Le Virtu

Wade's Take:

Finally, we found a place with a dessert on par with the rest of the meal!

February's dining discovery led us to Le Virtu, a south, south Philadelphia Abbruzzesian restaurant. Yes, I think I made up the term Abbruzzesian (gesundheit!). Basically, it's a place defined by such descriptors as high-end, local, organic, grass-fed, house-made, rustic, etc.. Here's the thing, though - Le Virtu actually lives up to all of those things.

The space is pretty comfortable. The restaurant is divided into a few areas, with the back dining space abutting the kitchen (separated by open shelving cubbies filled with dishes). We had a nice hutch behind our perfectly sized table. The hutch helped to give the space a living room kind of feel.

Typical of most higher-end Italian menus, dishes were arranged for multiple courses, with pretty high price tags attached to each. We are fairly good at mapping out a caloric plan by now (except in the case of Uzu), and focused on three appetizers and three first / second courses. Plus, of course, the plan was designed to leave room for dessert.

We'd heard stories of Le Virtu's salumi plate, and couldn't pass up this opportunity to try it. It was great. There were loads of options, with most being cured directly below us in the basement. One of my favorites was a spreadable salame (ventricina teramana) with orange zest, garlic, rosemary and chili. The bresaola was also great.

I'll let Jess describe the special octopus starter, which we also enjoyed.

Apparently, the oliva all'ascolana was rated as a Philly Mag top appetizer in 2011. Truly? I thought it was a bland, meat-part mash that lacked interest and flavor. Every so often, a taste of the olives would peak through. Most of the time, all I tasted was the bland porchetta.

One of our entrees included a special pasta - chestnut flour gnocchi served with braised wild boar. It could have been fantastic if it hadn't been laden with salt. It almost made us think it was a mistake in the kitchen, or that no one had tasted the dish.

The brodetto was an excellent entree, though. This seafood stew had a rich, pure red pepper and tomato broth that sung with spice. Lump pieces of monkfish, shrimp (head-on) and calamari floated atop the broth, which I sopped up with chunks of bread.

And then there was dessert. We had eyed up a few other dessert courses that were delivered to other tables. We settled on the chocolate semifreddo and the olive oil apple cake.

The apple cake was a multi-textured cake with wintry spices and chunks of stewed, pressed apple. There was a crumb topping, which was then topped with walnut brittle and a marscapone thyme cream. That would have already made a great dessert, but it got even better with the addition of a vanilla gelato. I would say this dish was one of the best restaurant desserts I've had in at least a year. That's saying a lot for a guy that leans towards all things chocolate.

Three out of four happy sweet teeth.

Jess’ Take

I love our Friday dinner – especially those where we are able to secure a babysitter.  We all have a feeling of “ah… thank God for the weekend… and this fantastic glass of wine.” Le Virtu is a great spot for one of these Friday dinners.

After enjoying a glass of amazing Cabernet, the salumi plate just made me happy. In addition to the ventricina teramana that Wade mentioned, the duck prosciutto and bresaola were something I was thinking about long after we left.

In addition to the cured meats and olive all’ascolana starters, we also chose an octopus special to round out the course. While the sauce it was served with is escaping me, it really played second fiddle to the octopus, which was incredible tender. And also a good portion size for a starter – plenty for all three of us to share.

And now I get to do the dish I’ve been thinking about for days – the agnolotti alla porchetta, which is described on the menu as a braised porchetta-filled agnolotti, sage, butter, black truffle and crushed amaretti. This dish was an amazing combination of salty and sweet. The taste of the black truffle hits the tongue first in the front, and then the sweetness of the amaretti lingers on the back of the tongue, long after you’ve swallowed. It was amazing.

Wade was right in describing the gnocchi with braised wild boar as too salty. The dish probably tasted great about 6 hours earlier, but by the time we ate it, was just too salty to be enjoyable.

And dessert… ah dessert. Worth the calories for sure (and believe me – this dinner was a RICH one). The chocolate semifreddo was perfection and the olive oil apple cake wasn’t far behind. We left this dinner full and happy (emphasis on both).

La Virtu, we’ll be back.

3.5 out of 4 homemade salumi plates.

Tashan

Jess’ Take: We choose Tashan because Sophie was joining us for dinner this time and the reviews said that it was kid friendly. As soon as we walked through the door it was obvious that the only thing kid friendly about this restaurant was the fact that it was empty of other diners (we had chosen to dine at 5:30, just in case). However, the staff was gracious about having a toddler wander around the tables and throw food on the floor.

Tashan calls itself Modern Indian and I would say that’s about right. There are plenty of traditional Indian elements in the dishes, but they all have an interesting and sometimes unexpected twist.  The menu is broken up into 5 sections, and we decided to order one dish from each section, tapas style.
We were all intrigued by the description of the Gol-Gappa, so had to order it. Described as hollow durum puffs with spicy potato, injected with tangy mint-cilantro water, they were little one-two bite taste explosions. You had to add the mint-cilantro water yourself, which arrived in a separate little bowl, and it did a good job of cooling down the spice.

Next we opted for the Baby Octopus Nicobari, a Spanish rock octopus that was braised and served with a red bell pepper sauce. This octopus was excellent, very tender and went well with the sauce, although I think they went a little crazy with the amount of sauce that came with the dish. I found myself scraping some of it off to better taste the octopus.

From the Tandoori section we went for the jumbo shrimp, which were served with fenugreek, carom seed toasted yellow pea flour and coco essence and were delicious! Served on a skewer the dry rub on the shrimp complemented the creamy sauce it lay on top of perfectly. Sadly only three came with the dish.

For the last dish we went for the Chilka-Style Black Bass, which was pan-seared, served with a curry froth and apple-fennel salad. It was good, but not the highlight of the meal. There wasn’t enough curry to necessitate the amount of apple fennel salad that was served. It was a nice, light dish though.

It was an excellent meal with so many different and interesting flavors. It’s a bit pricey and the décor is a little too Atlantic City casino-esque (as Wade put it), but certainly worth a visit. I hope to find myself back there again sometime soon, possible without a toddler in tow.

