Archive: January, 2011

POSTED: Tuesday, January 18, 2011, 7:49 PM
Filed Under: Food and Music | Food Events
Tomorrow night at 6 p.m., DJ Venus 7, “Diva of the Deep” often seen spinning at Kung Fu Necktie, takes over the kitchen at Snackbar (253 S. 20th) as part of the Rittenhouse boite's Supper Club series hosted by DJ Lee Jones. The Thailand-trained chef is putting out two traditional four-course menus (one vegetarian, one not) for $30 with a Jones-spun backdrop of uptempo house. With 40 already on the books, rezzies are suggested, “but we can always squeeze in a few more,” owner Jonathan Makar reports. “Nights at Snackbar tend to go long, so we'll keep serving till [the food is] gone.” Menus after the jump.

MENU

SOUP

Tom Yum Kai (Thai Spicy Lemongrass Chicken  Soup)

Chicken with straw mushrooms, lightly crushed hot red chilies, sliced galangal, lemongrass stems, kaffir lime leaves , cilantro, coriander and lime juice.

SALAD

Yum Nua (Bangkok Style Beef Salad )

Marinated grilled Angus Beef Sirloin with galangal, lemon grass, crushed red chillies, fresh Thai herbs, fresh lime juice, garlic, roasted sticky rice powder and kaffir lime leaf. Served with cucumbers ,tomatoes,fresh cilantro and mixed greens.

ENTREES

Pad Krapow Kai (Thai  Basil Chicken)

Traditional Thai marinated ground white meat chicken sauteed with Thai sweet basil and Thai sweet peppers, garnished with tomatoes and bell peppers. Accompanied with Jasmine Rice and steamed broccoli

OR

Gang Kheaw Wan Pla Salmon (Green Curry Salmon)

Pan-seared Market Fresh Salmon topped with freshly pounded green herb curry of Thai sweet basil leaves and coconut served with grilled Asparagus and bell peppers. Accompanied with Jasmine Rice.

VEGETARIAN MENUS

SOUP

Kowtom Mungsavirud (Soft tofu and Jasmine rice in vegetable consomme)

Delicious vegetable consume, Thai jasmine rice, soft tofu, fresh ginger, roasted garlic & cilantro.

With a wonderful aroma from Thai Herbs & spices! This is also accompanied with home made hot sauce

SALAD

Tofu yank & Somtam (Grilled Tofu and Papaya Salad)

Authentic classic Thai five spices, grilled tofu accompanied with Papaya salad (cherry tomato, Asian long green bean and a chili and lime dressing).

ENTREES

Penang curry in Buddha Garden (Red curry with tofu and exotic vegetables)

Homemade green curry tofu and a selection of exotic vegetables garnished with coconut milk, sweet basil and bell peppers, accompanied with Jasmine Rice

DESSERT

Your choice of sweet pumpkin in warm a coconut broth or a TBD dessert

Posted by Adam Erace @ 7:49 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Tuesday, January 18, 2011, 6:36 PM
Filed Under: Chef Salad | Video
At the beginning of this year, chef Moon Krapugthong of Manayunk's MangoMoon launched a Chef in Residence program at her Manayunk restaurant (4161 Main St.). The Thai chef/restaurateur has taken it upon herself to invite lesser-known chefs of varying backgrounds to cook in her kitchen, offering a supplemental menu of their own devising to MangoMoon's diners. The inaugural chef in Krapugthong's series is Harry Ige, a native of Okinawa and longtime South Philly resident who's cooked in in New York and Seattle, and locally at Ardmore's Mikado, among other spots. Chef Ige's menu, which will be available at MangoMoon through the end of January, is his interpretation of traditional Okinawan food, which stands apart from mainstream Japanese cooking due to the influence of the Chinese as well as the unique produce that blossoms on the island. You might assume that raw fish is a staple on Okinawa due to its location at the southern tip of the Japanese archipelago, but the truth is there is no overarching sushi tradition on the island; instead, Ige focuses on vegetable preparations and atypical seafood dishes, from steamed monkfish liver drizzled with ponzu sauce (see the foie-like rounds he's plating in the video?) to marinated salmon with sliced mountain potato and wakame wrapped in a thin sheet of egg. Krapugthong says her next Chef in Residence, who will start in February, will be bringing Ethiopian ingredients and techniques to the table, so be on the lookout for more info on that soon. (Special Thanks to CP's own Neal Santos, who shot, edited and produced this vid!) UPDATE: Here's a selection of items that Chef Ige is currently serving at MangoMoon ... - Salmon carpaccio: thin-sliced salmon with special MangoMoondDressing - Ankimo: steamed monkfish liver, spicy radish, ponzu sauce - Age-nasu no nihitashi: Deep-fried Japanese eggplant cooked in special sauce.  Served chilled, topped with ginger chiffonade - Deep-fried wonton skin: avocado, lettuce, chopped onion, chopped salmon dressed with spicy sauce and sprinkle of Chinese parsley - Cream cheese wrap with thin-sliced salmon and dressed with MangoMoon special miso dressing  and topped with Italian parsley - MangoMoon Roll: Shrimp tempura, Japanese mayonnaise, boiled asparagus, Lettuce avocado, Broiled eel, Inside out roll with wasabi tobiko outside - Manayunk Roll: Broiled eel, Cucumber, avocado, Inside out roll and topping with spicy tuna

