February 11–18, 1999

food

Fire and Ice

These days, with the weather zooming up to 60 degrees one day and down to 20 the next, it's hard to know how to dress. But that's nothing compared to the really crucial question, namely: what's for dessert?

On hot winter nights, you might want to cool down with The Misty. I first encountered this spectacular concoction on New Year's Eve at the South Philly Vietnamese restaurant Nam Phuong, where my friends and I noticed a neighboring table oohing and aahing over a billowing cloud of smoke—not residue from the New Year's fireworks outside but an edible creation.

"I'll have what they had," said a fellow at another table, pointing at the white swirling mass. It wasn't long before just about everyone in the restaurant had to order the cheap-thrill dessert.

Nam Phuong offers The Misty most nights a week for the mere price of $2. It's a simple idea—chocolate ice cream truffles in a bowl surrounded by another bowl of dry ice—but a very popular one.

"My partner stole the idea from a restaurant in France," says waiter Howie Diep, who's in charge of desserts. "Over here I think we're the only ones doing it. Kids love it. Adults, too. If I bring out one, everybody will have one."

Nam Phuong, which is excellent for dinner as well, also serves traditional tasties like coconut Jell-O, fried ice cream, flan and banana fritters.

But say you're more in the mood for sweets with heat—the place to go right now is The Five Spot.

The swinging Old City supper club offers a few flaming entrees (like Steak Diane) prepared from a tableside cart, but firing up desserts is their forte; they even have a dedicated flambé/barback boy. But our waitress said she loves doing the tableside cooking herself—we called her our flambabe.

First she whipped up some Bananas Foster ($8.75), scrumptiously soaked in dark rum, flambéed and poured over ice cream. We devoured it like wolves. Then our flambabe prepared the Strawberries Romanoff ($8.50)—the fresh berries had a bit of fraises des bois liqueur mixed in and were also served over ice cream. The flamboy came over to help with the Crepes Suzettes ($8.50), four thin, rolled-up pancakes soaked with Cointreau, Grand Marnier and bits of candied orange rind. (Also available, though we didn't try it: Cherries Jubilee.)

So forget the thermometer. No matter what the weather, there's a just dessert.

-Margit Detweiler

Nam Phuong, 746 Christian St., 215-629-4002. The Five Spot, 5 S. Bank St., 215-574-0070.