Archive: July, 2010

EAT THESE IMMEDIATELY: Jolly Rancher Fruit Chews
POSTED: Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 7:06 PM
Filed Under: Eat This Immediately
Photo | Drew Lazor
Holy hell are we are obsessed with Jolly Rancher Fruit Chews. They come in what looks like a fat cigarette pack (one point), feature great fake fruit flavors like blue (two points) and are infinitely mix-and-matchable (six bajillion points). This might be sacrilege to admit, but we prefer their chewy, juicy texture to overly sticky Starburst. Best thing about these, though? They feature all the gnawing appeal of an adult chewable supplement with none of the pesky vitamins or minerals. Eat these immediately!

Matt
Posted 2010-11-04 16:51:58
They look like Now And Laters

Michelle
Posted 2010-07-13 14:13:11
I'm not a big candy eater, but these are truly amazing!

Nick
Posted 2010-07-13 15:52:44
damn, must cop.

upma
Posted 2010-07-13 15:59:00
I won't believe you if you tell me they're better than Hi Chew (or, as I like to call them, Japanese Bonkers).  Are they?

Drew Lazor
Posted 2010-07-13 16:06:00
Good question, Upma. I would say between the two that I prefer Jolly Rancher Fruit Chews, if only because I think they take more like fake candy fruit than real healthy fruit. I applied the same logic as a kid, when I enjoyed Hi-C Ecto Cooler juiceboxes better than 100 percent fruit Juicy Juice..it's that fructose!

upma
Posted 2010-07-13 17:45:30
Alright.  If I see any, I'll give it a go.

Jackie
Posted 2010-07-14 05:11:39
send some to meeee!
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 7:06 PM  Permalink | Post a comment

Daytime dealage at Square 1682
POSTED: Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 5:32 PM
Filed Under: Dealage
Photo | Drew Lazor
Guillermo Tellez's swanky Square 1682 in the Hotel Palomar (121 S. 17th St.) has launched two thrifty deals for lunch. Monday to Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., you can snag a Brandywine River Texas longhorn burger (topped with local blue cheese and served with fingerling chips) and a local beer (they pour Yards, Victory, Flying Fish, Philly Brewing Co., etc.) for $9. The sandwich alone is usually $11, so that's a steal. If you want to go a bit upmarket, Square also offers a $16.82 three-course prix-fixe — Monday to Saturday from 11:30 to 2, pony up the namesake price and get a soup/salad first course, a between-bread main (that burger, a short rib sandwich, chicken salad sandwich, etc.) and a chocolate/cherry blondie to go. For more on the spot, check out our interview with Tellez, slideshow and Trey Popp's December '09 review.

Tweets that mention Daytime dealage at Square 1682 :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com
Posted 2010-07-13 13:21:32
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Homemade Beer. Homemade Beer said: Daytime dealage at Square 1682 - Philadelphia Citypaper: Guillermo Tellez’s swanky Square 1682 in the Hotel Paloma... http://bit.ly/8ZH7D5 [...]
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Mixed olives and shmancy French lemonade — whereabouts?
POSTED: Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 4:59 PM
Filed Under: Where'd We Eat?

sarah
Posted 2010-07-13 12:03:29
garces trading company!

Drew Lazor
Posted 2010-07-13 12:05:53
OK that was so fast it was scary, Sarah. Yep, I took the day off yesterday and kicked around the city; GTC was one of our stops. Had a couple other plates in addition to these, including a great Bonito Del Norte tuna salad...then made off like a bandit with a bit of house-cured pastrami and some lamb merguez. Fun.

kendellar
Posted 2010-07-13 12:19:02
Garces Trading Company

sarah
Posted 2010-07-13 12:54:36
i'm quick as lightening. haha.
i'm actually on my way over there right now. yuuuuuum! i love me some verde pizza for lunch. =)
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 4:59 PM  Permalink | Post a comment

Notes from the Weekend: July 12
POSTED: Monday, July 12, 2010, 7:20 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. We’re 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.)

