Archive: November, 2010

That kinda day.

POSTED: Tuesday, November 16, 2010, 4:25 PM

Filed Under: Meal Ticket

Meal Ticket needs to take today off due to some quickly-piling-up deadlines that are causing us a good amount of Ziggy-esque ennui. It's not you, it's us, honest. We'll be back tomorrow. For now, check out Notes from the Weekend (share yours in the comments!) and Anthony Sica's gigantic beast of a Thanksgiving event roundup from yesterday.

Is it normal to take your friends, if we? Tions of the family? From just one month? | MATCH DATING ONLINE ON HERE

Posted 2010-11-19 00:23:50

[...] That kinda day. :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper [...]

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Notes from the Weekend: Nov. 15

POSTED: Monday, November 15, 2010, 9:46 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. Were 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.)

Rachel Burgos: RB Adam Erace: AE Drew Lazor: DL Juliana Reyes: JR

Photo | Drew Lazor

I know I mentioned trying to make Marc Vetri's tripe stew recipe from Amis in last week's NFTW installment, but I kinda messed it up so decided to go v2.0 on it Friday night. This round was a smash. Recipe/more pics later this week on Meal Ticket. DL Was starving after Ariel Pink/Os Mutantes on Friday, and knew exactly what I wanted: a good burger. Boyfriend suggested 500 Degrees (15th and Sansom). Honestly, the place made my night. Went simple, with only cheddar and raw onions as toppings so I could go crazy on sauce. Their BBQ sauce? Fry sauce? Too good. Oh, and truffle fries and birch beer. Need to go back. Also, all the counter people there have cool glasses. I'm into that. JR I spent the weekend with extended family at my parents' North Jersey home. It was wonderful. For dinner on Friday, we went to Leone's (1626 Rt 130 North), an Italian BYOB where I ordered mussels in a garlic white wine sauce delicious and perfectly sized. My dad ordered a veal dish that was just lemon, butter and white wine. I snagged a bite and it was so yummy, it might have made me change my stance on not ordering veal out of guilt. RB

Photo | Adam Erace

Friday, lunched on Lockhart leftovers from Percy Street BBQ (900 South St.). The good folks there recommended the Lockhart (every meat + every side + a dessert per person) for a minimum of four people, though eight is probably a more accurate figure. So much food! Highlights included the pork belly, burnt brisket ends, mac 'n' cheese topped with a crust of fine breadcrumbs, chicken, mashed sweet potatoes under a mattress of mini marshmallows, German potato salad and smoked wings with these awesome little sweet okra and onion pickles. Food coma. AE

Photo | Drew Lazor

Stopped by the bar at Noble (2025 Sansom St.) Saturday night, had bartender Christian Gaal's killer Saratoga cocktail (all Manhattans need both cognac and whiskey from now on) and this gorgeous ditty from Brinn Sinnott's kitchen: braised octopus over pumpkin puree, dressed with capers and watermelon radishes. So damn good. DL Saturday night, at an upscale restaurant that will remain nameless in New Jersey, sat near a 10-top of raucous cougars and the men that love them. If you follow me on Twitter, then you already know about the antics that ensued. I thought it was entertaining, but some diners in the restaurant were clearly uncomfortable with the camera-phone cleavage photos, prolific F-bombs and Rihanna karaoke from Leslie Mann's 40 Year Old Virgin doppelganger. (Hope none of them had the shellfish sandwich.) The scene made me wonder: When is it a restaurant's responsibility to intervene with diners that are having too good of a time, especially when BYOB status means you can't cut them off? Something to discuss in the comments. AE


Photos \| Rachel Burgos

On Saturday, my folks hosted a "fake Thanksgiving" to celebrate the birth of a new cousin, the completion of their long-in-the-works kitchen and visits from family from all over the East Coast. With 30-plus people coming, it ended up being a potluck/catered/homemade hybrid. We grazed on spinach dip, salsa and guac, a cheese/veggie platter and other small bites until it was time for dinner, when we stuffed ourselves with typical T-Day fare like turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce. For dessert, my absolute favorite, an amazingly dreamy tres leches cake from Martino's, a Cuban joint in Somerville. Suffered a slight food coma, but I came through. RB

Photos | Drew Lazor

Post-Noble, made our way to Manayunk's MangoMoon (4161 Main St.) for one seriously badass dinner at the upstairs bar. Everything awesome chef/owner Moon Krapugthong put out was sick good (sea cucumber soup and clams in a big-flavor lemongrass broth are both perfect for this kinda weather) but I especially nerded out over the roti and the moist, galangal-anointed Northern-style Thai sausage, which is just as delicious as Trey Popp said it was in his Feb. '09 review. DL On Sunday, boyfriend worked on Heston Blumenthal's chilli con carne recipe for a couple days and finally finished at 1:30 a.m. on Sunday. Crazy spicy (nearly too spicy, but that's how I like it) and very rich (last step is a stick's worth of finishing butter with lime and Tabasco and some other good stuff), super good over rice. Had to pass out immediately. JR

