Weekend in Philly

[birder53]

Well, we tried to eat Philly. We gave it a good try, but we'll have to go back again soon.

We stayed at the Marriott Residence Inn at Center City. There are some good weekend deals to be had by going to www.gophila.com. The package included fee parking and a reduced room rate. Just about all the Philly hotels are listed on this site.

We checked in around noon on Friday and headed straight to the Reading Terminal Market. After cruising around and getting our bearings, we lined up for a pork sandwich with provolone and greens and Dinic's. Awesome! We were trying to pace ourselves, so we split one sandwich. The toughest part was trying to get pork, cheese and greens in each and every bite.

Next, a pretzel, with butter, at Fishers. Warm and delicious! We strolled by Old City Roasters and I remembered someone at sometime saying they prefered it to La Colombe, so I got a cup of Nicauragan bean coffee. Very good! Right next door was the cookie place. What great cookies! The Cinnamon Oatmeal Raisin was warm and to die for. It was just what my cup of coffee needed.

We then walked around Center City a bit, in spite of the rainy weather. Took in the Christmas light show at Lord & Taylor's. The buiding is gorgeous! We then walked along Market Street and enjoyed the sights. Another remarkable building was the Union League. The rain and wind finally caught up with us and we decided to check out the bar at the Ritz Carlton. What an incredible lobby. We had extremely generously poured Bookers and Makers Mark Manhattans and sat enjoying the people watching in the lobby.

Dinner was at Fork. Not bad but not memorable either. We split a fried calamari appetizer then had duck and chicken entrees. Sorry for the lack of details, but it just wasn't memorable. There was no room for dessert, so we left and went walking again.

We headed towards Rittenhouse Square and enjoyed the lights hanging in the park. The cold and rain finally got to us so we headed back to the hotel.

Saturday - breakfast at the hotel (free!) and then off to the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. We headed to the RTM from there and had lunch at Delilah's - fried chicken and fried catfish! Good stuff! Lou got an icecream cone at Bassett's while I headed back to Old City Roasters and the cookie place.

We then tried to walk off all our sins. Delancey Place was lovely and so was Rittenhouse Square in the daylight and actually a bit of sun. Got a cup of java at La Colombe - interesting crowd but Old City Roasters was the favorite brew.

Dinner at Sansom Oyster House. One dozen beautiful fresh oysters. All wonderful except for the Kachemak(sp?) from Alaska. That was a taste I couldn't get rid of fast enough! We weren't that interested in their dinner menu, so we went with snapper soup, lobster bisque (a bit too salty) and an order of fried ipswisch clams. We wanted the stone crab claws, but they were all gone. Service was slow but pleasant. They even discounted our bill 15% because they had to move our seats to accomodate a large group that arrived after us.

Sunday - lunch at Pat's and Geno's. My first Philly cheesesteaks! It was cold and windy but we braved the elements by eating at Geno's first. Whiz and onions. Excellent. Then across the street to Pat's for another whiz and onions. Good but not as good as Geno's. Pat's had more whiz but Geno's had larger pieces of onion. Pat's was a bit dry compared to Geno's. We headed out of town after that and enjoyed some of our cookies on the ride home.

Nice town. Incredible architecture. We'll have to come back and be prepared for some upscale dining, even if it means wearing a jacket. Thanks to all who gave suggestions. It gave our visit some focus and made it a bit of a treasure hunt.

[MarketStEl]

We're glad you enjoyed your visit to Philadelphia and that our suggestions were at least somewhat helpful. Your obligatory cheesesteak on your next visit should come from Tony Luke's if you can manage to work your way down to the South Philly waterfront area.

As for Fork: I forget whether it is that restaurant or nearby Paradigm that has the glass bathroom doors that fog up when you latch them closed. These doors sparked far more conversation than the food did when the restaurant that has them opened. Fork and Paradigm opened at about the same time.

Now--on your next visit, maybe you might consider settling down here, then running for mayor?

--Sandy, occasionally shameless self-promoter

[mrbigjas]

that was paradigm.

[birder53]

As for Fork:  I forget whether it is that restaurant or nearby Paradigm that has the glass bathroom doors that fog up when you latch them closed.  These doors sparked far more conversation than the food did when the restaurant that has them opened.  Fork and Paradigm opened at about the same time.

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We didn't check out the restrooms at Fork, so I can't say which restaurant has the foggy doors. How bizarre is that!

[rlibkind]

Always nice to read a follow-up report. Thanks for taking the time to put one together and posting it.

Glad you enjoyed your weekend, despite the rain, and Tommy's roast pork. Too bad about about that Alaskan oyster; as a general rule I stick to the ones from New England and the Northeast. Oysters can travel well, properly stored, but Alaska may be pushing it. (I'll have to seek those babies out, though, when I'm in Alaska in early June, even if oyster season has technically ended by then.)

