Congratulations to South Street’s Ms. Tootsie’s Restaurant Bar Lounge which was awarded Best Soul Food restaurant in the August 2007 issue of the national publication, Black Enterprise Magazine.

Craig LaBan focuses on Warmdaddy’s this week and finds

Warmdaddy’s new location on Delaware Avenue generic, and without unique flavor.

We were pretty much out of luck all night, with a few notable exceptions. I liked the band. And the restaurant’s takes on some soul-food basics were undoubtedly passable. The corn-crusted catfish was fresh and nicely fried. A couple of sides were spot-on, like the tender (but not mushy) black-eyed peas and a crock of macaroni and cheese that had just the right balance of crust and creamy tang. The smallish shrimp were deep-fried for shrimp and grits (as opposed to the traditionally sauteed, saucy Lowcountry style), but I have to admit they were tasty.

The real question that keeps nagging, though, is whether producing “passable” renditions of soul food is really enough to expect from the Bynum brothers’ latest effort. The new Warmdaddy’s may be an intriguing new music venue, but so far, it is also a missed opportunity to raise the bar for updated neo-soul cooking.

One Bell – Hit or Miss

Warmdaddy’s [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Warmdaddy’s [Official Site]

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation has just added a new podcast tour, their fifth, to soundaboutphilly.com. Philly Noir marks the first African American podcast tour of Philadelphia and features such recognizable voices as bowtie wearing Eagle, Dhani Jones, Kenny Gamble and of most interest to us foodies, Delilah Winder.

Delilah takes us through her southern cooking at Delilah�s at The Terminal. Other foodie spots on the tour include Jamaican Jerk Hut at 15th and South, Geechee Girl Rice Cafe, Natalie’s Lounge at 4003 Market St and Zanzibar Blue on Broad Street. These tours are really cool, so load up your iPod and bring an appetite.

soundaboutphilly.com [Official Site]

Delilah Winder, owner of Delilah’s, the Southern style eatery and Bluezette has published a new cookbook, Delilah’s Everyday Soul: Southern Cooking with Style.

Delilah’s “un-highfalutin” style is shown in throughout the cookbook in dishes like, beer steamed blue crabs and braised beef short ribs to blackberry pie.

Today Delilah will be doing a book signing from 5-7 PM at the ShopRite at 2385 Cheltenham Ave.

Soul Woman

Phillyist headed out to Crescent City during Restaurant Week and dines on what’s left for their 9 PM reservation. Luckily the pork chop was still left.

Foodsday Tuesday Reviews Crescent City [Phillyist]
Crescent City [Official Site]

Germantown’s Geechee Girl Rice Cafe has been getting noticed of late. Geeche Girl builds upon traditional southern rice delicacies with Chinese, Thai and other world influences. Be sure to try the Carolina style pulled pork and the shrimp served with black bean-peanut hummus.

The Geeche Girl Rice Cafe [aroundphilly.com]
The Rice Touch [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Geechee Girl Rice Cafe [Official Site]

We read the reviews so you don’t have to, South Philly Review visits Crescent City.
Crescent City on South Street may not be affordable enough to be your regular spot, but it makes “a lovely place for a celebration.” Make sure you try “three pan-seared jumbo diver scallops placed on a pool of truly divine, lightly seasoned brown sauce.” Although an appetizer, they might make a fine main course.

Two-and-a-half tips of the toque to Crescent City.

South Philly Review: Crescent City

Crescent City [Official Site]
More on Crescent City

We read the reviews so you don�t have to. Here�s Elisa Ludwig’s take on Crescent City, pre-chewed for easy digestion.

Crescent City is a reverent tribute to the Gulf featuring dishes that are “gutsy and intensely flavorful.”

Southern Exposure

www.crescentcityphilly.com