Archive: January, 2011

Jan. 30: Beef & Beer at SPTR

POSTED: Tuesday, January 25, 2011, 7:18 PM

Filed Under: Booze | Food Events

What's better than all you can eat? All you can eat and drink! This Sunday, South Philly Tap Room (1509 Mifflin St.) is filling the bar with firkins and serving up dishes centered around locally raised beef, complete with all the frills. Fifty bucks buys you one of the most delightfully carnivorous late Sunday afternoons you've had in awhile. Look forward to a slow-roasted Angus strip loin married with endless sides, including a classic mac 'n' cheese. Chef Scott Schroeder is also showcasing some dressed-up items such as Rineer Farms beef tartare with smoked mushroom sabayon and Carne Asada tacos with fresh salsas. Wash it all down with a vast selection of local brews â Dogfish Head 75-Minute IPA, Troegs Nugget Nectar and Dock Street Dry-Hopped OMGPA, just to name a few. Tickets are available and can be copped via phone (215-271-7787), or simply added to your bar tab upon your next visit this week.

Tweets that mention Jan. 30: Beef & Beer at SPTR :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2011-01-25 14:56:44

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Vegan News, Bosewell Vandahmier, Scott Schroeder, SouthPhillyTapRoom, SouthPhillyTapRoom and others. SouthPhillyTapRoom said: RT @mealticket: Jan. 30: Not your average Beef and Beer at @SPTaproom http://ow.ly/3K3Kt [...]

Menu for SPTR's Beef & Beer :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2011-01-28 11:26:38

[...] week, LRP told you about the third annual Beef & Beer at the South Philly Tap Room (1509 Mifflin St.). The [...]

Posted by Laurel Rose Purdy @ 7:18 PM Permalink | Post a comment

A local rep in the 2011 Bocuse d'Or

POSTED: Tuesday, January 25, 2011, 6:00 PM

Filed Under: Contests

Courtesy of Porcsalt

Earlier this month, we wrote up author Andrew Friedman's Knives at Dawn, an exploration of the biennial Bocuse d'Or culinary contest that brings together top-flight cooking teams from around the world in high-pressure competition. Well, this year's Bocuse d'Or kicks off today, and though the U.S. team, which finished sixth in '09, does not feature a local rep (Jim Burke of James was in the semis), it does boast some local meat. Chef turner charcutier Matt Ridgway of Bucks-based PorcSalt will see his honey-cured bacon used on preparations by American rep James Kent of NYC's Eleven Madison Park. Ridgway supplies CafÃ© Boulud, whose chef, Gavin Kaysen, cooked for America in the 2007 installment of the Bocuse d'Or and now sits on the U.S. advisory board; Kaysen was evidently very confident in PorcSalt's products, as he earmarked them to make the trip to Lyon, France for use in official competition. This is a big honor for Ridgway, whose operation is less than a year old. And best of luck to Kent â may he do our country and our bacon proud.

les miles

Posted 2011-01-25 16:44:24

Are we supposed to be boycotting the Bocuse d'Or because they didn't take James Burke?

cleevus

Posted 2011-01-25 22:58:25

no, les.  just bring in your copy of knives at dawn to james and receive a free oyster.

Tweets that mention Our local representative in the 2011 Bocuse d'Or culinary competition: -- Topsy.com

Posted 2011-01-25 13:22:02

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Drew Lazor and Jackie Baik, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: Our local representative in the 2011 Bocuse d'Or culinary competition: http://ow.ly/3K02q [...]

prakesh

Posted 2011-01-29 18:40:55

usa 10th

2011 Bocuse d'Or – Mention in Philadelphia City Paper Food Blog « PorcSalt

Posted 2011-02-01 11:30:25

[...] A local rep in the 2011 Bocuse d'Or :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper. [...]

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Help our veg-friendly Center City reader out

POSTED: Tuesday, January 25, 2011, 4:51 PM

Filed Under: We're Here to Help

Just got this health-conscious query from a Meal Ticket reader:

I need Meal Ticket's help! I have to buy lunch today and I want it to be a healthy, "clean" meal. Preferably dairy-free and carb-free or carb-light, heavy on the veg, even vegan if possible! Does such a thing exist in Center City???

Go 'head, smart readers!

