2015- Our list

As this year winds down it seems only customary to keep up with the Jones’ of culinary critiques and diaries; that is, write an entry that reviews our experiences this year.  Rather than a “Top 10” countdown or a review of all our ventures, we decided to make a list to outline 2015 and maybe lend suggestions for places to visit or avoid.  So, here it goes.

Favorite new restaurant:  Abe Fisher, Center City

-innovative dishes with amazing flavors mean even we can’t deny this Solomon gem is the real deal. Our dislike for the over-rated Zahav is completely overpowered by our adoration for Abe Fisher. 

Hungarian duck at Abe Fisher

Favorite overall experience:  Alinea, Chicago, IL

-Utilizes science and mind-blowing techniques to prepare its courses which can change nightly.

Biggest disappointment:  El Poquito, Chestnut Hill

-Slow service and underwhelming flavors combine for a bad combo that the margaritas couldn't fix.

Favorite dish:  What the duck:  Hungarian duck, Abe Fisher, Center City & Duck breast at Meat & Potatoes, Pittsburgh, PA

-Since Rob didn’t get to have the Meat and Potatoes duck, it seemed unfair to pick one over the other of these two dishes. Not sure what was on the Chinese calendar for this year, but for the Gregorian calendar, this past year was most definitely the year of the duck.

Favorite lunch spot:  Dizengoff, Center City

-Some of the best hummus anywhere at a reasonable price.

Favorite dessert:  Key lime pie, Blue Heaven, Key West, FL & Dessert Finale, Alinea, Chicago, IL

-Another tie, the key lime pie is consistent every year.  As for Alinea, the dessert on the entire table says it all.

Favorite food for value:  Zwickl, Munich, Germany

-We stumbled upon this bistro in the Viktualienmarkt that serves outstanding authentic Bavarian food at a reasonable price.

Favorite new sandwich:  Cubano Mix, Sandy’s Cafe, Key West, FL

-The ham and pork combo will melt in your mouth.  Chase down the sandwich with a cafe con leche.

Not worth the money:  Stella Blue, West Conshohocken, PA

-This place is literally 2 blocks from our house but its menu cannot compare with any eateries in the city.

Most unique item:  Green apple helium balloon, Alinea, Chicago, IL

-Fun meets delicious in this dish. And you even get the high pitched helium voice for a little while.

Not worth the hype:  Pizzeria Vetri, Fairmount

-Going back here for a second time during our pizza challenge showed that some places just don't hold up with time. Looking back, the only word we can use to describe this place now is ‘lazy.’

Favorite beer selection:  Victory Brewery, Downingtown, PA

-The brewery offers over twice the amount of Victory beers you typically find in stores and bars; and growler fills are way cheap.

Favorite cocktail:   Blood of the kapu tiki, Three Dots and a Dash, Chicago, IL

-A tropical drink in a pirate ship meant to be shared with 4 people.

Favorite coffee house:  Volo Cafe, Manayunk

-In the middle of Main Street, La Colombe coffee and homemade pastries.

Still going strong:  Noord Eetcafe, East Passyunk

-A fav. Never had a disappointing meal here. 

Barbara's- Ewing, NJ

As a child of Hungarian parents and immediate family, I grew up eating home-cooked Hungarian  meals.  There was never enough paprika in the house.  Goulash, paprikas and palachinta, reigned on at least a monthly (if not weekly) basis.  While I may have taken some of these pleasures for granted as a child, as an adult I have come to have a fuller appreciation of my roots and the culture I come from.   These days there are not many Hungarian communities in the United States, and because of that the food is hard to find especially in Philadelphia.  As a child, I remember eating Hungarian in Montreal; Stowe, Vermont (random); and an old “Hungarian Club” in Northeast Philadelphia.  That was about it.  Fast forward nearly 20 years and there is still no Hungarian restaurant in the Philadelphia area.  There are Hungarian dishes on local menus, and some of them certainly deserve some praise. Bauhaus Schmitz has a tasty goulash while Abe Fisher’s Hungarian duck is the best duck I’ve ever tried.  However the search for a purely Hungarian comfort-food restaurant in and around Philadelphia has been met with continuous futility.  Coming from a culture that is recognized so little and with no true familiarity in the US, this makes finding places that much more special. Sure everyone knows what goulash is, and many people think they have even tried a true traditional one. But real, unique magyar food deserves a chance at the spotlight too.  

