Andrew Fenton

Yowzers! That's quite the news, isn't it? I've always had a sentimental attachment to Django: they opened in our neighborhood very soon after we moved there, and for about six months, before the rocketship took off, we got to enjoy a fantastic neighborhood restaurant. After that, the necessity of actually, like, planning our dinners weeks in advance turned it into a special-occasion place, but still one of our faves. So I wish the best of luck to Bryan, Aimee, and Analee in their next venture. And best wishes to Greg during the transition, which I'm sure will go swimmingly. Greg, how does it feel to be turning into the Steven Starr of the Philly BYOB world?

This is a fun thread, Alberto, not least because I just got back from a few days in southern Italy, followed by a week in Sicily. A couple of thoughts: Delicious, delicious churros... though I think that this is actually a small cucumber, or gourd. Here are a couple of similar votive gourds, from the museum in Reggio Calabria: There are tons of these votive foods around, by the way; I've seen them all over South Italy and Sicily, at Syracuse, Palermo, even Aidone. Some of them are really remarkable-- I saw some great votive animals (rabbits, tons of pigeons, even a really remarkable sea turtle)-- but the fruits and vegetables are really my favorites. Hathor, I wasn't on a gastronomy trip per se, but on this trip (as in trips in the past), I've seen lots of buffaloes wandering around in fields. Here's a shot from last week, taken at the Foce del Sele sanctuary of Hera, just north of the main site of Paestum: They seem pretty happy, and they certainly couldn't have asked for a more beautiful spot to wander around. (The Foce del Sele site isn't exactly what we might call suggestivo: it's mostly ankle-high remains, and while it's important, not least because it's where the beautiful metopes in the Paestum museum came from, the buffaloes sort of stole the show.) And I absolutely agree about the wonderfulness of ricotta di bufala. It's just astoundingly good stuff.

The full name of the restaurant is Da Franco ar Vicoletto ("Piccolo Molise"). It's in the San Lorenzo neighborhood, and it's one of the best deals in Rome: seven courses of fish for only 25 euros. (I've written about it here.) 'Gusto, to my mind, is overrated, sort of a Hard Rock Cafe meets Williams-Sonoma. I've been a couple of times, and at this point would only consider going to the wine bar: the restaurant is so-so, trying to offer a new take on Roman dishes, but doesn't really have the confidence to pull it off. The wine bar is fine, but I'm not especially impressed by the glitterati (who are way outnumbered by glitterati-watchers): instead, I'd head to a wine bar like Vinando, at Piazza Margana in the Ghetto. One way to cut down the cost is to avoid eating in the centro storico or Trastevere, both of which are filled with overpriced, mediocre restaurants. Testaccio is well-stocked with restaurants (I recently ate at Antico Forno on via Amerigo Vespucci, which was great, and cheap; Ne Arte Ne Parte, not too far away, is also pretty good) and not far from the center of town. Pizza, yeah, that's fine, and everybody has their favorite spot. I'm partial to Dar Poeta in Trastevere, but would warn anybody to get there before 8:30 or be prepared to wait. After that, it becomes like Studio 54 outside with all the folks trying to get in. Another option for cheap eats is that lots of places have an antipasto buffet. Not all you can eat, but you often serve yourself (and if you're talented, you can pile a lot of goodies on one plate. It's like edible Jenga!) That should only set you back six or seven euros; then you can get some pasta. The other nice thing about Rome, and Italy in general, is that while food can be expensive, wine is cheap as free. So if you tend to order a bottle or three at dinner, the overall price averages out nicely.

Bob is a wise man, and you should listen to his wise words. These are my hoagie triumvirate as well: the triple suns that blaze in the hoagie firmament. Chickie's and Sarcone's are similar in style (at Chickie's, get the Chickie Special, the Italian tuna, or the veggie hoagie; at Sarcone's go with whatever feels right). Salumeria is different in style-- nothing comparable to it in Philadelphia, as far as I know. The artichokes and house dressing make for a wet hoagie (which might make for a problem after a night in the fridge). Now, if you want to really carbo-load before the race, try the lima bean hoagie, if they have it.

Maybe wild as in "Salmon Gone Wild"? woo!