DL: Drew Lazor RB: Rachel Burgos

Photo | Drew Lazor
Friday afternoon: Dropped by the very-close Adsum (Fifth and Bainbridge) to grab some material for the post we had up Saturday. Foie gras poutine happened. People have been asking like crazy so here's the rundown — you've got your duck-fat fries and the requisite cheese curds, a hefty ladle of foie-infused beef gravy, all topped off with a seared lobe of liver. (Check out a video of chef Matt Levin prepping the dish.) This will be the delicious death of many, especially since Adsum (opening Wednesday) only wants 15 bones for it. —DL
Photo | Rachel Burgos
I spent Friday in Wildwood, N.J. Nothing too exciting to report on from here — except that I tried an awesome beer called Wailua Wheat, made by Kona Brewing Company. It's a wheat beer brewed with passion fruit, so it's light and refreshing — perfect for hanging ten poolside after a day at the beach. —RB
Photos | Drew Lazor
Xochitl (408 S. Second St.), site of a recent Happy Hour Hopper hit-up, was poppin' off early Friday evening — sat at the bar with a few folks for margaritas and a gang of bites, including mar y tierra tacos (they're doing them with veal tongue and tuna instead of bacalao and brisket now, but still fire!) and chicharrones, which we could snack on all day every day. Chef Lucio Palazzo is cooking some great stuff over here, peep game. —DL
Photos | Drew Lazor
Saturday: Quick lunch at a quieter-than-normal La Va (2100 South St.). We raved about their soulful Israeli food in early June — glad we got back in there for that zippy shakshuka, crisp schnitzel and cool pool o' hummus. —DL
Photo | Rachel Burgos
Saturday night I went to Pub & Kitchen (20th and Lombard) and got an order of the honey whiskey glazed chicken wings, which were fantastic. They were sweet, with a slight zing thanks to some hot pepper flakes. I also got "El Diablo" Mussels, which, as the title warns, were very spicy. They came in a chili/lime/cilantro broth, and had equally spicy garlic bread to dip into the broth. An overall fantastic meal. —RB I met up with some friends at the P.O.P.E. (1501 E. Passyunk Ave.) after dinner and hung out with my man J.K. Scrumpy.  That stuff tastes like straight-up apple cider, which is both dangerous and excellent. —RB Are you a bartender and/or home cocktailer on the hunt for one of those big bottles of Angostura bitters? If you're frustrated by their tendency to fly off shelves at Center City Wine & Spirits spots, drop by the out-of-the-way state store at 25th and South — they've always got a bunch of stock. —DL Sunday morning I hit up my new favorite, Green Eggs Café (1306 Dickinson St.) — OK, not brand-new, but hey, it's close, delicious and still new to me. Got their Breakfast Burrito, and I have to say it was the most satisfying and exciting 'rito of its kind ever had, chock full of potatoes, cheese, chorizo, red and green bell peppers, onions and corn. I also appreciate that it came armed with all the must-have burrito fixins — avocado, sour cream, chopped tomato and onions and black bean salsa. A+. —RB Sunday night: A very special special-occasion dinner at James (Eighth and Christian). Goddamn it was good. The restaurant does a $40 prix-fixe deal on Sunday nights, but we splurged a bit a lot, eating a good cross-section of the brand-new summer menu. Faves here included the wild king salmon (served almost like a ceviche, with verjus standing in as the citrus) plated with a foie- and truffle-stuffed artichoke; the fish itself was dressed with a crunchy dice of artichoke stem so fine that we swore it was chopped nuts. And don't miss the live scallop crudo, dressed with yuzu and served with a ricotta-stuffed zucchini blossom and another mathematically minuscule brunoise, this time of zucchini. Ridic. Jim Burke shucks the scallops to order, and we hear they're sometimes still quivering as they're put on the plate. That's fresh! —DL
Photo | Drew Lazor
Mémé roasted marrow, can't you see? Sometimes your visceral bone-sucking wiles just hypnotize me. Always love when this special shows at 22nd and Spruce. It comes with a little watercress salad — that's a vegetable, so it is healthy. —DL

Carolyn Huckabay
Posted 2010-07-12 14:35:16
Friday: Before a late-night movie at the Bourse, we hit up Amada and sat at the bar (sorta ... we had corner seats with no counter space due to the gigantic meat slicer sitting there). Drank two tinto sangrias and split artichoke/mushroom flatbreads and some soft cheese that came with homemade nutella. Yessss.

