Philadelphia

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2007-02-22T12:44:00.000-05:00

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Buddakan

2007-01-02T11:38:00.000-05:00

December 31, 2006 Cuisine: Asian, Eclectic & International, Pan-Asian & Pacific Rim 325 Chestnut St, Philadelphia 19106 Btwn S 3rd St & S 4th St Phone: 215-574-9440 Website: http://www.buddakan.com/

Appetizer: Kobe Beef Satay with Vegetable Tempura ($16)

Entree I: Asian Barbeque Pork - slices of grilled tenderloin with chinese broccoli and giant panko crusted onion rings ($26)

Entree II: Japanese Black Cod with a miso glaze and cream cheese and arugula sushi rolls ($24)

Dessert: "Dip Sum" Doughnuts - five-spice sugar mini doughnuts served warm with blackberry jam, chocolate sauce and ginger cream cheese for dipping ($9)

The Astronomer and I rocked in the New Year at my favorite Philly restaurant: Buddakan. The ambiance at Buddakan is too trendy for my taste (see: giant glowing Buddha statue, waterfall wall, two bars), but the great food keeps bringing me back.

We were seated at 11 PM in the upstairs dining room which I was really excited about because I had never sat there before. The room's lit white curtains created a relaxed mood.

We began our meal with the Kobe Beef Satay; our waiter assured us that the beef was authentic Kobe. The meat was presented on wooden skewers and served with a side of vegetable tempura and a soy sauce-based dipping sauce. The beef tasted really fatty and not nearly as tender as the Kobe beef the Astronomer and I had at Nobu. The vegetable tempura saved the day. Asparagus, potatoes, and shitake mushrooms were battered and fried to a wonderful crisp. My favorite was the mushroom. Although the tempura was perfect in every way, the appetizer as a whole left a lot to be desired.

The portions at Buddakan are generous and served family-style. Our first entree was the Asian Barbeque Pork. The pork was moist, tender, and delicious. The barbeque sauce was flavorful upon the delicate slices of grilled tenderloin. The Chinese broccoli was stir fried to a perfect state and added freshness to the dish. My favorite side was the giant Panko crusted onion rings. The onions were thick and the savory batter was just salty enough. The Panko crusting provided a hearty texture that was fun to bite into.

Our second entree was the Japanese Black Cod with a miso glaze. The dish originally came with wasabi mashed potatoes, but our friendly waiter allowed me to substitute for some cream cheese and arugula sushi rolls. The fish was very good, the flesh was buttery and melted in my mouth. The carrot-slaw was quite flavorless so I mixed them with the pork's broccoli, which made them much tastier. The sushi rolls were awesome! Cream cheese and arugula are a great combination.

My favorite dessert at Buddakan is the Banana Tower. Sadly, the Astronomer is not a fan of bananas so we compromised and ordered the Dip Sum Doughnuts and they were fabulous. The doughnuts were warm out of the deep fryer and evenly coated with sugar and a little spice, but mostly sugar. All of the sauces were great, but my favorite was the cream cheese with bits of crystallized ginger. Yum!

Here's to a delicious 2007!

Brasserie Perrier

2006-12-18T09:28:00.000-05:00

December 16, 2006 Cuisine: French, Bistro 1619 Walnut St, Philadelphia 19103 Btwn S 16th St & S 17th St Phone: 215-568-3000 Website: www.brasserieperrier.com --

Appetizer I: House Smoked Salmon Lemon Crème Fraiche, Potato Blini, Red Pepper Caviar ($13)

Appetizer II: Housemade Potato Gnocchi Butternut Squash, Fontina Cheese, Toasted Pumpkins Seeds, Sweet Garlic Sauce ($15)

Entree I: Crispy Black Sea Bass - Truffled Parsnip Puree, Braised Belgian Endive, Extra-virgin Olive Oil Emulsion ($36)

Entree II: Roasted Breast of Free Range Chicken and Leg Stuff with Forest Mushrooms, polenta cake, Sauce Natural ($29)

Our dinner at Brasserie Perrier was hands down one of the best meals the Astronomer and I have ever eaten. I dined at BP once before with my brother during Swarthmore Family Weekend 2004, but didn't think too highly of it because we ordered strange items like sweetbreads and wild boar. This visit was a totally different story...

We started our feast with two appetizers. I chose the smoked salmon, while the Astronomer chose the gnocchi. I had read good things about the smoked salmon and liked the fact that the fish was smoked on the premise. A more than generous portion of thinly sliced smoked salmon was placed atop a potato blin, which is a small, yeast-leavened, buckwheat pancake. The smoked salmon was luxurious! The salty fish paired beautifully with the hearty blin and rich lemon crème fraiche. The red pepper "caviar" was made with science, but tasty nevertheless. I especially liked how each "egg" popped in my mouth and released it's flavor. The smoked salmon appetizer was incredible.

The Housemade Potato Gnocchi was also outstanding. The Astronomer described the gnocchi's texture as "delicate." I had a couple of bites of the dish and totally agree; each gnocchi melted in my mouth. The butternut squash added a wonderful sweetness and the pepitas brought about an interesting crunch. The cheese and sauce were amazingly rich and creamy. Almost too much goodness for my taste. It's a good thing the Astronomer prefers decadent sauces. The dish was a refreshing and innovative take on the classic Italian dish.

For my entree I ordered the chicken, while the Astronomer ordered the sea bass. We traded plates numerous times throughout the meal because sharing is caring. Even though I think chicken is an inferior meat, I had a good feeling about BP's preparations. While I'm not a full convert yet, I'm on my way because this dish was the greatest chicken I have ever eaten.

Moist, moister, moistest!

The juices were locked in and the spices (probably just salt and pepper) were perfect. The forest mushroom stuffing was also very lovely. In fact, I would have liked a side of mushroom dressing. The polenta cake was wonderfully dense and full of buttery flavor. The dish also included some sautéed vegetables including green beans, spinach and baby carrots. Wow, what a combination of flavors!

The Astronomer's sea bass was equally divine, but much more subtle in flavor. The sea bass was battered very lightly and fried to a perfect crisp, skin included. The batter was salted nicely and thus contrasted impeccably with the sweet pureed parsnips. The dish’s only flaw was the braised Belgian endive; it was much too bitter to be enjoyable.

By the time dessert rolled around, we were much too stuffed to indulge. I look forward to returning to BP for their lounge menu which includes fondue and steak frites!

Davio's

2006-12-14T11:47:00.000-05:00

Davio's banquet room for private parties is located in the penthouse.

