David Snyder checks out the boastful claims of Leila Cafe’s Mohamad Kammoun and finds he’s backing them up.

Turns out it’s Leila’s meat that’s worthy of exaggerated praise. Each preparation is mixed in-house and seasoned with secret blends of between nine and 16 authentic Mediterranean spices. Thick, tender slices of shawarma (a lamb and beef mix here) are carved off a vertical spit and placed in a veggie-stuffed pita coated with homemade hummus. The beef gyro pita (also a lamb/beef mix) comes slathered with a refreshing scratch-made tzatziki. The couscous mixed in with the 100-percent-beef kibbie makes for a wonderfully textured patty.

Feed My Worried Mind [City Paper]
Leila Cafe [Official Site]

Michael Schulson’s Sampan is aiming for a November opening. Michael Klein has a couple renderings and a surprise. Since he spoiled Top Chef for DVR-ers earlier, we’ll spill his Sampan secret. There’s an outdoor area that will be developed as outdoor dining.

First peek at Michael Schulson’s Sampan [The Insider]

If we asked you what the most happening corner was east of Rittenhouse Square and west of Old City what would you answer? A year ago we know you wouldn’t have said 10th and Spruce. But on a recent evening with the bustle of Kanella on one side and the buzz of Varga Bar on the other, we were convinced. Adam Erace noticed the same thing in his review of Varga Bar. He also noticed the sliders on R. Evan Turney’s almost All-American menu.

The memory of those sliders is still vivid. Turney added Boursin, bacon, caramelized shallots and tomato and packaged them neatly in fluffy LeBus brioche. All good, but the beef … damn. Each patty came with cores the color of bubblegum, perfectly medium-rare, surrounded by a trim brown seal. The attending bangle bracelet onion rings also happen to rock.

Varga Bar [Philadelphia Weekly]
Varga Bar [Official Site]

Joe Sixpack writes an ode to McGillin’s, Philadelphia’s oldest bar in today’s Daily News. Tuesday, the bar will embark on a 150 day countdown to its sesquicentennial with the “Party of the Century -and-a-Half.”

Joe Sixpack will be in the bar at 6pm to read from his “Joe Sixpack’s Philly Beer Guide.” It’s the first in a series of readings from authors who have included McGillin’s in their books. Then at Midnight, Abe Lincoln (who was elected president the year McGillin’s opened) will tap the first firkin of McGillin’s 1860 IPA.

Joe Sixpack: Ode to McGillin’s – our city’s oldest bar [Philadelphia Daily News]

List of readings after the jump.

• Read the rest of this entry »

Forbes Traveler does a feature on America’s best street food, the cheesesteak makes the list with a shout-out going to Dom’s cart at 9th and Chestnut. Anyone been to Dom’s?

America’s Best Street Food [Forbes Traveler via Grub Street]

Craig LaBan finally makes it to Union Trust to give the oppulent steakhouse the once over. What he finds is a restaurant that has come back to Earth from its heady opening in February but one that does at least deliver where it matters most.

When it comes to the main event – the steaks – Union Trust more than holds its own. The wet-aged prime chops were simply spectacular, from a “rib eye filet mignon” cut two inches thick from the eye of a rib steak that tasted like filet injected with butter to a Kansas City strip wrapped in an L-shaped bone that sang brightly with well-peppered complexity. A thick mallet of 14-ounce, grass-fed veal chop was among the most flavorful veal chops I’ve had. Even the steak sandwich at lunch, a half-inch pad of rib eye layered with spicy fried onion laces and blue cheese, was memorable.

Two Bells – Very Good

Union Trust [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Union Trust [Official Site]

Today’s the official grand opening of Stephen Starr’s SquareBurger. But it seems everyone with a blog or keyboard has already been to the Franklin Square burger shack.

Metro Philadelphia was there on Monday for the soft opening, finding patrons already dedicated enough to get back in line for a second burger. [Metro Philadelphia]

Phoodie gives a rundown on the menu of SquareBurger salutes the Cake Shake and gives props to the concept, for not overthinking it. [Phoodie.info]

Unbreaded finds the Philly Dog to be the most enjoyable menu item. [Unbreaded]

The Secret is Salt got to sample just about everything and looks forward to returning for another shake. [The Secret is Salt]

Grub Street provides the tale of the tape on the sub-$5 burger. [Grub Street]

Grub Street also asks, is it ok that the SquareBurger uses frozen fries? [Grub Street]

And a third post from Grub Street? Turns out there’s no lines around 2pm, at least on Wednesday. [Grub Street]

Thrillist is there for the top to bottom rundown of the shack in the square. [Thrillist]

And just for good measure, KYW 1060 was there as well. [KYW1060]

And here’s the menu, in case you missed it. [Meal Ticket]

Stephen Starr’s SquareBurger is taking center stage at Franklin Square today. The anticipated burger will sell for under $5 and will not be square but will be served on a Martin’s potato roll.

Also among the menu highlights are the Philly Dog, a kosher hot dog wrapped in salami and topped with pickle, onion, cherry peppers, plum tomatoes and mustard. Philadelphia’s Tastykakes serve as the inspiration for a couple of treats. The Cake Shake is made with a variety of Tastykakes and vanilla ice cream. The  butterscotch sundae features Butterscotch Krimpet and Heath Bar crumbles.

Hours are 11 to 8pm through Labor Day with shorter hours to Halloween.

First Bite of Starr’s SquareBurger, Opening Today [Grub Street]
Menu for Stephen Starr’s SquareBurger [Meal Ticket]

Restaurant M returns today at the Morris House on S 8th Street. The restaurant will use a small dining room in the Morris House Hotel and the wonderful outdoor space of the garden. The menu will feature simple plates from Pascual Cancelliere who is is also working to open his own place, 943 in the Italian Market.

The hours are a bit odd, Sundays through Thursdays as the garden is often used for weddings.

M is to open Monday [The Insider]

David Snyder visits Varga Bar and finds the beer and starters to be the best stuff on the menu.

Indeed, the dishes that seem at home beside beer – apps, bar eats – are where Varga Bar is at its best. I loved the crunch of the lightly broiled panko crust on the truffled mac and cheese, a deceptively light layering of gruyere, mascarpone, fontina and Parmesan. Turney’s wings, slow-cooked in duck fat, are the most tender rendition I’ve had, gifted with a slowly unfolding finish from the pomegranate molasses bourbon chili sauce.

A deep, smoky flavor in the onion ring batter meant the fried snacks were the perfect partner for applewood-smoked-bacon Kobe beef sliders. A fragrant chorizo-spiked fennel herb broth made for an inviting bowl of cockles and mussels. I almost wished the jumbo lump cheese fries featured less crab so I wouldn’t feel so guilty dunking them in Turney’s house-made ketchup.

 Strike a Pose [City Paper]
Varga Bar [Official Site]

Smokin’ Betty’s, the barbecue and comfort food restaurant at 11th and Sansom finally opens today at 11. We hear there’s a turducken burger on the menu. Oh my!

The Beer Lass has the opening draft list including the house beer, Smokin Betty’s Blonde.

Smokin Betty’s open for business [Beer Lass]

Update: Meal Ticket has a first look at the inside of Smokin’ Betty’s and some scans of the menus.