Photo | Drew Lazor

Spam and fried rice for lunch on Sunday. Don't front. It's a Filipino thing ... JR, do you concur? DL I went to the South Philly Tap Room (1509 Mifflin St.) for Sunday dinner. At my boyfriend's suggestion, I got the fried chicken, and holy smokes am I glad I did. It was some of the best I've ever had, and paired with that cheddar/jalapeno/honey cornbread, I was in heaven. Will most definitely be eating that again in the near future. RB Sunday night was the fourth annual farm dinner at James (824 S. Eighth St.), a seriously delicious celebration of local bounty from Gap's Green Meadow Farm. I'll defer descriptions to the camera-equipped DL, who sported a dapper Don Draper blazer I'm trying to borrow sometime soon. AE

Photos | Drew Lazor

Re: the farm dinner at James it was tremendous. I'll have more pics/info ready in the next few days, but for now take in these two dishes, fan favorites for sure cardoons roasted in a richer-than-rich sauce, Pocono mountain trout and housemade fennel sausage. Yessssss. DL

Posted 2010-11-15 23:58:14

Tried Circle Thai for the first time with some Pad See-Ew with beef, which I thought was Pad Kee Mau but, as it turns out, is not. It was still totally delicious, but the best part was the delivery guy gave us a copy of America: Freedom to Facism with our meal. We watched it because he told us it was about mind control. As with my meal, it was not. The part about tasers was funny, though. Will definitely go back, propaganda DVDs, or not.

Cured a New Wave-induced hangover with the breakfast sandwich at Tastebuds, which was pricey but good. But the highlight of weekend was definitely Kanella's Sunday meze menu. It was insane and totally worth the $35. I'm still full.

Carolyn

Posted 2010-11-15 19:34:13

Had a gaggle of girlfriends in town this weekend so indulged appropriately.

FRIDAY: First guests arrived at 5 and so cocktails -- St. Germain and Champagne -- happened. We snagged a reservation at Mr. Martino's and went nuts: fried ricotta with asparagus; arugula salad (for the assuaging of guilt); veal tortellini with gorgonzola tomato sauce; scallop risotto; and some kind of pasta (cavatelli?) with tomato pesto. We also shared a bottle of Root Chilean red wine which has nothing to do with AITA's ROOT. Delicious, still. I should mention, too, that table bread comes with sun-dried tomatoes soaked in olive oil, and they are incredible. I may have asked for a straw and I may not have been kidding.

SATURDAY: Waited for freaking ever for a table at Green Eggs Cafe in South Philly (a tip to hostesses: don't undersell the wait time by an hour!), but was nonetheless pleased with lox & bagel & mooching friends' sweet potato fries.

Dinner was at Oyster House, which is like the perfect combination of great food and non-doucheyness. I ate bluefish with bacon-braised black kale, and once the 9-11 pm Saturday happy hour hit, indulged in a $3 Chihuahua oyster shooter. Try them! They're good even if they're also kinda gross if you think about it too long. After dinner we hit the Ranstead Room for a quick cocktail, then Doobie's for one more. (It was a Furthermore Fallen Apple and I wasn't crazy about it. Too fizzy maybe?)

SUNDAY: Quick breakfast at Black & Brew before the girls headed home. You guys should all go there right now and get a pumpkin latte with nutmeg. Sayin'.

David Snyder

Posted 2010-11-15 19:26:31

Haven't stopped thinking about last night's Farmers Dinner at James, especially those cardoons.  Nice pics, man; can't wait to see the rest of them.

Brian Howard

Posted 2010-11-15 18:06:53

Friday: Hit the new/old Khyber Pass Pub both for lunch (an okay but not-earth-moving bbq brisket sandwich) and happy hour (yay, Jeremy Thomson. yay, doubled tap list). Hit Los Taquitos de Puebla for Tacos al Pastor con quesillo then swung down to Watkins Drinkery for Dock Street Rye IPA and what I recall to be a Sly Fox Chester County Bitter on cask.