Tweets that mention Help our veg-friendly Center City reader out :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2011-01-26 01:45:01

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by kisha phillips, Jaime Lopez and angela bragg, Bosewell Vandahmier. Bosewell Vandahmier said: Help our veg-friendly Center City reader out - Philadelphia Citypaper (blog): Help our veg-friendly Center City ... http://bit.ly/dYZ3Yc [...]

Katie

Posted 2011-01-25 11:56:10

Miss Rachel's Pantry is my new favorite vegan and vegetarian friendly lunch option. Rachel's Friday Lunch Club concept is amazing - she delivers homemade deliciousness right to your office. The only problem is, she only delivers on Friday. But I've taken to ordering Friday lunch on Monday because I love it so much! It won't work for today, but everyone needs to give her a try.

http://www.missrachelspantry.com/The_Lunch_Club.html

Julie

Posted 2011-01-25 11:55:16

I'd get falafel at Mama's Vegetarian. You can get half a whole wheat pita with falafel, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, cucumber, hummus, tzatziki sauce, and hot sauce for $3.50.

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Posted 2011-01-25 12:39:05

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Drew Lazor, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: Our veg-friendly Center City readers needs help with lunch: http://ow.ly/3JWw3 (cc @erinfinnerty) [...]

Amanda

Posted 2011-01-25 12:41:54

Blackbird vegan - not super health focused, but vegan
Gianna's has a whole veg/vegan menu. Soups are the healthier options.
I second Mi Lah, fantastic choice.
Maoz - skip the fried and falafel and go for the "salad" bar (pickled baby eggplant!)
FUEL - I think the center city location just opened. Great choice for low-cal high protein, veg-friendly energy
Santa Fe - get the burrito bowl (=no carby tortilla), lots of veg options
Finally, I know I'll get shouted down for this one, but I really love the control freak salad at Marathon. Except at that one, crappy cafeteria like location, the veggies are always super fresh and this salad will keep you full all day!

jim

Posted 2011-01-25 12:01:25

Su Xing at 1508 Sansom all vegan chinese.

Erin

Posted 2011-01-25 11:58:33

Good question! Mi Lah Vegetarian (16th between Walnut/Locust) offers a ton of vegan options. I usually get something carby (the vegan cheesesteak) but their salads and entrees are a safe, satisfying bet.

James David Saul

Posted 2011-01-25 12:00:00

Su Xing house (1508 Sansom) has some pretty awesome lunch specials. You could also just go to that new Chipotle (1512 Walnut) and get a burrito (or burrito bowl) without the dairy. Guacamole is super good for you!

For Friday, you should definitely get Miss Rachel's Lunch club. It's awesome!

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 4:51 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Why did Pumpkin Cafe cross the road?

POSTED: Tuesday, January 25, 2011, 3:57 PM

Filed Under: Closings | Food News | Openings

Due to a stalemate on lease negotiations, Pumpkin Cafe (1610 South St.) the middle child of Ian Moroney and Hilary Bor's South Street triplets, has closed the doors at its current location. But fear not, all you G-hoes for Moroney's quick-serve soups and sandwiches; the Cafe is just moving across the street into to the couple's locavore grocery, Pumpkin Market (1609 South St.). âWe're going to revamp the concept to accommodate both,â says Moroney. âWe'll be prepping at the restaurant and running a limited menu the first week or two at the Market. It'll be similar to what we're doing now, a little less cooking, but not very different.â The popular green and red chilis will return, along with several new sandwiches, including a vegetarian banh mi and muffaletta â "but only if I can find the right bread." When the Market reopens this Saturday, customers will be able to grab and go, or eat in the downstairs lounge. "I know it sounds trite to say we're doing this for the neighborhood," Moroney says, "but we really are."

Foobooz » Quick Bites

Posted 2011-01-25 12:33:44

[...] Pumpkin Cafe is consolidating with Pumpkin Market. The combined store will reopen Saturday in the Market’s space. [Meal Ticket] [...]

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Posted 2011-01-25 11:38:34

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by 3 Springs Fruit Farm, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: Pumpkin Cafe merging with Pumpkin Market: http://ow.ly/3JU8N @PumpkinPhilly [...]

Jill

Posted 2011-01-25 11:16:47

and we appreciate it Ian and Hilary!

