Archive for January, 2007

Couple of interesting things tonight. Meet Democratic candidate for mayor, Tom Knox at an informal gathering at the Grey Lodge in the Northeast.

And speaking of politics, Snakes On A Plane is the movie tonight at the Troc.

Metroblogging highlights DiBruno Brothers on Chestnut Street as an undiscovered gem of a brunch spot.

The upstairs is open weekends until 1 pm, and there is a fully staffed brunch bar on the west side of the building, as well as bagel and lox counter on the east side. A fully loaded bagel and lox is $10, which is a pretty darn good deal. There is no table service, it works like a cafeteria, but there was plenty of seating and no waiting.

Best No-Wait Brunch In Town [Metroblogging Philadelphia]

DiBruno Brothers  [Official Site]

According to a report from the Beer Yard, Triumph Brewing Company’s Old City location is looking at a March rather than February opening. Triumph hasn’t started brewing yet and that’ll take six weeks. And without beer there isn’t much point to a brew pub.

We have not yet been able to brew as we await construction details and approval from all the various powers that be. We are trying to get brewing within a week or two…We will not open until we have six weeks of beer brewed, fermenting and aging. By all accounts its a big project, and we only received our chiller condenser for the roof on Saturday, so we are pluggin’ away every day to move things along…

Triumph’s Philadelphia Brewpub Opening Pushed Back To March [Beer Yard]

Neil Stein is out of jail and has some big ideas. But first he had Peking Duck in Chinatown.

Stein, 65, said that he wanted to create a high-end, boutique hotel called Wow with computers and flat-screen televisions in every room, with a bistro, rooftop club, limo service, Philadelphia’s best spa, and – in place of a check-in desk – a concierge service to escort guests to their rooms.

Or he’d try franchising Rouge, the bistro he created on Rittenhouse Square, perhaps opening versions in Miami Beach or the Georgetown section of Washington.

Out of the Big House, bearing some big ideas [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Craig LaBan is in West Chester this week checking out the cooking of David Cox at the Marshalton Inn. Cox, who has cooked at “cheese meccas” of Picholine and Artisanal, has returned home to give this inn a boost.

A crock of French onion soup seems familiar at first, almost mundane, but its deeply steeped broth and tangy lid of melted Comte and gruyere are a perfect example of the honest bistro spirit Cox aims for, rooted in classic sensibilities but elevated with good ingredients and solid cooking. Cox even redefines macaroni and cheese with a five-cheese Euro blend (from mascarpone to Vacherin) that nails the balance between creamy luxury and pungent tang better than any other haughty-macaroni I’ve tasted. The butter parmesan bread crumbs on top don’t hurt.

Two Bells – Very Good

Marshalton Inn [Philadelphia Inquirer]

The weekend is sure to be dominated by wearing midnight green and chanting E-A-G-L-E-S but that doesn’t mean its the only thing going on.

Friday
Start your weekend off by picking up a case or two of beer at the Beer Yard in Wayne and take in some of the fine beers of Hofbrau Munchen as part of their weekly Friday tastings.

Later head to the Grey Lodge for their dirty sounding Dogfish Head Blows and Touches. Dogfish Head Snow Blower will make its PA debut and there’ll be Midas Touch on hand as well. If you don’t know the story of Midas Touch, check it out, the recipe actually comes from residue UPenn archaeologists found in urns from King Midas’ tomb. That’s a back-story you won’t find with Miller Lite!

Saturday
Before your thoughts turn to football remember Neil Stein gets out of jail tomorrow. A Rouge Burger seems a must.

Start your pre-gaming off with lacrosse? The 2007 US Lacrosse National Convention is in town this weekend and the US Indoor Lacrosse team is hosting a party at the Independence Brew Pub. Rub elbows with national team players as you enjoy craft beers. Party goes from 4:30 to 7 PM and the open bar costs $25 a person.

Everybody is sure to be out for the Eagles game Saturday night. Check out the Black Door, 2nd and Bainbridge, where $35 will get you a buffet and all you can drink deal. McGillins does Iggletinis and green cherries for the playoff game. And at Barristers you’ll find beer specials, 35 cent wings, $2 Eagletini shots, $4 Level 1 vodka drinks and giveaways.

Sunday
Drown your sorrows or celebrate the Eagles return to the NFC Conference Championship with the Sorted! dance party Sunday night at Johnny Brenda’s. It’s in 3-D!

Sunday might also be a good night to look into dinner in University City as Dining Days continue.

As some Philadelphians look for places to smoke, some suburbanites are looking for places where they can enjoy a meal and a drink without smoking.

Just last week all of the Iron Hill Brewery locations went smoke free. And this week they are joined by West Conshohocken’s Gypsy Saloon and Stella Blue.

Gypsy Saloon first Non-Smoking Bar in Conshohocken [The Latest Dish]

Restaurant with liquor license for sale in the Italian Market section of South Philadelphia.
For $2.5 Million you restaurant, building and liquor license.

Located prominently near world famous Pat’s and Geno’s Steaks, this building which has been recently rehabbed on the first floor is for sale including the restaurant business and the liquor license. Hundreds of thousands of locals and tourists flock to this location for a taste of Philly. Be a part of the action!

Seller is motivated.

Where could this be???

If you’re looking for foie gras, scratch Stephen Starr restaurants off the list.

Stephen Starr, owner of 11 of the city’s premiere restaurants, has removed the French delicacy, a fattened duck or goose liver, from his Philadelphia menus due to what he has called “incredible amount of protest.”

Craving foie gras? Look beyond Stephen Starr [Daily Pennsylvanian]

It’s getting easier and easier to find quality craft beer in Philadelphia, even in a strip bar!

Watching the girls in G-strings do their thing atop the bar at the Penn’s Port Pub, I get this tingling sensation that something is growing in Philadelphia.

Beer, my friends, craft beer.

Over there next to the Miller Lite is a fully erect Yards Philly Pale Ale tap handle. A microbrew in a topless bar – that’s about as common as a 40 of malt liquor in a piano lounge. But adding it to the tap list was a no-brainer for bartender Tommy Brown.

“People go out, it doesn’t matter where, they want something different, something better than the usual stuff,” Brown said. “With the cost of beer the way it is, maybe they’re only drinking 2 or 3 instead of 4 or 5, they want something good.”

It used to be hard to find craft beer in Philly, but it’s growing now [Joe Sixpack, Daily News]