Thursday, November 19, 2009

NYPD Pizza

On my way home a few nights back, I had a sudden urge for a great slice of pizza. I'm a huge fan of Lorenzo's on South, but it was out of my way and I was feeling some toppings. I stopped by the NYPD pizza shop on the outskirts of the Gayborhood to try their slices.

I walked in an met face to face with a schizophrenic pizza shop. The name should have tipped me off. There was Italian music playing and other "motherland" decorations. So you're trying to be a pizza shop with an Italian identity named after NYC located in Philly? What's the deal? Further, this is just a stop-by joint. Sure, there are a few tables in the back, but no one is hanging out here. It's a grab and go. There's no problem with that, it's just not charming.

Despite the atmosphere, I was impressed with the shop. There were several different types of pizzas half cooked and sliced, just waiting for a hungry patron to say the word have have the slices whisked into the oven for the final minutes of baking.

I opted to go with the veggie slice, which was covered with diced tomatoes, green peppers and garlic. The ratios of the toppings, cheese, crust, and sauce were impeccable. The crust was perfectly thick and crispy. There are so many pizza shops in town that just don't have this kind of skill. Everything tasted great. Honestly, the taste of the pizza was enough to make up for any of the short fallings of NYPD Pizza.

Bottom Line: I generally don't expect to shell out $3.24 per slice. I also don't generally expect stop and go joints to have excellent pizza. Although I may not stop by again anytime soon, this is surely the best bet for Center City area pizza.

Essentials:

140 S 11th St (11th and Walnut)

(215) 733-0651

Avg slice: $3

Cash only: No

Reservations: No


Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Franklin Mortgage And Investment Company

The Franklin Mortgage and Investment company is so cool. I try not to fall for cool, but this place just oozes it from every corner. If you like cocktails, then this is absolutely the spot from you.

The Franklin is an homage to the prohibition, speakeasy era. The name is the first disguise, and it's only noted by a small sign in front of the door. I scoped out the location from the across the street. The Franklin is a place where once inside, you feel like your in a special club. There are so many people walking by outside, and they don't even know!

Inside, the Franklin looks gorgeous. The keep the lights low in their long, skinny space filled with tables and a small bar. The wait staff here is excellent. They definitely add to to environment in a unique way. Additionally, the drinks are top notch. I'm not big on cocktails, but it seems to be the only thing to order here. The drinks are incredibly well mixed and pack a punch.

I'm not sure how this place gets on a weekend night; probably a bit too packed for my liking. Ideally, this is a spot where you can grab a table and relax with a few friends and share a few laughs over your cocktails.

The daiquiri was all around my favorite, and the least alcoholic tasting. The bartender said he thought it was their best drink, and the standard by which any bar can be judged. "Walk into any bar in the world, and order their daiquiri. If it's good, then you can stay an have a few other drinks without having to worry about the quality." The "Old Fashioned" is a bourbon based drink that comes in a short tumbler with a hulking piece of ice. Approaching only with a fondness toward bourbon. Finally the Seelbach was a bitter champaigne-style cocktail. Good and strong, but not my favorite.

Bottom Line: I'm not going to give you any hints on where the space is. Go find out for yourself. Feel like part of a special club. Close you eyes as you fork over $12 per drink. Enjoy the atmosphere, and take in the aura of a different time where one needed to drink in secrecy.

Essentials:

112 S 18th St

(267) 467-3277

Hours: 5pm-2am

Avg Cocktail: 12

Cash only: No

Reservations: No

Friday, November 13, 2009

Sansom Street Oyster House

The Sansom St Oyster house is gorgeous. Someone really put a lot of though into the decor and layout of this place. It has a nice dining room, but the real treat is sitting at the bar. The Oyster house features an large, open prep area where you can see all of the clams, mussels, shrimp, ect.

This spot serves up top notch seafood. But it comes at a price. The real strength lies in (obviously) the Oysters, but generally in the raw seafood bar. A large blackboard shows the different types of regional oysters offered each day. While I don't know enough to comment on the types offered, the sheer selection in impressive. They served the biggest shrimps I've ever seen in my life. For beer, there is a small but respectable list of beers, with a few locals represented. Dock St and Yards come immediately to mind.

