cinghiale

I'm planning a December trip to, i.a., Venice. I'm also going to Padua to the Scrovegni Chapel. A reservation is indeed required and can be booked on-line here: Cappella degli Scrovegni Thanks for the reco on Caffe Pedrochhi. A google search turned up an LA Times article, which also mentions the Chapel: Padua's Pleasurable Paradoxes. Lunch there fer sure. Thanks.

Had a quick bite at BE this AM. I spoke with the owner and asked him to recommend something. He steered me to the sarma, cabbage stuffed with ground beef and rice -- it's their current special. Two smallish rolls, but they were quite good, real old-school home-y taste. Plus, a fresh cabbage salad. The $12 price tag was a little steep, I thought. But the server was nice enough to point out that the item is a dinner entree; hence, the price. The breakfast and lunch items are reasonably priced and look good.

I've had the omakase maybe seven or eight times, and at varying price points. Each time, I've been with people who were having it for the first time. The server always asks if anyone has had the omakase before. Since I always reply in the affirmative, I've pretty much gotten a different series of dishes each time (at least as far as I can distinguish). The newbies, however, always get the same "standard" omakase. So, I'd suggest asking them to prepare something different for you. On a related note, at the Labor Day visit mentioned upthread (non-omakase), one of us was vegetarian. It took much arm-twisting to get the server to inquire with the chefs/kitchen about dishes other than egg/tofu/edamame. And the results weren't very spectacular. Kinda disappointing for a restaurant billing itself as creative...

Musta walked right by ya, Greg -- I was there w/crew also about 7:30 on Wednesday-- sat in the smoking section, since it's usually a lot less crowded.Vietnamese friends pronounced it very good. We had assorted apps -- spring & summer rolls, jerky & shrimp/pork papaya salads, omelette, oh and a jicama roll, too -- pretty damn good. Assorted mains -- the chicken w/eggplant was surprisingly good (surprising, since I rarely eat chicken when out). Char-broiled pork w/broken rice, squid, an awesome yet simple roast pork, sizzling beef. Diem, who cooks a lot, ordered hot/sour soup (really only "hot", she opined) and thought it was really, really good. We chatted about pho, and Linh talked about this difference between Hanoi pho (considered by Vietnamese to be "authentic") and Saigon pho, sneered at by those from the North for the bastardization of ingredient additions, but how so much better Saigon pho is. And pho here tops even that, he says, on account of quality. He thought the whole Hanoi cooking culture was essentially killed during 50 years of assorted turmoil. Maybe it's slowly coming back, he said. Almost went back last night, since Wed's meal was so good. Cf-ing philadining's pricing at Pho Ba Le, price was $140 incl. t/t for 7.

I'm a big fan of Nam Phoung, too. So happens I'm taking two Vietnamese friends there tonight. Although they've been living at 8th/Passyunk for over a year, they've never been. Now, they're moving to Norwich (Linh's a writer). I'm also taking three, young Germans. Want it to be a good send-off + good intro to Vietnamese. I'm mostly a spring roll/broken rice/charred pork kinda guy, occasional soup, egg dish, jerky, and am not too familiar outside that realm. Linh's wife Diem cooks good, traditional dishes. So, query: what would y'all recommend for NP's strong points? jas's rec on the bitter melon soup sounds great -- I know I'll be ordering that. Any other suggestions?

I stopped in at Azure for drinks last week. It's just up the street from Standard Tap. While I didn't eat there, the menu looks pretty good. They have a banquet operation attached, and several friends of mine have hosted wedding parties there, Father/son owners are good peeps. Azure

That's why I avoid Hooter's and LBF.

I got talked into a spur-of-the-moment dinner there on Labor Day night. We'd been sitting outside the Society Hill Hotel having drinks, and I was in shorts (no t-shirt, though). Wandered up Chestnut into Morimoto. I usually don't feel comfortable dressed like that in more upscale venues, so the first thing I did was ask the hostess about my attire. They had no problem w/it. Noticed a fair number of people in jeans, too.

So glad to hear you enjoyed your visit to our fair city, Ed. It's really great to hear back from posters seeking recommendations on their experiences. Sounds like you made a terrific first dent in food exploration.

Thanks, A2foodie. La Shish it is! Like, 2 mins from the 275/96 interchange. Perfect. Yeah, and the ME kitchen's most doable on low/no-carb. Bit tough to find the website, but here it is *duh*: La Shish BTW: Ex-A2 foodie myself. Arranging a gtg w/old friends for Sunday. Picking up a boatload of Zingie's stuff (yup, tough on no-carb) and proceeding to the Arb. Thanks again.