I must agree with Andrew. I tried ALOT of gelato in Italy and Capogiro ranks way up there so I absolutely do not feel that I am missing out on Italian gelato here in the states. The rosemary goat milk honey is in my book the best flavor on the planet so if they have it - have a taste. Evan is right about the rosemary goat milk; it's the best. And I should give two caveats to my earlier statement: one, that it's in part because of the presence of unusual flavors-- like rosemary goat milk, or basil-- which you just don't see at Italian places, at least in my experience. For more standard flavors, say, raspberry, the best places I've been to here are at least as good, maybe better. Two is that next week I'm going to a gelateria in Paestum (Campania) that a reliable source tells me is his favorite in the universe. Still, a trip to Philadelphia without a trip to Capogiro is a trip wasted. (And I did not know that about Tony Luke's being open on Eagles home game days. How 'bout that?)

Tony Luke's roast pork is wonderful. But it's nothing like porchetta: not worse, just different. (Oddly, the 'roast pork Italian', with greens and cheese, is less Italian than the plain version.) And-- I hate to be the one to say this-- it's closed on Sunday; sorry. (I seem to remember a thread this summer on where to get roast pork on Sunday, but I can't remember the answer.) With that caveat, Diann's recommendations are ace. Other Sunday options include Rangoon (Burmese, and one of my top three or so favorite restaurants in the city), and the criminally underrated BYOB Little Fish (which has a $25, five course dinner on Sundays.) Sweet Lucy's BBQ is pretty great also, if you're in the mood for that sort of thing. And-- I'm cringing as I write this-- I have yet to find a gelateria in Italy that is as good as Capogiro. (There, I said it.)

Does Di Bruno's carry ricotta di bufala? I ask because I tried some recently and it was freaking amazing. I was shocked, because numero uno, I'd never heard of buffalo cheese other than mozzarella before, and numero due, I'd never had ricotta that was really worth eating by itself before. But this was fantastic: sweet, fluffy, smooth, fruity. I know that it's available in NYC; if it's available anywhere in Philly, it should be at Di Bruno's. (And if so, you all should go and buy some. Now. Are you at work? Tell them you're going on a break. Or just quit: it's worth it.)

An historical note on PG: if memory serves, it occupies the space formerly occupied by Saigon, which was the first really good Vietnamese restaurant in town. I've sung the praises of the mole there, which is the best in town. Enchilada-wise, it can't be beat. In fact, after eating there many times, I've had exactly one disappointing dish: the chilaquiles, which were sort of sodden and disappointing. Everything else has been good to terrific. Plaza Garibaldi is probably the restaurant I'm missing the most right now. What I wouldn't do for a plate of enchiladas, or that bistek... yow.

Okay, I haven't had any truffles yet. But the porcinis! The porcinis are amazing this year. Everywhere you go in the hills in Lazio there are little stands where people are selling them: plump, self-important looking mushrooms, just crying out, "Andrew! We are cold and lonely! Take us home and put us in a nice warm frying pan!" And I feel bad, because I am just one person and can only eat so many mushrooms. But I'm doing my part, mind you. I was at dinner tonight at a terrific restaurant in Testaccio (Antico Forno, on the Via Amerigo Vespucci) and had roasted porcini as a secondo. Super-simple: just roasted with salt, pepper and oil, but they melted in my mouth like nobody's business. Oh, man, was that ever good.

True, true. Still, at most Starr joints, that's a pretty low bar to clear... grumblegrumblewaiters in T-shirtsgrumbleunprofessionalgrumblegrumble

"I am so smart! S-M-R-T! I mean, S-M-A-R-T!" (Actually, I think I may have posted about this before, at a moment lost in the mists of hoary antiquity. But it's good to know that I wasn't just hallucinating. Or fibbing.)

I could swear that the Überfresh down on Delaware Ave. has a selection of British foods. They've got a surprising amount of crazy ethnic stuff (Polish mineral water, etc.) and at one point, I seem to remember noticing Marmite on the shelf. And shuddering. And walking away. Very, very quickly. (Welcome, gmw!)

