Well if you believe everything or even a portion of what you read online it’s 2 bells for Kanella. But for those who prefer Sunday breakfast with ink-stained fingers, the result is 3 bells. So which result is correct? With all this praise we’re thinking it’s 3-bells.

• “Cyprus’ loss is our gain”
• “several memorable meals”
• “soulful stews”
• “uncompromising conviction of a great folk singer”
• “masterful at redeeming the nearly lost art of the braise and the stew”
• “one of the most profound dishes I’ve eaten all year”
• “humming happily after that meal”
• “I’m still savoring the list of highlights”
• “sublimely tender rabbit”

Update: Three Bells – Excellent is the correct rating.

Kanella [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Kanella [Official Site]

Craig LaBan was off yesterday but he’ll be back handing out bells this weekend. In his sights will be Kanella, the Washington Square West Cypriot BYOB.

Esquire Magazine comes up with the 59 best breakfast places in America and Philadelphia’s Kanella makes the list. We’ll pay no attention that Holiday Inn Express also is in there and we’ll ignore that Kanella’s web site doesn’t mention breakfast or even brunch. But those are just details, it’s Friday and we’d rather celebrate that Philadelphia’s lone Cypriot  restaurant has gotten some national accolades.

The Cypriot breakfast plate tastes heartier and more serious than its American counterpart: Sunny-side eggs fried in olive oil have a thick yolk and crunchy underlining, grilled halloumi and lounza (ham) are salty slabs, and the coffee is made Turkish-style by boiling finely powdered roasted beans (mixed with sugar) over a propane burner. Let the dregs settle.

Best Breakfasts in America [Esquire]
Kanella [Official Site]

If you haven’t been to Kanella you’re really missing out. Elisa Ludwig is the latest to heap praise on the Cypriot BYOB on Spruce Street.

Kanella is a fresh, fantastic addition to the local BYO lineup. For one thing, there’s no other kitchen serving this food — the cuisine of Cyprus is an unmistakable amalgam of Greek and Turkish influences augmented by notes from France, Italy, Lebanon and elsewhere — in the region. Chef/owner Konstantinos Pitsillides has created a well-edited menu that makes his native cuisine accessible without dumbing down its distinct flavors. Even more notable is the cooking itself, which eschews fancy innovations for authenticity and simplicity. It’s honest, good food. If there’s a gimmick here, it’s that what you see is what you get.

The Transporter [City Paper]

Rick Nichols waxes about Kanella, the Washington Square West spot that seems certain to make Cypriot a sought after cuisine.

Kanella (Greek for cinnamon) is the project of Konstantinos Pitsillides, a native of Cyprus, an island in the Mediterranean with strong ties to Greece, which inspires his cookery. In fact, he fancies himself a guardian of a tradition he sees fading, or abused: “I’m on a mission,” he says. “Keep it simple, use the whole animal, bring back authenticity.”

Go east for good eats [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Adam Erace enjoys Kanella, the Cypriot BYOB that has made quite the debut at 10th and Spruce.

[Chef/owner Konstantinos] Pitsillides, former chef of Meze in Bella Vista, is not afraid to bring it with some pig trotters or sieftalia—spiced pork sausages cased in caul fat, the lacy membrane that contains an animal’s internal organs. Or how about tarama, carp roe whipped into a silky, surprisingly delicate dip served with grilled pita? With tangy tzatziki and fragrant carrot-and-cardamom, it’s one of a trio of dips that change according to Pitsillides’ whims.

Kanella [Philadelphia Weekly]