So, heading up to Alpena on Thursday; plane arrives DTW ca. 12:00. Now, normally I go Middlebelt to Ford Rd. to 275, without fail stopping for sliders at Bray's. (A) Problem 1: I'm in the middle of a 2-week no-carb thingie, though I could order a couple of doubles -bun and -sauce, but then there's (B) Problem 2: GF doesn't eat red meat. I've checked out most of the relevant threads (western suburbs, missing in Michigan, etc.) and there've been a few recs for the Novi/Northville area. Emily's sounds good, but only open for dinner. Ditto Five Lakes Grille. There was a mention of a place whose name escapes me, grillish but take-out only. I'd prefer to sit down somewhere. By the time I hit Flint, it'll be too late. I'll grab some stupid sh*t if I don't eat prior. Anyone with anything along the 275/96/23 route? I mean, ANYTHING -- from low to high -- as long as GF can get sumpin' other than beef and I can get creative with the no-carb business.

Not that it'll matter much to the OP, but the friggin' Parking Authority's made Bella Vista into a patchwork of confusing parking restrictions. My block -- the 800 block of Bainbridge -- is 2 hour M-Sat 8-6, unrestricted on Sunday. The 900 block is unrestricted on Sat AND Sun. The 700 block of S. 9th (which intersects with the aforementioned two blocks), as well as many other block surrounding the restaurants north of the Italian Market, is 2 hr M-W 8-8, 2 hr Thu-Sun 8-midnight (!). When it comes to parking in Philly, it's best to make no assumptions and read the signage verrrrrry carefully.

I ate at ¡Pasion! last night, and walking in, I noticed that the big-ass neon sign for Applebee's had gone up on the old Bookbinder's. Shite, I say. OK, so the food got progressively crappier. Still, it was memorable for me back in the 80s when I worked across the street, so I pine. I googled to find out wassup, and while failing to locate anything current, I did read with interest two PhilaBizJournal pieces: Failed Plan for Temp-Controlled Wine Store Sign Preservation

I ate recently at the newly opened (I think) Bongo Bar, on the upper deck. Quite affordable, quite good, spectacular views of the Delaware and Camden waterfront. Part of the deck is enclosed with that plastic stuff, so if the weather's a bit inclement or cool, you can still enjoy dining quasi-al fresco. The food was pretty straight-forward but well prepared. Portions are generous. My only complaint was that my first mojito was ... well, warm(?). I had to send it back for re-icing. That was pretty much the only glitch. I can't precisely recall, but I believe they're running a pretty sweet happy hour deal, making it worth the trek down after work on a hot day. Their website's pretty good: click Edited to add blurb on Chef Fernandez

Fork (3/Market) is a pleasant option, maybe a 10-min walk to the ferry. Similar distance is Panorama (Front/Market -- in the Penn's View Inn), with nice Italian fare and a 120-bottle Cruvinet. Both should meet your dietary and budgetary requirements. Edited to add a plug for my friend Jen Keck (ex-Fork) and her Society Hill Hotel restaurant (3/Chestnut), serving good, bistro-ish food.

Hey Ducky: Back from my travels through your neck of the woods (had dinner at Lumiere -- pretty damn close to fantastic, that]. So, HH: I've had two restaurants on my list, and have yet to get to them. So, while I can't speak from direct experience, I can refer to their Gault-Millau reviews, which I have found to be pretty spot-on for the ten or so other restaurants I've visited after reading about them in G-M: Hennsler & Hennsler (rated 15), located in Altona (Große Elbstraße 160), a near-west neighborhood, not that far from Blankenese, near the beach clubs I trashed in an earlier post. It's a (German) father-son outfit, but junior (Steffen) apprenticed under Matsuhisa at Nobu. And he brought back with him some proper Japanese chefs to work at his place. G-M calls the cuisine "nippo-californian". [stupid "new" Flash-required resto website here.) Matsumi (G-M review here) (rated 13), located in the city center (Colonnaden 96). Chef is Hideaki Morita, a licensed fugu chef (though no fugu to be had in Germany), as well as sushi master. I'm with anzu on reluctance to eat sushi in Germany -- it's everywhere (malls, airports), and I have concerns about quality, even safety. That being said, I did find this list of sushi joints in HH, some of which may be quite good (e.g., Wa-Yo in the Hotel Nippon): sushi list.

I'm in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory right now. I'll weigh in in 10 days or so. Have some thoughts. Internet access too expensive at the moment.

Excellent report. I'm gonna stop next time I'm in the area. Is it anywhere close to Longwood Gardens, by any chance?

If someone were to start a thread on food aphorisms, I'd put this one at the very top. Katie Loeb, Resident Zen Goddess of eGullet.

I was told on Saturday that Southwark was closing for 10 days.

Especially the obstreperous ones.

So glad to hear you liked ISC. As I was there in the late fall, I didn't have a chance to sit in the garden. I'll be sure to request it when next there in warmer times.

How about Petit 4 on N. 3rd. Like philadining said, depends on the size requirements, though

Yes, "old Swede". But it's funny, since some claim the rock migrated from China.

The lady dissembles. If you want more info on the "big rock" aka Der Alte Schwede, and how it made it to Hamburg from China , pm Kelly. For any German speakers out there, it seems the rock has inspired a term for "Can you believe it?" or "Whew!" -- "Mensch, du alter Schwede"