Friday, September 24, 2010

Best of Philly: Bartender

In an effort to bring more content to my blog, I'm going to start a "best of" category. I'd like to do this weekly, but the amount of research required, along with the relatively low priority of this blog compared to other things going on in my life, will inevitably lead me to fall behind.

To start, I'd like to mention my favorite bartender: Dave from Eulogy. He's usually working the lunch shift during the week when I'm lucky enough to make it down there. He's friendly, attentive, and on top of his job as a server. It almost seems that everyone is a regular.

He has a great deal of beer knowledge without coming off as condescending. He is able to give great beer recommendations, and I've had some excellent beers served by him. Too bad I usually go for the most expensive beers.

He's also started his own website, which I'll take an opportunity to plug: sketchjobs.com.

Bottom Line: I really enjoy going to Eulogy, and Dave just makes the experience that much better. I recommend visiting and asking him for some beer selections, and then seeing where the day takes you.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Noble American Cookery

I can't tell you the last time I so quickly decided that I wanted to revisit a restaurant. Noble was one of my picks for this round of restaurant week. I'm not sure how it ended up on my radar, but I'm really happy that I ended up there.

I dined with my good friend Quinn, and we met for dinner on a Friday night. We were seated quickly and began to look at the menu. The decor of the place in simple, earthy and elegant. I didn't see the bar, but I've heard it's also nice.

While we were still looking over the menus, we were brought a small taste, fried haddock with capers. It was good, and piqued my interest for the rest of the meal. For our appetizer, we both ordered the scallops. They were good and well cooked, but they should have more thoroughly washed. They were a still a bit sandy, but this was my biggest complaint of the night.

For my main course, I ordered the hanger steak. I ordered it as the chef recommended, medium rare, and was really happy with this dish. The steak was a good cut, and cooked and seasoned perfectly. It was served with mushrooms which accompanied the steak quite well. Quinn ordered a gnocchi, which was fabulously done. Perfect portion, cooking, and presentation made this tasty dish a real star.

Dessert was good, a great well to end the meal at Noble. I ordered a parfait that came with delicious toffee syrup. Quinn had a Vanilla pana cotta with berries. We both enjoyed our desserts. We swapped for a moment, but we generally like what we order on our own.

Noble also features local and organic food. While this idea can sometimes become a gimmick, it's not at Noble. They are serving excellent food and also happen to be conscientious about where it comes from and how it is grown. Impressively, they have a rooftop garden which features ingredients in several of the dishes. This idea is even extended to the beer selection, which consists of a lot of respectable locals, Yards, Victory, Troegs, PBC, and the likes while also offering featured beers from lesser known breweries in the US. To top it off, some of these featured beers are generally unavailable in the city, which is impressive for Philadelphia.

One of my favorite things about Noble is there is a beer and a wine pairing suggestion for each item on the menu. The pairings are well thought out, and our server was knowledgeable enough to talk about the menu, pairings, and drinks. The service was leisurely, but overall good. Our server was a little goofy, but added to our overall experience.

Bottom Line: Like I said, I can't tell you the last time I so quickly declared I wanted to revisit a place again. There's a lot to like about Noble. It's pretty, the food is good, and the menu has a lot of interesting options. I'm looking forward to my next visit. (Want to go, Mom?)

Essentials:
2025 Sansom St (at 20th)
215-568-7000
Hours: T&W: 5-10; Th&F: 5-11; Sat: 12-11; Sun: 11-9
Cash Only: No
Reservations: Strongly recommended
BYOB: On Sundays!

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Kelliann's Bar & Grill

I've ridden my bike past Kelliann's at least a hundred times. And while that's no exaggeration, I didn't know the name of this place until I visited last week. If you're unclear of the spot I'm referring to, you may know it as I did: "Crappy Irish place on the corner of 16th and Spring Garden." But my previous title and judgement were way off the mark.

This place is pretty small; a long bar greats you at the door and runs almost the entire length of the skinny space. Some outdoor seating surely helps this place from seeming too crowded. Upon entering, I looked towards the taps to judge the place. Some regular locals, plus Sam Adams, a few Irish brews, and the real star of the day, Spaten Octoberfest. This is a tasty beer, and at $5 for a 20 oz mug (in proper glassware, if that's your thing) it was a great deal. Overall, the beer list is nothing special, but you should be able to find something that will pacify if not satisfy.

The place doesn't have much atmosphere for itself, but it surely has an interesting collection of patrons. Off duty nurses, construction workers, staff and students from nearby CCP, and folks like myself are elbow to elbow at the bar. To help me feel more at home, our bartender was friendly welcoming, and attentive.

Looking at the menu, I received the biggest shock. Almost everything on the menu was between 5 and 7 dollars, and included items such as a cheeseburger, turkey club, 10 piece chicken wings, steak sandwich, and the likes. Not incredible food, but decent food at a good price. I had a few wings, which were solidly average, but enjoyable. The turkey club was also good, and included a ridiculous amount of sliced turkey, and was topped with cheese. I'd eat here again.

