I hailed a cab from work at RTM in the pouring rain in late October to head to Bluecoat gin (by Philadelphia Distilling) sling: lemon, thyme infused simple syrup, sparkling mineral water and a big lemon slice; their take on a gin fizz. These were good. It had a nice tang to it with sugary sweetness. Landon and I had 3 or so of these by the end of the [long] night – they were so easy to drink.

But the gin fizzes weren't the only alcohol on tap for the night. We had a keg of Yards Brawler on tap with Yards brewer Tim Roberts pouring away. Tim was seated to my left with his lovely wife across from him. Every time our Bell Mason pint jars were about half empty, Tim would top them off and refill the pitcher. Our other tablemates Drew Lazor from City Paper and Foobooz himself, Art Etchells, were putting away pints as quickly as Tim could refill them. I think I had about 6 pints to go with my 3 gin fizzes. I was tanked when I got home even with all the food we downed.

There were some pickled cucumbers (full sours, bread & butter) tomatoes and beets on the tables for everyone to nosh on before the courses started pouring out. Landon previously did not like pickled beets or bread and butter pickles. After trying these he changed his mind about the beets but not the bread and butters. I'm picky about my pickles (duh) and the full sours were good and pickled tomatoes are something I've recently been introduced to and definitely like. Above, the chefs for the evening. From left to right: Chef Tim McGinnis, Chef Brian McManus and Chef Brad Jennings aka, the Baldy Fella (Tim told me to call you that!).

The first course was Suzuki Peruvian ceviche (black sea bass, citrus, tamari romesco sauce, rice cracker) served in one of those pho spoons. I took mine down in eager 2 bites, first with the cracker and then without. Ceviche is one of those things I'm now branching out into eating; I've recently vowed to eat more adventurously. Landon was a fan of the rich and oily spoonful.

Next up were Tempura green beans (blackening spice, cajun remoulade). Our table of 8 got 2 baskets and we ripped through them like drunks at a bar. They were good, but they had us wanting the versions at Grace Tavern or Prohibition Taproom. Landon suggested that if the spices were incorporated into the batter and not added afterwards, it might have changed his opinion. It should be noted that Landon is a frying maestro. He and his housemates hold an annual Fry Fest – I went this year, it was awesome.

The shrimp pho cocktail (Vietnamese court bouillon, tiger shrimp, Asian slaw, Thai basil, hoisin, peanut) was something I was really looking forward to as I had never had pho outside of a hole in the wall Vietnamese spot. I had my spot in NYC I used to go to and now I have my spot here in Philly. But a fancified version?! Landon thought the shrimp had a really wonderful flavor from the fennel rich broth that it was cooked in, but the peanut sauce was a little too much overwhelming the shrimp. I thought the sauce was a bit thick especially considering the portion. The noodles had a great heat to them.

Chefs Jennings and McGinnis slaving over a super hot grill top preparing the next course.

The next few dishes were a trio of sliders. The reuben (house-brined brisket, Sriracha 1,000 Island dressing, Gruyere, homemade rye) had me worried as it could've been the one thing I didn't want to eat since I'm not a fan of 1,000 Island dressing. Landon took a lick of the toothpick holding it together and, before taking a bite, thought it was a winner. He assured me I'd like it and the dressing was light. Grilled hard, the strong, flavorful rye held up well. The dressing was light and was barely noticeable as Landon promised – I think everyone had at least 2 (or 3).

Fiorella's sausage being grilled.

Our next slider was a Fiorella's sausage (fennel and fig mostada, taleggio, arugula, Parc baguette). Hunks of fig/fennel mostada and bunches of rocket filled out the slider. Landon liked building these little sandwiches, they had to give us at least a little something to prepare since we were sitting in the kitchen. He wishes that the fennel and fig mostarda lived in my fridge his home. I gotta agree, the fig and fennel mostada was great. I might not dislike fennel so much anymore.

