If you've visited Reading Terminal Market in the last few months, you surely know of all the construction that's been going on. One of the bigger projects in the Center Court area has been the move of DiNic's (which I truly believe makes the best sandwich in the city). The photo above was taken at close of market yesterday. By the time you read this today, it'll be open for business with approximately twice the capacity as the old space.
Robert has some cool info on the signage above the stall in this post.
DiNic's
Reading Terminal Market
12/Arch
Su & M: 8am – 4pm
Tu – Sa: 8am – 6pm
(215) 923.6175
All day today, Devil's Den is hosting a tasting event benefiting an awesome animal welfare organization. A special $10 paired flight of beers and donuts will be featured, and $4 from each flight will go to the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society, the region's only no-kill animal shelter. We love dogs, we love beer, we love donuts. We'll be there and you should come out, too.
The menu for the night with donuts donated by Krispy Kreme:
Original Glazed Donut with PBC's Joe Porter in a classic breakfast staple inspired mash up
Pumpkin Spice Cake Donut with Weyerbacher's Verboten, a Belgian style pale ale
The pours will be 8 oz. each with more on tap if you like what you're having.
Devil's Den has quickly become our new favorite neighborhood hangout. Why? They have an awesome beer list with 17 rotating taps and a gigantic bottle list. Happy Hour (5 p.m. to 7 p.m.) means half off all drafts which normally range from $4 to $8. (Um, $2 to $4 for a really good beer? We are so there!) Their higher ABV brews get the 10.5 oz treatment. Also, it seems to be our demographic—seriously, every one in that bar seems to be in the same ten year age span— it's lively but no one is there to get hammered. The jukebox is usually rocking some awesome 90s music. The food is tasty and well portioned (except for the figs, don't get the measly figs!) with the giant cheese plate holding down the best deal spot so far from what we've sampled. Also, there's a fireplace!
The good people at Neff Associates, who have invited us to the event, suggest making a reservation to what they bill as Philly's first beer and donut pairing event. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. so there will be plenty of time at lunch, after work, before dinner, after dinner and before bed to come on by!
Devil's Den
1148 S. 11th Street @ Ellsworth
215.339.0855
The people representing Jeep at Matchstick asked us, along with a bunch of other bloggers, to take a Jeep out for a test drive for a week. We, being car-less urban folk, greedily said yes. What was the first stop after picking the fully loaded Jeep Patriot Latitude X 4×4? Picky grabbed Messy from her office in Germantown and we went on a little adventure to Plymouth Meeting. We had heard wonders about the crazy Whole Foods store out there—the one with the sit-in pub, rooftop garden and more.
Whoa, that Whole Foods is crazy. The aisles in there were literally wide enough to fit a Jeep into them, especially the frozen foods aisle. As you can see, we came away with a nice haul. Several bags full of goodies to keep us going along with a box of six wines our fantastic friend Lindsay gave to us. The wine gift basket was from My Wines Direct and yes, they do ship their CA wines to PA!
Picky just happened to have a relatively clear schedule during the promo and went on a few adventures while Messy was toiling away in her office. With his smart phone loaded with music and plugged into the sound system, he rolled through some parts of North Philly in search of graffiti. He found a few good walls, but this was his favorite spot after backing up the Jeep onto the sidewalk and next to an abandoned lot. He couldn't figure out what exactly that loading dock-like structure was for in the background. While tempted to put the Jeep into full 4×4 and storm the lot, he moved on.
Way down in South Philly is FDR Skate Park, one of those spots photographers flock to like a moth to a flame. Every once in awhile, you just gotta drift down there. With the Jeep, Picky was able to hit a lot of spots around town quickly as opposed to the usual combo of foot/bike/SEPTA. It was midday and the place was fairly empty other than a small photo shoot and a handful of kids. The half pipe stands a few yards from the main run. An imposing sight for most. For a little fun, Picky dropped the Freedom Drive II into full-time 4WD and gunned it through the rough dirt lot full of who-knows-how-deep fresh puddles. With 19" of clearance, it has enough to get over most things. You can cruise over the biggest of speed bumps without a hitch.
Before picking up Messy, he stopped off at another South Philly landmark, Frangelli's Bakery at 9th and Ritner Streets. They make delicious yeasty donuts. They're more like a layer of condensed croissants than a Dunkin Donuts cake donut. Fantastic. The donuts were so good that he went back a few days later only to see that they had just shuttered their doors for the rest of the summer. But rest assured, they've reopened their doors as of today, September 8th.
