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Archive: September, 2009
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| Courtesy of Zahav |
Not like, for real for real, but in word form. UWISHUNU's blog reprises last week's food-centric With Love Letters feature, this time getting all warm-and-Philly with Zahav chef/owner Michael Solomonov.� Last week it was Jose Garces revealing his fondness for Osteria; now chef Solomonov shouts it out, too.� Makes sense, since he worked for owner Marc Vetri at Vetri (check out the cover of Il Viaggio di Vetri).
Read the lovey-dovey Q&A on UWISHUNU and look for more With Love Letters features every Friday.
John Tumolo, who co-founded Rita's Water Ice with his brother Bob and his mother Betty in 1984 before selling the brand in 2005, is getting back into the food biz in a decidedly hotter sense with a new location of Wit or Witout (7352 Frankford Ave.), the steak shop that opened in January 2009 in the Great Northeast.
The space, located on Red Lion Road between the Boulevard and Haldeman Avenue, which be exactly the same as Nicole DiZio's original, Tumolo tells Meal Ticket. The DiZios (Nicole's husband, Dan, founded Philly Soft Pretzel Factory) were not initially planning on franchising the Wit or Witout brand, but made an exception for Tumolo, who's permitted to scout for additional locations in lower Bucks County and a in portion of Northeast Philly. He hopes to have his WoW open "by late November."
Yesterday, the excellent NEastPhilly.com (ran by CP Choice '09 honoree Shannon McDonald) posted a writeup from a zoning meeting Tumolo attended regarding the new project. Check out that article here.
[...] Boulevard (on Red Lion Road between the Boulevard and Haldeman Avenue). We first noted this way back in September. They’re celebrating the debut the same deal Nicole DiZio ran when she opened the first WoW on [...]
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If you dream of Death & Co., live and die by Kip's Manhattan at Southwark, or otherwise count your cash in $12 cocktail increments,� prepare to be schooled.
Michael Callahan, the bar manager of San Francisco's Gitane Restaurant & Bar, will be visiting Philadelphia this Monday to teach a class on the art of building and balancing a list of high-end "artisanal" cocktails.� Though the $50 class, which includes a tasting of high-end liquors and hors d'oeuvres to counteract the booze, is geared towards bar professionals, home enthusiasts are welcome.
Sip on new and revived classic liquors (St. Germain elderflower liqueur, Canton ginger brandy, for example) and learn how to pair their flavors with foods.� Callahan will also get down to nuts and bolts on pricing and cost controls, as well as how to implement organic and farm-to-table cocktail programs.
Class begins at 5 p.m., Monday, Sept. 28 at Beautiful Blooms (1021 N. Third St.).� Space is limited to 20 students, so RSVP to info@libationlaboratories.com.
The Good Word is a new weekly Meal Ticket feature where we ask Philadelphia food people questions. We're going to start by highlighting the city's many excellent food writers and bloggers, with eventual plans to extend beyond the scribeosphere. The questions will be different every week unless we come across a really sweet one we want to reuse. Want to nominate a future Good Word candidate (yes, you can nominate yourself), or submit ideas for questions? E-mail drew.lazor@citypaper.net.
In this installment of The Good Word, we're chatting with a guy who needs little introduction: It's Craig LaBan, who's been the restaurant critic for the Inquirer since 1998. We had a quite a few things we wanted to ask Craig, so we super-sized this week's Good Word to seven questions.
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We all know you love Philly � but what was your honest reaction when you heard Frank Bruni would be leaving his critic's post at the New York Times? Any fleeting moments where you pictured yourself trading in bells for stars, a la Ryan Howard pondering how he'd look like in pinstripes?
