Archive: October, 2010

POSTED: Thursday, October 7, 2010, 3:36 PM
Filed Under: Meal Ticket
Today is Meal Ticket's second anniversary. Feels like way longer for some reason. Regardless, a huge thank you to all our readers, commenters, tipsters, detractors and everyone in between — WE LOVE YOU ALL! Now that we're really old, is there anything new you'd like to see in this space? Anything you'd prefer we do away with? Any thoughts at all? Please share in the comments. Thanks again.

Marie DiFeliciantonio
Posted 2010-10-07 19:58:32
All grown up! love what you do, keep doin' it. and thanks for making me feel like I'm not alone in my obsession with all things edible/drinkable.

Felicia D'Ambrosio
Posted 2010-10-07 15:35:54
Meal Ticket, you're so grown up now! 

Congrats to Drew, Adam, Rachel and all Meal Ticket readers!  We are fatter and happier because of you :)

PS Delicious or Suspicious is one of my personal faves.

danya
Posted 2010-10-07 12:30:09
I remember back when I used to have to wait until Thursdays to read the CP food section... Feeding Frenzy was so "up to the minute." News cycle timing sure has changed in two years. I remember the launch & being impressed by the logo. Now I can say I'm impressed by the blog itself.

Congrats!! & thanks.

Justin Manne
Posted 2010-10-07 12:35:19
Congrats and Happy Birthday... you are a must read everyday and thank you for breaking the monotony of the everyday... more cooking segments with Adam would be great.

Art
Posted 2010-10-07 14:23:52
Congrats. How time flies.

ME
Posted 2010-10-07 16:25:37
my suggestion for meal ticket: less food, more pictures of adorable puppies.

Rachel Burgos
Posted 2010-10-07 10:45:23
<3

Michelle
Posted 2010-10-07 12:14:15
Happy Birthday Meal Ticket!!!!!!

I love all the posts but am particularly fond of "Delicious or Suspicious". So please, eat more weird foods for the sake of the readers!

harry
Posted 2010-10-07 11:01:25
Congrats

PhillyChitChat
Posted 2010-10-12 13:24:47
Happy Anniversary.  Your delicious.

Michelle C.
Posted 2010-10-07 23:56:50
Happy bday, keep up the good eats!
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 3:36 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Wednesday, October 6, 2010, 9:11 PM
Filed Under: Weekly Candy
Photos | Drew Lazor
Once a week, Team Meal Ticket shares its latest sugar-laden fixations. Do not tell 0ur dentist. IN QUESTION: We've already fussed over the Chocolove brand's chili/cherry bar, but this one has got to be their absolute best. It's nothing crazy, either: The awesome off-sweet dark chocolate (55 percent cocoa). The crunchy almond shards. The screw-my-blood-pressure amount of drool-inducing sea salt worked into every bite. This candy bar is amazing! AVAILABLE AT: We cop these things regularly at Food & Friends Neighborhood Market on the corner of 20th and Spruce. Nice selection there. HOW MANY DO WE TYPICALLY EAT IN ONE SITTING?: One tops, usually a half. Quit calling us fat! YOU are fat. FINER POINTS: There are quite a few salty or otherwise bacon-imbued chocolate bars out there on the candy market, but Chocolove just straight nails it. Like all good chocolate products, it's at its best straight out of the freezer, a storage strategy that also prevents you from eating it too fast (throw it in there real deep behind a bunch of frozen peas and pot pies and Fla-vor-Ices and make it really hard to reach — DIET TACTIC!). It's also awesome if you smash it up into tiny pieces to top ice cream or sorbet.

poncho
Posted 2010-10-07 12:44:11
Why are you guys talking about towels?

danya
Posted 2010-10-07 14:08:53
Sorry. 'Preciate Adam playing along ;) Who knows where towel jokes could lead.

Recurring South Park joke: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NO8lnC7u3w

imelda
Posted 2010-10-22 13:10:50
This chocolate bar is heaven on earth. There is a bookstore that is slow stocking it and i have warned them that i will be purchasing it by the box so they might think about ordering 2 boxes--one for me, the other for the rest of their customers. Oh yes, i love this stuff!

