Restaurant Chat: Is Philly's food scene getting love?

Greetings to all you voracious Phila-vores, and welcome back to the weekly chat that puts the local food scene on the cyber-grill. What’s been cooking on your plates this week? I was on a brief but refreshing vacation to upstate New York last week, which explains the Lower East side cameo in this week’s Crumb Tracker Quiz. But there are still a couple of local morsels to discuss. Name in order which three places I ate these dishes, and win a signed copy of my book: 1) Best looking (though not necessarily the tastiest) Indian buffet in University City; 2) Szechuan turnip patties; 3) transcendant pastrami from Manhattan’s Lower East Side (not so hard, really, as movie buffs may also have a chance…) Ready, set…start crumbing!

Any news on the steakhouse opening on 20th and JFK?

Funny you should ask, JT, as I was just passing that corner this morning and noticed the windows had been covered with advertising for the upcoming Chima, a Brazilian steakhouse chain. I don't know an opening date, yet, but it looks a ways off from being done. (For that matter, it is one of the longest-running restaurant construction projects I've seen around here in years...)

Have you ever eaten at Ava on 3rd & Lombard? I am surprised it hasn't been reviewed yet. The restaurant has been open for a few years now.

Hi Michael - Yes, I've been to Ava recently, and it was discussed a bit, both in this forum and in an or try these capsule to a recent review of Cafe Apamate (under the category: "places I've always meant to review, but never quite got to"). The upshot is this. I found Ava to be a perfectly nice, original twist on the Italian BYOB, with several specialties, like homemade papparedelle with rabbit ragu, speck-wrapped mozzarella, etc., that make it worthwhile. The service, though, left a LOT to be desired. We walked into an empty room and had to holler (nicely) for someone to greet us. Then, when our waitress appeared, we got the feeling she really didn't want to be bothered with - even though there were only two tables occupied in the place. Still, I liked Ava, but with so many other Italian restaurants, byo and otherwise, vying for attention, it struck me more as a nice neighborhood spot more than a cross-town destination.

Why haven't we ever seen the likes of Marc Vetri, Susanna Foo, or other great Philadelphia chefs on Iron Chef America?

Good question, Gary B. Honestly, I have no idea how chef selection for that show works, but personally, I'd take local chefs who care more about cooking in their own kitchens than chefs who are striving for super TV stardom any day. I've seen great chefs get lost to celebrity world too many times. (That said, I think it would be a hoot to compete on that show if I were a stud chef, which I'm not.)

I recently purchased a copy of your book and was surprised to see that Bistro Romano was not reviewed, either in the list of 75 favorites or in any of the capsule reviews. I've heard great things but was looking for some guidance - thus the purchase of your book... (btw the book is great, especially the breakdowns at the end that allows you to find certain kinds of restaurants, i.e. BYO's, etc. Any reason you haven't reviewed it to date? If you've eaten there, any thoughts?

Hank - thanks for this good question. The short answer is this - I've never been to Bistro Romano, though surely one day I'll get there. It's not a slight against them, necessarily. There are just SO MANY places in town to try, many of them new, that there are inevitably dozens of oldies that I may never get to. Recently, in the aforementioned review of Cafe Apamate, I counted my hot list of possible restaurants to visit and found there were well over 100 that I hadn't gotten to yet. You'd think that with something like 4-500 meals a year, I'd cover them all. But the scene is still growing faster than I can eat. Thank goodness!

Craig, a request, if no one gets the Crumb Tracker, can you at the end of a chat just briefly state which one was what? I mean part of the payoff of guessing is learning what the answer actually was. It's not as if you recycle trackers, so I don't see the downside

James - you make a very fair point. I suppose one problem is that people often are vying to guess the answers right up to the end of the chat, so there's no time to add the answers. Plus, I like being mysterious. That said, I plan to change that policy immediately! You will all know - Crumb Tracker Winner or not - where I've been munching....

Further to Gary's point, how come national travel magazines never focus on philadelphia's food scene? Sure, there may be better food towns, but Philadelphia has a lot going on, imo.