What hungry food writer hasn�t fantasized � at least for a moment � about feasting across the five boroughs on a New York Times expense account? I've lived in New York and it's among my favorite places in the world. It certainly is one of the most exciting, diverse eating cities anywhere. But filling the critic's spot at the Times is definitely one of those be-careful-what-you-wish-for jobs, with 10 times the pressure and scrutiny of any other restaurant critic position in this country � and a ramped-up eating schedule to go with it. I think it would be an awesome challenge, but there�s a reason few people have lasted in that seat longer than five years. Gourmet burnout. I like seeing my family too much to imagine how that scenario would work in real life. It makes me appreciate how liveable our city is. Good thing NYC is just a couple hours away � that way I get to taste the Apple whenever I want, and come home to Philly, where I belong.
Is there one particular review (or several) in your memory that earned notable blowback from your readers? Why do you think that was, and how did you deal with the response?
Blowback is part of the job description when you get to spout your own opinions in the Sunday paper ever week, and I typically just let people vent. I get my say. But there have definitely been some standout protests, and some were no surprise, like the old-school venom that flowed (by certified letter to my publisher and editor) demanding penance after my No Bell review of Old Original Bookbinder's [in 1999]. But some were definitely unexpected, like the readers who were offended that I�d complain about river rats running around my balcony table at the Water Works (�What, you got a problem with wildlife? What�s next with you: squirrels and birds?�)� The flap that most surprised me, though, followed my four-bell review of Django. I have no regrets there � in its heyday, Django was the height of our BYOB movement and one of the best eating experiences in the city bar none. But so many people just couldn�t wrap their minds around an elite ranking for a place that didn�t sell wine. I never had a real sense of some people�s resistance to BYO�s until then.
Have you noticed your children developing any food critic-y traits?
I have two kids, and they�ve both been going to restaurants since they were in car seats under the table. So they�ve been exposed to some culinary wonders most kids haven�t, and they can slurp soup dumplings like Chinatown experts and find their way around a whole fish. But they�ve each developed very individual approaches to food � which is always a nice reminder to me how children�s tastes are still so pure. Arthur, my 7-year-old, is the more traditional kid eater of the two. He likes to call himself the �Chicken Finger Critic� in the family � and he isn�t afraid to throw around the bells. My 10-year-old daughter, Alice, meanwhile, is the more adventurous eater � she�s a pickle fanatic, has been known to strip a rack of lamb down to bare bones, and will polish off a bowl of sawagani (tiny deep-fried Japanese creek crabs) like they were popcorn. She�s also become very interested in cooking � she�s now my best sous-chef for holiday meals � it�s something we share together, and that makes me happy.
What are some of the most egregious mistakes you see new restaurants making when you visit for the first time?
I really appreciate a pioneer, a place that dares to bring ambition to a neighborhood that�s yet to have a star dining room. But as a restaurateur, you also have to be savvy about what an area will support both in style and price. You don�t want to turn off the locals before you�ve even opened your doors by outpricing your clientele. It�s just basic market research. Very few unknown chefs can transform a Nowheresville location into a destination based on talent alone. It�s just not sustainable � especially in this economy. So I worry about some new places that have debuted with entr�e prices in the high $20s (in West Philly, Wash West, and NoLibs), and I haven�t even eaten at these places yet! Aside from that, the biggest mistakes in most restaurants � not just new ones - are usually service related. And it starts the moment a potential customer calls to make that reservation. Restaurateurs have no idea how much business they lose with just one rude reservationist answering the phones.
Do you follow any particular protocol if you suspect you've been outed during a review meal? Or do you just go with it?
