Notes from the Weekend: May 3

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Notes from the Weekend: May 3

POSTED: Monday, May 3, 2010, 7:00 PM
Filed Under: Notes from the Weekend
Notes from the Weekend is a new Monday feature that sees the members of Team Meal Ticket compiling all the food/drink highlights uncovered during prime eatin' time, Friday to Sunday. Consider this a place for good deals, great dishes, wicked cocktails, recipe triumphs (and tragedies), bizarro conversations and more. We're eager to share our notes, but especially excited to read yours. We encourage you to leave notes from YOUR weekend in the comments. Have at it!
FD: Felicia D'Ambrosio MD: Marie DiFeliciantonio AH: Alexandra Harcharek DL: Drew Lazor
Photo | Drew Lazor
A longer-than-average bike hike from Old City to Kensington called for some mid-trip refreshment: Ate some excellent fish and chips and sipped a $6 Pliny the Elder at Memphis Taproom (2331 E. Cumberland St.) Friday afternoon. Talked to bartender Keith about pizza art (more on that soon). High-grav beers are perhaps not the wisest method of hydration when pedaling multiple miles in 85-degree-plus heat but it tasted super-good going down so I can live with that. —DL Lifted glasses with Collin Flatt for his 30th birthday party at Ladder 15 (1528 Sansom St.) Friday evening, where David Ansill busted out some treats and surprises for his biggest fan (see AH's note below). Then got gluten-free full at Daniel McLaughlin's big event — our favorites were his tender sweet potato gnocchi and almond scone gilded with strawberry-rhubarb compote and agave-sweetened whipped cream. —FD
Photo | Alexandra Harcharek
I was wholly impressed by the food and brew at Ladder 15. We popped in to help celebrate Collin Flatt's birthday on Friday, and the spread was beyond extraordinary: beef kimchi tacos, oxtail cheesesteak, roasted whole Branzino, steak tartar with quail eggs, bone marrow and chicken liver pate on toasts and more. Now if they'd only bring back the buffalo lollipops. —AH Spent wayyy too much dough at Di Bruno's (1730 Chestnut St.) on Friday for at-home Happy Hour preparations. Bought a stinkified aged Taleggio reduced to $9.99 a pound (regularly $15.99) that was too immoderately luxurious to finish. Proper wrapping technique: wax paper then foil. I'm saving its goodness for a risotto rendezvous. —MD Soho Pizza (218 Market St.) became the love of my life when I discovered that they were open until 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday. A slice of buffalo chicken pizza was just right to fuel my drunken SEPTA trek back home. —AH Saturday I checked out the Piazza's Restaurant Weekend and farmers market. Had lunch with friends at P.Y.T., and by lunch, I mean cheese fries and a Juan Valdez (milkshake with espresso ice cream, Kahlua and Patron). Scarfed down my food before venturing stageside to peep 10 fatties scarf down theirs in Tommy Up's burger-eating competition. "Tiger Wings and Things" devoured nine burgers, buns and his competition with ease. —MD The boyfriend's family blazed into Philly on Saturday, and we did what we always do: eat before we eat. Having put away a spread of baba ganouj, hummus and Bulgarian feta from Bitar's (947 Federal St.), we slowly walked to Zahav (237 St. James Place) for even more Middle Eastern delights. The Mesibah (party time!) menu is $42 per person and includes salatim, hummus, a variety of small plates, a whole lamb shoulder roasted meltingly tender and your own dessert. Once the adults toddled off the bed, the kids rallied at the P.O.P.E. (1501 E. Passyunk Ave.)., where our helpful waitress Angie got us into the competitive outdoor-table market, then kicked us back inside at 1 a.m. —FD
Photo | Drew Lazor
After snapping some photos at Amuse, skipped two blocks down to Reading Terminal Market (12th and Arch streets) for a long-overdue visit. (Shoutout to Nate from tastebuds and tidbits, who I ran into at Fair Food Farmstand.) Got a long-time love — roast pork with sharp provolone and rabe from DiNic's — and discovered a new fave nosh: the fried shrimp po'boy from Beck's Cajun Café. The Creole mayo on that thing is ridiculous. I could eat three. —DL I had intentions of walking Walnut Street's Rittenhouse Row Festival but I napped too long and only caught the tail end, so I kept it moving down to Jose Pistola's (263 S. 15th St.) for a sunrise burrito stuffed with eggs and hash browns. Found a good breakfast beer in Allagash White. —MD Saturday night, surprise birthday shindig for a buddy, where his girlie made us fried chicken and cupcakes. They also had a bag of Nerds Bumpy Jelly Beans in their candy bowl and I ate 6,000 of them. —DL After what seems like 500 years, I finally had a free evening and an empty kitchen. Whipped up a quickie dinner with Al Fresco's jalapeno-infused chicken sausage, sauteed with garlic, kale and onions and scooped into an Amoroso's roll. Damn good. —AH Two friends moved up my street this weekend and I thought I'd be awesome and offer my services for breakfast. Cheese omelettes are a simple crowd pleaser, especially if you can get the flip-in-the-pan trick down. —MD New rule #864: Sunday brunch at Café Estelle (444 N. Fourth St.) is not complete unless everyone gets a side of Marshall Green's homemade scrapple. —FD Resurrection Ale House (2425 Grays Ferry Ave.) Sunday night for a bite or two. Sipped on a $5 Pliny the Elder (smaller pour than Memphis'!) and watched the Phils' lineup decimate the ball while I decimated balls made of lamb. —DL