Mike - I do think national outlets don't always think of Philadelphia first, but I also think we're written about more than you realize. Just a few years ago, Saveur named our scene one of their favorite restaurant scenes in the country. Last year, Food and Wine's editor wrote an in-depth paean to her meals here. The New York Times frequently comes here, as does the Wash Post, etc.. so....perhaps it only SEEMs that we don't get enough love. Then again, what does it matter, really? We know we have one of the best eating towns in America.

No one ever guessed where the salt encrusted striped bass was from last week... was it the Ritz carlton?

Anne - in my new spirit of full-crumb-disclosure, yes, that was the Ritz, which did a fine job of holiday brunching, even in mid-construction. It's a more traditional brunch than the gastro-feast at Lacroix, but suits my family just fine for a holiday meal. The fish, by the way, is spectacular - a 4-6-pound behemoth cooked to a steamy dream beneath its salt crust. It's one of my favorite ways to cook a big whole fish. We'll search for the link to a story I wrote last year (with recipe) on that fish, and post it in the transcript....

Hi Craig- Recently my girlfriend and i ordered the "Pork Croquette" at Cochon. After we inhaled the delicious appetizer, I found we had eaten deep-fried head cheese! My (unadventurous) girlfriend (who loved it) is now more open to trying new things (finally). My question is: what is the most adventurous item you've eaten lately? Were you always open to anything, or can it be learned?

Goeffery74, that sounds.....yummy. I'm a gonner for anything dubbed "croquette", but a head cheese croquette, well, that's uncharted territory. I do have to eat a lot of new things for this job, and I actually try to expand my taste-bank whenever possible. Most recently, I ate stewed eel in garlic sauce at a Chinatown dive I'm currently not at liberty to mention. But this was pretty intense. A live eel had been chopped up, wok-fried crisp and glazed in a garlic sauce so intense, it tingled on the lips. The eel, though, was nothing like the Japanese version. It clung tenaciously to the bone and had a real spring. Once you got your fingers dirty, and figured you how to pry that meat off the Y-framed bones, it was addictive. It made sushi eel look, by comparison, as detached from the real fish as chicken nuggets are from chicken.

I see your point. On the one hand I love that Philly is a well-kept secret, but more importantly, I want that national coverage because I think it would benefit our fair city economically. I worry about the city I love!

Don't worry, Mike. We are cooking up a storm. And unlike other cities, whose scenes depend up on the big-ticket expense account restaurants that rise and fall with the economy (and the turmoils of something like a Convention Center), Philly's scene has thrived upon the neighborhood eateries - byos, gastopubs, bistros, winebars - that are hopefully a bit less vulnerable to a recession. Plus, we have plenty more big ticket places about to roll out, so the high end is still well covered, too.

I like to think of myself as a decent cook, and I know you're not averse to getting in front of a stove... that said, should I buy a backyard smoker, or is it best left to the professionals?

Joe - any serious cook will eventually play with smoke. But it is a commitment. In fact, very few professional kitchens around here bother to smoke foods right, so your backyard may be just the oasis you're seeking. I bought a smoker/grill last fall (a Big Green Egg, which I treat with the reverence of a prized vehicle) and I absolutely love it. Only problem: I rarely have the time to really smoke stuff. That will happen when you eat out as much as I do. But I sleep better at night just knowing I can.

My husband LOVES his backyard smoker. I'd go for it, but warning - sometimes it takes a long time and we're eating our slow-cooked meat at 11:30pm some July night!

My good friend, Davio, who's also a Big Green Egg-head, has partially solved the time commitment problem by buying computerized fan gadget that automatically controls the temperature for you. So that 36-hour smoke is hardly the hassle it used to be. Had his pork butt around super bowl time, and it was unbelievable. Buying this device would be waaay too dangerous for me, but in case anyone's curious, it's called a BBQ guru. Here's their website: http://www.thebbqguru.com/

Yes, I have had [the salt-crusted fish] before and it is delicious. Savona on the Main Line also does a Salt encrusted fish which is delicious!

Craig, I find Tria unapproachable as a restaurant. I can't really find a good occasion to go there except for a snack. I'm totally down with small plates, it just feels like you have to spend wayyy too much to approach being satiated. Is it better to look at this place as a bar with hard-to-find beers and wines?