Anthony Sica
Posted 2011-01-18 18:55:05
This is straight up awesome.

Tweets that mention VIDEO: The Chef in Residence program at MangoMoon :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com
Posted 2011-01-18 14:32:12
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Drew Lazor. Drew Lazor said: RT @mealticket: VIDEO: Meal Ticket talks to Okinawan chef Harry Ige, now in residence at Manayunk's @mymangomoon http://ow.ly/3FWOY [...] 

Felicia D'Ambrosio
Posted 2011-01-18 15:27:11
Love this video -- so elegant.  Both chefs have a wonderfully engaging camera presence, and Chef Ige's food sounds delicious. Monkfish liver is awesome. Well done, Neal!

poncho
Posted 2011-01-18 21:58:59
Wonderful video guys! This is such a great idea for a restaurant and Moon & Ige are awesome!

P.S. the cloth on the banquette that Moon is sitting on is beautiful
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 6:36 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Tuesday, January 18, 2011, 5:38 PM
Filed Under: Openings
Manakeesh on Facebook
West Philly's Manakeesh Cafe and Bakery (45th and Walnut) is officially open for business as of yesterday afternoon. You can peep the menu, which features authentic Lebanese specialties like lahm bajeen (a manakeesh, or flatbread sandwich, topped with spiced ground ground lamb and fired in a brick oven; above) on their website.

StoopPhilly Links | StoopPhilly
Posted 2011-01-20 16:55:55
[...] NOW OPEN: Manakeesh Cafe and Bakery (Meal Ticket) Megan Wendell: “I felt that Philadelphia taxes were significantly holding back” our business (Technically Philly) Please Caption This Photo (Foobooz) Real NEastate: 2010 Northeast Residential Statistics (NEastPhilly.com) Photoist (phillyist) Share on Facebook    Tweet   This entry was posted in Northeast, StoopPhilly Links. Bookmark the permalink.    ← Get On Board the Mural Arts Love Train Conversion at North 3rd and George Streets → [...] 

brian
Posted 2011-01-19 14:06:56
wowwww.  need to go there.  huge fan of lahmacun (turkish pizza)...i wonder what the differences are between that and this lebanese version.

ross
Posted 2011-01-19 11:34:23
so yummy!  and affordable, and a really lovely, inviting space.  very psyched to have this in the neighborhood.

Tweets that mention NOW OPEN: Manakeesh Cafe and Bakery :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com
Posted 2011-01-18 13:19:27
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Gumppette. Gumppette said: RT @mealticket: Can't wait to try lahm bajeen at the new @manakeeshcafe... http://ow.ly/3FUal [...] 
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 5:38 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Monday, January 17, 2011, 10:42 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 at citypaper.net/notes.)

