One day in Philly

[Andrew Fenton]

And-- I'm cringing as I write this-- I have yet to find a gelateria in Italy that is as good as Capogiro.  (There, I said it.)

I must agree with Andrew. I tried ALOT of gelato in Italy and Capogiro ranks way up there so I absolutely do not feel that I am missing out on Italian gelato here in the states. The rosemary goat milk honey is in my book the best flavor on the planet so if they have it - have a taste.

Evan is right about the rosemary goat milk; it's the best. And I should give two caveats to my earlier statement: one, that it's in part because of the presence of unusual flavors-- like rosemary goat milk, or basil-- which you just don't see at Italian places, at least in my experience. For more standard flavors, say, raspberry, the best places I've been to here are at least as good, maybe better. Two is that next week I'm going to a gelateria in Paestum (Campania) that a reliable source tells me is his favorite in the universe.

Still, a trip to Philadelphia without a trip to Capogiro is a trip wasted.

(And I did not know that about Tony Luke's being open on Eagles home game days. How 'bout that?)

[Gastro888]

I've my eye on the pistachio. Ai, Madonna!

[philadining]

READING TERMINAL MARKET IS OPEN THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9TH!! due to there being an enormous dentist convention.

http://readingterminalmarket.org/index.php

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THANK YOU!

WHEEEE HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

<does the dance of joy>

OH YEAH! Gotta love them dentists, eh?

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Ummmm I hate to say it, but THIS coming sunday is the 2nd, not the 9th.... fingers crossed that you're actually coming on the 9th!

[Gastro888]

AIIII! Now it's my turn to be on the short bus. D'OH!

I'm coming this Sunday.

<Sigh>

[Diann]

Sandy, I'll head on over to the SF/NY thread when I get a chance, and proudly advocate for my adopted city.

I hope this doesn't constitute thread hijacking (p.s. to my employers: I do honestly do a lot of work, inbetween posting!) -- but I just wanted to mention that this thread exemplifies my love of the Pennsylvania board. Gastro888 posts this morning and already there's been like twenty-seven recommendations on what he (she?) should go do! Neat.

[stephenc]

I'd go to Ocean harbor for dim sum because that's where I go.

[rlibkind]

Edited to say:

NEVER MIND. Didn't see that others caught date problem earlier.

READING TERMINAL MARKET IS OPEN THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9TH!! due to there being an enormous dentist convention.

http://readingterminalmarket.org/index.php

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Alas, Gastro said he'd be in town this weekend, which is Oct. 1-3, so the RTM being open on Oct. 9 doesn't help him much.

As to who will be open on Oct. 9 when the dentists descend, that's an open question. It's an "optional" open for individual vendors, according to the memo sent by the market manager to individual shopkeepers. My guess is that only a handful of vendors selling food for on-premises consumption will be open, because most of them like the fact that the market is closed on Sundays (the notable exception being Jimmy and Vinnie Iovine, who would love the market to be regularly open on Sundays, as well as later in the evening on weekdays) . As a rough guide, if a vendor is open during Flower Show Sundays, ikt will probably be open for the dentists.

Edited September 26, 2005 by rlibkind (log)

[Gastro888]

GAH! GAH! GAH!

Grrr. I've got to be at the race site at 7am for a @#$! captain's meeting. Anyone know of a great coffeehouse or bakery that's open at the crack of dawn? Lord knows my tail will need some fuel and some good coffee. Otherwise people might catch the short end of my paddle...

Please keep me away from FourBucks if possible!

Edited September 27, 2005 by Gastro888 (log)

[KatieLoeb]

GAH!  GAH!  GAH!

Grrr.  I've got to be at the race site at 7am for a @#$! captain's meeting.  Anyone know of a great coffeehouse or bakery that's open at the crack of dawn?  Lord knows my tail will need some fuel and some good coffee.  Otherwise people might catch the short end of my paddle...

Please keep me away from FourBucks if possible! 

