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Top Ten Feastival moments
Check out A.D Amorosi's top Feastival highlights.
Top Ten Feastival moments
Audrey Claire Taichman and fellow restaurateurs Stephen Starr and Michael Solomonov created Feastival to aid and assist the finances of Nick Stuccio’s Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe. And there was certainly Fringe factor to be found throughout the third annual Feastival, from the silver-painted nude dancers atop the entrance of Pier 9 to the twirling acrobats too near to the bar area (if you make a wave in my strong vodka gimlet from Farmer’s Cabinet, you’re too twirly). There was also a show of Rendell Power to be found in passing of the philanthropic torch to Ed Rendell’s son Jesse and his bride, Beka, the two unofficial co-hosts of the night.
Mostly though, it was one of the best shows of Philly’s food power with some ninety-plus chefs and restaurants bringing their A game and/or their best new stuff to the collective tables. The whole of Feastival was a vibrant and cool scene even if you couldn’t avoid bumping elbows with chefs you loved (I’ll move into Brauhaus Schmitz if Jeremy Nolen will keep making that foie gras liverwurst in red currant-shallot preserve).
There were lots of scallop dishes, lots of salmon, lots of meatballs, lots of pork bellies (and I don’t mean the folks here who gorged themselves) and several rabbits.
1) Seeing restaurateur Stephen Starr hanging with his one time nemesis and now old friend Larry Magid and the respective wives. I was upset that cameraman Scott Weiner hadn’t arrived when the pair held their confab but there are always memories to be cherished in the mind’s eye, you know.
2) While I was excited by Morimoto’s poached salmon in a corn sauce with edamame, the hands down winner of the scallops stakes went to Tashan, who did pan seared diver scallop with a mildly spicy green tomato chutney. Plus Tashan’s Malai Koffa lollipop with a dollop of cashew tomato sauce was a nice addition to chef Sylva Senat’s proceedings
3) Seeing ex-City Paper Meal Ticket scribe Drew Lazor in a suit and hanging with ex-Meme man David Katz, uhm, nowhere near a suit
4) Stateside’s vodka cured Skuna Bay salmon with crispy horseradish curls, pickled shishito pepper and melon was the first thing that I ate upon entry. So good, I went back for seconds.
5) Luckily, right next door to Stateside was Percy Street Barbecue and its juicy brisket and sauerkraut sandwiches, not too much kraut, nicely thick slices of brisket. You didn’t need to go too far to taste another of PSB chief Solomonov’s delights; Federal Donuts was right around the corner frying to order.
6) Rabbit agnolotti from Le Virtu. Braised rabbit with white beans from Bar Ferdinand. Sorry bunny buddies.
7) The lamb and kale meatballs from Talula’s Garden were great but D’Angelo’s Italian Restaurant in the Rittenhouse made Sicilian meatballs (both fried without gravy or juiced in chunky tomato sauce) just like the ones my four aunts and my mom fought over to win the Best Amorosi Meatball Battle. D’Angelo’s wins on sentiment and taste.
8) Matyson‘s smoked salmon with quinoa – yes, please.
9) The crispy chicken liver from Melograno was a shocking delight. Are all of the items on its menu this good? I must return.
10) Did I mention the absolute perfection of Brauhaus Schmitz’s foie gras liverwurst? I did. And I should again.
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