Saturday: Homebrew: In the a.m. siphoned the fermenting wort for a chocolate Russian imperial stout from the primary fermenter to my new glass carboy for secondary fermentation. Then whipped up a batch of black mission fig puree for introduction into tertiary fermentation. Then caught a train toward Bethlehem to visit my mother where we hit the Nazareth Wegmans to collect victuals and quaffables for a cocktail hour. Janis (my mother) used one of Wegmans' new wine kiosks with hilarious (her first breathalyzer test didn't take) and drinkable (three bottles of chianti on special) results. Stocked up on beer, as well (Founders Breakfast Stout, Ommegang Biere de Mars, Weyerbacher's Merry Monks Ale, Voodoo's Big Black Voodoo Daddy and Jolly Pumpkin's La Roja). There I overheard the following discussion. Clerk: "Do we have Zitchwin peppercorns? This guy's looking for Zitchwin peppercorns." Guy: "Yeah, I need some Zitchwin peppercorns." Other clerk on phone: "Yeah, do we have peppercorns in the store? Some guy's looking for them." Then with a friend from high school we hit Emmaus' Tap and Table, which is owned by the same people who just opened East Falls' wonderful Fork and Barrel. Had the wild boar bratwurst with pretzel and the fried chicken and waffle. Drank a flight of tap selections, including New Holland's Ichabod Ale, Emelisse's Double IPA, and Rock Art's Belvidere Big IPA and Pumpkin Imperial Spruce Stout and Rock Art, then finished the evening off with a big bottle of Brasserie de Blaugies Biere Darbyste (brewed with fermented fig juice!). All excellent, and all in the strictly candlelit environs of Fork and Barrel.

Sunday: Capped a long day of leaf raking with my first ever California Pizza Kitchen experience which was good if a little bizarre (architecturally it was as if it had been designed by Mike Brady), but I was too famished to really judge. So hungry was I, the Chicken Chipotle and Meat Craver's pizzas both tasted like the best things I'd ever eaten.

Tweets that mention Notes from the Weekend: Nov. 15 :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2010-11-15 17:20:51

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Philly City Paper and Drew Lazor, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: New NOTES FROM THE WEEKEND is live. Share your notes with us in the comments! http://ow.ly/3acms [...]

juliana

Posted 2010-11-16 14:51:10

Was the spicy chipotle pumpkin soup not as good? Cos that sounds awesome, I'd be interested in the recipe.

Julie

Posted 2010-11-16 15:02:46

It was pretty good, I liked the kick at the back of your throat that the chilies gave. But the butternut squash soup was HEAVENLY. It tasted like everything good about the fall. The pumpkin soup was a Bobby Flay recipe, I'd definitely make it again!

Marie DiFeliciantonio

Posted 2010-11-16 15:57:38

I had a very low budget weekend as I battled the mother of all sinus infections. And although I was still sick on Saturday I pretended like it wasn't happening and trekked to NYC, which was not as gourmet of a trip as I'd hoped. Hill Country Chicken was dinner that night. It was a "fresh food fast", not "fast food" sorta outpost. Split two Texas Tender wraps, one with chicken one with fried avocado, both with too much cole slaw.  Good fried chicken, though; the Colonel is probably pissed about these guys. Opted for Boylan's over the beer selection = surprised to see alcoholic offerings. Later, wound up in a college bar, pounding hogwash beers, regrettably. Even had to hold a friend's hair back. Glory Days. 

Sunday: breakfast was Wawa (biscuit sandwiches are good), lunch was leftovers and dinner was store-bought pierogies. Wished I had a Babcia and antibiotics.

Michelle

Posted 2010-11-16 12:12:29

Stogie Joe's is rad, I love the pizzza!

Drew Lazor

Posted 2010-11-17 01:46:51

Julie, I have a feeling you might sell your grandmother and/or great aunt for some of the food at MangoMoon, as well. It's awesome.

That kinda day. :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2010-11-16 11:25:38

[...] JUST DO IT: Philadelphia Tweed Ride• POETIC LICENSE: Horoscopes, Nov. 12-18 Meal Ticket• Notes from the Weekend: Nov. 15• Thanksgiving 2010 in Philadelphia: Where to go, who to call, what to do• Kokopelli [...]

Julie

Posted 2010-11-16 11:05:20

Still haven't been to Mango Moon, but I would sell my grandmother on the black market for Chabaa Thai's king crab pad Thai. 

Friday I finally strayed back to the Khyber. It was strange seeing the band area now with a pubby feel, but I couldn't complain about the extra taps and the re-emergence of our beloved Jeremy. The General even made an appearance during happy hour, so it still felt like my bar. Later I met up with the boyfriend who brought barbecue from Dwights right by Belmont Ave-barbecue ribs, collards, mac and cheese. I felt gross as hell but the food was delightful.

Saturday I spent the day making soup with my roommate-spicy chipotle pumpkin, and creamy butternut sage. The latter was so good we nearly licked the bowls.

Sunday was football and the shredded chicken sandwich from Fuh Wah. Extra jalapenos.
Sunday

Kibby

Posted 2010-11-16 10:14:44

I was recovering from a nasty stomach flu that kept me food-less almost the entire week, but by Saturday I felt stable enough to attempt some solid food.  Had a ton of fruit for breakfast as a test run (apples, kiwis, blueberries, bananas, apple cider!!!) and it went well.  I celebrated my return to the world of the living with a trip to Stogie Joe's that evening.  We sat at the bar, which has an angled mirror above it that allows you the best crowd watching perspective ever, and I sipped on a Bud Light Lime (whatever, it is delicious).  I shared a house salad and a pepperoni and cheese stromboli.  It tasted like the best thing that I have ever eaten.  If you've never eaten there, you are missing out big time.  Do it!