Felicia D'Ambrosio
Posted 2010-10-07 09:44:05
@Adam -- that's Drew's kitchen table, not a paper towel. It is so funky.

@Drew -- bunnies in paper cups.

danya
Posted 2010-10-06 21:36:46
No, you're fat. I mean, you're a towel! Much worse.

poncho
Posted 2010-10-06 16:15:19
Chocolove Almonds & Sea Salt in Dark Chocolate is not one the best candy bars in the world, it is THE BEST candy bar in the world!!!!

adam
Posted 2010-10-07 01:14:21
Forget the chocolate, how bout those paper towels!

Ticket Stubs: Meal Ticket Weekly Recap, Oct. 4-8 :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper
Posted 2010-10-11 13:27:56
[...] Chocolove’s almond/dark/chocolate/sea salt bar gets the Weekly Candy treatment. [...] 

Foodadelphia
Posted 2010-10-06 16:55:04
This. Is. My. Favorite!

Drew Lazor
Posted 2010-10-07 01:29:15
I don't get it

Denise Hardy
Posted 2010-11-24 17:50:24
If God had meant us to be thin... He would NOT have created chocolate. Thanks for the great post!
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 9:11 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Wednesday, October 6, 2010, 8:05 PM
Filed Under: Chef Salad | Video
Check this clip of chef Joe Cicala (Adam Erace told you about him here) rocking a smoked potato gnocchi with lamb ragu at Le Virtù (1927 E. Passyunk Ave.). That kitchen smoking technique is smart as hell, need to try that out! Or maybe we'll just leave it to Cicala and the pros, as we can definitely see ourselves burning our kitchen down with tiny hickory chips.

Dan
Posted 2010-10-07 09:52:45
I have lust in my heart for those gnocchi.
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 8:05 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Wednesday, October 6, 2010, 7:14 PM
Filed Under: Eat This Immediately
Photos | Neal Santos
Got a chance to peep some new eats off the fall menu at Jake's Sandwich Board (122 S. 12th St.) last week. While we can assure you that the new Il Calabrese Italian hoagie is indeed ill (housemade creamy balsamic dressing in lieu of oil and vinegar? try it, purists), the sandwich we were most geeked on is definitely their new-look Sloppy Dog. Jake's sandwich masters Gary Dorfman and Sean Stein admit that the OG Sloppy Dog they offered upon opening in May was a bit unwieldy — that's what happens when you throw eggs, hot dogs, rib-eye steak, fried onions, mushrooms, peppers, cheese AND (deep breath) homemade marinara sauce on a roll. Version 2.0 keeps the tubesteak spirit of the death-dealing original alive, with much neater results. Two deep-fried (but not breaded) hot dogs hit a crispy Carangi's roll with fried onions, mushrooms, roasted peppers and cheddar cheese. Streaks of hot brown mustard and a modest top layer of fries spices and crisps up each dogged bite. It's a tasty-as-hell lunch for sure, but we were most impressed by the Sandwich Board crew's ability to get all this stuff to work together as a cohesive, easy-to-eat lunch unit — one that satisfies without ending up on the front of your damn dress shirt. (Oh, and keep this in mind, Phils fans attending games — stop in before any home playoff battle and flash your tix, and they'll hook you up with free fries and a drink with your sandwich purchase.) Eat this immediately!

Ticket Stubs: Meal Ticket Weekly Recap, Oct. 4-8 :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper
Posted 2010-10-11 10:57:46
[...] The Sloppy Dog at Jake’s is a badass sandwich you should eat immediately. [...] 