Just go with it. I�ve been dealing with this almost since the beginning of my career in New Orleans. There are so many pictures of me out there (almost from the first months I got here), that it�s kind of been my default assumption that at least half the restaurants know I�m there at least during one of my visits. As always, my visits are unannounced, and I avoid engaging in a personal way with the restaurant staff. But absolute anonymity is in reality impossible to maintain. It always was. But it�s especially impossible now in the internet age (and not just for me, restaurateurs say, but for critics at the alt-weeklies, and even bloggers who�ve just gotten a reputation for being cranks on Yelp.) This just obliges you to be a better reporter and better eater: pay close attention to the food, which can�t be faked; engage the servers in ways to learn how good they really are; be aware of the service given to those around you; and take very good notes. Experience is also really helpful. Egregiously fawning service is just too obvious to miss. And after eating 400 to 500 restaurant meals a year in Philly for the past decade, I think I�ve developed a pretty accurate and consistent sense of where a restaurant sits: it�s pretty much impossible to transform a mediocre place into a great one in a flash just because a critic�s walked in.
Do you think promotions like Restaurant Week, where turning tables is often job one, help or hurt a restaurant's reputation with new diners? While the price is right, some feel that cranked-out prix-fixe food is not a true representation of a kitchen's ability.
Restaurant Week is a blessing and a curse. It gets people to visit places they might never have tried. But at the same time, I think diners often go with unrealistic expectations into situations � with mass-produced menus built for a quick turn - where few restaurants are prepared to do their best. That�s a shame. But it might be changing for the better. The restaurants that take it seriously as a loss leader can really win some new customers, and I�m seeing more effort towards that � places that are giving some real values with more than three courses, and menus that offer more wider, interesting selections than simply the cheap ends of their menus (chicken, salmon � ). The recession, I think, has taught everyone that there isn�t an opportunity to waste.
At the end of every year you do your "Year in Bells," where some restaurants have an opportunity to improve on low ratings. What factors influence which places are worthy of revisits? For example, is a restaurant with one bell more likely to get a revisit if you see potential, as opposed to a two-bell place that's hoping for three?
These reviews have a lasting effect, so I do my best to get them right � and that includes some end-of-year adjustments to reflect changes and improvement. There are always occasions where I sense a restaurant just didn�t perform up to its capabilities during the initial review, or they were still working things out. If it really has a decent chance of bumping up to the next level (or if I�ve heard a place is slipping, and might need to step down), my year-end revisits are the moment to give another chance before the Year in Bells is sealed. Beyond that, full re-reviews are rare. Of course, I only have the time and budget for about five of these each year, so not everyone gets a second chance this time around.
Another fabulous installment of the good word! Will we be reading about Phyllis Stein-Novack next week?
Wow - a good read. Thanks Meal Ticket, thanks Mr. LaBan.
Nice job Drew. Craig is a discerning guy. I was surprised Craig felt that yelp, a soapbox that panders to the common idiot, draws concern from restauranteurs. http://phillymarketcafe.blogspot.com/2009/02/yelp-philly.html
Thanks for reading!
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| � Julia Koprak 2009 |
| Though the lights were turned on for visitors, growing portobellas love shade and moisture. They can grow from a cremini (~1.5 inches) to a portobella (~5+ inches) in less than a week. |
Philadelphia-based writer/photographer and Meal Ticket reader Julia Koprak shot her way across the Kennett Square Mushroom Festival a few weeks back, then came home to turn her haul of shiitakes, creminis, royal trumpets and maitakes (hen-of-the-woods) into a multi-course tasting for a few lucky friends.
"As for the mushroom festival itself," writes Julia, "the highlight for me was definitely the farm tour, though I did have dreamy expectations of a wild mushroom hunt (I've heard morels grow like crazy in PA)."� Julia didn't get her wild mushroom hunt, so she got her thrills serving untested recipes to guests.
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| � Julia Koprak 2009 |
| A haul of tasteful fungus. |
"On Friday I created a mushroom feast with my festival purchases ...� A very informal affair, some friends all hung around my table sipping wine (I bribed them with a Chateauneuf du Pape), wiping and slicing mushrooms, and waiting for the next course to come out.� I had never made any of these dishes before, so I was happy with the turnout."
Take a look at more of Julia Koprak's Mushroom Festival and Feast photos, after the jump.