New Brunswick, NJ has one of the most active Hungarian communities on the east coast.  However, the number and quality of Hungarian markets and eateries diminished into obscurity over the last 20 years.  Local churches and clubs open their kitchens during the Hungarian Festival in June. If we are lucky, the entire Rajczy clan heads up together to enjoy an important part of our history and culture every year.  And maybe imbibe in some Hungarian liquors that are hard to find anywhere else. There is a Hungarian restaurant in neighboring Woodbridge but that basically rounds out that area.  However,in order to enjoy some soulful Hungarian we actually traveled to Ewing, NJ, about an hour and change north of Center City.  Located a couple miles off Interstate 95 is Barbara’s.  This is an unassuming BYO Hungarian eatery located in the midst of a strip mall.  We opted to check this out on a recent Saturday trip to New Jersey.

Once inside the establishment you can easily tell this is family-owned and run.  There are simple organized clean tables with traditional Hungarian wall decorations, including embroidered napkins, shirts, and family photos of the owners at important Hungarian landmarks There is nothing flashy or cluttered. This couple is trying to simply bring their food and lives to their neighborhood simply and in the tastiest way possible through the food rather than the decor.

The menu is straight-up Hungarian favorites.  Variations of paprikas included traditional chicken, beef or pork.  Magyar goulas was on the top of the list but other menu options included stuffed cabbage, stuffed peppers and breaded chicken and pork cutlets.  I opted for the goulash while Cassie tried the pork paprikas.  The goulas came out piping hot.  The broth was beefy but still harnessed the bright red of fresh paprika.  (Note that most goulash in non-authentic Hungarian restaurants rely more on a thicker beefier broth.  This can be a tasty spin but authentic Hungarian goulash is a soup not a stew and its natural color is red not brown.)   Cassie ordered pork paprikas which was perfectly porky and tender.  Their paprikas was thick and the pork cut in the traditional cubes. This was overtop nokedli (Hungarian version of spaetzle) For a quick dessert we split a palachinta, a traditional dessert similar to a crepe with various filling options and powdered sugar.  Their options for filling were peach (our choice) or cheese.  Yes, traditional palatinata is usually served with cheese curds or cottage cheese.   However, this cheese typically has a sweeter taste. 

Magyar Goulas

Pork Paprikas

Barbara’s was a split-decision stop for lunch on the busy Saturday before Christmas.  The restaurant is simple with its comfort food and modest prices.  It’s a great opportunity to glimpse at a food culture that thrives on flavors from simple ingredients and spices.  It’s also a great option for Hungarian not too far from a region that has been deprived of such an experience.

Ella's Bistro- Devon, PA

The farm to table movement is certainly sweeping the nation. And like any other foodies, we take this very seriously. We share an opinion that in order to take this movement seriously, you should actually find out where your food is coming from. If you take the time to find out, the result may pleasantly surprise you. The reaction you inevitably get is one of enthusiasm and knowledge from your server who, if doing his or her job right, is up to all the rigs when it comes to the food being prepared in the kitchen. Ella’s was no exception to this. This ability to find out where your food is coming from and the potential to pursue it on your own is what makes this movement so great. You have a cheese you love, ask where it is from and maybe you can go get it yourself to enjoy in your own home. Find an excellent cut of grass fed beef? Look at the website of the farm and maybe you can find a local farmer’s market they participate with on the weekends. Without this, what is the point of farm to table? The self congratulation of knowing you support local farmers with little effort? Where is the fun in that?

Now that I am done with that, let’s talk about this restaurant. As I already stated, a knowledgable and helpful staff certainly helps with a nice start to the evening. Subtly furnished in a “country chic” style the main dining room was bright and simple with the main detail being various different and intricate chandeliers. A good wine list with some wines from a local favorite, Stone & Key Winery, and old world and new world mixture. A small list of local beers and some cocktails round out the drinks. 

We had previously decided on a cheese board to start and only hesitated slightly at the appeal of potato gnocchi with foie gras and veal meatballs. This only lasted briefly, however, as we knew the cheeses to be made locally and our interest was peaked. While the cheeses were not the best we ever had, they were incredibly well balanced on the board being a hard sheep and cow, a hard goat, a nice mild brie, and a strong blue. Paired with honey and a blueberry/cranberry compote, we were able to see the potential in the cheeses, especially the blue and the goat cheese. 