To do this place best, head here for happy hour. M-F, 5-7: $3 drafts and $1 oyster shucks on "oyster of the day" cannot be beaten. Or try a Tuesday for $14 fish and chips. I know that I'll be heading back for these specials very soon.

Essentials:
1516 Sansom St (Next to Noddinghead)
215-567-7683
11:30-11pm
Avg Ent : 11-22
Cash Only: No
Reservations: Recommended for dinner



Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Las Cazuelas restaurant


Through the end of the week, Las Cazuelas is offering up any item from their menu for $7 between 11am-3pm. That's a pretty sweet deal. Dan and I stopped in here on a lunch break from work. We picked up a few beers from the Foodery and stopped by.

The spot is tiny, but nice. there are about ten tables across the dining area with a small, open kitchen. The walls are brightly painted, and there are several other endearing decorations. I don't usually go crazy over atmosphere, and one shouldn't expect anything from a place on 5th and Girard, but the decor is well done.

I don't want to make a blanket statement about the service but here are two of my observation's: Las Cazuelas and the Abbaye share some staff, to my chagrin. Second, my first choice on the menu wasn't available (the last two were served moments before). I'm not a restaurant manager, but running out of a dish before lunch (let alone dinner) is finished seems to be problematic. One plus are the free chips and salsa verde as soon as you sit down.

The food came out quickly. I ended up with a dish with rice and pan-seared shrimp, along with caramelized mixed veggies. Everything was acceptable, but I can't rave about anything. The portions could have been a bit bigger. Dan went with marinated beef tips, with refried beans and avocado. He said that the meat wasn't the best cut, and it marinade could have been improved upon. Neither of us could remark about anything other that the fact that we were getting a "good deal for the money."

For our drinks, we picked up Rouge's Chili Ale, which had a great pepper taste that didn't overpower. It was a great way to start our meal. We had the Hot Rock lager from Port Brewing to finish, which was a solid, but not outstanding, lager.

Bottom Line: I'd prefer not to bash a place that is offering such a great deal. I like the initiative to get in new customers. But with a plethora of good Mexican spots, one of my favorites only a few blocks a way, I can't see myself ever going back here.

Essentials:
426 W Girard (5th and Girard)
215-351-9144
Hours: 11am-9pm
Avg Ent: 7-11
Cash Only: No
Reservations: No
BYOB: Yes

Monday, November 9, 2009

Rangoon Burmese Restaurant

Rangoon is supposed to be one of the best Burmese restaurants around, and can supposedly compete with NYC (although no one's overflowing with Burmese joints). I had been looking forward to this visit a lot.

This was just a quick lunch stop, and Rangoon is a perfect place for such a trip. They provide good, amazingly fast service. We were in and out in under 45 minutes. The atmosphere is similar to many Chinatown restaurants. I went with a traditional Burmese dish. Overall, Burmese food is more chewy and messy than the rest of south east asia. It's more like the cuisine of northern Thailand, which makes sense when you look at it geographically.

The food is spicy, in a slow steady way that sticks with you. I loved it. My dish had large floppy noodles with shrimp, chicken and bean sprouts. It was all served with a light glaze over everything, which made the dish. I would recommend one of the noodle or rice dishes, although there are many other (chinese, ect) "regular" offerings. On another trip, I would like to try some of the traditional appetizers.

Bottom Line: Rangoon is definitely a good stop in Chinatown, especially for their lunch special. But I think I prefer other restaurants and Asian foods (especially dim sum!). Nonetheless, this spot is definitely worth checking out. It's good food, and a great way to get some variety on your plate.

Essentials:
112 N 9th St (9th and Arch)
215-829-8939
Hours: 11:30am - 9pm
Avg Ent: 6-10
Cash Only: No
Reservations: Not needed

Thursday, November 5, 2009

The Kite and Key


I have not heard much about this spot. That, and the fact combined with it's an inconvenient (for me) location are the two main factors I've never made the trip. But I'm here to try and convince you not to make the same mistake.

