Messy and Picky go to Foobooz fave Southwark and Picky gets the best plate he’s had all year, the barbequed smoked pork belly served with baked beans, wilted collards, and Birchrun blue cheese sauce. [Messy & Picky]

Derek Lee has his anniversary dinner in the kitchen at Talula’s Table. [The Best Food Blog Ever]

CE Phood experiences the Little Fish Sunday prix fixe. [CE Phood]

Maria Valetta breaks down the Whiskey King experience at Village Whiskey. [Sips, Bites and Sites]

Veggicurious finally makes it to Modo Mio and finds it a “delicious steal.” [Veggicurious]

Meal Ticket catches up with chef Robert Halpern as he prepares to take over Marigold Kitchen. [Meal Ticket]

Restaurant Club sits down with another chef with a new job, Anne Coll who is taking over the kitchen at Meritage. In addition to the interview there is also the menu. [Restaurant Club]

Philadelphia Weekly gets in on the Q&A funwith chef Sheri Waide of Southwark. [Philadelphia Weekly]

Food & Wine’s new Cocktails 2009 book lists these cocktail bars and lounges as Philadelphia’s best: Tequila’s, Southwark, APO Bar + Lounge and Chick’s Cafe. [Via MenuPages]

Jose Garces is one of “120 Reasons to Love Being Latina” in Latina Magazine. He’s among four “culinary masters” saluted.

Esquire’s Philadelphia based-writer Francine Maroukian won an Ellie at the ASME Awards for her work on The Esquire Almanac of Steak. A hat tip goes out to her, especially since we know she reads Foobooz! She’s also featured this week on Unbreaded.  [ASME]

We must admit, we have a REALLY hard time tearing ourselves away from the bar at Southwark for three very good reasons: the drinks, the bartenders and the drinks. We have also been known to dine on chef Sheri Waide’s delicious farm-to-table food at the very same bar in between the aforementioned drinks.

Clearly, we’re not alone, which is why Southwark has launched a lovely new promotion designed to encourage bar groupies like us to return to dining at a table like civilized human beings.  If you eat in the dining room or patio Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, all bottles of wine are 50% off. The wine list on their web site is up to date – prices run from $34 to $100 with the average around $50. So you can enjoy a $50 bottle of wine for just $25. Or, if you look at it another way, two $50 bottles of wine for $50.

The Southwark folk want to make it clear this deal is only available in the dining room and garden. It’s not offered at the bar or even at the tables in the bar room. Don’t worry, the bar’s not going anywhere and with all the money you save, you can head back there for an after-dinner drink.

Southwark [Official Site]

Away evil spirits! Philadelphia Weekly guides you away from sickeningly sweet cocktails and towards these classics.

• Southwark
• La Bourse at Sofitel
• Mahogany on Walnut
• Parc
• Butcher & Singer
• Distrito

Spirited Away [Philadelphia Weekly]

This week The Bite takes a look at the new Bar 210 being built inside Lacroix and considers other restaurant bars that are worth sidling up to.

The Bite: Hungry? Saddle up [Metro Philadelphia]

Congratulations to Philadelphia’s own Bluecoat Gin. It’s been selected as one of the top 10 spirits to watch in 2008 by Food & Wine magazine.

Food & Wine recommends trying it in an Aviator, which is on the cocktail menu at Southwark.

New Spirits for 2008 [Foodandwine.com]
Bluecoat Gin [Official Site]

From the title to the photograhs, Philadelphia Weekly’s food issue is obviously inspired by Sarah Stolfa’s, the Regulars. Whether quizzo players, dive bar squatters or strip bar voyeurs, every bar has them and needs them. What worries us is how many of them we recognize.

Where Everybody Knows Your Name
Tipping Point
Get Your Game On
Kingdom Come
For The Love Of Mike
Lapping It Up

PW’s Field Guide looks into getting a proper martini around town. Among the choices is the Ritz Carlton which keeps it local with Philadelphia’s own Bluecoat Gin and Southwark which “is like sticking your head under a cold, clear waterfall: refreshing, crisp, clean and just about perfect.”

Vermouthing Off

In the Metro today check out where you can find locally farmed foods in the city, and some local beer too. Local happy hour tonight at Southwark and at Good Food, Good Beer and the Rest Is History under the shambles at Headhouse Square this Saturday. Xochitl, Zot and Bridget Foy’s among others will participate.

Also there are rumors of a mutiny at the Rum Bar. Arrrgh Matey!

The Bite: City gets Fresh [Philadelphia Metro]