, people shouldn't nod and smile and say everything is fine when they're asked. Management can only offer to fix that which they are aware of. No restaurant wants a patron leaving unhappy, but you'd be amazed at how many people won't speak up (nicely) and will then go on to bad mouth the restaurant. If service is bad enough to reduce or refuse gratuity, then a conversation needs to take place BEFORE paying the bill or leaving the restaurant. Seems self-evident, yet it rarely happens that way...

I just enjoyed a lovely meal at Fond this evening. I wouldn't even compare it to Bibou. Apples and oranges. Bibou is decidedly French bistro cooking, and a bit more rustic. The plates at Fond were more composed and more "modern" (for lack of a better term) in their approach. From the amuse bouche of a shot glass of silken asparagus soup, to the chicken liver mousse of two perfect quenelles of the lightest and creamiest chicken liver mousse ever with shaved fennel, shaved onions, thinly sliced apples and spicy cucumber to accompany atop the toasted baguette crostinis, everything was pitch perfect. Great contrasts of flavor, textures and combinations of elements that were the perfect foil to each other. Tuna crudo with a pomegranate sauce, a yogurt sauce and fresh pomegranate seeds strewn on the plate. The acidity of the the yogurt and pomegranate played absolutely perfectly with the fatty tuna. The sweetbreads with cinnamon gastrique literally gave me goosebumps when I smelled them set down on the table. We had to stop ourselves from ordering another plate full. This is beautiful food that's so well thought out you wish you'd thought of it yourself. GORGEOUS food. It's pretty, plated like works of art and tastes amazing. My friend and I also shared the monkfish entree with lentils and oyster mushrooms and the rack of New Zealand lamb with potato latke and lamb jus. And they were both as delicious as they sound. Service was professional and well informed. Really makes me giddy to see folks with passion succeeding at sharing that with their clientele. Go soon. It's well worth the cost of admission and will be more difficult to get into once others have been once. It's the sort of place that makes you want to go back as soon as you're able to try those other things you were thinking about ordering. My dining companion is ready to drive all the way up from Cape May again just because she hadn't enjoyed such good food in quite some time. Fond will be seeing my smiling face again as soon as I'm able. It won't be too long, I'm certain. My thanks to the staff for being so gracious and hospitable. I hope I can return the hospitality some night when they can get away and visit me at OH.

You're much too kind. I am just so excited for him. I just know he's going to win and that he's going to be a great addition to the Iron Chef lineup. Jose will always remain one of my favorite ex-bosses. He's every bit as nice a guy as he seems to be. And I learned a lot from him. I'm very proud to have worked for him and been able to help him open his first restaurant in Philly. Now that there's a small burgeoning empire it seems like a million years ago, but he's always been very gracious to me and expressed his gratitude for my help at the beginning. He's a class act and deserving of all the success he's having.

Ghef Garces is hosting a viewing party at Distrito this coming Sunday for the final episode. No one throws a party if they know they're the loser. Go Team Garces!!!! Jose Garces is the next Iron Chef. Take it to the bank. Hell, my stock just went up too. Jose is one of my references on my resume.

Ah. That explains it. I worked on that block (200 block of Chestnut) for 2 years. It seemed unlikely to me that I would have missed it. On the other hand, since I live straight down 2nd Street I hardly noticed what went on a block away as I rarely, if ever, passed by it...

I did. About a week ago or so I cracked open the Merlot to drink with a small steak I'd grilled up. Forgot to post so thanks for reminding me. The merlot was good, if not as transcendant as the Pinot Noir. But most certainly an excellent value for the price. Hard to find well made wines from serious juice at that price point regardless.

What Joe's Peking Duck House at 2nd & Chestnut?? Custom House takes up the entire south side of the street. The only restaurants at 2nd & Chestnut on the north side are the little Korean place where Mandoline was (miss you Todd!!), Amada, the faux BBQ joint that was Fish & Co. forever and Rotten Ralphs. Closer to 3rd Street there might be a couple of crappy clubby bars whose names escape me because I wouldn't set foot in there on a bet. So where is he talking about???

Adam and I have had some email exchanges about which cocktail geek products needed to be on the shelves. I'm happy to say that they've done a great job stocking the shelves with all kinds of bitters, interesting esoteric mixers (Q Tonic, DRY sodas, Fever Tree Bitter Lemon and Ginger Beer, etc.) and some really nice organic dried hibiscus and other cocktailian accoutrement. Looking forward to my first opportunity to check out the inventory personally over the weekend.

I had suggested, but was ultimately shot down for space and equipment limitations, to serve a classic Philadelphia Fish House Punch topped with a hot spiced cider for the winter months. No doubt this could be managed in the home scenario far more easily...

A properly made Seelbach shouldn't be overwhelmingly bitter, just balanced and delicious. And of course one could simply cut down on the bitters to taste. French 75's are grand. Champagne cocktails are classic. And there's always the option of adding "sweetening agent liqueur" of your choosing and then topping off, be it Cassis (only the really good Cassis du Bourgogne stuff) or Chambord, a little splash of St. Germain, or B&B, or Amaretto (again - only use the good stuff like Luxardo and a little goes a long way), or Chartreuse or whatever YOU LIKE and putting in a lemon or orange twist and/or a splash of bitters, also of your choosing. Easy Peasy and as unique and delicious as the host of the party.

Order has been maintained in the universe. My very first thought upon seeing this thread was, "did they bring He-Himself-the-critical along?" Most particularly in this case, I suspect his opining was both entertaining and quite valuable in terms of authenticity.

1)Jars of Nutella. The larger the better. 2)Kit-Kat Bars. 3)Toblerone. I'd certainly separate out the baked goods. Not the same as chocolates/candy. 1)Pepperidge Farm White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie 2) Friehoffer Chocolate Chip Cookies 3) Nilla Wafers

Jose is going to win this thing. I'm feeling confident about that. Even more so now. It'll likely be he and Chef Mehta in the final and Jose will emerge victorious. It couldn't happen to a nicer guy or a better chef. Go Team Garces!!

Smaller, plumper, deeper cup on the shell, and generally a more minerally taste and more pronounced "finish". But there are exceptions, and of course everyone's palate is different. The Hog Island Sweetwaters that we currently have are awesome. The texture of a West Coast oyster with the brininess of an East Coast one. Kind of the best of both worlds. I LOVE them!

Neil: If you don't start receiving the emails soon, I think there's a customer service number on the website. Hopefully this time it took. Stop by OH and introduce yourself sometime. I'm always in on Monday evenings and Tues/Wed. evenings until it isn't so busy anymore. I think you'll like the redo. It looks gorgeous inside and everything is running on all cylinders under the new ownership.

Earl Grey Imperial #2 with Violets. With a bit of lavender honey. Soothing, fragrant and delicious.

Great post and pictures, Chris! Loved reading about and imagining the flavors of each and every dish. I have to ask. Is the little baby with his arse in the air traditional or an inside joke? Is he made of marzipan? It is amongst the sweets on the stage so I presume there's some story there. PLease explain if you know the answer. I'm curious to the point of morbid fascination...

Why not just buy smoked salt instead of using the tea which I suspect might add a bitter/tannic component to the rim? My local Whole Foods has Alderwood Smoked Sea Salt that isn't even that expensive for a small container. I've experiemented with it in cocktails and on rims and it's quite an excellent addition to the repertoire. And less work.

Sarah: When SEPTA is actually running there's a train station in Manayunk at Cresson & Carson that wouldn't be too far a walk. I think it's the R6 that goes that way...

AWESOME NEWS!!! A Han Dynasty closer to home for us city folk would be most welcome. I can hardly wait until he opens up. I'm sure I'll be one of the first in line. If anyone gets news on when this is happening and the exact location I'll be happy to plan the first eG Han Dynasty dinner in the city. Woo-hoo!

Oysters, like wine, have "terroir", and certain varieties have a more <ahem> assertive flavor or aftertaste. In some cases it's pleasant, like melon or cucumber, and in some cases it isn't, like iodine or algae. But again, it's likely to be specific to the types of oysters and where they're harvested. And remember. There's just as likely to be someone that finds that taste pleasant. Speaking of iodine, Caol Ila single malt scotch smells and tastes like Betadine to me, but others swear by it. No accounting for tastes.