Archive: March, 2011

Taco Bell really wants you to believe that "88 percent beef" figure

POSTED: Tuesday, March 1, 2011, 8:50 PM

Filed Under: Food News

Word spread pretty fast when Taco Bell was slammed last month with a class-action lawsuit alleging that its "seasoned beef" consists of only 36 percent beef (of which only 1 percent is protein). Taco Bell's flacks responded fast, countering with a figure that put their beef's ... beef content at 88 percent; the other 12 percent, it is claimed, is made up of seasonings and additional flavorings. Now they're really stepping their game up. The above video is composed of testimony from the people who supposedly know beef best Taco Bell employees! In an effort to get that 88 number to stick, they've discounted the beef-heavy Crunchwrap Supreme to the bargain basement price of 88 cents (it's normally $2.39). It's this week only, so unless you want to spend the extra $1.51, act now and be a true judge of Taco Bell beef's beef content yourself.

barryg

Posted 2011-03-01 20:45:37

When I read the ingredients in Taco Bell beef-flavored-product I was pleasantly surprised--it's pretty typical ingredients in commercial taco seasoning, plus the the oats and soy to extend the beef. Better ingredients than a lot of processed food at the grocery store.

Brion Shreffler

Posted 2011-03-01 18:46:31

I don't think anyone should complain- in a market place driven by a demand not for quality, but cheap, inexpensive product, this is what you get. Sure, you can get mystery tacos for 99c at taco bell, but for 1.51 more you can get the real thing at  La Lupe's or Honest Tom's. Vote early and often.

Posted by Adrian Pelliccia @ 8:50 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Cooking classes with Marc Vetri and Jeff Michaud

POSTED: Tuesday, March 1, 2011, 7:51 PM

Filed Under: Chef Salad | Food Events | How-To

In past months, Marc Vetri and Jeff Michaud have opened their kitchen at Osteria (640 N. Broad St., 215-763-0920) to a few lucky/eager learners for some hands-on education. Beginning today, these sessions become a weekly occurrence. Basically, the chefs want to teach usable technique, so these classes focus on pastas and pizzas. As of a few hours ago, there will still a handful of slots left for tonight's pasta-making class, which kicks off at 6:30 p.m.; at $175 a ticket, you'll learn from the masters how to roll your own handmade pastas while maintaining the rustic integrity of your gnocchi or tagliatelle. Filled pastas are almost always covered, as well. Pizza-making classes, meanwhile, focus on perfecting your dough, Osteria-style, and sourcing ingredients to perfect your at-home pies. The pizza/pasta sessions go down each Tuesday this March; tickets can be purchased in advance at eventbrite.com.

Posted by Laurel Rose Purdy @ 7:51 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Last-minute slots for Garces Trading Co. Jasper Hill/Philadelphia Brewing Co. dinner class tonight

POSTED: Tuesday, March 1, 2011, 6:29 PM

Filed Under: Food Events

Photo | Jason Varney; courtesy of Garces Trading Co.

So six slots just opened up for tonight's previously sold-out cheese-pairing course at Garces Trading Co. (1111 Locust St.). These tastings ($65 a head), which GTC hosts the first Tuesday of each month, members of Jose Garces' fromage squad school the curd-curious on a wide variety of cheeses, paired up with wines and beers. Tonight's class, which'll run from 5:30 p.m. till about 7 start promptly at 6:30 (get there early), is a departure from form in that they're expanding the scope to feature both more students (there's usually only 12 seats) and more to eat they'll feature quesos from Vermont's Jasper Hill Farm in five dishes paired with beers from Philadelphia Brewing Co. Eats tonight will include Jasper Hill's mortadella in a fondue paired with PBC's PA Pale Ale; the creamery's Constant Bliss with a pear fritter, pear gastrique and mizuna, paired with Kenzinger; and agrodolce pork ribs and Anson Mills grits alongside a Newbold IPA. Call 215-574-1099 if you want in.

Posted 2011-03-01 16:22:36

The time for tonight's class is incorrect. I just called Garces Trading Co. to confirm, and they double checked and told me that tonight's class goes from 6:30pm to 8:00pm.