It's always nice to see a good beer bar, and especially one that is close to me and open for lunch. The Kite and Key impresses on two beer fronts: reasonable prices and excellent selection. Dan stayed with the $5 16oz Hennepin pours, while I had my first Nugget Nectar of the season (on cask) and Bell's Double Cream Stoudt ($6 apiece, I believe). Their website isn't updated as often as the taps, but it gives a good idea of the type of variety offered. It's almost exclusively American craft beer, which is right up my alley.

The food menu offers standard dishes. The menu opens up during dinner, with the menu almost doubling in size. We split an order of wings to start. We were served large, breaded hot wings. I wasn't impressed with the wing, sauce, or price ($8.5 for seven wings). Must miss.

My entree was an order of three fish tacos. The presentation and portions were good, but the flavors were lacking. It was good, nothing else. I understand that this dish is something that should only be ordered within walking distance of the beach, but it could have still been better. Dan ordered one of his favorite entrees: fish and chips. A plate full of shoestring fries was topped with several large pieces of breaded grouper. I like the choice to use grouper because it's a more flavorful fish than cod or haddock, which are commonly used by other restaurants.

The atmosphere here is great. There are several TVs with different sports on, including hockey and club soccer. The bartender provided great service. Granted, we were two of five in the whole place. I'm sure the environment changes quite a bit on a weekend night.

Bottom Line: I was impressed with my first stop at the Kite and Key. They might not have the food to make me keep coming back, but they certainly have the beers. I'm glad to have discovered another respectable stop in the seemingly barren Logan Square/Fairmount area (but there are a few great ones, to be sure).

Essentials:
1836 Callowhill St
215-568-1818
Hours: 11am-2am daily, happy hour 5-7 M-F
Avg Ent: 10-18
Cash Only: No
Reservations: No

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

The famous Rouge burger


I'd like to find my favorite burger in Philly. It's a fun quest. I've heard a great deal about Rouge; in fact, a "I'm Feeling Lucky" google search for best burger in Philadelphia will bring up Rouge as #1. In 2005, it was voted one of the best in the country. Considering the data, I went into Rouge with high expectations.
Rouge is a small eatery right off Rittenhouse Square with tables and a small bar area. Dan and I rolled in for lunch on a Thursday and sat at the bar. Beers available included a variety: Stoudt's Pils, Yeungling, Duvel, Amstel Light, ect. They were $5 to $9, and everything was about twice as much as it should be. These were all 12oz bottles, no drafts available. The bar is in line with the rest of Rouge: priced to make you (or maybe just me) not want to partake. Needless to say, I had only water. And of course they only serve Fiji. Everything is fancy here.

The atmosphere is posh. Rouge has weird curtains along all of the walls and tables scattered around a small, circular bar in the middle of the room. When the weather is nice, there is a good sized outdoor seating area. The service is good, but nothing special. Dan and I split a mediocre calamari to start. It came with a great sauce, the the squid and the breading were bland. After a short wait, my much anticipated burger arrived.

The burger is just enormous. With my first bite, I was impressed with a few aspects. The meat is perfectly cooked, despite the size. Further, the burger was very juicy and excellently seasoned. And it was served on a great buttery roll that added to the whole experience. But overall, I wasn't blown away. The burger serves up a huge portion of meat, with a delicious side of fries, but failed to leave a lasting impression. The toppings, especially onions and gruyere cheese are nice.
Bottom Line: It's not that Rouge's burger is bad, but it doesn't live up. There are quite a few more in the city that I'd perfer (and can afford). In all honest, I wouldn't recommend this spot to anyone, and I don't see myself ever going back. Rouge might boast that they offer a "truly unique dining experience," but it's not one that I want.

Essentials:
205 S 18th St (Just south of Walnut)
215-732-6622
Avg Ent: 16-25
Reservations: Recommended for dinner