Archive: January, 2011

An important soup question from a reader

POSTED: Monday, January 10, 2011, 7:52 PM

Filed Under: We're Here to Help

Meal Ticket reader KH checks in with this soupy query:

Where can a girl get a decent bowl of broccoli cheese soup in this town? Ruby Tuesday's is not the answer.

Anyone?

Laurel Rose

Posted 2011-01-11 01:20:00

Totally agree with Adam; @foodsyoucaneat

Adam Erace

Posted 2011-01-10 14:59:47

Broccoli cheese soup... Sounds like a job for @foodsyoucaneat.

NaTe

Posted 2011-01-10 15:51:04

Try the Bishops Collar in Fairmount, they always have 2 or 3 very good soups and they change every couple days.

barryg

Posted 2011-01-11 13:36:35

True that.  He's had broccoli has a the seasonal vegetable recently so why not make a soup with any leftover bounty?

I don't think I've seen this soup on a non-chain restaurant or -diner menu in recent memory.  I guess it's out of fashion.  If it's ever the daily special at Oregon Diner it will probably be good.

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 7:52 PM Permalink | Post a comment

The Aerogarden Experiment, Day 1

POSTED: Monday, January 10, 2011, 6:46 PM

Filed Under: Product Placement

You might be a food writer if your Christmas gifts consist of ceramic knives, waffle irons and an Aerogarden, which I just got around to setting up today. Three seasons out of the year, I tend a modest container garden of veggies and herbs, but once winter rolls in, most of my plants go kaput. While hardy herbs like rosemary and lavender will live through the winter, delicates like basil, parsley and cilantro â the ones I use most in cooking â forfeit at the first sign of frost, like the Dolphins playing the Packers in December.

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

Recognizing the plight of her urban-gardener fiance, my girl hooked it up with this spiffy seven-seed Aerogarden deluxe. Will it be the answer to the Zone 7 grower's prayers, or just another piece of schlock peddled to middle American on late-night paid programming? I should find out over the next four weeks. First, I had to put the beast together. Fortunately, Aerogarden assembly is a friend of instructional-booklet ADHD sufferers. When new toys arrive, it's usually a matter of minutes before I'm at the eye of a torn-cardboard hurricane, surrounded by packing peanuts, haphazardly assembled parts and blood; the Aerogarden was so easy to put together, it practically assembled itself. Four pieces (base, seed basin, adjustable arm, light canopy), four steps of common-sense connecting. Once the Aerogarden was together, I filled the basin with water and two nutrient tablets; inserted the seven seed pods from the âInternational Basilâ collection â tres cosmopolitan! â and covered them with the little âbiodomesâ [insert Pauly Shore joke here] that help the seeds sprout. I adjusted the grow light arm to bring the lamp as close to the seeds as possible, plugged it in, put the machine on the "herbs" setting and sat back. The Aerogarden works on a 16-hour light cycle, meaning my basil septuplets (Genovese, Thai, Marseilles, globe, Neopolitano, Red Rubin and lemon) will get all the artificial sun they need to grow up big and strong and make daddy proud. If all goes according to plan, each plant should sprout within a week. Stay tuned.

The Aerogarden Experiment: Day 35 :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2011-02-14 13:35:28

[...] basil! It's been a little more than a month since I planted my Aerogarden, and I need only ogle the seasonally implausible snapshot above to answer my original question: Does [...]

Lauren

Posted 2011-02-14 15:50:49

Wow! I've been wanting one of these. Just saw your end product. May I ask if this is sucking up your electricity bill?

The Aerogarden Experiment, Day 14 :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2011-01-25 16:24:26

[...] been two weeks since I “planted” my Aerogarden, and my seven little Jurassic Park basil embryos have all sprouted. As promised, like periscopes, [...]