Saturday: Responsibly ate at home except for an early-ish dinner at Viet Phuong at 11th and Washington. No. 61 -- bun with char-broiled pork and spring rolls -- is crazy, crazy-good.

Sunday: Grabbed bagels and crazy-strong-ass coffee at Bodhi before weaving through the insanely-packed Headhouse Farmers Market. Scored some squash blossoms which I don't quite know what to do with. Later on grabbed sandwiches at Paesano's -- the Chicken Diavlo is still my favorite, tho the namesake sam almost beats it out.

barry eichner
Posted 2010-07-12 15:37:31
i cant even talk about anything i ate this weekend before SUNDAY!   I was blown away by George's Place @ Beach & Perry in Cape May, NJ.  It was the best Greek food I've ever eaten.  I'll post a review of it tonight at Foodurlez.com

danya
Posted 2010-07-12 16:09:15
FRIDAY: Pizza for brunch? Why not, especially if it includes the Tartufo (egg!) at Pizzeria Stella and if it's with the fun Alex & Aki of IDEAS IN FOOD. Split 5 pizzas between the three of us, with a tiny bit of help from their 2-year-old daughter.

A quick espresso at Bodhi Coffee still left room for an afternoon visit to Percy Street BBQ, where the man and I were treated to a late lunch. The buttery cheddar-jalapeño cornbread is cooked to order in a mini skillet, but it pales in comparison to the PST sandwich - that's smoke pork belly, slaw and pickled green tomatoes. Ribs are tasty, too, and we were told a real wood-burning grill is coming in the near future.

SATURDAY: Bought NY Strips and a hunk of American cheese to put my new home food-slicer to the test. The homemade cheesesteak (wit) was the best I have EVER eaten.

SUNDAY: I'm now the proud Foursquare mayor of the Headhouse Farmers Market! (Cred? Loss of cred?) Either way, the abundance of great fish, veggies, fruit, meats and herbs is becoming overwhelming. I never bring enough bags.

Rascal b. Schuylkillian
Posted 2010-07-12 18:13:31
Stuff them with fresh ricotta and maybe some herbs.  Then egg wash, dredge em in flour and sauté until crispy and brown in olive oil/butter.

Better yet, stuff them with a mixture of ground pork, shitake mushroom, little garlic, Ginger, fish sauce, cilantro and a soy sauce.  Cook them same way described above.

Now I'll have to go harvest blossoms from the back yard.  Yum.

Marie DiFeliciantonio
Posted 2010-07-12 18:56:51
Finally, Friday and a night filled with food and drink splurges were in order for a decade's worth of amorous dedication. XIX is a great spot for romance unless there are obnoxiously drunk, been-there-too-long patrons. We snatched a seat at the bar, away from the rowdy crowd, and were promptly ignored by bartenders. Would've loved to stay for more than one glass of champagne but I was seconds away from laying a verbal smackdown on the 'tenders and we hit the road towards dinner at Vetri.
It was an over-the-top dinner and an over-draft of funds but worth every cent we barely had. Foie gras pastrami, baby goat, spinach gnocchi, sweet onion crepe.  AHH. Be nice and the sommelier may supply you with an extra wine flight. Cheers.

Saturday I ate at the dreadfully commercial Garden State Park Shops at new (?) Kabuki. Not bad sushi spot and definitely a change in culinary scenery at the Shops. You can also eat hibachi, but you gotta make up your mind. It's either sushi in the dining room or hibachi at the hibachi. Got it?

Another dose of the Vetri clan at Amis on Sunday night. Between bites of mortadella mousse bruschetta (yeaaaaa), pork jowl buccatini (yea yea yeaaaaa) and marinated lamb (yea yeaaaaa) I noticed a house for sale across the street and thought that realtor has and ace in his/her pocket with Amis as a neighbor. I'm considering it myself.

Rachel Burgos
Posted 2010-07-12 19:54:16
Drew, the mention of bacalao in your Xochitl post made me miss one of my Abuela's (grandma's) specialties. Thanks to that reminder I will beg her to whip up a dish, and maybe just maybe get her secret recipe off of her and attempt to make it myself.

Carolyn & Rascal b. Schuylkillian: you have inspired me to seek out some squash blossoms and make something AWESOME with them. Thanks!