Bottom Line: Kelliann's isn't amazing. But the good deals on food and beer, coupled with good service and real people make this an enjoyable joint. Everyone should at least give it a chance.

Essentials:
1549 Spring Garden (Spring Garden and 16th)
215-563-6990
Avg Ent: 5-7
Cash Only: No
Reservation: No

Friday, September 17, 2010

St Stephen's Green: Is this normal?

Am I crazy, or are experiences like this abnormal?

Wow. I've visited this place before an been indifferent. But my last visit was a different story. I walked into the pub for lunch, and was causally browsing the beer list. It seemed a just slightly overpriced to me (if everything would have been even just $.50 lower I probably wouldn't have thought twice about it.) $7 for Southern Tier's Pumpkin beer, $4.50 Brawler, $4 Yuengling, etc. Not the best prices around by any stretch.

As Dan and I were browsing the beer list, the bartender looked over at us and said, "If you're going to think about having a beer, I'm going to need to see your ID."

I jokingly replied, "Well, you don't need to see ID if I'm thinking about it, just if I'm going to order one." I meant no harm at all, and continued to look to decide on a beer. But said bartender was not amused. The response I received was, "If you want to order a beer while you're here, I'm going to need to see your ID, RIGHT NOW."

Woah dude. You're taking this a bit far. It's lunch time, there's four people sitting at the bar. You're not overworked, and I'm taking my time looking at the beer. No crime here.

I quickly decided that I didn't want to be here, and as I was walking out the bartender said bid us fairwell, but in a tone that suggested "Get out of here and don't come back."

We had one more exchange, and I can't recall exactly what was said, so I won't try to paraphrase and then misrepresent his or my words. What I've written in quotes in nearly verbatim. He projected the message clearly that if we didn't show ID immediately, we were not welcomed at the bar, even to browse. Keep in mind I'm talking about 1pm on an uncrowded weekday.

I actually had my ID on me, and don't mind getting carded. I do mind being treated with condescension and rudeness.

I decided I didn't really like the beer list, and certainly did not like my potential bartender. I walked out and will never visit again.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Le Bec Fin

With Le Bec-Fin aiming it close its doors in the near future, and a chef's tasting menu running, I jumped at the chance to make reservations and dine here. The atmosphere is wild; it's like eating in a elaborate hotel. I don't know if I've ever dined at a place this fancy.

The service is an almost perfected choreographed show. Each person had a specific job; there's the bread person, the wine person, food runners, waiters, dessert cart people, ect. It's fun to watch them run around and literally wait on you hand and foot. I did see a few slip ups, like a bottle of champagne that was spilled, or a dish dropped on the floor. It's like seeing a mistake in a movie, it doesn't really bother you and it's fun to notice.

Le Bec-Fin boosts an impressive wine list, but the prices steered me away. I'd have to know a lot about a wine to want to drop 60-160 dollars on the bottle. I was out with Quinn, and we ordered the same appetizer to start our meals. We had octopus that was expertly grilled and seasoned. It was a great way to start the meal.

For my main course, I had stuffed quail. It was a good dish, but I wasn't blown away. Quinn ate salmon, and I think she felt along the same lines. After diner we were both served with a small slice of sheep's cheese from Spain. Again, good, not amazing.

The portions here seem small, but once you reach the end of the meal, it truly has been enough food to eat. At this point in our meal, I was satisfied, but certainly not raving about the meal or the experience. Still, we weren't finished: I had seen the dessert cart pushed by our table a few times while we were dining. I thought I knew what to expect.

The dessert cart girl came over and told us the dozen or so options. I really could have ordered three or four that I would have loved. That's why I was so happy when she told us that we each got to pick two desserts! To top it off, it came with a small dish of dessert bites, compliments of the pastry chef. I had a triple layer rum soaked chocolate cake that was truly amazing. The rum and chocolate flavors combined perfectly for this excellent dessert. My second choice was a coffee cake with cinnamon and a few other additives; the description of it sounded so good but I didn't pay too much attention. Quinn got a coconut cake topped with strawberry and kiwi, which I thought was mild and combined the flavors well. Her last choice was a milk chocolate cream cake with vanilla custard.

Bottom Line: Le Bec-Fin is fine French dining. It's not the kind of place I'd normally eat, and I probably wouldn't go again. That being said, the experience is worthwhile, if not more enjoyable than the food. The dessert cart is the best part of Le Bec-Fin. It's an experience everyone should have at least once. A few hours will fly by before you notice.