Posted by Adam Erace @ 3:57 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Notes from the Weekend: January 24

POSTED: Monday, January 24, 2011, 8:43 PM

Filed Under: Notes from the Weekend

Notes from the Weekend is a 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! (View past NFTW installments atÂ citypaper.net/notes.)

Adam Erace: AE Erin Finnerty: EF Drew Lazor: DL Adrian Pelliccia: AP Laurel Rose Purdy: LRP

Twice over the weekend, I slid into The Corner (102 S. 13th St.) for Official City Paper Business. Hang in there till next Thursday for the scoop on life after Buddakan for chef Scott Swiderski. âAE

Photos | Drew Lazor

Friday afternoon is the perfect time for a mini coffee adventure! So CP arts editor Carolyn Huckabay's mother's Vietnamese hairdresser provided her with a sack of pre-ground kopi luwak. It's a very expensive coffee from SE Asia, pricey because the berries themselves are (bear with me here) literally eaten and crapped out by adorable little weasel-like creatures called civets. The berries, after being passed through the animal's digestive system (and excruciatingly washed/processed, of course), are purported to create an amazingly nuanced cup of joe, so we brought the kopi over to Bodhi Coffee (410 S. Second St.), where equally curious co-owner Tom Henneman brewed us a pourover cup. Long story short, it didn't taste that great (check out Carolyn's reaction shot above). Could be because it was pre-ground, could be because the coffee was roasted way long ago, could be because it was flavored with an outside agent, could be a million different things. Sad to say that weasel poo coffee just didn't taste very good. Sigh. âDL Left my desk as the clock struck 5 on Friday to make Meal Ticket Happy Hour at The Latest Dish (613 S. Fourth St.), where our own LRP holds it down behind the bar. After downing a much needed week-ending Walt Wit with the troops, hustled to Zahav (237 St. James Place) to partake in one of the more fulfilling Restaurant Week menus I've seen. Everything was utter perfection, but I found the most pleasure in the little things, like the texture of the dates in the salatim and the crackling pops of the almond semifreddo. âEF Friday before work I hit up the prepared-food bar at Essene (719 S. Fourth St.) for what my cooks at the Dish like to call "hippie feed." Exited with a brown paper box filled with curried tofu scrambled with wild mushrooms, a delicious roasted carrot and rice wine vinegar salad, sweet roasted parsnips, beets, and broccoli rabe. And, of course, a ginger Kombucha. SUPER FOOD! âLRP Friday, after the Team Meal Ticket powwow â LRP pours a mean Raison D'Etre! â dined at the zen-like Mustard Greens (622 S. Second St.). I'm pretty sure their diaphanous steamed pork dumplings are what the angels eat in heaven. âAE After I said bye to my Meal Ticket compadres, I moseyed over to Barbuzzo (110 S. 13th St.) with my vegan friend Laura. I had been warned that this might be an issue, but the menu was way accommodating. She ordered the beet salad and veggie platter, while I got the bone marrow (out-of-control delicious), stuffed meatballs and paccheri with pork ragu. It was all superb, and our table was near a space heater, so things couldn't have been better. âAP After a Corner check-in, I popped over to Verde (108 S. 13th St.) for a cool Philly-street-name tote for the lady and a duo of Marcie Turney's artisanal chocolates. Highly reco the Italian Flirt, a salty rosemary-pinenut caramel enrobed in ganache. âAE

Photo | Drew Lazor

Dinner with some good friends Friday night at Percy Street (900 South St.). I really don't need to tell you how tasty pit mistress Erin O'Shea's offerings are, but I do need to share this artful dessert arrangement presented by amateur photo stylist/Friend of Meal Ticket Chris W. âDL Had a baller brunch with boyfriend and a couple of friends at Garces Trading Co. (1111 Locust St.) on Saturday afternoon. Standouts: orange-coriander salami, Kunik triple creme, baby artichokes swimming in a tangy preserved lemon broth with dates and walnuts, and a gorgeous Lyonnaise salad enhanced with duck confit. Arrived to work at Amada (217 Chestnut St.) for another busy Saturday night only to find a giant basket filled with chocolate in the office. For dinner I had two bags of plain M&Ms and dunked apple slices into chunky peanut butter. âLRP Saturday: I was lucky enough to be invited to the Daily Pennsylvanian Banquet, which is a dinner for everyone who contributes at an editorial level to some outlet of the DP. It was a standard catered menu â a wilted salad and a dry, lukewarm chicken breast. I left early, came home and ate some pasta. âAP