Entrees were a little more difficult to decide, and we ended up going with the braised short ribs with pasta and mushrooms and the duck with fingerling potatoes and greens. The braised short rib is no small piece of meat. Well braised with a mushroom based sauce it melts in your mouth. The mushrooms are excellent and the pasta is nice and thick with plenty of flavor on its own. A great dish, but not for the faint of heart.  The duck breast, by contrast, did not exactly melt in your mouth.  The suggested serving was medium rare and contained all the beloved flavors of pan seared duck.  However, like many other duck experiences, the meat was chewy and required precise dissection around fat and connective tissue.  This proved to be a near impossible task.  

Braised Short Rib

Seared Duck Breast

Duck Egg Crem Brulee

For dessert we got the banana and almond bread pudding with salted caramel and buttermilk ice cream and duck egg creme brûlée. The bread pudding was nice with the almonds being finely shredded in the pudding rather than using amaretto for the flavor. 

The Main Line suburbs of Philadelphia has been scrutinized for a lack trendy, memorable eateries with character in their cuisine, drink and overall atmosphere.  Over the past four years we have been disappointed at many stops out here (White Dog Cafe, Nectar in Berwyn) but also walked away fulfilled and excited to return (Fraschetta in Bryn Mawr- easily some of the best Italian food anywhere).  Ella’s is a solid restaurant for any location but as a suburban farm-to-table, it is a welcome addition to the (short) list of excellent Main Line dining.

Philly Pizza- An Update

Lorenzo’s

I am ashamed to say I lived in Center City for 4 years without even hearing of this place let alone going there. On 4th and South there lies a place where all slices are cheese only, 3 bucks, cash only, and strict rules apply to the “in” and “out” doors. Such a place sounds like it only exists in the land of Happily Ever After, but alas, its true. And the slices are about as big as two plates side by side. Greasy cheesy goodness on a thin crust with no pretentions to gourmet. This is the epitome of drunk food; if you don’t get kicked out for not following the rules, that is. 

In Riva-again 

It comes as a surprise to us all that it has taken over 6 months for us to go back to In Riva for another go at the pizza. Before I continue, let me just say that In Riva does other things on its menu very well including the vasi and the pasta. We just never bother with these things when the pizza mood strikes. Going back we insisted on trying new pizzas. We did the spicy ham, a pizza that, while on the menu all the time, seems to always fly below the radar for us. And our second choice bianco verde, appears to be on the newer side of the menu. The spicy ham has their fabulous red sauce with well baked ham and pickled chilis. The chilis bring the heat without being excessive. The red sauce… well it just goes without saying. Bianco verde is a goat cheese pizza with arugula, onion, almond, and some lovely lemon olive oil. You would think that the goat cheese overpowers the other flavors, but not true and we were not short on the goat cheese either. The lemon added a nice balance to it as well. It is probably likely that as we went this time on a Wednesday as opposed to a weekend there was more time to focus on the quality, but the crust was spectacular. Although it still sits at number two on our previous list, it is more secure at number two than previously. 

The Dobbin House- Gettysburg, PA

When anybody mentions Gettysburg (or as the locals pronounce it get-iss-berg) food and cuisine is not the first thing that comes to mind.  The town and surrounding battlefield park offers  a one-of-a-kind experience commemorating the pinnacle battle of the Civil War.  The famous 3-day battle can be relived through multiple tours and monuments spread throughout the gorgeous Appalachian foothills.  Gettysburg received its fame in 1863 with the battle and The Gettysburg Address but the town was founded in 1786.  Well, The Dobbin House Tavern was built even before that in 1776.  During its history the tavern served a multitude of functions including a field hospital (during the battle), a stop on the Underground Railroad, and a civil war diorama and visitor center.  Since the mid 1970s the building was reverted back to its tavern form.  The consumer has an opportunity to sit in the downstairs Springhouse Tavern or the slightly more affluent Dobbin House.  

On the particular trip, Cassie, myself and our close friends Tom and Morgan elected the Springhouse for a Saturday night dinner.  The atmosphere of the tavern is rustic colonial-era with a large fireplace, simple tables, booths, chairs and a fully-stocked eighteenth century bar.  For most people, this atmosphere is the draw to the Dobbin House. The tavern does not accept reservations and the wait on a Saturday night around 5:30 could be one hour.  But it’s definitely worth the experience.

The Springhouse Tavern offers a full bar with craft beers, a complete and thorough wine list with some local wineries included and “period-inspired” cocktails.  The food menu is traditional American lunch fare while maintaining a standard for the period for the most part.  Items include sandwiches, crabcakes, steak and fire roasted chicken.  

