Moving from Philadelphia

Andrew Fenton · March 1, 2005

Five months from today, I'll be moving to Rome.

That gives me a good amount of time to make a checklist of things-- culinary and otherwise, but we'll stick to food here-- that I want to do before I leave. Some are old favorites, others are experiences I haven't yet gotten to in my years in the city.

Here's a preliminary list:

I. Things I've done before:

A. eat lots and lots of hoagies

1. Sarcone's

2. Chickie's

B. dinner at Studiokitchen

1. Taken care of this one: next week, whoo hoo!

C. one fancy dinner

1. Lacroix would be great

a. Maybe brunch there, instead?

2. I'd substitute another SK dinner if that opportunity presented itself

D. hit my favorite restaurants, of course

1. Rangoon

2. Chloe

3. Django

4. Rx

5. Southwark

6. Too many others to list

E. Lots of non-Italian food. Unless Rome has changed a lot in ten years, everything that isn't Italian is disappointing.

1. Mexican

a. load up on tacos at Veracruzana

b. mole at Plaza Garibaldi.

c. La Lupe, especially when the weather warms up

2. Must make it back up to Tierra Columbiana!

3. Rangoon: I'll really miss the tofu salad and thousand layer bread.

4. The UC

a. Dahlak

b. Vientiane

5. Sansom St. Kabob House for qabili palaw

6. The pate at Pif

7. Vietnamese

a. frequent banh mis from Ba Le

b. all aboard the Soup Train!

8. Sweet Lucy's barbecue

a. especially now that they have

F. Okay, I'll make an exception for pizza

1. Tacconelli's: we were there on Sunday, and it was as good as always

2. I need to go back to Franco and Luigi's for tomato pie or with ricotta.

3. (often) Sarcone's tomato pie. Eaten while shopping in the Italian Market.

G. And shopping at the Italian Market, because I love it so

1. DiBruno's

2. Sarcone's

3. Fante's, just to hang out

4. Claudio's mozarella machine

5. The Italian Market festival

a. June?

H. More shopping

1. Reading Terminal

2. farmer's market (South & Passyunk)

a. Livengood Farms

b. Meadow Run Farms

II. Things I haven't yet done, but need to:

A. I haven't spent nearly enough time in the Northeast.

1. Crabs at Bonk's

a. Wait till summer

2. I've never yet made it to the Grey Lodge.

a. For shame!

3. Syrenka's

4. Bell's

5. That Armenian place, whatchamacallit.

B. Restaurants (non-Italian ethnic) I haven't yet tried

1. Must have at least one good Korean meal out around 69th Street

2. Omakase at Fuji

3. Balkan Express

a. Before it gets too warm

C. Restaurants (non-ethnic or upscale) I haven't yet tried

1. Marigold

2. Fork

3. There must be others, but I'm drawing a blank

III. What else have I missed?

mrbigjas · March 1, 2005

what's The UC?

edited to say that like herb says below, i'd also be up for a lot of these excursions if you're interested, so feel free to pm or mail.

also edited to say that a couple of things that come to mind: the original chickie's and pete's is also a great place for crabs if you're heading up that way anyway. and the standard tap for their pulled pork sandwich, fried smelts, and steak frites is always a good idea. unless that's part of your 'too many favorites to name' section.

Edited March 1, 2005 by mrbigjas (log)

herbacidal · March 1, 2005

Andrew,

Gimme a call when you wanna do the Armenian place, Korean standalone @ 69th or Balkan Express.

I didn't even know there was an Armenian place around.

What's Bell's?

Andrew Fenton · March 1, 2005

what's The UC?
←

University City: as in "Welcome to the UC, bitch!"

(Credit goes to Rich Pawlak for the term.)

