where to get specialty products?

[mrbigjas]

maybe i'll just use phyllo.  or maybe i'll go up on an assouline-finding mission...

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Mr Big, I have had Robouchon's langostine dish (twice - once in Paris and once in Las Vegas) and I don't think phyllo will do it justice.

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hmm... good point. of course, shrimp might not do it justice either, as the article recommended.

yeah, so, shrimp in phyllo. and instead of the nice salad on the side, i'm going to serve some twigs and grass... and instead of the fancy china i'm going to serve it on an old vinyl placemat. and then afterwards i'm going to the website and give that recipe ZERO STARS because it's so terrible.

[philadining]

There' a good list of Indian grocery stores here>>.

[KatieLoeb]

There's also House of Spices in the Springdale shopping center at Greentree and Springdale Roads in Cherry Hill, all of 15 minutes over the bridge. It's right next door to Rajbhog Indian restaurant and grocery and Rajbhog has a great selection of packaged frozen and refrigerated Indian foodstuffs as well. Great Indian ice creams and good samosas too. All of you that have been complaining there's nowhere to go for really good South Indian vegetarian (Mrbigjas - I'm looking at you!) haven't checked out Rajbhog. I occasionally stop in there for a bite to eat after visiting Dharma Karma salon for my threading appointment a few doors down.

[mrbigjas]

awesome -- i wish i'd known about that before! i don't read the NJ forum much because they mainly talk about places up in north jersey, which is an area that frightens and confuses me. i've been hitting up uddupi dosa house usually, but i always seem to end up there on chaat night, so i don't get the whole experience...

[rockhopper]

There's also House of Spices in the Springdale shopping center at Greentree and Springdale Roads in Cherry Hill, all of 15 minutes over the bridge.  It's right next door to Rajbhog Indian restaurant and grocery and Rajbhog has a great selection of packaged frozen and refrigerated Indian foodstuffs as well.  Great Indian ice creams and good samosas too.  All of you that have been complaining there's nowhere to go for really good South Indian vegetarian (Mrbigjas - I'm looking at you!) haven't checked out Rajbhog.  I occasionally stop in there for a bite to eat after visiting Dharma Karma salon for my threading appointment a few doors down.

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I've eaten at Rajbhog. It's not just desserts. They have a variety of chaats.

You can get different kinds of dosas made to order. They charge under $5 per dosa - and good luck eating more than one.

Since I'm a repeat customer I guess that tells you what I think of the quality.

[rockhopper]

awesome -- i wish i'd known about that before!  i don't read the NJ forum much because they mainly talk about places up in north jersey, which is an area that frightens and confuses me. 

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That's their intention.

My answer to "where are you from" is Southern NJ and not NJ.

Except for the property tax it's like 2 different states.

[HD73]

I bought some Rustichella d'abruzze pasta from DiBruno's the other day with a whole bundle of other things, and thus didn't notice the price. I took it home, cooked it, and loved it. It was really the best dried pasta I've ever had.

Now I've been back to DiBruno's and was kind of blown away by the price. I'm willing to pay a premium for a great product, but I think there's a little gouging going on here - DiBruno's price is almost twice as much as some prices I've seen on the web.

So my question is, does anyone know a retail outlet where I can buy this in Philly? If not I'll just order it in bulk online and keep a cabinet full, but it would be nice to be able to run out and buy it for a reasonable price. Thanks.

[Naftal]

I know this may have come up before, but I am new to this. So let me ask: Does anyone know anything about Pennsylvania saffron? I have read that it is grown here. Is that true? Do they ship out-of-state?

[Vadouvan]

Several years ago Cooks Illustrated did a taste test in which the top saffron was from PA.

It was sold at some point at the RTM pennsylvania general store.

The full article can be read here but you will have to sign up for the website.

At least it is free for 14 days.

http://www.cooksillustrated.com/login.asp?...asting&iseason=

[mrbigjas]

I know this may have come up before, but I am new to this. So let me ask: Does anyone know anything about Pennsylvania saffron? I have read that it is grown here. Is that true? Do they ship out-of-state?