Drew Lazor
Posted 2010-07-12 20:40:04
Stuffing squash blossoms seems to be the jam lately! James stuffs them with ricotta as Rascal suggests...Sam from Sycamore stuffs them with ricotta then tempura-fries them. Intense. The pork prep Rascal mentions sounds dope...

Anthony Sica
Posted 2010-07-12 21:51:24
At the Talula's Pop Up , they didn't stuff the blossoms with anything. They served them with a green tomato ketchup that gave you the experience of fried green tomatoes when you put it all together.  Something along those lines would be fun to try and replicate.

Felicia D'Ambrosio
Posted 2010-07-13 12:12:15
I was in San Francisco for some Yelpish training last week, so these are a bit far away but most definitely worth a hit if you are ever on the Left Coast. 

Knocked off work Friday afternoon and took in the scene at Dolores Park. Unfortunately did not come across the fabled Pot Truffle Man. Headed back to SoMa to grab a drink with former Philly Yelp CM Monica, who suggested we try Foreign Cinema for dinner.  Though they said no ressies available until 10 p.m., we rolled the dice and were seated inside ASAP. Cocoa-crusted steak with wilted romaine and leeks ringed with butterbeans was the biggest winner of our dishes; plus The Song Remains The Same cocktail with muddled lemon and 12-year old Scotch lived up to the legendary album. 

Spent Saturday hiking in Muir Woods. Stunning redwoods and ferny gullies followed by a lackluster sandwich with a stellar view in Sausalito, proving true the theory that the better the view, the worse the grub. 


Stuffed face with a gross Special K protein bar in the a.m., then feasted on some wonderfully fatty-crisp bacon fries at Broken Record in SF, a dive bar with a killer kitchen hidden in the back, while watching Orange fall apart with fouls during the World Cup Final.

Hopped on a plane after having my Bobble water bottle taken away by TSA and wasn't even offered free peanuts.  Damn you United.

Molly Eichel
Posted 2010-07-13 12:34:52
Zama for mom's bday and thought it was a lot of money for sushi I could have had other places. The halibut appetizer was delish though. Cashed in a gift certificate to Friday Saturday Sunday on the latter day and stuffed myself with amazing crab cakes. They seated us in the Tank Bar and there was no one there, which was perfect for date night, but a little creepy otherwise.

Fidel Gastro
Posted 2010-07-13 14:41:24
Catered Christening party for Baby Gastro.  Trolley Car Diner's fried chicken and pasta salad made people jealous of our charmed life.  Also realized that Fleur de Lehigh tastes like mustard.  Delicious boozy mustard.

poncho
Posted 2010-07-13 15:42:08
Totes agree on how you feel about Zama - I'm sticking with Vic!

Rascal b. Schuylkillian
Posted 2010-07-13 19:08:49
You have a better chance of getting drunk off shots of jack Daniels mustard then fleur de lehigh.
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 7:20 PM  Permalink | Post a comment

Mumbai Bistro opens ...
POSTED: Monday, July 12, 2010, 5:52 PM
Filed Under: Openings
... next Wednesday, July 21, partner Kyle Saini tells Meal Ticket. We first mentioned the Indian spot, a takeover of what was Shinju at 930 Locust Street, back in March. More details soon. Elsewhere in the fast-casual Indian realm, Philadelphia Chutney Company seems to be chugging along in construction at 1628 Sansom Street (formerly Remedy); we first touched on that project way back in January.

Tweets that mention Mumbai Bistro opens … :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com
Posted 2010-07-12 15:10:19
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by You Post. You Post said: Mumbai Bistro opens http://ow.ly/186sys [...]
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 5:52 PM  Permalink | Post a comment

Reminder: This is the week of free Percy Street
POSTED: Monday, July 12, 2010, 4:45 PM
Filed Under: Dealage
Photo | Neal Santos
Percy Street Barbecue (900 South St.) is giving away free lunch to its first 20 lunch diners, starting today and running through this Friday, July 16. They open their doors at 11:30, so there's a chance today's free grub is already exhausted — but no sweat, you got four more days to try for it. More details here.

