2016 In Review

2016 was a rather quiet year in the scope of new restaurants but that doesn’t mean it was an off year for trying new cuisines, dishes and experiences.  Here is a rundown of some of the great, good and merely “aight.”

Favorite new restaurant- Rob: Helm, Kensington

Cassie: Wm. Mulherin’s Sons, FIshtown

Favorite dish-  

Rob:  Pan seared salmon at Lincoln in Portland, OR. There is no shortage of salmon in the Pacific Northwest but Jenn Louis’ has the quality of the best beef fillets back east. 

Cassie: Lefse from Viking Soul Food in Portland, OR. Norwegian meatball wraps and the most sweet and savory thing ever created.  

Favorite cheap dinner- 

Rob:  The Halal Guys, King of Prussia.  This branch of a NYC franchise will give you about 2 pounds of chicken, gyro or falafel on a platter for under $10.  Be forewarn the red sauce is probably the most uncomfortable hot sauce I’ve ever tried.  One packet is more than enough.  

Cassie: Not a new one. I still will prefer Dizengoff’s hummus over almost any other cheap eat ever. 

Favorite new trend-  

Rob: Privately owned coffee shops that utilize local coffee roasters and pastries.  Starbuck’s is not on its way out but meticulous work and quality output by local coffee purveyors make a fresh cup or cold brew much more satisfying.

Cassie: Food at microbrews. This varies from simple bites at places like Conshy Brewing and the food trucks at Levante to full menus at Forest and Main and Round Guys brewing.  

Absolutely ruined me- 

Rob: The beef brisket at Lambert’s in Austin.  All other brisket is judged in comparison but will inevitably fail.

Cassie: Pizza from St. Egidio in Ridgewood, NJ. Straight up best pizza I have ever had. Period. 

I’ve waited a long time for- 

Rob: Philly Style Bagels in Fishtown.  Finally there is a bagel I can brag to my New York friends about.

Cassie: My butchering class at Kensington quarters. I am fascinated by the idea of roasting a whole pig and butchering it myself. 

Biggest surprise- 

Rob: A good upstart brewery and excellent wood oven pizza 100 feet apart?  In the dry town of Pitman, NJ?  Yup.  It happened. Mannino’s pizzeria and Kelly Green Brewing sent a jolt of progress through my hometown.

Cassie: Dito on the Mannino’s. 

Thanks but no- 

Rob: La Condessa in Austin, TX.  Our big restaurant stop in Austin had much hype but failed to deliver.  

Cassie: This is one that we agree on. La Condessa was a serious disappointment. Over-crowded, unattentive staff, and subpar food.

Still going strong- 

Rob: Wyebrook Farm in Honeybrook.  A change in chef and menu did nothing to disappoint.  

Cassie: In Riva in East Falls. To say we love our pizza is kind of unnecessary at this point. But this one never gets old. Between the classics and the new seasonals, you will never go wrong. 

Fork- Old City

A mere blurb…

A recent “business” dinner provided an opportunity to finally experience the Old City restaurant that just this year joined the pantheon of Craig Laban’s 4-Bell Philadelphia restaurant (the highest honor from the Inquirer food critic).  Cassie and I lived in Old City until 2011, a time when Fork recently opened its doors in the OC.  I recollect the small establishment by purchasing fresh baguettes and bread on occasion.  What I remember vaguely as a country general store motif certainly evolved into an enclave of fine dining.  The restaurant is larger than I imagined with a full bar and dining area that seats 100 people, a mere guestimate.  A very cordial, attentive and knowledgable wait-staff maneuvered around the grounds.  The wine and drink selection were extensive; modern mixologists were whipping up sweet tasty Manhattans while the wine list included unique selections from Greece and Croatia.   While many upscale restaurants in Philadelphia and the country offer a great variety of modern cocktails, rarely do I see a wine list with so many countries represented, particularly in wine by the glass options.

If you’ve never had Skrlet wine before it’s probably because the varietal was on the brink of extinction near the end of the 20th century.  There has been a revival through conservation and this grape is grown exclusively in Croatia around the inland city and capitol of Zagreb.  Fork just so happens to have this varietal on the menu and since I’ve never seen it let alone tasted it, my eastern European blood kicked in and I pounced on a glass.  The wine producer is Kosovec (a bottle will usually sell for around $16 if you are able to find it).  I found the taste complex and unique, even somewhat of a ‘chemical, in-a-good-way’ sort of flavor.  Many alcoholic beverages from that area of Europe is meant to grow hair on your chest so I just assumed this uncharted wine was just an acquired taste.  When I later looked it up online, notes of Skrlet are “light and crisply acidic, with fresh aromas ranging from newly cut hay to quince and green apple.”  I got none of these.  

I now think the wine may just have been bad.

But I digress.  

The food was very well imagined and prepared.  I had an appetizer of Cape May conch (I never even knew Cape May had conch), white turnip and ruby grapefruit.  Reminiscent of hamachi, the conch was sliced thin enough not to be too chewy.  The grapefruit did not do too much to add a bright citrus punch.  I like white turnips so that was good.  The two winners of the night were the “lasagna” and smoked monkfish.  The lasagna was not an ordinary Italian baked pasta dish; rather it was more like a delicate crepe.  With red cat cheese, sweet potato, pickled apples and walnuts, this dish could pass for dessert with the rich texture and sweet and savory flavors.  The smoked monkfish, heirloom beans, pickled apples was a flat-out outstanding dish.  I don't believe I ever had monkfish.  This Finding Nemo cameo has a firm texture without a strong flavor.  The preparation was perfect; the fish was very tender and in  a broccoli “gravy” the green veggie and beans complimented the texture of the fish.  I feel a little too much more time on the heat and this fish would be dry jerky.  

The dessert options had a nice variety but were ordinary.  That’s about it for dessert.  I ordered a chocolate hazelnut concoction that was indifferent at best. In short, Fork has a classy atmosphere with some very well prepared selections and some deceptively bad wine.   Granted, I only tried a small selection from the menu but I do not think this OC stop will rank amongst the tops in the city in my book.  I’m glad Old City has an upscale option but I’d rather take my money back to the likes of Vernick, Helm or Abe Fisher.