The final slider was my favorite part of the meal lamb shoulder (lamb and veal demi-glace, Parc baguette). Afterwards, Landon said that the simple pairing of the lamb shoulder with tarrgon was unexpected and delicious and I couldn't agree more. These and the Brawlers just kept coming and they were really complimentary. Landon felt like one could perpetually eat these little guys so long as there was a fresh Brawler in hand, but alas that theory did not pan out as he passed out promptly after dinner. Messy can attest to me passing out promptly after arriving home as well – I think I had 3, maybe 4 of these? They'd come around with a little wooden cutting board full of sliders and egg us on to just have one, two, three more.

What's a polpo pizza(octopus, marinara sauce, Claudio's smoked mozzarella) I wondered when I initially read over the menu, and then there it was. I'm not a big fan of octopus but this marked the second time this year I'd had it. Landon would've opted for simply having the chunks of octopus and smoked Claudio's; I would've opted for everything but the octopus. Unless it's cooked just a certain way, I just can't get into it. I'm also not the biggest fan of pizza that's not simply by the slice, but this was good. Claudio's has Messy and Picky's favorite mozzarella in the land.

And for dessert – what? Dessert?! – was Stock's pound cake with pear and mint applesauce and Capogiro's Fior di Latte gelato [Milk gelato. Milk from an Amish family's single herd of hormone free, grass fed in Lancaster County. Crazy good.]. Stock's is a bakery in the NE and, apparently, they have the goods when it comes to pound cake. It was heavy, but not too buttery. Landon thought it was good but after a meal that inspired several references to "just one mint, it's waaaafer thin," pound cake, gelato, seriously. His taste buds and stomach were worn out – too stuffed to appreciate dessert even though he ate all of it. Growing up in a family that owned a Carvel ice cream store, I always have room for ice cream. I downed it, but was also feeling the heft of the entire meal.

We thought that was it, but there was one more treat. Apparently, Market Cafe is also a PKS user and they left a big tray of their caleles for us to enjoy with our meal. I had heard about these for some time. Some of the other diners hadn't heard of them. I've had the ones Metropolitan Bakery makes which are lovely, but these were that much better. Smaller, denser, with more of a crust to them. The creamy center makes you contemplate your life pre-canele for a bit.

I can't thank Tim, Brian and Brad and their crew of significant others and friends who rounded out the crew for having us. Tim mentioned that they're thinking of doing more of these tasting menu events in the future – perhaps even an all veg affair!

The good people at Gloss PR invited us out to a media tasting dinner at the new-ish eatery inside the big ugly pink building (a.k.a. Symphony House) that blocks the view of the lovely Drake building from our apartment, du jour. A transplant from the 'burbs (Haverford) since September of last year, they already have plans to open a second Center City spot at Commerce Square this spring.

The interior feels sort of like a Cosi or other Starbucks-esque lunch chain. Minimalist modern with lots of reflective surfaces and hard lines. We were lucky enough to taste a special six course, eight dish (meaty) tasting menu (sorry, no photos of the food). Dinner is a new thing for du jour, which is normally a lunch/catering spot. This dinner was set up to help spread the word of their evening offerings. We sat down with GlossPR's Sheila Sheridan and talked the night away while Corie Moskow was busily buzzing around saying a few words to everyone there. Sheila was a delight to talk to and we even pointed her to a few new-to-her spots in town including a favorite of ours: Franklin Fountain.

First up was a small cream crock which was filled with roasted butternut squash soup with apple fennel slaw. Picky found the tiny serving size annoying compounded by the slivers of apple fennel slaw getting in the way. Messy, who is actually picky when it comes to squash dishes, absolutely loved this soup and found the tangy apple slaw to be a perfect accompaniment. The soup was nicely nutty-sweet and not too thick.