Johnny Utah
Posted 2010-05-03 14:28:03
So Friday I planted a bodacious container garden on my deck (which I will write about on notes from the weekend hopefully in july to sept), after planting i was scolded to come inside and get ready for Daniel's Gluten free dinner as you're not allowed in with dirt under EVERY fingernail.  So I washed every other one for effect and enjoyed a killer gluten free feast.  Double dinner on Saturday was a family in town for my birthday that was last week situation.  Bitar's + Zahav + The Pope + Bed + Cafe Estelle = Fat, happy, and a pleasant year older.  I will now fast until next weekend.

Bogus

-Johnny

Andy
Posted 2010-05-03 14:35:23
Banana and water before running Broad St.  Vaca frita burrito from El Vez after, with a Sly Fox Dunkel Lager.  Waited a couple hours, hit up Tria for Sunday School.  Birchrun cream cheese and strawberries on baguette with a couple glasses of Arneis.  Then polished off most of a Kennett from Zavino and a couple slices of the Rosa.  Successful day.

I'm blotting out memory of Saturday.  Rittenhouse Row festival was super crowded, and some restaurants (looking at you Prime Rib) are charging too much for mediocre product.  It shouldn't be a profit center, more of an advertisement.  Skimpy portions and escalating prices mean this might be one I skip next year.

Bee
Posted 2010-05-03 14:45:48
I finally got to 500 Degrees (1504 Sansom) on Friday. I could eat 500 500 Burgers, medium-rare (as recommended), with truffle fries. The burger is sized awesomely, it was juicy and either the special sauce or the crisp bacon added the perfect salty note. Saturday we hit up Sabrina's Café (1804 Callowhill) for breakfast and I devoured the Apple & Cheddar Omelet. One word: YUMMY. Two more words: hipster central! Saturday night we went to one of my all-time favorite suburban spots, Parc Bistro (4067 Skippack Pike, Skippack). Food coma brought on by Aaron's Arrogant Mussels, Wagyu Beef Brisket Boeuf Bourguignon & Lemon Tartlet. City food in the burbs – go get it, kids!

Molly Eichel
Posted 2010-05-03 15:18:02
I hate on them all the time, but Vesuvio's all-beer-for-$4 deal is pretty sweet, considering how huge their list is ($4 Fin du Monde? Yes, please). Also drank too much Franzia Crisp white because I'm a baller. On Sunday, my brother made softshell crab po' boys and plantains with some kind of green, ungodly good mayo. How come he can do that and I can only make popcorn?

bh
Posted 2010-05-03 16:23:37
Friday: Post-work cocktails at Continental. I started with the Sweet Manhattan and my gf the Sidecar. We got our tumblers confused and on our second pour, ended up with a strange, yet not repugnant, Manhattan/Sidecar hybrid. Followed that up with an aviation, another sidecar and a plate of Korean tacos. Had less interesting fare at Campbell's field for the Riversharks home opener, but was pleased that there was a choice of Yards — Brawler and Philly Pale Ale (I think) — on tap.

