Grub Street Philadelphia

Check Out Philly’s Most Crazy-Awesome New Desserts

Collin Keefe — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:15:00 GMT

Fish's PB&J]]> This morning, Grub Street rounded up 101 amazing desserts from around the country. Some may seem familiar, some irresistible, and others simply mind-blowing. All are amazing and worthy of checking out. But if you don’t want to wade through the craziest desserts in, say, Dallas, click here to go directly to Philly’s.

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Filed Under: sweet news, belle cakery, desserts, fish, lacroix, osteria, slideshow

New Restaurant From Di Bruno Bros. Coming to Center City

Collin Keefe — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:50:00 GMT

Di Bruno Bros. owner Emilio Mignucci]]> Just as rumors of a Philly-based outpost of New York’s colossal Eataly, and/or a homegrown close facsimile of it opening begin to die down comes word that old original Eatalians DiBruno Bros. are getting ready to transform the second story of their Center City store into a full service restaurant. Zagat reports that the long-time cheesemongers plan to move their prepared foods production to another location later this year, which will leave half of the second floor at 17th and Chestnut vacant. Working with their Director of Culinary Operations, Bill Shapiro, DiBruno owners will transform the space into a BYOB. Details on what will be served are fuzzy, but supposedly the project could launch as soon as June. But since we've been patently awaiting their liquor licensed operation in the Italian Market since August 2009, we suggest you don't hold your breath waiting for this materialize. [Zagat]

Earlier: Di Bruno Brothers' Wine Bar Opening Delayed

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Filed Under: coming soon, center city, di bruno bros, italian market, zagat

Food For All Back From the Brink of Death

Collin Keefe — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:15:00 GMT

Food For All]]> Food For All, the all accommodating Mt. Airy shop for all things vegan and allergen and gluten free that nearly tanked when a mismanaged Groupon deal put it in the red for $10,000, is back up and running, thanks to its dedicated and loyal clientele. Owner Amy Kunkle took the web this morning to announce that the doors to her prepared foods store and bakery were once again open. Months ago, when she announced that financial troubles were forcing her t go out of business, her customers came forward to help bail her out. [Facebook; Newsworks]

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Filed Under: openings, bakeries, food for all, gluten free, groupon, mt. airy, sweet news, vegan

Nomad Pizza Opens Tonight

Collin Keefe — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:15:00 GMT

Nomad's spicy sausage pizza]]> Nomad Pizza, the Hopewell, N.J. pie-maker who first tempted us at Night Market with its mobile wood-fired pizza making operation retrofitted to a vintage 1949 REO Speed Wagon, is finally ready to debut its Philly bricks and mortar branch. It opens tonight near 7th and South streets in the former home of vegan restaurant Horizons. Owners Tom Grim and Stalin Bedon are offering a simple menu with four salads and 12 pizzas. They say that Nomad’s bill of fare is almost 100 percent organic, and the majority of the ingredients they use are sourced locally. Dough is made daily, but it’s aged for four to five days before getting tossed and going in the wood-fired oven. Grim and Bedon say that’s what develops a more flavorful crust.

]]> The bi-level space, which was refreshed and outfitted with furnishings constructed with reclaimed wood, features communal tables and a 12 tap draught system on both floors. The second floor features a bar, lounge seating, plus two and four-top tables in the dining room. There’s also a large projection screen and digital projector that we’re told will be used for forthcoming movie nights.

The pizza selection ranges from a plain and simple Margherita to a soft-cooked egg-slathered and balck truffle-laden Tartufo. They also offer a rendition of a New England clam pie. Price range from $11 to $19.

Nomad Pizza, 611 South Seventh St., (215) 238-0900.

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Filed Under: openings, bars, beer me, horizons, nomad pizza, organic, pizza, south street, truckin'

Hershey Achieves Zero-Waste-to-Landfill Status; Less Than Cost-Effective Single-Cup Coffee Brewers Recalled

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:15:00 GMT

• Three of Hershey’s Pennsylvania facilities have achieved Zero-Waste-to-Landfill status, which means the company has eliminated, recycled and converted all its waste to energy. [Environmental Leader]

• Before its up and running at full capacity, Atlantic City’s Revel casino and resort will operating in a “preview” mode for two months after opening its doors in April. [Daily News]

• Michelle Obama is bringing her focus on nutrition to troops, since "obese Americans in the military are a national security hazard," as this article says. Ouch. [Reuters]

• The Oglala Sioux Tribe of South Dakota is suing major beer makers and even local beer stores for allegedly contributing to chronic alcoholism within the tribe. [AP via HuffPo]