Bet they didn't have scrapple at the Residence Inn's breakfast buffet!

[birder53]

Bet they didn't have scrapple at the Residence Inn's breakfast buffet!

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They had grits, which I didn't try. They actually do a decent job there. Scrambled eggs, sausage patties, oatmeal, bagels, rolls, bread/toast, cut up fresh fruit, yogurt, coffee, juices, cereal and a waffle station - make it yourself. The waffles smelled wonderful as we entered the dining room and the diners were lined up to cook one to their exacting specifications. We really didn't want to spend too much time on breakfasts and we were also trying to save room for the serious foods you had all suggested. I did have a notion to try the Down Home Diner and Carmen's for breakfasts, but it was more than we could handle. I used to be able to eat as much as I could see. No more! I get full a lot quicker than I want to. I was always good for dessert, no matter what I had already eaten. I don't know what happened, besides age, but I just can't put it all away like I used to.

We saw the scrapple for sale at one of the Amish stands in RTM. It certainly wasn't tempting!

[KatieLoeb]

We saw the scrapple for sale at one of the Amish stands in RTM. It certainly wasn't tempting!

What - the gray fatty mass of mystery meat didn't catch your fancy??

Glad you had fun here and glad we could help out. Let us know next time you're coming and we'll have a whole new list for you.

[herbacidal]

We're glad you enjoyed your visit to Philadelphia and that our suggestions were at least somewhat helpful.  Your obligatory cheesesteak on your next visit should come from Tony Luke's if you can manage to work your way down to the South Philly waterfront area.

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Modification: Your next lunch choice should be:

on a spring or early fall day, Tony Luke's at the corner of Front and Oregon Streets, just off I-95.

You and Lou can split:

the chicken cutlet with broccoli rabe

the roast pork with broccoli rabe

and if you really must

the cheesesteak.

[MarketStEl]

We're glad you enjoyed your visit to Philadelphia and that our suggestions were at least somewhat helpful.  Your obligatory cheesesteak on your next visit should come from Tony Luke's if you can manage to work your way down to the South Philly waterfront area.

←

Modification: Your next lunch choice should be:

on a spring or early fall day, Tony Luke's at the corner of Front and Oregon Streets, just off I-95.

You and Lou can split:

the chicken cutlet with broccoli rabe

the roast pork with broccoli rabe

and if you really must

the cheesesteak.

←

I know that Tony Luke's cheesesteaks are not held in as high regard as their roast pork sandwiches, but I found the cheesesteak with sharp Provolone and broccoli rabe as sublime as the other sandwiches above. Besides, where else are you going to get sharp Provolone on a cheesesteak? That alone, IMO, is worth giving it a try, although I will concede the roast pork sandwich is a cut above it. (Haven't tried the chicken cutlet yet.)

[mrbigjas]

last time i had people in from out of town and we went to tony luke's, one of the guys wanted both, so we split the roast pork and a cheesesteak. the cheesesteak was great, actually.

[Sfuffy]

know that Tony Luke's cheesesteaks are not held in as high regard as their roast pork sandwiches, but I found the cheesesteak with sharp Provolone and broccoli rabe as sublime as the other sandwiches above.  Besides, where else are you going to get sharp Provolone on a cheesesteak?  That alone, IMO, is worth giving it a try, although I will concede the roast pork sandwich is a cut above it.  (Haven't tried the chicken cutlet yet.)

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You can also get sharp provolone at John's Roast Pork.

[john b]

We're glad you enjoyed your visit to Philadelphia and that our suggestions were at least somewhat helpful.  Your obligatory cheesesteak on your next visit should come from Tony Luke's if you can manage to work your way down to the South Philly waterfront area.

←

Modification: Your next lunch choice should be:

on a spring or early fall day, Tony Luke's at the corner of Front and Oregon Streets, just off I-95.

You and Lou can split:

the chicken cutlet with broccoli rabe

the roast pork with broccoli rabe

and if you really must

the cheesesteak.

←

I know that Tony Luke's cheesesteaks are not held in as high regard as their roast pork sandwiches, but I found the cheesesteak with sharp Provolone and broccoli rabe as sublime as the other sandwiches above. Besides, where else are you going to get sharp Provolone on a cheesesteak? That alone, IMO, is worth giving it a try, although I will concede the roast pork sandwich is a cut above it. (Haven't tried the chicken cutlet yet.)

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After eating a hunk of 2 yr. aged provolone from DiBruno's this weekend, I'm convinced that provolone would taste good on anything.

I like sliced, deli counter provolone on my cheesesteaks better than American (when Whiz is not an option). It has more flavor, it's less creamy and when it cools just a bit it gets pully and stringy, and I like pully and stringy.