Saturday: Trekked out to West Chester to see Lidia Bastianich speak at a WHYY event. But first we hit WHYY where Mike McGrath took a break from his show and the station's pledge drive to take pity on my pathetic gardening attempts and plied me with tomato plants. That evening we transplanted his Brandywine, Tie Dye and Strawberry tomatoes and put our sickly little rootbound seedlings into their own pots in hopes that maybe they'll rally.

Sunday: Hit the opening of the Headhouse Farmers Market which was crazy packed. Bought salami from Talula's Table, incredible fig and gorgonzola bread from Wild Flour, strawberries from AT Buzby, radishes from Culton Organics (whose Tom Culton wore a pheasant-feather fertility headdress), cheeses from Birchrun and Hillacres, pea shoots, mushrooms and scallions from Queen's Farm. Waited in line for the way-in-the-weeds Renaissance Sausage and it was definitely worth it. After hitting up Zoe Strauss' final Under I-95, wandered over to Hawthornes' way-packed IPA block party and got a pint of Russian River's Pliny the Elder not long before it kicked.

poncho
Posted 2010-05-03 16:42:51
I was treated to a delicious lunch by my live-in-lover on Sunday before the ridiculously good Koresh dance show.  We ate pan-roasted grouper with lemon and thyme and salad with english peas, radish, tomato, cucumber, carrots and bleu cheese and polishes it off with glasses of Crios rose.

jason
Posted 2010-05-03 17:11:05
if you're like me and prefer to drink your breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner, might I suggest a delicious shot I learned this weekend at a friends engagement party (i was told its called "the wedding shot" but google is really shitting the bed on that one). 
it is as follows : pour yourself a shot of tequila, grab a slice of lime, cover one side of said lime with sugar, the other with finely ground espresso beans. take shot, eat lime, repeat, repeat, sleep in.  just in time for cinco de mayo (which is Spanish for frat party).

Carolyn Huckabay
Posted 2010-05-03 17:25:46
Lunched at the POPE Saturday -- split a breakfast sandwich, brunch burrito and scrapple, plus lots of water since it was a million degrees. For dinner ate Cinnamon Toast Crunch and peanut M&Ms. Yeah.

Sunday woke up early to cheer on the Broad Street Runners, and grabbed an iced-coffee-extra-ice and a croissant from Green Eggs Cafe. Saw at least one runner eyeing me jealously; felt kinda mean. Grabbed a vanilla Rita's to cool off en route to Hawthorne's block party, where I drank a Lost Abbey Devotion and pet lots of cute dogs. Pizza made with farmers-market-bought ingredients for dinner.

LeeAnne
Posted 2010-05-03 18:14:23
Had lunch on Friday at Kanella. Delicious. I opted for the scramble special and the chef obliged to my request of egg whites. Scramble came out with the aforementioned whites, dill, fennel, asparagus, artichokes and feta. It was delicious and what I plan to make for dinner this week on Wednesday, subbing pasta for the egg whites. Boyfriend had the standard Kanella breakfast. 

Went to Franklin Fountain midday for some peppermint chip ice cream and a root beer float with ginger ice cream for the boy. 

Dinner on Friday night was at Snackbar. It was fantastic. We told the staff we were celebrating something special and the chef agreed to a tasting menu. It was interesting because we were served different dishes for every course so we got to taste a total of 12 dishes! Some of the highlights included curried octopus with pickled mango, mango puree and jasmine rice; a bowl of delicious, plump mussels with kimchi on top; flat bread with egg yolk, peas, cheese and bacon; lobster roll on brioche; and venison carpaccio with blueberries. They also have a delicious peach belini and good people watching outside. 

Saturday morning breakfast was at Sabrina's where I had the egg white omelette with pears, brie, sundried tomato and caramelized leeks. Boyfriend had the veggie Rueben which was not as good as my omelette but the sweet potato fries stole the entire show. Coffee was weak. 

Saturday lunch was found at Citizen's Bank Park at the Phillies game and dinner was at Whole Foods' Cold Point Pub in Plymouth Meeting. I just love the wine setup there. 