Tweets that mention Reminder: This is the week of free Percy Street :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com
Posted 2010-07-12 18:38:02
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Courtney Apple. Courtney Apple said: amaazing! RT @mealticket Free BBQ lunch at @percystreet all this week... http://bit.ly/cugM9l [...]
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Ticket Stubs: Meal Ticket Weekly Recap, July 5-10
POSTED: Monday, July 12, 2010, 4:34 PM
Filed Under: Meal Ticket | Ticket Stubs
Last pass on this one ... the upside is that you get an extra day this time! That is too an upside! Wait, where are you going? Monday, July 5 We weren't working ... National Nap While Wearing Sunglasses Day, remember? Tuesday, July 6 The summer specials at Sycamore in Lansdowne are nutso ... 'shroom toast, truffled duck eggs! A Famous Dave's franchise is opening where Goodburger was. Zavino, The Franklin, Ants Pants, Zama and Capogiro all show up in Notes from the Weekend. Wednesday, July 7 Meet Meal Ticket's new interns, Rachel Burgos and Anthony Sica! We're loving Dino's in Margate City, but what other sandwich spots down the shore are worth hitting up? Thursday, July 8 Machismo Burrito Bar expands into Andorra, and are coming to Center City soon. Gianna's is getting a proper replacement — an all-vegan pizzeria/sandwich shop called Blackbird. Friday, July 9 Never forget the J&J Trestle Inn. Chhaya Cafe is poised to bring funky waffles to East Passyunk Avenue. Nook Bakery and Coffee Bar should be opening soon on 20th Street. Saturday, July 10 Baby food? You really made them make baby food?! Top Chef D.C. Episode 4 recap shares more thoughts, plus an infantilized Tom Colicchio ... Pics/menu for Adsum, opening this Wednesday. Matt Levin's food is looking good ...
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 4:34 PM  Permalink | Post a comment

Invasion of the Korean fried chicken at Meritage
POSTED: Monday, July 12, 2010, 1:00 PM
Filed Under: Food News | Weird Regional Foods
Photo | Drew Lazor
If you want Korean fried chicken, used to be that you had to schlep up north — specifically spots like Café Soho, which critic Elisa Ludwig once aptly described as "a Korean version of the Peach Pit" — to get your fix. (The now-closed Meju did have it for a spell.) Now comes word that Meritage (2oth and Lombard), already arbiters of Korean tacos, will begin serving the twice-fried treat on Thursdays, starting on July 15. A nice companion to Tuesday night's vegan tasting, right? Chef Anne Coll is offering a $25 dinner for two deal that'll include around a half-dozen pieces of chicken, plus sides like slaw, pickled veg and sesame-studded spinach. Coll is using an organic, free-range bird, and brining the chicken before frying to help it maintain its juiciness. UPDATE: Just learned from management that the $25 price will also include one big can of Sapporo to share.

Tweets that mention Invasion of the Korean fried chicken at Meritage :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com
Posted 2010-07-12 08:48:51
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by San Diego Places. San Diego Places said: RT @cathlynchoi Invasion of the Korean fried chicken at Meritage http://bit.ly/bLrZfG http://schmap.it/SslJuD?a [...]

Susie
Posted 2010-07-12 12:01:59
I have the inside scoop..The $25 deal will include a large can of Sapporo Asain Beer!

Kessler
Posted 2010-07-12 12:29:50
^ Which is brewed in Canada! Mmm I love me some Korean fried chicken. Lucky enough to have the new Bon Chon flagship right near my office here in NYC but I'm going to have to try Chef Anne's take next time I'm in Philly.

How should i go about raising chickens? | How To Build A Chicken Coop
Posted 2010-07-13 14:17:50
[...] Invasion &#959f th&#1077 Korean fried chicken &#1072t Meritage :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philad... [...]

Ticket Stubs: Meal Ticket Weekly Recap, July 12-16 :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper
Posted 2010-07-16 20:05:23
[...] Korean fried chicken crops up at Meritage. [...]