December 13, 2006 Cuisine: Italian, Steakhouses 111 S 17th St, Philadelphia 19103 2nd Floor of the Provident National Bank Phone: 215-563-4810 Website: www.davios.com --

Hors D'oeuvres Philly Cheesesteak Spring Rolls, Spicy Ketchup Mini Crab Cakes, Caper Aioli Tomato & Mozzarella Bruschetta Smoked Salmon, Lemon Mascarpone, Potato Chip Antipasta Station Marinated Vegetables, Cured Italian Meats, Imported Cheeses, Mixed Olives, Roasted Peppers, Focaccia Bread Salad Station Mixed Field Greens, Cucumber, Balsamic Vinaigrette Davio's Classic Caesar Salad, Homemade Croutons Pasta Station Penne, Applewood Smoked Chicken, Spinach, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Walnut Cream Sauce Ricotta Stuffed Rigatoni, Rose Basil Sauce Carving Station Roasted Filet Mignon Roast Pork Tenderloin Seasonal Accompaniments and Sauces (gargonzola, mushroom, red wine)

Sides Roasted Asparagus Polenta Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Dessert Station Assortment of Davio's Italian Desserts - Cheesecake, Lemon Tartlet, Praline Hazelnut Mousse cake, Pumpkin Cake, Chocolate Raspberry Cake, Chocolate Dipped Biscotti

Public/Private Ventures had our annual holiday gathering yesterday afternoon at Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse. As far as office parties go, this one was one of the best. The food was phenomenal, the band was festive, the room was gorgeous, and the company was good too.

The party began at noon, but I didn't arrive until 12:30 because being fashionably late never goes out of style. When I arrived, the three-piece band was in full swing playing peppy holiday music, waiters were walking around with Hors D'oeuvres, an antipasta station was set up in the back of the room, and the bar was open with wine and top shelf liquors. I passed on the booze because I don't drink my calories.

Appetizers: I was quickly offered a mini crab cake; the first of three or four. The crab cake was placed atop a crustless round of white bread and dabbed with a Caper Aioli on the bottom to adhere it to the bread. The crab cake was excellent - slightly crisp on the outside, large chunks of crab on the inside, and its natural flavors brought out by the aioli. Another appetizer standout was the Philly Cheesesteak Spring Rolls; I had two of those. A better name would have been the Philly Cheesesteak Taquito because it was deep fried. I liked everything about it - the meat was salty, the wrap was crisp, and the ketchup was spicy. Well done. I had one of the Smoked Salmon appetizers, which was pretty good. However, the potato chip had a very strong taste so it sadly outshined the more delicate Lemon Mascarpone and fish.

The antipasta station had a good selection of meats and cheeses, as well as fruits (berries and figs) and vegetables to complement the flavors. My favorite cheese was the smoked Gouda. The smoky flavor was divine. There were stronger cheese offerings as well, including two types of goat cheese. However, they were a bit too intense for lunchtime. I also really enjoyed the prepared mushrooms. My favorite cured meats were the salami and prosciutto.

Main Course: The salad, pasta, side dishes, and meat were served buffet-style. I passed on the salad because greens are a waste of precious space. I went with a piece of roasted filet mignon drizzled with the gargonzola sauce, a side of asparagus, and both types of pasta. The filet mignon was delicious; it made me appreciate cows all over again. I received an end piece of the roast, so it wasn't as rare as I would have liked but tasty nevertheless. The gargonzola sauce was good, but not needed because the meat itself was fantastic. The asparagus was simply prepared. The pastas were excellent as well. Even though I hate penne as a pasta shape, I couldn't complain about the accompaniments. I loved the sun dried tomatoes. The rigatoni was stuffed with ricotta cheese, which was creamy and mild. The rose basil sauce was the perfect sauce choice. I tried to go back for some polenta, but they were fresh out. So I moved on to dessert!

Dessert: The dessert offerings were AMAZING! I tried the pumpkin cake, cheesecake, lemon tartlet, and the praline hazelnut mousse cake. The cheesecake was decent, but nothing uber special. The lemon tartlet was very lemony which I loved, but the tart shell was a bit too tough. So I ate the filling and tossed the crust. My favorites were the pumpkin cake and the praline hazelnut mousse cake. The pumpkin cake had a lite, airy, pudding-like consistency. It tasted like whipped pumpkin pie filling. Mmm! The praline hazelnut mousse cake rocked my world. It consisted of three layers - the base layer was a flaky and crunchy praline cookie of sorts, the middle layer was a hazelnut mousse, and the top layer was a hazelnut gel. OMG. The three different textures worked incredibly well together and put Nutella to shame. What a wonderful note to end a spectacular feast!

White Dog Cafe

2006-12-09T00:10:00.000-05:00

December 8, 2006 Cuisine: American (New), Vegetarian 3420 Sansom St, Philadelphia 19104 Btwn 34th & 36th St Phone: 215-386-9224 Website: http://www.whitedog.com/ -- Entree I: Pork Loin - Bosc pears and apples with a Chanterelle mushroom gravy ($23.00) Entree II: Low Country Spiced Crispy Pekin Duck Breast - Cajun spoonbread, smothered greens, with crawfish etouffee sauce ($23.00) Entree III: Herb Roasted Free Range Lancaster County Chicken Half with Natural Jus - sage roasted heirloom cheese pumpkin panzanella with local green beans and shallot confit ($19.00) Entree VI: Rosemary Grilled Buck Run Farm Strip Steak with Flying Fish Beer Batter Fried Onion Rings - sour cream and chive mashed potatoes, garlic braised greens and burgundy Dijon glaze ($28.00) -- From opentable.com: "White Dog Cafe is nationally known for it's contemporary American menus, fashioned from the highest quality farm-fresh ingredients and humanely raised meats and poultry. Their menus change seasonally to capture the best locally grown, organic and sustainable foods. " Colton, Duncan, the Astronomer and I dined at White Dog Cafe the other evening to see if their food was as impressive as their business philosophy. Our conclusion? A lukewarm yes. Colton ordered the pork loin, Duncan had the steak, the Astronomer ordered the chicken, and I had the duck. We passed on appetizers because they were mostly salads, how boring. My dish was very delicious and unique. I rarely order duck, but the Cajun preparations really enticed me. The meat was moist (prepared medium rare) and naturally flavorful. I definitely need to order duck at restaurants more often! The crawfish etouffee sauce was spicy and an interesting accompanimentent to the duck. I especially liked the little pieces of shrimp in the sauce. The smothered greens were an acquired taste. I did not like the greens at first due to its strong vinegar taste, but throughout the meal they sort of grew on me. My favorite side was the spoonbread, which is a sweet egg and cornmeal concoction. It was just the right amount of sweetness to balance out the acidic greens. Colton thought his pork loin was perfect - just like the duck it was moist and flavorful. His chief complaint were the skimpy sides. He would have liked more apples and pears with his entree. Duncan echoed Colton's complaint about the portion of the sides, his entree only had a small helping of mashed potatoes and two onion rings. He did not enjoy the greens and left them untouched. Sides aside, Duncan thought his steak was amazing. Prepared rare, the delicate piece of meat spewed delicious "life blood." Perfect for a vegetarian like Duncan. The Astronomer said his chicken tasted like chicken. The flavors did not permeate into the meat as he had hoped. He had no complaints about his sides. White Dog Cafe can be summed up as a restaurant with phenomenal meats, skimpy sides, and horrendous decor.