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| � Julia Koprak 2009 |
| Many local mushroom farms are family-run businesses, though the picking is done mostly by Mexican migrant workers, who typically wake up at 4am to start harvesting! |
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| � Julia Koprak 2009 |
| The spawning machine helps to mix together the spores, natural fertilizer (aka pasteurized...), and nutrients.� As far as I could tell (from my peeking and inquiries) the farm didn't use any pesticides or other chemicals, though interestingly the mushrooms aren't labeled as organic. |
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| � Julia Koprak 2009 |
| Tenderloin Carpaccio with Shaved Cremini, Arugula, Romano and White Truffle Oil |
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| � Julia Koprak 2009 |
| Maitakes Sauteed with Shallots and White Wine over Frisee, topped with Poached Egg + Garlic Chives |
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| � Julia Koprak 2009 |
| Mafaldine tossed with Shitakes, Royal Trumpets and Mascarpone (+ olive oil, garden parsley, and crushed red pepper) |
Looks delicious!!
Mmmmmmmmmm! Yummy food, yummy pictures!
carpaccio. how daring!
Yes Rachel, I couldn't imagine how next-to-impossible it would be to slice filet without it all falling apart (a testament to the meat's quality but not my mediocre knife)
I heard some great mushroom jokes the other day...
julia...you are the best photographer ever!!! cant believe i missed the meal...repetez s'il vous plait?
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Chef Mike Stollenwerk just dropped Meal Ticket a line to let us know he hopes to have fish, his new restaurant at 1708 Lombard, open by Monday, Oct. 5. They've passed their health inspection and acquired their food license, and are now just waiting on their liquor license.
We first talked to the Little Fish owner about this new project back in June, and in August he shared a sample menu. Stollenwerk says the opening menu will be nearly identical to that lineup, with a few potential tweaks, perhaps, due to seasonal seafood availability.
Peeked inside yesterday, dining room looks lovely, with dark hardwood floors & cool fish artwork on walls. Bar side not done yet, tho. Looking forward to opening.
[...] Vol. 12: Craig LaBan of the Philadelphia Inquirer• The mushroom festival and feast, in photos• fish shoots for Oct. 5 opening• Top Chef Las Vegas Episode 6: Deconstructing Harry Padma• We want need to know: Who's [...]
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| bravotv.com |
Y'all already know how I feel about magic, so let's just get right into it.
Quickfire: Since Sin City is so full of goddamn temptation (we learn so much about Vegas on this show!), the transcendently beautiful Padma (who's on Twitter apparently!), plus celeb chef Michelle Bernstein, task the remaining cheftestants (most rocking kerchiefs to honor fallen comrade Mattin) with cooking a duo of dishes representing the angels and devils on their shoulders. At the top: Mike V, who "transported" Bernstein (like this?) with two preparations of salmon; self-proclaimed fat kid Eli, who made one healthy scallop and one fat kid scallop; and Miss Popular Robin, who brought up her lymphoma diagnosis while explaining the motivation behind her healthy salad/apple crisp pair-up. Bottom three: Bryan, who struggled with execution; Laurine, whose chicken was (gasp!) boring; and Ash, who provided only one of his two planned dishes.
Robin nabs the QF and immunity, which does NOT sit well with Eli. "That's a pretty good way to win a Quickfire � just tell people you have fucking cancer," he snorts. Cottdamn! Everyone's saying that they want Robin gone because they're not impressed with her cooking, but if you ask me, I think it's because they're scared she's going to pull a Hosea, bumbling through the season unnoticed until falling ass-first into the Top Chef title. In general, that TC winner's inoffensive, middle-of-the-road offerings last season were the opposite of risky � but they also featured the fewest flaws. Keep one eye on Robin, foreal.
Elimination: Penn and Teller show up, and Kevin is excited, perhaps because they're the first actual non-chef celebs to show up so far. Strangely enough, the pair refrains from spouting libertarian propaganda and telling everyone how stupid they are long enough to ask the cheftestants to "deconstruct" a classic comfort food-y dish. Knife-drawing commences.