For a special treat, we went up to North 5th Street into Koreatown. A place nearly inaccessible to car-less Center City residents. Sure, you could take a bus up there, but that would take forever. While it's still a trek from Center City in a car, we made it out there and chowed down at Jong Ka Jib, a soft tofu soup specialty house. Highly recommended by everyone who had ever eaten there, we walked in with high expectations and out with extremely full and content bellies.
Over the weekend we took a last-minute trip to the beach with some friends. We buried our feet in the sand, swallowed enough seawater to remember our childhoods all too well and took in some mid-summer sun.
On our way back from the shore, we had to take a pit stop at Weber's for some root beer floats. One of our passengers mistakenly asked for out drinks to go so we didn't get the full drive-in experience, with the frosty mugs in a tray clipped to our windowsill, but such is life. We still enjoyed our floats! (Weber's also sells their awesome, slightly spicy root beer in 1 gallon glass jugs for those who want to enjoy it at home.)
The Jeep was plenty roomy for the two of us and three of our friends. There was enough room for a run to IKEA to get some much needed shelving for Messy's records (now hanging in our living room!). The city gas mileage lingered at around 14mpg which was abysmal. The 2.4L I4 DOHC 16V engine seemed to like the highway much better where the mileage jumped up to the rated 28mpg.
During our test drive, we clocked nearly 800 miles in the pouring rain and the searing heat. The Jeep handled any puddle we threw at it and the dual-climate AC worked like an ox at all times. And finally, a quick clip showing off one of the very cool features of this fully loaded model: remote start!
It started off innocent enough. One final stop on the 2011 Philly Beer Week train at Southwark, our favorite restaurant in Philly. It was a Dogfish Head happy hour (Picky's favorite brewery) with what was rumored to be another appearance of the phenomenal, nowhere-to-be-found Bitches Brew, so we had to stop by for a pint, right?
We thought maybe we'd take a look at their special happy hour menu [above] and order an app or two to nibble with our drinks. Yet somehow we ended up having a full-blown meal at the bar after our man behind the bar, Kip, handed us the full dinner menu packed with seasonal delights. For drinks, Picky ordered up his prized Bitches Brew (a steal at $6/glass for the 5p – 7p happy hour) and Messy left herself in the hands of Kip who suggested a Corpse Reviver #2 as a pick-me-up (gin, cointreau, lillet, lemon, absinthe, $11). By the time we finished our first round, the management had to send a server outside to serve as doorman as the space was at capacity. Everyone wanted a piece of the Dogfish + Southwark action. We got there just in time.
Picky ordered up the chicken liver terrine with beer bread [$5 happy hour special menu]; he's become a fiend for anything offal-y in the past two years. Dollops of vinegary whole grain mustard adorned the plate. The whole grains were a strong textural complement for the medium-rare, soft (but deliciously heavy in taste!) liver.
Messy went with a tried and true favorite, the roasted potatoes with fresh herbs and roasted garlic aioli [$6], which always make us happy. Chef Sheri never skimps on the accompanying dips— you never need to ask for a second one and if you don't feel like you need it, nobody's holding a gun to your head, so put it aside. After Messy was finished with her cocktail, Kip offered up a delicately rose-tinted Pinot Gris (Prentice "Ramato" 2008 Victoria, Australia). The color comes from the skins being left on the grapes after pressing for awhile to meld with the juice, Kip informed us as he gave Messy a taste.
Red and gold beet carpaccio and ricotta fritters with gigante bean and lettuce salad [$19].
It's just not right to pass up ribs with a bourbon mustard glazed baby back ribs, kidney bean and potato salad, spicy greens [$23], right? That's exactly what Picky thought. A delicious crispy exterior with a just too dry interior. Picky likes his ribs super succulent (but not just sauced). He wasn't complaining though. He was too busy licking his fingers to sip down the mocha-scented, rich Brew. Some say that the summer is not the time for a Russian imperial stout; Picky licks his thumb at thee.
Post carnage: Picky's a good eater.