Michelle

Posted 2010-11-15 23:53:03

The James dinner was as awesome as everyone has said so far. I loved trying cardoons for the first time but that rutabaga soup was my favorite.  My grandmother cooks rutabaga every Thanksgiving and I think I'm the only one in my family, other than grandma, who actually enjoys it.  I must recreate that soup and share it with her!

Recapping: Green Meadow Farm Dinner at James :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2010-11-23 14:23:11

[...] The weekend before last, we had the great pleasure of attending the fourth annual Green Meadow Farm dinner at James (824 S. Eighth St.). Organized almost exclusively around products sourced from Glenn Brendle’s operation in Gap, Pennsylvania (about an hour west of the city), the meal was a celebration of Green Meadow, the family-run Lancaster County farmstead that supplies numerous top-notch Philly restaurants with herbs, vegetables and other produce. (In addition to Jim and Kristina Burke’s James, Green Meadow supplies the likes of Barbuzzo, White Dog, Bar Ferdinand, Zavino, London Grill and quite a few more.) [...]

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Thanksgiving 2010 in Philadelphia: Where to go, who to call, what to do

POSTED: Monday, November 15, 2010, 7:17 PM

Filed Under: Food and Holidays | Food Events

Smoked turkey at Percy Street Barbecue

Photo | James Narog

If you are looking for a hand this Turkey Day, Meal Ticket has compiled a comprehensive (and we mean comprehensive) list of Philadelphia Thanksgiving offerings. Whether you are looking to eat in or take out, searching for sides or a whole bird or are vegan/vegetarian, we have you covered after the jump, with menus, deadlines, prices and more.

EAT IN ON THANKSGIVING DAY

AMUSE (1421 Arch St., 215-422-8222) Seatings: 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Offering: Prix-fixe and a la carte menus, both of which feature cider-brined turkey. Prices: A la carte runs $8-$18, entrées from $24-$34. Prix-fixe: $34 for adults, $16 for children. BISTRO ST. TROPEZ (2400 Market St., 4th floor, 215-569-9269) Seatings: 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Offering: Bistro St. Tropez will serve its annual "Le Grand Buffet," featuring charcuterie/cheese, lobster bisque, slow-braised Berkshire pork short rib, local free-range roasted turkey with wild rice/mushroom/sherry stuffing, baked Virginia ham, PEI mussels, pistachio- and goat cheese-crusted Atlantic salmon and more. Prices: $45 per person ($35 for 1 p.m. seating), $20 for kids 12 and under. BRIDGET FOY'S (200 South St., 215-922-1813) Seatings: 1-7 p.m. Offering: Bridget Foys will be serving a limited menu along with a special of roast turkey with sausage and fennel stuffing, green and yellow wax beans, cranberry compote and sweet potatoes. Prices: The T-Day special will run you $26. CHART HOUSE (555 South Columbus Blvd., 215-625-8383) Seatings: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Offering: The chain steakhouse is cooking up a turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Prices: $25.99 for adults, $9.99 for children 12 and under. CHEZ COLETTE AT THE SOFITEL (120 S. 17th St., 215-569-8300) Seatings: 1-8 p.m.; reservations required Offering: Chez Colette is hosting its annual Thanksgiving feast, served buffet-style: expect slow-roasted turkey with sage pan gravy, turkey sausage stuffing, grilled beef rib eye, crab cakes, lobster/fingerling potato salad, roasted beet salad and a selection of traditional Thanksgiving pies. There will also be a raw bar with fresh Blue Point oysters. Guests will receive and complimentary glass of Champagne, and there will be a live jazz duo. Prices: $48 per person, $24 for kids. CHIMA (1901 JFK Blvd, 215-525-3233) Seatings: 2-8 p.m. Offering: The gauchos at Chima will add turkey to their rodizio service, as well as traditional sides to their all-you-can-eat meat fest. Prices: $46.50 per person. CITY TAVERN (138 S. Second St., 215-413-1443) Seatings: 1 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m. , 4:30 p.m., 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; reservations required Offering: Party like its 1621 at City Tavern with a special Thanksgiving prix-fixe. Check out shrimp newburg vol-a-vent, crab meltaways and mini Quiche Lorraine and mallard duck sausage to start, thetn move into roasted free-range turkey, paillard of salmon, prime rib, or veggie napoleon as a main. Sides will include sage and marjoram stuffing, smashed red bliss potatoes and creamed green beans. Prices: $82.95 per person, $32.95 for kids.