3 ½ out of 4 Indian spices.

MiLah Vegetarian

Wade's Take:
Philly Foodies went Veg Head for our August brunch.

The healthiest member of our blog tribe, Jess was the one who heard good buzz about MiLah. This made me wonder, where do you hear veg restaurant buzz? I imagined her in the produce aisle of Whole Foods - stealthfully eavesdropping through a pile of broccoli and squash on two hipster moms as they dish about MiLah. Or perhaps, more likely, she just read it online.

Anyway, this place is hot. Literally. The restaurant air temperature was in the muggy 80's. Perhaps we were meant to perform some sweat yoga after our meal.

Now to the food. It was most excellent indeed and worth the buzz.

I selected the tofu benedict and a side of veggie bacon. Eggs, salmon, now tofu benedicts have been my trend over these past few meals and I wanted to see how the herbivore variety stacked up.


The silken tofu was in large squares, placed symmetrically on toasted whole wheat English muffins. Their hollandaise sauce was poured over top. I wondered how you make hollandaise sauce without butter and egg yolks - but this one was fair. It was mildly tart with lemon juice and light. The roasted tomatoes that lay on the side weren't anything memorable, but the kale and home fried were very much delicious. The kale was sauteed, yet still crisp. When layered on the benedict it made an even better combination. The sweet potato and red bliss homefries were small chunked potatoes, lightly pan fried and delectable. The veggie bacon was good, but nowhere close to fooling me that it was related to the real deal.

3 out of 4 veg heads.

Jess’ Take:

This might be my new favorite brunch spot. If not, it certainly comes very close to Beau Monde. Wade was semi-right. I heard about this spot from a personal trainer friend of mine; definitely a non-meat eating type of guy. I was amazed that I’ve actually walked by this place dozens of times and never really noticed it. I thought they might be able to use better marketing, but when we walked in we grabbed the last of the open tables, so clearly I’m the one who’s not in the know.

Their brunch isn’t just vegetarian, it’s fully Vegan. I was very interested to see what they would present and the chef did not disappoint. The descriptions were mouthwatering. I went for veggie sausage and avocado on oven-fresh biscuits in mushrooms gravy with sweet potato fries and bronzed coconut king mushroom. Um, that sounds amazing. And it was. I typically don’t like a veggie substitute parading as meat, which the veggie sausage clearly was, but it did such a good job that I couldn’t be annoyed. I can’t decide what the highlight of this dish was – the biscuit or the sweet potato hash browns. It’s still up for debate.


I also went for a side of veggie bacon. I should have realized that the crispiness I love about bacon cannot be recreated in a veggie form. It lay limp on the plate, unsuccessfully parading as meat. Next time, and there will certainly be a next time, I’ll skip it – and maybe order an extra side of sweet potato fries in its place.


4 out of 4 crunchy vegans.

Spring Mill Cafe

Wade's Take:

Suburban brunch done right.

The Spring Mill Cafe is a charming, homey restaurant that looks quaint and worn from afar. You sit in an eclectically decorated dinging room that once served as the restaurant's general store. Worn books partially fill the room's many bookshelves. Their tattered covers reflect the origin of the Spring Mill Cafe's chef. A "Tour of Morocco," "Modern French Baking," "Gladwyne: A Historical Perspective," ... these books tell of the varied past of Spring Mill Cafe's owner - Michele Haines. Michele's history with food shows in all the dishes.

I chose the truffled chicken liverpate as my starter. It was served with slices of crusty french baguette, bitter gherkins and grainy Dijon mustard. The pate was smooth, yet rich. It didn't have the lingering bite of bitter that some pates can have (e.g. the ones I make at home). Combined with the gherkins and mustard, I was loving life.

My entree was the smoked salmon sandwich. Thick slices of flaky salmon snuggled with cucumbers and a dill spread in between hearty slices of pumpernickel. It came mix a mixed green salad that had the perfect sprinkling of her lemon vinaigrette atop the leaves. This dish was light and refreshing.

Coffee by La Columbe and and air of relaxation made the Spring Mill Cafe even more desirable. I will be back, with more friends!

3.5 out of 4.

Slate

Jess’ Take:
I’m really loving this brunch thing we have going on. It gets us out and together on the weekend and there’s no stress of the work day weighing us down. It also opens up a bunch of new options for restaurants, like the one we hit this month, Slate. Located on 21st street, the weather was warm and wonderful so we sat outside to take it in.

The brunch menu isn’t extensive, but includes some interesting choices, like short rib mac and cheese and braised pork n’ cheddar. I went for the local beef burger myself, which was piled high with sautéed “ale” onions. Unfortunately I’m still on a no-dairy diet, so I had to forgo the boursin, but even without it this was an amazing burger. Actually, it was surprisingly good. I typically save my red meat consumption for something that is truly special and I’m glad that I decided to go for it, because this burger certainly was. Accompanied with cilantro fries, the dish was indulgent and delicious. Paired with a spicy bloody mary, I floated through the rest of the day on a brunch high (as well as a very full stomach).

I hope to find myself back at Slate sometime soon. And hopefully by then I can go for the boursin! Slate, I give you 4 out of 4 lazy Sunday brunches.



Wade's Take:

I'm with the lady on this one, brunch is the new dinner. For us, anyway. Slate proved to be a great choice.

I selected the short rib mac and cheese and a side of the home fries. It was a carb party, that's for sure.

The mac and cheese was the four cheese variety - I could detect pecorino romano and a smoky cheese, maybe a Gruyere. The short rib meat was aplenty. It was a satisfying dish that would only have been better if topped with some crunch of panko.

The home fries I'm still thinking about. Although they may have been to sodium-rich for some, for me they were perfection. The potatoes were sliced thin and seasoned with garlic and pepper. They were dense, yet prepared thin enough to be eaten voraciously (which I did). The edges were crisp and browned from pan-frying. Excellent.