Photos | Drew Lazor

After a rousingly successful Soup Swap organized by Friend of Meal Ticket Amy R. back in November (read up on that here), the next installment in the "cook food for your friends and in turn receive mad food from them" series was this Saturday's Bean Swap. Only rule: Each person had to cook six portions of a dish featuring beans. Lots of highlights here â Rican-style rice and beans, a poppin' Hoppin' John, white beans with morcilla, chana masala and chickpea/chicken stew, to name just a few. I whipped up a simplified version of Bistrot La Minette's cassoulet (top photo) that went over well. Will share the recipe on MT this week. âDL Saturday: The bf and I took in early dinner at Nam Phuong (1100 Washington Ave.), where the prices are low and the portions are EXTREME. We split a vegetarian crepe, which tasted like Vietnamese hash browns, and some just-OK spring rolls. From their long list of veg selections I went with the sweet and sour bowl, in which veggies and tofu mingle in a bright, flavorful broth. We later ran into summertime staple Philly Flavors (2004 Fairmount Ave.) for sundaes on one of the coldest nights of the year. âEF Post-Bean Swap and post-house painting, worked up a hunger and sated it late-night at Pub & Kitchen (1946 Lombard St.). Peeped the winter market salad Felicia D. highlighted in last week's paper, a crabcake sandwich, and lots and lots of drinks. Check their barrel-aged Manhattan on the rocks, with housemade blood orange bitters. âDL To combat the chill drifting through my drafty old windows, on Sunday I cooked up a batch of Mario Batali's gullet-warming Sopa de Ajo, a simple blend of broth, garlic (we went with five cloves but could have used about five more), smoked paprika and stale crustless bread for body. Devoured the whole pot in one sitting along with 5.5 hours of Parks & Recreation. âEF

Photo | Laurel Rose Purdy

Sunday, dragged myself over to Bar Ferdinand (Liberties Walk, 1030 N. Second St.) for brunch with one of my best girls. We shared the house-cured salmon with pea shoots and creme fraiche, a rich Portabello mushroom revuelto, and a perfectly grilled skirt steak with black truffle and fried egg. Arrived home from another busy night of Restaurant Week, eating a banana, a bag of those weird popcorn chips â kettle flavor, duh â that I keep buying for some reason, and a can of Amy's lentil soup. These exhausted, half-assed post work "meals" are just embarrassing. âLRP

Photo | Adam Erace

Discovered the thoroughly delicious Coconut M&Ms Saturday at Target. EF, I smell a Weekly Candy. âAE

WEEKLY CANDY: Coconut M&Ms :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2011-02-10 13:00:48

[...] QUESTION: In one of last month’s Notes from the Weekend, Adam Erace suggested testing out Coconut M&Ms in the name of Weekly Candy. Ask and ye shall [...]

Michelle

Posted 2011-01-24 17:14:37

The snails with lentils and tarragon butter at p&k was easily the best dish of the night (Drew, how could you not mention them?!), and I would go back now for them. A full day of cleaning the new place meant I made myself the too-tired dinner of a cold veggie dog with sliced cheddar and triscuits on Sunday, with soft-baked choco chip cookies for dessert.

Posted 2011-01-24 17:12:36

My platonic man-lover Tommy made scotch eggs on Saturday: a hardboiled egg, covered in sausage, deep fried. In fact, here's the recipe he used: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/19/dining/19appe.html I had one of the substantial suckers and didn't eat anything else all day. It was worth the lack of appetite and my inevitable fatal heart attack. We spent the rest of the day making jokes about Tommy's salty brown balls, which led to me offering up $25 if he stuck an entire scotch egg in his mouth and ate it. He did. It was worth it.