Stuffing at Percy Street Barbecue

Photo | James Narog

DAVIO'S (111 S.. 17th St., 215-563-4810) Seatings: 1-8 p.m. Offering: Davios will do a prix-fixe and a la carte menu for Thanksgiving. Prices: $55 per adult, $25 per child 11 and under. LAFAYETTE BISTRO (501 Fairmount Ave., 215-928-9200) Seatings: TK Offering: The Mediterranean BYO is offering an alternative to turkey with a five-course prix-fixe. Start off with soup and salad, followed by gnocchi marinara, and then your choice of tilapia puttanesca or poulet cavalier (egg-dipped pan-seared chicken breast topped with scallops, spinach and green olives in a white wine lemon sauce). Tiramisu for dessert. Prices: $29.99 per person. LA SCALA (615 Chestnut St., 215-928-0900) Seatings: noon-7 p.m. Offering: La Scala will be open for both dinner and takeout on Thanksgiving Day. Fill out your order form for takeout here for pickup between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the 25th, or make a reservation for their $35 three-course Italian Thanksgiving menu. Prices: $35 for adults, $15 for kids 12 and under. LONDON GRILL (2301 Fairmount Ave., 215-978-4545) Seatings: 2-7 p.m. Offering: London is serving up an impressive Thanksgiving buffet: soup, salad, turkey, baked country ham, seafood shepherds pie, sausage cornbread stuffing, chestnut herb stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes, Hoppin' John, stone-ground grits, sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, carrots, turnips and rutabaga, etc. Prices: $40 per person, $20 for kids 11 and under. XIX (Bellevue, Broad and Walnut, 19th floor, 215-790-1919) Seatings: 1-6 p.m. Offering: TK Prices: $65 for adults, $32 for children. PARC (227 S 18th St., 215 545-2262) Seatings: noon-9 p.m. Offering: Parc will be serving a limited regular menu, but the focus of the day will be a la carte Thanksgiving specials expect chestnut soup, turkey, stuffing, green beans, various other side and pies. Full rundown. Prices: From $9 for soup/dessert to $26 for the Thanksgiving turkey dish. TED'S MONTANA GRILL (260 S. Broad St., 215-772-1230) Seatings: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Offering: Ted Turner's restaurant is doing a three-course T-Day feast. Here's the full menu. Prices: $19 for adults, $7 for children. 10 ARTS (Ritz-Carlton, 10 S. Broad St., 215-523-8273) Seatings: 2-8 p.m. Offering: Chef de cuisine Jennifer Carroll is preparing a Thanksgiving menu "with a modern twist," focusing on locally harvested goodies. A children's menu will also be available. Prices: $110 per person, $55 per child. THIRTEEN (1201 Market St., 215-625-2900) Seatings: noon-9 p.m. Offering: Thirteen is serving a Thanksgiving buffet. Main dishes include turkey with giblet gravy, oven-baked ham with a pineapple and raisin glaze and roast beef with au jus. Starters feature corn and crab soup, creamy chive potato salad, and classic Caesar salad. Traditional side of candied yams, herb-roasted mashed potatoes, stuffing and green beans with pearl onions round out the buffet. Prices: $23.95 for adults. $12.50 for kids 10 and under. VILLAGE BELLE (757 S. Front St., 215-551-2200) Seatings: 2-8 p.m. Offering: The shiny new Queen Village restaurant restaurant isnt wasting time getting in on the Thanksgiving action. Chef Louis Campanaro is cooking up a three-course prix-fixe menu, featuring options like chicken liver mousse crostini, turkey leg and breast served osso bucco style, caraway-dusted salmon with grain mustard sauce. The meal comes with family-style sides of cranberry sauce, broccoli rabe, roasted vegetables, sausage stuffing and delicata squash. Here's the full menu. Prices: $35 per person.