Rich Pawlak · March 1, 2005

Five months from today, I'll be moving to Rome. I'll only be there for a year, but I don't know for sure whether I'll be moving back to Philadelphia afterwards, or whether I'll be loading up the Conestoga for parts as yet unknown.
That gives me a good amount of time to make a checklist of things-- culinary and otherwise, but we'll stick to food here-- that I want to do before I leave. Some are old favorites, others are experiences I haven't yet gotten to in my years in the city.
Here's a preliminary list:
I. Things I've done before:
A. eat lots and lots of hoagies
1. Sarcone's
2. Chickie's
B. dinner at Studiokitchen
1. Taken care of this one: next week, whoo hoo!
C. one fancy dinner
1. Lacroix would be great
a. Maybe brunch there, instead?
2. I'd substitute another SK dinner if that opportunity presented itself
D. hit my favorite restaurants, of course
1. Rangoon
2. Chloe
3. Django
4. Rx
5. Southwark
6. Too many others to list
E. Lots of non-Italian food. Unless Rome has changed a lot in ten years, everything that isn't Italian is disappointing.
1. Mexican
a. load up on tacos at Veracruzana
b. mole at Plaza Garibaldi.
c. La Lupe, especially when the weather warms up
2. Must make it back up to Tierra Columbiana!
3. Rangoon: I'll really miss the tofu salad and thousand layer bread.
4. The UC
a. Dahlak
b. Vientiane
5. Sansom St. Kabob House for qabili palaw
6. The pate at Pif
7. Vietnamese
a. frequent banh mis from Ba Le
b. all aboard the Soup Train!
8. Sweet Lucy's barbecue
a. especially now that they have
F. Okay, I'll make an exception for pizza
1. Tacconelli's: we were there on Sunday, and it was as good as always
2. I need to go back to Franco and Luigi's for tomato pie or with ricotta.
3. (often) Sarcone's tomato pie. Eaten while shopping in the Italian Market.
G. And shopping at the Italian Market, because I love it so
1. DiBruno's
2. Sarcone's
3. Fante's, just to hang out
4. Claudio's mozarella machine
5. The Italian Market festival
a. June?
H. More shopping
1. Reading Terminal
2. farmer's market (South & Passyunk)
a. Livengood Farms
b. Meadow Run Farms
II. Things I haven't yet done, but need to:
A. I haven't spent nearly enough time in the Northeast.
1. Crabs at Bonk's
a. Wait till summer
2. I've never yet made it to the Grey Lodge.
a. For shame!
3. Syrenka's
4. Bell's
5. That Armenian place, whatchamacallit.
B. Restaurants (non-Italian ethnic) I haven't yet tried
1. Must have at least one good Korean meal out around 69th Street
2. Omakase at Fuji
3. Balkan Express
a. Before it gets too warm
C. Restaurants (non-ethnic or upscale) I haven't yet tried
1. Marigold
2. Fork
3. There must be others, but I'm drawing a blank
III. What else have I missed?
←

Umbria and McMenamin's Tavern in Mt Airy

Delorenzo's in Trenton

Macaroni's in the NE

Andrew Fenton · March 1, 2005

Andrew,
Gimme a call when you wanna do the Armenian place, Korean standalone @ 69th or Balkan Express.
I didn't even know there was an Armenian place around.
What's Bell's?
←

Armenian (Zep's)

Bell's

Edited March 1, 2005 by Andrew Fenton (log)

rlibkind · March 1, 2005

What's Bell's?
←

Herb: Here's my post about Bell's, the Eastern European (mostly Russian) food emporium on Bustleton Avenue.

Andrew: A year in Rome? Tough to take! We'll expect regular e-mail reports on your food adventures, as well as regular commentary on all things Classical.

Andrew Fenton · March 1, 2005

Delorenzo's in Trenton

Oh, duh. Obvious, wonderful place, inexplicably missed.

mrbigjas · March 1, 2005

what's The UC?
←
University City: as in "Welcome to the UC, bitch!"
(Credit goes to Rich Pawlak for the term.)
←

oh yeah, i see, the a and b were indented under there... i didn't read it right the first time...

philadining · March 1, 2005

University City: as in "Welcome to the UC, bitch!"
(Credit goes to Rich Pawlak for the term.)
←

Way hipper than the OC...

yes, do Marigold as you mentioned, and I still think Nan is an excellent example of that native Philly restaurant renaissance style, the Thai-French, meticulous but not precious thing. You probably won't see a lot of that in Rome.

And while you're out that way, get a nice sandwich from Koch's. Sure it's not the same without Lou's bad jokes, but I went over the summer and it was still quite satisfying.

if I were leaving town I'd be eating Peking Duck and Roast Pork noodle soup at Sang Kee on all odd-numbered days until my arteries seized-up. And I'd try to hit all those other places you mentioned.

Mole enchiladas at Plaza Garibaldi...man, I might have to go there tonight...

MarketStEl · March 2, 2005

Let me know when you plan to hit:

Dahlak (I'd like to say hi to Amare)

Taqueria Veracruzana

Plaza Garibaldi

I can't say I'll make all of them, but I certainly will clear the decks for Dahlak.

KatieLoeb · March 2, 2005

Andrew:

I'll be assisting on the Studio Kitchen visit, but let me know when you want to go to Fuji for omakase. I haven't been in a little while and owe Matt a visit. I could ask him to do a proper send off for you. :smile:

Behemoth · March 2, 2005

You're moving to Rome? I'd start fasting & saving up cash for cheap within-Europe weekend flights.

herbacidal · March 2, 2005

You're moving to Rome? I'd start fasting & saving up cash for cheap within-Europe weekend flights.
←

EasyJet and Ryanair, I think.

Dahlak: nibbles and drinks on the back patio sounds cool.

Andrew Fenton · March 2, 2005

You're moving to Rome? I'd start fasting & saving up cash for cheap within-Europe weekend flights.

