Snack Bar!

[Holly Moore]

If anyone is forming a group sans wine toting requirement, I'm interested

[lfabio2007]

Aha! This is just what I was looking for. Now I need an excuse to stay until the 1st...

[NaFairge]

wine pairing $20. 3 oz pour.

1. terrazo pinot grigio

2. fuchs gruener veltliner (bridging with 3rd)

3.

4. bonny doon rose

5. spires barrosa valley shiraz

6. dow's lbv *

*2 oz pour

for tasting menu october 1 2007.

[philadining]

Those pairings offer a great alternative, especially for smaller parties.

That was my main concern about the $20 per person corkage: that price is totally reasonable, even generous, for folks intending to match each course, opening several bottles, which is easier at big tables. But it could be a little daunting for, say, a party of 4 that just wants to open two bottles.

Being able to spend that same money and get matched wines (at at an appropriate-sized pour for a monday night!) is an excellent solution, thanks for offering it!

This makes it even more heartbreaking that I'm tied-up that night, I'm SO bummed to have to miss it. Somebody's got to take some pictures!

[NaFairge]

you will be missed sir. hopefully shola will bring his camera!!!!!

[mattohara]

yes! pairings ahoy! thanks for thinking of the little people.

i'd be taking pictures phil, but it looks like we've misplaced the official findingphilly camera. !@#$

[Andrew Fenton]

Indeed, the pairings sound terrific: both price and serving size sound ideal.

This is going to be fun...

[percyn]

you will be missed sir. hopefully shola will bring his camera!!!!!

←

I would be happy to bring along a backup camera....just in case (you can never have too many pictures of good food).

[mrbigjas]

i have one as well, that i can bring.

[lfabio2007]

Assuming there still are seats, we'll be there.

[Holly Moore]

Perhaps instead of charging for corkage, with all the potential cameras being toted, Snack Bar would do better with a flashage fee.

[NaFairge]

space is available!! please email jam@phillysnackbar.com to reserve. thanks for all the support guys.

[lfabio2007]

Mail was sent. I am afraid I'll need a reply though.

[lfabio2007]

Reply received.. see everyone at 20,00.

[lfabio2007]

And see everyone we did! It was good to put faces to names.

A more thorough post will follow tomorrow morning, but I just wanted to state that the meal was such that we're looking forward to the next tasting. Very well done.

[mattohara]

damn. i so wanted to be first post.

i'll put my pics up tomorrow night but i'm sure they're not as good as percy's.

[philadining]

What?!?! Are you people sleeping rather than editing and posting pictures?!?!

you must have no compassion for the rest of us...

[I_call_the_duck]

^^And what about us poor folk who couldn't make it?

[percyn]

Will post the pics and then come back to add notes. I welcome the other diners to comment and post their pics as well..

Tried to keep the flash at a minimum so as not to disturb other diners. Matt, I am including some of your images so that people can get a full appreciation for the dishes.

Started with a Pimms Iced Tea - as discussed upthread, this clean, crisp cocktail can sneak up on you. Given that I was also going for the wine pairing, I opted not to finish the entire cocktail...just 7/8ths of it

Hamachi crudo. campari caviar. passionfruit. preserved orange. - For me, the bold acidic flavors from the passionfruit, orange and campari slightly over powered the Hamachi, though I am not complaining too much.

terrazo pinot grigio

Not-so-tossed salad. shiitake soil. toasted lager viniagrette. - An awesome dish not only in presentation, but the flavors of the vegetables reminded me of a dish I had at L'Arpege. Great textures and flavors from the vegetables and "mushroom soil".

fuchs gruener veltliner

Chicken wing confit. eggplant. white chocolate-goat cheese. - Why doesn't every pub/bar serve these? Crispy on the outside, tender and moist on the inside with the quintessential chicken flavor.

fuchs gruener veltliner

Poached black cod 'albufera'. pumpernickel. sour cherries. - The cod was done just right. The flavor combinations worked as well, provided you did not eat an entire sour cherry with it.

bonny doon rose

Lamb top-round (csv). chickpea yoghurt. minted consomme. - I have made a similar dish with chestnut puree but never thought about serving the jus infused with tea in a shot glass. Will have to borrow that one Johnny.

spires barrosa valley shiraz

Bleu des lacqueilles. port wine brulee. cocoa. - Nice idea to "brulee" the port, though the cocoa nibs did not shine through.

dow's lbv

Treacle pudding. shortbread. earl grey foam. - Nice, though the syrup was a bit too sweet, even for my sweet tooth.

Edited October 3, 2007 by percyn (log)

[alwang]

Looks tasty: wish I coulda been there...

[mattohara]

i completely ignored others around me in a horrible faux pas of food-photo-taking, which i know has been discussed elsewhere on Teh eG.

So as not to overload the thread with duplicate photos here's a link to my photos from the night.

I was really excited about the treacle pudding, never having had it before. It was nice to have a new dessert with such contrasting textures and some new flavors.

The not-so-tossed salad was our other favorite. Great presentation and the SV veggies/fruit were nicely contrasting with straightforward and complementary flavors. My first "soil" as well. Much more yummy than expected.

I also really enjoyed the cod dish's flavor combination.

[docsconz]

Looks like it was a great meal at a great price.

Johnny, what does the term "albufera" signify for the cod. I know the Albufera just south of Valencia is the major rice growing area of Spain.

[Holly Moore]

Looks like it was a great meal at a great price.

Johnny, what does the term "albufera" signify for the cod. I know the Albufera just south of Valencia is the major rice growing area of Spain.

←

Yes, that was the irony. There was no rice.

[NaFairge]

for me: albufera=chicken consomme fortified with sherry, foie gras and clotted cream.

granted, this is a version from jean georges a friend showed me.

i have seen some recipes that are very different than this, however, i feel that this is the basic foundation.

of it's spanish connection i would assume that a chef in the region 'coined' it and it has nothing to do with rice to my knowledge.

[docsconz]

for me: albufera=chicken consomme fortified with sherry, foie gras and clotted cream.

granted, this is a version from jean georges a friend showed me.

i have seen some recipes that are very different than this, however, i feel that this is the basic foundation.

of it's spanish connection i would assume that a chef in the region 'coined' it and it has nothing to do with rice to my knowledge.

←

Thanks, Johnny. The dish sounds and looks great. I wish I could have been there to try it. Then again, as a Mets fan it is probably just as well that I am nowhere near Philly at the moment!