THANKSGIVING TAKEOUT

FORK (306 Market St., 215-625-9425) Order Deadline: Friday, Nov.19; must pre-pay with a credit card Offering: Take home chef Terence Feurys renditions of Turkey Day classics and pass them off as your own. Fork is offering more than 30 items for your Thanksgiving feast. Check out the entire menu here. Prices: Range from $2.25 for various loaves of bread to $80 for an 18-pound turkey. GLOBAL DISH CATERING (215-592-9944, theglobaldish.com) Order Deadline: Friday, Nov. 19 Offering: The crew behind Supper also runs a pretty awesome catering company and has been providing lazy/hungry/smart Philadelphians with Thanksgiving dinner for the past 13 years. Options include smoked butternut squash soup made with veggies from chef Mitch Prensky's Blue Elephant Farm, roasted farm-raised turkey with sage butter and giblet gravy, caramelized root vegetable cassoulet with walnut crumble, creamy Anson Mills grits with smoked bacon, spiced pecans and sage and much more. Prices: They will deliver the entire meal to your home for $54 per person for the full meal. (A la carte options are also available.) JONES (700 Chestnut St., 215-223-6663) Order Deadline: Tuesday, Nov. 23 Offering: Jones is doing Thanksgiving to go two different ways. On Wednesday the 24th, you can pick up plates of their normal Thanksgiving dinner dishes, or you can pick up catering-style pans to feed a crowd. Prices: Varying for a la carte; for catering pans, $80 for half orders, $180 for full ones. MERCATO/VALANNI/VARGA BAR (call 215-985-2962 to order) Order Deadline: Tuesday, Nov. 23 Offering: These three sister restaurants are teaming up for what they are dubbing "Thanksgiving Perfection." Each meal starts out with an organic cider-brined turkey, orange spiced cranberry sauce and gravy. Then you can choose four sides from a roster of the best of each restaurants side dishes (roasted mushrooms, garlic mashed potatoes, mac 'n' cheese, etc.). The meal finishes with your course of apple or pumpkin pie. Prices: $250 for the meal (feeds six to eight). MISS RACHEL'S PANTRY (215-285-7622, missrachelspantry.com or missrachelspantry@gmail.com) Order Deadline: Saturday, Nov. 21 (pickup or delivery Nov. 23 or 24) Offering: Vegan caterer and chef Rachel Klein is once again offering her Vegan Thanksgiving 2010. Whether it's for a whole meal or just sides, she has you covered, with everything from vegan-friendly starters (smashed red bliss potatoes with mushroom-truffle gravy!) to desserts. This year brings a new-and-improved seitan turkey recipe, a fully upgraded gluten-free menu (including turkey-style tofu, roasted agave carrots and rice stuffing) and pumpkin pie. It's $30

Prices: $30 per person for either menu; free delivery in Philly, $10 delivery charge to the suburbs.

PERCY STREET BARBECUE (900 South St., 215-625-8510) Order Deadline: 10 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 18. Pick up any time on Wednesday, Nov. 24 Offering: Take home one of Erin OSheas smoked turkeys the birds go are approximately 15 pounds and are served with homemade cranberry sauce and gravy. Or let Percy Street take care of the entire dinner for you and go for the "Smokin' Thanksgiving Feast," which includes one smoked turkey, gravy, homemade cranberry sauce, mashed sweet potatoes with bruleed marshmallows, cornbread and sausage stuffing, collard greens, baked apples and pecan pie. Prices: Turkeys are $65; full Smokin' Thanksgiving Feast is $225. R2L (2 Liberty Place, 37th floor, 215-564-5337) Order Deadline: Thursday, Nov. 18 Offering: Chef Daniel Stern's takeout option includes eats like stuffed roasted organic turkey with dried fruit, swiss chard and gravy; sweet potato and chestnut gratin; roasted squash and brussels sprouts; and mom's sour cream and walnut apple pie for dessert. Prices: $65 per person (they can accommodate orders from anywhere from eight to 24 guests).

Tweets that mention Thanksgiving 2010 in Philadelphia: Where to go, who to call, what to do :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2010-11-15 14:50:58

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Drew Lazor, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: Our HUGE roundup of Thanksgiving restaurant/takeout/catering options in Philly, check it! http://ow.ly/3a6up [...]

miss rachel

Posted 2010-11-16 12:13:40

Thanks for adding MIss Rachel's Pantry to your list! Happy Thanksgiving.

poncho

Posted 2010-11-16 12:10:10

My, this is a comprehensive list!

Mexican Thanksgiving at Xochitl :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2010-11-22 12:01:36

[...] case you somehow missed our ginormous Thanksgiving guide or are feeling like a little Mexican alternative this week, check out Mexican Thanksgiving at [...]

Posted by Anthony Sica @ 7:17 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Kokopelli sets a date

POSTED: Monday, November 15, 2010, 5:06 PM

Filed Under: Openings

Hearing that Kokopelli, the Southwestern tapas restaurant going into the former Pearl (1904 Chestnut St.), will be opening on Thursday, Dec. 2. More food/drink details soon; check out our September post for more info.

Tweets that mention Kokopelli sets a date :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2010-11-15 13:07:09

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by carline Proux, Margot MacKay. Margot MacKay said: RT @mealticket Rittenhouse Southwestern tapas concept Kokopelli sets an opening date: http://ow.ly/3a0GA [...]