Slate's slated for 3.5 out of 4 carbs.

1862

This month we headed to 1862, Martin Hamann's new restaurant at the Union League.

Jess’ Take:
This was a super schmance dinner for the Foodies, and I loved every bite! We made our reservations on the first day the reservation lined opened up were told a few days prior that the restaurant was booked for a solid month, so I was surprised to see so many open tables when we walked in, but maybe that was because the Phillies were playing game #4 of the NLCS. Regardless, this just meant more servers to hover over our table. I’m not complaining.

Shortly after sitting down we were greeted with a very tasty amuse bouche of lobster salad with truffled celery. It was amazing, rich and flavorful. Also most appropriate served as a bite and no more. A full appetizer would probably have taken a few days off my life.



To start I ordered the butternut squash soup, which was served with a fried cheese ball and bacon. It was rich and delicious, really perfect for the cool fall day that we were having.



For the main entry I had the grilled grouper, which was served with cockles, artichoke hearts and fried potato sticks. The fish was perfectly cooked and delicate and it was a pretty sizable portion. The potato sticks were interesting, but a little bland. The cockles added a nice, salty flavor to the dish.



The desserts were definitely the highlight of the meal. Although we could have ordered every one on the menu they were all so intriguing, we settled for just three. Of the three, my favorite was the one served with bacon (of course). It was a small brioche French toast topped with maple ice cream and sprinkled with candied bacon. The whole thing was served on top of a sweet fruit compote. This dessert was decadence to the max and I loved every bite of it.



1862 isn’t a restaurant we’ll hit often because of the price tag, but I’ll definitely be back, and the whole time I’ll be anticipating dessert.

1862, I give you 4 out of 4 little pieces of candied bacon.

Dave's Take
My first course was a braised rabbit stuffed rigatoni. Yes, rabbits are cute and some people keep them as pets but if you have not tried it, please get over it and give it a go. Rabbit is excellent and this was no exception. Succulent rabbit stuffed in two rigatonis with a hint of peppercorn, mustard and vinegar. It was excellent and I will order again, but I have to admit, not as amazing as those empanadas from the ribbon cutting.



Next up I ordered the Sautéed Pennsylvania pheasant with chestnut and foie gras “paquet,” Brussels sprout leaves and natural sage jus. I love pheasant. It’s what chicken is supposed to taste like and this was cooked to perfection- tender, juicy and full of flavor. The herbal sage jus complemented the richer pheasant flavor without overpowering. The foie gras “paquet” was a unique execution of foie gras and reminded me a little bit of a souffle. The taste was rich and flavorful but as often happens with me and foie gras, became too rich for me and I had to surrender.



I should point out at this point that our service was excellent- Friendly, amazingly attentive and for only the second week in business, fairly familiar with the menu. Dishes were delivered at precisely the same time and cleared in a timely manner. We were more than content after the mains but asked to take a look at the dessert menu since we had tasted some amazing treats at the ribbon cutting and were looking forward to what was to come. We agreed on 3- The chocolate soufflé, a ginger cake with milk stout ice cream and an amazing brioche French Toast over fall fruit compote with, and here is the best part, maple bacon ice cream. This was THE BEST ice cream I have ever had and if you have ever smiled when watching the syrup on your plate slowly make it way over to the side of bacon, you know how good that combo can be. Sweet and salty. The ginger cake was excellent and the idea of beer ice cream would have been mind-blowing if it was not sitting on the same table as bacon ice cream. Oh, and the chocolate soufflé was the best I have ever had since we had it at Fountain.


Wade's Take:

Yeah, we were excited to be "in" at this place. Our chance to eat somewhere before most professional reviewers! The pressure was on to beat the other bloggers to the scoop... then I waited to blog about 1862 for nearly a month. D'oh.

I was sold on 1862 by the bread plate. Particularly, a rosemary flat bread that had me entranced. If I was an old lady with a purse, I would have scooped up the remaining breadbits into my purse for later.

Instinct dictated that I order the sweetbreads as my appetizer. Good move. The sweetbreads were crisped on the exterior, and packed the sweetened tang of a classic internal organ. It was plate roommates with kale and a white bean puree that had a punch of saltiness that went well with the sweetbreads.

I went against my cardinal rule of not ordering salmon out at a restaurant (it's almost always better at home) with my entree. The salmon was a generous portion, sprinkled with peppers and chili powder and grilled just right. It sat on a cheese/cauliflower puree that was fairly good - although it left me pining for a missing ingredient I couldn't quite place. The roasted garlic, shell and all, was a great additional side to this dish.

Then there was dessert. How I loved thee. The chocolate souffle was world-changing. Overflowing and gooing from the large rameking, the fluffy chocolate cake blanketed with a semi-sweet chocolate layer, which was emblazoned with a Union League logo. If this were my restaurant, I'd mark a dessert like this with my brand, too. I'd be very proud. The souffle was spongey, moist, warm and had a whipped cream and chocolate shaving accompaniment. Perfection.

For the appetizer, bread plate and dessert, I give 1863 high marks. The salmon? Not so much.

3 out of 4 scoops.

Village Whiskey, is post # 60!

Recap:
The Philly Food Blog began five years ago as a simple enough concept... friends get together to eat somewhere new each month and talk about it. The trio started off at Philadelphia's Rittenhouse staple byo, Friday Saturday Sunday for its inaugural meal.

This month marks 60 posts to this blog. There have been a wide range of restaurants over the years, from Creole to Korean, from intimate byo's to celebrity chef mega-restaurants, and from cheap eats to break the budget bistros. Nearly 30 percent of the restaurants we've visited have closed up shop over these past five years.

Our tastes have changed over five years. Our appreciation of a good meal has been amplified, but we've also become more selective in handing out high blog scores. We've branched out from our early days when Jess regularly ordered scallops, Dave gravitated towards wild game and Wade was obsessed with duck. But some things have stayed the same... fine cheeses, chocolate and cured meats are still always our favorites.