Fellini Cafe Trattoria

2006-12-07T15:07:00.000-05:00

December 7, 2006 Cuisine: Italian 2216 Walnut St, Philadelphia 19103 Btwn S 22nd St & S 23rd St Phone: 215-972-0860 Website: www.fellini-cafe.com/ --

French bread, marinara sauce, pickled red peppers, parmesan cheese (complimentary)

Panino Fellini - Grilled homemade bread with olive oil, vinaigrette, salad, tomato & Parma ham ($5.95)

Panino al Pollo - Grilled Chicken, Provolone, Lettuce and Tomato Sauce ($4.95)

-- Fellini Cafe Trattoria is a local chain in the Philadelphia region. There are six locations (mostly located in the 'burbs) and all are independently run by each franchisee. The menu is consistent across all the locations where I have dined. I tried Fellini for the first time my sophomore year of college for a Cross Country team dinner and have loved it ever since. I even had my 22nd birthday party there! Sadly, since my Swarthmore days, the Baltimore Pike location has shut its doors. Luckily, a Fellini opened up one block from my apartment in Center City. Woot. I usually go to Fellini for dinner, but have always wanted to go for lunch because they only serve paninis at lunch. During our visit, Wes and I both ordered paninis. I had the Panino Fellini, while Wes had the Panino al Pollo. The complimentary bread was very good, it would've been better if it were warm. While Fellini makes a mean pasta, their paninis are mediocre. Our paninis were a let down because they didn't meet our expectations of grill marks and melted cheese. However, after this experience I am starting to question my expectations because my panino from Paninoteca back in October also lacked grill marks and melted cheese. Here's how Wikipedia defines "panino": "A panino is a sandwich made from a small loaf of bread, typically a ciabatta. The loaf is often cut horizontally and filled with salami, ham, meat, cheese or other food, and sometimes served hot." I think my definition may be a off. Expectations aside, my panino had both high and low points. The "homemade bread" was a definite high. It was crisp on the outside and soft on the inside and held the contents well. The mixed green salad was also delicious. I requested provolone cheese for my sandwich, which was good but pricy ($1.50). The panino's lows were pretty low. The Parma ham was most definitely deli counter ham and skimpily applied. And the tomato sauce on the bread made it soggy and cold. I did not try Wes' al pollo, but it seemed similar to mine (minus the ham, plus chicken). The chicken was grilled and cut into strips and seemed a bit more robust than my ham. Wes said that his grilled chicken had a “burnt” taste in spots, but other than that it was good. The panini portions were ridiculous. I could only finish half of mine and Wes only ate a quarter of his. Next time, I'll stick to the pasta!

Sandy's

2006-12-05T09:56:00.000-05:00

December 1, 2006 Cuisine: American (traditional), Diner 231 S 24th St Philadelphia, PA 19103 Phone: 215- 732-8335 Website: none --

Entree I: Egg Sandwich with Cheese ($3.35)

Entree II: Egg Platter - Two eggs over easy, home fries, bacon, whole wheat toast with jam and butter ($7.95)

After months of talking about going out for a meal, my friend Wes and I finally had lunch at his favorite eatery. Sandy's is conveniently located across the street from Wes' house--he's been frequenting this joint for years and the staff know him by name AND order. Very impressive. Sandy's is more or less a greasy spoon, a charming greasy spoon, but a greasy spoon nevertheless. They serve hoagies, grinders, cheesesteaks, fried chicken, regular sandwiches and even some seafood and Greek specialties. Sandy's also serves breakfast all day long, which Wes and I took advantage of on our visit. I had the egg and cheese sandwich, while Wes had his usual. My sandwich was made on whole wheat bread with Swiss cheese. The sandwich was pretty straight forward; it tasted like the sum of all it's individual parts. It was good, but I've made the same sandwich on a number of occasions at home. Perhaps next time I will have a Gyro since I can't make that at home. I didn't taste any of Wes' egg platter, but I'm pretty sure I knew what it tasted like--the sum of all it's individual parts.

Naked Chocolate Cafe

2006-11-26T14:08:00.000-05:00

November 25, 2006 Cuisine: Desserts & Bakeries, Coffeehouses 1317 Walnut St, Philadelphia 19107 At S 13th St Phone: 215-735-7310 Webiste: www.nakedchocolatecafe.com -- Dessert I: Peanut Butter Nudo - One of our signature desserts, a new kind of brownie, blondie, coconut haystack, and other varieties ($2) Dessert II: Bittersweet hot chocolate (petit $3.50) - "A deep chocolate experience."

The dessert offerings at Audrey Claire were a bit lacking, so the Marathoner and I went to the Naked Chocolate Cafe to satisfy our sweet tooths. I ordered the Peanut Butter Nudo, while the Marathoner had the bittersweet hot chocolate. Both treats were delightful!

The nudo, which is unique to Naked Chocolate according to the woman behind the counter, had a soft and chewy texture. Although the nudo is described as brownie-like, I would say that the two desserts are very different. The nudo's texture is definitely special. The pyramid shape was cute and enhanced the dessert's presentation.

My only complaint was that the nudo was made with Jif, which is not a real peanut butter (N.A.R.P.B) that contains hydrogenated oils. Sigh. I have a weakness for peanut butter desserts, so I let this tremedous flaw slide on my visit. But in the future, I'll probably have to stick to the non PB treats due to my fear of trans fats.

The hot chocolate was pure wonderfulness - so thick it was like drinking chocolate sauce. The Marathoner wished the hot chocolate was more bitter, but still found it quite delicious. Since I am not a huge fan of super-dark chocolate (65% or greater), I found the hot chocolate to be just the right amount of bitter. I also really enjoyed dipping my nudo into the cocoa and swiping some of the whipped cream. Even though the Marathoner ordered a petit, he had a hard time finishing it because the chocolate was so rich.