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 5:06 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Nov. 22: Fond/Bibou/Lacroix collaboration dinner

POSTED: Monday, November 15, 2010, 4:03 PM

Filed Under: Chef Salad | Food Events | Menu Time

Next Monday, Nov. 22, Fond partners Lee Styer, Jessie Prawlucki and Tory Keomanivong will welcome Pierre Calmels of Bibou and former Lacroix chef Jason Cichonski to East Punk for one of the most stacked Philly collab dinners we've encountered here in Philly. The five-course tasting menu is $65, and reservations are already at a premium (we hear only late tables are currently available). Check out the menu after the jump. Quartet of Tastes from each chef Sturgeon: Okinawan sweet potato, arugula, meyer lemon, black olive Escargot: braised oxtail, butternut squash, hazelnuts, sage Roasted Pheasant Breast: leg boudin blanc, red cabbage confit, salsify fricassée, naturel jus Dessert Trio: pumpkin profiteroles, chestnut dacquoise, pear and milk chocolate ice cream, spiced caramel

Laur? Ats Price Honor? FDLS excellence? Education | MATCH DATING ONLINE ON HERE

Posted 2010-11-18 04:40:28

[...] Nov. 22: Fond/Bibou/Lacroix collaboration dinner :: Meal Ticket … [...]

Tweets that mention Nov. 22: Fond/Bibou/Lacroix collaboration dinner :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2010-11-15 17:54:53

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Fond BYOB, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: Menu for 11.22 @FondPhilly collab dinner, ft. Pierre Calmels of @biboubyob and former Lacroix chef Jason Cichonski: http://ow.ly/39XuT [...]

Posted by Anthony Sica @ 4:03 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Barbuzzo's lunch menu

POSTED: Monday, November 15, 2010, 3:50 PM

Filed Under: Food News | Menu Time

Photo | Drew Lazor

Lunch at Valerie Safran and Marcie Turney's Barbuzzo (110 S. 13th St.) kicks off today, and we've got a quick peek at the menu for you after the jump. Joining the the eatery's selection of pastas and pizzas is a lineup of "rustic" sandwiches (including a Barbuzzo burger, topped with balsamic onion/tomato jam, speck, caciocavallo and housemade Sagres mustard) and a Mediterranean buffet option, which runs $15 and allows you access to a spread of greens, grain salads, fresh mozzarealla, antipasta and other light snackage. Lunch will be served there Monday to Friday from noon to 3 p.m. Check out this week's CP food section for Adam Erace's official review of Barbuzzo.

Click to enlarge

Ticket Stubs: Meal Ticket Weekly Roundup, Nov. 15-19 :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2010-11-22 10:06:55

[...] Barbuzzo starts lunch, and we got the menu. [...]

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Posted 2010-11-15 20:27:17

[...] Barbuzzo's lunch menu :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia … [...]

Michelle

Posted 2010-11-15 12:31:45

I will definitely be eating lunch here sometime soon

Tweets that mention Barbuzzos lunch menu :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2010-11-15 11:31:16

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by DeMarcos Foods and MidtownLunch:Philly, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: Lunch at @barbuzzo starts today at noon. Peep the menu: http://ow.ly/39WTc [...]

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 3:50 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Ticket Stubs: Meal Ticket Weekly Recap, Nov. 8-12

POSTED: Monday, November 15, 2010, 1:30 PM

Filed Under: Meal Ticket | Ticket Stubs

Monday, Nov. 8 Chef Jim Coleman (of TV/radio fame) has taken over cooking duties at World Café Live. Grab grub from Chris' Taco Stand, a brand-new street food operation on Temple's campus. Another cupcake truck is hitting the Philly streets Sweets by Samantha will roll out next month. Notes from the Weekend features cosmic cauliflower, deadly liquors, cutthroat soup swapping and more. Bebe's BBQ dude Mark Coates comes on as the chef at Fergie's Pub. Tuesday, Nov. 9 The Khyber Pass Pub, as Old City's Khyber is now known, is officially open for chicken-fried business y'all. Krispy Kreme makes a triumphant return to Philly in the form of a new Fox Chase franchise. In honor of National Scrapple Day, Juliana Reyes tests out chef Carmen Cappello's homemade version at Wishing Well. Salt & Pepper is officially on its way to Passyunk, and Little Fish is coming back in its place. Wednesday, Nov. 10 We've got pics and info on Granite Hill, Stephen Starr's Philadelphia Museum of Art project. The brand-new Village Belle is a sweet addition to south of South. In Weekly Candy, we break down Zours, one of the more underappreciated sour candies out there. Thursday, Nov. 11 It's not hard to help out The Food Bank of South Jersey this holiday season. The pending café at Sixth and Christian, originally called Commonwealth, will now be known as Shot Tower Coffee. Is the delayed-for-years Sticks & Stones seriously opening the night before Thanksgiving (2010)?! Friday, Nov. 12 The quite-stylish Jet Wine Bar just opened on South Street. Bistrot La Minette has a very nice prix-fixe deal every Sunday.