The biggest lesson learned after five years? Making plans every month can be hard... schedules don't mesh, you're tired after work, budgets are tight at times. Committing to working past the noise of life for something you love, like good friends and fine food, is always worth the investment.

Village Whiskey

Wade's Take:

Jose Garces continues to make his Godzilla-like, delicious mark across the city with the opening of Village Whiskey. It's a high-end bar food joint with an extensive whiskey list. Village Whiskey gets automatic bonus points for sharing the kitchen with its neighbor (and Garces' family member) Tinto.

We had three starters. My favorite from the pickles menu was the herb cherry tomatoes. Out came finely toasted sourdough bread, whipped ricotta cheese (creme fraiche-like) and a black olive tapenade to accompany the pickled cherry tomatoes. The trio piled atop the bread was perfection. The tapenade is one of the best I've had with its harmonious sweet, tart and sour deep olive flavors. Highly recommended.

I went big for my entree and ordered the lobster roll. I should know by now that higher price does not equate to better taste. My celebratory mood overwhelmed common sense, however, and the giant $28 lobster roll soon sat before me. If Philly has taught me anything, it's that a good sandwich is all about the bread. This one failed. Yes, there was lobster and aioli and bacon. That trifecta is normally impossible to beat. The roll brought it down. Spongy and limp, it seemed more like something I'd pick up in the day old bread section at Genuardi's.

My favorite of our desserts was the classic hot fudge sundae. Served in a old-fashioned glass ice cream dish, it had throwback flavors with modern punch. A peanut butter brownie was broken up within vanilla ice cream, chocolate ganache and bananas. This formula was done just right.

Three out of four malt scotches.

Jess’ Take:
I officially LOVE Village Whiskey. Maybe it’s because I was on a “60th Blog Dinner” high, but whatever it was, the chef could do no wrong. My favorite of the starters was the tater tots. As a tots lover from the start, these were above and beyond any others I have had. The insides were whipped as opposed to the more traditional small dice and the Vidalia onion crème fresh dipping sauce was amazing. There was not a drop of this left when the waiter came to clear our plates.

Although I was really considering ordering the Whiskey King (or better known as the “10oz burger of death”), I decided to give my heart a chance and ordered the veggie burger. Good choice. It was delicious. Made of black beans and lentils and topped with guacamole and pickled red cabbage, it was the perfect consistency and very flavorful. It was served between the most perfect sesame bun.

We did both the strawberry shortcake and peanut butter brownie sundae for dessert and I can’t decide which was better. The shortcake had almost a corn bread consistency (though not taste) and was accompanied by a whiskey infused whipped cream. The sundae was very sweet, but complimented by the salty peanut butter bits.

I’ll definitely be back at Village Whiskey – and Whiskey King, I’m coming for you.

4 out of a possible 4 perfect tots.

Dave's Take:
I liked the idea of Village Whiskey from the beginning. The Doors-esque window, the casual atmosphere and the chance of some good Garces food. The atmosphere reminds me of some of the best Soho/West Village bars. Smaller, cozy and fun but Village Whiskey has better food. From my birthday dinner 2 weeks ago at Tinto, we got the skinny that the downstairs kitchen actually services both places. Some good business planning from Garces- more seats, more alcohol revenue and a simple menu so you can service a new restaurant while keeping overhead low by sharing a kitchen.

To start I must clarify, Village Whiskey is not the fine dining experience. It's simple, upscale bar food executed flawlessly. First up was the Tater Tots. At $3, this dish was the cheapest on the menu and one of the cheapest on any menu I have seen. They were great. Potato puree that was golden and crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. Certainly a step above the lunch-lady version. The star was the Vidalia onion crème fresh on the side. It was so good we kept it for dipping bread after the tots were gone. Other apps were pickles. These stole the show. Yellow and Red roasted beats in one jar and tomatoes in another. A sweet, tart and herb-intense pickle still let the natural flavors of the beets and tomatoes (respectively) shine through. These were no store bought dills.

On to the main course. I got the standard burger. It was fantastic. Now, I have always believed that Standard Tap and Rouge has the best burgers in town (I have not had the B&S burger yet but plan too soon). Those too have floated on the podium while the rest of the burgers in town fight for mediocrity. Now, a new player has made it a 3 way fight for superiority. Between Tap & Rouge, Rouge has been leading lately. I need to do some more scientific research but at first taste, Village Whiskey will give Rouge a run for it's money. Jess got the veggie burger. It was big, flavorful and full of cumin. It was good but after tasting my burger, it seemed wimpy. I'll need to try again on its own.

Wade unfortunately order the only expensive thing on the menu. He got the lobster roll. I'm not a fan of lobster rolls so I didn't taste it but at 3 times the price of my burger, it did not look impressive and Wade did not seem that happy with it.

Oh yeah, and the bar menu isn't bad either. Ton's of Bourbon, Rye and Scotch and plenty of signature drinks based on old-time cocktails. I was on good behavior this Tues night so I went with a imperial stout from a fairly extensive beer list of good quality. Our server was fun and attentive enough with the same casual feel that fit the place. He even had the chef de cuisine come up and visit us to celebrate our 60th dinner. My biggest complaint- It's not open for brunch. Jess & I tried last week only to find out it was closed. The format is perfect for brunch and would steal some of the Rittenhouse crowd if open. As proof, we went to Rouge for a burger as the back-up.

If I only rate my food, and I factor in the value equation, it's 4 out of 4 pickled livers. If I factor in Wade's disappointment, it s 3 out of 4. Either way you need to get to Village Whiskey. You should go for one of the following scenarios- 1)- To tie one on during an after work happy hour while eating the best bar munchies around. 2) For a dinner out where you just want to hang out and relax. 3) To join the protest to have them open for brunch

Modo Mio

Dave's Take:
Wade said it right, we needed to give another Italian joint a try. With such a string of disappointing experiences, the next one had to be good. I wanted to hit a place that wasn't in center city and that target Modo Mio as our next stop. Depending on when you read this, a store-front shop on Girard between 1st & 2nd may not seem like a place to get dynamite food and the exterior wouldn't suggest it either. But everything changes when you enter this cozy little BYO. It is warm and comfortable inside and the service is friendly and very knowledgeable.

