|
|
|
Notes from the Weekend: January 21
Pork belly, pork butt, plenty of punch plus a new NFTWer on this week's Notes from the Weekend!
Notes from the Weekend: January 21
Notes from the Weekend is a feature that sees the members of Team Meal Ticket compiling all the food/drink highlights uncovered during prime eatin' time, Friday to Sunday. We'd love to hear all about YOUR weekend eating adventures in the comments. Go for it! (View past NFTW installments at citypaper.net/notes.) And while we've got your attention please say hello to new MT intern/NFTWer Zoe Kirsch!
Adam Erace: AE
Caroline Russock: CR
Zoe Kirsch: ZK
On Friday afternoon I headed out on a Southeast Asian by way of South Philly eating tour with friend of MT Hawk Krall. Starting out at Hardena/Waroeng Surabaya we did some awesome ginger fried chicken and a rice plate with coconut milk-braised collards, lamb and goat stew and some holy moly amazing crispy potatoes and anchovies. Next Stop was Khmer Kitchen for sah-law ka-koe, a papaya and pumpkin stew, off the menu eggplant sauteed with ground pork and the totally bizarre and intriguing nyum sabdau, a salad made of bitter flower leaves tossed with tamarind, mint and basil. later on in the evening it was a couple of Builleit ryes at The North Star for The Soft Moon show.—CR
I had to run by Esposito's in the Italian Market for a pork butt on Friday, where a bacon-wrapped lamb roast caught my eye. I grabbed that as well and cooked it up for dinner. The oven turned the bacon crispy, rendering off fat that gilded the lamb in salty, smoky goodness. All it needed was some fresh parsley and lemon zest.—AE
On Friday, my school sent four busloads of students to a Sixers game. Buzzing with city-pride, we took seat beneath the net and watched our team initially flail and subsequently dominate against the Toronto Raptors. Overtime for the win happened. Needless to say, stadium food is a ludicrously overpriced thing (no thank you, ten dollar fries), but I found dinner in the form of a mint-chip ice cream and a Shock Top beer. Palatable and nutritious!—ZK
Saturday afternoon I stuck close to home heading around the corner to the South Philly Taproom for a smoked cheddar and bacon topped burger and a Kenzinger. A little later in the day I indulged my love of all things Korean and headed up to the hilariously named Everyday Good House in Olney with my buddy Cristina for a totally over the top meal that started with killer ban chan and moved on to bo ssam, table top barbecued beef and intestines, bulgogi stew and perhaps the most incredible thing ever: dukbokki, rice cake and fish cake simmered in a chile sauce and topped off with loads of cheese. Sounds weird, right? Well, yeah, but probably the best drunk/hangover/ food ever. Back in the city we did stomache-settling after diner drinks at Jose Pistolas.—CR
Taco night at mi casa with the cousins on Saturday night. I braisedthat pork butt in pineapple puree (sick!), and did chicken tinga de pollo-style; I strained off and cooled the chicken's braising liquid and added it to michelada mix (double sick!), one of several alcoholic options. Lupo the Dog enjoyed the sherried Lambrusco sangria.—AE
On Saturday succumbed to my basest instincts and returned to the Marrakesh Express Food Truck for the third day in a row. It’s a block from my hood, and their Shawarma sandwiches are too good to pass up. My go-to is the chicken, but was feeling rebellious by lunchtime so I tackled the fish version. Six bucks bought flaky tilapia, crunchy lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and tangy pickles, all tucked into a sweet pita and drenched in spicy (but not hot) sauce. Filling, delicious, and a total deal to boot.—ZK
A few warm up margaritas at the Cantina before heading south on Passyunk for Le Virtu's outdoor Abruzzese winter fest, La Cottora. Steaming cups of Super Punch (I have no idea what was in here aside from Super Punch but it was damned good) kept us warm-ish while sampling SPTR/ASB's Scott Schroeder made tripe sandwiches, braised lamb shanks from Stateside's George Sabatino and wonderful porchetta and a pasta and bean soup from LV's Joe Cicala. To counter the rapidly dropping temperatures I retreated to Lucky 13 for a nightcap and then back to the Taproom for another one.—CR
Leftovers Sunday: That braised pork made a very nice addition to grits in the morning. Followed that up with a trip to Federal Donuts on Sansom for a half-order of honey ginger chicken. Perfectly cooked, moist and crispy. With a soda, donut, tax and tip, it cost $11. That is a steal people; I could barely finish the basket.—AE
Sunday afternoon my buddy “needed” to go to the Apple Store to get a new computer case, so I snagged a ride with him on the condition that we get something to eat. En route, we decided it was criminal to live in Philly and never have tasted a cheesesteak. We righted that pronto with a pit stop at Geno’s, where I learned what all the fuss is about. Waiting in line took ten minutes, but receiving my sandwich took less than one. Bread, meat, provolone cheese, and onions have never tasted so sweet. I piled it high with cherry peppers, relish, and ketchup. A word to the wise regarding the hot sauce – a little goes a long way, douse the sandwich if you dare.—ZK
- barstool scientist
- Booze
- Brew Revue
- Chef Salad
- Closings
- Coffee
- Contests
- Dealage
- Dirty Dishes
- Don't Front
- Eat This Immediately
- Field Trip
- Food and Art
- Food and Holidays
- Food and Movies
- Food and Music
- Food and Politics
- Food and Sports
- Food and Web
- Food Blogs
- Food Books
- Food Events
- Food News
- Food TV
- Gifted
- Happy Hour Hopper
- How-To
- In Print
- Interview
- Meal Ticket
- Menu Time
- Not So Quickfire
- Notes from the Weekend
- On Wheels
- Openings
- Patio Drinking
- Philly Beer Week 2010
- Photos
- Private Chef POV
- Product Placement
- Recipes
- Snack Time
- Stiff Drank
- SUPPER
- Tea
- Testing
- Ticket Stubs
- Top Chef
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Video
- Weekly Candy
- Weird Regional Foods
- We're Here to Help
- Where'd We Eat?
- Drew Lazor's Ill-Advised Rant Factory
- Pregame
- Ill-Advised Ranting
- The Week Without Meat
- Philly Beer Week 2009
- Real Big
- Where'd I Eat Last Night?
- Top Chef Masters
- The Good Word
- Next Iron Chef
- Arterial Terrorism
- Food and Radio
