|
|
|
Archive: September, 2012
"We're basically killing it." That's Resurrection Ale House's (2425 Grays Ferry Ave.) Leigh Maida on the bottled beer list, one of several changes coming to the Gray's Ferry gastropub. Aside from "five-to-six must-have bottles" (a gluten-free option, some precious vintages, Orval and Resurrection Ale from Brewer's Art), the beer program is going all draught, all the time.
"Without bottle sales and inventory to have to worry about so much we can focus on really changing up at super speeds," Maida says. "We can also afford to bring in more esoteric drafts, if we're not so tightly committed to an esoteric bottle list. It's kind of exciting because it makes the user experience more in line with the kind of varied/adventurous beer drinking we like to see -- it never seems to be as big of a deal for someone to pull the trigger on a beer they've never had or heard of it it's on draft, versus a pricier bottle."
There's an Allagash tap takeover planned for Resurrection's third anniversary (Sept. 26), after which drinkers can expect to see Leipziger Gose (Belgian gueuze's German cousin), JW Lees Moonraker Zymatore (a verbose English strong ale) and plenty of other unusual pours. This will coincide with a fresh menu from recently promoted chef Rhett Vellner, who's taken over for NYC-bound Joe Chmiko. Stay tuned to Meal Ticket for the menu. Here's hoping there will be fried chicken.
Tuesday, September 4
Bulk spices and olive oil shops are the first of a few new additions coming to Reading Terminal
Katie Loeb is in New York today competing for cocktail gold, wish her luck!
Wednesday, September 5
Check out this lecture about America's first cooking school located right here in Philly
Add Frankford Hall to your list of places to celebrate Oktoberfest
Thursday, September 6
Game changing Vietnamese chicken salads, Pennsylvania wines and cheap eats in 19106 in print
Jay Willard is turning the long empty Little Bar into Growlers
Craig Laban gets awarded Best Newspaper Restaurant Criticism
Friday, September 7
We got a sneak peak at The Mildred opening this Wednesday
More Top Chef collabo-dinners: Mike Isabella is coming to Sbraga on September 18th
Zahav and London Grill are offering prix fixe options for Rosh Hashanah
Okay folks, it's Friday and while happy hour might be calling our collective names, there's really only one place to be this afternoon. Just in case you need another reminder, the grand opening party for Pizza Brain is happening at 4:30 today. Head up to 2313 Frankford Ave. to check out the world's premier pizza museum along with what promises to be a pretty wild party. We'll be back with a full report on the pizza, pizza-flavored ice cream, mobile haircuts and pizza memorabilia on Monday.
Gluttony for a good cause, free food, and Suckling Pig Sundays, on today's Afternoon Snacks!
Do you like watching people eat giant food? We know you do—someone must, or there wouldn’t be so many TV shows about it. Well, tomorrow (Saturday, Sept. 8th) you can visit Mac’s Tavern (226 Market St.) and watch it live instead! The 1st Annual $#*!show Eating Competition starts at 2 p.m., and will pit four contestants against each other to see who can finish the ridiculous burger (shown above) first—or, more likely, at all. WMMR’s Preston will be there broadcasting the whole thing, and spectators will down $4 drinks knowing that $1 of every food item or beverage sold is going to The Dude Hates Cancer. The Mac’s Tavern team was a top fundraiser for that event last year, and it seems like they’re gunning to top themselves this time around.
Yesterday Meal Ticket had the pleasure of stopping by The Mildred (824 S. 8th St.) to see what's in store for the former James space in Bella Vista and we've got to say, it's looking absolutely gorgeous.
The Mildred is a collaboration between two cooks who met at Johnson and Wales culinary school and happen to have some stellar resumes. Heading up the kitchen is Michael Santoro. His most recent gig was at Talula's Garden but previously he made his way around Europe racking up hours of experience in the kitchens of the Michelin starred The Fat Duck and Mugaritz. Taking over front of the house is Michael Dorris, whose background also includes Michelin stars and stints in England and Switzerland before returning to the states to run a catering company. Emily Riddell of Le Bec is on pastry duty.
