Weekend must-tries: Suppa time; budget steak
Chefs Angelo Polito and Georgeann Leaming - he's from Sussex County, N,J., she's from Woodstown, N.J., somehow North and South Jersey coexist - are tearing it up in Northern Liberties with a wide-ranging menu.
Northern Liberties' very fine A Full Plate moved to a corner in Fishtown and morphed into Cedar Point Bar & Kitchen.
Now it's Suppa's time in that comfy corner space on Liberties Walk.
Chefs Angelo Polito and Georgeann Leaming - he's from Sussex County, N,J., she's from Woodstown, N.J., somehow North and South Jersey coexist - are tearing it up at the 26-seat BYOB with a wide-ranging menu:
Loaded fries, tacos, curried spring rolls, vegetarian bahn mi slathered with mushroom pate, Cubano melt, shrimp and grits, turkey Reuben, bucantini Bolognese - even a throwback sloppy Joe. For bunch, you can get the usual as well as pancake sushi (fruit-filled pancakes rolled in coconut), a hair of the dog sandwich with house-made bacon and sausage on onion brioche.
Cool touches: 1980s games such as Simon and Trivial Pursuit while you wait and chili-lime popcorn that comes standard with sandwiches.
Leaming says Polito had his heart set on the name ("What's for suppa!") from the time they met while working in Atlantic City with a desire to join Philly's food scene. When they arrived and noticed Supper, Mktch Prensky's spot on South Street, they said: "Isn't this nice?" She doubts there is confusion.
Leaming, incidentally, is teed up for an appearance this spring on Food Network's Chopped.
Suppa, 1040 N. American St. (but it's really at Bodine St.), 215-644-9324, is open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday (brunch served weekends).
Beer here. The Philadelphia Inquirer's Travel Show at the Valley Forge Casino in King of Prussia this weekend has a beer pavilion offering 30 beers from 15 breweries as well as a culinary stage featuring such lights as Jack McDavid of Down Home Diner and Glen Gross of Fat Jack's.
Steak out. Sunday, Jan. 26 marks the official opening of the unfortunately named The Strip Joint, replacing the similarly unfortunately named SoWe at 918 S. 22d St. The Strip Joint's hook is sub-$20 steak dinners. I understand that some tables will be available Saturday night, as well.