The french onion soup is possibly the most popular item on the menu.  The lore of Dobbin’s french onion soup resonates throughout town amongst the locals and returning tourists.  It has all the accoutrement of typical french onion soup; however, this particular soup contains cubes of beef in its broth.  This addition mellows the otherwise salty flavors of the broth and provide a little added bite and protein.  Topped with some bread and the requisite cheese, and you have yourself quite the hard soup. I assume colonials had to take their protein any way they can get.  

The main courses at our table included the roasted chicken, fillet mignon, chicken sandwich and the tavern burger.  Not a whole lot to critique here.  Every item was prepared and flavored well, nothing pretentious and no modern surprises.  Perhaps the winner amongst the four items was the chicken.  Since chicken is a usual weeknight fare at our house, I tend to overlook chicken options at most restaurants.   However, this chicken is almost on par with most chicken served at “fancier” places.  The skin was crispy, salty while the white and dark meat was extremely tender.  

Fire roasted chicken and fillet mignon

The finale of our dinner was the homemade Apple Pie; pure Americana and I assume colonial Americana at that.  This apple pie, however, was one of the best apple pies I ever tried.  The apples were still crisp and tart.  The dough was flaky and buttery while the filler was perfectly sweet and sugary.  Served a la mode with vanilla ice cream, this was a true hit to conclude our Dobbin House experience.

Dobbin House's apple pie

If you are looking for a life changing culinary experience, this is not the place to go. But if you want to get a feel for what it was like even before the Battle of Gettysburg in a small farm town in central PA, then this is a good meal option for you. The atmosphere is as cozy as it gets. It is easy to forget the hustle and bustle of living in the Philly area when you go to Gettysburg and have places like this as a dining experience. And I don’t mean this in a bad way. It is a nice weekend getaway with the promise of history and the added bonus of some unique dining experiences. Who could ask for more?

Red Owl Tavern- Olde City

A long Saturday morning consisting of a half marathon and College Gameday at Independence Mall required a great lunch.  Just after we passed through the Gameday crowd we rolled into Red Owl Tavern on the corner of 5th and Chestnut.  This bistro-pub hybrid is situated in the trendy Hotel Monaco.  With large crowds come relatively large waits for a table for 4.  When we were given a 20 minute wait time we encompassed the bar to for brunch beverages and to watch the Phillie Phanatic stare down the soul of Lee Corso after he picked Notre Dame to beat Temple.  The bar menu included a fine selection of craft beers, ciders and a nitro tap (coincidentally the Yards Love Stout ran out when I placed my order).  I settled for a bloody mary that taste more like shrimp cocktail with a bit of a kick.  This is not a complaint, I suspect clam juice was added to the cocktail mix to bring out a briny flavor.  

50 minutes after we arrived and 30 minutes past our 20 minute wait time the four of us were seated.  The wait staff showed great hustle but was very informative and pleasant.  The food menu was very promising:  huevos rancheros, 3 meat hash, and egg benedict were amongst the brunch items.  The lunch choices included salads and their own cheesesteak, cheeseburger, and their BLTB (bacon, lettuce, tomato, brie) sandwiches.

Our table of four ordered eggs benedict, BLTB, the Red Owl Tavern Burger and breakfast eggs with apple sausage.  The eggs benedict and BLTB got good solid reviews.  The other items were room temperature at best when they were served.  The burger was very well assembled with sharp cheddar, thick bacon and onion marmalade.  The meat of the burger was well done but rather than have the dish delivered fresh it tastes like it was under heat lamp for 5-10 minutes.  Otherwise I feel the burger has high potential.

Red Owl Tavern was a quick stop for lunch but turned out to be an ordeal over 2 hours in the making.  Between the long wait for a table and the quality of the foods, we are not in a big rush to return.  However, I was impressed with the options of the bar and food menus.  With a few improvements and touch-ups, Independence Mall could have its first truly outstanding restaurant.  

Eats in the Florida Keys- A Diary of Our October 2015 Excursion

Sunday.

Blue Heaven Day. (See prior post)

Monday.