The second course had Picky's favorite for the night: seared ahi tuna tacos with guacamole, radish and salsa verde. Small, thick, 3" tortillas were decorated with all of the above. A perfect appetizer to leave you wanting more. Unfortunately, the Jamaican jerk wings with rum pineapple glaze, mango salsa and avocado dipping sauce had nothing to do with any Jamaican jerk seasoning Picky has ever had. It wasn't spicy at all – perhaps a nod to suburban tastes. If anything, it was too sweet with the glaze and mango salsa accompaniment. A simple skinless fried chicken would've done better.

Third course was a pair of flatbread pizzas — one mushroom goat cheese and one Greek chicken. Messy happily gobbled up more than her fair share of the tasty snacks. Picky, on the other hand, doesn't understand the flatbread craze, and found these pizzas to be nothing to write home about. But his very picky New York born-and-bred pizza standards are probably to blame.

Course number four was wasabi crusted salmon with coconut jasmine rice and wok seared veggies. In general, we just don't eat fish. Picky will have the occasional spicy tuna roll, but for the most part, nadda. Picky picked at the salmon which seemed to taste a little thick. Messy tore into the jasmine rice which she found particularly delicious — it could probably stand as a dish on its own. Picky agreed that the rice was a shining spot of the meal. It was juicy without being soggy with a nice balance of veggies mixed into the fray.

The big meat dish was a roasted pork tenderloin with herb cruzted spaetzle, swiss chard and a spiced apple jam. Picky found the tenderloin overcooked and chewy. It sat, unappealingly, at the bottom of a steep bowl with overcooked chard. We both found this dish to be a little strange underwhelming. Finally, the meal was finished with two small scoops of Capogiro gelato and sorbetto, a favorite of ours.

du jour's location on the south end of Avenue of the Arts puts it in touch with thousands of diners each week looking for good eats close by. While people coming into town from the 'burbs may flock to it seeing a familiar eatery, urban passers-by might steer clear for the same reasons. Not to say this spot doesn't have potential, though. The Symphony House location was due to close ties to real estate magnate Carl Dranoff who is a regular at the original Haverford location (which opened its doors in 2000). He brought du jour to the city. Whether or not du jour makes any changes behind the counter to cater to a different palate will be seen in the months to come; perhaps at Commerce Square?

At the very least, du jour offers up plenty of eye candy. The dishes should be pretty consistent as well given their catering background. We did get the vibe that it's primarily a lunch spot, though, and some of the sandwich options behind the deli counter looked like they were well worth a try.

du jour Symphony House
440 S Broad St
Philadelphia, PA 19146
(215) 735-8010
Mon – Fri: 7am – 9pm
Sat: 8am – 9pm
Sun: 9am – 9pm

We were greeted at the host stand and immediately led to our table on the south side of the floor. As we walked through the space, we felt the warm details of the establishment come through. Warm red wood everywhere. A nice level of noise to let you know you're somewhere people want to be, but it never rose to an annoying din. We were comfortably dressed, but just like 95% of Philly's restaurants, this place was pretension-free and anybody would be fine in jeans. We settled at our table which was a few tables over from the cheese prep station in the middle of the main seating area.

Our greeter was still crisply dressed towards the end of the night and was quite helpful in navigating the delicious menu. He refilled our quickly emptied bread tray and patiently told us what each slice of bread was — the slightly buttery foccacia was the best!

Here you can see Messy reaching for one of Osteria's old-timey olive oil tins which you can, if you feel so inclined, purchase from Osteria here for $16. You can complete the pre-dinner bread experience with a bread basket as well. You're gonna have to click through for the jaw dropping price.

We picked out the baked asiago and fontina cheese with accoutrement. What was in the accoutrement? Some sprouts, jams and sour cream. It was a deliciously oily, if small, starter which had us literally licking our fingers in anticipation for our main courses.

Messy's "doppio ravioli" double ravioli ($16) was perfect. Each delicate piece simply dissolved on the tongue. The ravioli was listed in the primi section of the five part menu so it was a small portion that left her wanting more. Warning to vegetarians: Osteria is not a place for you. Messy enjoyed the experience and vibe of the restaurant, but there wasn't really much on the menu that could create a fully-satisfying meal out for a non-meateater. There were some vegetarian pizza options, but with the mouth-watering array of meats, Picky was not about to settle for a vegetable-based pizza.