James - I think I had the same issue with Tria when it first opened. The limited food selection underwhelmed me, and the whole "fermentation trio" concept was too geeky and condescending. Since I let that quibble go, though, I've really come to appreciate what Tria's about - sourcing some of the most eclectic high quality beers in the world (I had my first taste of many greats here - Hitichino Nest, Russian River, for example..). Their cheeses have also improved, and I think the staff has also mellowed enough that it now just feels like a really interesting, fun place to drink and nibble. The wine selection, by the way, has also matured, but I think beer is still their best draw.

Did anyone take a shot at the crumbtracker?

New Dehli for Indian Buffet, Szechuan Tasty House, Katz Deli

Craig, the answer to 3, the pastrami is no doubt from Kat'z. No other pastrami sandwich comes remotely close to Katz. When you say best in the world, thats it. Their turkey is phenomenal as well. As are their fries cooked in chicken fat.Mmmm getting hungry just thinking about it. Hershel's i nthe termninal is respectable though.

David - You nailed this week's Tracker in record time (so fast, in fact, I hesitated to post it after just 4 minutes, for fear we'd have nothing to chat about!) Anyway...1) New Delhi has just done a serious renovation and update that has given it all the buzz. Glass front wall, accordeon ceiling. It was done to commemorate the the restaurant's upcoming 20th anniversary in May. I applaud them for the decor upgrade, and it certainly is humming with a hugely appreciative college crowd. I thought the food, though, was as dreary as ever. Standard buffet stuff, but the veggies (peas and pureed spinach) had the dull-gray cast that didn't shout freshness. The spicing was one dimensional: hot. And the chicken tandoor was as dry as sawdust. Best thing I had was the tall boy of Taj Mahal beer. Very quenching. 2) Yes, Szechuan Tasty. And speaking of heat, I was literally mopping my brow after finishing my three pepper chicken for lunch today. That has to be.....(to be continued)

That has to be one of the greatest dishes in Chinatown right now - morsels of tender leg meat tossed in red peppers, fresh green peppers, and long dried peppers, with a grind of Szechuan peppercorn that elevates the whole thing from mere spice into ethereal heat. It hurts but you can't resist it. And it was beautiful. I also loved my ma pao tofu (my favorite version, because the bean curd is soooo silky soft against the fiery gravy). The turnip patties, meanwhile, are just a crunchy, mild foil for the other fiery delights. Crispy discs of sesame-speckled dough wrapped around finely shaved turnip that is moist, white and sweet... continued for #3...

As to Katz's, yes, their pastrami is otherworldly - perfect texture, perfect primordial black pepper crust. I had to stop myself from eating too fast, because three quick bites in, I knew it was a heartburn express. This is one of those foods that every deli lover should know, since it is the platonic pastrami by which all others should be judged. The schmaltz fries were also fabulous, as was the smoky salami, and the fluffy matzo balls. The corned beef? MAJOR disappointment. Fatty, chewy, mysteriously unmoving. That place is a scene, though. Folks come by the busload and pile in to frenetic lines for self-service or one of the few waitered tables along the edge of the room. I have to say my years of training in table-spotting at the Reading Terminal served me well. We snagged a spot in the Saturday rush that felt, with the smells of warm deli meat swarming around us, stoking our hunger, like pure gold....

Craig, talk to me about the Senior Barriga drink at Xochitl... seriously... IS IT THE BEST DRINK EVER?

Mrs. Melograno - yes, taht is a fabulous cocktail, a sort of Mexi-twist on the caiprinha, with tequila instead of rum. I am a fan of the bar at Xochitl, which uses a lot of fresh ingredients for their drinks - lime juice for the margaritas, etc., spicy tomato cocktail for the Michelada frozen beer. With so many great high quality tequilas, though, I usually sip my spirits straight from a hollowed-out cucumber...

On that note, I'm calling this chat perfectly shaken and stirred. There were waaaay too many great questions for me to get to today, which is nice, but frustrating. I hope you all come back next week so we can chat again. Same time, same URL, different menu. Until then, may you all be well and eat something worth bragging about!

quite note: Will Crumb Tracker David please email me his mailing info at claban@phillynews.com so his prize book can be sent? Until next week, adios!