Foobooz crush object Rick Nichols recounts the many faces and names that occupied what is now the attractive Les Bons Temps on South 12th Street.

Les Bons Temps will begin serving brunch this Sunday.

Good times at stellar spot [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Les Bons Temps [Official Site]

From Tuesday to Thursday, between 5 and 8pm, get thee to Ortlieb’s Jazz Haus in Northern Liberties and enjoy your choice of starter and entrée for $20.

Menu after the jump.
Read the rest of this entry »

Craig LaBan can be a demanding reviewer but never more so than when the topic is Louisiana cuisine. So it speaks volumes when he finds a place he likes. And he has found such a spot in Medford New Jersey’s Ted’s on Main. That’s not to say he didn’t have any complaints.

But those were exceptions for a restaurant that consistently delivered entrees worthy of prices in the mid-$20s, making Ted’s easily one of South Jersey’s best new restaurants. You’d never suspect it from the low-key storefront exterior, the former Cafe Noelle, where Iwachiw hangs a cartoony chef sign that looks more like something for the front of a pizzeria.

Two Bells – Very Good

Ted’s on Main [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Ted’s On Main [Official Site]

Dancing Meatballs tunes us into this deal for the foodies with a kid or two in tow. On Wednesdays, Crescent City makes it easy to take the family out as children under 12 eat free off the children’s menu.

All the staples of the kiddie diet are available, from hamburgers to mac-n-cheese to chicken fingers. Meanwhile, you can enjoy their savory “grown-up” food with a menu that includes everything from jambalaya to baby back ribs.

Crescent City [Official Site]
No Such Thing As A Free Lunch? But Free Dinner, Yes! [Dancing Meatballs]

Texas-born Brian McManus checks out the new Ortlieb’s Jazzhaus and finds there’s lots to love, even for a Texas boy who frequently made road trips to New Orleans.

The ribs at Ortlieb’s are as good as any I’ve had, and I’m usually an asshole about this sort of thing. (Forgive me. I’m from Texas. Slow-smoked meats and Willie Nelson are the only things I have to boast about.) Tender and swathed in a spicy citrus chipotle, Ortlieb’s ribs are the stuff of dreams. I go through them like a buzz saw. I nibble on the accompanying jalapeno cornbread. It’s good, but the polenta has me satiated on the corn-and-pepper front. The corn on the cob, described on the menu as “Texas style,” is split in half long-ways, a bit of a pain to eat but delicious nonetheless.

Jazz You Like It [Philadelphia Weekly]
Ortlieb’s Jazzhaus [Official Site]

Ortlieb’s Jazzhaus recently turned 20, getting new owners, a makeover and new chef, Michael Suminski.

Suminski has kept the general Cajun-American gist of the menu intact, but his talents are obvious at every flip of the spatula. Creamy, cayenne-spiked Louisiana crab bisque floats with chunks of lump crabmeat, corn and a clever swirl of bourbon syrup. The teasing spice of blackened catfish fingers encased in peppery coating is both augmented and tempered by a creamy lime-chipotle aioli. Light-as-lattice calamari are golden rings of seafood perfection that defy gravity, and also reason.

All That Jazzhaus [City Paper]
Ortlieb’s Jazzhaus [Official Site]

Philadelphia Magazine visits Carmine’s Creole Cafe in Bryn Mawr and finds the food is much the same even if the address is not.

With that change of address — its third in nine years — Carmine’s went from a spartan 44-seat BYOB with a no-reservations policy to a 75-seat space with a pricey martini list (including a potent take on the classic Hurricane), live blues, and a full reservation book. The menu is much the same, with some successful dishes and others that are out of balance, memorable only for being over-seasoned; with the addition of the bar, the vibe is loud — very loud — and livelier.

Food: B-
Service: C
Atmosphere: B-

Hurricanes in Bryn Mawr [Philadelphia Magazine]
Carmine’s Creole Cafe [Official Site]

Carmine’s Creole Cafe which had moved from Havertown to Narberth in early 2005 is now heading up the Main Line to Bryn Mawr.

Success is the reason for the move. Bigger digs, the former Citron, will allow Carmine’s to offer a full service bar, bar menu and live music five nights a week.

Opening is scheduled for Thursday, January 11th, 2007.

Carmine’s Creole Cafe & Blues [Official Site]

Phillyist headed out to Crescent City during Restaurant Week and dines on what’s left for their 9 PM reservation. Luckily the pork chop was still left.

Foodsday Tuesday Reviews Crescent City [Phillyist]
Crescent City [Official Site]

Narberth’s Carmine’s Creole Cafe is offering a 5-Course Chef’s Tasting for $40 on Friday and Saturday nights.

In addition, 4-courses for $30 is available Sundays and weeknights.

Tasting menu after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »