KatieLoeb

I finally got one spoonful of the Pistachio gelato this evening and it might have been the singularly most delicious single bite of anything I've ever tasted. Ever. Really truly. No foolin'. Wine pairings are always a challenge with Shola's cooking, and I've often stated in the past that Shola takes a perverse pleasure in purposefully playing "Stump the Sommelier". I think last night's pairings were awesome. The Vouvray was a knockout as was the Ridge Zin with the lamb dish. Bruce, that "Old Man and the Sea" concoction was a Hemingway Daiquiri. Not exactly revolutionary, but a classic I'd merely read about before having the pleasure of actually tasting one earlier this week. It has definitely made it into the rotation for the foreseeable warm weather. The Vanilla-Lavender Sour is a girly twist on another drink I refer to as a "Provencal Martini", aka the PD (the Panty Drawer). I think you'd enjoy the less sweet, more manly version of the drink made with Hendrick's gin and no vodka. Ask me about it next time you stop in.

Cool. Glad they're following the successful formula at North 3rd, surely one of my fave menus in the city. I've never ever been disappointed with a meal at North 3rd, and the drinks are always excellent as well. I wish them all the best of luck and fruition in the new location. Sounds like they won't be needing my blessing though. It ought to be a bang up success.

I gotta echo slkinsey's sentiments. Purposely picking a brand because it is easier to mix? Instead of what? Training your staff to use it properly? I call "Bullshit". Likely, it's a pour cost issue. I also think it's a bit odd to say that Luxardo Maraschino is better sipped on its own. Aside from Jagermeister, do bars get any calls for straight liqueurs? ← I agree that answer smacks of horsecrap. Sounds totally like a cost issue to me. Don't know what the price differential is in NYC, but I bet it's significant enough to make them switch. That's also a lot easier than revamping the cocktail menu ever so slightly. I can't imagine sipping Luxardo Maraschino on it's own. That's just a bizarre suggestion. But I certainly get requests for liqueurs on their own - generally after dinner. Sambuca white and black, Amaretto, Grand Marnier, Kahlua or Tia Maria all go with coffee or by themselves at the end of a nice meal.

Thanks y'all. I had fun too. I only got to taste the lamb, but it was delicious. I'm hoping there's some leftovers for staff today. I'm on my way in to find out right now! Saw nothing but smiling faces last night and got many compliments on the service and drinks. Always nice to know we're doing a good job.

Bill, you are really too funny. David, there are three different meats (currently Rosette de Lyon, Gentile and Italian dry sausage) and usually six to eight different cheeses available. My current favorite cheeses are the La Tur (triple milk - very creamy) and the Roaring 40's (cow's milk blue from Tasmania). There are sometimes oysters available as well. You can certainly cobble together a nice bar snack off the Tavern menu or can order from the regular menu as well. Please do introduce yourself if you come in.

Paging Barb Cohan-Saavedra to the White courtesy phone please...

Bill: Under normal circumstances this would be totally doable, but this coming Saturday we have a wedding booked and will be closed to the public. So sorry. I hope you won't hold this against us and come back another time. This time of year we have a lot of Saturday weddings since we're attached to the Bed & Breakfast and folks will literally rent out the whole place. May and June and September is "Wedding Season" when one has a lovely outdoor courtyard and the capability of catering a fabulous meal in said lovely space.

PLCB Website FREE SHIPPING through Father's Day - 6/17/07!!

You go Chris! I think that's a great idea. Certainly there must be some sort of actionable transgression there. Just as freedom of speech doesn't allow one to yell "Fire!" in a crowded theater, verbally and visually harassing the patrons of the restaurants who are merely trying to peacefully enjoy a night out, a well cooked meal and a beverage while supporting the local economy can't possibly be entirely legal.

A former coworker of mine came up with a really delicious muddled ginger and bourbon cocktail I tried recently. I'll see if I can get the recipe from him. It was very refreshing.

Yes, but doesn't one generally follow up by rubbing their noses where they've inappropriately soiled after scaring them with the newspaper? I've been very interested in following the unique perpective on this that Linda Terry and Alcibiades have offered us. I think this might be a PA eGullet exclusive, compared to the local media that hasn't really shone a bright light on the tactics of HfP and the lengths to which the restaurateurs must defend their personal/professional property, customers and staff from harrassment. Let us strive to keep this discussion to the facts and in a civil tone and buck the past trend of having all Foie Gras topics come to a screeching halt due to the digression into the "so's-yo'-mama" type of flame wars that this topic seems to generate. I'd be pleased to believe the PA forum could set the example here.

In situations where the bar is iffy (whether it's no wine choice or whatever) I always order something that can't be screwed up - like a bourbon and Coke.

'Tis true. Heard it tonight from a reliable source. Pasion es no mas. Pasion will always hold a special place in my heart. I worked there soon after they opened as Office Manager, helping with coding the invoices, accounts payable, payroll. administrative tasks, etc. Michael and Guillermo remain to this day, high on my list of favorite ex-bosses. Read the article more carefully. The steakhouse is going into the Packard Building at 15th & Chestnut up the block.

Sigh. The new hostess just got tormented with this old trick a couple of weeks ago. She was told to go to the restaurant around the corner and get back the Keys to the Handtruck. The other kitchen, clearly understanding that the poor girl was being hazed said they'd give her the Keys to the Handtruck back but we had to return the Left Handed Cheese Knife we borrowed first. She trudged back to our kitchen where she was handed a shrimp deveiner, told it was a Left Handed Cheese Knife and told to go get the Keys to the Handtruck. Off she went. Back she came with I don't know what. Then she was sent for a Box of Sky Hooks. She finally caught on when she was asked for the omnipresent Bucket of Steam.

I was once told by a fish purveyor that I trust that the way to tell wild salmon from farm raised is that the wild salmon look perfect and pristine and the farm raised salmon have little bites taken out of their fins and they look beat up from fighting in the tanks with each other. Certainly makes sense logically.

Let us please refrain from unecessary name calling and attacks on the author. If you think the article sucks, that's fine. Please leave it at that. This is the Daily News we're talking about here, people. Not exactly a hotbed of Pulitzer prize winning material, no? This is veering off course again...

I tried a riff on this last night with IKEA Elderberry Flower Syrup. The St. Germain is imported by a company right here in Philly and I still can't get it here. I just added a tiny splash of grapefruit juice to the rye, (non-alcoholic) syrup and Orange bitters to dial back the sweetness and add the citrusy note and it was very tasty. Definitely adding this to the rotation. Do you have a name for it yet?

Charles, you flatter me. Le Bec would not be high on my list of places to bring an infant. I think some BYO's would be flexible for a baby that was well behaved (read: asleep the whole time) as well as some other options for places sporting a liquor license. I'd certainly welcome Sara and spawn to M, as long as the understanding that a crying babe needs to be dealt with forthwith was in effect. Certainly if weather were permitting a seat outside in our lovely courtyard should be conducive to both mama and babe having a pleasant stay. Sara, feel free to PM me for advice if you feel you need it.

I think Chef said the King Salmon would be coming in next week. But the Sockeye was pretty damned tasty as it was. I can't imagine too many degrees of deliciousness above it. I suspect we'll sell out of it by tomorrow as well, if not tonight. I recommended it to everyone.

So I walked into work this evening and found the kitchen butchering the most gloriously beautiful fish I've ever made the acquaintance of before getting the chance to taste him. A sixteen pound and change gorgeous Copper River Sockeye salmon. The fish looked as if he'd jumped out of the river and onto the cutting board in our kitchen. Still bright eyed and fresh looking, the staff was fortunate enough to get a little taste of it before service this evening. Fabulously buttery and silky and almost highway cone orange in color. Really some of the tastiest salmon I've ever had. Tonight's preparation was with artichoke barigoule and olive oil. Menu promises to change tomorrow. I'll report back when the final preparation is decided upon.

Thanks Natasha! A pleasure having your company at the bar. I hope you'll be able to bring your hubby in with you next time. The lemony drink was likely the Corpse Reviver #2 that's been getting a lot of play lately. And since I have the attention span of a gnat on meth, I don't even remember what other drink I made you that night. Was it a Parisian Martini?

Welcome Al x!! Wow. What a great and informative first post! You've set the bar high for yourself and you're not allowed to "re-lurk" at this point. Looking forward to more reports from you - hopefully in a slightly timelier fashion.

I've done this with thyme, basil, rosemary (you can cut back on the leaves - makes for a very strongly flavored syrup), mint, tarragon (although with a weaker sugar:water ratio because that particular cocktail had a lot of other sweet ingredients) and with a two parts Mint, one part each Basil and cilantro mixture. About one cup fresh mint leaves to half a cup each of the plucked basil and cilantro leaves to about four cups of simple syrup. Usually if the herbs are fresh and relatively strong the 1:4:4.25 ratio of leaves:water:sugar holds pretty well. I use a similar ratio for lavender but bruise the dried flowers with a rolling pin first and let them cook in the syrup slightly longer. No need for the blender but let cool overnight and then strain in the AM. I get really good color in the lavender syrup this way too and it makes cocktails turn a very lovely pale shade of lavender when used with clear spirits like vodka and gin. The mixed herb simple is pretty good with bourbon and bitter lemon soda on a hot summer day.

Mazel Tov! Sounds like a success on all fronts. Thanks for the wonderful report and my congrats again on your Bat Mitzvah.

OK - so I didn't make it over the St. Georges every day of the festival. I missed Friday because they were already closing up shop when by the time I'd gotten out of work. I still ate Greek food every day for the last four days! I did manage to have gyros twice (Thursday and today), the Moussaka platter (Thursday night and leftovers for lunch Friday) and the Salmon platter (lunch on Saturday). I even braved the pouring rain today for my gyro. It was definitely meant to be. The parking gods smiled upon me and I got the rock star spot at the meter right next to the entrance at the height of the storm. Once I was under the tent it was fine. They were closing up and there wasn't a lot left, but the gyro with extra tzatziki sauce was just perfect. I really wanted to try the lamb shanks, but they looked a little dried out yesterday and were gone today. I can hardly wait for the next festival so I can get to try those. I think the Friday lunches will be back in force soon. I'm told by co-workers that frequent the Friday lunch that the platters are slightly less expensive then, like $8 instead of $10. I'm also told that getting there early is crucial because the good stuff is all gone by 1PM. Maybe I can try the elusive lamb shanks on a Friday instead.