Our final full day of vacay took us to couple new places featuring distinctly local flare.  Our first stop was in the Cuban neighborhood of Key West.  Sandy’s sandwich shop specializes in Cuban fare, breakfast items and an array of street foods and sandwiches.  Known for for their Cuban sandwiches, their “Cuban Mix” sandwich consists of ham, pork, pickles, lettuce and tomato on Cuban bread with a mix of mustard and mayo, then heat pressed to sear the outside of the bread.  The ham and pork were melt-in-your-mouth tender and packed with salty porky flavor.   Also of note was their Cafe Con Leche (Cuban coffee).  The coffee is particularly strong but served with steam milk, it is similar to New Orleans’ cafe au let.  Sandy’s is easily a gem of a place for something simple that can be a filling lunch or dinner. Traditional Cuban sandwiches without the bustle of some of the bigger tourist traps.

Cuban sandwich at Sandy's

Stock Island is directly northeast of Key West and separated from Key West by Cow Key Channel.  This working class village seems miles away from the high-end vacation homes, tourist traps and the debauchery of Key West.  Situated in this community along a marina is Hogfish Bar and Grill.  This is a very unassuming establishment on the water “where the locals go.”  Our hotel bartender described Hogfish as “Key West before the cruise ships stopped here.”  One huge attribute of Hogfish is their utilization of local seafood and fishermen.  They purchase their fish directly from the fishing boats; if one particular species is not available, there are no substitutes for menu entrees and the items are temporarily removed from the menu.  The menu itself consists of a variety of land and sea choices but we went for their item of choice, the hogfish.  Served in a variety of ways, we elected to try the fish with tacos and their signature sandwich for entrees.  Both items involved frying the fish (per recommendation of our server) but one can opt for blackened or grilled.  The hogfish itself has  a firm texture with mild flavor.  The sandwich is served with sautéed onions, mushrooms, swiss cheese and Cuban bread.  A blend of mild cheeses, baja sauce, jalapeños, lettuce and onions complemented the tacos.    Served with black bean and rice their Mexican take was exceptionally well put together in a generally Cuban influenced neighborhood.  

Hogfish Bar, Hogfish sandwich & tacos

Our third trip to the Florida keys opened up some new doors and reinforced others.  We were treated to an array of local fare that was both harvested from nearby waters and imported from neighboring countries.  This form of travel is surely our passion and it is what drives us to return to favorite places and pursue new adventures.  With Key West being a place we have been multiple times, each time we go offers a better opportunity to try new things for various reasons. For starters, we did the tourist stuff already so that is out of our system. Secondly, the more we go the more interested we are in what drives the locals, including the food. To be honest, we want to move there ourselves so it would stand to reason that we are more and more drawn to things that people who live there do themselves. That may be us someday giving you recommendations on where to go and what to try. Someday…

Eats in the Florida Keys- A Diary of Our October 2015 Excursion

Saturday.

Our day started with a morning fishing excursion.  The plan was to catch a few keepers, proceed with our filets to one of the marina restaurants, pig out on our bounty and bask in our self-sustainment.  Everything worked out well except the “catch a few keepers” part.  We did, however, proceed to Schooner Wharf anyways, and outdoor bar and restaurant on the marina.  The highlights include their local catch Mahi Melt sandwich and headliner Michael McCloud, a musician who knows over 3,000 songs and performs a better acoustic “Layla” than Clapton himself. If his covers are not enough to keep you entertained and impressed, then his anecdotes and life lessons will make you want to come back like we did from our last trip here. 

The blackened mahi is complemented with molten American cheese, sautéed onions and mushrooms and so many fries they must fall off the plate.  Multiple textures and flavors abound but nothing is too strong or out of place.  One platter of this and you’re set for the rest of the day. We have had this dish before and it was just as good, if not better than before. New this time around was the fish tacos.  Also made with mahi (you will notice this is a trend in Key West), if was also blackened and served with a light chipotle mayo and coleslaw. Well rounded flavors, but not as amazing as the mani sandwich. 

Schooner Wharf

Blackened Mahi Melt

Blackened Mahi Fish Tacos

Help Yourself Organics in Old Town is quite the contrary to the purveyors of gluttony you find along the marina.  The menu provides a variety of vegetarian fare: salads, wraps, fruit drinks and smoothies. There is also a small organic market place with standard Whole Foods fare but on a smaller scale. The ‘mocha freeze’ was a delectable 16 oz concoction involving coconut milk, cocoa protein, espresso and banana.  While it might have been a little much after the beer and blacken mahi, but it gave us a much needed energy boost to finish the rest of the day. 