I'll definitely be returning to Naked Chocolate for their cupcake offerings. The Marathoner will be returning to scope out the extremely attractive staff and clientele.

Audrey Claire

2006-11-26T13:38:00.000-05:00

The Marathoner and I sat at this window seat.

The evening's specials.

November 25, 2006 Cuisine: American (New), Tapas

276 S 20th Street, Philadelphia 19103 Between Rittenhouse Square & Spruce Street

Phone: 215-731-1222 Website: http://www.audreyclaire.com

Course I: Grilled flatbread - Short ribs, Fontina cheese, chives

Course II: Crabcake atop a slice of cornbread, mesclun mix, garlic aioli

Course III: Grilled ostrich strip with hericot verts, roasted potatoes, and red wine reduction

After a disastrous Thanksgiving holiday, I had a relaxing dinner with James Golden (who from here on out will be referred to as "the Marathoner") at Audrey Claire. Although the Marathoner grew up in the 'burbs of Philly, he has yet to take full advantage of the city's tasty offerings. Audrey Claire was a great start...

Since I had been to Audrey Claire once before with the Astronomer, I knew we had to start our meal with a flat bread course. The Marathoner initially leaned toward the hummus, mesclun, and smoked salmon combination, but chose the short ribs because I had already had the hummus combo during my last visit. The short rib flatbread was phenomenal. The meat was crisp, yet moist and was shredded atop the flat bread. The meat was deliciously smokey and fatty in flavor. The cheese was mild and foiled the meat nicely. The crust was soft and quite pita-like. Needless to say, we loved it.

Our next course was a crabcake/cornbread dish. The Marathoner loves crab and the Gastronomer loves cornbread, so this was definitely up our alley. Mmm. The crabcake was seasoned in a fashion so that the crab's natural flavors took center stage. The cornbread's light flavor complemented the crab beautifully in taste and texture. The aioli and greens provided a tartness that contrasted the crab and cornbread very well.

Our last course was one of the evening's specials. Neither the Marathoner nor I had ever tasted ostrich so we couldn't pass up the opportunity to try. Although we predicted that the meat would be bird-like (i.e. chicken), ostrich meat ended up surprisingly similar to beef. One difference being ostrich is much leaner than beef. The red wine reduction was a perfect accompaniment to the naturally flavorful meat -- like A1, but way better. The hericot verts and potatoes were lovely sides, but not spectacular.

The dessert offerings didn't pique our interests so we went elsewhere for treats. I enjoyed my second visit to Audrey Claire even more than my first. Well done, Professor Caskey, well done...

The Coventry Deli

2006-11-20T16:35:00.000-05:00

November 16, 2006 Cuisine: American (Traditional), Delis, Sandwiches 2000 Market St Philadelphia, PA 19103 Phone: (215) 972-8310 Website: www.coventrydeli.com -- THE BASKET LUNCH - In a wicker basket you have a choice of a salad or a deli sandwich (with two deli salads and a pickle), a piece of fresh fruit, our own baked goodie, gum, hard candy, chips, condiments, paper goods and a wet-nap ($11.75) -- The office always orders lunch when we have meetings. Today we ordered from the deli located on the first floor of our building. I've eaten there a couple of times for breakfast because they have excellent oatmeal. I had a ham and cheese sandwich on some sort of grainy bread with Dijon mustard, a tomato slice, and lettuce. The sandwich was pretty good, but sadly the cheese was American. Not a real cheese (N.A.R.C). To make up for it, the meat was piled on high. The two deli salads were a macaroni salad and a coleslaw. The macaroni salad was decent enough. Even though it tasted like a prepared salad from the grocery store. The coleslaw tasted like it came from KFC. Pass. The baked goodie was a giant cookie from an outside manufacturer. The cookie was extremely large because it contained two servings and 520 calories. I ate 2/3 and saved the rest for later. I gave my co-worker my chips (Herr'original) and candy. I saved the piece of fruit, a green apple, for later. The Coventry Deli makes a great oatmeal, but only a so-so basket lunch.

Rachael's Nosheri

2006-11-20T16:14:00.000-05:00

November 17, 2006 Cuisine: American (Traditional), Delis, Sandwiches 120 S 19th St, Philadelphia 19103 Btwn Chestnut St & Sansom St Phone: 215-568-9565 Website: http://rachaelsnosheri.com/ -- Hickory Dickory - oven roasted turkey breast, ham, Swiss cheese, tomato slices, lettuce & Russian dressing ($6.95) Whole Wheat Bagel with cream cheese ($1.75) -- Ricky and I hit up Rachael's for lunch. I like to refer to this deli as the Astronomer's ex-Girlfriend's Restaurant. Ha! Ricky had the Hickory Dickory sandwich, hey, that sort of rhymes. He thought the presentation was lacking, but the sandwich itself was very tasty. Possibly even tastier than his sandwich from Paninoteca, but he is not certain. My bagel was perfectly toasted and smeared with a good amount of cream cheese. I like toasted bagels, but I hate melted cream cheese. What a conundrum. I'd like to return to Rachael's for some real Jewish fare, like matzo ball soup and knishes.

Maggiano's Little Italy

2006-11-20T14:59:00.000-05:00

November 18, 2006 Cuisine: Italian 1201 Filbert St, Philadelphia 19107 At N 12th St Phone: 215-567-2020 Website: www.maggianos.com -- Entree I: Linguine pasta tossed with roasted chicken, pesto, and pine nuts in a parmesan broth with a hint of lemon.

Entree II: Spaghetti with your choice of meatballs or Italian sausage; served with our meat or marinara sauce.

Dessert I: Homemade Profiteroles - Pastry shell filled with vanilla bean ice cream and topped with our own hot fudge and fresh whipped cream; dusted with cocoa powder and powdered sugar.

The night before James Golden's marathon debut, the Astronomer and I accompanied him to Maggiano's for some pre-race carbo-loading.

James and I shared the spaghetti with meatballs, which was made with linguine. Perhaps the kitchen was out of spaghetti the night we dined? Anyhow, the linguine with meatballs was FANTASTIC. The best pasta with meatballs I've ever had! The meat sauce was slightly spicy because of the flavorful sausage bits, which James and I really appreciated. The meatballs were the size of my fist and were so delicious. We shared a large order ($14.25), but couldn't finish it so we split the leftovers. I enjoyed my half for lunch today and it was just as good as on Saturday night.