For the carnivores, however, Osteria is pretty close to heaven. Picky's "casoelua" braised pork ribs and black pepper sausage with cabbage ($24) was divine and quite the portion too — a secondi portion with the flavors to go with it. The pork ribs gladly slid off the bone to be mixed with a string of flavorful stewed cabbage. The slices of sausage were juicy almost to a fault, but in a good way. Picky was stunned silent by the dish.

Picky's bowl of pork looming large over Messy's delicate ravioli.

When ordering at Osteria, please take into account that the portions are doled out with the expectation that the patron will be having a solid four or five course meal. Plates from the primi section won't be enough for a hungry diner on a budget. Pizzas are made to be ordered aplenty and shared with friends. Osteria's menu changes seasonally as they rely on some wonderful local sources for veggies, fresh dairy and eggs and pork.

After our delicious meal, we opted for some coffee and tea. Messy was game for dessert, but Picky is a dessert traditionalist and didn't feel adventurous enough for Osteria's exotic conconctions. Coffee was by Moka d'Oro. The ($2) tea was unfortunately your average bagged Twinnings. But it should be noted that Picky got a full pot of hot water with which to steep his tea. Taking our time before heading into the December cold, Picky helped himself to two large cups and soaked in a bit more warmth from the space. Osteria was a nice way to cap off a delicious meal and fill our bellies with some warmth before heading out into the cold once again.

Messy ***
Picky ****

Messy's note: Clearly, this is a really great restaurant — maybe one of the best in Philadelphia. I want to give it some props, but as a vegetarian, it sadly left me wanting. I'll have to return with someone who wants to share a pizza.

The final word: A meat-eater's paradise.

Osteria
640 North Broad Street
(215) 763-0920
Dinner:
Sun – Wed: 5pm – 10pm
Thur – Sat: 5pm – 11pm
Lunch:
Thur – Fri: 11:30am – 2pm

Picky wanted to finally head to a place that he's heard people rave about and read about for several years. We just never got around to heading over there while we were still in NY and always forgot to head there when we go back since we have our own pizza spots we like.

Joe's Pizza at 6th Ave and Carmine St has a nice slice.

The 2 [plain] slices we got were a tad overcooked with the crust charred, but it was nice, thin and crispy with a good cheese to sauce ratio and a nice crust.

The slice with the circles of mozzarella was cold (what's up with that?), but it was really good. Picky's favorite spot to get a slice in the city is at Ben's on Spring St & Thompson St in SoHo – it was a few blocks from his old office and was a consistently great slice (especially the Sicilian). He brought Messy there on at least one occasion and she did not like the slices they had there. The 3 slices were $7.

For a snack, we stumbled upon Amy's Bread in the Village. We initially wanted some Italian treats at Rocco's across the street, but the people behind the counter never came over to us so we headed across the street. While we were eating our treats, we were filmed by The Food Network who were filming footage for The Next Food Network Star so keep your eyes out! Who knows if we'll make the final 1 second cut.

Picky munched away on a black and white cupcake. The fancy paper wrapper was a challenge to get off, but it was worth it. The cupcake was nice and moist with a very thick and creamy icing.

Messy quickly picked out the coconut dream bar. She liked it more than the 'junk in the trunk' bar that Naked Chocolate Cafe offers, particularly because Amy's didn't have any nuts in it. The 2 snacks totaled just over $5.

It was a good eats day.