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The only place open at that hour would be a 24/7 diner. Little Pete's at 17th & Chancellor maybe? Unfortunately, La Colombe doesn't open until 7:30.

I presume the race is on the Schuylkill? Where are you staying? Other choices might come to me if I knew what part of town you are in/need to be in.

[Gastro888]

I'm racing at Fairmount Park and staying near Penn's Landing (?).

Is there anything near Fairmount Park?

GAHHHH! 7am meeting time. GAAAAAHHHHH!

[rlibkind]

I've got to be at the race site at 7am for a @#$! captain's meeting.  Anyone know of a great coffeehouse or bakery that's open at the crack of dawn?  Lord knows my tail will need some fuel and some good coffee.

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If it's on a Friday, Mugshots opens at 6:30 a.m.; it's at 21st & Fairmount, just five or six blocks from from Boathouse Row. Alas, on Saturdays it doesn't open 'til 8 a.m.

Don't know of any "great coffeehouse or bakery" open that early on a Saturday morning. If you'll settle just for fuel, there's always WaWa or Dunkin Donuts. They may not be great but the coffee is reliable at both.

Of course, you could always abdicate your captaincy and sleep in!

[Gastro888]

<sighs> Maybe I'll just stop at Starbucks after all...

Uh, no. No can do!

[Gastro888]

<sighs> Maybe I'll just stop at Starbucks after all...

Uh, no. No can do!

[herbacidal]

Okay, given the timing, your best bet is Wawa, one of the best convenience stores around.

There's 3 that might be conveniently on the way.

11th and Arch, border of Chinatown.

17th and Arch.

Map them and your route yourself.

21st and Hamilton.

My gut tells me that this is the best one.

The easiest route for a non local is:

From Penns Landing Hyatt, take Columbus Boulevard/Delaware Ave north to Callowhill/Spring Garden (SG has a mini mart/gas station on the corner, and also a club called Egypt in the GF of a roughly 8 story office building.) Make a left on either street and go to 20th.

Then if you're on Callowhill make right and go one block to Hamilton.

Make a left and the Wawa is at the end of the block.

If you were on Spring Garden, continue another block to 21st and make left. Wawa ahead on left.

From the Wawa, either go south on 21st to the Ben Franklin Parkway where you make a right OR continue on Hamilton to 22nd St where you make a right and then a left on Spring Garden.

Take either the Parkway or Spring Garden to Kelly Drive where you'll make a right. Continue on Kelly to wherever your boat site is.

Edited September 28, 2005 by herbacidal (log)

[Gastro888]

Wow, thanks herbacidal!

I wonder if I can purchase some cheesesteaks for the team for their lunch meal considering either Pat's or Gino's are open 24/7...

[philadining]

I wonder if I can purchase some cheesesteaks for the team for their lunch meal considering either Pat's or Gino's are open 24/7...

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PLEASE do NOT buy cheesesteaks at 6am for consumption hours later. It would be a crime against nature! They really need to be eaten immediately, preferably within seconds of coming off the grill. If you have time mid-day, a high-speed drive across town with them is just barely acceptable, but they'll be half as good. But keep them for more than a half an hour and they won't even resemble their true selves. But around lunchtimes, the lines can be brutal, even though they move fast. Edited September 27, 2005 by philadining (log)

[rlibkind]

I wonder if I can purchase some cheesesteaks for the team for their lunch meal considering either Pat's or Gino's are open 24/7...

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PLEASE do NOT buy cheesesteaks at 6am for consumption hours later.

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What philadining said. A better alternative: hoagies! They can even be better the second day if you stick with oil/vinegar rather than mayo. Lots of good places to get them. I'll let others add their favorites, but mine are:

Salumeria at the Reading Terminal Market (get them with artichokes and house dressing).

Chickie's Deli, Federal near 10th.

Sarcone's Deli, 9th and Fitzwater.

