Archive: October, 2010

This Saturday, five candles for Sidecar

POSTED: Friday, October 29, 2010, 9:09 PM

Filed Under: Dealage | Food News

Photo courtesy of Sidecar Bar & Grill

Tomorrow from 8 p.m. to midnight, Adam Ritter and his Sidecar Bar & Grille will be celebrating five years in business. A couple things happening: Damon Bennet of Back2Basics playing, Botany 500 spinning and, oh yeah, FREE BEER on Sidecar's new second floor. Renovations are totally finished yet, but they're added a stage for the occasion. And there's free beer. Did we mention that already?

Posted by Adam Erace @ 9:09 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Mariposa Co-op to become Megaposa Co-op

POSTED: Friday, October 29, 2010, 8:46 PM

Filed Under: Food News

mariposacoop.com

~~blueprint~~ greenprint for the new Mariposa Co-op

That's one swell artistic rending of the planned new location for the nearly-40-year-old Marisposa Co-op. According to their website, the 700 members-strong West Philly operation is purchasing a building at 4824 Baltimore Avenue that will quintuple the size of their current digs. Plans include eco-pimp the building with rainwater cisterns, rooftop beehives and vertical garden while expanding the store's retail square-footage and using part of the second floor for classrooms, though the greatest change may be a new policy that allows non-members to shop. Check out the retail layout after the jump.

Posted by Adam Erace @ 8:46 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Dios Mio, it's the Day of the Dead!

POSTED: Friday, October 29, 2010, 6:55 PM

Filed Under: Dealage | Food News

thefashioncult.com

sorry, Mondo

Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos for all ya'll gringos) is a tradition based in Mexico but celebrated all over the world. It centers around the gathering of family and friends to honor, remember and celebrate passed-on spirits through celebration, eating, singing, dancing and partying. The familiar calavera, or sugar skull, is meant as an homage to the deceasead, usually shown in bright colors doing something fun. Day of the Dead lands on November 2, coinciding with the Catholic holy day of All Souls, but some local Mexican restaurants are getting into the spirit now. After the jump, peep Meal Ticket's round-up of deadly cool DotD menus.

Creepy Prix-Fixe dinner at El Rey $30 for 4 courses, Saturday October 30-Tuesday November 1 Executive chef Dionicio Jiminez is trying to creep you out. El Reys celebrating Halloween weekend & Dia de los Muertos by attempting to trick AND treat your tastebuds with a menu worthy of Fear Factor. Items like guacamole with grasshoppers, quesadilla with brains and heart and tongue tacos are on hand. Fear not, wussies, each menu item has a safe option, and the dinner gets you a complimentary shot of Sauza. El Rey 2013 Chestnut St 215-563-3330 elreyrestaurant.com Heart & Soul Dinner at Xochitl $45 for 5 courses, Tuesday November 2 Corazon (heart), Alma (soul) and Sangre (blood) are the themes of chef Lucio Palazzos Day of the Dead dinner on Tuesday. Expect items like Piel (chicharrones with salsa verde and apple), Higado (foie gras-and-duck confit empanada with shaved hubbard squash and pomegranate-chipotle salsa) and Sangre (blood sausages with beets, fennel, and walnut-tequila vinaigrette). And thats just the beginning. There will be plenty of margaritas, though drinks are not included in the prix-fixe price. Xochitl 408 S 2nd St 215-238-7280 xochitlphilly.com Day of the Dead Celebration at Distrito Tuesday November 2 beginning at 2:30 p.m.-11 p.m. There is something for everyone as Jose Garcess Distrito celebrates Dia de los Muertos, aka Day of the Dead. Not only will there be DJs and face-painters but also street food specials at the bar: assorted alambres (skewers) of hanger steak, shrimp and chicken for $6-$7 and Nachos Ignacio with black beans, poblano, queso and pickled jalapenos ($7), plus beer specials on Tecate and Modelo Especial ($2), Dos Equis ($4) and specialty cocktails for $5. Beginning at 8 p.m. there is a specialty Day of the Dead/Herradura tequila Dinner for $65 per person. Included is hiramasa ceviche with blood orange segments, red chile-and-pork tamale with Oaxacan black mole and much more. Reservations are highly recommended. A portion of the days proceeds with go to Puentes De Salud, a local non profit that benefits the wellbeing of Phillys Latinos. Distrito 3945 Chestnut St 215-222-1657 distritorestaurant.com El Vez Halloween/Dia de los Muertos Party Saturday October 30 10 p.m.-2 a.m. For some late night Halloween fun, stop by El Vez to partake in their costume contest and to enjoy their late night happy hour from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. There will be a tasting sponsored by Dulce Vita, an organic 100-proof Tequila from the highlands of Mexico. DJ MG will be providing music throughout the night. And of course, dont forget the seven (!) kinds of guacamole.