LA CIGALE
113 S 18th St
(215) 569-1970
La Cigale was always my favorite place to go to reward myself. When the CityPaper asked me to write something for culture shock, La Cigale was the first thing I thought of. (Okay, that's a lie — the first thing I thought of was the terrible television shows I love to consume, but then I thought about what I wanted appearing in print next to my name and went with La Cigale instead.) I love the environment, there's always sort of jazzy music playing and pretty French girls who make a mean panini. There are two paninis that I could never get enough of – the St. Tropez (mozzarella, tomato and basil pesto) and the Golf Juan (brie, tomato and tomato paste). The soup and 1/2 sandwich combo is so good, particularly when the soup is tomato-cheddar or something creamy like that. It never seems to be crowded here at lunch time, but if it is, there is seating upstairs where you can hang out and drink coffee for hours, if you wish.

KENNEDY FOOD GARDEN
1901 John F Kennedy Blvd
(215) 977-9655
This might sound weird, but Kennedy Food Garden (essentially an expanded convenience store on the ground floor of a residential building) makes some of the best sandwiches in Philadelphia. If you have coworkers with similar food tastes, it's a good idea to split a sandwich here. The sandwiches are huge, and they're not that great left over. My favorites are the health sandwich and the barbecued vegetarian cheesesteak. The health sandwich (which is probably not all that healthy, but is definitely delicious!) is an overstuffed sour dough hoagie containing romaine lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers, avocados, sprouts, feta cheese, and in my case, lots and lots of mayo — oh my God, is it good. Another favorite option here is the brie and herb sandwich (which comes with cucumber, romaine, tomatoes and olive oil on a baguette) but you have to really like brie or else you will end up talking at least half of it off. This place can get a little hectic around lunch time, and I don't recommend eating in if you prefer a tranquil atmosphere. However, they do cater, and while I never sampled their catering, I would recommend it based on their sandwiches alone.

LE BUS
135 S 18th St
(215) 569-8299
Le Bus also makes some of the best sandwiches in Philly, but whereas Kennedy Food Garden serves up overstuffed hoagie-type sandwiches, Le Bus has more of the artisan variety. These are still big enough for two meals, and the ones I get are around $6. My absolute favorites here are the Lebanon sandwich and the chilled mango soup. The farmer's breakfast sandwich is also really good. The cons about Le Bus are that it gets really hot in the summertime, it's usually crowded, and there is no seating. One tip: no matter what sandwich you get, and how strange it seems, ask to get it toasted. I had a couple of sandwiches at Le Bus that I found unimpressive until someone in front of me in line turned me on to toasting. They just toast things a teeny bit, so the bread gets a little crunchy and the cheese starts to get a tiny bit melty, yet somehow, the things that are supposed to be crisp and cool remain that way. Even though I don't eat chicken, the curried chicken salad on raisin bread here makes my mouth water. Someone, please eat it and think of me!

DI BRUNO BROS.
1730 Chestnut St
(215) 665-9220
You have to be careful at Di Bruno's because it's not cheap. It is however, really good, and there are all kinds of samples if you go at the right time. I always try to hit Di Bruno's a little early, because the lunch crowds can get insane and people totally gobble up the cheese samples and sometimes they are not replaced later. The sandwiches available at the deli counter are delicious and even though they cost about $7 a piece, I always turn them into two meals. The upstairs prepared food is also heavenly, particularly the house of cheese panini, the hummus and the bruschetta. I haven't had as good luck with the upstairs salad bar or the soups. Also, the downstairs prepackaged salads and wraps are nothing to write home about. However, it's always fun to stop in just to look around at all the fancy foods and try some cheese or olive oil.

TAMPOPO
104 S 21st St
(215) 557-9593
Tampopo's bento box is the honestly the best healthy but still filling lunch option around. It really blows other Japanese restaurants out of the water. We've reviewed Tampopo and Tampopo II before — and I can guarantee, they are both worth it. Once in a long while, I get a hankering for a vegetable (a strange break from my normal 24/7 craving for all things bread and cheese related) and on those rare occasions, a noodle-y-vegetable-y dish from Tampopo is just what the doctor ordered.

