LaBan chat: Beer tastings and seafood specialties

Here is an excerpt from Craig LaBan's online chat of May 10, 2016:

Craig LaBan: We held the Inquirer's seventh annual Brew-vitational Competition for local beers at the paper earlier in the week. The private tasting event was our biggest to date, with 35 breweries and 64 beers. I can't divulge any results until our special Brewvi package in the Inquirer Food section June 2. But I had a tremendous panel of judges and there were some big surprise winners. A blind competition always delivers a few. You'll be able to taste most winners June 3 at Opening Tap at the Fillmore, which launches Philly Beer Week. Lovers of sour beer - our featured style this year - will rejoice.

Also, wanted to give a shout-out to Santucci's. Every year, I feed my beer judges pizza, and it's not easy to find a good place open on Monday that does delivery. But Santucci's in the Italian Market did an outstanding job. These are square pies with that unique local style of cheese on the bottom below sauce. But these sturdier pies were especially good and durable for the delivery trip and office buffet service, and were enjoyed by all. Delivery was prompt. The meatball-and-onion pie was my personal favorite.

Reader: Just had a fantastic spring bahn mi hoagie at Bahn Street in Abington, and it was terrific. Got me thinking, where can I get a good lobster roll in the suburbs?

C.L.: Glad to hear about Chad Rosenthal's Viet sandwich corner. I got a chance to taste the meatball banh mi he makes - very tasty, despite the name! As for suburban lobster rolls, hmmm . . . Legal Seafood in King of Prussia is always a good bet for the classic New England seafood. Michael Klein speaks highly of the lobster rolls at Quincy's in Berwyn, though I've not tasted them. In Philly, for lobster rolls, I'd go with the Oyster House, Pennsylvania 6, Luke's (for the bargain roll) and the Olde Bar (smallish, but excellent.)

Reader: As a fellow Vietnamese food enthusiast, Banh Street is a great addition to the local landscape here in Southern Montco. Seorabol and the Soft Tofu House in Olney/Oak Lane are two other awesome local spots just inside the city limits from our area.

C.L.: The large community of Korean restaurants around the Philly-Cheltenham line are a highlight for good dining in that part of the city. Jong Ka Jib on Fifth Street (the soft tofu house) is a personal favorite, as is Every Day Good House, the BBQ place at Front and Olney that was just the subject of discussion in this chat.

Reader: In keeping with the seafood theme, and in light of the merciful return of soft-shell crab season, what are some of your go-to spots when you want (need) a fix? Thanks!

C.L.: One place you should visit is Mustard Greens, the classic Chinese spot in Queen Village. Chef-owner Bon Siu specializes in crispy soft-shells encrusted in Asian spice. I always loved the soft-shells from Matt Ito at Fuji in Haddonfield - crusted in rice pearls and served with a tangy soy ponzu. There's been a change in ownership at Fuji but I'm hoping Matt and son Jesse resurrect that soft-shell in some way at the new Royal Izakaya in Queen Village. One more place: Johnny Brenda's was running this tasty soft-shell special that I ate about this time last year around Philly Beer Week. Very good. With soft-shell crab season kicking into gear, I'm hoping they consider running it again.