Sunday was a stay at home and eat a lot of salad kind of day. :)

Emily
Posted 2010-05-03 19:57:09
Friday night had wine at Vintage because Zavino was too crowded - hour wait for an outside table but looked fun.   Saturday ate a yummy and over-priced crab cake at Butcher & Singer stall at the Rittenhouse Row Festival. Drank Bluemoon Summer Ale as we walked and people watched.  Another beer at Varga.  Roasted tomatoes in the oven all day even though it was WAY too hot for that- still great.  Sunday checked out Headhouse and was bummed no tacos from the Taqueria truck.  Walked down to South Philly to find them and they are sadly different tasting at the store itself.  Luckily, tacos will be back next Sunday for those who love.

Keep it up!  I love people dishing on their weekend eats...

rascal b. schuylkillian
Posted 2010-05-04 00:27:20
well...i know this is notes from the weekend and all, but my weekend was spent not eating crazy or much, because I indulged during the week while in San Diego, and I think its worth noting the left coast nommings.  

First night dined at neighborhood (San Diego's sidecar) - ate something called the local animal, which I still dream about. An open faced sammie on A toasted over-sized hotdog bun, melted guyere, arugula, fried egg, berkshire dog and topped with pork braised with peppers and onions and mustard-molasses glaze.  Side of sweet potato fries.  absolutely insane.  Made even better when washed down with lost abbey's angel share a most potent american strong ale.  a nice night cap of four roses bourbon sealed the deal.

day 2 included a fantastic crab cake BLT for lunch at the historic hotel del coronado on coronado island. sidled by an interesting watermelon cocktail.  Two strange things - the T on my crabcake BLT was seriously like 2" thick; and the seagulls ate leftovers off the tables.  Kinda skanky for a really posh beach front dining patio.  Because work was light that day...I headed over to Mission beach for an early dinner and beach stroll.  after walking a few miles on the beach, I hit up PB Surf for a beer and tacos.  one shrimp and one fried halibut taco.  Went perfectly with a Stone IPA as I watched the sunset over the ocean.  Tacos were good...but nothing amazing.

day three...back in the gaslamp district for dinner.  started at la puerta, had these insane carne asada covered french fries.  Sauted steak, pickled penos, cilantro crema, salsa, guac....absolutely gut-busting!  being my last night, I had to go back to neighborhood one more time before I left San Diego.  I had fennel frites, another angel's share from lost abbey and avery's imperial IPA.  perfect.

couldn't recommend neighborhood enough.  I also love the fact that they consider themselves a beer bar and will only make TWO different cocktails.  that's it.  A great beer/whisky selection and some funny jesus motifs make it a place I would frequent constantly if it were in Philly...

Drew Lazor
Posted 2010-05-04 01:06:59
rascal b. schuylkillian:

Neighborhood definitely sounds awesome and like a place I would like too. That sandwich sounds ridiculous! I was just in SD in February for the first time. My favorite spots that we visited were The Linkery, Burger Lounge, Aero Club and Hamilton's, the latter two being the bars with some badass Philly-caliber craft beer selections (moreso Hamilton's...Aero more had a nice whiskey lineup). Would love to go back...G and H, are you listening?

Michelle C.
Posted 2010-05-04 15:44:06
Better late than never!

Saturday morning, hit up the Collingswood Farmer's Market and picked up a basil plant.  Went to my mom's house later to find that she had bought (a much more lush) one for me that day, also.  The family had a Pre-Broad Street Run pasta dinner with supplies from Georgetti's in Cinnaminson (even better than Severino - trust).  We dined on regular and whole wheat pasta, marinara sauce, meat sauce, pesto sauce, roasted chicken, salad and fresh baguettes.  Fantastic!  

Sunday, peanut butter on wheat toast and ten miles of torture, followed by a beer-b-que back at my parents' house.  Light bites and more brews at the Pour House in Collingswood.  Back at my place, I passed out WITH A BEER IN MY HAND on the couch while watching the Phils.  My boyfriend rescued the soldier from my grasp and drank it himself.  Just another reason why he's awesome.
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Founded in October 2008, Meal Ticket is a City Paper blog about food, drink and assorted other things that make you go mmm. We do recipes, interviews, restaurant news, commentary and much more. We don't do restaurant reviews herethose are handled in print, mostly by our critic (and Meal Ticket contributor) Adam Erace. Got a tip, question, thought or concern? Just want to say hello? Please shoot a note to caroline@citypaper.net.

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