THE WRAP SHACK ON THE SQUARE
120 S 18th St
(215) 569-1666
The new, fancy Wrap Shack is quite different from the original Wrap Shack. I only spent a few months working in proximity to the new Wrap Shack and during that time, I felt obligated to try all of the vegetarian wraps. I ended up with three favorites: the Thai peanut popper, the Bean Burrito and the Pizzabella. The Pizzabella (portabella mushrooms, pizza sauce and cheese) was an extra favorite for me – I would order it on a spinach wrap, and it would satisfy my pizza cravings while simultaneously providing me with the vegetables I usually avoid. I don't recommend the salads here, I got one once and it was heavy on the lettuce and light on everything else (however, if you can't tell by now, I am a vegetarian with an anti-vegetable bias). Also, the service was kind of hit or miss, but I chalk that up to working out the original kinks of opening up the new location.

TOKYO LUNCH BOX
1705 Chestnut St
(215) 564-3306
This place is not amazing by any means, but there is one item I always order when it's cold or rainy or I don't feel well: the tofu soup with the udon noodles. It costs about $6, and is huge and chocked full of spinach, mushrooms, tofu and scallions. Make sure to ask for the red spice at the check out counter, otherwise it's kind of bland. My only complaint is that the soup is never hot enough. I used to always have to take it back to work and nuke it. The rolls at this place are okay, but they are actually better at the fresh sushi place inside Liberty Place. I can't really speak for anything else here, but man, that soup. . . I miss it.

HOT TAMALES
1805 John F Kennedy Blvd
(215) 557-9009
Many times in the last three years, I had less than five dollars in my pocket, and these were the times I would head to Hot Tamales. If you are looking for authentic Mexican food, head elsewhere (this place rocks a BLT burrito!). But if you need something cheap and fast and filling, there aren't too many options like this one. I always get the refried bean burrito or the hummus burrito. The lines can be really long at peak lunch hours, but they usually move quickly, so know what you want before you get to the counter. Also, there is a guy who works there who has the coolest voice, it is like it was made for calling out orders: "Two beef tacos, side of guac to go!"

LEON'S LUNCH CART
18th & Chestnut Sts
Leon's lunch cart is on the northeast corner of 18th and Chestnut. I understand lunch carts are very specific and people develop unshakeable lunch cart loyalties. I am loyal to Leon, and his (presumably?) father and daughter who are so fast and friendly and make coffee just how I like it. I tended to go to Leon for breakfast rather than lunch, as lunch carts aren't usually bastions of vegetarian options, but over the last few years I have consumed about a million cheese hoagies from Leon and I've never been disappointed. Across the street on the northwest corner of 18th and Chestnut is a great fruit salad cart. The fruit has always been fresh every time I've had it, but I will be honest in admitting that I tend to go for gooey egg sandwiches over fruit salads pretty much every time I have the chance.

Messy had read about this vegetarian and vegan friendly Italian restaurant in a free magazine at the gym, so we decided to go one Friday night. We walked in and were greeted by a cheery maitre d' who asked if we had a reservation. We didn't, but it was no problem. He also asked to take our coats. We weren't used to this request and chose to take our coats to our table. He then asked our preference of menus: vegetarian/vegan or regular and we chose one of each. We were lead upstairs to a large dining room which was outfitted with a gas fireplace and disco/party lights which were not in use (it looks like one can rent out that room for parties).

We were seated in a cozy table next to the fireplace. There was a cute family with young children seated next to us. They happily gobbled down their food (they have a kids menu with about six different choices) and excitedly yapped about going to Starbucks for dessert afterwards. We opted to order off the grown up's menu which was presented in a nice silver metal binder. We were told that they were just about to overhaul the menu due to the success of the veggie/vegan options on the current menu, but when we went back last week that change had not yet taken place.

The service was outstanding. Our server and two assistants were attentive while giving us enough time to enjoy our meal. However, they did mess up our bread which came with straight balsamic instead of olive oil with a splash of balsamic infusion. We thought they must have realized their mistake because they gave us an extra serving of bread, which we had not asked for, with the right balance of oil and vinegar. But when we went back for a second time, we got two servings of bread as well, so maybe it was just a fluke. Also, the second time we were there, our server accidentally gave a non-vegan meal to our vegan friend, but she noticed her mistake before any harm was done.