Posted by Adam Erace @ 6:46 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Jan. 13: National Pastrami Day festivities at Delicatessen

POSTED: Monday, January 10, 2011, 6:06 PM

Filed Under: Contests | Food and Holidays | Food News | Arterial Terrorism

Courtesy of Delicatessen

This Thursday, Jan. 13, celebrate National Pastrami Day at hungry man's palace Delicatessen (703 Chestnut St.), which is launching a multi-pronged wave of house-smoked programming. Apparently, the folks who own Tommy Pastrami, a Southern California deli chain that runs 'strami-eating contests, claim that their pastrami consumers are the most formidable in all the 50 states, so Michael Spector is looking to knock them down a peg by hosting an eat-off of his own. Thusly, Thursday will see the launch of the 24-ounce Big Macher, pictured above. (Just for reference, the typical Delicatessen sandwich features between 7 and 8 ounces of meat.) Finish the Big Macher in 15 minutes or less and you'll qualify for the Jan. 20 finals, which'll see eating a 48-ounce pastrami behemoth known only as The Maccabee. Post the best time in that round, and you'll win a fully catered party for 25 people (in Bubby's living room!), plus a gang of Delicatessen tees. If you're not feeling up to the challenge, you can at least snag a $5 regular person-sized pastrami sandwich between the 13th and 20th, too.

Pastrami-scarfing finals (featuring a CP competitor!) at Delicatessen tonight :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2011-01-20 16:16:19

[...] Last Monday we told you about the eating contest, to celebrate National Pastrami Day (Jan. 13), at Delicatessen (703 Chestnut St.). Today at 5:30 p.m., the top six fastest eaters who have qualified over the past week will face off in the scarf-off finals. The challenge: a 48-ounce (aka 3-pound) pastrami sandwich known as The Maccabee. Delicatessen owner Michael Spector plans on doling out gratis pastrami and beer for curious onlookers. [...]

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 6:06 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Ticket Stubs: Meal Ticket Weekly Recap, Jan. 3-7

POSTED: Monday, January 10, 2011, 4:47 PM

Filed Under: Meal Ticket | Ticket Stubs

Monday, Jan. 3 South Philly staple Iannelli's is making big progress on its expansion. Filipino purple yams, Puerto Rican egg nog, Chemex experimentation, the pasta dish we fondly refer to as "whoresghetti" and more in Notes from the Weekend. Peep a photo tour of Stephen Starr's brand-new pub, The Dandelion. Tuesday, Jan. 4 For Pete's Sake's cream of potato soup is something you should Eat Immediately. NYC transplant Serafina is aiming to open in the spring. Details on the Chestnut Hill collaboration from chefs Chip Roman and Jason Cichonski. Georges Perrier talks to Meal Ticket about giving his legendary Le Bec-Fin a second chance. Wednesday, Jan. 5 Marc Vetri and Brad Spence are going old-school with Sunday Gravy at Amis. Chef Tim McGinnis lands a sweet-sounding new gig in South Philly. There's a new winter menu at Cochon, and it sounds phenomenal. Old City's Crocodile launches an all-pickleback shot menu. Thursday, Jan. 6 Valanni now has a lounge-y, bottle-service-y new half called SOCIAL. Little Fish is back open in its new digs â check out the opening menu. The old Spaghetti Warehouse is becoming something liquor-licensed â and 4 Corners and R5 Productions' Sean Agnew are definitely involved. Friday, Jan. 7 Jose Garces and crew hook yet another 35-pound octopus for us to eat. Enter the Khyber Pass Pub's Jan. 29 beer chili cookoff!

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 4:47 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Blue Hill at Stone Barns chef moving into Wash West

POSTED: Monday, January 10, 2011, 1:00 PM

Filed Under: Chef Salad | Openings

bluehillfarm.com

Here's a very promising chef get for Philly: Josh Lawler, a PA native and chef de cuisine at Dan Barber's acclaimed Blue Hill at Stone Barns, has signed on to open a restaurant at 1120 Pine Street, the former home of Paul. Lawler, a graduate of Drexel's hospitality school, started as a sous chef at the acclaimed farmstead restaurant â located less than an hour north of NYC, it's Barber's operation within the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture â in 2006, moving into a chef de cuisine role a year later. The project is in the very early stages so there's not much to share yet; we do know, though, that Lawler's targeting a March opening for the spot, which we understand will be a BYO. No word on concept/cuisine just yet, but knowing Blue Hill's reputation, we imagine Lawler will be putting a legitimate emphasis on local growers and purveyors. More soon.

Paul to become new restaurant

Posted 2011-01-10 10:29:14

[...]  [...]

Adam Erace

Posted 2011-01-10 10:38:01

Gaaaaah!!! So exciting!