When we first sat, they brought over an amuse bouche. Woo-Hoo! Usually this means the place is going to be good, and who doesn't like a free bite to eat. This was roasted eggplant unlike I've ever had on top of a small piece of crusty bread. It was smoky, spicy (but not hot) rich and wonderful. They cleared the plate and when a few minutes later, another waiter offered us our free amuse-bouche, we said thank you and gladly took it. OK- so maybe we should have told them we had one already but it was too freaking good.

We all got the Turista menu. 4 courses for $32 and it came with a free shot of Sambuca. I must admit that Jess ordered best, but here is my selection. For my antipasto course, I had traditional veggie antipasto but I must admit, this is the best I've tasted. Roasted eggplant, asparagus, and red peppers with a fantastic rich compote of some sort and a roasted beet. Went together great and was only overshadowed by Jess's outrageous scallop. Wade's was good too.

Up next, the Pasta dish. I got Parpardelle with Wild Boar Ragu. This was fantastic. The only Pastas on that level are the rich Duck Ragu's you get at places like L'oca or Vetri. This was screaming fall. Spices like clove and cinnamon exciting the rich and highly reduced rich sauce that hours ago was broth. With tender strings of wild boar and perfectly cooked pasta, it was amazing. The highlight of my meal.



My Secondo was a roasted suckling pig. On the menu it had goat cheese which I'm not a big fan of (hey-don't give me crap) so I asked to get it without. The waiting was so confident and knowledgeable he pleaded to leave it in as he knew that was in there to take some of the richness, heat and saltiness out of the dish. We agreed that we would both cut some slack and leave it out but that it would be my fault if it wasn't fantastic. It was very good, but not fantastic. Maybe it was my fault but I didn't balk at those points he mentioned. To me, it was a little bland- kinda like a Chinese food brown sauce. Good, but not exciting. I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt. The duck special however that I was thinking about getting was out of this world. I stole a taste from Jess but could not gain access to any more.

Desserts- They're OK but nothing to write home about. So I won't. If you don't get the Turista menu, don't get them. If you are doing the tasting menu, then it's included so why not?

This was the closest place to the 4 out of 4 in a while but I just can't do it... due to the only okay desserts. I'm going to give 3.75 out of 4 little piggies. I know it's a cop-out but I'm writing this so I can do what I want. I will certainly be back to Modo Mio and you should go too. For the value, it is one of the finest places I have been and got me loving Italian food again!!!


Wade's Take:
I am a carb-fiend. So when I walked into Northern Liberties’ Modo Mio and saw the largest loaf of crusty bread I’d ever seen before, I was intrigued. The loaf, which was Umbrian country bread, weighed nearly 20 pounds. And I am quite sure that I am in love with it.

Bring on the specials when you dine at Modo Mio. For $32, you go through four courses which includes antipasti, pasta, secondo and dolce, aka dessert. Modo Mio, what a deal!

The amuse bouche was tantalizing. But that Umbrian country bread I was in love with was great. The bread came out with a sweet olive oil and butter/cheese hybrid. My mouth was brimming with my bread friend and her oily companions. Perfection.

My appetizer was essentially a mozzarella sandwich with anchovy caper butter. A finer grilled cheese I have never known. The bread was perfectly crisped on the periphery, and soft, gooey and warm inside. The mozzarella was at an ideal melting point and the anchovy caper butter gave it a sensational flavor kick.

The lamb and veal tortelloni with sage brown butter, as my pasta course, proved equally delightful. The meats were tender and well seasoned in their modest pasta shells. Like my theory of capers (“nothing can go wrong when capers are involved”), my brown butter motto stills holds strong (brown butter makes it better, baby!). Add in the sage flavorings, and you had a solid dish. The portion size, too, was amenable to my stomach.




My primary course was the skate special – lightly deep-fried with an incredible texture, balanced between crispy outside and tender flaky inside. The poisson sat atop lightly grilled eggplant and a nest of spinach. The dish was well-salted, and its intense sodium may have been too much for some, but did me right.
Dessert was a torta de chocolate – like a moist brownie with no trace of the vile nutella that was supposedly used to flavor it.



And what a view from inside of Modo Mio. There’s a sweeping view of the city skyline from inside the restaurant, so long as you sit in just the right spot. We were there at sunset, and the whole skyline had an amber glow. Plus, it gave me an excuse to look towards that delicious hunk of bread, worthy of Andre the Giant, once more.
3.5 out of 4 colossal loaves of bread

Jess’ Take:
Do not miss this restaurant. Dave and Wade did a great job so I’ll cut to the chase – I cannot stop thinking about the Parpardelle with Wild Board Ragu. It was quite possibly one of the best dishes I’ve ever had. I’ll also give props to the scallop antipasti – the scallop was done to perfection and placed on top of a sweet, egg-based bread. The combination is fantastic. Even though you have to get a dessert with the tourista special, it’s such a deal you can’t really complain.
I officially give Modo Mio a 4 out of 4!

Zahav

Wade's Take:
I don’t know how to write about Israeli food. Its flavors, spices and cooking processes are pretty alien to me. But I do know how to eat it… and love it.

August found all of us in the PFB crew at Zahav, the fairly new (and very much critically acclaimed) Israeli restaurant in Society Hill.

My first taste of Zahav came through the Lemonnana, a bourbon, muddled mint, lemon verbena, and fresh lemon drink. It drank easier than a mojito, and was twice as refreshing as a glass of lemonade.

We had a salads course of eight small pickled, marinated and finely diced items in stacked metal cradles. Mainly vegetables, they did effectively whet my appetite for more and prepare me for some of the flavors we’d experience that night. Outside of the eggplant, though, I found most dishes to be a bit too salty for my liking.

We all shared our courses with one another, and the dishes that crossed our plates kept getting better and better. The three dishes I ordered proved excellent.

