The New York Times packs a lot of action in its 36 Hours in Philadelphia and they sure don’t skimp on the culinary.

Among the spots mentioned:

• No lemon meringue pie - Silk City.
• Odd Couple – Chinese-Peruvian fusion at Chifa.
• Bowling and Munching – North Bowl.
• Slice of Local Color – The Italian Market and Lorenzo’s Pizza (9th and Christian version) in particular.
• What, No Chicken Soup? – Modern Israeli at Zahav.
• Take a Trip – Upstairs at Time for absinthe.
• No Snooze Button – Waiting for a table at Sabrina’s Cafe.

36 Hours in Philadelphia [New York Times]

Esquire named Kanella one of the best breakfast spots in America back in February. Last weekend Kanella actually added brunch to their hours. Living on the Vedge was there on the hummus paved road to satisfaction. [Living on the Vedge]

Finding Philly comes up with a list of South Philadelphia brunch spots to try when the wait at Sabrina’s and Sam’s Morning Glory are just too long.

1. Royal Tavern and Cochon
2. Carmen’s Country Kitchen
3. Los Taquitos de Puebla
4. Teri’s

[Finding Philly]

Fries with that Shake reminds us that it has been way too long since we had the whiskey donuts and the grits at Johnny Brenda’s. [fwts.net]

Foodaphilia tries the younger sibling of Bella Vista’s brunch superstar, Sabrina’s Cafe and Spencer’s Too.

Visit the new location of Sabrina’s Cafe. A larger space reduces the wait time but doesn’t take away from the fabulous portions or innovative ideas.

Sabrina’s Cafe and Spencer’s Too [Foodaphilia]

Audrey and Mark head down to Washington Avenue in South Philly for a date that includes some Philadelphia stereotypes (soft pretzels and mummers) as well as some Vietnamese food.

Illadates: Washington Avenue [UWISHUNU]

Kirsten Henri checks out Sabrina’s Cafe & Spencer’s Too, the new sibling of the Italian Market classic.

The menu too is a riff on diner food, much of it the same as at the original. Describing in detail what we ate at Sabrina’s seems pointless. Each dish contains so many ingredients combined together in inexplicable ways (that really shouldn’t work as well as they do) served in such egregiously large portions that it seems improper to analyze.

This is food built strictly for comfort, meant for instant gratification, not for picking apart and considering its individual components. You’re not coming to Sabrina’s for delicate flavors or to challenge your oh-so-refined palate. You’re coming to shove great forkfuls of sugar, butter and cheese down your piehole until your eyes glaze over, your belly bulges and you drop off into a satisfied post-brunchial daze.

Toast of the Town [Philadelphia Weekly]
Sabrina’s Cafe [Official Site]

Elisa Ludwig checks out Sabrina’s Cafe and Spencer’s Too and finds it a worthy sequel to the much loved Bella Vista original.

What’s nice about SCST’s lineup is that it doesn’t sacrifice the hominess of comfort food in the name of innovation. Usually, you get both. There’s the regular stuffed French toast — half a loaf tented on your plate — with cream cheese and bananas, or the daily variety, which was a super-sweet orange-molasses-butterscotch flavor on a recent visit. There are gigantic polenta fries, golden bricks of fried cornmeal embedded with jalapeño peppers that, with a side of marinara sauce, are a meal in and of themselves.

Too Much Love

It’s day four of our photo essay on restaurants that are opening soon. Today we take a look at some spots in West Philly and Fairmount.

First stop today is the Belgian Cafe. The latest from Fergie and Tom Peters will bring a Monk’s vibe to Fairmount.

More after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

Feed Me Philly has an early look at the new Sabrina’s Cafe and Spencer’s Too at 18th and Callowhill. Not only does it live up to the original, it might be preferable to the Christian Street institution.

Sibling Rivalry [Feed Me Philly]

Slaving away over hot stoves, dealing with customers, staff and more, the life of a chef is a hectic one. But where do chefs like to chill out for brunch? The Philadelphia Inquirer asks several chefs where their favorite spots for brunch are.

• Royal Tavern
• Morning Glory
• Sabrina’s Cafe
• Fitzwater Cafe
• Lakeside Chinese Deli
• Standard Tap
• Tierra Colombiana
• Prospectors Grill
• Pho 75
• Hank’s Place

Chefs’ brunch faves [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Paddy’s Well is open in Fishtown, serving Pabst and BBQ with Bushmill Irish Whiskey sauce. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Sabrina’s Café and Spencer’s Too is about a week away from bringing the loitering masses hungering for French toast a place to eat in Fairmount. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Pearl is the name of the Red Sky backed spot set to open at the old Little Pete’s on Chestnut Street. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

City Grange will be the sustainable food restaurant slated to open this Summer at the Westin in Liberty Place. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Bring on the dancing women. The word in Icepack is that the Penthouse Lounge isn’t doing well and is now doing after-hours. [Icepack, City Paper]

Bookbinders is opening at the shore. 1201 New Road in Linwood, NJ is the address, July is the opening. [Inqlings, Philadelphia Inquirer]