Foobooz » Quick Bites

Posted 2011-01-10 12:00:23

[...] Pine Street is getting a new restaurant with an exciting pedigree. Blue Hill Farm’s chef de cuisine Josh Lawler is aiming to open the BYO in March. [Meal Ticket] [...]

greg.l.

Posted 2011-01-10 12:01:35

Congrats, it it a nice room. Hope he can make it work.

Details emerge on Blue Hill alum’s Philly spot :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2011-01-24 11:12:47

[...] 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 [...]

bonn.b.

Posted 2011-01-18 22:19:33

dined with chef josh several times during his time at bh.

philly, you are so lucky to have him. he is extremely talented.

even though we are several states away chef josh is still on our food radar! will be worth the trip.

philly, you now have two of my favorites, you keep this up and we'll have to move.

Ticket Stubs: Meal Ticket Weekly Recap, Jan. 10-14 :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2011-01-17 10:13:17

[...] Chef Josh Lawler, formerly of Dan Barber’s Blue Hill at Stone Barns, is opening his own restau... [...]

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 1:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Enter the Khyber Pass Pub's Jan. 29 Beer Chili Cookoff

POSTED: Friday, January 7, 2011, 7:58 PM

Filed Under: Booze | Contests

Do you make a mean-ass beer-based chili? Then you should enter the Third Annual(ish) Beer Chili Cookoff, scheduled for Sat., Jan. 29 at the new-look Khyber Pass Pub (56 S. Second St.).The only stipulations for the competition are that contestants (about 15 are signed up right now; it'll be capped at 22-ish) bring their chili fully prepared, and that beer is implemented as an ingredient. Prizes for winners are TBD, but will be beer-related; the judging panel right now consists of Khyber/Royal Tavern/Cantina chef Mark McKinney and yours truly. The public is welcome to come through and sample all the entries for free. A word on the field: The past two cookoffs have been won by Steve Matt of the just-down-the-block Brownie's, who will be entering again this year. If he threepeats, it's been decided that he'll gracefully retire from competition â which will be renamed the Steve Matt Beer Chili Cookoff. Bring your A Game! If you want to sign up, call the bar at 215-238-5888 or email Jeremy Thomson at morebeer215@gmail.com.

Gene "the grinder" Giuffi

Posted 2011-01-07 22:24:56

Hope that pic is not the winner from last year

miss rachel

Posted 2011-01-07 23:46:27

vegan chili? yes? no? i don't want to get laughed at!

The Bad Reader

Posted 2011-01-09 18:20:35

An ass beer based chilli? Who would make that?

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 7:58 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Pulpo Non-Fiction 2 at JG Domestic

POSTED: Friday, January 7, 2011, 7:18 PM

Filed Under: Food News

Courtesy of JG Domestic

Last March, the crew at Jose Garces' Tinto (116 S. 20th St.) geeked out on a 35-pound octopus they sliced up for Pulpo Gallego. The Garces guys are at it again â this time the just-reviewed JG Domestic (Cira Centre, 2929 Arch St.) is the recipient of a 35-pound tentacled beast, caught in Alaskan waters just two days ago. Chef Dave Conn (center, with Josh Massaro and Joel Mazigian) will poach the suckered sucker in red wine vinegar, lemon, chili, garlic and various spices first, then slice it up, pan-sear it and serve it with potato confit, green chili and Persian lemon. That dish will run $16; they're also planning on setting some aside for a cured octo dish.

Tweets that mention Pulpo Non-Fiction 2 at JG Domestic :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2011-01-07 15:09:27

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by ProfilePR. ProfilePR said: RT @mealticket: JG Domestic just hooked one big-ass octopus: http://ow.ly/3A9gq [...]

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 7:18 PM Permalink | Post a comment

A reader-submitted Where'd We Eat?

POSTED: Friday, January 7, 2011, 6:08 PM

Filed Under: Where'd We Eat?

A Meal Ticket reader sent in this WWE?, and we'll admit it stumped us! This one's tough. Start guessing in the comments, and if it proves too difficult we'll share some clues ...

Gordo

Posted 2011-01-07 13:17:02

Silk City

Mike H

Posted 2011-01-07 13:19:14

Steak and Bagel train

Drew Lazor

Posted 2011-01-07 13:32:33

Mike H is NO JOKE people. This is the Steak & Bagel train at Broad and Callowhill. Very impressive, sir.