Gail Simmons
Posted 2010-10-06 14:28:47
Super mega-delicious!!!
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 7:14 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Wednesday, October 6, 2010, 5:45 PM
Filed Under: Booze | Food and Sports
Click to enlarge
We know everyone's amped for the Phillies' NLDS against the stupid Reds tonight, but you should get a little ahead of yourself and look to Game 2 this Friday. That night (and every night of a Phillies playoff game), the first 50 fans to show up at Devil's Den (1148 S 11th St.) and Old Eagle Tavern (3938 Terrace St., Manayunk) — both owned by Erin Wallace — will receive this sweet rally towel, perfect calibrated for maximum twirlage. Buck off all Yards beers during all games, as well.
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 5:45 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Wednesday, October 6, 2010, 4:45 PM
Filed Under: Food Events
Next Tuesday, Oct. 12 at 6:30 p.m., check out Marathon Grill's Farmraiser, a fundraising meal at the Philly mainstay's 1339 Chestnut restaurant that will benefit Emerald Street Urban Farm (ESUF), the community garden project at Emerald and Dauphin in Kensington. The four-course dinner will feature dishes prepped using products straight from ESUF, and Philadelphia Brewing Co. is pairing each course with one of its beers:
  • Farm Salad with farm vegetable crudite and truffle vinaigrette paired with a Walt Wit
  • Potato and Squash Gnocchi with lump crab, fennel, pancetta and spinach cream paired with a Kenzinger
  • Halibut Filet “in Bric” with fava bean and corn stew, corn cream and lime emulsion paired with a Pennsylvania Pale Ale
  • Apple Tart with butter pecan ice cream and ginger caramel paired with a Joe Coffee Porter
All proceeds from ticket sales (it's $45 a head, and only 40 seats are available) will go directly to Emerald Street to support its cause. (Reservations required; call 215-282-1505.) Patrick Dunn, who co-founded ESUF last year with partner Elissa Ruse, has also signed on to direct a separate urban farming initiative specifically for Marathon, which currently has six locations in Philly. Right now they're in the process of scouting locations within city limits for the project.
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 4:45 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Wednesday, October 6, 2010, 3:27 PM
Filed Under: Openings | Photos
Tipster BS kindly drops us these shots from inside the very complete-looking JG Domestic, whose food we dicussed a bit last Friday. The shelving containing all the greenery is being referred to as a "living wall," and will be stocked with various herbs and plants. Jose Garces' latest spot is slated to open to the public on Friday, Oct. 15.
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 3:27 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Tuesday, October 5, 2010, 7:36 PM
Filed Under: Menu Time | Openings
Collingswood, that charming o'er-the-river-and-through-the-woods 'burb, is anything but short on restaurants. There's Alex Capasso's Blackbird and its new sister spot, West Side Gravy; IndeBlue, from a former Tiffin chef; a slew of worthy trattorie (Nunzio's, Sapori, Il Fiore, etc.); El Sitio for Ecuadorian; Pop Shop for "explosion in my mouth" grilled cheese; and many, many more. The newest to open is Prime 505, a sexy steak-and-seafooder from Joe Tucker, who also owns cheekily-named Joe Pesce down Haddon Avenue and whose brother, Robert Liccio, operates the Joe Pesce on Walnut Street. Prime occupies the bricks that formerly housed the short-lived Mom's Kitchen, another Tucker project that "just didn't work," according to the Bella Vista-bred chef/restaurateur. "There are no true BYOB steakhouses around here," says Tucker of the dry-as-a-bone C'wood. "At Prime 505, we're going to change that." The menu advertises rib eye, delmonico, porterhouse, strip and filet, plus veal, pork and swordfish (?!) chops and the de-rigueur Prime cheesesteak. We're intrigued by bison meatballs, sausage-stuffed long hots and a grilled take on the classic wedge salad. Full menu below.
Click to enlarge

Alexia
Posted 2010-10-06 21:33:30
If you want cheap, you have to go to the chains in outer burbs, but who wants cheap steak?!

Foobooz » Quick Bites
Posted 2010-10-07 15:20:24
[...] Prime 505 gives Collingswood another non-Italian option. [Meal Ticket] [...] 

Cheryl
Posted 2010-10-13 10:41:43
I ate at 505 Prime and it was nothing but fabulous. For my app I got lobster mac an cheese that was totally amazing! For my entree I was in the middle between the Filet and the lobster fridiovlo. I went for the steak considering it was a steak house. It was one of the best steaks I have every eaten. The chef him self even made sure it was cooked right for me. People are going to complain about the price but you really get what you pay for. If you want a cheap steak go to Outback. And heres some news for ya DD ever even been on haddon ave in collingswood? everything's expensive. Great place, great service. I'd definitely go back. Good Luck 505!