Mike I gets eggs florentine and has no idea what to do because he doesn't know what eggs florentine is. (It's what your one mopey vegetarian friend always orders for brunch, Mike!) The classically trained Jen C is wicked stressed because she can't dream up a creative way to break down meat lasagna. Mike V is in hog heaven with his classic caesar draw because it means he can sphere-ifize the dressing on some Battlesalad Galactica shit. Ron seems excited about drawing paella, but then struggles with the "deconstructing." (Former TC finalist Richard Blais, no stranger to Star Wars references, tweeted this about Ron awhile back and I loved it.)
At the top: Ashley, who did a bang-up job on pot roast even though she was too poor to actually eat anything until like last month; Mike V; Kevin, who busted his ass on a chicken mole negro that blew away the judges; and, much to her surprise, Jen C, who thought she was going to go home. (Come on, Jen, you're not going anywhere.) Kevin takes it, and gets an empty box of CALPHALON UNISON NON-STICK COOKWARE � as a prize. Yay!
Bottom feeders this week: Ash, whose inconsistently cooked lamb and lack of potatoes screwed up his shepherd's pie interpretation; Laurine, with a mediocre fish and chips dish; and Ron, who was battered with all sorts of criticisms for his screwy paella. Big man from Haiti ends up getting hacked.
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| bravotv.com |
It's funny that both Ash and Laurine's low-scoring dishes were British in nature, as this week marked the return of everyone's least favorite Top Chef judge, one Mr. Toby Young. I realize this is an unpopular opinion, but I'm going to put it out there � I love that guy!
Here's why. Is he a dick? Yes. Do I think he's funny? No. Do I think he's insightful? Not really. Are there panelists on this show who discuss food much more intelligently and eloquently than he does? Absolutely. But I still think Young's important to Top Chef for one simple reason � he's the only person in the world with the ability to make the rest of the judges squirm.
After season after season of success, Padma, Tom C, Gail and the rotating celeb chefs who sit behind that raised platform are resting on their laurels so hard that they got leaf prints in their asses. They're in such insane positions of power that nothing makes them cringe. This is compounded by the fact that the chefs they toss around every week sweat like hobos down south in the summertime throughout filming. Young, somehow, is the only guy who can irritate the judges enough to elicit truly pissy reactions. Aside from Tom C clearly hating his British face, did you see last night, when Young angered guest judge Bernstein by saying that he thought it was stupid for non-Spanish speakers to pronounce "paella" like "pie-ey-uh," since none of us are nearly as adamant about pronouncing Mexico like "Meh-hee-ko"? The look of rage in her eyes was wondrous. Young's half-assed retraction while he smirked like a grammar school lad who'd just dropped a cherry bomb down the loo was even better.
So what do y'all think about Young? Perhaps his antics are an acquired taste, but I can't get enough.
Love the Transporter pic! Toby Young is a super douche but i think Michelle out-douched him with her forced pronunciation of "Mexico".
Toby is definitely an acquired taste - some of his comments are cringe-inducing, others are hilarious. I didn't understand Blais' tweet about Ron - "...sounds like a Hut"?
B: I'm mostly a fan of the cringe-inducing! Because he induces cringes in the generally emotionless Tom C, Padma, et al. Always a good thing. Hut as in Jabba The. Try saying Ron's full name in a Jabba voice and you'll know what he means. Haha.
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The dude mikeyil, who follows Meal Ticket on Twitter, just asked us to poll all you readers out there on who's got the best wings in Philly. We need your picks! Leave your favorites in the comments and we'll see what we can all come up with.
Off the top, here are a few places where we've gotten some delicious wangz:
- Moriarty's
- Devil's Den
- Royal Tavern
- Charlie's Pub
- Prohibition Taproom
- El Camino Real (seitan wings)
Who else, y'all?
