chowfun

I agree. I would add Cin Cin and Yang Ming to the list of not worth the extra money (and not even as good as Chinatown).

We have eaten there and we were thinking about going back, both for the convenience of the location and for the very good food. We have no Nicoise restaurants in Philly as far as I know. I'm not sure if you were answering my question or the op's. That place would be good for a business dinner with respect to ambience and food, but I remember the noise level being a little loud.

I was just about to start a thread to ask about the same area. We are coming in from Philly for a concert that will be at Lincoln Center and we are staying at the Excelsior on the upper west side. Any suggestions for a nice casual dinner (any cuisine as long as it is good)?

The problem that I had with the sushi at raw was the sushi rice. It is sweet, tastes alot like tea, and the consistancy is gluey. We got one of their special rolls that was white tuna and spicy tuna that was torched on the outside briefly. This was a mistake to order. It was swimming in at least three different sauces. I do think that the freshness of the fish at bluefin is consistantly excellent, but I'm sure it does not compare with the top sushi bars in the country and the cooked food there is to be avoided. I sure hope Matt Ito reopens soon in Haddonfield!

I am organizing a dinner at Aqua, a ladies night out from work, and I could use some menu suggestions. The owner told me to choose menu items and he would serve them banquet style in their upstairs room. My challenge is that about half of the ladies are not adventerous eaters. I am not sure if many of them have eaten thai food, let alone Malaysian food. The other half are foodies. For example, at our last dinner at Lee Hau Fook the salt baked seafood was scarfed up by only half of the diners. I am more familiar with Chinese food, and I feel more comfortable coming up with a mix of safe dishes and dishes that would be a little stretch for the uninitiated. Can any of you offer menu suggestions? For appetizers I was thinking about the roti and the satay and maybe spring rolls. The soup is a challenge, because I really dont want to order wonton soup, but I think the tom yum or tom ka might be too scary for some people. I am trying to figure out a noodle dish, and chowfun might be the answer but I would take any suggestions. For those of you who have had the Hainanese chicken, would that be a good choice? Thank in advance for any and all suggestions!

We went to Amada for the first time last night to celebrate both our 15th wedding anniversary and my husband's birthday. We brought our 7 and 11 year old boys who love good food and are adventerous eaters generally. One surprise is that we were able to get a reservation for a table for 4 at 5:30 on the same day we called, and it was a first Friday. Maybe the weather made it easier for us to do this. We were welcomed into the restaurant by three friendly greeters (none of the hipper than thou attitude that we have encountered numerous times at other restaurants). Our server was very knowlegable about the food and the wine. The service was excellent, seamless, very efficient. The restaurant was noisy but not so loud that you could not hear the people at your table. It worked for us, because our kids can talk loudly at times. The food was perfect. We thought about the chef's tasting menu, but we decided to order off the menu. We had a three cheese sampler; manchego with truffle honey (I loved that honey!), fresh goat cheese with strawberries in balsalmic, a soft aromatic cheese served with chocolate hazelnut spread (an odd combination that worked). We had some serrano ham (it's proscuitto! exclaimed my 7 yr old as he tried to take his fourth serving). The sauteed artichoke hearts were good. We had an amazing salt cod dish that tasted like a cross between fish chowder and white fish salad and a souffle, garnished with caviar. We had the calamari, lobster and lamb chops ala plancha, all great, the lamb chops were especially good, cooked perfectly, great quality. The scallops with wild mushroom cannolloni was great, the homemade pasta was as good as we have eaten anywhere. We had the green salad (a tart and crispy foil to the rest of the food) and the potato torta with aioli very good. We were given a complimentary dish of chicken in a truffle sauce with a fried egg on top that may have been the best overall dish we had. I'm not sure that they meant to serve it to us, but once they did our server told us it was a complimentary dish to us. It was a very nice gesture and a great dish. My wine was very good and our server was able to help me choose something that suits my taste in red wine (fruity, not sweet, no tannins). My husband had 2 lychee mojitos. We skipped dessert because we were quite full at the end of dinner. The bill before tip was 198 dollars for four people (my kids ate as much as we did), four drinks from the bar and a bottle of mineral water. This is a very fair price for food, drink and service at this high quality level. Amada deserves it's rave reviews.

As mentioned already, the tomato pie at sarcones is my favorite. If you can get a corner slice, it is the best, so crispy, light dough, great sauce! We make do with tomato pie from Tony A's in Plymouth Meeting. Yes, you can eat it hot, but we usually get one or two (they are huge!) for a party and serve them at room temperature. You cant buy them by the slice, unless they have one already made when you get there so this recommendation might not qualify. Also, the Tony A's in Roxborough is not as good, and I havent tried the one in East Norriton.

Anyone try the fish at Famous 4th street deli lately? This would be less of a hike than Holland and the far northeas for me. I will try calling Abe's tomorrow and see if they are still open.

I am in exactly the same postition this year as last year. Need fish! Forgot to order! I was so glad to find this thread with all your great help from last year. I will likely head out to Bustleton Ave to check out Bell's and Abes. Anyone with any new experiences at these places or something not listed?