We had a vegetarian antipasto which came with fried mozzarella balls in marinara sauce, ricotta cheese ravioli in a mushroom cream sauce with peas, diced honeydew and canteloupe and strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. All very good.

Picky had the lobster ravioli carbonara with wild mushrooms, peas, prosciutto, parmasean, lump crabmeat in a cream sauce. There were more than enough ravioli to fill him up, no worries about skimping on the good stuff. For our second visit, he tried the penne a la vodka, a very simple favorite of Picky's right up there with gnocchi a la vodka (just about anything slathered in creamy vodka sauce will do actually). It was in just as heaping a serving as expected from our first visit, but he did not fail to gobble it all up along with an ample dose of freshly shredded parm. Along with the parm our server brought out, we were also given a small dish of hot pepper flakes (like the ones that you put on pizza), but nobody touched those.

Messy had a hard time deciding among all of the vegetarian options. She settled on a "chicken" penne dish with spinach, artichokes, mushrooms, garlic in an alfredo sauce. The portion was big enough for a family of four and it was very tasty. For our second visit, she tried the vegetarian chicken parmesan which was also yummy although not as plentiful as the penne.

The only disappointing part of our meal was dessert. The tiramisu was small for its $7 pricetag and something about it just tasted… off. The dessert also came with some strawberries, raspberries and bluberries sprinkled on the side. The next time we visited, our dessert was also kind of weird: a brownie baked in a muffin tin. Maybe the family next to us knew about the not-so-hot desserts when they excitedly headed to Starbucks instead.

On our way out, it was about time for the neighborhoodies to come out to the bar downstairs. It was packed with South Philly hipsters starting off their night. We were just passing through, but it looked like a pretty cool area with pool tables and the Violent Femmes pumping through the speakers.

Messy ****
Picky ***1/2

The final word: Great faux meat options in a classy setting.

Vesuvio Restaurant
736 South 8th St @ Fitzwater
(215) 922-8380
Tue – Thu: 5pm-10pm
Fri – Sat: 5pm-11pm
Sun: 10am-2pm, 5pm-9pm

We went to La Fourno on a particularly cold night, and we were immediately warmed up by a brick oven hard at work. Our friendly hostess lead us past a large counter with tons of pizzas into the rear portion of the dining room which was very cozy — intimate, even! — with barely any lighting aside from candlelight bouncing off of the exposed brick walls.

The first thing we noticed about the menu was the lobster ravioli special, listed as "It don't get better than this." We took them at their word and didn't order any of it. We did, however, order an appetizer off the special menu: the farinatta bread, which was a hard (not quite biscotti-textured) chickpea flour bread. It came with roasted red peppers and sharp Italian cheese. We both pronounced it "interesting" but not excellent. We also got a basic salad with each of our meals, which comes with only the choice of oil and balsamic vinegar dressing.

Picky ordered the chicken valdostana which was stuffed with yummy delights, including prosciutto. Messy had the gnocchi gorgonzola, which came in a humongous portion. Messy unwisely ate all of it, save for a few bites by Picky, and suffered from severe agita afterwards. It was tasty, but Messy isn't the biggest fan of gnocchi, although she is a huge fan of gorgonzola (Picky loves gnocchi!).

Our meal was supplemented by a gift certificate from 12th St Gym when Messy re-joined for a year using Picky as a referral – they give out dinner for two vouchers with each referral. But you won't need to worry about cost too much, everything is reasonably priced. Our entrees combined were under $30.

Messy ****
Picky ****

The final word: Cozy, yummy Italian food in the middle of a bustling South Street block.