Also, Buffalo wild wings is really not that bad, if you're out of town on business.
I gotta go with Union Jack's in Glenside/Manyunk. Also very good at Flatrock when I used to live down there. Worst bartender ever though!
seitan wings?! do those count?
For pete's sake has the best wings in philly hands down. House made buffalo sauce that is serious.
I'm no stranger to good wings. I want to know where to find the best ones in Philly. I can only make it up to Buffalo, NY for spontaneous drives only 1-2x a year. Also, the National Buffalo Wing Festival (which I attended) has already come/gone. At this point in time my list of locations of places to judge/compare/investigate is at 23. I'm particularly interested in Specials, Novelty Flavors (aside from the typical Buffalo: Curry, Jerk, etc.), Wing Size (it matters, don't let the ladies fool you) and any special notes (i.e. breaded/unbreaded, the hottest available almost uneatable.) I'm calling this WingQuest. Hey, it's football season. Perfect timing. Help me find the best wings.
Not just saying this because I work there but drinker's pub has some kickass wings in hot,medium and mild, bbq, chili lime, cajun rub, spicy honey mustard, and more. Also, buckets in jenkintown/glenside area are the best I've ever had in my life. Other than that I like tangiers on 18th and lombard, oneals pub at 3rd and south (ask for honey hot even though they aren't on the menu, also 25 cent wings on sundays) andddd pub and kitchen has delicious ones too.
El Camino Real's seitan wings FTW
I'm a big fan of N.3rd's Asian style wings. I love me some traditional buffalo wings, but those things are super tasty.
Maxis on Temple's campus has easily the best wings in Philly. They're out of this world good, specifically the HOT ones!
Pub & Kitchen's Honey Whiskey Wings, Tangier's wings are super plump and tasty and believe it or not...Square on Square Chinese Restaurant has great wings that are fried chicken-like!
I second P&K's honey-whisky wings. Varga's confited then crisped wings are also ridiculous.
Seitan wings and Don Julio '42. Eat cheap, drink fine. Shhh about Maxi's, it's for children and lonely professors.
I've had some of the worst wings ever at Moriarity's. I LOVE Silk City's wings. They're seriously amazing. BUT if seitan wings count, then Belgian Cafe's wings are the best in the city. Hands down, do not argue with that.
Tritone has awesome wings So does Twi-lite at 20th and Bainbridge I like P&K wings too but I'm not a fan of the establishment
Not your regular wings but Mai Lai Wah's Salt & Pepper Wings are amazing
P&K was maybe a 6 or 7 out of 10 at best for both the honey whiskey and the traditional. Silk City and Varga have been the best I've had in a while. And enough with this vegetarian nonsense we're talking about the best wings not the best shapeless wheat product. Come on.
The Pic-a-lily Inn in Shamong, NJ - Cannot be beat
Crown Fried Chicken has some pretty awesome, super crispy wings. They can be a bit salty, but they are cooked to perfection. You need to ask for sauce separately, though.
Q BBQ in Old City has some delicious hot and sweet wings!
Belgian Cafe's are good, I thought they were the best until finally, 5 months ago after midnight, I banged my fist on a wooden table at ECR and declared that I was wrong. It's the sauce. They also grill it better. Charred bits. Belgian Cafe's version is too sweet.
In Philly I like Moriarty's, but you already have that covered. It's not in Philly, but my favorite place in the world is in Sicklerville, NJ. Buffalo Bills. Order them hot. They have the best sauce I've ever had. http://www.yelp.com/biz/buffalo-bills-barbecue-sicklerville
Wheat is food, too. And I bet you think scrapple deserves respect.
The Pic a Lilli Inn in Shamung, NJ. Not in Philly but well worth the hours drive. http://www.picalilli.com/ Spicy extra crispy best wings ANYWHERE. And I know. I have family in Buffalo who worked cooking wings at both The Anchor Bar and several places where the wings are far batter. The Pic has them all beat hands down. And I know Michealangelo has had them, since I'm the one who fed them to him.