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

Took mi madre to Nan Zhou (927 Race St.) for lunch on Friday, where we slurped beef tripe soups, crunched a bunch of oyster sauce-drizzled U Toy and smiled politely as the Chinese folks next to us stretched their forearms over our food repeatedly to grab the chili oil and sriracha. You gotta do you, Chinese folks! Reach away. —DL I met Meal Ticket's own DL for the first time at Khyber Pass Pub (56 S. Second St.) for happy hour on Friday. From their many veg-friendly options, I selected the faux fried chicken po' boy (the pickles are KEY here) with a side of dryish mac 'n' cheese. To counter an otherwise heavy meal, I went with a lighter beverage offering, the sweet-yet-dry Original Sin Pear Cider. The remaining half of my sandwich nuked nicely and made a tasty Saturday morning treat. —EF After seeing now-former CP bossman Brian Howard off at the Khyber, I stopped into the ever-reliable Sidecar (2201 Christian St.) on the earlier side of Friday for a bite — they've got some new items on the menu, including a damn good fish and chips with a really sick smoked tartar sauce. Dip it. —DL
Photo | Laurel Rose Purdy
Had an epic impromptu feast with friends on Friday night. Boyfriend and I ravaged the Italian Market and came back with three whole rabbits from D'Angelo Bros. (909 S. Ninth St.) While I worked on (drinking/opening) the wine, he worked on dinner and turned out a beautiful stuffed rabbit saddle (!!) with bacon-braised lentils (!!) and a fresh parsley salad. He pickled whole mustard seeds to garnish. Five of us DEVOURED this delightful homage to the upcoming Chinese year of the Golden Rabbit. —LRP Brought home two skinless salmon steaks from Whole Foods' seafood counter for Saturday's home cookery. Taking a cue from the toothy one, Giada De Laurentiis, I glazed them with agave nectar before grilling, creating a subtly sweet crust. Mixed up an in-season meyer lemon whiskey sour to accompany dinner and finished it before my salmon made it out of the pan. Whoops. —EF
Photo | Drew Lazor
Moving into a new place soon, which of course means 6 bajil trips to stupid Home Depot on Columbus Blvd. I hate shopping there, but I love when I'm attacked by the intoxicating caramelized-onion tractor beam that Rocco's uses to zap unsuspecting passersby. I know that eating a griddled-up sandwich cooked in a little cubbyhole about 10 paces from an aisle full of bathtub caulk sounds weird, but TRUST ME, Rocco's killssss it with the Italian sausage sandwiches! Do the onions, the peppers and some spicy mustard. —DL Wound up at Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) for a late brunch on Saturday, where mimosas brought us back to life. I had a crab knuckle, endive and roasted tomato frittata that was the size of half of me, and steel-cut oats flecked with hearty stone fruits. He loved his "shit on a shingle." I just can't eat anything named so obscenely.—LRP
Photo | Adam Erace
Smashing dinner Saturday night at the positively packed James (824 S. Eighth St.), where being excluded from Philly Mag's Top 50 seems to have been a blessing in disguise. (Dude next to me at the bar redeemed his issue for a free beer.) Too many good eats to name, but the best bargain at the bar is the canapes, a clinic on delicious amuse-size bites that might include crispy duck rillettes, endive-Champagne soup and trumpet-like veal tortelloni. —AE On Saturday, I went to West Philly's Sang Kee (3549 Chestnut St). I started off with two Peking duck rolls (because one is never enough) and ordered a Yuengling — they gave me the chilled-glass treatment, a pleasant surprise. I opted for a safe entrée and decided on pan-fried noodles with beef, vegetables and salty gravy. Quick tastes of my friends' curried tofu bowl and rice noodles with Szechuan beef sauce were delicious interruptions to my comparatively tame choice. —AP My beloved Baltimore Ravens lost, in depressingly preventable fashion, to the sexual assault fanatics who live in Western Pennsylvania on Saturday, so I drowned my multitude in sorrows in a few rounds at a very crowded P.O.P.E. (1501 E. Passyunk Ave.) Saturday night. Celebrated a good friend's birthday and eavesdropped on 16,000 I-can't-believe-these-are-real-people conversations while waiting in line for the tiny corner toilet. —DL On Sunday, ventured with my manfriend to Taco Riendo (1301 N. Fifth St.), where "la salsa hace la diferencia." While lost in thought thinking of the magic of Taco Bell's quesadilla press in line, I accidentally ordered cheese quesadillas instead of my usual enchiladas. I don't remember doing this, but I was pleasantly surprised when I was brought a plate of three toasty cheese pockets topped with both variants of their slogan-worthy salsa. Thanks, Freud! —EF
Photo | Drew Lazor
Sunday: Met a big group of wonderful local food peoples at Han Dynasty (108 Chestnut St.), sat at one of the big round basement tables and proceeded to destroy a multi-course tasting, highlights of which included gigantic lion's head meatballs the size of grapefruits (owner Han Chiang firmly believes regular-size meatballs are for the weak) and this whole fish. —DL Sunday led me to the usual "I work in restaurants, so I forget to eat" dilemma. After yoga, I had three bites of a chickpea salad from One Shot Coffee (217 W. George St.), and headed straight to work, where I ate one Lara Bar. It was Pizza Day, and my gluten-free self sat and sulked while everyone else had strings of mozzarella hanging all over their faces. Les mis. I'm hungry. —LRP
Photo  | Adam Erace
I am so thrilled my little cousin found love with a guy whose mom hails from Shanghai. Not because I'm happy for her, but because it means I get gossamer-skinned pork dumplings! I warmed a frozen batch in a pot of chicken stock for a quick, delicious soup to which no take-out can compare. —AE

Kenya
Posted 2011-01-17 22:33:58
Sunday my sister and brother in law came to town and I took them for brunch at my favorit spot in the city, Cafe con Chocolate.  My brother in law ordered th red curry with pork and OMG!  That was some good stuff.  It's my new favorite dish.