I am so happy to be going back to MDI. We had a last minute grant of vacation from work and I am scrambling mightily to find a rental last minute. My husband and I spent the summer of 1984 there working and enjoying the park. Many of our old favorites are no longer there; the Sunflower Bakery (although the baker Agnes makes bagels in a little place she calls the Bagel Factory which are great when you can get 'em), the Yellow Giraffe (the best vegetarian food I have ever had), the Town Farm restaurant, Blue Hill Lunch to name a few. But the island and the park are still wonderful and surprisingly not getting as developed as many other major tourist destinations. The next time you drive up there check out Five Islands Lobster Co. It is 14 miles south of Bath on 127 just after you cross the bridge on Rt 1. It is worth the detour. The setting is idyllic. I'm not going to start an argument about where the best lobster roll can be had (for that there are other threads), but they make an excellent lobster roll, excellent fried whole clams and many other things. A really nice diversion on a very long drive.

There are a couple of places that are missing from this thread that are not to miss on MDI. One is the Atlantic Brewing Company. You can take their tour and/or go to their restaurant which features their beer, and a nice pub menu. On Saturday's they have all you can eat barbecue that is quite good. Part of the charm of this place is the setting which is laid back and relaxed with a nice outdoor seating area amoungst the wildflowers. Our favorite restaurant on the island is Cafe This Way in Bar Harbor. Fresh local produce, excellent seafood and nice vegetarian options, good dessert. They also do a great brunch. We have now been meaning to go to Blue Sage Bistro in Town Hill for years. It has been recommened to us from a few sources. Two Cats does a very good dinner, but I dont think they serve dinner in the fall. A not to miss bakery is Morning Glory in Bar Harbor. Excellent bread, out of this world pastries, good sandwich menu (nice to take for a picnic). I am so excited, we are going up to MDI for two weeks in a week. We have to check out XYZ after all of the recommendations, and the hot dog stand in seawall.

The doughnut peaches that they are selling are amazing.

I hope they are doing enough volume to stay in business!

The bicolar corn is ready and it is so sweet and tender you can eat it raw. They harvest it all day. I bought a large heirloom tomato, the kind that is large and irregular and sort of pink and green. It was sweet as a peach. We gobbled it up while making dinner, couldnt wait. They grow the best okra, small, fat, light, bright green. Lima beans, cantalope, delicious tomatos.

We were there last night. We have been having ice cream a lot lately so I controlled my urge for a tubby turtle sundae (2 scoops with hot fudge, caramel, pecans, whipped cream and bing cherry) and had a scoop of the flavor of the day peanut butter squared (peanut butter ice cream with peanut butter cups). It was good but I like their peanut butter ice cream better without the peanut butter cups in it. They only have three flavors at a time because they dont freeze and store their ice cream. It is served fresh out of the machine. Years ago we visited the Ben and Jerry's factory in Vermont and we were served rainforest crunch ice cream right off the line. It was so good that it ruined that flavor for me forever, because it was never as good out of the freezer case. Zwahlen's ice cream is freshly made all day long. They would have too much waste with a large number of flavors. This Tuesday the special flavor is peach. We may have to make another trip. I would also like to catch Key Lime Pie day.

Sang Kee in Chinatown is my favorite take-out place to pick up and drive home to the burbs after work. They make everything fast, they have never made a mistake with my order, they generally pack everything very nicely and the food is always delicious at home. Some places have great food in the restaurant that isnt so great after sitting in the container and cooling down some. The only thing that wont travel is salt baked seafood. Of course its not a bad snack for the drive home. They only take cash or check which is an inconvenience. Sang Kee Asian Bistro in Ardmore is more expensive but the food is a little more upscale. We had rack of lamb there once, they have pacific oysters, they do a little bit of Malaysian food (they have a baked seafood rice that is out of this world). I wish they were on my side of the river.

The fudge is really really good, but try a chocolate and vanilla custard with bing cherries on top! It is heavenly.

The black and white milkshakes used to be really good at Snow White on Chestnut at 18th or 19th, I havent been back there in a very long time. I usually dont get milkshakes because I like to eat my ice cream instead of drink it, but the shakes at Zwahlen's in Audubon looked really good last time I was there, and their ice cream, which is really frozen custard is incredible. Franklin Fountain is another place that has great homemade ice cream and likely has a great shake.

There is no place that I can think of that is close to the zoo in Philadelphia to eat. If you are going to spend all day at the zoo I would get a good picnic lunch at the Reading Terminal Market and bring it along. If you are spending half a day eat before or after the zoo. The food there is terrible. The Franklin Institute and the Academy of Natural Sciences dont have much within walking distance but there is a Whole foods Market at 20th and Spring Garden where you can get some good take-out or eat-in (my kids love to pick out their lunches and eat in there). Someone mentioned a new Japanese Noodle place somewhere up in that area with good soba noodles. Sorry I cant remember the name but it is somewhere on this board. If your kids will eat Chinese, I would take them to Chinatown. Our favorite place to take fussy eaters is Sang Kee Peking Duck House on 9th and Vine. It is hard to turn your nose up at a bowl of their wanton noodle soup. We have enjoyed Tony's Baltimore Grill in AC. Very straightforward crispy pizza and huge ravioli. There is also a pretty decent brew pub in AC near the outlets that we enjoyed last time we were there. I will try to get you the name of that.

