Filed under: Food Writing
This was my 26th birthday cake. I made two chocolate bundt cakes, frosted them with maple frosting, filled the inside with strawberries, and covered them in the lovely-to-look-at-but-horrifically-textured combination of almonds and gummy bears. What is joining them together is a gummy bear bridge made of chocolate and gummy bears. On the whole, it looked great and tasted….entertaining. Looking at the cake in the wider shot, it occurs to me that it looks sort of like an edible bra as imagined by a five-year-old.
Filed under: Food Writing | Tags: Philadelphia, Steven Cook, Xochitl, Michelada, Craig Laban, gorditas de huitlacoche, masa, ajillo
It usually takes me a little longer than my Chowhound brethren to make it to the latest and greatest Philadelphia hot spots. Nevertheless, I always manage to eat at these places sooner or later. I finally went to Xochitl, Steven Cook’s newest venture, this past weekend and had one of those experiences that leaves more questions than answers.
Let me begin with the ambiance: Xochitl pleasingly lacked the bells and whistles that new restaurants often employ to distract from sub-par service and uneven cooking. The lighting was excellent for a date and the place settings were simple and pretty.
I started with a Michelada, which may be the best beverage I’ve ever imbibed. A Micheleda, according to my waitress, was a combination of beer, tomato and pomegranate juice, lime, and other mysterious ingredients. The rim of the glass was dredged in a salt and red pepper mix, which finished each cold sip with a satisfying zing.
Based on Craig Laban’s rave review of the ceviche de callos con sandia (scallop and watermelon ceviche), I ordered this first. Although the chilled puree was refreshing, it was a bit sweet for my taste, and the composition resembled more of a watermelon soup. Next came the gorditas de huitlachoche (masa pockets with corn fungus). These were delicious, with the rather unsightly huitlacoche happily sandwiched between light corn patties.
Although Xochitl’s menu is on the pricey side, these were an excellent value at a mere $7.00. My entree was the cazuela de calamar al ajillo (squid hot pot with a garlic and guajillo pepper sauce). I enjoyed it, but for some reason, something clashed in the holy combination of peppers, garlic, and squid that simply did not want to mesh with the rest of the ingredients. The churros y chocolate (fried pastries with chocolate sauce) were delicious as churros always are, although the chocolate sauce could not compete with the richer, thicker version served at the less heralded Bar Ferdinand. However, the pan de chocolate y pasilla, chocolate and pasilla pepper cake with sesame seed ice cream and tomatillo sauce, was resplendent. Dipping the moist cake in the tartly sweet tomatillo sauce actually made my heart sing.
I’ve been trying to put my finger on exactly why I left the restaurant feeling satisfied but not wowed. It certainly wasn’t the service or the presentation. Perhaps it was the combination of ordering two items that I found flawed. Either way, I will certainly be returning to Xochitl in the future to drink another Michelada and sample more of their intriguing menu.
Filed under: Food Writing | Tags: Belgian, Old City, Philadelphia, Triumph Brewing Company
I am lactose intolerant and one of my best friends is diabetic–when we go out to eat, it’s always miraculous that we can find any sustenance at all. This past weekend, after wandering around Old City in a vain attempt to purchase a present for my roommate, we wandered into the relatively new Triumph Brewing Company. It’s audaciously located across from the beer heaven that is Eulogy, but the lines of tourists wandering through the doors of the Belgian tavern were more than I could handle in the humidity, and so we ventured across the street to test the new kid on the block.
Triumph has two menus, one for table service and one for bar food. We were more interested in the bar menu and waited to ask one of the hostesses if we should sit at the bar or if we could order from the bar menu while seated at a table. I had to rephrase the question three times before the hostess informed us that there was a bar upstairs. With my question completely unanswered, we left the confusion of the hostess booth and tried our luck on another level. Whereas the downstairs of the restaurant was elegantly tricked out in ubiquitous brick and wood, the upstairs was all soaring metal and glass with clear chairs and ivory upholstered stools, giving the feeling of being inside a gorgeous airport.
Filed under: Food Writing | Tags: Banana Leaf, Chinatown, Malaysian, nasi lemak, roti canai
It’s always been a goal of mine to try every restaurant in Chinatown, and for my 26th birthday, I crossed another eatery off my list with dinner at Banana Leaf (1009 Arch Street, 215-592-8288). I don’t know why it’s taken me so long–perhaps it was all the Internet chatter accusing the Leaf of poaching Penang’s menu that slowed me down. Whatever the reason, at the end of the meal I was kicking myself for all the months of fabulous Malaysian food I’d missed in an ill-advised attempt at food loyalty. Despite sitting beneath a loud floral mural inexplicably dotted with what looked like faux rocks, the entire experience was lovely. The service was impeccable and friendly, the portions were plentiful, and best of all, it was inexpensive.
We started with roti canai, which is one of my favorite comfort foods, no matter the season. The curried chicken and potato dipping sauce was velvety without being too oily and the pancake was pleasingly crisp and layered. Next came the nasi lemak, a platter containing coconut rice with cloves and screw pine leaves, chili anchovy curried chicken, and hard boiled eggs. The ingredients, arranged in separate clumps, were served at different temperatures and provided the option of mixing and matching to arrive at different taste combinations. A plate of fried eggplant with dried shrimp, chili, and garlic ended the meal on a spicy note and might have even bested my favorite Chinatown seafood saltbakes.
The next time I go, I plan on sampling some of the more traditional Malaysian dishes, whose descriptions on the menu are accompanied by advisories to consult a server before ordering. Any suggestions?
Last Friday, my co-workers and I went to lunch at the newly-opened Sabrina’s Café and Spencer’s Too (1802 Callowhill St., 215-636-9061). Living up to the hype of the original Sabrina’s Cafe in the Italian market is bound to be impossible–people are rabidly devoted to that place–but I think everyone will be pleasantly surprised. In fact, I much preferred my dining experience at S.C.&S.T. to the past three visits to the original café where my omelet was rubbery and my meatloaf weighed at least several pounds. In the restaurant’s defense, it must be nearly impossible to produce perfect food when the brunch line is at least two hours long.
At Sabrina’s Café and Spencer’s Too, we encountered no wait and our party of eight was sat almost immediately. The place was full but not too noisy and I enjoyed the ambiance of its lovely tiled walls, diner counter, and semi-open kitchen. Owner Robert De Abreu was even working on the line, giving me confidence that whatever I ordered was bound to come out well. The menu is virtually identical to that of the original restaurant, which means that Art Museum and Fairmount residents can now indulge in the signature offerings that have made Sabrina’s Café a must visit on any foodie’s list in their own backyards.
Not only is the menu the same, but so are the portions, which could easily feed two healthy eaters. My burger with avocado and bacon with sweet potato fries arrived on a double-wide plate, accompanied by a crisp mixed cabbage salad. The burger was perfectly cooked and melded nicely with the smooth avocado slices and crispy bacon. My co-workers were similarly satisfied with their meals, sharing bites between plates. With cooking and ambiance this good, it seems that Sabrina’s Café and Spencer’s Too might have a very good chance of improving upon what many already consider to be perfection.