Lucy
Posted 2011-01-17 21:46:25
This weekend was marked by several generous waiters.  First, headed to Garces Trading Company for dinner on Thursday night.  I stuck with veggie options, the ensalata semplice and the roasted eggplant.  My friend was *almost* brave enough to order the special pizza with lardo, but backed out; our waiter subsequently surprised us with a few amazing, melt-in-your-mouth pieces.  Even if she wasn't convinced, I will be definitely be opting for the lardo next time.  A-mazing.

Sunday was brunch at Zahav, for restaurant week.  Started with the hummus and salad platters, followed by the potato latke with liver (which I had never tried before but ordered in the name of adventure), then the butter roasted pumpkin and barley.  It was obvious I wasn't such a fan of the liver, and my waiter insisted on bringing me another of the MANY options for the second course on the restaurant week menu.  I went for the fried cauliflower, which totally redeemed the aforementioned organ meat flop.  Great meal, topped off with poached pineapple, sorbet, and a pistachio shortbread.

foodzings
Posted 2011-01-18 11:14:24
omg, the sweet dee chocolate cake from catahoula... it's up there with the red velvet cake from golosa! a dense chocolate cake, with the teensiest dusting of powdered sugar, served with amazing vanilla ice cream. so simple yet so awesome.

Ben Kessler
Posted 2011-01-18 11:19:56
Arrived late Friday night and was in the mood for Mexican so the lady and I headed to El Rey for nachos and carnitas tacos. The nachos are very reminiscent of the one's served at El Vez, every single chip covered with ooey gooey cheese, chorizo and sour cream.

Brunch on Saturday at adsum to celebrate the birthday of Foodspotting. Started with the Figure study, a mimosa made with fig sorbet - super tasty. I had the chicken and waffles with jalapeno maple, those fried chicken pieces were HUGE. Super crispy, juicy on the side, perfect. She had the biscuits and gravy which was awesome, other dishes included the fondue burger, mascarpone stuffed french toast, shrimp and grits with andouille. Also ordered the Lady Grey, a spicy drink frothed up with some egg white.

Dinner on Saturday at Dandelion - sprang for the oysters which were huge and perfect with shallot vinaigrette. Deviled eggs were full of curry, she had the pork belly which was served in cube form, but super tender, saucy and delicious with lentils and mustard mashed. I had the rabbit pot pie which was just right, creamy but not too heavy white wine sauce, cipolini, mushrooms, yummy bunny. Dessert was the ginger Guinness cake topped with pear compote and Guinness ice cream. Tasted like a ginger snap, was warm, and inviting but nothing to write home about. Standout Pimm's Cup - served in a martini glass, not a cup, but the muddled cucumber was the perfect touch.

Went to McDonald's on Walnut to look into this 50 piece McNugget meal but was turned off by the bum fight that broke out behind us. Chairs being thrown and such. In desperate need of food made a weird decision and ate a cheesesteak from Tony Jr.'s on 18th - wiz and provolone wit'. First time there, and hate to admit this but it was pretty tasty.

Neal Santos
Posted 2011-01-18 11:27:41
Friday KHYBER, Bye BH! Followed by a homemade soup night featuring smittenkitchen.com's variation of a chard/whitebean stew. 

Saturday JG DOMESTIC for the Chefs Tasting! I've never felt more like a baller than I did on Saturday. Our group of 8 was seated in a private dining room, and our server/dinner director, I believe his name was Nathan, did a wonderful job making us feel right at home. 

Key things from the Chef's tasting: Market Crudite, with purple cauliflower. Squab and foie grois, kabocha squash with black kale, the lamb loin. Can also never go wrong with the house charcuterie, cheese, and the Keswick creamery fondue. (Check out CP's review here) Definitely worth the money spent for probably the finest dining experience I've ever had in my life. For real.

Sunday was brunch and a photoshoot with Moda Botanica florist, friend and chickennoisseur, Bailey Hale. He and roommates whipped up some challah french toast with slivered almonds, bacon, tots and bloody mary's to go ape shit over. 

My new years resolution is to incorporate more bloody mary's and tater tots into my daily diet.

Julie
Posted 2011-01-18 12:23:57
So sorry about the Ravens, Drew. I had to hold the boyfriend down to prevent beer tossing at the television. And here we thought Omar Epps' mishandling of his challenges was an omen of goodness. 