Mike H

Posted 2011-01-07 14:39:38

The shape of the roof was a give away

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 6:08 PM Permalink | Post a comment

IN PRINT: City Paper Food and Restaurants, Jan. 6

POSTED: Thursday, January 6, 2011, 10:46 PM

Filed Under: In Print

Photo | Neal Santos

- The Village Belle doesn't practice any of the theatrics that so impressed a young Adam Erace back when the QV space was Frederick's, but that doesn't matter, as the Campanaro brothers' neighborhood restaurant delivers on many levels. - We review the new super-scientifical kinda-cookbook from Levittown-based chefs Aki Kamozawa and H. Alexander Talbot, authors of the engrossing Ideas in Food blog.

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 10:46 PM Permalink | Post a comment

UPDATE: R5's Sean Agnew is definitely involved with 4 Corners' Spaghetti Warehouse takeover

POSTED: Thursday, January 6, 2011, 9:45 PM

Filed Under: Food and Music | Openings

I've been putting in calls to Edward A. Taraskus, the attorney listed on the orange sticker on the door of the former Spaghetti Warehouse (1026 Spring Garden St.), the space we previously stated had involvement from Avram Hornik (4 Corners) and his old pal, R5's Sean Agnew. While their names weren't on the posted license application (as was reported to me by a lousy source, which I later corrected) the name Union Transfer LLC was. Remember I said that Agnew neither denied nor admitted his involvement when asked two nights ago? Check here, on the PLCB's website. Agnew, along with Hornik, Mark Fichera (a longtime 4 Corners guy) and James F. Glancy, are listed as members on the license. So there is involvement between Hornik and Agnew, as I claimed. Just how much involvement isn't known as yet, as neither Agnew (away on vacation) nor Taraskus' office will comment. It is notable that those fielding phone calls at Taraskus' office (they've reportedly handled previous Hornik-related real-estate deals) wouldn't even say exactly who was involved in the project.

Spaghetti Warehouse getting the 4 Corners/R5 Productions treatment? (UPDATED 05jan11) :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2011-01-06 16:46:26

[...] Contest is accepting submissions now!• THE SHOWDOWN: A spazzy, fuzzed-out time Meal Ticket• UPDATE: R5's Sean Agnew is definitely involved with 4 Corners' Spaghetti Warehouse takeover• SNACK TIME: Taco Hell, Freebies for Food Heads, Bank-Breaking Spices, Backyard Farm Support, [...]

Former Spaghetti Warehouse to become R5/Hornik music venue?

Posted 2011-01-07 12:14:33

[...] real-estate deals) wouldn’t even say exactly who was involved in the project.    UPDATE: R5’s Sean Agnew is definitely involved with 4 Corners’ Spaghetti Warehouse takeo...    "It has shown me that everything is illuminated in the light of the past" Jonathan [...]

Sean Agnew of R5 and 4 Corners To Take Over Spaghetti Warehouse

Posted 2011-01-07 16:46:56

[...] some confusion this week over the name on the recently closed Spaghetti Warehouse, Foobooz and CityPaper have unearthed the PLCB license confirming Sean Agnew’s (R5 Proudctions) and Avram [...]

Ticket Stubs: Meal Ticket Weekly Recap, Jan. 3-7 :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2011-01-10 11:48:28

[...] A reader-submitted Where'd We Eat?• IN PRINT: City Paper Food and Restaurants, Jan. 6• UPDATE: R5's Sean Agnew is definitely involved with 4 Corners' Spaghetti Warehouse takeover• SNACK TIME: Taco Hell, Freebies for Food Heads, Bank-Breaking Spices, Backyard Farm Support, [...]

Posted by A.D. Amorosi @ 9:45 PM Permalink | Post a comment

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If you don't know Nutella is bad for you and your kids, then you are a total idiot and a bad parent.
First Gigs: Jeff Ziga, Little Baby's Ice Cream
Notes from the Weekend: May 13
An edible guide to Rittenhouse Row Spring Festival
Bar Crawl: What's new at Ortlieb's
Afternoon Snacks: Richard Blais's Ikea Burger, Waffle "tacos," Coffee nerdery, The U.N. wants you to eat more bugs
Extra! Extra! Lobster openings, chocolate closings and lots of free stuff
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Real Talk: 50 Things They Never Told You About Being a Chef
Night Market Watch

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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 here — those 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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