[Andrew Fenton]

A better alternative: hoagies! They can even be better the second day if you stick with oil/vinegar rather than mayo. Lots of good places to get them. I'll let others add their favorites, but mine are:

Salumeria at the Reading Terminal Market (get them with artichokes and house dressing).

Chickie's Deli, Federal near 10th.

Sarcone's Deli, 9th and Fitzwater.

Bob is a wise man, and you should listen to his wise words. These are my hoagie triumvirate as well: the triple suns that blaze in the hoagie firmament.

Chickie's and Sarcone's are similar in style (at Chickie's, get the Chickie Special, the Italian tuna, or the veggie hoagie; at Sarcone's go with whatever feels right). Salumeria is different in style-- nothing comparable to it in Philadelphia, as far as I know. The artichokes and house dressing make for a wet hoagie (which might make for a problem after a night in the fridge). Now, if you want to really carbo-load before the race, try the lima bean hoagie, if they have it.

[Gastro888]

Oh, thanks! Great idea. Are these places anywhere near Penn's Landing?

[rlibkind]

Oh, thanks!  Great idea.  Are these places anywhere near Penn's Landing?

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What day/time do you plan to pick up the hoagies?

[Gastro888]

I'm arriving Friday night (probably around 8-9ish)...I doubt any are open at 6am on Saturday morning? LOL

[Gastro888]

OK, so we're going to have a hoagie runner on Saturday. Whee hee!

No need for me to make a sandwich run. Thank God for small favors.

And as for the b-fast issue, I'm going to buy some FourBucks coffee somewhere and bring a mooncake and/or joong (zongzi) (rice tamale).

Now...to handle the dinner issue. Gah, I hope I can find a place that accomodates about 15 people on Saturday night. Raddicho doesn't take reservations, so I'm SOL. Hmm.

Oh, I can't wait to try the cheesesteaks tonight at Pat and Gino's! Yum.

[KatieLoeb]

OK, so we're going to have a hoagie runner on Saturday.  Whee hee!

No need for me to make a sandwich run.  Thank God for small favors.

And as for the b-fast issue, I'm going to buy some FourBucks coffee somewhere and bring a mooncake and/or joong (zongzi) (rice tamale).

Now...to handle the dinner issue.  Gah, I hope I can find a place that accomodates about 15 people on Saturday night.  Raddicho doesn't take reservations, so I'm SOL.  Hmm.

Oh, I can't wait to try the cheesesteaks tonight at Pat and Gino's!  Yum.

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Send your hoagie runner to Chickie's Deli. The Tuna Special is amazing, the Chickie's Special is awesome and they make the best Vegetarian sandwich known to man - the Roasted Veggie Hoagie.

Forget Pat's and Geno's unless you're going for the "touristy atmosphere". If you're going for the food head to Tony Luke's at Front & Oregon Avenue. They have a killer version of the fabled Roast Pork Italiano (Roast Pork, Broccoli Rabe and Aged Provolone) and also make an excellent cheesesteak. You could try both!

[Gastro888]

Oooh. A dilema. Hmm. Maybe we'll just bite the bullet and go to Tony Luke's. I dunno.

Anyone know of a good, reasonably priced place like Raddicho that DOES take reservations for Saturday? Any help would be greatly, greatly appreciated. Grazie!

[herbacidal]

I think your best bet for a Saturday ressie for 15 is one of the South Philly BYOBs. There may be other available tables around, but as far as playing the percentages, that's where I'd go.

L'Angolo, Tre Scalini, Nido, etc.

Link to Nido info below.

http://citypaper.net/articles/2005-09-08/food.shtml

The other alternative is to carry around a list of the locations, phone numbers and names of 4-8 BYOBs and call them about an hour before you think you'll get there call and see if they'll have room.

I do wonder if any of them will be at the original price range of 20-30 before tax and tip.

I expect they're more like 40.

Capogiro might be best to do when you're done cheesesteaks.

I think Pat's and Geno's is fine for a Philly cheesesteak virgin, especially since at the other dinner you'll be siting more formally in a tablecloth restaurant.