First was the basturma… scallions, air-cured beef, and garlic. It was my favorite of the night. The meats were rich and dark, rolled and served on a wooden platter. The combination of the cured meat and its toppings was ideal – pulling traces of both pepper and the tang of the scallions.

The chicken freekah had smoky, simpler flavors that worked well with the other dishes. The roasted almonds, in particular, were almost a palate cleanser in between bites of the other foods being passed around.

Last and most spectacular was the Jerusalem grill – comprised of chicken livers and sweetbreads. For those that don’t know, sweetbreads are the thymus gland of lamb, beef or pork (the thymus gland produces the helpful and hardy T cells). This dish had the best chicken livers I’ve had thus far in life (and I have had some incredible chicken liver dishes – thanks mom!). The livers were dusted in a light spice. They were tender and crumbled under light pressure from my fork. The sweetbreads were a heavenly white and overall great specimens. The full flavor of the livers worked well with the gentler flavors of the sweetbreads.

Turkish coffee was my final course. It was the best I’ve had. The deliciouso-sludge was naturally sweet and went down easily. This review was written some 4 hours later at home, at 1:30 am, as I still ride on my caffeine buzz. The Turkish coffee is well worth being a bit bleary eyed at work tomorrow.

Zahav has an open, conversational atmosphere. There are lots of warm brown tones on the walls and large windows with an expansive view of Society Hill.

The service was excellent, and our waiter was genuine and well-informed. Despite what I had read about lackluster service on other reviews of Zahav, we were very pleased with the service.

And am I feeling a little high and mighty and positively biased about the place because we were being photographed for Food and Wine and Esquire the whole time? Yes. Yes I am. Look for us in the December issues (perhaps), over-emoting and enjoying our tasty Israeli foods.

3 out of 4 paparazzi.

Guest Blogger Melissa Ross' Take:
I was honored to be a guest reviewer at this month’s Philly Foodie outing. When Jess said we were going to Zahav, I was excited since I had heard and read good things about it. Well, it certainly lived up to its reputation.

Since the menu was designed for sharing, we all ordered something different and created our own “tasting menu.” I started with the Jerusalem cocktail which consisted of prosecco and sabra fruit. Although it was good, it didn’t excite my taste buds. My favorite libation was actually Jess’s Israeli Salad Martini, which literally tasted like a salad. It was salty with a refreshing twist.

Our first course included of a variety of Middle Eastern salads, the eggplant salad being my favorite. I certainly went back for second and third spoonfuls. Being that we were at a Middle Eastern restaurant, we had to try one of their hummus creations. We decided on the unhealthiest option of all, the Turkish Hummus, with butter, grilled garlic, lemon and cumin. The consistency was unlike traditional hummus, it reminded me more of a mashed potato texture, but none the less, it was delish.

About halfway through our meal, our server mentioned there was a photographer on the premise taking pictures for Food and Wine Magazine. Once we spotted him, we noticed he was taking some pictures of our table. In my secret fantasy of being a celebrity, I chatted up the photographer and told him that we were fans of Food and Wine and if he needed some extra shots, we would be happy to pose for him. It turns out the pictures are also being used for Esquire Magazine.

With hopes of appearing in a nationally syndicated mag, came the hot Mezze course. I ordered the Yemenite Soup, with chicken broth, Yemenite curry, and potatoes. I enjoyed Dave’s fried cauliflower and seafood stew more than my own choice, but that is the loveliness of the small plate trend…lots to share and taste.

For our last course, I ordered “The Galil,” a safe choice of baby eggplant, tehina, pistachios and rice. Again, it certainly didn’t disappoint, but was not a standout creation. I tried Wade’s “Jerusalem Grill” a savory combination of chicken livers and sweetbreads. Who knew that chicken livers taste just as good before they go in the food processor for the perennial Jewish holiday favorite, Chopped Liver? And lucky enough for me I already had two drinks, so it didn’t faze me when Dave and Wade mentioned that the sweetbread was animal thymus. It actually had a very nice savory texture to it. But by far, Dave’s pick of the “Moroccan Pastilla,” the delish dish of rabbit, prunes, and almonds in a sort of phyllo dough wrap, was my favorite of the night.

About this time, the photographer came over and asked Jess and me to talk and smile a lot. Dave and Wade needn’t worry about acting, as they would be out of focus. I hope my friendliness and the fact that I was wearing a cute outfit, influenced the photographer to pick our table for Esquire’s feature of the restaurant. Check out the December issue of Esquire and hopefully you’ll see our unrecognizable faces in a picture where the bar behind us in the focal point. I believe the Food and Wine Magazine feature is December as well, but since it will only be plate shots, I wasn’t paying attention to the timeline as much. At least you’ll know we were there when the pictures were taken.

Overall, I give it 4 out of 4 pita breads. The food was creative and the sharing option allowed enough culinary variety that you are sure to find something you love with each course. Having been to Israel, the decor and ambience was authentic. But really, the best part of the dining experience was the company. I hope they’ll invite me back again.