Dessert was a difficult choice. The always awesome homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream sandwich with homemade chocolate shortbread cookie [see here] was on the menu, but so was a ginger pound cake with lavender caramel [$7], strawberry-rhubarb profiterole with fresh whipped cream [$10] and then their homemade ice cream offering of strawberry and peanut butter swirl [$6]. After some guidance by George, the GM and barman as you can see up top, we settled on the ice cream. Another Bitches Brew was needed to round out the night and what a perfect pairing with ice cream! (Normally, we would have ordered up more cocktails, like Picky's favorite Old Fashioned in town, but it was a special night for a special brew, which will hopefully see the light of day once again in the future!) As the sundae glass made its way over to us, one of the servers, Laurie, said she was a fan and thought it tasted like a PB&J. Spot on. It was like an ice cream PB&J, but not like anything you grew up with. The hunks of peanut butter didn't swirl uniformly, but it left for delicious chunks at odd bites amidst mouthfuls of creamy vanilla bean caviar-speckled ice cream.
Sheri came out to say hello and we gushed over the awesomeness of the ice cream (and everything else we gobbled up). By 7.15p, the happy hour was over and there was some breathing room at the bar once more. Sheri said it was a nice beer week with a bunch of special events. We heard the Country Time pork night went well Thursday night and PBC night was a packed house the night before.
And here are two of the hardest working people in Philly, Sheri and Kip Waide taking a breather after the rush. Kip's old boss, Fergie, was at the bar having a few brews with the Dogfish Head crew along with Curt from Nodding Head. As chance would have it, we sit in these seats at the end of the bar pretty much every time we're here. It's a great place to observe the inside workings of the restaurant, and a great place to say hi to all the folks who stop by. Picky had to introduce himself to Dogfish's Wendy, whom he followed around, event after event, for the week. After nearly three hours at the bar, we took off for home, fully stuffed after a fantastic meal with the added flair and madness of Beer Week added onto it. It being mid-June, it was still light outside, which made the night that much more awesome.
Southwark
701 S. 4th St
Philadelphia, PA 19147
215.238.1888
Food: Tu-Th: 5.30p-10.30p
F-Sa: 5.30p-11.30p
Su: 11a-5p
Bar: Tu-Sa: 5p-2a
M: Closed
On the ground floor of the Cira Center, one of Philly's newest gleaming glass and steel skyscrapers, is a gem in and of itself. JG Domestic is Iron Chef Jose Garces' seventh and newest eatery in Philadelphia (he has one location in his hometown of Chicago as well), and his first farm-to-table spot. As firm believers in eating locally, we were thrilled to find JG Domestic's menu was fully domestic, with an emphasis on the mid-Atlantic region. Our trip to JG Domestic was back in November (backlog much?!), and while this place has had it's share of ink, here's our two cents…
The gigantic, airport waiting area-sized atrium in the Cira Center is a bit off-putting to say the least. It works as an entry to a gigantic office building, but for the entrance to a restaurant, it's kind of weird. We were seated right at the front of the space (in the first photo we were seated to the right of the entrance under the trellis) even though we had a reservation and the place had ample space on that Tuesday night. The rest of the space felt more like a standalone eatery, but where we were seated just felt plain strange. Our seating aside, the details in the space were great, from the different tones of wood down to the whole black peppercorns in the candle holders (pictured below) which gave off a very faint roasty smell.
We started off with a couple drinks. Picky had an old fashioned, which wasn't as spicy as he likes it. It wasn't watered down, but it tasted a bit weak. He has since forgotten the whiskey used, but he probably should have opted for the rye instead of the bourbon the server suggested. Messy enjoyed a lovely glass of Zinfandel.
From our seats, we gazed out on the Philly skyline through the large atrium's windows and dug into the freshly baked dinner rolls brought out in a piping hot cast-iron skillet. They had the delicate layers of a croissant, but the density of a nice loaf. We were off to a great start.
The little square of apple gelée (we think that's what it was) was a nice, little, not-too-sweet touch to the rolls.
The square cast iron pan was too cute.
Messy's course included cranberry bean soup with in-house chorizo (eaten by Picky), and brussels sprouts. The soup was surprisingly light, with flavors that were both delicate and intense.
Picky went for the pig trotters, which came with a chunky cranberry compote and Dijon spots to dip into. The trotters were reminiscent of an upscale scrapple, a local hearty pork meatloaf of sorts.
The servers gave us ample time to soak in our drinks while letting our minds wander about the following courses. Next up for Messy was some delicious kabocha squash with sautéed black kale, shaved sheep's milk cheese and candied squash seeds. Messy, who was dealing with some frustrating food allergy diagnoses at the time, was bummed to have to order such a seemingly boring dish. Squash and kale doesn't really do it for her. And yet, somehow, this dish was utterly phenomenal. And filling. She could eat it every single day if given the opportunity. And she'd like to be given the opportunity—Messy is a huuuuge Garces fan!