Today: Twice, fried chicken :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper
Posted 2010-07-29 12:03:38
[...] Life, duh). For dinner, pop into Meritage (500 S. 20th St.), where chef Anne Coll just launched her Thursday Korean fried chicken night. Pony up 25 bones are you’ll get chicken and sides (plus a big can of Sapporo) for two.   [...]
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 1:00 PM  Permalink | Post a comment

Adsum in pictures
POSTED: Sunday, July 11, 2010, 1:42 AM
Filed Under: Menu Time | Openings | Photos
Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer
Yesterday, Meal Ticket dropped by a staff tasting at Adsum (Fifth and Bainbridge), the "refined neighborhood bistro" from Kar Vivekananthan and chef Matthew Levin, to snag a few pics. Vivekananthan, founder of comm-systems firm OhmComm, will officially open the restaurant (we first mentioned it in March) this coming Wednesday, July 14. Adsum (translates to "I am here" from the original Latin), is academically inclined — the wall behind the bar is cleverly stocked with library books and scientific glassware (beakers will double as wine carafes), and the dining-room tables were bio-class perches in a former life. Lots of dark wood and distressed glass. Preston Eckman, formerly of APO, is in charge of the bar; here's a partial peek at his cocktail list. Levin's menu, which you can peep in full after the jump, features some shades of Levin's Lacroix days — his signature foie gras/sour cherry combo shows up here, as do his flavor-burst celery-root cubes and some snackish dishes the chef developed for the restaurant's Bar 210 during his tenure — but for the most part Adsum skews new, with progressive grub that's got that on-paper appeal (fried oysters with pickle juice remoulade! barbecue pork belly with pepperoni!) and is priced right for the 'hood (top large plate is $21). Highlights include Levin's fried chicken with collards; crispy-skinned Copper River salmon with golden and red beets; whole dorade, a steal at $20, with tomatoes, puffed wild rice and an avocado/jalapeno purée; potato pierogies topped with caramelized onions and a buttermilk dressing; and the decadent, sure-to-be-a-hit foie gras poutine with foie-infused beef gravy and duck fat fries. Hours: Mon.-Fri., 3 p.m.-2 a.m.; Sat.-Sun., 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Food will be served till 1 a.m. nightly. FIRST Foie gras poutine $15 Duck fat fries, cheese powder $8 Sautéed foie gras, sour cherries, pistachio $19 Warm goat cheese salad, beets, walnut textures $11 Fried oysters, pickle juice remoulade $12 Grilled rock octopus, black pepper caramel $12 Bone marrow, onion marmalade $10 Snails, hazelnuts, parsley crumble, toast $11 Tater tots, whiskey, bacon, green goddess $8 Salt and vinegar chicharron $6 Kool-Aid-pickled watermleon $3 Aged gouda, garlic dulce, olive, monkey bread $8 Rogue river blue, black figs, smoked balsamic, peanuts $9 Matthew's salad $8 Bibb lettuce, cashews, pears, honey black $10 MAIN Lamb cannon, merguez, chickpeas, lentils $22 Fried chicken, collards, ham hocks, hot sauce $18 KFC sweetbreads, peas, risotto, mustard $21 Wild salmon, beet relish, horseradish whip $19 Skate, fried broccoli, Lillet-stewed apricots $17 Pork belly, pepperoni, black beans, PBR BBQ $18 Adsum burger: farmhouse cheddar, pancetta-onion fondue, duck fat fries $12 Foie gras burger, warm challah, beer-comte sauce, duck fat fries $21 Short ribs, bouchet mussels, brown butter Worcestershire $22 Whole fish, shrimp salt, popped wild rice, green sauce $20 Warm celery root cubes, pistachio, cured salmon roe $15 Homemade pierogies, burnt onions, thyme, smoked buttermilk $16

Foobooz » Rick Nichols Has a New Favorite Fried Chicken
Posted 2010-08-02 09:58:22
[...] Photo by Drew Lazor, Meal Ticket [...]

Tweets that mention Adsum in pictures :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com
Posted 2010-07-10 20:58:56
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Drew Lazor. Drew Lazor said: RT @mealticket Check out pics/menu for @adsumrestaurant, opening Wednesday. Yes, we tried the foie gras poutine: http://bit.ly/c1lgzP [...]

Kar Vivekananthan
Posted 2010-07-11 10:00:27
Great pics dude.

Notes from the Weekend: July 12 :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper
Posted 2010-07-12 14:20:45
[...] Stubs: Meal Ticket Weekly Recap, July 5-10• Invasion of the Korean fried chicken at Meritage • Adsum in pictures• Top Chef D.C. Episode 4: All Padma wants, is some food for babies, she's gone tomorrow [...]