Tangier's on 18th & Lombard have the best wings in the city, period. The sauce is like crack. Small & crispy (although it helps to ask for them well done) and tastey. Puts Moriarty's to shame.
Is Chickie and Pete's too obvious? Their sauce is succulent.
Angelino's in Fairmount Buffalo Wild Wings!
I'm with Kelly on this, seitan wings should be discussed!
And for simple, all-around good wings, Mexican Post and New Deck Tavern do the job.
Union Jack's in Glenside (not technically Philly, but worth the trip)
McMenamin's Pub definitely has the best wings in Philly by far.
Tangier- 18th and lombard- best wings in city. Especially when you're eatin 'em while watching jeopardy @ their bar w/ all the regulars...
st stephen's green's chipotle wings w/ gorgonzola dip. a nice twist. could be crispier, but deliciously meaty and perfect seasoning, imo. Plus, the chunks of stewed pepper in the sauce dipped in the gorgonzola = INSPIRED.
How has no one said Byrne's Tavern yet? It's not in Center City, but you are well-rewarded for your five minute drive with wings so juicy and tender they slide right off the bone... the sauce is perfect too, with a building heat.
Mad4Mex on Penn's campus has some pretty good wings with some sweet and spicy flavors. I'm gonna have to try Tangier's though after all this buzz!
Always have enjoyed the North Star Bar wings to immense proportions, especially the fact that they have the awesome Happy Hour special.
100% agreed on the Pic in Shamong, NJ- Bangin!
Wow, Buckets got a shout out. I'm on that train. Also, are we talking buffalo or just crispy wings? Did anyone else lose their sh*t over the Resurrection Ale House Double Fried Wings last night? I did. UberCrispy and touched with honey. I give a shout out to FWOT in Conshy. Serious wing sauce. Serious deep fried chicken parts.
Rib Rack on Tyson Ave in the NE. So good.
N. 3 and Silk City make some deliciously spicy wings. Definitely at the top of my list, along with Moriarty's
P&K�s honey whisky wing are awesome!!!
Dudes, Flat Rock in Manayunk clearly the best in the city. Plus they are 25 cents a piece on Tuesday.
Pic-a-Lilly, Shamong, NJ.
[...] at Meal Ticket there’s a spirited comments thread going on who has the best wings in Philadelphia. An always [...]
Misconduct on 15th and locust has great wings they are fried and then thrown on the grill after to make them extra crispy. Might I add that they are enormous. Go hot or go home.
SPTR's wings are awesome
at the Bards at 20th and Walnut they crust them in cashel blue cheese with traditional buffalo sauce. super effin good!
Sidecar! They're basically double-fried or something. Amazing.
mmm Prohibition Taproom definitely
Sidecar has awesome wings!!! The only problem is sometimes the chipolte wings are REALLY spicy, sometimes they aren't. While Ladder 15 was a douchey scene, they have fantastic wings that are pre-soaked in duck butter!
Buffalo Wild Wings? Crown Fried Chicken? Come on. That's like saying you want to go to McDonalds for a good hamburger. Union Jack's in Roxborough fries up some good ones.
Pic-A-Lilli Inn, 866 Route 206, Shamong, NJ www.picalilli.com, Not only the best Buffalo wings, best Buffalo Shrimp, Best Buffalo Scallops, Best Buffalo Ears, & by far the Best Buffalo tails. Try them all!
Has anyone had Noble American Cookery's watermelon wings? They freakin' fall off the bone! You can get 'em with fried pork belly, too.
SILK CITY
[...] Wings & Other Things (FWOT) on Ridge got a shout-out in the comments sections of a story about who has the best [...]
Union jacks pub in glenside. No doubt about it! 12 different sauces (or more).