Then out came a wild boar rack, which was more like a giant Frenched chop, with mustard glaze and creamy maple grits. The boar's deep flavor melded well with the lump of house-made vinegary whole grain mustard. Forkfuls of delectable grits and garlicky greens quickly followed each other. Each plate was garnished with edible baby sprouts which added color—no clumps of useless parsley were in sight.
To finish up the night, we went back to the snack menu and ordered a bowl of phenomenal hickory-smoked pecans with maple and bacon, followed by a dessert titled simply "Bourbon." The pecans were the surprise hit of the entire meal. They were soft but not mushy, and packed with so many levels of flavor in each single nut. Savory brunoised bacon bits clung to the delicate folds of the pecan's sticky glaze. This bowl of pecans was the most incredible thing Picky ate in all of 2010. He was reduced to a series of "umms" and "aahhhs" and "this is [expletive] phenomenal" between hurried bites, as if scared our server would whisk it away when his back was turned.
"Bourbon" included New Orleans style beignets served with a vanilla mousseline—think thick, whipped, luscious ice cream—and a Maker's Mark butterscotch dipping sauce. The alcohol was most definitely forward on the palate, offering a sharp contrast to the creamy mousseline and warm beignets.
The large, airy space had plenty of open seats on the rainy, windy and cold Tuesday night when we ventured out, but word will surely get out quickly, so jump on a reservation before it's too late! If there's one person who can make this out-of-the-way location behind the overpass and 30th Street Station work, it's Philly's Iron Chef Garces (sorry, Chef Morimoto, but you're just not in town as much anymore; we miss you, come back!).
Messy ****1/2
Picky ****
The final word: Does Chef Garces and Co. have what it takes to get people to come to this odd location behind 30th Street Station for years to come? Yes. Yes. Yes.
First, a disclaimer: although we are a food blog, this post will not be about the food. Yes, the Philadelphia Belle does serve brunch, lunch, and dinner, but the food is not the point. The experience is what it's all about. Cruising up and down the Delaware with the Philly skyline in view is awesome. Just awesome. We were so excited when the good folks at Vault Communications invited us to participate in a blogger appreciation night on the Philadelphia Belle. Messy, in particular, loves being on the water in any capacity. (In fact, she spent half of our honeymoon trying to convince Picky to take a paddleboat ride with her. She did not succeed.)
The Philadelphia Belle is a big, beautiful riverboat. It's the largest vessel of this type on the East Coast, accomodating groups of 20 to 1,000. (Check out floor plans and more here.) It's available for rental for special occasions. It also hosts regular cruises, including brunch, lunch and dinner options, sightseeing tours, and a midnight cruise. There is also a cruise only option. Prices range from $27.95 – $74.90 depending on day/time/food selections
Messy can't wait for the boat to get moving!
We were given some open bar wristbands for the evening so Messy started off trying one of the Philadelphia Belle's specialty cocktails. It was a mix of elderberry liquor and sparkling wine. Messy found it too sweet, but really, she should have known better. All of the drinks on the menu leaned towards the sweet and tropical. Picky knew better and ordered a standard Grey Goose and cranberry juice. He kept the night going with some Macallan 10 (the only single malt on board) neat and Messy kept the night going with vino.
Dinner cruises include entertainment. We enjoyed the classic covers from this group.
Starter plate was the Italian Market Sampler featuring roasted tomatoes, olives, dry sausage, fresh mozzarella and basil; roasted red pepper hummus with toasted pita; Philly cheesesteak spring roll with spicy ketchup
Lobster bisque with tarragon crème fraiche.
Duck Confit paired with mission fig compote, Roquefort cheese and micro-greens.
Center-cut filet of beef accompanied with roasted asparagus, potato gratin and finished with a red wine demi-glaze.
Rosemary and lemon roasted chicken breast served with asparagus, toasted Parmesan mashed potatoes and thyme-scented chicken jus.
Dinner desserts
While many people on our dinner tour stayed inside to enjoy the music and the bar, we took our drinks up to the observation deck and enjoyed the crisp March air.
Of course, there happened to be a sweet sixteen party going on inside. That was definitely not our scene. Twovideos of the dancefloor action on the Belle from that evening.