Herb's right that RyanAir is ridiculously cheap. I haven't looked into flights from Italy, but elsewhere in Europe, flying costs about as much as a bus ticket.

That said, I'm getting paid in dollars, not euros. And with the dollar in the toilet like it is, I won't be able to afford many trips. Hence, nibbles at Dahlak rather than grand dining at Le Bec-Fin!

cinghiale · March 2, 2005

On the sammich front, I'd have on my list:

* roast pork/prov/br @ Tony Luke's or maybe DiNic's in the Terminal

* Schmitter @ McNally's

On the resto front:

* ¡Pasion! for a ceviche fix

* maybe if you're in the BV, Beau Monde for a crêpe? You won't be gettin' too many of those in Roma. Was there 2 wknds ago and had forgotten that they're pretty darned good

Euro-based discount travel sites researched for my upcoming jaunt (gleaned from mostly from NYT article a month ago or so), but probably gonna do Airpass instead:

Travel Price (Belgian)

Air Stop (Belgian)

Andrew Fenton · March 2, 2005

And while you're out that way, get a nice sandwich from Koch's. Sure it's not the same without Lou's bad jokes, but I went over the summer and it was still quite satisfying.

All good suggestions, but Koch's, in particular, is a Philadelphia treasure that I will miss. Gotta be sure to head over there!

Andrew Fenton · March 2, 2005

On the sammich front, I'd have on my list:
* roast pork/prov/br @ Tony Luke's or maybe DiNic's in the Terminal
* Schmitter @ McNally's

Roast pork, yeah. I left it off the list, figuring I'd try to find the best porchetta in Tuscany. Nevertheless... I've never had a Schmitter, so that's definitely on the list. Maybe at a Phillies game, if not at McNally's itself.

Thanks for the airline info. Massively useful.

Diann · March 3, 2005

Rome!! That's great. Enjoy yourself and eat lots of pasta for me.

Brunch at Lacroix is better than dinner in my opinion.

What about Tony Luke's, John's (still haven't been), cheesesteaks, Vietnam for the sampler platter, Fisher's pretzels, Monk's/any type of beer-and-frites place, Lolita for the amazing margaritas, Smoked Joint for more BBQ, Jamaican food (there's a place I love at 60th and Baltimore), and Chinese food? Just some thoughts in addition to all the things you listed below :)

Oh, and Yann for pastries, perfect bread, desserts... maybe Miel too if you like it. Guess you won't need Capogiro!

Diann · March 3, 2005

Err...ignore Tony Luke's, since I didn't read the previous posts. :hmmm:

Andrew Fenton · March 3, 2005

Jamaican food (there's a place I love at 60th and Baltimore)

What place is this? I remember going by a Jamaican place (that I vaguely remember as being part of a chain) at around 50th and Baltimore. Can't remember the name, and for all I know I could be ten blocks off.

Diann · March 3, 2005

Jamaican food (there's a place I love at 60th and Baltimore)
What place is this? I remember going by a Jamaican place (that I vaguely remember as being part of a chain) at around 50th and Baltimore. Can't remember the name, and for all I know I could be ten blocks off.
←

The chain might be Golden Krust, which is 125 S. 69th St.

I *think* the name of the place I love is Caribbean Cuisine (just based off of this website, which seems to be useful if you've got a hankering for anything Jamaican.)

It's definitely at 60th and Baltimore, in an old trolley station. Basically just a tiny storefront; great patties, oxtail stew (my fave), jerk, doughy white bread (can't remember what it's called), rice and peas, cabbage, roti... haven't tried any of the fish/seafood items yet but they seem to be big sellers. They also have a dinner buffet -- maybe $10 for seven different items that rotate daily or weekly. And they carry Ting and all sorts of Jamaican drinks, yum. They have a sign inside that says they won best of Citypaper or Philadelphia Magazine in 2002 or so (sorry for the terrible memory, I'm all drugged up on cold medicine right now).

MarketStEl · March 5, 2005

I *think* the name of the place I love is Caribbean Cuisine (just based off of this website, which seems to be useful if you've got a hankering for anything Jamaican.)
It's definitely at 60th and Baltimore, in an old trolley station.
←

That wouldn't be the building nestled inside the trolley loop at 61st and Baltimore, would it?

I remember when that place served barbecue. That was many years ago now. Wonder if it still smells as good?

phungi · March 14, 2005

I have to second the importance of eating at DeLorenzo's in Trenton. Perhaps the best pizza in the area. I rank them #1 for a "red" pizza and Taconelli's #1 for their white pie.

Greg Salisbury · March 16, 2005

Hey, Andrew,

If I were heading out of town for an extended period, I would definitely want to grab a Fisher's pretzel in the Terminal before I left. Thanks so much for your list; never even heard of Bell's, but Tim and I will be sure to check it out this week.

Please let us know when you're stopping by the restaurant so we can give you a proper buon viaggio!

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