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| Photo | Drew Lazor |
Chef Steven Cameron's Noble (2025 Sansom St.) is getting into the daytime game with new lunch and brunch menus. Lunch service will start Mon., Oct.3 and run weekdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday brunch will start on Sept. 27 and will also run from 11 to 3. We've got both menus for you, in full, after the jump.
RELATED:
- Ain't That America: Noble backs up its trendier inclinations with serious food and drink
- A look at Noble: An American Cookery
SOUP OF THE DAY� 6
seasonal accompaniments
LETTUCE & VEGETABLE CHOPPED SALAD 7
blue cheese, sunflower seeds, honey vinaigrette
add $4 for chicken breast
NEW YORK DUCK BREAST HAM 10
celery, navel, Juniper Grove Farm, OR �Redmondo� toast
CHICKPEA FRIES 6
tomato preserve
CARAMELIZED CAULIFLOWER� 8
arugula, bacon, apple, cheddar, mustard dressing
CHICKEN SALAD CROISSANT 11
fennel, apple, grape, salt & vinegar chips
NOBLE BURGER BURGER OR VEGGIE BURGER 12
brioche, beets, Lancaster cheddar, special sauce, potato fries
PULLED PORK BARBECUE 11
texas toast, pickle relish, mustard slaw
FRIED CATFISH POOR BOY 11
smoked chili mayo, potato fries
MARINATED BEEF SKIRT� 14
sweet onion grits, black bean sauce, cilantro, fried egg
PAN-ROASTED CHICKEN BREAST 13��� ���
country ham butter, potato puree, braised green beans
SLOW-BAKED ATLANTIC ARCTIC CHAR 15
spicy red pepper hollandaise, pickled escarole, crispy potato
RITTENHOUSE VILLAGE 12
choice of soup or chopped salad, half sandwich & cookies of the day
WARM COOKIES OF THE DAY� 5
BIRCH BEER FLOAT 6
BROWNIE SUNDAE 6
Brunch Menu
CARAMELIZED CAULIFLOWER SALAD 8
arugula, bacon, apple, cheddar, mustard dressing
add poached egg for $1
FRESH CHEESE CREPES 8
grapefruit & thyme
FREE-FORM CRAB CAKE 11
zucchini & jalapeno emulsion
CHICKPEA FRIES 6
preserved tomato
SILVER DOLLAR �OVERNIGHT� PANCAKES 7
chocolate chips
SCRAPPLE BREAKFAST 10
two eggs, hash browns, apple butter, mustard muffin
LANCASTER CHEDDAR OMELET 11
braised apples & onions, saut�ed spinach, mustard muffin
NOBLE BURGER BURGER OR VEGGIE BURGER 12���
special sauce, beets, cheddar, hash browns
add bacon patty or fried egg for $1
CHICKEN-FRIED CHICKEN EGGS BENEDICT 13
housemade English muffin, country ham, ranch hollandaise
MARINATED BEEF SKIRT 14
sweet onion grits, black bean sauce, cilantro, fried egg
SLOW-BAKED ATLANTIC ARCTIC CHAR 15
spicy red pepper hollandaise, pickled escarole, crispy potato
BANANA & BACON FRENCH TOAST 11
peanut butter egg glaze, maple syrup
ENGLISH MUFFIN 3
CROISSANT 3
MUSTARD MUFFINS 2
SWEET ONION GRITS 4
HASH� BROWNS 3
SCRAPPLE 4
HONEY & BLACK PEPPER BACON 4
TWO EGGS 3
MIXED GREENS 5
Brunch in Rittenhouse makes me want to die sometimes. This helps immensely. Best veggie burger in the city made easier. Is an overnight pancake just a slow rise pancake?
Mmm mustard muffins!
BANANA & BACON FRENCH TOAST BANANA & BACON FRENCH TOAST BANANA & BACON FRENCH TOAST BANANA & BACON FRENCH TOAST BANANA & BACON FRENCH TOAST
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