Coquette

Dave's Take:
Coquette is a solid performer. First, the place has a great feel. Think of it as the love child of Sanson Street Oyster House and Beau Monde. It has that New Orleans, French Quater type feel. Very comfortable and very chill with a touch of class and character. The antesesis of Steven Starr.
We started out the dinner right. Martinis all around. My compadres got ambitious and went for the Oyster Martini's. I'm sure they will elaborate. Me, preferring to keep my oysters on the shell, opted for a Hendrick's up. Big glasses when filled to the proper amount went 3/4 up the rim. This makes total sense to me. Don't cheap out on the tiny glasses that spill over over the place when the server is bringing them over. Put it in a proper glass. Thanks Coquette.
The food is also strong at Coquette. I got a beet salad to start out. Wonderful roasted red & yellow beats with microgreens. Simple and Tasty, a great way to enjoy the breaking of summer. Would certainly suggest. I'm happy. My second course arrives, seared scallops. These were cooked well, and by that I mean seared, not cooked, with the tenderness and flavor preserved. They were served over little neck clams and a thin brith with sweet corn chowder and ample amounts of butter. It was very good.
The real winner here is the prix fix menue. Wade & Jess went with that and it was a steal. $30 bucks gets you an oyster app, an entree, a dessert, and a glass of wine. This is a great deal! Wade's steak frites were a little tough, especially for being med rare, but it was seasoned well and the fries were great. The desserts that came with the dishes were not memorable, but at $30 for the whole deal, you don't have to eat it.
To sum it up for me, Coquette, is a great place to have a comfortable dinner with friends or family. The feel is great and the food is good. I don't feel however that you will be blown away by anything so it may not stick out in your mind when thinking of all the places to eat in the city. But luckily for Coquette, the world needs solid performers and a bistro with a great feel fills that role perfectly.
Coquette joins the ranks of the select group of QV gems that prove there is more to that area than Fat Tuesdays (Ansil, Gayle & Latest Dish to name my other fav's)
3.5 out of 4

Miran

Dave's Take:

I don't hang out much as 20th & Chestnut but now I have a reason to go. Miran is a great, fun, low-key place. The atmosphere is anything but luxurious. If it wasn't for the crazy vents hanging from the ceiling giving some visual interest, you think you would be in a Little Pete's or some other dirty lunch place. But the food and the prices make up for it.

The details: For apps, we got a Kimchee pancake. Think of the traditional scallion pancake you get at a Chinese takeout joint, but fill it with tasty, spicy kimchee and when combined with the soy-based dipping sauce made crispy fireworks in your mouth. The other app was very strange. Honestly, I forget the name but I would describe it as a playdough size rice noodle about an inch in diameter in a spicy sauce. The sauce was great but the noodle was too gooey.

Onto the main dishes. First we got the Dolsot Bibim Bap which is loosely translated as the Korean superior version of a fried rice bowl. First, the take an extremely hot stone bowl, fill it with rice, then veggies and some meat (we got beef) and top it off with an egg. The bowl is carried to your table sizzling and as that happen the rice is getting crispy. Wait a few minutes and mix it all up. The egg cooks and the individual tastiness's combine to form a taste superpower. A must have for my next visit. The rest of the meal was the Korean BBQ. This was fun. Not a culinary masterpiece but a good time. They bring over marinated meats (pork & short rib in our case) and you cook on this cool Butane grill built into your table. The meat taste great but is obviously not cooked to perfection. The social aspect makes up for it. I HATE the Melting Pot. You should not boil meat unless your planning on cooking it for a long time unless you want them to have the consistency of old tires. With grilling however, a quick cook under high heat is ideal so it is a much more enjoyable meal.

Not a date place (unless your in college) and not a place to impress clients, but a damn good spot for some fun tasty bites and some communal cooking. It's BYO, bring beer to wash down that spicy food and make you forget you overcooked your meat.

Wade's Take:
There’s something spectacular about cooking your own food at a restaurant. Even though it kind of makes you a sucker (think about it: you are going to a restaurant and paying $20 an entrée and they won’t even cook it for you?) it’s worth it for the interactivity and social experience of cooking meat with friends. Perhaps it takes us back to Neanderthal days, when flame and raw meat were the equivalent of myspace. Or perhaps it appeals to the control freak imbedded in all of us… “we don’t trust kitchens, so we will cook our own grub, damn it!”

Whatever the root, I love combining flames, food and friends. Miran is the place for it. This Korean restaurant tucked onto a block of Chestnut street with a pack of other asian joints is the best of the lot. It’s a BYO, so plan accordingly. We brought a bottle of Chinese white wine. Not a good pick on my part. I’d recommend finding some rice wine that drinks sweeter, like a Choujiu. Anyway, it won’t matter, because you won’t be paying attention to your beverage. The food will have you at hello.

Miran has lots of spicy dishes. There are a lot of subtle hot flavors in the pickling and chili sauces they offer. If you don’t like spice, advise them in advance.

We tried the Bibim bap, which is a rice dish served in a hot stone bowl with tons of veggies, a cooked egg and the meat of your choice dumped on top. Be sure to let it sit for several minutes once it’s served to you. This lets the rice get crispy brown on the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add a dallop of chili pepper paste to it and its set. Brown rice makes it even better.

The focus of Miran is the Korean BBQ. There’s a large recessed grill at your table, heated by a butane flame. We ordered the kalbi (short ribs) and pork kalbi (pork ribs). They give you a slew of veggies and sauces with them. It was great. Even the meat we overcooked a bit was delicious in its charred glory. Any meal with many tastes and textures is great for me. Hence, my love of Miran.

We ordered some appetizers as well, but they aren’t necessary. The Korean BBQ and bibim bap are enough food for most.

And Dave? I disagree. It’s a great date place, as long as she eats meat. When the conversation turns dry, you can talk about the broiling flame in front of you and how its reminiscent of your burning love for her (perhaps that is too strong of a come on for a first date, but you get the point). Places that keep you busy and working are great for dates with awkward long pauses in conversation. Trust me, I know!
Four out of four charred meats.

James (on 8th)