]]> • RIP to the inventor of Atomic Fireballs and Lemonheads, Nello Ferrara; in addition to making our childhood sweet, the man was also evidently an "impulsive singer." Aw. [USAT]

• Not only are single-cup brewers less than cost-effective, but if you own a Tassimo T-disc brewer, it's being recalled for causing burns. [NYDN]

]]> Filed Under: mediavore, alcoholism, casinos, coffee buzz, down the shore, hershey, lawsuits, lemonheads, michelle obama, milestones, obesity, recalls, revel, waste

Where to Eat Choucroute

Collin Keefe — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:25:00 GMT

Choucroute garnie at McCrossen's Tavern]]> Old Man Winter may have spared us his worst this time around, but the milder climes haven’t done much to diminish our hunger for hearty, seasonal fare, which might explain why we keep seeing choucroute (or choucroute garnie, if you must) popping up on menus in recent weeks. The stick-to-your-ribs combination of slow-cooked sauerkraut, pork and sometimes potatoes is the Alsatian answer to Southern France’s wintery pork and beans comfort staple, Cassoulet. Bistrot La Minette’s Peter Woolsey and Brauhaus Schmitz’s Jeremy Nolen served theirs with a house-fermented sauerkraut during their recent “Dinner in Alsace.” This week Ben Puchowitz is running a traditional take on it with his pork-themed tasting menu at Matyson. He said he usually swaps out the pork with duck. McCrossen’s Tavern’s Townsend Wentz has been running variations of it on and off since October. “It’s total winter food, and I figured winter was on it’s way,” Wentz told Grub. “But it never came.”

]]> Wentz added that his mentor Jean-Marie Lacroix recently stopped in for it, and enjoyed it so much he brought a friend back with him the next day and ordered it again. He says the secret to a successful choucroute is using quality sauerkraut and “at least four kinds of pork.”

At Brauhaus Schmitz’s Jeremy Nolan said that when it turned up there, it was a one-off dish served only for the Alsacian collaborative dinner, but since its roots are in Germany, his Schlachtplatte foots the same bill. “It’s sauerkraut garnished with pork,” Nolen said. “It’s just a German word for it.”

At newly anointed four-bell BYOB Bibou, Pierre Calmels said he will probably add his version of the dish to the menu in the next week or two. He likes to substitute the pork with pheasant breast and sausage made with pheasant leg. “I don’t like to do the traditional,” Calmels said. “I always put some bacon in for the smokiness, but prefer to use duck or some other game bird instead of pork.”

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Filed Under: in season, ben puchowitz, bibou, bistrot la minette, brauhaus schmitz, choucroute, jean marie lacroix, jeremy nolen, matyson, mccrossen's tavern, peter woolsey, pierre calmels, townsend wents

Behold Atlantic City’s New Home for Low-Stakes Gambling

Collin Keefe — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:10:00 GMT

Let it ride!]]> What was once the Atlantic City Hilton — it has been operating under the abbreviated ACH since Hilton pulled out last year — will be rechristened the Atlantic Club Casino Hotel next month. Its the first in a series of steps being taken to reposition the casino as “A casino for the rest of us,” one at which value will trump glitz, the Daily News reports. This move toward a more frugal focus, aimed at drawing a clientele that subsides on tighter budgets than those who frequent the Borgata, also includes the introduction of penny slots, table games with $5 and $10 minimums, and restaurants with entrees priced between $12 and $18. While this certainly taps a niche that’s underserved at the East Coast’s gambling mecca, the thing that’s stuck in our craw is, people concerned about their budgets and bottom lines probably shouldn’t be gambling in the first place. [Daily News]

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Filed Under: down the shore, atlantic city, atlantic city hilton, atlantic club casino hotel, casinos

Click Click Snap: Square Peg Wants You

Collin Keefe — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:20:00 GMT

Square Peg]]> Square Peg, the all-American concept that chef Matt Levin and GuestCounts honchos, Barry Gutin and Larry Cohen (of Cuba Libre fame), are putting together at 10th and Walnut, is in need of some fresh faces to decorate its walls. They’re not looking for supermodel looks. According to the word they put out, they’re looking for “any and all ages, heights, sizes, etc.” Those interested should submit their names, phone numbers and best photos to photos@squarepegrestaurant.com before 4 p.m. on February 14. Those chosen have to be available for one hour between 4 and 7 p.m. on February 20, when they will be photographed in one of the following Americana themes: Farmland circa 1950's, Prohibition era, WWII era factory/industrial. Each model will receive a $25 gift certificate to the restaurant.