Congrats on raising your young'un so well! Watch out, though: he'll be pushing for a trip to Studiokitchen soon... Anyway, I'd say that Marra's is one of the best places to bring kids. I've seen families there lots of times, and even when the rugrats are less than behaved, nobody seems to mind much.

It's been interesting to note how close Sarcone's is to the Italian bakery pizza tradition, just transported over the Atlantic. I've been getting in the habit of stopping in at a bakery in the afternoon for a quick slice of pizza rosso (the equivalent of Sarcone's tomato pie, though different in style) or pizza bianca (just oil and salt on top of the crust) for a little snack. Lots of bakeries have pizza by the slice (or really, by weight), too. Yum.

That probably won't happen for quite a while, since he has been interviewed by Marty Moss-Coane on "Radio Times." "Fresh Air with Terry Gross" and "Radio Times" both originate at public radio station WHYY in Philadelphia. "Fresh Air" is the station's flagship syndicated interview program, focusing on arts and culture across the country; "Radio Times" has more of a focus (though obviously not an exclusive focus) on Philadelphia-area affairs and airs on fewer stations--though apparently it's on satellite radio now. The two programs have virtually no overlap in terms of guests. I don't know about that: obviously Fresh Air doesn't do a lot of programs about, say, Philadelphia politics, so there's no overlap there. But there's overlap with literary types: Isabel Allende, for instance, was on Radio Times last week, and she's also been interviewed on Fresh Air on several occasions. So I wouldn't be surprised if Fat Guy shows up on Fresh Air; and since he's promoting his book right now, soon would make sense.

Interesting that, when discussing the decline of coffee production in Yemen, the article doesn't make much about qat. I've read that a huge percentage of Yemeni land formerly used for growing coffee has been turned over to growing qat: they grow in the same places, and qat is much easier (and when there's a coffee glut, more profitable) to grow.

Really? Well, once again, I've shown myself to be ignorant. Or easily distracted. Or both. I have yet to encounter a really good ice cream cone in Italy. Even (especially?) the best gelaterias have crappy cones, as if they want you to focus on the gelato.

I heard a rumor that Capogiro now has cones as well as cups. Sellout? Or new taste sensation? Have they found a cone that can match up to their gelato? Or is it just a bid to get people moving out of the crowded store? Inquiring minds want to know, people.

I have posted this before but Tim is now working in the wilderness of Lancaster at the "Taste" at the Hotel Brunswick. That's a good piece of information, and a real gain for Lancaster; have you checked out what he's been up to there?

I have none, sir. Now I'm going to go hang my head in shame, or dip my beak in a wine glass, or both.

And yet, as I said, I had it without sugar, and there was an almost pornographic amount of crema. So I don't buy that explanation.

Thanks for the recommendations, Raj and KSPS. I know of San Crispino, but haven't yet been there: truth be told, the Pantheon area is sort of out of my way. But worth a trip, oh yes. Today: Gelateria San Pancrazio. In Monteverde, on the Piazza San Pancrazio, right next to the entrance to the Villa Doria Pamphili. Doria Pamphili is the largest park in Rome-- it sort of has a Prospect Park feel to it, only with a few more 18th century villas thrown into the mix-- and since I'd gone running there this morning, I felt entitled to a little gelato this afternoon. I usually prefer fruit gelato, but San Pancrazio specializes more in non-fruit flavors, including several variations on chocolate (such as cioccolato con peperonicini, in a tub with a big dried ancho on top. They are justifiably proud of this; sweet at first, but with a real bite!) I'm not crazy about chocolate, but you gotta go for what's good, right? Anyway, I tried cioccolato fondante, and was glad I did: rich and dark, like melted, frozen Valhrona. This is a real find. I also had licorice, which was solid, but not nearly as intense as the chocolate. Finally, I had a bite or two of the budino. I didn't know what this was-- it's the Italian word for "pudding"-- but it turned out to be butterscotch, and absolutely amazing. That's what I'll get next time I go back...

Come ON, Katie: Shartlesville! Gateway to New Shaefferstown! Home of the Fighting... Seriously, I've got nothin', either. But according to the town website, the Peach Festival is coming up on August 27th. That's gotta be pretty good.

You say cilantro, I say culantro...