Friday I was treated to a lovely dinner at Estia. We started with the Greek salad and Estia chips (thinly sliced fried zucchini with tzatziki sauce) all which were amazing, but couldn't hold a candle to the octopus. Marinated with red wine vinegar, grilled, served with capers and thin red onion-it was the most tender cephalopod I ever had the pleasure of devouring. For dinner I had the white snapper with crispy leeks and creamy lentils, and he had black bass baked in a salt crust. Unbelievable food, just the freshest fish I've had in a long time.

Saturday was bum around/cry over football day, so we drank a lot of vodka cranberries and ate half a Lennies' Homerun Special.

Sunday was my dad's birthday, so my step-mother hired a rather strict man from Sandcastle Vineyards to give us a tasting of 13 wines. He did not appreciate my brother and I's cackling over his declarations to "warm it up on your tongue" and "spit or swallow, it's up to you." That's verbatim. I really loved the cuvee, pinot noir, and the rose, but their dry Riesling was meh. We had a sushi platter from Wegman's, a shit-ton of cheeses, fruit salad, spinach and chicken salad with a marjoram vinaigrette...step-mom went all out with the food pairings. It was even more fun because my sister just found out she's pregnant, so I got to drink her share of the booze.

Drew Lazor
Posted 2011-01-18 11:47:14
A buddy of mine copped the 50-piece McNugget recently...as I understand it it costs like $10. WTF!

Julie
Posted 2011-01-18 12:24:56
Oh, I saw recently that the 10 piece is now $2, right? I hate myself for wanting to gorge there, but McNuggets taste like childhood.

Erin
Posted 2011-01-18 11:51:31
I remember Nathan from Felicia's JG Domestic Yelp event - he is AMAZING!

danya
Posted 2011-01-18 11:53:04
I think someone needs to start a tumblr of rabbit dishes and call it "Yummy Bunny."

Drew Lazor
Posted 2011-01-18 12:42:53
Thanks for the kind words Julie. The bartender @ P&K last night saw the Ravens background on my BlackBerry and did a "single tear" pantomime to me. I appreciated it because I actually shed like 235890236 tears so the suggestion that I shed just one tear was very generous

Marie DiFeliciantonio
Posted 2011-01-18 12:57:19
In a bit of selfish gift giving, rather than handing my parents a g.c. with a card saying "ENJOY", we took my parents to Adsum for dinner on Friday night. I had to get in on the action, specifically the super poutine, fluke with snails and PB & J dessert. While we waited at the bar, we had some drinks (A View of Vieux Carre, brewskies) and flatbread with chickpea and shortribs. I predicted my mother would go straight for that dish but what I did not see coming was that she would order a second helping when were seated. Stuffs THAT good at Adsum.

Saturday I ate next to nothing to reset Friday night's scales. Made some light dips for the football game including a guacamole using only one avocado and an entire bag of frozen peas. So, I'm just gonna call it smashed peas with cumin and cilantro. It was fine. It was no guacamole. Also, is Ed Hardy wine a sponsor for The Jersey Shore? (My friend thought it was funny and brought over a bottle. It made me wanna GTL.) It got me thinking that if not, and if you're listening E.Hardsters, you should get in on that advert action.

Anthony Bourdain is entertaining. I started reading his book Medium Raw. A section about his martial arts-trained wife who is severely, and potentially physically, over-protective at book signings made me smile. I thought back on a time a friend and I went to his book signing in AC. Friend was all prepared with her gals smashed together in a tight number while toting Bourdain's infamous photo holding a leg of lamb in front of his junk. His wife was hawking nearby and he barely looked up. Friend was put out but I'm really glad we left unscathed.

AW
Posted 2011-01-18 14:45:57
Impromptu Taco Party on Saturday night...Slow roasted a bone-in Pork butt (skin on!) with my take on a Cuban Style marinade (limes/oranges/onion/fresh bayleaves ridic amount garlic) which came out perfect moist w/ crunchy skin + Shrimp with even more garlic, fire roasted anahiem chilies, spicy pickled red flame carrots & jalepeno, shredded cabbage w/ smoked maldon salt & lime juice, crema, radishes, warm corn tortillas...also made a Coconut Cake with Meyer lemon thai chili glaze...the highlight though was the Blood Orange/Pink grapefruit Snow-ritas...necessity being the mother of invention, having forgotten to make enough ice we stepped out on the porch and scooped up some (clean) snow. Have been thinking of many adult snow-cone combos ever since.

Sunday am...fab brekkie thx to AE & Green Aisle.. it was almost heart breaking to crack those gorgeous eggs..but the BRIGHT yellow yolks made lovely scrambled egg w/ roasted peppers & manchego with slices of ricks 14 grain..how did I survive So Philly w/ out you???