Corbin

Posted 2011-01-24 16:39:17

Had brunch-turned-to-dinner at M. Wells in Long Island City, NY on Sunday. Well worth the 60 minute wait. Great coffee, fresh biscuits with cranapple butter and a Coquille St. Jacques, made with potato puree, razor clams, bay scallops and shrimp for me and my 3 friends to get us started. I then proceeded to inhale an amazing Egg-Sausage Sandwich on a Fat English Muffin, a hot dog with sweet bacon chili and slaw,  pickled pork tongue with mustard and soda crackers. I also sampled the seafood cobbler, Tourtiere (a Quebec specialty which is kind of like a turducken collided with a pot pie in the best way imaginable) and a creamy parsnip puree with foie gras that we couldn't stop eating! We settled for a nearly perfect banana cream pie only because they were sold out of the Pudding Chaumeur...which was described as cake batter oven poached in maple cream, served warm and TOPPED with heavy cream. Next time for sure. Great place, but don't spread it around until you get there first!

Rebecca

Posted 2011-01-24 16:04:05

Carolyn's mom here.  Looks like she was trying it black, which yes, would be pretty awful.  I did it in a press, with condensed milk, over ice.  Better.  My Vietnamese source suggests a sprinkle of cinnamon, or better yet, melt a bit of butter on top.  Worth a try, I guess.

RESTAURANT REMIX: Bistrot La Minette’s cassoulet :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2011-02-09 15:57:14

[...] was recently invited to take part in a “Bean Swap” that involved a bunch of friends cooking hearty bean-based recipes and trading them to stock up [...]

Drew Lazor

Posted 2011-01-25 10:30:49

Corbin that sounds like a most intense meal. "Turducken collided with a pot pie" is what I will now model my life after.

Jess

Posted 2011-01-25 10:33:49

Friday: cheeseburger at Johnny Brenda's. I've said it before and I'll say it again, totally underrated burger. So freaking juicy and wonderful. 

Saturday: roommate made me this amazing savory french toast with a poached egg on top. Spent the night at Teri's drinking Tecate and eating their amazing tater tots. I CAN'T EAT ENOUGH TATER TOTS.

Carolyn Huckabay

Posted 2011-01-24 16:16:17

First of all, I just got an update from my mom via her hairdresser: Apparently weasel poop coffee is best with a little butter on top. BUTTER!!1!?!

Anyway, Friday was a home-cooked meal made by my staycationing boyfriend, consisting of curry bechamel Thai sauce with noodles, broccoli and peanuts. It was all sorts of delicious, even though curry + bechamel sounds like a gamble. 

Saturday, didn't leave the house till 4:30, to make 5 pm reservations at Kanella. We ordered the dips du jour, grilled octopus, chicken cooked on a brick, butterfish with couscous and capers, cheese tortellini and an incredibly delicious oxtail ravioli, which we were told is one of the chef's top contenders for his Valentine's Day menu. We vote hell yes! After that I brought snacks to a sick friend (cheesy poofs, ho-hos) and ate most of them myself. Awesome.

Sunday spent the majority of the day in Bethlehem for boyfriend's nephew's 2nd birthday (aw). Said nephew's mom made cute-as-hell homemade cookie monster cupcakes with googly-eye icing, so everyone's faces were bright blue by day's end.

Tweets that mention Notes from the Weekend: January 24 :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2011-01-24 16:22:25

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Drew Lazor and E.F., Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: NOTES FROM THE WEEKEND is live. Share your notes with Team Meal Ticket in the comments! http://ow.ly/3JnGR [...]

Notes from the Weekend: Feb. 7 :: Meal Ticket :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2011-02-07 17:42:48

[...] To’ up the last (but certainly not the least) dish from my recent friend-curated “Bean Swap” on Saturday night â this hearty, lil-bit-spicy chicken/chickpea stew, from Swapper Jess H. So [...]

Joan

Posted 2011-01-25 09:58:46

Awww I missed the poo coffee! I wonder what it tastes like when it's fresh and not pre-ground?

Mike H

Posted 2011-01-25 09:08:20

Friday: Started off looking for a pre-restaurant week drink with the gf, was happy to grab two spots at the kitchen counter at The Corner, Sipped on Mary Kellys last breath, a tasty concoction highlighted with boubon, and enjoyed watching Chainsaw work his magic, the pirogies, grilled cheese, and tuna looked especially good
 
Then on to Tweed for dinner, first impression, I dont know why they got rid of the beautiful staircase that was the centerpiece of le bon temps, but regardless the meal was honest and tasty, They cheese plate provided nice variety, but the lamb burger with tzatziki made the meal, interesting note: they put cucumber in their standard ice water
After dinner stopped in at Crocodile in old city for a drink, good beer menu, but lacked the games of the NYC location, so we moved on to meet friends at Buffalo Billiards where we enjoyed about an hour of erotic photohunt before moving to the shuffleboard tables