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it is true.

livengoods in the terminal has it when it's in season (when is that? like, early spring?). about $3 for a little dime bag.

i don't know about shipping but i doubt it.

[mrbigjas]

So my question is, does anyone know a retail outlet where I can buy this in Philly?  If not I'll just order it in bulk online and keep a cabinet full, but it would be nice to be able to run out and buy it for a reasonable price.  Thanks.

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i haven't seen it around except for there. other places to look are at salumeria in the terminal and claudio's down in the italian market.

my general theory, which i've posted before, is that if you can find stuff elsewhere that dibruno's carries, it'll generally be cheaper elsewhere. for instance that giuseppe cocco pasta, which is pretty good, is a buck cheaper at rittenhouse market than it is at dibruno's (if dibruno's is still carrying it, even -- i don't know that i've seen it the last couple times i've been there).

(my other theory has always been that if retailers want to get a sense of whether they're gouging the public or not, they should just compare their prices to rittenhouse market. if your prices are higher than theirs, it might be time to take a step back.)

[HD73]

So my question is, does anyone know a retail outlet where I can buy this in Philly?  If not I'll just order it in bulk online and keep a cabinet full, but it would be nice to be able to run out and buy it for a reasonable price.  Thanks.

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i haven't seen it around except for there. other places to look are at salumeria in the terminal and claudio's down in the italian market.

my general theory, which i've posted before, is that if you can find stuff elsewhere that dibruno's carries, it'll generally be cheaper elsewhere. for instance that giuseppe cocco pasta, which is pretty good, is a buck cheaper at rittenhouse market than it is at dibruno's (if dibruno's is still carrying it, even -- i don't know that i've seen it the last couple times i've been there).

(my other theory has always been that if retailers want to get a sense of whether they're gouging the public or not, they should just compare their prices to rittenhouse market. if your prices are higher than theirs, it might be time to take a step back.)

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Claudio's doesn't carry it, but Salumeria is a good idea. I'll check next time I'm at the RTM. I wouldn't balk at the price at DiBruno's, but I've found online merchants selling it for about 40 percent less. I know that their rent in Rittenhouse must be exorbitant, but sometimes they get ridiculous.

[mrbigjas]

today's question: the last few times i was in dibrunos, they appeared to be no longer carrying morcilla. i mean, if i go in once and it's not there, maybe they're just out. but i stop by several times a week and couldn't tell you the last time i did see it.

anyone seen it anywhere else around town? or should i just take advantage of tienda's 2 for 1 sale and get a couple of pounds of it?

[ellencho]

Anyone know where I can get cocoa nibs, and I'm talking about less than 1 lb. I live in Lower merion, so the first place I tried was Whole foods in Wynnewood, but even the grocery manager had no idea what I was talking about. I'll be in Center City on Tuesday, so any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Vadouvan]

Fosters. Shaffrenberger.

Olde city

Assouline. Valrhona

Liberty Place

[ellencho]

Cool! Thanks

[KatieLoeb]

I bought some Rustichella d'abruzze pasta from DiBruno's the other day with a whole bundle of other things, and thus didn't notice the price.  I took it home, cooked it, and loved it.  It was really the best dried pasta I've ever had. 

Now I've been back to DiBruno's and was kind of blown away by the price.  I'm willing to pay a premium for a great product, but I think there's a little gouging going on here - DiBruno's price is almost twice as much as some prices I've seen on the web.

So my question is, does anyone know a retail outlet where I can buy this in Philly?  If not I'll just order it in bulk online and keep a cabinet full, but it would be nice to be able to run out and buy it for a reasonable price.  Thanks.

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A friend of mine recommends Leonardo's Bakery, on Bustleton Pike in Feasterville, just over the city limits. OUTSTANDING bread (so I'm told), and specialty products like the one requested, and much better priced, to boot.

Edited April 16, 2008 by KatieLoeb (log)