Laurel Rose Purdy
Posted 2011-01-17 19:36:10
You should see the actual crib, Adam! You're invited to the next fwiends dinner. Pot luck style.

Carolyn
Posted 2011-01-17 19:41:16
Friday was a bye-BH happy hour at the Khyber that involved one too many Stoudt's Old Abominables and some killer chili that was only slightly less delicious than the pork belly version on their specials menu last week. 

Saturday scrounged for food in the house till dinnertime at Han Dynasty: got cucumbers in chili oil, cold rabbit/peanut app, dry pot lamb. Bliss. Seriously.

Sunday had a Pho fail -- navigating the Nam Phuong parking lot on a Sunday at noon is a really stupid idea -- and ended up Pho-ing it up instead at Columbus & Washington's Pho Saigon. Absurdly long line for a strip mall, but the wait was only 10 minutes somehow, and the pho was scrumptious as usual. Drinks later on at the P.O.P.E. including one full glass of water spilled on my lap. Also I learned that if you order a Bloody Mary at 5 pm on a Sunday you will get a half-stink-eye which is probably deserved.

Apparently Drew and I are food twins this weekend except for Rocco's.

Laurel Rose Purdy
Posted 2011-01-17 19:50:52
Drew, Nan Zhou is, BOTTOM LINE, where it's at.

Erin
Posted 2011-01-17 19:52:36
I didn't know you were living without gluten Laurel, I have a pretty incredible flourless chocolate/walnut cookie recipe. Will keep this in mind as a future pot luck dessert.

Adam Erace
Posted 2011-01-17 18:45:14
Damn, I wanna eat at LRP's crib!

Tweets that mention Notes from the Weekend: January 17 :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com
Posted 2011-01-17 18:18:35
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Drew Lazor, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: New NOTES FROM THE WEEKEND is live! Say hi to @adamerace @laurelro @erinfinnerty & @urdrian & share notes in comments: http://ow.ly/3FoXz [...] 

ME
Posted 2011-01-17 18:22:48
Considering how much I love Veracruzano, it's a crime I've never been there for breakfast. Had poblano eggs with a heaping side of refried beans, which was exactly what I needed after a Friday that began a little too early at Oscar's (shout out to waitress extraoridinaire Dee. A wonderful lady and a classy broad). It made up for the fact that the meal was followed by the Green Hornet, which blew. Ended the night with some Mexican-style pizza (chorizo, a shitload of cheese) at Sidecar, which was paired perfectly with a few too many whiskeys (also, Beardy Waiter, thanks for letting us hold that table for so long). Sunday began with my new breakfast-post-noon obsession: the La Va panini from the titular coffeeshop (mmm...tuna + plus olive oil + plus whatever else they put on that to make it so good). 

As good as all those things were, it could not compare to South Philly Tap Room on Sunday night. I had been there loads of times to drink but never thought to save room for grub. Thank Our Lady of Decadent Eating that I did. Began with Russian River Brewing Co.'s Damnation (light enough for my ensuing heavy meal, but packed a wollop), then shared the fried chicken with that mind-blowing corn bread, the mac 'n' cheese (which can only be described as magical) and the tomato lager soup complete with two grilled cheese sandwiches. Topped it all off with the fried PB&J (there are no adjectives for how strongly I felt about it). Tip o' the hat, SPTR.
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 10:42 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Monday, January 17, 2011, 8:40 PM
Filed Under: Dealage | Arterial Terrorism
PYT on Facebook
In some more alterna-Restaurant Week news, Tommy Up's Piazza hotspot PYT is offering up three "Bestaurant Week" specials. For $15, you can snatch up a signature PYT, TLC or veg-friendly Calibunga Burger, plus an adult shake of your choice. For an additional $5, upgrade the deal to include any of PYT's "Hall of Fame" burgers, including their cheesesteak pretzel roll burger or the fanciful pistachio-crusted lamb burger. If that's not enough for your particularly daring and/or chunky inner moppet, PYT is also proudly presenting its "Heart Attack Special." We should all be thankful that we live in a world where adults can order a double cheeseburger with bacon — nay, chocolate-covered bacon — sandwiched between fresh Krispy Kreme doughnuts with no need for obligatory vegetable accoutrement. Accompanied by an order of cheese fries and an adult milkshake served extra boozy, the $25 price point on the Heart Attack Special pales in price comparison to the Lipitor prescription you may require following the consumption of this meal. What is life without risks?

