Craig: Good afternoon, my hungry friends, are you still rain-soaked and chilled from last night's bout of World Series Interruptus? On today's Philly food chat, let's warm it up a hearty dose of comfort food. We can dip back into some follow-up reports from last week's discussion on where you watched the games - the winners and the losers. Also, we can veer into a couple side topics featured in my colleague Michael Klein's blog, The Insider, which notes the closing of Sovalo in NoLibs, and the ever-expanding Garces empire (now going casino, surprise!) But what I'd really like to do today is go ruminate on some soul-warming cold-weather staples. What are some of your favorites? I know I've been exploring some of mine these past few days, as you can surmise from this week's Crumb Tracker Quiz. Guess in order which three places I ate these dishes, and win! 1) Polish stuffed cabbage with a side of buttery mashed beets; 2) "Dutch"-style hot roast turkey with mashed potatoes and gravy; 3) soba noodle "carbonara." Ready, set…start crumbing!

Craig:  Hi folks - we're having a brief technical issue here...please bear with me as we work through the glitches in our new chat software!

Tony Fitts:  Hi Everybody - I know the name says Tony Fitts, but it's really Craig LaBan here, typing from Tony's computer. I've been locked in they cyber closet for the past 10 minutes, reading your questions but unable to post them. But now we're good to go, and you all even get to experience one of my aliases!!

[Comment From Art] So what did Parc hit on the decibel meter? Hit 100

Tony Fitts:  Hi Art - Parc nearly dethroned Jones as the champ-een slugger of ear-busting restaurants. The main dining room hit 96-98 decibels, and I'm not sure I even caught it at its peak. Jones remains the only place in town to break the 100 plateau...

[Comment From Marty] Hi Craig. Just had a great "soul-warming" order of jajangmyeon from a place next to my office. It hit the spot!

[Comment From Foodie in Joisey] One of my favorite comfort foods is pot roast with all that salty gravy and mashed potatoes. Usually served with carrots which are roasted and sweet.

[Comment From Michael G] My favorite cold weather dish is cassoulet but my brother lived in Paris for four years so I haven't found a place that makes here thats exceptional (Caribou cafe is ok)....do you have any suggestions

Tony Fitts:  Those all sound like great cold-weather slayers, though, for the rest of us, Marty, can you elaborate a little on the jajangmyeon? (Like...what it is, where you ate it, etc...)

[Comment From Eliot] Hi Craig: I just finished reading your last chat, which mostly concerned itself with suggestions by your readers on where to watch sports and especially the Phillies world series games. There is a new place that just opened last night at 32nd and Chestnut Streets called MIKEY'S. A sports bar and restaurant. Great food not just the usual sports bar grub. For a first night just opening the doors the food was great. My friends & I ordered from an extensive menu. From their appetisers and pizza to the main courses. Good drinks and best of all new large flat screen tv's spread around the restaurant. For a new place it was great.

Tony Fitts:  This is a brand new place, so thanks for the early report, Eliot. West Philly needs all the good new restaurant energy it can get..

[Comment From Guest] Hi Craig - anything of note going on for the day of the dead this weekend (Saturday or Sunday)?

Tony Fitts:  That's a great question - I haven't heard anything specific through the usual sources (press releases, readers, etc.) but I wouldn't be surprised if some of our bright new Mexican places (Distrito, Paxia, Xochitl, the Cantinas...) are doing something interesting.

[Comment From joanne] Hi Craig. With all your experience with restaurants, have you ever thought of opening your own?

Tony Fitts:  When I was much younger, Joanne, and just leaving cooking school, I definitely thought about a career in the kitchen. But I'm a journalist now, not a pro cook, or a restaurant entrepreneur, and those pursuits demand totally different skills than I've been practicing for the past 15 years. It would be the ultimate challenge - but don't hold your breath....

[Comment From Greg] Craig - I know it's now open yet but any thoughts on the the new steak house DelFrisco's that's coming. Also, any thoughts on Starr opening up another steakhouse just a few blocks away from Barclay? Barclay is good but overpriced for my money compared to Capital Grille, Mortons and the like. Thanks!

Tony Fitts:  Thanks for the question, Greg. I'm a fan of Barclay Prime, more than Morton's, I'd say. I like Capital, but it's a different style of steakhouse than Barclay, far more corporate. From a purely aesthetic point of view, I'm always curious to see how many different takes there are on an old concept - because it's always fun to discover there's a novel new one. I don't anticipate Del Frisco's to be a new idea, just a grand version of the old-style steakhouse (If I recall, it was originally the high-end prime grade concept from the owner of Lonestar and Sullivan's). Starr's concepts, of course, are always worth considering, and always deliver their own signature twist. I have serious doubts, however, as to whether this economy can really support so much high-end meat and potatoes. Time will tell, and I'll be there to taste them, hot off the grill....

[Comment From Megan] Where can I get a good burger in Conshohocken

Tony Fitts:  Blackfish made a killer burger last year when I was doing my burger round-up. Definitely worth checking out.