Philly Cooks Event Wednesday 1/19/05

[KatieLoeb]

Is anyone attending this event next week? 6:30-9:30 PM at the Philadelphia Cruise Ship Terminal. It's a pretty big shindig and there's lots of food and drink to be had, as well as live music and dancing. There's a competition between many of the best area restaurants for Best Appetizer, Best Entree and Best Dish of 2005 and proceeds from the event benefit MANNA (Metropolitan AIDS Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance) which provides meals and assistance to homebound AIDS patients all over the Delaware Valley. The tickets are $85 in advance and $95 at the door. Not an inexpensive evening, but it's for a very good cause and the restaurants that are represented are all top notch. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a list at THIS link, but I think I might have the info at work. I'll certainly post the list of participating restaurants if I find it.

Sansom Street Oyster House is participating and we will be bringing an oyster appetizer of some sort. Our staff is also decorating our booth as an island shack and dressing as the cast of Gilligan's Island*. Should be amusing. Sadly, I've come to the realization that I'm a bit long in the tooth to play either Ginger or Maryann, so I will be dispensing wisdom and oysters in the guise of Mrs. Howell. Our Chef/Owner will be Gilligan, and some of our other staff I believe are playing Ginger, the Skipper and the Professor (I think). I'm certain there will be photographic evidence of this so I'll post photos after the event as long as you all promise to laugh with me.

Hope to see some of you there!

*wish I could take credit for this stroke of genius, but it was already in place when I arrived.

[mrbigjas]

I will be dispensing wisdom and oysters in the guise of Mrs. Howell.

oh lovey, that sounds like a simply maaaahvelous evening.

[KatieLoeb]

We WON!! Sansom Street Oyster House won the Best Presentation Award at this evening's Philly Cooks event! Woo-hoo! Our Gilligan's Island crew costumes, creative booth decoration and Southern Fried Oysters with Tropical Fruit Salsa were all a big hit. There will definitely be photos in Philadelphia Magazine, as well as some that we took ourselves. I'll post some as soon as I can. Other winners included Moshulu for Best Entree (sorry - didn't get to see what it was) and Teikoku for Best Dessert (I think). All winners will be reported in the magazine.

The event was a surprising success despite absolutely horrible weather this evening. I didn't get to walk around too much but tasted some delicious pasta (a Butternot Squash Tortelloni with Sage/Brown Butter sauce) from Ravenna Restaurant, a yummy Sea Bass with Tamarind sauce from Siam Lotus, a yummy Grilled Octopus and White Bean Brandade from London Grill, Tuna Tartare from Red Sky and a very tasty Olive Oil poached Scallop with Star Anise Tomato compote from Savona. Wished I gotten to try a few more things because all of the food looked great.

[Andrew Fenton]

Congratulations, Katie! (this is becoming a habit...) The dishes, esp. the oyster, all sound terrific.

And I hope you were rescued from the island...

Edited January 20, 2005 by Andrew Fenton (log)

[KatieLoeb]

Congratulations, Katie!  (this is becoming a habit...)  The dishes, esp. the oyster, all sound terrific. 

And I hope you were rescued from the island...

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We were on the Channel 10 news at 11 o'clock last night for a nanosecond. My purple BIG hat with much plumage garnered a great deal of attention last night. In fact, my hat got more attention than the naked girl at the next booth who was being used as a serving vessel for Red Sky's Tuna Tartare.

The festivities turned out to be slightly longer than a "THREE hour tour", but we were rescued by the end of the evening.

[KatieLoeb]

As promised, here are the first photos of our crew winning for Best Presentation at the Philly Cooks event:

That'd be me being Mrs. Howell in the plumage.

Photos of the other winners can be viewed HERE

Other winners included:

Best Appetizer: Teikoku

Best Entree: Twenty21

Best Dessert: Angelina

Best Dish of the Year: Moshulu

Remember - you're all laughing with me.