Matt Levin’s New Restaurant Is So Matt Levin at Phoodie.info: The New Food And Drink Blog For Philadelphia
Posted 2010-07-12 16:53:03
[...]  and Poppy Doble, rum, maraschino, poppy seed, fresh lime, almond and fresh grapefruit.Head to Meal Ticket for a full menu and preview photos of the new place.Adsum will be open everyday from 4 p.m. – [...]

Foobooz » Tale of the Tape: Adsum
Posted 2010-07-13 08:25:53
[...] Meal Ticket has the full menu [...]

Kevin Derrick
Posted 2010-07-17 11:00:24
Looks great! The former space (Coquette) was designed by none other than RJ Thornburg of Bahdeebahdu.  Glad the new owners decided to keep the interior design aesthetic intact... Best of luck to them!

Adsum launches brunch :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper
Posted 2010-07-30 14:00:41
[...] Matthew Levin’s very-buzzy Adsum (Fifth and Bainbridge), which we toured you through a few weeks ago, is launching weekend brunch tomorrow, July 31. Brunch will run Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. [...]
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 1:42 AM  Permalink | Post a comment

Top Chef D.C. Episode 4: All Padma wants, is some food for babies, she's gone tomorrow boy
POSTED: Saturday, July 10, 2010, 11:53 PM
Filed Under: Food TV | Top Chef
Late pass, lo siento.
"We're here today to test your ability to make food taste like the stuff that comes out of a hot glue gun. Your time begins NOW!"
Quickfire: The transcendently beautiful Padma and the transcendently gruff Tom C. both recently had babies, so they do what any doting new parent would do: force a bunch of professional chefs TO MAKE BABY FOOD for them to taste and critique. NOT THE BABIES, NOT THE BABIES, them. Top Chef has had plenty of make-crap-look-gourmet challenges in the past — the infamous vending machine challenge comes to mind — but baby food?! Baby food is goopy, mucous-like mush specifically designed to be digested by intestinal tracts so underdeveloped they're the same length as a bit of cat's cradle string. So fucked. Have to admit, though, that the sight of Padma nibbling off of really small spoons was quasi-hot. (Makes me wonder — what are the most humiliating challenges in Top Chef history? Leave your picks in the comments.) Before we go any further, let's just get this out the way right quick:
The chefs learn this is a high-stakes Quickfire challenge with a $10K for two winners. Arnold immediately states that if he were to win, he'd dedicate the cash to two Thai orphanages that help children infected with HIV/AIDS. Top Chef decides that this would be a golden opportunity slip in a clip of Alex saying that he'd totally blow the cash on hookers and an 8-ball if he were to win. Top Chef: Ruining Sincere Charitable Overtures Since 2006. "The baby food was OK, but the adult dishes really missed the mark," Tom C. tells Tim. Tim — on this day, you were better at making baby food than adult food. And I am sorry. That sucks. Tom also thinks that Alex's baby food is too herbaceous; no 8-balls for you, chief. Jersey Kev's duck is too underdone and Kelly's pork is too bland. I would like to take this opportunity remind you that Top Chef just made all these actual chefs make FUCKING BABY FOOD. Lynne and Tamesha both do a solid job with their baby and adult food (heavy sigh), and Angelo makes some sort of insane multi-layered jar that the judges dub "special" (compliment?!). In the end, Tamesha and Kenny Blalicchio end up winning the cash money — but not immunity. This is so depressing. BABY FOOD. Fuck me, man. It would've been awesome if Padma and Tom brought in their respective bundles of joy and made them eat the stuff. I bet Baby Colicchio woulda been like "This definitely needs more salt. Also, I just shit myself."
Still from the upcoming spin-off Top Chef: Not Enough Plates
Elimination: Going off the really dumb/unfair/humiliating theme, the 14 remaining heads are told that they have to pair up and cook in a sort of three-round cooking tournament, making signature breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes that would be appropriate to serve at Hilton hotels. Former TC contestants Bryan, Spike and Mike I, all D.C.-area chefs, serve as guest judges. The setup is kind of nonsense, though: After each of the three rounds, the two teams with the best food are saved from elimination, leaving the losers to battle in subsequent rounds — which means the eventual champ of the round #3 (dinner) wasn't able to execute well enough to outright win during breakfast and lunch. Almost as dumb as baby food. Winner-of-the-last-ep Arnold, paired up with Lynne, hopes to keep his good performances rolling — maybe if he wins this too, "they might think I'm more than a Louis Vuitton bag!"
ARNOLD FACE IN TRIPLICATE!
Stephen/Amanda and Tiffany/Tim earn safety during breakfast; Alex, teamed with Ed, put together a tasty-sounding prosciutto potato cake, but Ed forgets to complete one of their plates. I'm not quite sure what it is about Ed, but he exudes this haughty, cheerless all-American sensibility that just screams Greatest Generation:
In the lunch round, Angelo/Tamesha (weird potential love connection?) and Alex/Staff Sergeant Darrel "Shifty" Powers Ed cook their way out of elimination, leaving Andrea/Kelly, Arnold/Lynne and Jersey Kev/Blalicchio (who are PISSED) to stave each other off in the dinner round. Andrea and Kelly take the challenge (and win free vacations) for their braised short rib/polenta plate; Jersey Kev/Blalicchio are given the business for their short ribs with veg and tempura horseradish (! — that sounds amazing), but Arnold and Lynne are both sent packing for their red curry mussels with squid ink pappardelle. NOOOOOOOO! Arnold Face just started! This calls for a retrospective:
ARNOLD FACE: Two Weeks Ago — Now
"I know, right?! But then I thought about it. Realistically, when is the next time Jean-Luc Godard requests that I serve him fruits de mer while wearing a sheer loincloth?"