Evan
Posted 2010-10-05 15:10:51
Damn, i gotta figure out how to get some of the cash this guy throws away.

Tiffany
Posted 2010-10-07 16:23:12
high stakes to compensate food cost on lack of a liquor license i suppose. or maybe he's trying to make sure the servers walk out with nice tips :) but seriously, the food better be superb to deserve these prices.

Matt
Posted 2010-10-08 08:02:43
You forgot Tortilla Press, in my opinion--one of the better restaurants in Collingswood. They also have an excellent weekend brunch for around $6. The corner location and open windows are a great place to people watch, too.

Maria V
Posted 2010-10-18 14:28:25
Actually, compared to most of the Center City Steakhouses, the prices seem reasonable. Add to that a bottle of your favorite fabulous wine at no mark up and you come out ahead for that kind of upscale quality meat experience!

William
Posted 2010-10-06 21:31:30
Haddon Ave needs a good steakhouse, The Pub is good but not conducive to an after dinner walk. The steak place in Haddonfield is "cook your own" so to speak. Sure the price may be a bit high, but if you want cheap steak, in all senses of the word, head out to one of the chains in Cherry Hill. Good steak is a worthwhile treat to save for.

Take it to the House
Posted 2010-10-13 11:25:03
Believe me, it has NOTHING to do with making sure his servers get nice tips.

DD
Posted 2010-10-05 17:42:27
With these prices, he will not survive in Collingswood. There is too much competition there and will be priced out.

Jabby Doo
Posted 2010-10-07 23:52:15
I hope the best for these guys. As a steakhouse vet, I can only imagine how difficult it may get to get a financial handle on a steakhouse with no booze. Especially since the expense accounters make such a big portion of business and they want martinis and napa cab. I will stop in and check it out. best wishes!

Mike
Posted 2010-10-18 15:39:55
Anyone who is looking for steak sauce clearly doesn't know what a good steak tastes like anyway.

Notes from the Weekend: Oct. 25 :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper
Posted 2010-10-25 17:32:16
[...] steakhouse that’s capable of generating Meal Ticket comments like the Jets D does turnovers. We posted about 505 Prime two weeks ago and the Jerseyans are more divided than Cherry Hill! (I thought the steaks, local and grass-fed, [...] 

Molly
Posted 2010-10-18 11:59:34
I ate here and the prices are OUTRAGIOUS! Everything is ala carte even the steak sauce! Grilled onions to top the steak were sold as a side! You got NOTHING with your steak, not even a salad. I ordered the french onion soup first and the bread in it was burned. The burned bread made the soup taste burned which was aweful. I paid over $50 for the least expensive steak on the menu and a bowl of burned soup. You can't get any bottled steak sauce, they only have theirs which is $2.00! 

To use the excuse that the prices are more because its not a chain and the steaks are better quality is CRAP! I just ate at the Chop House in Gibbsboro, the steak was actually a better quality than here, included with the steak I got 2 sides, and the french onion soup was delicious and HUGE! The portions are large, the Chop House is not cheap either but its still less expensive than this place and the portions are larger and the quality is better. I got soup, steak, bread, ice tea, 2 sides, and dessert for less than $50! Oh by the way they also make homemade steak sauce or they offer A-1 and they don't charge you for it!!!!!!!

Joe Pesce is also very overpriced so I'm not even going to bother trying them out. 

Oh and I got news for ya Cheryl, there are many inexpensive/less expensive restaurants in Collingswood (Tortilla Press, That's Amore, Il Fiore, IndeBlue, Pop Shop, Antonio's, and several more)

Good luck 505, I just don't have the money to be wasting there.

Jim M
Posted 2010-10-20 07:56:09
Hands down the best steak I ever eaten!  My Filet was tender and cooked perfectly.  When our steaks were delivered, they waited to make sure it was exactly as ordered.  If you go, try the Crispy Calamari, it was to die for.  If you want a chewy and overcooked steak, this is not the place for you.   Fantastic food, service, and atmosphere.  This is now my favorite Collingswood restaurant.