Essentials:
1523 Walnut Street
215-567-1000
Hours: 11am-11pm
Four Course Dinner: $80, Six Course: $120
Accepted Cards
Reservations Required

Monday, September 6, 2010

Bar Ferdinand


Bar Ferdinand is a fancy place, and their brunch is no exception. Bryana and I visited on a beautiful Sunday . We ate outside, and the server brought over a water dish for Crosby. Throughout the whole meal, we had great service. The wait staff was attentive at bringing out and picking up dishes, which is crucial because you get so many during the meal. The menu for brunch is small, but offers interesting options. It was a prix fixe menu; each of the three choices was $15. They also offered tasty iced and hot coffee.
The presentation of all of the dishes is great. They also brought out all of the food as it was prepared. It's a bit weird having a side of bacon with nothing else to eat, but I don't know many people who'd be bothered by that.
My meal included the following: thin toast with a sweet tomato paste. It was a great way to start our meal. I followed up with a side potatoes, which were delicious and the most perfectly cooked potatoes I've ever had. My main course was a baked egg; a egg was placed in a bowl with tomato, chorizo, onions and peppers and put in the oven. Green beans were added, and major props for making them a breakfast food. It was an awesome dish. I finished with homemade granola and yogurt, lightly drizzled with fresh honey. I could have eaten a larger dish of this and been satisfied, it was that good.
Bryana and I shared a few things, and she got her own egg dish, which she also enjoyed. We both had enough food to eat, and were able to try a lot of different dishes that had a great variety of tastes.

Bottom Line: This is a great brunch spot. The outdoor seating, quick service, attractive presentation, and delicious dishes are all reasons to start your weekend at Bar Ferdinand.

Essentials:
1030 N 2nd St (at Liberties Walk)
215-923-1313
Takes Cards: Yes
Takes Reservations: Yes

Friday, September 3, 2010

Royal Tavern


The "Royal Burger" is a hot item. If you don't believe me, steer over to the write up about it on Food Network, which calls it the best burger in the state. A more credible write up can be seen at A Hamburger Today. And if you still need more reading material, check Unbreaded. I needed to add myself to this laundry list of bloggers who have written about this famed burger.

I've been to the Royal a few times, and it's never struck me as a great place. The tap list is small, the prices aren't great ($9 for the burger is decent however), and the bar doesn't have much character. I went hoping the burger would be a reason to bring me in.

Before I finished my visit, I had another reason to avoid the Royal. I had the worst service I've experienced in Philadelphia in quite some time. Our drinks took far too long, as did the check. Empty glasses were left on our table, and I was brought the wrong beer. One or two of these may have been understandable, but the overall result was pretty poor.

I was dining with my friend Danny, and he ordered the chicken sandwich. He enjoyed it, but didn't really have too much to say, either. Nothing special. I was hoping that my burger would be something to rave about. On paper, it sounded fantastic: bacon, caramelized onions, smoked Gouda, pickled long hot peppers, and chili mayo.
The pickled long hot peppers had great taste, but they weren't strong enough to stand out with the rest of the flavors. That may be the problem with the burger; too many good flavors mixed together in a way that they just cover up each other.

The bun was thick and dense, and left a lot to be desired. I ordered medium rare, and it came out medium. The result was a dry burger, which wasn't even remedied by the chili mayo. I was underwhelmed by the burger.


Bottom Line: Not the best burger in Philadelphia, or even South Philly. Poor service and a limited beer selection leave a lot to be desired. I haven't been for brunch in years, but I remember liking this spot. They have a lot of veggie options. $17 for fish and chips is a complete joke.

Essentials:
937 E Passyunk (Passyunk between Carpenter and Montrose)
215-389-6694
Hours: 11:30-2am, opens at 10 on weekends
Avg Ent: 9-17
Cash Only: No
Reservations: No
Photo from: A Hamburger Today

Thursday, September 2, 2010

McMenimins

I've been meaning to go to McMenimins for months now. It's supposed to be the best bar in Germantown, and I needed to investigate this rumor.


I went out to dinner with John, Allie, and Rachel. The atmosphere here is pretty standard, a long dark bar greets you as from the front door. There is a back dinning room with a handful of tables, and a small outdoor seating area. The quality of seating varies in the outdoor area; one end is quite nice while the other is cramped, separated from the sidewalk only by a chain link fence. Choose your seat wisely.


The prices here are great for the food, and reasonable for the beer. As far as the beer list goes, it is good, even by Philadelphia standards. There have several American craft beers and a few Belgians. I started with the Kwak and then tried an IPA, but the names escapes me now.


Everyone else went with the fish and chips, while I opted for the burger. The rest of the group really enjoy the fish, and liked the fries even more. The first are the twice cooked fries that deliver crispy, perfect consistency inside and out; many spots could take lessons on these great fries.


For my burger, it only came with potato chips, which aren't the ideal side. Other than that, I was very happy with the burger, and would put it in the upper echelon of burgers in the city. The size and proportion of everything was great. I ordered medium rare and it came cooked to specification. It was large and messy, dripping with juices, and if I wasn't in such good company I may have been embarrassed by the process of eating this great burger.


Bottom Line: This is one of the best spots in Germantown. It doesn't have what it takes to bring me from my part of the city, but it's certainly worth visiting if you're in the neighborhood.


Essentials:

7071 Germantown Ave

215-247-9920

Hours: M-S: 11:30-2am; S 4pm-1am; Sunday during NFL 12:30-1am

Avg Ent: 7-15

Cash Only: No

Reservations: No