Bahn Mi and Bottles- 7th and South Streets

I’ve been on a bahn mi kick recently.  The Vietnamese street food version of our hoagies offer a variety of protein options, both meat and vegetarian (tofu is a common alternative), a flaky roll and savory, spicy pate.  The sandwich itself is a scaled down version of our regional lunch delight, offering less meat and accoutrements and substituting the usual lettuce, tomato and onion with cucumber, cilantro and carrot.  The sandwich is less daunting due to reduced volume and the price is usually under $10 per sandwich.  If you look close enough you can find bahn mi for around $5 per sandwich.  

With that said, we have had Banh Mi & Bottles on our radar for a while. Craig LeBan has written about it recently and the combo of vietnamese street foot, huge bottled beer selection, and a great cocktail bar had us move it up to number one. Located on 7th and South St a couple doors down from a regular haunt of ours, Bauhaus Schmitz, it is a nice combo of diner feel with a more modern decor. The music they play is a nice touch. For the majority of the time we were there it was reggae. 

The cocktail menu is split into two parts: the written menu and the secret menu. The written menu is meant to go well with the food and the secret menu is meant for a more adventurous sort of experience. You can be handed the secret menu to look at, but the servers seem to prefer the idea of asking you some questions and building a surprise cocktail based on your answers. We decided as it was our first time to stick to the regular menu getting a gin and tonic and a cold brew old fashioned- mainstays for each of us when it comes to cocktails. 

The starters make it hard to choose as there are plenty of options ranging from traditional spring rolls to tamarind wings. We went with traditional spring rolls with two sauces, a vinegar based dressing and a peanut sauce. Both were good with the flavors and the spring rolls were pretty standard, having both shrimp and pork.

We decided to split a banh mi sandwich so as to allow us each to get our own pho for a main course. This turned out to be a good idea. We got the super deluxe banh mi with pork, pate, and cold cuts. 

Bahn mi & Pho

Lastly we finally got to our pho and we each got a small. I wish it came in an extra small because even the small was too much at that point. But we pushed through.  The pho is served with the usual accompaniments and also with a spicy and sweet pickled onion.  The broth was the winner.  I must admit, we’ve only been to a handful of pho restaurants in and around Philadelphia.  However, amongst all the places we’ve experienced, I’ll rate this quality of this pho on the top of the list.  The options are fewer and less adventurous (chicken & beef, no tendon or tripe options) but their product is absolutely top notch.  If you’re not in the mood for hot soup there is a couple great cold vermicelli and rice bowl options to cool you off.

Eulogy Belgian Tavern- Old City

A classic haunt perhaps a bit ahead of its time, Eulogy remains a standard amidst the ever-changing scene on Chestnut Street in Old City.  The dank old tavern is a great place to take in a cold snowy winter night and that’s exactly what we did.  This was not our first time at Eulogy, far from that.  This was, however, our first time back in at least 2 years.  Nothing much has changed.  The bar, 2nd floor dining area, lighting, tables, padded chairs, the strange table with the skeleton all remains unchanged.  Part of the charm of this place is its unwillingness to bend toward trends in decor or food. 

While Eulogy isn’t winning any awards for modern interior design, it definitely makes up in fare and beer.  Lots of beer.  Over 400 different selections.  There are about 25 draughts but most of the selections are bottles.  The beer menu ranges from local to national craft breweries but it really flourishes with European, namely Belgian ales.  That’s kind of the genius and appeal of Eulogy; you're offered multiple selections of small-scale global and national breweries all before the recent craft beer revolution.  

On the solid side of the menu you have they usual pub fare with salads, sandwiches, their famous burger and fries.  Pommmes frites are the way they go-larger cuts of potatoes that are perfectly crispy on the outside and served with a spicy aloi.  The burger is still tasty with its incorporation of herbs and a plentiful selection of toppings.  The menu highlight is certainly the mussels.  This is a must-have if you’ll only visit Eulogy once.  One or two pounds of large meaty shellfish with signature broths range from classic red tomato to mustard and Hoegaarden.  Any broth will do, especially when you have a roll for dunking.  

Eulogy's sausage trio & traditional burger

Inexpensive take on Asian street foods at Streetside Cafe in Fishtown.  Among the menu items include bahn mi, spring rolls and pho; most of which are under $7.

Lemongrass chicken bahn mi at Streetside Cafe

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.

Butchering class at Kensington Quarters, Fishtown

Before & After

Wyebrook Farm Revisited

Wyebrook Farm is our poster child for locally sourced and sustainable food.  With the exception of a few menu items, all meats, veggies and herbs are sourced from the premises.  The few items not from there are hyperlocal and usually can be found within a few hours drive of the farm. The restaurant is rustic to boot and now it has an indoor expansion from the main barn.  We first experienced and raved about the dinner at Wyebrook 2 years ago when we sat inside the main barn.  We had a Sunday brunch as a second experience last year with friends when the weather was nice enough to allow us to sit outside.  On our return this month, we had the privilege of dining in the new addition and see the evolution of this buzzing place.  

The menu still changes weekly based on what is readily available but the chef opted to design the menu as a 3-course meal.  Small plates, salads and soups initiate your meal followed by a pasta and a meat entree as the final course.  This is only a suggestion, you can design your dinner as you wish which is exactly what we did.  We started out with sharing a cheese plate and lamb terrine.  The terrine was served in fine deli meat slices and paired with mustard, pickled cauliflower and cranberries.  Alone, the terrine had a very herbal flavor with a hint that iron-like flavor that reminds you that you’re eating an elegant bologna.  The herbal hues disappear when paired with the accompaniments.  The pickled cauliflower alone is excellent. 

Blue Cheese Sformato, red beets, celery, charred onion, arugula

Pumpkin & Apple Soup, brown butter apples, pecans

Our second course consisted of apple & pumpkin soup and blue cheese sformato.  The apple & pumpkin soup was a perfect embrace of the autumn, and with the addition of salted pecans, a great balance of salty to a very sweet was created for this dessert-like dish.  The warm thick broth was a great compliment to a chilly and windy November Friday.  The blue cheese sformato had the texture of whipped mashed potatoes and the blue cheese was not overpowering even when eaten alone. When paired with the beets, lettuce, and the sweet onions it is balanced well. 

Rather than opting for meat entrees we decided upon pasta for our third course.  A sweet potato gnocchi was sweet and rich with a creamy texture.  Oyster mushrooms, brown butter and English peas added some earthy and salty flavors, but the gnocchi was the queen. The lamb lasagna was a nice portion that at first seems just right. But once you dig into it and realize how rich it is, then it almost seems like too much. The marjoram is spread peripherally along the plate and the lasagna is simply pasta, lamb, and cheese without sauce. The flavors paired with the marjoram make you forget its not tomato sauce as they work so well together. 

Sweet Potato Gnocchi, oyster mushroom, english peas, brown butter

Milk-Braised Lam Lasagna, ricotta, marjoram, black pepper

As a quick reminder, the place is a BYOB, making it more reasonable for your wallet. The new space is nice, giving a slight feel of outside without actually being in the open elements. Plenty of heating lamps and the option of blankets give it a cozy camp-like feel. There is live music on the weekends as well, which adds to the atmosphere. The one thing that appears to be lacking is the service. Slow and appearing relatively inexperienced, things took longer than needed and not in a “give you your space” kind of way.