Ed O'Brien
Posted 2011-01-01 00:54:32
We just had the pleasure of dining at 505 Prime and must say was very happy with everything.  Yes it is byob, that was fine.  The quality of the food was off the chart.  The presentation simple but very appealing.  If the quality is there who needs lemon grass, rosemary, etc on your plate to make it look pretty.  The quality again was superb.  The service was excellent.  Our server Kelly was fantastic.  The owner Chris extremely personable.  We definitely will be returning.  Thank you 505 for an enjoyable experience on this 2010 New Year's Eve.

MAS
Posted 2011-02-04 18:32:46
Not sure what the fuss is about.  Just looked at the menu.  Prices don't seem unreasonable for a steakhouse.  As a matter of fact, most steakhouses are more expensive.  And they all are al a cart. 

Let's see:  Chop House Caesar Salad = $9   Prime 505 = $8
Wedge Salad - Both are $8  Salmon - Both are @26
Crispy Calmari   Chop House = $11   Prime 505 = $10
NY Strip Steak - Both are $32 - CH = 12oz    Prime 505 = 14oz

If you can't afford to go you shouldn't be crying about it.  Just go to Outback.  I am looking forward to going to Prime 505 this evening.  If the food and service are as good as everyone says, and I can enjoy a nice bottle of my own BYOB wine without the 2x-3x markup it will be a great night.

CollsMTNesters
Posted 2011-02-06 10:14:05
We have eaten here twice and both times came away raving. This is a steakhouse, if you want mass produced cheaper food go to a chain. The prices here are lower than Mortons or The Chop House, plus you get the savings of BYOB. The owner and staff are as friendly as can be and if you are disappointed with your steak you must also prefer minute steaks over chipped steak in your Acme roll. You pay for quality, and get it here

There
Posted 2011-01-15 22:46:01
I'm dieing to try prime out. I see it's getting mixed reviews. One of the best steaks i've ever had was at Elena Wu in Voorhees. I know it sounds weird, but believe me, when it's so tender that your pork bounces right off of it and you to all the people who complained about the steak sauce, a good steak doesn't need sauce. Maybe it isn't the best place. hmmmm. Another great place is Library 2 restaurant in Voorhees. You can't beat the Petite Filet for $24 or $28 and it comes with a mile long salad bar. Also, if you want to splurge go for the Surf and Turf for $60.oo doesn't include baked potatoe, but after the salad bar who needs one. Ill Fiore is a great Italian place. I do agree that Collingwood has too many Italian. A nice Asian restuarant or Burger joint with wings and apps would be cool for the summer. It's a shame a liq license is so enpensive.
Posted by Adam Erace @ 7:36 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Tuesday, October 5, 2010, 4:13 PM
Filed Under: Coffee | Openings
Photo | Drew Lazor
David Arrell, proprietor of the very popular Good Karma Cafe at 22nd and Pine, opened his second coffee house on Saturday. The new Good Karma (928 Pine St.), which we first mentioned in April, is more than twice the size of the original and features a separate quiet area for study or group meetings. Same food and coffee approach, but Arrell plans on expanding his offerings a bit here since he has the added room. Same hours as the original cafe, too: daily, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 4:13 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Tuesday, October 5, 2010, 1:00 PM
Filed Under: Booze | Openings
Jon Myerow of Tria checks in to let us know that Biba — Tria's "fun little cousin," as it's being touted — will open this Friday, Oct. 8, at 4 p.m. They were originally aiming for a late summer opening but we will definitely take early fall. Read more about the bar, in the Left Bank building at 3131 Walnut, right here.

Biba Is Opening On Friday | Under the Button
Posted 2010-10-05 17:13:56
[...] the wine bar that was supposed to open a while ago in the Left Bank on 31st and Walnut, is finally opening on Friday, October 8. Friday coincides with the opening of Baby Blues BBQ on Sansom, and is also the first day of Fall [...] 

morty
Posted 2010-10-05 14:59:23
No one cares about West Philly, it's lame
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 1:00 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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