El Vez 121 S 13th St 215-928-9800 elvezrestaurant.com

Tweets that mention Dios Mio, its the Day of the Dead! :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2010-10-29 15:57:30

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Melissa Calcagni, Melissa Calcagni and Melissa Calcagni, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: The dead live this weekend. @negitron with the Dia de los Muerto goings-on around town. http://tinyurl.com/27dje4a [...]

Posted by Rachel Burgos @ 6:55 PM Permalink | Post a comment

SNACK TIME: Tap this Philly, a quick food laugh, snappy apps, Blues Clues, loco Four Loko, geeky pumpkinry

POSTED: Friday, October 29, 2010, 5:38 PM

Filed Under: Snack Time

Photo | Darby Rose

- My beer quests have suddenly become slightly more reputable, thanks to Philly Beer Girl and her heads up on the recently launched PhillyTapFinder. It's wonderful and simple: You can search by beer name, characteristic, style, or bar name. It's also iPhone and BlackBerry friendly, so you can beer quest on the go. Hooray! - Dear Battlefood: Thanks for making me laugh with just two photos and one sentence. - I very much appreciate FarmToPhilly's list of their favorite "local" food apps, with an explanation and link to either purchase or download. Notes to self: 1) get iPhone; 2) download locavore app. - Madame Fromage has teamed up with Di Bruno Brothers for a Wednesday blog series on cheese, and I, for one, am STOKED. Here she starts in on blue cheese for beginners. I'm already daydreaming of the stilton-chutney combo she mentioned. - Uhhhmmm, welcome to earf, FDA. Slashfood shares some info on Four Loko via the Food & Drug Administration, and why drinking it isn't good for you. Twelve percent alcohol, mad caffeine and crazy sweet flavors. Sure, sounds like a healthy, great, innocent night. Until you realize Four Loko IS FUCKING CRAZY and you really shouldn't drink it. Well, you really shouldn't drink more than one... - Holy smokes, thank you Geekologie for posting these awesomely-nerdy-but-still-really-cool Pumpkin carvings.

Posted by Rachel Burgos @ 5:38 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Challahween at Delicatessen

POSTED: Friday, October 29, 2010, 2:51 PM

Filed Under: Food and Holidays | Food News

delicatessenphilly.com

Happy Challahween! From October 27th to 31st, Delicatessen (703 Chestnut)--Lazor just had a late lunch here--will be celebrating Challahween with festive menu additions.

Challahween French Toast Extra thick slices of challah bread soaked in pumpkin custard, served with warm maple caramel sauce...$9

The Dybbuk A mythical monster created from our fresh roast turkey, applewood smoked bacon, avocado, juicy tomato and "Monster" cheese. It's just traif enough to keep make your great-great-grandbubbe come back to haunt you...$9

Pastrami Rubenov Straight from the Romanian principality of Transylvania, garlicky pastrami, pungent sauerkraut, garlic aioli with melted Swiss cheese on ry. Served with garlic pickles to keep the vampires at bay...$10

All three dishes come with choice of side: latkes, waffle fries, apple sauce, fruit salad, coleslaw, potato salad or home fries. Challahween brunch includes treats for kids in costume.

Tweets that mention Challahween at Delicatessen :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2010-10-29 10:44:59

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Cunei4m and CoolSpinster, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: Delicatessen does Challahween http://tinyurl.com/249baje [...]

Posted by Anthony Sica @ 2:51 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Pumpkin carving contests at London, SPTR

POSTED: Thursday, October 28, 2010, 9:13 PM

Filed Under: Dealage | Food News

southphiladelphiataproom.com

On some Food Network Challenge shiz, both London Grill and South Philly Tap Room are hosting pumpkin carving contests this week. Tonight at London, owner Terry Berch-McNally, with Flying Fish brewmaster Casey Hughes and rep Chuck Ott, will be judging submissions (due by 7 p.m.) in three categories: best in show, most intricate and (our fave) best use of a fish. Winner gets Flying Fish swag and a London gift cert. Everyone gets $3 Exit 4 bottles and Exit 16 draughts from 5 p.m. to midnight. On Saturday, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., SPTR will supply carvers with pumpkins, tools and seven pumpkin beers (Dogfish, Sixpoint, Elysian to name a few) on tap. First, second and third places get SPTR T-shirts and gift cards for $50, $30 and $15, respectively, but seriously, can we talk about how fierce their upchucking pumpkin mascot is? Always a graphic-design job well done by the SPTR team.

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Posted 2010-11-03 08:34:28

[...] Pumpkin carving contests at London, SPTR :: Meal Ticket :: Food … [...]

Tweets that mention Pumpkin carving contests at London, SPTR :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2010-10-28 16:48:13

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by yooangel and London Grill, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: Pumpking carving contests at @LondonGrill and @SPTapRoom http://tinyurl.com/2d3hldw [...]

