Food & Drink
Chocolate To The Max
The concept of Max Brenner: “Chocolate by the Bald Man is simple: it’s all about chocolate.” Entering the restaurant is probably the closest you can come to visiting Willy Wonka’s factory; stress melts away as the decadent chocolate smell permeates the senses.
In Praise Of Beer
Nestled in Old City is a quaint two-story brasserie. Opening the ivory and crimson-painted door reveals a ground floor bar that stretches further back than the light reaches, where patrons sip on a selection of 21 beers on tap.
Plan On Sampan
Sampan chef Michael Schulson clearly wanted to wow the Philadelphia restaurant scene with his debut.
Sushi Mama
Silken tofu is a slimy, viscous, textural disaster that dissolves so unpleasantly in your mouth, diners still try to solve the mystery of its intrigue.
The "Villager's" Panino
An unassuming diner counter lined with a few stools sits underneath two large chalkboards with sandwich options scrawled across it.
It's Hip To Be Square
Square 1682 occupies the first two floors of the new Palomar Hotel in Center City, bringing unique cuisine to hotel guests and Rittenhouse diners alike.
Hot, Sticky, Sweet
The desserts at new sweets truck Sugarcube are tasty. The staff is friendly and excited.
A Slice Of The Lonestar
Percy Street Barbecue, the new BBQ joint from Zahav owners Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook, is a little slice of Lone Star in Philadelphia.
Simply Stella(r)
Good pizza in Philadelphia is – deceptively – not so easy to find. The two current champions of the market are Lorenzo’s and Osteria, but both have their drawbacks.
Hot Rosemary Cashews
1 lb roasted unsalted cashews 2 tbsp minced fresh rosemary leaves 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 2 tsp light brown sugar 1 tbsp kosher salt 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Wine/Chocolate
Chocolate and wine have long maintained their reputations as the most romantic food and drink. However, they do not traditionally make a nice pair.
Spotlight
Why do we love her? She grew up in Philly, went to the Restaurant School at Walnut Hill (42nd and Walnut), worked at Arroyo and Sonoma in Manayunk, and now works in Philly as Executive Chef of Eric Ripert’s 10 Arts.
Life After Top Chef
Just like American Idol, sometimes runners-up get a really sweet deal. And they’re not all bound up in contracts (well they probably are, but we like to hope not) like their more decorated competitors.
Hibernation Satiation
It was a sad day when the 36th and Walnut Farmers’ Market closed for the winter. You savored that last bag of Honeycrisp apples, dreading months of frozen peas.
Penn Food Week
A collaboration between Bon Appetit at Penn Dining, UCCANF, CAUSA, and Fox Leadership, Penn Food Week has been in full swing since Monday.
Old McDonald Had A Farm(er's Market)
Farmers’ markets are often at odds with the weather. In the spring, they’re inundated with locavores browsing the organic produce while they munch on free samples of chevre.
All Co-oped Up
By now you may have realized that the campus supermarkets don’t exactly live up to their names. Products are rarely fresh nor are they supreme; have a marketing major solve that riddle for you.
Recently Opened And Closed
RECENTLY OPENED Zavino — Wine Bar and Pizzeria Sweet Freedom Bakery — Allergen-Friendly Bakery Sugarcube — Dessert Truck R2L — New American RECENTLY CLOSED Paloma — Mexican Ava — Italian Michael’s Cafe — Traditional American
Drink Of The Week
If all the mention of after-dinner liqueurs gives you a hankering for a lemony digestive: Ingredients 15 lemons 1 lime 190 proof Everclear* 2 – 4 cups sugar 2 – 3 cups of water (a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water makes a classic simple syrup, but use more sugar if you want your limoncello a little thicker or sweeter) Also needed: A zester, an airtight container and a strainer (or cheesecloth). *190 proof Everclear is not available in PA, but can be purchased in Delaware.
