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Andrew Fenton

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Posts posted by Andrew Fenton

  1. I'm bumping up this thread to mention a recent dinner at Rx. It remains one of my favorite restaurants in Philadelphia. The food is still very good--this time around, I had some very good mussels and a terrific roasted chicken dish-- and at $25 for a three-course prix fixe, is a great deal. Something I haven't seen mentioned is that they have a really large selection of desserts (ten or so choices). The one that stood out for me this time was a yogurt panna cotta; Greg described it as an ideal summer dessert, and I'd agree.

    I was thinking at dinner about Capaneus's idea that BYOBs are Philadelphia's equivalent of European bistros/trattorie, and so forth. Rx is about as close to that as it comes; it's relaxed, inexpensive and very good food. Sort of a comfort restaurant, at least for me.

  2. That's a great drink; I've made it twice over the last two evenings and it hit the spot. Most cocktails are either too strong, or too sweet for my taste, but this is just perfect for a hot summer evening.

    Thanks for sharing the recipe, and I look forward to trying it at the restaurant soon!

  3. I've become a big fan of Capogiro's brioche con gelato; also their mini cones, for when you just want a little bit of ice cream.

    Most recently, we had a watermelon brioche and cherry cone. Both were excellent, though for my money, with a brioche you really want some sort of non-fruit flavor: coffee or pistachio, for example.

    Still, as you can see, perfect food for a newborn baby:

    gallery_7432_1362_27366.jpg

    Hey, gotta start the girl on gelato sooner or later...

  4. I stopped by Just Chill on my way home this afternoon and ordered a large ($2.50, a good price) with three flavors.

    Lemon was the best of the bunch; a little sweeter than my ideal, but good flavor. Mango was also very good, a cut above Rita's. Black cherry was okay. I've still never had a cherry water ice that was really great, but this was a cut above average.

    Overall, I liked Just Chill. It didn't blow me away, but it's solidly above-average, and if I lived in the neighborhood, I'd be there all summer.

  5. My opinion remains whole heartedly with Maureen. The bread should be used as part of the meal, not as the first course.

    Maureen didn't make this explicit, but in Italy, bread is regularly served before the meal. Just not with oil.

    Anyway, I suspect that the use of olive oil as a dip was just a response to its increased popularity and perceived health benefits. It seems like I started seeing it maybe 10-15 years ago, which is about the right time frame for that, I suppose.

    And I like the combination of good bread and good olive oil. Add wine and you have all the hallmarks of civilization. Cheap bread and cheap oil is terrible, of course; but that's hardly the only sin committed by bad restaurants, is it?

  6. And let's not forget the danger posed by angry bees!

    I don't know anybody who was stung by a packet of Equal.

    I know someone who get SEIZURES eating Equal. I do not think its one bit safe!

    And I know people who've gotten seizures from eating bees!

    (Well, not actually. But make sure those bees are cooked, or at least dead, before you eat them.)

  7. Stopped by Just Chill yesterday with the kids after camp, on Manoa off Haverford (Near City Ave and Haverford) and was pleasantly surprised.  Prices were cheaper and the water ice had more flavor than Rita's.  Mango was excellent, the chocolate had chips, and the cherry was really good.  Talked to the owner, and all is made in-house.  Plus, it is indoor with seating, which is always nice on a 95-degree day.

    They opened only a week ago, so stop in if you get a chance.  Living in Wynnewood we only had Rita's on Eagle Road or City Ave, so this is a great addition to the area.

    Hmm, I missed this post the first time it appeared, but I do sometimes drive right past there. I'll check them out next time I do... Excellent!

  8. Aaaaaand, to spread the good word, and make V's instructions easier to find, here they are, from post #11:

    Again in my opinion, lengthy cures and dry spicing ruin the fish for slow roasting.

    Mix together.

    1/4 cup of Kosher or Maldon salt

    1/4 cup Superfine Sugar not powdered 10x......superfine.

    The zest of 2 large lemons, removed with a microplane, no other tool.

    Rub your boneless salmon filets with this mixture.

    About 1 tablespoon for every 8 oz of fish.

    Top with one fresh bay leaf and wrap tight in plastic.

    Refrigerate for 2hrs max.

    Rinse of fish, dry well with lint free cotton or food grade paper towel.

    Rub lightly with high quality EVOO.

    Bake in a 225 degree oven till it just flakes and no white liquid (coagulated proteins) are oozing out of it yet.

    Works great with Char,Ocean Trout, Mackrel, hamachi.

    Cheers.

  9. To a layperson, the plaintiff's insistence on a videotaped deposition seems like either a mean-spirited threat, applied in an attempt to force a settlement fully separate from the merits of the case, or merely petty retribution.

    My legal advisor informs me that videotaped depositions are becoming more and more common. It seems likely that insisting on one is a way to put pressure on the Inquirer; but it's not an unreasonable demand in itself.

    She also informs me that if the Inquirer's lawyers are smart (as they are), they've insisted that, if the case doesn't go to trial, the video tape be destroyed. Given that (from this outside, lay perspective) the case seems to have evaporated, I doubt that the deposition will see the light of day. So unless somebody does something stupid like leak the videotape, there's probably no grounds for the Inquirer to sue.

    Is that really the vibe a restaurant wants to have out in the media? If we don't like your review, we'll sue you, and threaten your ability to make a living? Legalities aside, seems like a bad plan for getting any more press,  ever.

    That's a really good point. If I were a reviewer for any of the other Philly papers, I'd have crossed Chops off my to-be-reviewed-ever list by now.

  10. You know, as much as I enjoyed Porkapalooza 2: The Porkening, I don't know that I'd want to do it again. The pork part was fine, but by that point in the evening, I'd eaten enough tapas that I wasn't really all that interested. If I were to do it again, I'd make sure not to order so much other stuff...

    BUT this gives me the excuse to mention that I gave Jose Garces my money twice in one week: yesterday I had lunch at Amada. Since it's going to be our last big-kid restaurant meal for some time, we went all out.

    The biggest hit, for me, was the gazpacho with crab and avocado. They really know from soup at Amada; it's rich, but still light, sweet, a little acidic, and with lots of crab in there. I'd eat that soup every day if I could. It's really great.

  11. Finally getting around to mentioning that il dottore Shack and I had lunch at Fuji last Saturday. I really don't have too much to say about it, other than that we sat at the bar, and had great sushi and a great time chatting with the sushi chefs. The sushi, at least, remains the best I've had in this area.

  12. The snapper I mentioned was neither alive nor cooked. He brought the meat to me, already broken down for my enjoyment.  I've got pretty good knife skills, but I'm not sure I'm ready to take on something that prehistoric-looking.

    It was pretty amazing: twenty-odd pounds of sheer reptilian terror, like the Creature from the Amish Lagoon. I only wish I'd had my camera with me!

    Sam is so cool.

    Word to that.

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