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 6:29 PM Permalink | Post a comment

The so very mysterious Hop Sing Laundromat

POSTED: Tuesday, March 1, 2011, 5:57 PM

Filed Under: Booze | Openings

We've been hearing rumblings about a craft cocktail joint called Hop Sing Laundromat coming to Philly for months now, but nailing down on-the-record info about the operation has proven to be a bit of a challenge for us here at Team Meal Ticket. Here's what we have gathered thus far, thanks to a handful of well-placed and chatty sources Hop Sing (how cloak and dagger!) will be located on Race Street between 10th and 11th. (We haven't been able to officially nail down the street address, but our money's on 1029 Race, a former restaurant.) Rumor has it that drinkers will have to stroll through a real-deal shoeshine shop to gain access to the bar. We're hearing that it's getting very close to opening; apparently this project has been in the works for awhile, perhaps even before The Franklin opened its subterranean doors. Keep you posted.

Foobooz Philadelphia » Quick Bites: Speakeasies & Barbecue May or May Not Be Opening

Posted 2011-03-01 16:07:06

[...] Meal Ticket has the details, sketchy as they might be, on Hop Sing Laundromat, a cocktail lounge that may or may not be coming to Race Street in Chinatown. [Meal Ticket] [...]

Deafmute

Posted 2011-03-01 16:38:56

Ok, this speakeasy theme park Disney jawn is officially going too far.

Julie

Posted 2011-03-01 16:44:36

Heeee.

PhillyChitChat

Posted 2011-03-01 13:01:14

That's a long time in the making if it was before The Franklin.

Kessler

Posted 2011-03-01 13:00:48

Would be dope if you had to put a quarter in a washing machine that then pivoted out to reveal a hidden entrance to the bar.

Clara

Posted 2011-03-01 18:14:05

Cool.  Franklin has gotten kind of old.

Nick Focus

Posted 2011-03-01 16:27:01

you got me blacklisted from Hop Sings?!

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 5:57 PM Permalink | Post a comment

New reservation app NoWait and Zavino want to text you

POSTED: Tuesday, March 1, 2011, 4:00 PM

Filed Under: Testing

Photo | Drew Lazor

When we first heard about NoWait, the Pittsburgh-based mobile phone app that's setting itself up to revamp the world of waiting lists, we were skeptical. What makes it any different from those light-up hockey puck things they give you at Outback Steakhouse? We got in touch with Zavino (112 S. 13th St.), the first and only restaurant in Philly to use the app, to figure out just what it is that sets it apart from Open Table or, say, a clipboard. For starters, you can't have a text-message conversation with those Outback pagers. Zavino GM Jason Brooke explained the specifics: When customers come in and put their names on the list (stored on an iPad), they get a text with an estimate of their wait and some suggestions for what to do in the meantime. Subsequent text alerts also let customers know when their tables are ready, and in the hours after dinner, the app even sends out follow-up thank-you texts. Customers can text back, too, so it would seem that the big thing here is interaction. Zavino's been using NoWait for about a month, and Brook says they've gotten a great reaction to it. "It's neat, you know?" he says. "You walk up to the host, you see the iPad, you get a text message it's pretty cool." He also made sure to point out that the company itself is receptive to restaurant clients' feedback, so it's been a good way to be a part of the project as it gets off the ground. While they're currently the only place in Philly to use the app, Blue Bear Tavern (216 S. 11th St.), which will be opening next month under Zavino ownership, is also in line to use NoWait.

Ivan

Posted 2011-03-02 10:52:05

Nice to see somebody actually took this concept to market albeit with a test market of one.  We've been considering doing it at Reservation Genie as we already capture mobile phone info from customers when they book reservations and text them reservation details...so throwing in a waiting list shouldn't be too hard.  But I don't think the Ipad is necessary, any computer should work fine.

Posted by Adrian Pelliccia @ 4:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

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The Lite Choice Opens Flagship Store on 16th Street between Walnut & Locust
Notes from the Weekend: June 17
Rock Star cheese dinner at Di Bruno's
Free stuff for Father's Day
Gone Fishin'
Vetri opening in the Navy Yard, plus a nod to Le Bec
Happy National Beef Jerky Day!
Summer of Riesling Dinner at P&K
Afternoon Snacks: Party Pizza, Empellon joins tumblr, Giant bibimbap (!), Snickerdoodle cobbler
Now Serving: Tiffin Bistro

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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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