Earlier: Matt Levin and Cuba Libre Owners Readying Square Peg for Spring

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Filed Under: fyi, barry gutin, cuba libre, larry cohen, matt levin, models, square peg, trimmings

LaBan Keeps Heads Ringing With ‘Best Restaurant’ Picks

Collin Keefe — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:50:00 GMT

Dining room at Fond]]> Inky critic Craig LaBan continues rocking the bells today, ringing up a tally of his top picks for several categories of restaurants, including gastropubs, BYOBs and more. It’s not quite as earth-shattering as last weekend’s unveiling of the city’s five four-bell-worthy restaurants, which dinged Le Bec-Fin two bells and Lacroix one. Still, the big news with today’s follow up is, BYOBs Fond and Pumpkin were both bumped up to three-bell status. But what’s more interesting is, while Garces and Vetri get mentions for JG Domestic and Amis (respectively), there appears to be an absence of Starr restaurants in all six categories. At the very least, we thought Dandelion would make the cut for gastropubs.

]]> Also interesting are the shout-outs to Terence and Patrick Feury. LaBan gave both brothers props for “reliably good” dishes from Terence at Fork and a “splendid meal” courtesy of Patrick at Nectar. And though restaurants from big name empire builders are elusive, if not outright missing from this assessment, places like Meme, Southwark and Meritage get some long-overdue love in the “Great Restaurants That Deserve More Buzz” category.

Craig LaBan's Favorites [Inquirer]
Earlier: Hell’s Bells: Le Bec-Fin and Lacroix Downgraded; Zahav and Bibou Ascend to Elite Status

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Filed Under: the other critics, craig laban, fond, fork, jg domestic, jose garces, marc vetri, meme, meritage, nectar, patrick feury, pumpkin, southwark, stephen starr, terence feury

Norovirus Suspected of Causing Lots of Belly-Aching at Rider U.; Listen All of Y'all, It's Sabotacos!

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:15:00 GMT

• Officials believe norovirus is responsible for the more than 40 students from Rider University who’ve been admitted to the hospital with gastrointestinal illness. [NBC Philly]

• Aries want meat, Libras like buzzy new eateries, and other things astrological signs say about restaurant tastes. [HuffPo]

• People will downsize their restaurant portions if the server offers them the option; maybe soon we'll be able to say "under-size me"? [Salt/NPR]

• Good news: The amount of trans fats Americans consume dropped by 58 percent from 2000 to 2009. [Your Life/USAT]

• A mysterious case of food poisoning afflicted 700 people who attended a political rally in Mexico. Could it be a case of sabotacos? [CNN]

]]> Filed Under: mediavore, astrology, food poisoning, health concerns, norovirus, portions, rider university, trans fat

Shad Comes Upstream Early for Oyster House

Collin Keefe — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:50:00 GMT

Shad]]> Typically the humble shad, that’s the fish that gave Fishtown its name, doesn’t get much attention in these parts until April. That’s when the “river herrings” begin their journey upstream in the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers to spawn. But beginning tonight, Oyster House chef Andy Kitko will be serving shad as a special. Tonight, tomorrow and for however long the supply lasts, Kitko and crew will offer a different preparation of the fish.

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Filed Under: fish stories, fishtown, oyster house, shad

Rick’s Steaks Return to Reading Terminal Is Doubtful

Collin Keefe — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:20:00 GMT

Al Roker joins Rick Olivieri at Rick's Steaks]]> No doubt third generation cheesesteak slinger Rick Olivieri has been experiencing quite a bumpy ride since his very public ouster from Reading Terminal Market back in 2008. The grandson of Cheez Whiz patriarch Pat Olivieri, he of Pat’s King of Steaks fame, found a home at Bellevue’s food court, and later at Liberty Place. With both those locations short-lived, the “Prince of Steaks” is now trying to get back in at the market, Dan Gross reports. Though it’s doubtful that he will score a location there. With three other vendors feeding the cheesesteak need at the market, and with 50 to 75 other applicants vying for space, RTM General Manager Paul Steinke is saying that the city’s signature sandwich isn’t really “our highest priority.” [Daily News]

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Filed Under: fyi, pat's king of steaks, pat's steaks, reading terminal market, rick olivieri

JG Domestic's Bourbon Blast Goes All Month Long

Collin Keefe — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:00:00 GMT

Jose Garces]]> Beginning with Groundhog Day and followed by Wing Bowl, Super Bowl, Valentines Day and then on to Mardi Gras, February sure presents plenty of opportunities to celebrate. Over at JG Domestic, all of that gets pushed aside for a month-long bourbon bash. And Iron Chef Garces and his team there are toasting to his preferred beverage with flights, happy hours and a special bourbon-infused “Meet the Maker” dinner. All month long the restaurant is offering specially priced bourbon flights. For $10, they put forth Lawrenceburg, which includes belts of Buffalo Trace, Maker’s Mark and Bulleit Frontier Whiskey. For $20 they have Versailles, which includes Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon, Woodford Reserve and Black Maple Hill. An additional $9 gets you a custom array of bar snacks to enjoy with the whiskey.

