Craig LaBan visits Que Chula es Puebla, a fine taqueria far from the South Philly “Taco Belt” but still worthy of two bells.

LaBan no longer has a favorite Philadelphia taqueria but rather favorite destinations depending on the dish.

• Tacos al pastor – Los Taquitos de Puebla
• Green chile pozole – Restaurant Acapulco
• Barbacoa tacos and huitlacoche quesadillas – La Lupe

What dish would recommend at Que Chula es Puebla? Perhaps the special Sunday pozole.

The stew brought fistfuls of tender cubed pork (with just the right amount of fat still on) and puffy kernels of hominy corn in a guajillo-red broth layered with bay leaf and thyme. Scattered at the table with a fresh “verdura” of minced onions and oregano, plus a squirt of lime, each spoonful was a fiesta of contrasting textures and earthy savor.

Two Bells – Very Good

Que Chula es Puebla [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Craig LaBan is going to Que Chula es Puebla at 2nd and Master this weekend. We don’t know much about the spot beyond what we’ve read in this Foodaphilia write-up. How do you think LaBan will react to the “good and inexpensive” Kensington Mexican restaurant.

It’s hard to believe that Memphis Taproom is already a year old but that’s what they’re telling us. And since Memphis seems to know how to throw a bash we aren’t surprised to see that their anniversary will feature some very special beers including Taras Boulba, Schlenkerla Fastenbier and Cantillon Vignerrone on draft.

The party starts at 5pm on Wednesday, April 22nd and complimentary food will be available.

And as always, get there the night before to enjoy “deeply discounted beer” after 7pm to make room for the anniversary party lineup.

Memphis Taproom [Official Site]

David Snyder goes Yugoslavian this week as he reviews Jovan’s Place in Kensington.

Sure, the wait was longer than average. But there aren’t many restaurants like this around anymore, which helped me realize that there are likely very few meals like this in my future. So settle into your chair, let Joe pour you a Kenzinger and enjoy your time at Jovan’s. Like the menu says: It’s worth it.

Love Slav [City Paper]

The Memphis Taproom’s Brendan “Spanky” Hartranft was on the 10 Show Tuesday explaining beers and promoting his Mystery Beer Weekend.

And just what is Mystery Beer Weekend? Well we’re glad you asked.

Mystery Beer Weekend will take place Labor Day weekend, August 29 to the 31st starting at noon on the 29th. The Taproom will tap 33 beers of 11 different styles in 3 days . It’s up to you to taste them all and tell us what you’re drinking. Mystery ballots will be available at the bar and at www.memphistaproom.com starting August 25, 2008.

Video via LIQUID DIET.

The Memphis Taproom goes under the LaBan microscope this week and passes with flying colors.

But the Memphis’ menu of updated bar food is impressively affordable and varied, topping out at $15 for a lamb-chop special, with prices that actually compete with the nearby Applebee’s. There’s a worthy nod to the neighborhood’s Polish tradition with the Port Richmond platter, a plate of awesomely smoked kielbasa from Czerw’s on Tilton Street, cheesy pierogis, kraut, and a potato pancake. And there’s also plenty to draw the area’s young new residents, with a focus on local ingredients drawn from urban farm pioneer Greensgrow, just down the street, and a vegan sous chef in the kitchen, Rob Notowitz, turning out homemade seitan barbecue sandwiches and smoked walnut gravy with biscuits for brunch.

Two Bells – Very Good

Memphis Taproom [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Memphis Taproom [Official Site]

Elisa Ludwig drinks and dines at the Memphis Taproom and certainly has a better time of it than Adam Erace of Philadelphia Weekly.

Chef Jesse Kimball (of Matyson and Lacroix) has crafted a smart day-to-night menu that distinguishes his kitchen without overshadowing the liquid refreshments. Indeed, if there’s a theme to the cuisine, it’s how to incorporate beer into as many menu items as possible.

In the house version of Cornish meat pies (”PAs-ties have tassles. We serve pAH-sties,” our server says. “I have to make the joke so no one else does”), starter-sized, coarse salt-crusted pockets of golden flaky dough are filled with shredded Belgian beer-braised beef, then set over a slather of creamy horseradish-dill sauce. Beer brines hot wings and brightens hummus. Mixed with a little oil, it makes a delicate vinaigrette for the house green salad. Malty Old Peculier ale is swirled into molten cheddar for the “King Rarebit” sandwich; the tangy fondue is layered with sunny-side-up eggs between two thick slices of grilled Texas toast. At weekend brunch, a rotating wheat beer even replaces champagne in the house mimosa. Recently, it was Tröegs DreamWeaver, the cloudy ale’s banana perfume playing nicely to the orange juice. Ingenious.

Strictly Memphis [City Paper]
Memphis Taproom [Official Site]

Adam Erace wants to like the Memphis Taproom but he just can’t get excited about the food, except for maybe the king rarebit.

[Chef Jesse] Kimball tops the browned toast with two sunny-side-up pastured eggs (gracias, Green Meadow Farms) dusted with Turkish aleppo pepper and Old Peculiar ale gravy sharpened with cheddar.
Pierced, the yolks spill into the fondue, mingling in a brown-and-yellow slurry that doesn’t look pretty but tastes rich and satisfying. The king rarebit is the kind of sustenance that’ll set you right after a long night in the company of Sly Foxes and the PBC, something the Memphis menu will need once the Port Fishington buzz wears off.

Memphis Taproom [Philadelphia Weekly]
Memphis Taproom [Official Site]

Memphis Taproom is getting plenty of online love as Lew Bryson visited Saturday and enjoyed the burgers and Sprecher Black Bavarian. And Philadining goes on and on about the pasties and we have to agree, they are legit.

Memphis Taproom [Official Site]

Enjoy the first keg of Philadelphia Brewing Company’s Kenzinger off the line tonight at the Green Rock Tavern on Lehigh Avenue. There will be $1 pints from 7 to 8pm tonight.

Philadelphia Brewing Co. [Official Site]
Green Rock Tavern [MySpace]