Erin Finnerty
Posted 2011-01-19 18:11:48
To be fair, the adult milkshake + an extra shot will usually run you $15 by itself. Steep, but worth it. Especially if you can get someone to buy on FOR you.

me
Posted 2011-01-20 10:18:21
i'm wondering if there is anyone living who has had this special. i guess it works more as a marketing gimmick and less as an actual meal...

also, do you know if that is american cheese in the picture above? if so, this concoction somehow got grosser.

Erin
Posted 2011-01-18 16:09:10
That's a very lofty statement, Bill. I think your fecal feast is a novelty food concept all its own.

me
Posted 2011-01-19 10:37:13
to be fair, bill poops foie gras. 

seriously though...$25???

Bill
Posted 2011-01-18 13:25:30
I would rather eat my own feces,than a hamburger on a doughnut.ZERO interest in novelty food concepts. Just Me Just Sayin

Drew Lazor
Posted 2011-01-18 16:50:38
The most appetizing comment thread on Meal Ticket!

Tweets that mention Arterial Terrorism: PYT's “Heart Attack Special” :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com
Posted 2011-01-17 18:16:12
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Rolf Guiel, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: Arterial Terrorism: The "Heart Attack Special" at @pytphilly http://ow.ly/3FlfR [...] 
Posted by Erin Finnerty @ 8:40 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Monday, January 17, 2011, 6:20 PM
Filed Under: Food Events | Menu Time
You may remember our recent rundown of non-Restaurant Week deals happening at a slew of spots around town, but we just got word of a super-specialized menu at Matyson (37 S. 19th St.) — one that just so happens to coincide with Restaurant Week! From Jan. 17 to 20, Matyson's "Lobster Love" tasting menu offers a lobster-oriented spin on their signature themed tasting menus; $45 gets you a ton of crustacean, since each course (with the exception of dessert) makes copious use of the featured ingredient. Take a peek after the jump.

Lobster & Grapefruit Salad - Soy beans, crispy lotus root, miso vinaigrette

Lobster & Squid Ink Gnocchi - Calamari confit, chorizo, piquillo peppers, espelette

Lobster Benedict - Avocado mousse, tomato confit, saffron, crispy poached egg

Lobster Cassoulet - Lobster "sausage," stewed white beans, kale, red wine

Apple Bread Pudding - Cranberries, vanilla ice cream

Posted by Adrian Pelliccia @ 6:20 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Monday, January 17, 2011, 5:24 PM
Filed Under: Food Events
clandonaldpd.org
Scottish penman Robert Burns — doesn't he kinda look like Casey Affleck? — is probably most famous for Auld Lang Syne, but that year-ending bit of verse is just one of dozens of classic works by the Ploughman's Poet. For years now, Scots and Scotophiles alike have been celebrating Burns' legacy with a traditional "Burns Dinner," where the haggis piles teeter-totter and the whisky flows like the River Tay. Queen Village's new Kennett (848 S. Second St.) pays filling homage to Burns next week with a thematic supper of its own, scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 25 (Burns' birthday). Chef Brian Ricci will start serving a menu of Scottish specialties — Scotch eggs, bannock buns, cullen skink (smoked haddock soup), rumbledethumps (a very-U.K. cheesy-gooey cabbage/potato/onion mash), and housemade haggis bangers — at 7:30 p.m. Reps from UPenn's poetry department will handle a recitation of Burns' famous Address to the Haggis — great chieftain o' the puddin' race! — around 9 p.m.

Tweets that mention Jan. 25: Robert Burns Night at Kennett :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com
Posted 2011-01-17 14:03:02
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Drew Lazor. Drew Lazor said: RT @mealticket: It's haggis time! Robert Burns Night at Kennett next Tuesday, Jan. 25: http://ow.ly/3FdE4 [...] 
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 5:24 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Monday, January 17, 2011, 4:00 PM
Filed Under: Where'd We Eat?
Thanks to LP for this doozy ... UPDATE [11:40 a.m.]: Has our reader stumped you guys?! Clues: This place is not in Chinatown, nor it is in any way an Asian establishment. The bar is small, so you might have a Dickens of a time getting a seat during an Eagles or Phillies game ...

Tweets that mention A reader-submitted Where'd We Drink? :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com
Posted 2011-01-17 13:58:46
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Nicole Williams, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: A reader-submitted Where We Eat? challenge from @louperseghin: http://ow.ly/3Fbh6 [...] 

Mike H
Posted 2011-01-17 11:10:07
Golden Phoenix?

Drew Lazor
Posted 2011-01-17 11:19:36
Mike H, a solid guess, but believe it or not this drinking establishment in NOT in Chinatown. More of a literary lilt to the name...