]]> The festivities continue with next week’s Woodford Reserve Happy Hour on February 16. At that guests can sample Woodford’s Master’s Rare Rye Collection and Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, and enjoy selections from JG Domestic’s bar menu.

The month’s whiskey bender culminates on Wednesday, February 22 with a Meet the Maker Dinner with special guest, Four Roses distiller Jim Rutledge. The $55 dinner will include a cocktail reception with Crescent, a bourbon, ginger and fresh mint cocktail and passed hors d’oeuvres including La Quercia Prosciutto “Acorn Edition’” ham and Benton’s smoked country ham served with house grain mustard and Bourbon-infused housemade ricotta served warm with huckleberry mostarda on sourdough baguette. And then for dinner, a four-course spread, including smoked chicken chowder with heirloom beans and parsley puree; Luna Farm winter lettuces with radish, marinated tomato and buttermilk dressing; Country Time Farm St. Louis spare ribs with spicy bourbon barbecue sauce and honey cornbread; macaroni and black kale gratin with aged Vermont cheddar and herb breadcrumbs; and more. You’d better believe the beignets with bourbon butterscotch and vanilla mousseline is on for dessert. And with all the food there will be plenty of bourbon, including Four Roses Yellow, Small Batch, Single Barrel and the limited edition Barrel Strength.

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Filed Under: foodievents, bourbon, jg domestic, jose garces, the happiest hours on earth

Opa Doles Out Dollar Specials to Mark Its First Anniversary

Collin Keefe — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:40:00 GMT

Opa]]> Opa, Midtown Village’s trendy and popular modern Greek restaurant, celebrates its first anniversary Friday. And while its hard to believe that an entire year has passed since its debut, owners George and Vasiliki Tsiouris are more than happy to celebrate. Throughout the day Friday, they are offering a selection of specials at lunch and dinner for just $1. And in addition to giving guests a break on lunch and dinner tabs, Team Tsiouris is also donating 10 percent of their weekend till to Support Center for Child Advocates, which provides free legal assistance and social service advocacy for abused and neglected children in Philadelphia.

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Filed Under: deals, andrew brown, george tsiouris, midtown village, opa, vasiliki tsiouris

Tröegs Brews a Bigger Batch of Nugget Nectar

Collin Keefe — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:05:00 GMT

Tröegs Nugget Nectar on the bottling line.]]> There’s always an air of excitement surrounding each year’s release of Tröegs Brewing Co.’s seasonal Nugget Nectar. And typically there’s a sense of disappointment too, as the short supply makes it increasingly difficult to obtain the coveted imperial amber ale. This year when it starts showing up on taps and store shelves after February 16, things are going to be a little different. Since the brothers Trogner relocated their base of operations from its home in Harrisburg to a much larger facility in Hershey, all the Tröegs brews are benefiting from the bigger brewery’s ability to produce greater quantities. And in the case of Nugget Nectar, that output has been upped by more than 25 percent than last year. “In Philadelphia you’re going to see more across the boards, kegs and cases,” Tröegs Brewery Manager Ed Yashinsky told Grub. “So hopefully it won’t run out as quickly this year.”

]]> Even though the new Hershey-based facility has been in operation for six months, the Trogners this week have it running at its full capacity for the first time. “A lot of people thought that when we opened the new brewery, we would be able to double our production,” Yashinsky said. “But in reality, we’re still juggling tanks and everything else.”

Now with things humming along and much more smoothly, Yashinsky believes that even larger production runs for Tröegs beers are in the future. “Our goal every year is to make more,” Ed Yashinsky. “But at the same time, with a seasonal we are always limited by the calendar.”

So, ultimately there’s going to be more Nugget Nectar available, but its short lifespan will mostly remain the same.

You'd better hoard some while you can.

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Filed Under: beer me, bars, harrisburg, hershey, in season, nugget nectar, troegs brewing co