The Astronomer ordered a large order ($15.95) of his old standby - linguine with pesto. Maggiano's interpretation of pesto is quite good, but a bit on the mild side because the sauce is brothier and less oily than the average pesto.

For dessert we all shared a profiterole ($1.95). It was delicious. You can't go wrong with ice cream, hot fudge, and a puff pastry!

Even though Maggiano's is a chain, I can't help but love it.

Flying Monkey Patisserie

2006-11-05T21:45:00.000-05:00

November 4, 2006 Cuisine: Desserts and Bakeries Reading Terminal Market 12th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia Phone: 215-928-0340 Fax: http://www.flyingmonkeyphilly.com/ -- Dessert: Raspberry Jam Squares - Buttery shortbread crust and raspberry jam (2.50) -- Astronomer: The Raspberry Jam Square from the Flying Monkey was quite a tasty treat, with a hearty, satisfying texture and just the right amount of sweetness. Best of all, it contained no sinful ingredients (i.e. margarine). I hope to return to the Flying Monkey and try another one of their creations the next time I am in the Reading Terminal Market and hunger strikes. Gastronomer: I took a few bites of the Astronomer's square; it was pretty good. Whereas the Astronomer is a big fan of buttery crusts and fruit fillings (fairly mild flavors), I'm more of a ultra-sweet, tooth ache kinda gal when it comes to desserts. I look forward to trying the Flying Monkey's wide array of cupcakes in the near future.

Philly Soft Pretzel Factory

2006-10-18T09:22:00.000-05:00

October 17, 2006 Cuisine: Philadelphian

1532 Sansom Street Philadelphia, PA 19102

Phone: 215-569-3988 Website: http://www.phillysoftpretzelfactory.com/

There are a number of foods that are distinctly Philadelphian: cheesesteaks, scrapple, cream cheese, TastyKakes, Herr's Potato Chips, hoagies, and soft pretzels. I felt like a true Philadelphian (if only for a fleeting 15 minutes) yesterday when I had a fresh soft pretzel with yellow mustard drizzled all over.

The true Philadelphia soft pretzel:

is usually bought from a street vendor or small "mom and pop" shop - seldom from a chain store
is fresh, soft, and chewy
comes in a sort of slab in which a number of pretzels are stuck together
is sprinkled with just the right amount of coarse salt

My pretzel was warm out of the oven and provided an excellent pre-dinner snack. I've had Philly soft pretzels before while at Swarthmore, but never fresh ones. Since the pretzels have no preservatives it makes a huge difference eating them when they have just been baked.

And the best part is that three pretzels go for $1. You can also get a single pretzel for 45 cents.

A box of 100 pretzels goes for $20.

Philly pretzel with yellow mustard.

Maggiano's Little Italy

2006-10-14T22:05:00.000-05:00

October 13, 2006 Cuisine: Italian 1201 Filbert St, Philadelphia 19107 At N 12th St Phone: 215-567-2020 Website: www.maggianos.com -- Appetizer: Parmesan Garlic Bread Entree I: Lobster Ravioli - Pasta stuffed with fresh Maine lobster, roasted corn, garlic and basil, topped with Parmesan and Romano cheese baked in a light cream sauce with roasted peppers and applewood smoked bacon Entree II: Chianti Beef Stew - Tender cuts of sirloin with onions in a Chianti wine sauce, finished with portobello and button mushrooms served over a bed of pappardelle pasta -- While I generally frown upon chain restaurants, my frown is always turned upside down at Maggiano's. The Astronomer and I, along with the entire Swarthmore Cross Country team, dined at Maggiano's for a pre-meet dinner. I tagged along to take advantage of the Fall Harvest Specials. I had a small order of the Chianti Beef Stew ($12.95), while Vernon had a large order of the Lobster Ravioli ($21.95). We shared a large order of the garlic bread ($4.95) with five others at our table. Appetizer: Gastronomer: First off, I'd just like to say what a pleasure it is dining with runners. They are SUCH good eaters! Love it! Okay, now on to the food... We've had the garlic bread on many occasions. The Astronomer always orders it even though Maggiano's serves bread on the table for free. While I find ordering extra bread sort of redundant, I must admit the garlic bread is very tasty. It's moist yet crispy, not greasy, and so savory. The Parmesan cheese and parsley sprinkled on top intensifies the flavor. Astronomer: Maggiano's may well be my favorite restaurant ever, so needless to say I enjoyed the meal. Most of our party was new to the Maggiano's experience, so I felt it was imperative that they try the amazing Parmesan garlic bread--a Maggiano's staple. The garlic bread is always succulent and perfectly flavored. We gobbled it up in no time. Entree I: Astronomer: I was feeling "hungry hungry," so I attacked the complementary breads. I ate so much that I was worried I might be overwhelmed by my pasta, but fortunately the full order of lobster ravioli was not too large. Unfortunately, actually. There were only THREE ravioli. They were large and delicious, and there was plentiful cream sauce and lots of bacon bits, but still, I expected a bit more from Maggiano's. I managed to leave the restaurant feeling pleasantly stuffed, but only after dipping large quantities of bread in my extra sauce and helping to finish some leftover ice cream. Complaints about quantity aside, my ravioli was everything I had hoped for. The lobster flavor really came through nicely, and the bacon and cheese were excellent complements. I'm glad I took advantage of the Fall Harvest menu, but from now on I vow to abstain from ravioli at Maggiano for the foreseeable future. Gastronomer: Since the ravioli portions were a bit on the skimpy side, I only had one small bite of the dish. While Maggiano's flavors generally consist of salty and cheesy, I found the ravioli quite mild. Entree II: Gastronomer: I loved my pasta! I wish the Chianti Beef Stew were a menu mainstay rather than a fleeting special. Sigh... The fall harvest menu ends on the 25th, so I have about a week left to indulge. The stew was perfectly seasoned, the meat was tender and plentiful, and the vegetables (carrots and mushrooms) were lovely foils. Pappardelle is my favorite pasta shape and went perfectly with the flavorful stew. So hearty and delicious. Astronomer: I tried a couple of bites of the Gastronomer's beef stew. It was pretty awesome--I would consider ordering it myself if it ever becomes a permanent fixture on the menu.

