Toronto!

I recently had a great opportunity to travel to Toronto, Ontario for a science-related conference. Overall it was a fantastic experience; my first podium presentation went well, and I learned a lot. More importantly, I got to experience a wide range of delicious foods during my stay. I was very lucky to be traveling with a true Torontonian (don't you love that word?), and with his knowledge of my love for food, he certainly showed me what the city has to offer.

Shortly after arriving, we took a rather lengthy car ride to a Northeasterly suburb known as Richmond Hill. We took the "scenic route" through the city to see some highlights, so we were nice and hungry by the time we arrived at Restoran, an authentic Malaysian restaurant. We started with a hot tea drink known as "Teh Tarik" while we perused the lengthy menu. The drink is made with black tea and condensed milk- the trick is pouring it back and forth between two containers to make it extremely creamy and frothy. Sweet and warm, it was the perfect start to the meal.



After negotiating with our waitress (she didn't think I would like some of the more authentic dishes... rude) we settled on two entrees- a noodle dish and a curry dish. We also ordered a bowl of coconut rice and of course, some fluffy roti to round out the meal. The noodle dish, called Mamak Mee Goring, came as a platter sized portion heaped with chewy noodles in a ridiculously good sauce- the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. Small shrimps, bites of chicken, some fried egg and a few vegetables were incorporated together. Every bite had a new flavor, keeping my mouth very interested.



The curry dish, Penang Gulai Nonya, was mild, with just a slightly spicy broth chock full of large chunks of veggies and huge shrimp (my ideal meal, seriously). Tomatoes, fresh okra, lots of onion, and baby eggplants... and shrimpies! So good! Served over rice cooked in coconut milk, there was a huge range of flavors and textures to round out the dish. I could probably drink the broth by itself, but it was also great as a roti dipper.




We weren't really feeling dessert after all that food, so we took a quick trip to Chinatown for some authentic bubble tea. Since University City's Bubble House closed, I haven't found a decent place in Philly- the prepackaged stuff I see in our Chinatown makes me quite nervous. Ten Ren Tea is a chain with several locations in New York City. The Richmond Hill location was enormous- very open and bright. The tea menu was equally enormous- I ended up choosing a black tea coconut milk concoction with tapioca balls. The icy treat subbed in as a light dessert and was the perfect cap on a delicious dinner. Side note: I should never drink caffeinated tea during/after dinner. Bad idea.



After a little bit of sleep and a long day of conference, our next eating destination was a true Canadian classic- a poutinerie! After the foie gras topped version I ate at Adsum, I was excited to try it from the source. We headed to Smoke's Poutinerie on Adelaide Street, where they literally serve nothing but poutine. Start with fresh thickly cut fries, cooked to perfection (at least in my book)- on the soft side with a lightly golden crisp. Top these with a generous amount of squeaky cheese curds and a pool of rich peppery gravy. Last but not least, add on some extra toppings- I chose the "Montreal" which came with shaved smoked ham, a dollop of mustard, and a pickle. The "regular" size was probably a solid three pounds of food. Even though we were hungry, we hardly made a dent. The concoction is extremely rich and extremely heavy, especially to my stomach that is used to a majority of veggies. However, as a big mess of a comfort food, it can't be beat. It was perfect for putting me in a food coma induced sleep to make up for the previous night.




The next day, after a gorgeous ten mile run on the Lake and a few hours of meetings, I was ready for some street food. Although Philly seems to have Toronto beat in terms of variety, there were plenty of deep-inhale-inducing carts cooking up huge hot dogs and sausages.. and of course, poutine. I ordered a Spicy Italian sausage, which was scored along the top to ensure a large surface area to grill. Not too spicy, the sausage soaked up all the smoky flavors of the grill. Crisp skin and juicy insides made for a delicious bite- the fluffy bun helped keep me from making a mess. Sauerkraut and mustard from a huge array of topping options were great accompaniments. Clear blue skies and sun made the outdoor eating experience an absolute delight.




Another spectacular meal was my first experience with Peking Duck. With insider knowledge of the best Chinese restaurant in Toronto, our whole group made the perfect number of people to enjoy this special dish. The bird prep is relatively time intensive so we started out with some hot and sour soup. Piping hot and spicy, sweet and tangy, the bits of egg and noodles melded together in an incredibly well-balanced cup of soup.



Eating Peking duck requires making a little burrito. Start with a soft pancake, add a large piece of crispy duck skin that has been dried and slow roasted with a sugary glaze, top it with strips of scallion and a sweet red bean sauce, fold up and enjoy. The pillowy pancake and the sweet and incredibly crispy duck skin cooked in its own fat... it was seriously like eating a savory piece of candy. I ate many of these.




The meat of the duck is used to make a stir fry type dish with onions and carrots and served in perfectly round pieces of lettuce- sort of the typical lettuce cups yet with a rich duck flavor. I preferred the slivers of beef that were fried and also tossed in a sweet sauce. Something about sugar and meat really does it for my taste buds.



Although I enjoyed the economical use of all the parts of the duck, the soup made with the bones was not good. Without nearly enough time to leach out all the good marrow flavor, the broth was thin and watery. Huge chunks of tofu didn't help the bland factor.

Certainly the most unique dinner I had was at 360- the restaurant at the top of the CN Tower. Well... not quite at the top. It's in the "donut" about 2/3 the way up the 1815 foot tower. We were luckily seated at a table next to the windows; with the slow revolution of the restaurant space, we saw a full sweep of Toronto and Lake Ontario in daylight, as the sun was setting, and with the lights of the city lighting up the night.