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 1:30 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Bistrot La Minette's new $29 Sunday prix-fixe

POSTED: Friday, November 12, 2010, 10:25 PM

Filed Under: Dealage | Food Events

The always le charming Bistrot La Minette (623 S. Sixth St.) just started offering a four-course dinner for the very reasonable, screw-Restaurant-Week price of $29. Check out this Sunday's menu after the jump. Call 215-925-8000 to reserve. Potage Parmentier: Potato Leek Soup Grillee au Cantal: Breaded and fried piece of Cantal Cheese over a salad Truite Meunier: Miller style trout, potatoes, green beans, brown butter and lemon Creme Caramel: Custard baked with caramel, raspberry sauce

Tweets that mention Bistrot La Minettes new $29 Sunday prix-fixe :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2010-11-12 19:41:04

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Metromix Philly, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: New $29 prix-fixe deal every Sunday at @BistroLaMinette: http://ow.ly/394yC [...]

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 10:25 PM Permalink | Post a comment

NOW OPEN: Jet Wine Bar

POSTED: Friday, November 12, 2010, 9:22 PM

Filed Under: Booze | Menu Time | Openings

Photos | Drew Lazor

Dropped by Jill Weber's Jet Wine Bar the other night, already hopping with neighborhood folk in its first few weeks of glass-filling existence. The space (1525 South St.) is two levels a fun little curved bar, with a drink rail and a bit of table space, up top, and more intimate banquette seating on a lower level. The glowing blue/purple lighting scheme throughout gives Jet a bit of a mod-era British airline feel, a little shout to Weber's profession as a globe-scouring archaeologist (she's affiliated with UPenn). Though the wine list (check it in PDF form) highlights a few irreverent countries of origin (Morocco and Greece to name two try a glass of the super-piney, one-of-a-kind Retsina, imported by Gai'a), there's also space for several Pennsylvania-sourced offerings. Chef Matt Zagorski (Rouge, 500 Degrees, etc.) has whipped up a straightforward menu (DL it) of snacks, cheeses, charcuterie, tarts and hot sandwiches (the speck and sottocenere's real nice). Oh and here's perhaps the most original happy hour deal in town every day of the week, from 4 to 6 p.m., you can get a glass of Fino and two scones (fresh-baked by Edna Cruz of Nook Bakery & Coffee) for $6.

Tweets that mention NOW OPEN: Jet Wine Bar :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2010-11-12 18:15:41

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by bestwine, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: Jet Wine Bar is now open. Peep pics, info, menus, plus word on their VERY unique happy hour deal: http://ow.ly/392Fo [...]

Ticket Stubs: Meal Ticket Weekly Recap, Nov. 8-12 :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2010-11-15 08:32:48

[...] Philly Photo Day Opening Reception Meal Ticket• Bistrot La Minette's new $29 Sunday prix-fixe• NOW OPEN: Jet Wine Bar• Win two tix to Beer School's Nov. 19 Canadian craft beer class• Today only: Ridiculous [...]

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 9:22 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Win two tix to Beer School's Nov. 19 Canadian craft beer class

POSTED: Friday, November 12, 2010, 6:55 PM

Filed Under: Booze | Contests | Food Events

Keith Wallace of Philly's Wine School and Beer School wants to give two tickets to an upcoming class away to Meal Ticket readers. The subject of the class, scheduled for next Friday, Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m. (2008 Fairmount Ave.), is rare microbrews from the Great White North Canada! "The beer scene up north is crazy right now," says Wallace. "Every beer geek should known what is going on." Want a pair of tickets to the class, eh? (They're going for $35+ bucks a pop.) Be the first to email the correct answer to the very easy question below to drew.lazor@citypaper.net. DO NOT LEAVE THE ANSWER AS A COMMENT. Good luck, Canucks!

What movie is the dude in the picture from?

UPDATE [2:13 p.m.]: Congrats to Meal Ticket Gabriel for chiming in with the correct answer that is Steven Wright as a Mountie in the 1995 classic Canadian Bacon. We got ways of making you pronounce the letter O!

Tweets that mention Win two tix to Beer Schools Nov. 19 Canadian craft beer class :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2010-11-12 15:21:16

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by The Beer Sommelier and allbeernews, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: Win two free tix to @wineschool's Canadian beer class next week! http://ow.ly/38XNs [...]

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 6:55 PM Permalink | Post a comment

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Now Serving: Lil' Pop Shop
Notes from the Weekend: June 17
Rock Star cheese dinner at Di Bruno's
Happy National Martini Day!
Afternoon Snacks: Party Pizza, Empellon joins tumblr, Giant bibimbap (!), Snickerdoodle cobbler
The Lite Choice Opens Flagship Store on 16th Street between Walnut & Locust
Vetri opening in the Navy Yard, plus a nod to Le Bec
Gone Fishin'
Free stuff for Father's Day
Dolcissimo! Pastry classes with Le Virtu's Angela Ranalli

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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