Pappardelle Pasta

Paninoteca

2006-10-12T13:16:00.000-05:00

October 12, 2006 Cuisine: Mediterranean, Sandwiches, Italian 120 S 18th St, Philadelphia 19103 Btwn Chestnut St & Sansom St Phone: 215-568-0077 Website: none -- Panino I: Smoked Salmon - spicy hummus, mesclun greens, capers on black bread Panino II: Honey Roasted Turkey - sharp provolone, sweet onions cranberry-pear relish, mesclun greens on baguette -- My co-worker Ricky and I went to Paninoteca for lunch. We both ordered sandwiches and had them wrapped up "to go" so that we could enjoy them in Rittenhouse Square. I ordered the Smoked Salmon and Ricky chose the Honey Roasted Turkey. The Smoked Salmon was very tasty, but I wouldn't characterize it as a panino. For one thing, there were no grill marks and another thing, there wasn't any melted cheese. I think grill marks and melted cheese are key elements of panini. Unfortunately, the chef's vision couldn't be fully actualized during my visit because Paninoteca ran out of black bread. My sandwich was made on a baguette instead. Other than that minor technicality, my sandwich totally rocked. The size of the sandwich was surprisingly robust, the greens were tossed in a light vinaigrette, the hummus was on point, and the smoked salmon was excellent. The baguette held the contents in nicely and had a lovely, chewy texture. All the ingredients worked together very well. My only complaint was that the ratio of greens to salmon was 10:1, so I had to eat the salmon separately to fully take in the flavor. While I never thought I'd ever say this, perhaps the sandwich could use less greens in the future. Ricky's choice was definitely a panino. Grill marks? Check. Melted cheese? Check! I only had one bite of the Honey Roasted Turkey and thought that it was a good combination of flavors overall. Ricky thought that the relish could've used more sugar. I thought the panino could do with less relish because the tartness of the pears and cranberries overwhelmed the milder flavors such as the onions and turkey. Paninoteca is a delicious establishment, but with so many eateries in Center City, I probably won't return anytime soon. Ricky on the other hand said he would definitely return to try some other offerings.

Farmicia

2006-10-10T09:22:00.000-05:00

October 7, 2006 Cuisine: American (New), Bistro 15 S 3rd St, Philadelphia 19106 Btwn Market St & Chestnut St Phone: 215-627-6274 Website: www.farmiciarestaurant.com -- Appetizer I: French Lentil Salad - baked goat cheese, greens, sherry dressing Appetizer II: Crispy Fried Shrimp - sweet corn fritters, lemon horseradish sauce, and microgreens Entree I: Duck Breast - crisped skin, raspberry basil sauce, steamed carrots & fennel, wild rice w/almonds Entree II: Roasted Eggplant - Cannelloni Italian grain & home-made ricotta filling, roasted tomato sauce, spinach -- At Farmacia the emphasis is on "great tasting food crafted from local, organic, and artisanal producers." The Astronomer and I dined at Farmicia before the Built to Spill show and found it to be a wonderful eatery. Farmicia's pre-meal bread is from the Metropolitan Bakery and is served with a fantastic butter with chives. On the evening that we dined we were offered three types of bread: New York Rye, White, and Baguette. We tried all three. My favorites were the baguette (crisp outside and soft inside) and the Rye (great contrast to the butter). We asked for seconds and thirds. Appetizer I: Gastronomer: I picked out the salad appetizer and left the second appetizer up to the Astronomer. For the salad appetizer I chose the French Lentil Salad because goat cheese, greens and lentils are a few of my favorite things. The sherry dressing was perfectly tart and not too sour as vinaigrettes sometimes tend to be. The goat cheese made the dish spectacular because of its intrinsic rich creaminess. The lentils were mixed with small diced vegetables such as carrot and zucchini. Very tasty. Astronomer: Our meal got off to a fantastic start with a French Lentil Salad. My mom began incorporating lentils into her cooking sometime during high school, and I used to look scornfully upon them. However, they have grown on me, particularly when they are accompanied by massive quantities of goat cheese. All in all, the combination of flavors in the Farmicia salad was delightful. Appetizer II: Gastronomer: The shrimp appetizer came with five good-sized crispy shrimp (perhaps they were dusted with cornmeal), placed on a "corn fritter" (more like a pancake), drizzled with a lemon horseradish sauce and topped off with greens. I loved the flavor of the horseradish sauce, especially paired with the pancake. The shrimp were warm from the deep fryer. Oh boy! Astronomer: The crispy fried shrimp were delicious. I made a split-second decision to order them, and for a second afterwards I was scared I might actually not like horseradish sauce, but they turned out to be as tasty as I had hoped. The sauce was good enough to warrant sponging up with bread. Entree I: Astronomer: Despite the success of the appetizers, the true highlight of the meal was my entree: duck breast with raspberry basil sauce. It was some of the most delicious meat I have ever enjoyed. It was somewhat questionable how much it actually tasted like raspberry, but whatever it was, it was good. The duck came with carrots and fennel and wild rice with almonds. All of them were well executed, and I even enjoyed the wild rice. In all honesty, however, during the time I was eating the side dishes I was usually anticipating my next bite of duck. Needless to say, at the end of the meal, bread was a good vehicle for raspberry sauce. Gastronomer: I had one bite of the duck (prepared medium rare) and found it moist, tender and down right perfect! The wild rice was nothing special, but to be fair, it is pretty much impossible to compete with an amazing duck. Entree II: Gastronomer: I chose the eggplant cannelloni for my entree. The dish was served in a TV dinner like platter. The side dishes were in little compartments on the "tray," which is perfect for a girl who hates "contaminated" food. The cannelloni was fantastic! The filling really made the dish; the ricotta cheese was mixed with spelt and had the most wonderful texture. The eggplant and marinara sauce were pretty basic, which let the filling shine. I was served three cannelloni, but could only finish two. The cannelloni came with three side dishes: firstly a carrot, mushroom and onion mixture, secondly some white beans in a vinaigrette, and thirdly some sauteed broccoli rabe. I adored the mushroom dish the most, even though it was on the oily side. I hated the broccoli rabe because it was extremely bitter. Two for three isn't terrible. Astronomer: The Gastronomer ordered roasted eggplant cannelloni. I steered clear, as I am afraid of eggplants and tomato sauce. Perhaps I should have helped her out--there were leftovers, but unfortunately the last cannelloni was eaten by Chinatown. The food at Farmicia is very delicious, well thought out, and presented beautifully. Our only complaint was the pacing of the meal. The appetizers were brought out quickly and our entrees soon followed. As a result, I couldn't finish my entree and had no room for desert. What a shame.