Posted by Adam Erace @ 9:13 PM Permalink | Post a comment

IN PRINT: City Paper Food and Restaurants, Oct. 28

POSTED: Thursday, October 28, 2010, 7:33 PM

Filed Under: In Print

Photo | Neal Santos

M's roasted chicken

-Adam Erace checks into M at the Morris House Hotel and find new chef (and Per Se alumnus) Michael Caspi, not the restaurant's fabled garden, is the real reason to visit. -It's been 50 years since Dalessandro's started slinging cheesesteaks in Roxborough, and Carolyn Wyman has the fixture's history as told by family members, long-time waitresses and regulars like the awesomely named Suzi Dooley. -Some particulars on the Bottle Shop, Baby Blues BBQ and more in Feeding Frenzy.

Posted by Adam Erace @ 7:33 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Pumpkin cupcakes, courtesy of Twitter

POSTED: Thursday, October 28, 2010, 4:21 PM

Filed Under: Recipes

Photo | Rachel Burgos

On Saturday I was lazily perusing my Twitter feed to see what the eff was up for a gorgeous weekend afternoon. I found that RealSimple had posted a recipe for pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, and decided to make them. First I had to recruit someone with an oven (mine doesn't work) as well as someone who could walk me through the intricacies of baking, which you can't really wing. (I've tried that and ended up with burnt treats.) My friend Carla was up for the challenge, so we went over to the SuperFresh on Delaware Ave. to stock up. We also stopped in at The Dive (947 E. Passyunk Ave.) to get some Miller High Life, because it was the freakin' weekend, baby, and we were about to be having some fun. I love this recipe because it's incredibly easy and delicious. All you really do is follow the directions on boxed yellow cake mix and make a few simple substitutions: instead of water, use canned pumpkin puree, add some pumpkin pie spice and that's it. The icing was even more simple, literally just cream cheese and confectioner sugar whipped together until creamy. When we were done, no spoon was left unlicked. The entire process took under an hour, and the results were wonderful pumpkin cupcakes, perfect for any fall occasion. (I had even my closest friends thinking I'd labored over an oven all day mixing and whipping and wearing an apron. Ha!) I tried to somehow decorate the cupcakes in an anti-Martha way (upside down crosses, curse words, etc.), because really, candy corn and dainty cupcakes don't make for a very evil or spooky vibe. I'll absolutely make these cupcakes again, not only to prove I can bust out a little Susie Homemaker once in a while, but because they were easy, quick and tasty as hell.

urmoms

Posted 2010-10-30 22:42:42

I hope you saved me one...they look so pretty!

Joshua Ramos

Posted 2010-10-29 15:07:16

Congrats cuz, these look absolutely delicious!!!!!

Jim Stem

Posted 2010-10-28 13:04:28

I snagged the last one of these. It ruled!

Saeed

Posted 2010-10-28 13:02:08

These were hands down the best cupcakes I've had in years, possibly ever! Make more plz!!

Posted by Rachel Burgos @ 4:21 PM Permalink | Post a comment

It's hard out here on the 500 block of S. Fourth

POSTED: Wednesday, October 27, 2010, 9:25 PM

Filed Under: Closings

For some reason, it's damn brutal for food businesses on the 500 block of S. Fourth Street (between South and Lombard) Jim's Pretzels has shut down, Tastee D's African Cuisine has paper in its windows, and we just spotted this sign posted on the door of a darkened Mango Bush. Rough stuff.

Q&A: what is a fasting glucose blood test and what do they test for? | Talking Glucose Meter

Posted 2010-11-01 18:19:50

[...] It’s hard out here &#959n th&#1077 500 block &#959f S. Fourth :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: P... [...]

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 9:25 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Drinker's to turn into Moe's Tavern for Halloween

POSTED: Wednesday, October 27, 2010, 8:48 PM

Filed Under: Dealage | Food and Holidays

Uncle Moe's Family Feedbag it ain't: This Sat., Oct. 30, from 8 to 10 p.m. all three Drinker's locations (Drinker's Pub, Drinker's West and Drinker's Tavern) will celebrate Halloween with 50-cent Bud Lights and well drinks. And the best part? For the entire holiday weekend, their Old City location (124 Market St.) will be turned into the city of Springfield's choice dive, Moe's Tavern.

Courtesy of Drinker's

You will see all the locals , like Homer, Marge (that's her above!) and Duff Man (OHHH YEAH!). There will of course be signature Flaming Moes, though there's no official word yet on what the substitute for Krusty's Non-Narkotik Kough Syrup for Kids will be. You can cop a pint of Duff beer from the bartender, but there will not be any Fudd, because as we all know it was pulled off the market after all those hillbillies went blind. Entrance to Moe's to open to the public, and there's no need to go all The Shinning to get access to the cheap drink deals all you have to do is sign up at least 24 hours in advance here. P.S. Screw Flanders.

Tweets that mention Drinkers to turn into Moes Tavern for Halloween :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2010-10-27 16:51:40

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Manayunk, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: Fan of The Simpsons? Fan of drinking? Then you'll want to stop by Drinker's Tavern this weekend: http://ow.ly/30t74 [...]

Posted by Rachel Burgos @ 8:48 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 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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