Saturday Spent the morning shopping the fresh markets, started at Clark park where I picked up some nice  hardneck garlic, and red beets, then to rittenhouse sq market for the most amazing Mushroom combination, and Green Aisle for some Duck Ragu from le Virtu

Sunday the Mushrooms became soup and the garlic and Duck Ragu complimented a pound of fresh rigatoni for the perfect end to a weekend

Drew Lazor

Posted 2011-01-25 16:56:24

Sorry to omit! Yes, P&K's snails are sick. Shoutout to the snail cassoulet from Jonny Mac's Snackbar days!

Erin

Posted 2011-01-25 11:40:44

Julie, I saw that too, when he went to Ethiopia.

Julie

Posted 2011-01-25 11:31:59

During the course of the weekend I managed to choke down half a pint of hot and sour soup, and half-heartedly chop up veggies for meatloaf before ordering the boyfriend to finish on account of my old lady lungs. Bronchitis is a hose beast. 

I'm pretty sure I watched Andrew Zimmern drink coffee with butter in an African country that now escapes me. It was poured hot over clarified butter, like a ghee.

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 8:43 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Healthy Bites' healthy happy hour

POSTED: Monday, January 24, 2011, 7:45 PM

Filed Under: Dealage

Photo | Drew Lazor

Healthy Bites To Go (2521 Christian St.) covers pretty much all the bases as far as health-conscious food is concerned â they cater, teach cooking classes, offer dietary consultations, do takeout, and starting this month, they're introducing a happy hour. All meals consisting of an entrÃ©e and two sides are 10 percent off between Monday and Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. Menus are updated daily on the shop's Facebook page.

Agentred

Posted 2011-01-24 14:51:17

A whopping 10% off? Really? That's a pretty sorry excuse for a happy hour.

ThadS

Posted 2011-01-25 08:49:23

Agentred, there is nothing happy about a health conscious food!

Posted by Adrian Pelliccia @ 7:45 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Peter McAndrews' Monsu opens Wednesday

POSTED: Monday, January 24, 2011, 6:32 PM

Filed Under: Openings

Back in November, Adam Erace had the scoop that Peter McAndrews and Nathan Baynes would be moving their Paesano's outpost at Ninth and Christian down the block to the old Bebe's space (1017 S. Ninth St.) to make room for a Sicilian BYO called MonsÃº. Baynes tells Meal Ticket that the restaurant will officially open to the public this Wednesday, Jan. 26. They'll serve brunch every day from 11 to 2, and dinner every night from 5 to 10. (Menus to come; chef is McAndrews' longtime buddy â a Sicilian by blood! â Damien Messina.) MonsÃ¹ will be cash only, just like its sandwicherie predecessor. The new-look Paesano's, meanwhile, is about a week or so away from opening in its new home.

paesanos owner to open sicilian restaurant and a neapolitan pizzaria

Posted 2011-01-25 10:05:20

[...]  [...]

Foobooz » A Walk Through the Italian Market

Posted 2011-01-25 09:45:57

[...] – According to Meal Ticket the Sicilian restaurant from Modo Mio’s Peter McAndrews might open as soon as tomorrow. We [...]

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 6:32 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Testing: Garces Trading Co.'s Meals To Go

POSTED: Monday, January 24, 2011, 6:04 PM

Filed Under: Chef Salad | Testing

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

Jose Garces launched his Meals To Go from Garces Trading Co. (1111 Locust St.) in the fall, and GTC recently sent over a tester of their coq au vin/honey-glazed carrots/herbed fingerlings shebang â available this week â for Meal Ticket to sample. The whole thing is designed with the time- and patience-pressed in mind: The meals, which feed two hungry people and range in price from $26 to $30, require nothing more than the ability to boil water to prepare. We simply brought a big pot up to temp, dunked in the sealed bird and veg sacks, waited for 10 minutes, snipped the tops and dug in, resulting in one of the richest meals we've ever eaten out of a plastic bag. The Meals To Go line switches up weekly; the chicken dinner is on from today through Sunday (that thyme jus is sick!), but the next two weeks will see hearty winter offerings like beef bourguignon with truffled farro and roasted Long Island duck with squash purÃ©e. Happy boiling.