If you’re feeling like you need to get out of the city, Kennett Square’s looking pretty good this weekend… provided you’re a mushroom fan, anyway. Yup, it’s time for the 27th Annual Kennett Square Mushroom Festival! There’s a parade through town and a carnival opening this evening, but the real celebration of mushrooms kicks off tomorrow, Saturday September 8th, at 10 a.m., and runs through Sunday.
On the roster, you’ll find growers’ exhibits, a mushroom soup cook-off, a fried mushroom eating contest (sadly, registration is full—believe me, I checked), cooking demos (including one by Top Chef’s Antonia Lofazo), mushroom farm tours, a “soup and wine” fest (that classic combo), and plenty of other activities to check out.
And, of course, there will be a ton of food featuring the star of the show all throughout the festival’s street fair. Kennett Square destination Talula’s Table (102 W. State St.) will have a stand offering up all sorts of fungus-filled comfort foods (mushroom scones! mushroom risotto! mushroom mac and cheese!) featuring a wide variety of mushrooms from nearby Phillips Farm. Amongst many others, you’ll also find stands from Kennett Inn and Chickie’s and Pete’s. Oh, and keep an eye out for mushroom ice cream.
Admission is all of 2 bucks for adults (free for the under-12 set), and you can find all the rest of the specifics over at their site.
There are two things that are certain about the folks who head up the Grainery Group: they know their beer and they sure do like to keep us on our toes. Chef shuffles, overnight shutters and concept switch ups are pretty much par for the course.
The latest development from the Farmers' Cabinet owners revolves around Boilermaker, the shot-and-beer bar that took over the former Doc Watson's space at 216 S. 11th Street. The Insider is reporting that the space is going to be reinvented into The Butcher and The Brewer, specializing in cured meats, locally sourced produce and obviously, beer. Jennifer Choplin, most recently of South Philly's Watkins Drinkery, is taking over the kitchen. Boilermaker is set to close its doors on Monday, September 10th with no word yet on when the new idea is debuting.
If your memories of Jewish holiday dining revolve around overcrowded tables, overcooked brisket and slimy gefilte fish from a jar, you might want to consider changing up your high holy day routine. Instead of piling into bubbie's house why not book a table at Zahav (237 St. James Place) or London Grill (2301 Fairmount Ave.)
From September 16th to the 20th Michael Solomonov is serving up a $48 prix fixe menu that's worlds away from your typical Rosh Hashana fare. He's starting out with his ubiquitous (and unfailingly delicious) hummus topped with pine nuts and chanterelles and matzoh ball soup with brisket and beets. Crispy halloumi with dates, walnuts and apples and duck three ways follow and the meal ends on a sweet note with apple fritters with Israeli honey and vanilla semifreddo.
Over at London Grill chef Terrence McNally is ditching the gefilte fish for horseradish crusted salmon, dishing up matzoh ball soup and serving brisket and brick chicken with family-style sides. This prix fixe is running from September 16th to the 18th and 3 courses go for $28 with kids eating for half price.
Heads up, Top Chef fans: Kevin Sbraga is having fellow TC alum Mike Isabella over to his place to cook dinner, and you’re all invited. Their collaborative meal is scheduled for Tuesday, September 18th at Sbraga (440 S. Broad St.), and we’re guessing you might want to get your reservations in sooner rather than later. The 4-course meal is being offered for $85 (opting to add pairings will tack on $35), and the prix fixe will be the only menu available that evening.
Not surprisingly, Mike I.’s bringing a much heavier Italian influence with him than fans of Sbraga are used to. Given Sbraga’s global reach, we might have been interested to see a few notes drawn from Isabella’s newish (and yes, unevenly reviewed) Mexican venture, Bandolero, or even his upcoming Greek spot. That said, the menu is pretty enticing as it stands.
Looks like congratulations are in for longstanding Inky food critic Craig Laban. After 14 years of covering the Philly dining scene the Association of Food Journalists have decided that he gets the gold for Best Newspaper Restaurant Criticism beating out Michael Bauer of the San Francisco Chronicle and Brett Anderson of The Time-Picayune.
Eater is reporting that this lauded title comes with a $300 cash prize but we're thinking that real win here is in the bragging rights. Job well done, Mr. Laban.
- 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