For the evening, we decided to check out the Waterfront Brewery, a new brewery that opened approximately 3 weeks ago.  Currently there are only 4 beers on tap that are made on premises. Other than that they sport a very nice draft list consisting of Floridian micro-brews. While the beer selection is outstanding, the food still needs a bit of work. We were still full from lunch, but decided on a few appetizers. The conch and shrimp ceviche had fresh fish and a nice sweetness that complimented well with the buttered toast it came with. But it was clearly made with canned pineapple (any canned fruit is quite disgusting, but canned pineapple on an island like Key West just seems lazy), and the lovely addition of high fructose corn syrup just ruined the appeal. The fish dip was our other choice. While the corn tortilla chips were amazing, the fish did not taste fresh and the spice they were attempting to add in there was not quite to the level it should have been. We didn’t get full meals as we were still full, but these dishes told us that while this restaurant has definite potential (the atmosphere was amazing and location was perfect), it is not there yet. This is to be expected, its only been open for three weeks. It is also worth mentioning that the service is exceptionally good and knowledgable about the various beers. The staff are aware of their appeal as a sports bar and are incredibly accommodative to patrons when it comes to games on TVs and billiards in the rear of the building. If all the positives continue, this place will definitely be added to our list of frequent stops. 

Conch & Shrimp Ceviche at Waterfront Brewery

Eats in the Florida Keys- A Diary of our October 2015 Excursion.

Friday.

Blue Heaven is already written and unless there is an abominable disappointment it will still be the best restaurant in Key West and amongst the best we’ve experienced outside Philadelphia.  There are, however, multiple other edible establishments along the Florida Keys.  We have pre-determined a few stops and randomly stumbled upon a few new places.  Here we will share our experiences for your criticism or enjoyment-probably a little bit of both. 

Robbie’s in Islamorada was highly recommended as a stop on our way to Key West.  Located at Mile 77 it’s about half way between Key West and Miami.  This fishing outpost includes several stands of various souvenirs, fishing excursions, snorkeling, and an opportunity to physically feed the 3 to 5-feet-long Tarpon.   The Hungry Tarpon is the restaurant aptly named in the condensed shopping/hobby/fishing marina. It is facing the small marina and offers variety of pub fare integrated with local catch.  After having some local brews, we opted to have lunch here and started with the Mahi fish tacos.  I opted to have the fish grilled (blackened or fried were my other choices).  Mahi has a nice texture but does not have a strong flavor.  The tacos were tasty with its complements of slaw, tomatoes and onions but did lacked a good flavor that a blackened option may have afforded. Cassie had the blackened shrimp quesadillas. While it was probably a case of “eyes bigger than the stomach,” the shrimp was excellent and not over blackened. It came with guacamole and (by mistake) cocktail sauce instead of pico de gallo, but somehow it worked quite well with the flavors. The cheese mix in the quesadilla was particularly memorable. 

The Hungry Tarpon at Robbie's Islamorada

Mani fish tacos

Blackened Shrimp Quesadilla

The large meal in Islamorada at 4PM put us over the edge for anything big when we arrived in Key West.  We decided instead for a liquid diet and hit up The Rum Bar at The Speakeasy Inn on Duval Street.  This is quickly becoming one of our mainstays in Key West.  The Rum Bar is not just a fancy name, it actually has dozens of rums from the generic to the exotic.  They also have a great rum cocktail menu.  Dark & Stormy was nice and refreshing on a humid breezeless night.  For a thicker, fruity beverage with a more than generous amount of alcohol try their hurricane of pain killer.

One hurricane put Cassie over the edge.  So naturally she desired pizza, one cuisine not usually synonymous with Key West.  Onlywood is a Italian restaurant in an alley off Duval Street.  They also specialize in gourmet pizza.  Onlywood wound not compete with our pizza challenge from the spring but it certainly did whip up a good sweet Italian sausage pizza to soak up some rum.  With  a sauce that in itself is outstanding, we will not hesitate to favor this place again after one too many hurricanes (or pain killers as the case may be).

Mainland Inn- Harleysville, PA

We opted to celebrate our 3rd wedding anniversary at Mainland Inn, a farm-to-table set in an 18th century stone building.  We arrived at Mainland Inn with high expectations.  Farm-to-table is our favorite trend of restaurant and we have a couple true gems under our belt inducing Wyebrook Farm, Junto and The Farm and the Fisherman.  After all, what food experience is more rewarding than knowing the source of your veggies, fruits and meats?  Mainland works in conjunction with nearby Quarry Hill Farm.  Most vegetables and all land animals are sourced from this location and plated with the talented vision of chef Ezra Duker. 