Smile Cafe

2006-10-06T14:20:00.000-05:00

October 6, 2006 Cuisine: Thai 105 S 22nd St, Philadelphia 19103 Btwn Chestnut St & Sansom St Phone: 215-564-2502 Website: http://www.thaismilecafe.com/ -- Appetizer I: Lemongrass Soup Appetizer II: Steamed Dumpling - Shrimp and corn with garlic Thai spice with sweet soy vinegar Entree: Pad Thai - Stir-fried rice noodle w/ shrimp, bean sprouts, tofu, egg and peanuts. -- Smile Cafe is a quaint (read: small) restaurant around the corner from my apartment. I've wanted to try it for sometime but am generally hesitant about Thai food in Philly. I went for lunch with some co-workers and had a surpisingly pleasant experience. The restaurant has an incredible lunch special - two small appetizers and an entree for $7.95. Whatta steal! The appetizer choices I didn't pick were the salad and spring roll. One of my co-workers ordered the salad and it looked great. No sign of iceberg anywhere; just lovely greens and other vegetables. A few co-workers opted for the "spring roll" option. It was deep fried and therefore an egg roll, but they seemed to dig it just fine. My lemongrass soup was flavorful and mild. There were veggies in the soup including broccoli, yellow squash, and mushrooms. Very tasty, but could've been more spicy. I was served two good-sized dumplings. They were steamed to perfection and quite yummy especially with the sweet soy vinegar. The dumplings reminded me of dim sum, which is somewhat troubling because I was in a Thai restaurant. That's the problem with Thai restaurants in Philadelphia; they cater to the white man's love for Chinese food. My Pad Thai entree was very good and the portion was quite large. I was a bit disappointed that I had to ask for limes (there should ALWAYS be limes on the side) and the waitress brought out lemons! South East Asian cuisine does not use lemons. Overall, I found the food to be very tasty, but questionably Thai.

Irish Pub

2006-10-06T09:53:00.000-05:00

October 5, 2006 Cuisine: American (Traditional), Bar Food, Irish 2007 Walnut St, At S 20th St Philadelphia 19103 At S 20th St Phone: 215-568-5603 Website: www.irishpubphilly.com -- Entree I: Old World Meatloaf Melt - Thick slices of original recipe sirloin served on a Brick Oven Steak Roll with smokehouse bacon, melted FarmHouse Cheddar, and Caramelized Onion Bourginone sauce. Served with our house fries and crisp dill pickle slices. Entree II: Crab Cake Sandwich - A Maryland style crab cake served on a pub roll served with tartar sauce and Honey Dijon Garden slaw. Served with our house fries and crisp dill pickle slices. -- I love bar food. I really do. I think I adore it because my everyday fare lacks hardcore greasy and salty goodness. As I watched the Cardinals bury the poor Padres during game two of the national league division series, I enjoyed the crab cake sandwich. The Astronomer went for my old favorite, the meatloaf melt. Both sandwiches were super salty, super greasy and thus, super tasty. First up, the crab cake sandwich. I smeared ketchup on my sandwich rather than tartar sauce because I prefer tangy straight up over tangy and creamy. The sandwich was piled high with lettuce, pickles, and a tomato. The "pub roll" was perfectly moist and held the contents well. A regular hamburger bun would not have been able to hold all the fixins nicely. The pub roll came through like a champ. All of the flavors melded together beautifully and I scarfed it down pretty quickly. The fries were thickly cut and decent. I gave most of them to the carb-seeking Astronomer. The meatloaf melt is a lot like the Double Double from In and Out and maybe even a little better because it comes with BACON! There really isn't much to say about this gem except that it's really delicious and hits the spot like few can. Yah, it's not all that healthy, but who cares? I'm in a pub and red meat rules (and cheese too)! The "IP" is a three minute walk from my apartment. I'll be returning the next time the Astronomer wants to watch some cable-only sports and my greasy spot needs its fill.

Creperie Beau Monde

2006-09-18T09:34:00.000-05:00

August 12, 2006 Cuisine: French, Desserts & Bakeries, Other 624 S 6th Street, Philadelphia 19147 At Bainbridge St Phone: 215-592-0656 Website: www.creperie-beaumonde.com -- Appetizer: Escargot with garlic butter, crostini and bread Entree I: Saumon Fume - Smoked Salmon served with roasted leeks & creme fraiche Entree II: "Rich Man's Egg McMuffin" - eggs over easy with ham and goat cheese Dessert I: Sweet Crepe Special - Filled with peaches, blackberries, a ginger creme anglaise, and topped off with vanilla ice cream Dessert II: Dulce de leche with bananas -- Excerpt from El Pork Logs - August 14, 2006 - with new insights: Earlier this week I was reading the Astronomer's travel journal from his trip to Europe and started craving crepes, especially since the Astronomer thought that the crepes he enjoyed in France were on par with the ones served at Creperie Beau Monde in terms of taste and authenticity. I think that food tastes best when I've been craving it for a couple of days. We started off our feast with some escargot with garlic butter, crostini and bread. I was hoping the escargot would be served inside their shells, but sadly those preparations are only executed outside the US. The crostini and bread were excellent vehicles for dipping and consuming the escargot. For our savory crepes the Astronomer ordered the Saumon Fume, while I ordered my all-time favorite combination of eggs over easy with ham and goat cheese. Both crepes were spectacular. The crepes were a good size and expertly filled with the perfect amount of each ingredient. The crepes themselves were made of buckwheat flour, as is traditional in the region of Brittany. It always surprises me how crepes manage to fill me up even though it seems like very little food. For desert the Astronomer ordered the sweet crepe special of the evening which contained peaches, blackberries, a ginger creme anglaise, topped off with some vanilla ice cream. I ordered my favorite dessert combination of dulce de leche with bananas. While the special was tasty, I adored my sweet crepe more. There's just something about ripened bananas accompanied by a caramelized sauce within a crisp crepe that gets me every single time. Creperie Beau Monde has been a constant in my restaurant rotation since Swarthmore and remains a favorite today. The Astronomer and I have dined at Beau Monde at least four times together, maybe five. We love this place.

