Craig LaBan heads out Rt-422 for some real Szechuan food at Han Dynasty in Royersford.

There was a platter of the most intensely smoky tea-smoked duck I’ve ever eaten. The elaborately prepared meat (marinated, dried, smoked, braised, and then flash-fried to order) exuded a spice box of star anise, cinnamon, nutmeg, and fennel wrapped inside smoky wisps of jasmine tea and cedar. The “dry pot” of delicate flounder fillets, meanwhile, served in a mini-wok over a blue flame, blazed across my palate in an ethereal whoosh of peppercorns, chiles, and hot bean paste that obviously turned me into a beet-colored, smoke-blowing cartoon.

Also of note to suburb fearing urbanites, owner Han Chiang is talking of a branch in West Philadelphia. 

Two Bells – Very Good

Han Dynasty [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Han Dynasty [Official Site]

Craig LaBan’s biggest objection to Ardmore’s A La Maison may be that it isn’t more than a solid B.

There’s really nothing so wrong with A la Maison. But it’s not especially exciting, either. And there is perhaps no praise more faint or more damning than this French expression for “not bad.” But it certainly speaks to the cooking at A la Maison. There’s little here a true Francophile hasn’t tasted elsewhere, where it probably was more inspired. But true bistros are more about satisfying local regulars than showing off for destination diners. And this food is consistently cooked well enough (a solid B) to hold a hungry crowd’s attention. Considering they’ve flocked to what was once an Indian eatery so quiet you could fling a dosa through the room without hitting a soul, Ardmore has responded warmly in kind.

Two Bells – Very Good

A la Maison [Philadelphia Inquirer]
A La Maison Bistro [Official Site]

Joy Manning reviews Alison two and has a very different take than Craig LaBan.

It’s the food that sets Alison Two so far ahead of the local curve. Barshak’s style has been shaped by her work experience and extensive world travels: A shrimp papri chat salad was inspired by street food in Singapore’s Indian district, and seared tuna, joined with tender oxtail morsels and pho-style rice noodles in a savory broth, is based on the flavors of her sojourn in Vietnam. Barshak’s talent lies in her ability to draw on these disparate influences without rendering her dishes fussy or fusion-y. Her personal culinary style — a delicate hand and an understanding of seafood — combined with her international prowess unifies the diverse and impressively large menu.

Food: A
Service: A
Vibe: B+

Twice As Nice [Philadelphia Magazine]
Alison two [Official Site]

Oof, Craig LaBan likes the bar scene and bites at Alison two but struggles to find praise elsewhere.

Alison two, in general, is not quite what I’d hoped for from Barshak, who’s had more ups and downs in her career than a ride at Wildwood. Over the course of that roller coaster, though, from her splashy rise at Striped Bass, to the flop of Venus and the Cowboy, to her bright resurgence in Blue Bell, long one of my favorite suburban BYOBs, I’ve grown to appreciate her culinary aesthetic – a knack for pairing great ingredients with focused, inventive dishes inspired by her international travels.

But Barshak isn’t cooking here, having ceded the kitchen to another chef for the broader responsibilities of managing the big Alison expansion picture. (Blue Bell, which now has a liquor license, has been closed for renovations but is scheduled to reopen soon.) And it’s too obvious in the lack of finesse and consistency here that this otherwise appealing menu is missing a steady hand.

One Bell – Hit or Miss

Alison two [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Alison two [Official Site]

… On such a winter’s day.

We immediately thought of  the Mamas and the Papas” California Dreaming” when we heard that Capone’s was pouring 15 different California beers today. I Am Beer Wise thought Soundgarden. but no matter what your internal soundtrack, consider the sojourn to Norristown to drink beers from Stone, Russian River, Green Flash, Left Coast and more.

Thursday is Beer Night CA Style [I Am Beer Wise]

Alison Barshak details the trials and tribulations of arranging tables and getting set for online reservations. For some reason we have  dorky fascination with OpenTable.

I Have Some Reservations About This [Alison's New Restaurant]

Alison two gets a floor and things are happening fast. Restaurant construction is a strange and oddly fascinating endeavor that we can’t get enough of. Check out Alison’s blog for the details as the ball gets rolling downhill and fast.

Pouring the Flooring [Alison's New Restaurant]

Alison Barshak may have been gallivanting around Europe but the construction continued at her Alison two as all the sheet rock was hung. Check out the photos on her site as well as the ordeal that even paint can become.

We Seem to have Some Shrinkage [Alison's New Restaurant]

Elisa Ludwig stops off in Blue Bell for some top notch Korean BBQ at Gaya.

The DIY barbecue offers your choice of pork or beef cuts, including pork neck. We opted for soy and chili-marinated short ribs, which the server cut from the bone with a pair of scissors at the table. While the meat and garlic cloves and onion slices sizzled on the grill, we readied our plates with the cornucopia of fixins: lettuce and cabbage, bright leaves of kale, carrot sticks, cucumber, jalapeño peppers and a dense, rich soybean paste.

The Grill of your Dreams [City Paper]

Strong beers and great food is the tag line of the 2nd annual Winterfest at the General Lafayette Inn & Brewery.

Just how strong are the beers. There’s a shuttle from a the brew pub to a local hotel, that’s how strong.

The event is on Saturday, February 16th from 12 to 3:30 pm and tickets are $45 in advance, no tickets will be sold the day of the event.

More details after the jump.

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