La Fourno
636 South St
Philadelphia, PA
(215) 627-9000
Mon – Thur: 11.30am – 10pm
Fri – Sat: 11.30am – 11pm
Sun: 12.30pm – 10pm

Although we have had pretty good experiences with Pine Street Pizza, there is one major disappointment: there are no single slices. A small pie, which costs $5.75, is slightly bigger than a Pizza Hut personal pan pizza. They come with six small slices, roughly equal to two and a half "real" slices. The pizza is thick, and Greek-style, with crust that tastes almost like French bread. It's a good balance of mozz and sauce, but still too thick and chewy for Picky's liking.

Also on the menu are other Greek specialities like souvlaki and gyros. Picky went for a gyro, which he found to be nice and overstuffed, served in tin foil wrapper. He found it to be quite good, with plenty of shredded lettuce and diced fresh tomatos as well as a nice helping of sliced beef and yogurt sauce, and, for a twist, sliced pickles which was new to him and not a good, but not a bad combo.

Two other important facts about Pine Street Pizza: it's open until midnight, which is pretty late for the neighborhood, there are always cops in there. Always. Like four officers every thirty minutes.

And how large are the small pies? Below is a photo with a CD for reference:

Messy: ***
Picky: ***

The final word: Decent Greek pizza open til midnight, with lots of security.

12th St & Pine St
7 Days 11am – Midnight
Delivery to 11.20pm
215-922-2526

First off, we gotta say that Lazaro's slices are huuuuge, even by our standards. They're also pretty tasty: our only complaint is that the sauce is way too sweet. But otherwise, the pizza is very good, especially for Philadelphia.

All size pies have eight slices. A small plain [read: cheese] starts at $6.50 and gourmet pies start at $8. The first tier gourmet pies include the BBQ Grilled Chicken, Eggplant & Tomato and Hawaiian [Pineapple & Ham]. We haven't had any of their gourmet pizzas, nor their calzones or other offerings which include six vegetarian sandwiches, four of which are slightly different variations of the veggie burger, but we have been back twice for their plain slice– which says a lot for us. Of course, we were really, really hungry both times. We'll have to give Lazaro's a try sometime on a fuller stomach.

Picky would put Lazaro's right up there with NYPD's and Two Red Boots's slices. Lazaro's is not really a destination– if you order, order takeout as there are only a few stools to sit on inside. Picky would like to amend this post and say that he's had enough of this sweet sauce after a couple trips. For the first couple of bites, it's good, then the sweetness is just too much, no amount of garlic powder can help. NYPD is king!

Messy ***
Picky * 1/2

The final word: Big, sweet slices.

1743 South St
Philadelphia, PA
(215) 545-2775
Mon – Th: 11am – 10.30pm
Fri – Sat: 11am – 11.30pm
Sun: Noon – 9.30pm

One of very few gourmet [brick oven] pizza places to earn the seal of approval from Picky, a bona fide pizza snob. With assorted toppings to choose from including, but not limited to: anchovies, arugala, goat cheese, kalamata olives, proscuitto and roasted zucchini. After much deliberation, we settled on roma tomatoes, ricotta and spinach. There is surely something to please everyone.

The desserts were small, by our fatso-American standards, but delectable nonetheless. Picky has sampled their calzones which are both very gigantic and rather pricey, and they were out of proscuitto which he was craving. Messy loved thier Insalata Siciliana which consisted of mixed greens with fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers kalamata olives, capers, anchovies, carrots, grape tomatoes and artichokes, tossed with house dressing – big enough to share.

Pietro's has two locations, one on South and Front Sts and one on 17^th and Walnut Sts, we dined at the Walnut St establishment, but we're sure the South St location is full of flavor as well. They even have a spot in Marlton, so if you're craving some good eats on your way to the shore or can't wait until you get back to Philly, stop on in over there.

Messy ***1/2
Picky ***

The final word: Picky's first decent slice of pizza in Philly!

Pietro's Coal Oven Pizzeria Restaurant
1714 Walnut St
Philadelphia, PA
11am-midnight