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Archive: May, 2012
Jeanne Chang has officially opened up her Lil' Pop Shop in the former Unitea in West Philly (265 S. 44th St.). We went yesterday to try some of the pops she told us about a couple months ago — our favorites from Chang's diverse selection were the peanut butter curry and lime mint, but we agreed with everyone else that the salted caramel brownie and Vietnamese coffee pops are some of the best we've had.
Starting Mother's Day — that's this Sunday, kids — Brauhaus Schmitz (718 South St.) begins brunch. From 10 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon weekly, chef Jeremy Nolen will be preparing German-inspired a.m. eats like eggs benny with acorn-fed Westphalian ham, sourdough pancakes, house-made muesli and yards and yards of wursts. There's a typical "German Breakfast" consisting of sliced meats, cheese, brötchen (German rolls), rye bread, Nutella and a hard-boiled egg, as well as a Bavarian version featuring pretzel, sausage, mustard and hefeweizen. A little banana nectar turns that hefeweizen into a Bananaweiss. So wrong or so right? Here's the full menu (PDF). Check out Brauhaus this Sunday and let us know in NFTW.
Photo: Drew Lazor
Back in January I wrote about Gary Reuben's Underground Arts basement theater in the Wolf building (12th and Callowhill) was gearing up for a restaurant addition called Underground Eats, run by GM Mike Staldi and producer Mike Thatcher and featuring a menu designed by drummer-turned-chef Tom Stalling. The space underwent its last formal inspection on Tuesday, and looks to open its doors within the next two weeks.
Sometimes we think we should start a restaurant name consultation service, the way people do for rich white babies. SoWe (918 S. 22nd St.), whose name we can't even see without wanting to holler it like a freckled farm boy chasing a greased pig at the Biloxi County Fair, would be our first client. Parters Nancy Law and Troy Barton don’t need any help on the promotion side, though. At just a few weeks old, they've got all kinds of deals up and running. Starting on May 14 and continuing every Monday, all bottles of wine are half-price, and during happy hours (5-7 p.m. and 11 p.m.-1 a.m. daily), beers and bar menu items are all a buck off. SoWe is getting into the industry game, too, offering $2 High Lifes and $3 shots of Jim Beam any time for restaurant comrades. SoWe going?
Japanese mega-masticator Takeru Kobayashi, whose last visit to Philly saw him crushing Osteria and Garces Trading Co. food with The 700 Level and Philly Mag, is back in town today with the aim of breaking his own cheesesteak-consumption mark. This afternoon at Harrah's (777 Harrah's Blvd.), the pro eater will try and wolf down a Tony Luke's sandwich in less than 24 seconds, his current record. He'll then perform various other regional feats of intestinal strength, such as killing a two-pound Varallo's cannoli and pizzas and mac 'n' cheese from various Harrah's restaurants. No giant bears as far as we know.
- Where does Alla Spina, Marc Vetri's new Italian beer bar on North Broad, rank among his three other smash-hit Philly restaurants? Though Adam Erace's first visit resulted in a meal that felt like a "klutzy, deep-fried grope at fatty-chic," a return dinner showed plenty of promise for young chef Damon Menapace and crew.
- In Feeding Frenzy: Andorra's new Pizzeria DiMeo's, NoLibs' Café Chismosa and a second Milk & Honey location, this one on the Parkway.
- In What's Cooking: Sixpoint gets cheesy at Wedge + Fig, Allagash all day in C-Hill, a sneak peek of a new Old City café and more.
Photo: Neal Santos
Brett Naylor, who came on CP's radar at chef de cuisine of the short-lived Les Bons Temps and more recently cooked for Urban Outfitters and Tria, will become the new chef at Oyster House (1516 Sansom St.) this coming Monday. He's taking over for Andy Kikto, who's moved on to the nearby Butcher & Singer (both were preceded by Ted Manko and Greg Ling). No word yet on what sort of personal imprint Naylor will put on the popular Center City seafood spot.
Photo: Drew Lazor
Brian Nagele, the CEO of Cities2Night/Philly2Night and the owner of the The Piazza's Kings Oak, opened his most recent acquisition, the North Shore Beach Club, two weeks ago without tons of fanfare. If that name sounds familiar, that’s because NSBC is the name of the joint that used to be the private Arrow Swim Club. The price of memberships has lessened ($500), and this weekend (May 11) Nagele's popping the top on his new tastefully colorful Cuban-themed Havana Room, cheffed by one-time Stephen Starr staffer Sean Elstone (Il Pittore, Parc) in the adjacent restaurant space last known as Chenango. Lucky friends, family and press types will be sniffing around the H-Room Thursday night for a soft opening. Here is their opening menu (PDF). Pictured above is Elstone's lechon asado, oven-roasted suckling pig in a tamarind sauce with baby carrots and smashed boniato, a Caribbean sweet potato variant.
Photo: Courtesy of North Shore Beach Club
Lauren Aukett, a first-time owner, has taken over the Queen Village space that's been Gayle and Hoof + Fin (617 S. Third St.) for Zen-Nor, a "zen-themed" restaurant opening next Wednesday, May 16.
Aukett, a retail manager up to this point, describes the revamped spot as a tribute to her parents — the "Nor" in "Zen-Nor" is her mother Eleanor's nickname, while the concept itself is in honor of her dad, a professional chef who passed away a year and a half ago. The "zen" thing has worked its way into both the décor (they've installed an idyllic pond in the space's beautiful back patio area) and the food, from chef Michael O'Mara, late of South Jersey's M/O Global Bistro. O'Mara, who also worked at Old City's La Truffe (where Swanky Bubbles was) back in the day, has both Asian and French elements on his menu for the BYO. Zen-Nor will serve brunch, as well; both menus are after the jump (click to enlarge).
- barstool scientist
- Booze
- Brew Revue
- Chef Salad
- Closings
- Coffee
- Contests
- Dealage
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- Don't Front
- Eat This Immediately
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- Gifted
- Happy Hour Hopper
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- Menu Time
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- Notes from the Weekend
- On Wheels
- Openings
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- Philly Beer Week 2010
- Photos
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- Snack Time
- Stiff Drank
- SUPPER
- Tea
- Testing
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- Weekly Candy
- Weird Regional Foods
- We're Here to Help
- Where'd We Eat?
- Drew Lazor's Ill-Advised Rant Factory
- Pregame
- Ill-Advised Ranting
- The Week Without Meat
- Philly Beer Week 2009
- Real Big
- Where'd I Eat Last Night?
- Top Chef Masters
- The Good Word
- Next Iron Chef
- Arterial Terrorism
- Food and Radio