Mainland, in addition to farm-to-table, also ventures toward the realm of organic cocktails.  Every spirit category includes one organic label.   I could not pass up the opportunity to try Hooker’s House organic bourbon in their own old fashioned.  (I also had to pay tribute to Donald Draper’s beverage of choice after John Hamm finally won the Emmy but I digress…)  

The wine list is extensive with a unique selection of varietals, and the beer list involves several gluten free items and organic brews.

We elected to pursue the chef’s tasting menu which is a 7 course dinner including dessert at the end.  We started with a selection of relishes, all made in house. Each was unique and paired with flavors that if not complimented them, at least were exciting. Next we had butternut squash soup with pork belly. While the pork belly was tasty, the broth without it was a little too much on the salty side. 

Our path to entrees concluded with a lettuce wrap with suchi-grade salmon, egg yolk, kimchi and puffed rice.  A rather nice Asian touch, the puffed rice’s crunch made it a mosh pit of textures and stirred away from the strong flavors of kimchi and salmon.  Finally, the orecchiette, lima bean, bacon, peach and citrus rounded up our pasta.  This sure tasted good but my snobby nature scoffed at the fact this dish is something I could easily make at home on a weeknight and not something I pursue at a progressive restaurant.

Salmon, egg yolk, kimchi puffed rice

We had two entree style dishes, starting with the roasted chicken with mushroom bread pudding. There were three style of chicken including a breast with skin, chicken pancetta, and a piece wrapped around sage and cooked. The breast skin was perfect and the meat was well done. It took us back to memories of Junto, the best chicken we have ever had. The pancetta was interesting but nothing to write home about. The mushroom bread pudding is a different story. It was essentially the best mushroom stuffing ever. 

Roasted chicken

The second entree was the lamb dish including 4 cuts of meat-the cheek, heart, neck, and tenderloin. We differ on our favorite pieces of meat here. I (Cassie) absolutely loved the marbled texture and flavor of the cheek. Rob preferred the heart for its meaty flavor and both of us agreed with was the best heart we have tasted. The tenderloin was done well but not particularly memorable. Ditto to the neck. 

All cuts of duck

Ahh, dessert.  Finally.  Mainland is known for souffle and dabbles amongst pea and corn; and in our case, sweet potato.  Paired with bourbon maple syrup, this was the best shuffle I ever tasted.  Creamy, light, a tad fluffy with a hint of natural sweetness from the potato and a sharp spiciness from the bourbon maple syrup.  without a doubt a great exclamation point on our tasting menu.

Sweet potato shuffle

The farm-to-table movement has been revving up in the recent years.  The wholesome notion of supporting local farms that provide fresh organic produce and meats was once unique and fulfilling.  Now it's a formality in the Philadelphia food scene.  This is by no means complaining; I'm 100% into this whole philosophy.  However, more restaurants mean more competition.  Mainland Inn, although very good, is a place that falls victim to the new hype of farm-to-table.  It will not crack our "best restaurant" list but is recommended for a solid suburban dining experience.  

Meat and Potatoes- Pittsburgh, PA

My home city on the other side of the state is in the midst of a culinary revitalization. Prior to now, truly good places to eat was the only thing Pittsburgh seemed to lack. With all the waterfront areas and cultural activities it has to provide, the City of Bridges is the perfect place for a summer trip if you are sick and tired of the beach. 

Going home for the weekend, I insisted on trying this place after hearing about it from so many people. Since Rob could not make the trip home with me, I took my friend Megan along. 

Located in the cultural district of the city along the Allegheny River, an area well known to me from my childhood, Meat and Potatoes shares a lobby with a local cabaret-a fact I am incredibly bitter I was not aware of beforehand. Walking in to a decent-sized dining room with a large bar in the center, the noise was pretty hopping. The decor an interesting mixture of a Texas ranch and prohibition era bar, it was confusing yet I liked it. 

Once we figured out that our seats were not extra low, our very friendly server was just THAT tall, we moved on to the menu. With an excellent beer list focusing on local breweries and a well represented wine list, we opted for the highlight of the show-the cocktails. A fun mix of prohibition era drinks with a modern twist, they were too good to pass up. 

For an appetizer we opted to go “light” with the poutine. Nothing says Pittsburgh like fries and gravy. It is just that much better because its duck gravy and local cheese curds. We decided to go with this instead of the more popular choice of bone marrow due to our heavy entree choices. Seemed like a good idea at the time. The server did warn us, but it was still bigger than expected. And it was well worth it. The gravy was appropriately thick and the dish simple, letting the gravy provide most of the flavor. 