Tweets that mention Testing: Garces Trading Co.'s Meals To Go :: Meal Ticket :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2011-01-24 15:09:58

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by ProfilePR, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: If you can boil water, you can cook a @chefjosegarces approved meal. Check it: http://ow.ly/3Jg2r [...]

rachel

Posted 2011-01-24 15:01:35

I must try this!!!  Wonder if my boyfriend will believe that I "made" it??

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 6:04 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Details emerge on Blue Hill alum's Philly spot

POSTED: Monday, January 24, 2011, 4:12 PM

Filed Under: Openings

We had word of former Blue Hill at Stone Barns chef de cuisine Joshua Lawler's intention to move into Philly two weeks back, but now he's dropped some official details on his Wash West BYOB (1120 Pine St.), called The Farm and Fisherman. The Conshohocken native is working with his wife, Colleen, to renovate the 30-seat space that was Paul; in addition to running the front of the house, she'll cook alongside her husband, too, as her culinary CV credits include stints at NYC's BLT Market and Picholine. Just as was the case at the chef's former play of employ, Lawler's The Farm and Fisherman will put a heavy emphasis on local and sustainable ingredients; he plans on offering a changing-daily seafood catch snagged by Jersey dayboat fishermen, and will employ the head-to-tail approach to butchery that so pleases all us offal fans out there. Prices won't be astronomical â $8 to $15 for small and medium plates, $20 to $28 for entrÃ©es. (Check out some sample plates after the jump.) The restaurant, which the Lawlers are renovating themselves, is up for a spring opening.

Celery root and apple soup with chestnuts and lobster knuckles
Vegetarian salad of winter fruits and vegetables with homemade cottage cheese and greenhouse greens
Slow-cooked Heritage pork jowl with shaved Brussels sprouts and smoked lady apple
Vegan braised celery hearts with rice grits, quinoa and parsley
Grass-fed lamb sirloin and neck with local feta spread, winter spinach and orecchiette
Cape May lobster with Maine crabmeat, Savoy cabbage and caraway
Marinated true diver scallops with grapefruit, hazelnuts and mint
Pancetta-crusted farm egg with mustard seeds, sauerkraut and puffed hominy

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 4:12 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Oh you fancy, Ha: Vietnamese noodle shuffle

POSTED: Monday, January 24, 2011, 3:52 PM

Filed Under: Openings

Photo | Drew Lazor

Chef/restaurateur Ha Diep started slangin' vermicelli noodles at Pho Ha (610 Washington Ave.), and built up quite a following before she decided to sell that location for digs further south. They moved to the shopping center at 1100 Columbus Boulevard to open Pho Saigon in November 2009, but there, GM Dan La says, "We worked as employees, not the boss." So they're decided to uproot their operation once more â kitchen staff, front-of-house staff, managers, everyone â and last week took over what used to be Kavei at 320 W. Oregon Avenue (215-389-1002) to open Ha Saigon. They've overhauled the interior; La says they're starting off as a pho parlor for now, but have plans to expand their menu to full-on dinner proportions as business picks up. UPDATE: Just to clarify (sorry!): Pho Saigon on Columbus is still open, just under new management.

barryg

Posted 2011-01-24 17:57:00

Weird, that Kavei space was a Chinese spot for a hot minute. Actually pretty good.

Tweets that mention Oh you fancy, Ha: Vietnamese noodle shuffle :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2011-01-24 12:05:00

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Poster Nutbag, Felicia D'Ambrosio and Gumppette, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: If we may borrow a technique from fans of the band Phish: Pho Ha > Pho Saigon > Ha Saigon: http://ow.ly/3J8ks [...]

Posted 2011-01-24 12:05:39

That explains a lot. When I first moved to Philly I stumbled upon Pho Ha and found it to be some of the best of my life. But in subsequent trips it wasn't quite as awe-inducing...seems like the fact that its leadership changed may have been part of the problem. Can't wait to try the newest incarnation!

Ticket Stubs: Meal Ticket Weekly Recap, Jan. 24-28 :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2011-01-31 12:37:23

[...] Ha Saigon is a new South Philly Viet joint with a great pedigree. [...]

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 3:52 PM Permalink | Post a comment

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