Brie
Posted 2011-01-17 11:45:11
The Artful Dodger.

Smash
Posted 2011-01-17 11:50:12
Artful Dodger.  Damn you Brie!

Drew Lazor
Posted 2011-01-17 11:52:12
Brie wins! (Sorry Smash) More Irish bars need autographed Jackie Chan lithographs, don't you think?

Brie
Posted 2011-01-17 12:08:33
Honestly its the teeny weeny ledge I recognized, good to rest a pint on but not quite large enough for a plate. Also, I recall @jessecornell heckling Christmas carolers not to long ago.
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 4:00 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Monday, January 17, 2011, 3:13 PM
Filed Under: Meal Ticket | Ticket Stubs
Monday, Jan. 10 Chef Josh Lawler, formerly of Dan Barber's Blue Hill at Stone Barns, is opening his own restaurant on Pine Street. Adam Erace experiments with his Biodome-y Aerogarden and will keep us posted on its progress. SPACE HERBZ Tacos, home brew fig/choco stout, 'cue on cue, old-school caesars and more in Notes from the Weekend. Tuesday, Jan. 11 Maru Global Takoyaki and The Foodery are collaborating on an awesome-sounding beer dinner. Cantina Feliz, from Garces alum Tim Spinner, is now open in Fort Washington. Wednesday, Jan. 12 The 4500 block of Walnut is becoming a Little Lebanon, especially with the debut of Manakeesh Café. James responds to its exclusion from Philly Mag's Top 50 restaurants list with a little creative marketing. Freshii hits the Philly market running with free food aplenty to mark its debut. Red Zone is a sports bar concept taking over the old Café Spice in Old City. D4L be damned: Erin Finnerty profiles the Laffy Taffy Sparkle Cherry variety in Weekly Candy. Thursday, Jan. 13 It's lunchtime at Daniel Stern's lofty R2L. Laurel Rose Purdy rounds up non-Restaurant Week deals you should take advantage of this Restaurant Week. Anyone see The Soup Nazi at Doc's on Girard Avenue this weekend? Friday, Jan. 14 Upstares at Varalli is becoming Perch Pub. Pizzeria Stella is running one hell of a $25 deal through Friday. You sound grill like you're from London! Tashan, in the 777 building, is sourcing some super-sleek tandoor ovens from the U.K.

Tweets that mention Ticket Stubs: Meal Ticket Weekly Recap, Jan. 10-14 :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com
Posted 2011-01-17 10:50:11
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Dell Poncet. Dell Poncet said: RT @mealticket: Ticket Stubs: Meal Ticket Weekly Recap, Jan. 10-14 http://ow.ly/3F89E [...] 
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 3:13 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Monday, January 17, 2011, 2:56 PM
Filed Under: Menu Time | Openings
southphillyreview.com
I start the fire, I make the pizza. Chef Claudio Conigliaro
How did this one sneak by us? Chef Claudio Conigliaro and John Varallo, whose family owns the solid Ristorante Pesto (1915 S. Broad St.), has opened up the eat-in/take-out/delivery Pizzeria Pesto (1925 S. Broad St.) two doors down. Fourteen pies (8 red, 6 white) are fired in brick ovens, with a pesto pizza, naturally, among the choices, plus calzones and one thick-crusted Sicilian. Square biz. Browse the full menu, which also includes reasonably priced pastas, sandwiches and desserts, here. We're already looking forward to seeing how the rosemary-dusted potato pizza stacks up against la stalwart La Rosa's (2106 S. Broad) two blocks south.

Ticket Stubs: Meal Ticket Weekly Recap, Jan. 17-23 :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper
Posted 2011-01-24 08:31:53
[...] The owners of Pesto have launched their own pizzeria. [...] 

Felicia D'Ambrosio
Posted 2011-01-17 10:30:30
PSN loved it.  Three tips of the toque!

barryg
Posted 2011-01-17 22:07:28
I was really disappointed with the pizza when I tried. Above average crust, but very bland. Didn't try the potato one. Still haven't found anything better than Franco Luigi's for take out, Marra's for eat in.

Foobooz » Quick Bites: Is Today 943′s Day?
Posted 2011-01-18 11:13:54
[...] The family of Ristorante Pesto has opened Pizzeria Pesto at 1925 S Broad. [Meal Ticket] [...] 

lawgirl3278
Posted 2011-01-18 15:47:56
I tried it a few weeks ago.  It was ok, reminded me of boardwalk pie.  My go-to neighborhood pies are Francoluigi's, Stogie Joe's and Marra's.
Posted by Adam Erace @ 2:56 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
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About this blog
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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