Brunch bulletins; oil spill and seafood costs

Here is an excerpt from Craig LaBan's online chat:

Reader: Hey Craig, I had a fantastic brunch experience at Amis this weekend, some of the dishes are an amazing combination of brunch concepts with the Italian touch Vetri is known for, the taste of the duck egg with pecorino fondue and pork lined my mouth all weekend.

CL: You are the second person THIS MORNING to rave about last weekend's brunch at Amis. Those guys can really cook, and it's nice to know they're doing a brunch that is still true to the character of their dinner menu.

Reader: Speaking of brunch, Sonata in Northern Liberties rocks! I had short rib eggs benedict there. Homemade croissants, homemade cinnamon rolls . . . really good dinner too. We came back from Paris a few weeks ago, having eaten at Ducasse's Plaza Athenee. I have to say I liked Sonata better. Really! Not that it can compare extravagant-wise, but the food is creative, well-executed, and the portions are just the right size. Have you been there?

CL: Thanks for the report on Sonata, one Northern Libs BYO I've been getting consistently good feedback on, but haven't been to yet. Better than Plaza Athenee? Homemade croissants? I guess I better go, too, and soon.

Reader: Some blogs are blaming the closing of Chew Man Chu on bad reviews, when will people realize that it's the quality of the food, not the review that really matters.

CL: Most blogs, I assume, are simply repeating owner Marty Grims' assertion that a bad review did the place in. I disagree. If the bad reviews were wrong, Chew Man Chu would still be going chop suey gang-busters right now. My take: Chew Man Chu was a goofy idea, executed poorly. In addition, Grims is proving to have an itchy trigger finger at that location-he pulled the plug on his previous restaurant there, Du Jour, after just over a year.

Reader: What are your thoughts regarding the oil spill/leak affecting seafood? How much of the pricing at places like Sansom St. Oyster house will be affected?

CL: We ran a story on just this topic in our business section on Tuesday. Folks over at Pub & Kitchen, who are opening a seafood-centric spot in Avalon this summer, the Diving Horse, are concerned about prices shooting up. The effect on Gulf seafood is obvious. But I was surprised by the impact on pricing on the Eastern seaboard, too. It's simply supply and demand - remove a major source of seafood from the world market and the price of the remaining supply shoots up. East Coast fluke apparently went from $8 to $12 a pound between Monday and Wednesday last week. Same for scallops. It will force creative chefs to start turning to by-catch fish to keep prices in line. As for oil contamination, that's another problem altogether. Let's hope this slick doesn't leave the Gulf.

Reader: I love Aqua, but where else should I go for Thai food?

CL: Funny you mention Aqua as a Thai restaurant, and of course, it does serve Thai food. But I always think of it more as a Malaysian restaurant, which is its strength (rice net rolls; great roti canai) . . . As for Thai, we really need a pad Thai pick-me-up here since Siam Lotus went under. My current favorites are the sister restaurants in Manayunk, Chabaa Thai and MangoMoon. In town, it's slimmer pickings, but I'm partial to Erawan because it's a hidden neighborhood gem. Also, the Cambodian place Kavei on Oregon Ave. behind the Oregon Diner has very good Thai food.

Reader: The best three raw bars in the city? Best value?

CL: This isn't really in any order, but right now: The (Sansom St.) Oyster House; XIX (atop the Bellevue); Union Trust; and Fish . . . there are others, but these are among the best.

Reader: No taco stand at the Headhouse Farmers Market this week. Replaced with a sausage truck. Can't we live in a world where tacos can be served next to sausage?

CL: Yes, we can all live happily sausage-by-taco in perfect harmony. I understand, from both the market info booth and the taqueria's owner himself, that Los Taquitos de Puebla plans to be at the market on Sundays. In the meanwhile, that sausage line is just too crazy for me to wait in!

Reader: That's weird, when I asked they were under the impression that it was just going to be the sausage truck.

CL: The info desk told me that day that "Where is the taco stand?" was the single most popular question they fielded that day, and that they were supposed to be there. My kids were so disappointed they made me drive down to the Italian Market to eat at Los Taquitos' home base, where I ran into the owner. He said they'll be back.

Reader: What's on your summer BBQ playlist?

CL: Right now, in honor of my new TV obsession (Treme on HBO), I'm pumping up all my New Orleans Brass Bands-Rebirth, Soul Rebels, Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers. Perfect blend of tradition with modern funk and soul. And puts a little spice in your grill.