Tweets that mention Top Chef D.C. Episode 4: All Padma wants, is some food for babies, she’s gone tomorrow boy :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com
Posted 2010-07-10 19:17:06
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Drew Lazor, ruby. ruby said: Top Chef DC Episode 4: All Padma wants, is some food for babies, she's gone ...: Philadelphia Citypaper (blog)Quic... http://bit.ly/c5wTuv [...]

eJ
Posted 2010-07-10 22:46:54
hahah this was immensely enjoyed

poncho
Posted 2010-07-10 23:21:40
This episode was lame, at least the recap was enjoyable.  RIP Arnold Face :(

j leo
Posted 2010-07-12 05:53:03
AR-NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!-LD

Yeah, I'm devasted. But I have to say that the tournament style was interesting, if not flawed, and created a lot of suspense. I can't imagine feeling this much tension for an early-season episode in a long time. When it came down to the final group, I realized that teh team setup meant that one of Kenny, Kelly, or Arnold would have to go home, and I couldn't believe that it would be one of the first two (after all the facetime they've gotten). RIP Arnold. RIP Arnold Face. You got jobbed. There are chefs on here who still haven't done anything, and he gets thrown off with a win under his belt.

Ticket Stubs: Meal Ticket Weekly Recap, July 5-10 :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper
Posted 2010-07-12 11:35:29
[...] July 8 Meal Ticket• Invasion of the Korean fried chicken at Meritage • Adsum in pictures• Top Chef D.C. Episode 4: All Padma wants, is some food for babies, she's gone tomorrow boy• Nook Bakery and Coffee Bar aiming for next week• Chhaya Cafe opening on East [...]

Top Chef D.C. Episode 5: What a great opportunity to make a bunch of “we got crabs” jokes! :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper
Posted 2010-07-15 17:32:22
[...] Top Chef must’ve realized how soul-crushingly stupid last week’s baby food challenge was, so they gave them a doozy in Ep 5. Guest chef Patrick O’Connell of the classy Inn at [...]

Top Chef D.C. Episode 14 (Finale Pt. 2): Sling blade :: Meal Ticket :: Philadelphia City Paper
Posted 2010-09-16 16:47:35
[...] That leaves our dude Jersey Kev, who is able to execute his vision in a cohesive fashion, with flavors, plating and innovation — they fawn over his dessert in a manner that probably has all the Top Chef Just Desserts contestants real salty right now — humming along in equal stead. Good on ya, Kev! The guy is currently hunting for a local restaurant space to start his own spot. Hope to hear more about this soon. Also very excited to learn, via that interview, that he regrets the baby food Quickfire.  [...]
Posted by Drew Lazor @ 11:53 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
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