Jess' Take:
This place is amazing. I’d heard quite a bit about it, but was always discouraged by the location (8^th and Catherine) – a little too far south for me. But it was open on a Monday. And, we discovered, well worth the trek (which wasn’t actually much of a trek). The purpose of this blog is to comment on the food and not the atmosphere, but I’ll break that rule quickly here. It was so warm and cozy, with a fire place and chocolaty, warm colors, I wanted to stay all night. It may have had something to do with the dreary cold rain outside, but whatever it was I walked in and was right at home.
Although the menu calls for three courses, we opted for two each… knowing that dessert was a very viable option. I went for the braised rabbit agnolotti, muscat grapes & pecorino di fossa. Not something very typical for me, but I was feeling warm and fuzzy (maybe that was from my Hendrix & melon cocktail). I was not disappointed. The portion was small, but enough for this fairly rich rabbit ravioli. The grapes added a very interesting sweetness to the otherwise salty sauce. It was very satisfying, especially with a glass of pinot noir.
I ordered the butter braised john dory fillets, porcini & crisp apple for my second course. The fish fillets were meaty and delicious and complimented by thin slivers of apples. The dish was drizzled in foam of some sort – isn’t everything nowadays? Again, small portion but very rich. I should have been done here, but of course dessert was calling my name… specifically the pumpkin mousse with cardamom ice cream (homemade on premise) (pictured at top). I could have just had that ice cream and been satisfied for the rest of the week. It was delicious. The mousse was good too, moist and typical of pumpkin unsweet, but couldn’t hold a candle to its accompaniment.
Overall this was a great dinner. I left very full (no need to order three courses here) and satisfied. I would have happily stayed for another cocktail by the fireplace, but it was Monday and technically, that’s my “dry” day. Oops. I give it 4 happy diners out of 4.

Wade's Take:

James on 8^th, you made me happy.

I began with the butternut squash soup, poured together at the table, melded with bacon. The soup proved more salty than sweet. It left me thirsty, but feeling warm and effectively appetized.

My second course was the halibut in wrapped in a fennel nest, atop a saffron-basil sauce with celery. If I were a halibut, despite being dead, I would be most pleased to have been prepared some scrumptiously. The fish was moist, and perfectly cooked. The nest of fennel it was tightly wrapped in added more exquisite flavor. The celery was near impossible to eat, limp and stringy. Perhaps it was just an accoutrement to the main dish, not meant to be eaten. Nonetheless, I used it to enjoy the saffron-basil sauce that surrounded it.

As always, the most critical course was dessert. I ordered a chocolate terrine on fried bread (fancy pants term for buttered toast), rock salted with some fleur de sel. What it equated too was a rich chocolate goodness, dense and intense. Imagine an entire flourless chocolate cake, pressed into a 3 by 2 mold. Add some salt to the top, and lay the whole thing on some warm buttered bread. Hard to eat? Very. Worth ordering nonetheless? Absolutely.

The location was warm and inviting, almost like we were had a hipster friend’s house on a cold rainy Monday evening, commiserating over the start of the week amidst a dinner party. The sloped ceiling and comfortable, smoothly designed furniture added to our comfort.

The service was prompt and friendly. Our server’s exotic cheekbones were so sharp that she offered to slice our bread on her cheek flesh. Alas, we declined her offer.

James on 8^th, I’ll be back.

Three out of four Eighths.

Gayle

Wade’s Take:

I didn’t expect to like Gayle. I thought it was going to be another quaint Philly buzz spot, with an over-attentive yet snob-erific staff. This is what I was told to expect, and I am happy that I was quite wrong. The staff was warm and conversational. The room was small and comfortable. The meal was exceptional.

Eli Collins – bless you for existing. This drink unique to Gayle was uber refreshing. Designed by Gayle staffer Eli Collins, it is fittingly based on a Tom Collins, but replaces the lemon and sugar found in a TC with cucumber and a lemongrass simple syrup. At first sip, thoughts of sushi danced in my head. The flavors were reminiscent of a cucumber roll initially, but as I got further into my drink it tasted simply refreshing. Healthy and spiked – I may start skipping coffee in the morning and replace it with an Eli Collins.

My entrée was the skate, liver and onions. Notice the comma after skate. I initially thought the dish was skate liver, and was intrigued. Lucky for me, there is punctuation behind skate, otherwise this dish would have been quite miniscule.

The skate was great. The liver delivered. It was a great pairing. The liver was a bit rare, which made it soft and flavorful. It wasn’t the tough, well-done (to kill the bovine spongiform encephalopathy) Pennsylvania Dutch liver I’m used to. The onions were perfect on the side, light and aromatic.

Dessert was chocolate donuts, unfortunately it’s not typically on the menu. It came with a pot de crème, also known in certain circles as a pot de awesome. I couldn’t get over this donut. It was a god among insects.

I’m interested to see what my fellow PF Bloggers say. I didn’t hear them raving too much about their entrees during the meal. But then again, I was too busy raving about my lunch date with Mademoiselle Margaret Kuo to hear them if they were talking about their plates.

Three donuts out of four.

Post script – The morning after, I awoke with a tremendous craving for donuts like those I’d indulged in the night before. I walked to Wawa in desperate hope to meet my ravenous desire for any hint of the prior eve’s flavor, and found none of it. Donut smashed all over my face in my hurry to indulge, I stood in the aisle of the store with a sad face and wept inside.

Post post script – Our media maven Jess is drafting a press release about our visit to Osteria later this month, we are that excited. Honestly, I think we expect trumpets to blare as we arrive. Hopes are high for a good meal… probably too high.

Dave's Take:

Without question, the best Mako I have ever had. Perfectly cooked. Juicy inside with a slight crisp to the outside. Not overseasoned and accompanied by very tasty yellow watermelon slices and thinly sliced yellow tomatoes then topped with little lightly breaded tempura potato wedges. Really, really good. To start, I had the White Asparagus soup with Almond Semi Fredo. The chilled soup was very refreshing but a bit bitter on its own. When you tasted it with the almond semi fredo (like almond sorbet) it had a really nice balance.

The staff were friendly, the place is as cute and comfortable as any of the top BYO's in the city (formerly Azafran), but here, they pour the booze. The wine list was small but had a nice range and good selection. They also had a nice selection of specialty cocktails that, thank god, were refreshing on a summer day and not the over-sugared crap most places try to push on you. Think a muttled cucumber and lemongrass collins take-off. Almost tasted healthy….hmmmm

A little pricey but worth it for an occasional comfortable celebration. Certainly a stark contrast from the overdone high-budget Rae but luckily the food is just as creative. Besides the awesome wine-paring dinners at Rae, I'm going to Gayle when I'm looking to experience Daniel Stern's awesome dishes.

So close to the perfect 4 out for 4 but due to the price/value, I'm going to have to settle on 3.5 of out of 4.