Remember that duck from Abe Fisher we raved about previously? ‘Cause I don’t. All duck breast is now a sad forgotten memory to my taste buds due to the Hudson Valley Duck Breast served here. With a rub that perfectly compliments the duck and the breast done to perfection, the additions, while amazing, were probably not necessary to make it amazing. However, I will give a shout out to spaetzle, sauerkraut, and dill relish among the other pieces for making it a complete and well-rounded dish. 

Duck at Meat and Potatoes

Megan got the Wagyu Flat Iron steak.  It was amazingly tender and just as wagyu beef should be done to optimize flavor. Paired with a more tex-mex style combo, the salsa verde and fried plaintains worked well with the beef since they didn’t over-power it. The yucca fries were also done to perfection. 

Wagyu Steak

There is no set dessert menu as it changes frequently. We shared a banana peanut butter mouse. While I forget the exact name, I do no forget how thick and creamy it was or how wonderful the flavors. Could have been a little better balanced with a little more cocoa flavor, but that is just a personal preference. 

Now for the important part of the meal-the check. The great thing about Pittsburgh dining is that they now have better quality but they don’t feel the need to have the prices become higher to reflect that. The entire meal, worthy of any restaurant in any major city, came to about half what it would cost in Philly. And that, my friends, is why I love Pittsburgh. Among other things. 

While the noise level could have been better and the decor felt a little forced even by my standards, the food did all the talking at this place. I know I am a little partial to where I come from, but honestly Pittsburgh is a great place to visit and restaurants like these make it all the more worth the trip. 

El Poquito- Chestnut Hill

Chestnut Hill is not exactly the first neighborhood that comes to mind when discussing Philly’s progressive food scene.  This more-suburb-than-city section of town is home to some notables including Tavern on the Hill, Chestnut Hill Hotel and McNally’s (the original home of the famous Schmitter sandwich at Citizens Bank Park).  El Poquito one of the new establishments in the heart of Germantown Ave. which is receiving significant praise via inter web sites Yelp and Open Table.

The interior motif is west coast Baja California.  Bright, sandy colors with surfboards, pickup trucks and half-naked surfer girls are throughout the restaurant. While the decor and brightness of the room lends a comfortable feel of the environment, the noise and lack of sound-proofing does the total opposite. Although we hit up the place toward the end of happy hour on a Tuesday, something told us it is probably that loud all the time. For two people with pretty good hearing, we sure had to say, “What did you say?” quite a bit. 

The margaritias were pretty good. I lack anything further to say except that they would seem more worth it at happy hour. We both ordered traditional lime margs, but the restaurant also offers seasonal modifications as well. 

The cuisine is a self proclaimed “collision between a taco truck and an old-school cantina.”  We just so happened to be there on Tuesday night, host to “Taco Tuesdays.”  This all-day, all-night deal offers a plate of 3 tacos for $4 each.  How we figured out that the $4 tacos are the entire plate and not per taco was by total accident.  The split-second reaction of the waitress should’ve tipped us off that something was unusual after an order for “one of each” was given.  Roughly 30 minutes later, 3 plates for a total of 9 tacos covered our table in addition to an entree.  Now you might be laughing at this as is appropriate for our blunder. Or you might be saying, “Wait, 30 minutes later?” and be thinking that we exaggerated. We are not. Food took a terribly long time here and more than once did I hear servers going up to tables saying they will check on the status of the food. 

A table of tacos at El Poquito

The tacos were simple:  Americano (beef, lettuce, cheese, tomato on corn tortilla), Mushroom (the surprising winner with cheese on soft shell), and Chorizo (house-made chorizo, pickled onions, on soft shell).  The chorizo had a good spice that was mellowed by the pickled onions.  The mushroom was earthy, spicy and light.  The Americano was unremarkable.  I would’ve felt weird to ask for some fire sauce to spruce it up. The entree ordered was short rib enchiladas. With a mole sauce, cheese, and peppers, this dish sounds perfect but was lack luster as far as the meat goes. The mole sauce was top notch, however, and one of the best I have ever had. Unfortunately that was not enough to save the entire dish. 

While there is a ton of potential here and we can see why it is such a popular happy hour spot with tons of specials, the wait for everything and the lack-luster flavors do not show the place in a positive enough light. Combine that with the lack of much needed sound proofing and it adds up to a sad combo. Changes will most certainly need to be made in some of these categories before we bother to go back.