Ajia Japanese Fusion

2006-09-17T10:31:00.000-05:00

September 16, 2006 Cuisine: Japanese, Sushi 3131 Walnut St, Philadelphia 19104 Between 31st & 32nd Street Phone: 215-222-2542 Website: none -- Entree I: All U Can Eat Sushi (see below) -- Three friends and I went to Ajia this evening for the All U Can Eat Sushi offering priced at $21.95 per person (tax and tip not included). This was my fourth visit to Ajia and my third time doing the All U Can Eat special. As always, Ajia did not disappoint. My eating companions and I gorged on a ridiculous amount of sushi:

Sweet Potatoes
Salmon Avocado
California Roll
Philadelphia Roll
Salmon Skin & Cucumber
Boston Roll
Tuna Avocado
West Roll (Smoked salmon, cream cheese & scallion)
East Roll (Salmon, avocado, cucumber)
Spicy Tuna Roll
Spicy Salmon Roll
Rock N Roll (Spicy tuna inside wrapped around avocado)
Kani (Crab Stick)
Tofu Skin
Surf Clam
Ika (squid)
Tako (octopus)
Tuna sashimi
Salmon sashimi
Yellowtail sashimi
Spicy Crunchy Tuna
Spicy Crunchy Salmon

The sushi rolls were of high quality fish and were not overly stuffed with rice. The sashimi pieces were very fresh as well, but unfortunately were accompanied by rice. Oh, fillers. My personal favorites are the shrimp tempura roll, inari sashimi (tofu skin), Philly roll, and crunchy spicy tuna and salmon. We did not keep track of exactly how many rolls of each kind, but I assure you that it was well worth our paying price. I left completely drunk off mercury poisoning. Whatta feeling! Service at Ajia is usually pretty horrible. Luckily the evening we went was fairly quiet so service was pretty decent. Note to self: avoid Friday nights, go early Saturday evenings. The waitress was quite militant about us finishing our sushi before ordering more. I don't remember them being so adamant about the whole ordeal during my previous visits, but I guess that's how it goes with an All U Can Eat special. I crave Ajia every couple of months, so I'll definitely be returning for another sushi fest soon.

Wong Wong Restaurant

2006-09-15T10:35:00.000-05:00

September 14, 2006 Cuisine: Chinese 941 Race Street Philadelphia, PA 19107-1805 Phone: 215-928-8822 Website: none -- Entree I: Cashew chicken

Entree II: Beef noodles prepared "Hong Kong" style

Dessert: Fortune cookies

-- I do not care much for Chinese-Americana fare, but the Astronomer loves it very much. Every so often I indulge the Astronomer and we go out for Chinese food. I had a meeting last night near Chinatown so we hit up Wong Wong afterwards. We had not read anything about this restaurant beforehand and chose it on impulse. My rationale is that one can't go too wrong picking a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown, especially a restaurant of the "non-banquet" variety; they are more or less all the same. Although I must admit that the barbecued roasted ducks flanked on the outside window of the restaurant helped to draw me in. It was late in the evening so we each only ordered an entree. The Astronomer had the cashew chicken with white rice while I had the beef noodles. We shared each dish. The cashew chicken was tasty and mild, nowhere near as spicy as a Kung Pao preparation. The chicken was good quality white meat stir fried with peas, carrots, water chestnuts, straw mushrooms, celery and topped with toasted cashews. All winners but the celery. The sauce seemed a bit too light in color, but was satisfying in flavor which is what really matters. The beef noodles were not exactly what I had anticipated. I wanted a thin pan fried egg noodle, but instead I got a thicker more chow mein like noodle. Nevertheless, it was still quite good. My only complaint were the bean sprouts. I've disliked bean sprouts since my youth. The beef was very tender and really hit the red meat spot. All in all this was your average Chinese establishment. I enjoyed the food for what it was--cheap, warm, and salty. The noodles were priced at $6 and the chicken was $8. Fair enough.

Monk's Cafe

2006-09-15T10:19:00.000-05:00

September 9, 2006 Cuisine: Burgers, Belgian, Other 264 S 16th St, Philadelphia 19102 Between Latimer St & Spruce St Phone: 215-545-7005 Website: www.monkscafe.com -- Appetizer: Monk's Mussels prepared "Ghent" style - Saison Dupont, fume, parsley, caramelized leeks, bacon, bleu cheese & garlic. Served with frites, bourbon mayonnaise, and bread rolls. Entree I: Monk's Burger with Monk Topping - caramelized leeks & blue cheese in between a roll from the Metropolitan Bakery. Entree II: Steak Frites Salad - sirloin steak (grilled to order) over baby greens served with fresh cut frites. -- After so much superb eating this week, I was a bit disappointed by dinner at Monk's Cafe. The food was good, but not great which is somewhat understandable given that Monk's is better known for their 200+ beers on tap. However, prior to my visit I had heard many positive things about their food, especially the mussels. I found the mussels to be very average. The Ghent preparations did not penetrate the mussels so they just ended up tasting like mussels, which isn't terrible but did not meet my expectations. The bread that accompanied the mussels were not ideal for dipping. Crostini is definitely a better mussel complement due to the crunch factor. The frites were tasty, as was the bourbon mayo dipping sauce, even though I usually steer clear of mayo. The Astronomer ordered the Monk Topped burger that I thought was pretty decent. The fixins (cheese and leeks) were fantastic, but the burger itself seemed a bit dry. I like my burgers juicy like the Kobe Beef Sliders from Barclay Prime. Additionally, the hamburger patty was smaller than the bun which is a big no no. The actual bun was alright, but could've been softer. For my entree I ordered the Steak Frites Salad. The steak was prepared rare (just the way I like it) and the greens and dressing were fine. The salad was exactly what I expected; nothing more, nothing less. Since I'm not a beer connoisseur and found the food just average, Monk's Cafe will most likely be a one time deal.

Audrey Claire

2006-09-15T10:10:00.000-05:00

September 2, 2006 Cuisine: American (New), Tapas 276 S 20th Street, Philadelphia 19103 Between Rittenhouse Square & Spruce Street Phone: 215-731-1222 Website: http://www.audreyclaire.com -- Course I: Grilled flatbread - Spicy Hummus, House Cured Salmon and Mesclun w/herb vinaigrette Course II: Goat cheese and leek tart with a polenta crust. Course III: Pork tenderloin (but of course!) with a sesame and fig puree served with a lentil salad and haricot verts. -- Audrey Claire was recommended by Professor Caskey back at Swarthmore. I loved the flatbread immensely even though smoked salmon is pretty common. By the way, flatbread refers to a pizza-like concoction much like Mario Batalli's at Otto - extremely thin crust with fixins. The tart was a bit too heavy for me. The goat cheese needed to be balanced out by something more complex than leeks and polenta. The cooks did drizzle a balsalmic glaze around the plate, but it wasn't really enough to counter balance the strong cheese. The Astronomer enjoyed the majority of the tarts. The final course was divine. The pork was so moist and tender and the fig puree offered a fruity pairing that really worked. Audrey Claire is competing with Melograno to be my favorite restaurant within a two block radius of my apartment.