We went to Chung King Garden for lunch today. They had a small lunch menu. For twelve dollars we had lunch for two. Each entree came with a cup of hot and sour or chicken with corn soup. I had Ma Po Tofu and my husband had pork with bell peppers. These items were supposed to be spicy and when we ordered we told them that we like the food to be hot and spicy. The dishes were delicious but not hot at all. We asked the waiter how to get the food hot next time. He said that most not Chinese people dont like hot food and they prepare it differently for us. He said to tell them to prepare it the way the dish is supposed to be prepared next time. The food was excellent and the portions were generous. Next time we will be emphatic about the spice.

One place that serves La Colombe coffee that is quite good is Caramel (once known as La Cigale) on Walnut between 7th and 8th. They serve excellent croissants and pastries and very good salads and paninis for lunch. I would be happy to go out of my way to any of the places Herbacidal mentioned in his post if anyone thinks they are worth going out of one's way for. Old City Coffee is off the list because their coffee is not my favorite, over roasted until it has a burned flavor, and why does all of it taste like flavored coffee even when its not? If we are going to ignore food and coffee quality in coffee shops then Starbucks and Panera should go on the list as well as Cosi and Au Bon Pain. I am willing to go out on a limb and recommend a trip just to go to High Point Cafe for their espresso drinks, particularly the cappucino, dry, no olive. The food is a good accompagniment everything is baked and cooked in house, but this place stands out because of the coffee and its meticulous preparation. Of course one could trek out there and spend the day on Forbidden Drive walking or biking or visit the Morris Arboretum or the Woodmere Art Museum that has a new photography exhibit, but not until you get the coffee!

You could try Sang Kee Asian Bistro in Wynnewood. Most of the other places I could think of are not open on Monday. Blue Fin in Plymouth Meeting is open. I usually dont eat sushi on a Monday, but they do serve excellent quality fish. Chabaa Thai Bistro in Manayunk is open and I really like their food, service and decor. Their Pad Thai is not the usual and it is delicious. An Indian Affair in Manayunk is also terrific and open. Not inexpensive Indian food, but well worth it.

I forgot about the place at 2nd and Poplar. We have looked in and havent tried it yet. How is the coffee? The High Point is run by the owner and she is always there. The coffee is excellent and made right. I am fussy. I think most coffee bars have mediocre coffee including many mentioned here except La Colombe. I havent been back to Passeros in a while but I remember having good coffee there. The food is made on the premises and it is good. It is has a comfy, homelike vibe. I think it is unique for this area. I urge everyone to check it out!

We were there last night as well. We had very attentive friendly service. Our waitress spoke English but was not really able to explain dishes to us, so we just took some chances and ordered. We brought some hoppy beer Bell's Left Hand Ale and Yards IPA that we drank out of parfait cups that they gave us. It actually worked out fine and they worked well with the food. We too had the GuiQuao wanton. I think they were pork and fish mixed together. They tasted a bit like fish balls with a pork texture and color. They were very good and I was happy that they arrived with all of the other dishes because they helped put out the fire. The noodle on the wontons was thin, delicate and delicious. I have only had the szechuan dumplings at Szechuan Tasty House, and the skins were doughy and thick. We had the spicy Jia Xiang noodle and they were great. The noodles were a homemade texture, the meat and spice paste covering them was spicy from ground chiles, szechuan peppercorn and garlic. There were bright green, tender, blanched baby bok choy mixed in for a crunchy juicy texture to contrast with the noodles and spicy paste and to put out the fire. This was a hot dish. Not the hottest possible food ever but it was definately two to three stars. Enough to induce nose running and mild sweating in two people who eat hot food regularly. The big winner of the evening was the shredded pork szechuan style. The pork pieces had a spicy rub on them and then they were flash fried so that they were almost crispy and served with chopped dried chiles. At the entrance of the restaurant they had a buffet set up and for 5.95 you could sample some premade items. There was tripe, cucumbers, duck tongues and some things that I couldnt readily identify. I might try some of this next time, because the wait for our order to be cooked was about 15-20 minutes and they brought everything together.

The High Point Cafe in Mount Airy is my new favorite coffee shop. The coffee is lovingly and carefully made by the owner/barista. This is the best cappucino I have had in years. Order it "dry" and you get espresso on the bottom and a wonderfully textured milk foam layer on top to mix only as you drink it. Their coffee is high quality shipped from a roaster in Seattle. The folks running the place are very welcoming. The pastries are house made and delicious. They make quiche, salads, and crepes for lunch. Last time I was there they had a chorizo, carmelized apple and chive quiche, it looked amazing. This place has a wonderful neighborhood cafe feel but it is out of the ordinary for Philadelphia.