Although most of my attention was on the wonderful view, the three course prix fixe dinner was pretty tasty as well. The first course was probably my favorite- chilled potato and leak puree poured over a little pile of salmon and cubed potato. The mild flavors of the puree were accented by the salty, smoky chunks of fish. Crispy potato skin sticks on the top gave it a little crunch. As a relatively simple dish, I would love to try to recreate this at home.



The second course involved more salmon, this time pan seared and flaky, served over brown rice with a nutty toasted almond glaze. The baby bok choy were almost bite sized, steamed and full of green goodness. Any potential dryness of the rice was offset by the slightly sweet sauce.



For dessert I chose the summer berry shortcake, which seemed almost out of season. The cake itself was on the boring side, but I loved the ball of sour cream ice cream rolled in graham cracker crumbs. A nod to the current not-too-sweet frozen yogurt trend, but with the creaminess giving it back a touch of decadence. A big chunk of white chocolate was a creative touch to complete the presentation.



I'm so glad I got to experience such a wide range of food in this multicultural Canadian city. From street food to the reaching heights of the CN Tower, I certainly made the most of my short trip abroad. I'll finish with a couple good shots of the CN Tower...




Restoran
Ten Ren Tea
Smoke's Poutinerie
CN Tower 360

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Distrito Taco Night

Just one day after our incredible brunch at Lacroix, we once again put on our "all-you-can-eat" hats. Distrito recently began a fantastic deal in their downstairs "Cantina," featuring unlimited tacos and enchiladas ($25) coinciding with Monday Night Football games. We're not really into the NFL, but we are definitely into Distrito tacos. A group was organized, and we met just prior to the 8 PM start time in order to snag seats. The deal is limited to the Cantina, which you can't make reservations for, so we recommend you get there early to get a spot, especially if you have a larger group.



The whole table must be in on the deal-- no problem there-- and you are allowed to order two items on the first go round, and one item with each consecutive request. The deal also comes with some sides, which we used to whet our appetites as we waited for our first orders to come out. The Chilango Chop Salad was a good start; some fresh veggies to begin a long night of chowing down. It is one of Distrito's signature salads, and comes with assorted greens, apple slivers, delicious spiced toasted pecans, and chewy cheese cubes (along the lines of queso fresco, or a really mild mozzarella), all tossed in a light yogurt-based dressing and topped with crunchy tortilla strips. I really could have made a meal of this salad alone-- which may be what Garces is aiming for by providing it prior to the taco-fest.



The two other sides are bean based, and while good, were somewhat random in my opinion. Salty, creamy refried beans were very yum, but on their own? I typically don't eat refried beans by themselves. I ended up using it as a little topping to some of my tacos later on, just so I could enjoy them, but a more "stand alone" side such as the rice and beans makes more sense. Also-- two bean dishes? Why? I'm not complaining, I definitely did NOT need anything other than the tacos, but the choice is somewhat baffling.



Our first taco/enchilada order took the longest to come out of the kitchen-- we were getting a little nervous that our precious two hour time slot was ticking away while the chefs took their time. However, once the food started flowing, it never really stopped (we actually didn't even make it to 10). J and I were determined to try each and every option on the menu between the two of us, and we were ultimately successful-- minus a single dish, which I sampled from another dining mate's plate and she missed out on.

I started with the crab enchilada, thinking the sweet crabmeat filling was probably the most "worth it" item on the menu. Honestly though, the other ingredients of this dish overwhelmed the crab. Good crabmeat has little flavor of its own, requiring accompaniments to highlight it, not cover it completely. Thankfully, the construction and flavors independently top-notch- a mildly spicy salsa verde encasing the little roll of crabmeat and corn salsa, topped with fresh chopped poblanos. All of the enchiladas come as a single serving, in a little cast iron pan. These pans, besides being adorable, serve to keep the food hot long after it comes out of the oven.



Moving along in non-chronological order, J ordered both the chicken and the vegetarian enchiladas. The chicken enchilada and chicken taco (unpictured) were fairly similar- shredded chicken bathed in a red chile sauce, brighter and hotter than the salsa verde. A much better flavor match than the crab, but sort of.. unoriginal. It tasted to me like a solid form of tortilla soup- which I'm not overly fond of. The vegetarian enchilada, on the other hand, was excellent- sauteed mushrooms and a good pile of soft spinach combined with a smoked tomato sauce- exactly like something I would love to make at home (but about ten times saltier-- whew!).

Chicken

Veggie

We also tried all five version of the tacos; Pulled Pork (Carnitas), Pulled Chicken (Pollo Ropa Vieja; mentioned above), Tongue (Lengua), Fried Fish (Hamachi), and Vegetarian Mushroom (Hongos). All of these tacos brought very original tastes to the table (minus that chicken...), and are served as two mini tacos (about 2-3 bites each) per plate. Perfect portioning for the all-you-can-eat format, but a little measly if you ordered them on their own. The Hamachi tacos were sort of disappointing- the fish was heavily battered and fried to a crisp, preventing me from enjoying the yellowtail to its full potential. It also could have used moister accompaniments, since the fried-ness sucked out the moisture of the fish. I know this might sound overly critical, but as I've had these tacos at Distrito in the past, they've seen better days.



J's favorite of the night was the tongue taco- a little different from what you normally expect in taco fillings, but we like trying new things. The tongue tastes like tender beef, and with soft onions and peppers and tortilla all together, it reminded of a classic fajita. My favorite was the mushroom tacos-- which for some reason, the rest of the party seemed to shy away from. Sauteed mushrooms are tossed with a truffle oil and potato puree, and then topped with crispy potato sticks. The whole combination is admittedly quite greasy, but completely worth it- it tasted like a big crispy, crunchy, truffle flavored potato chip. After trying each of the options, I seriously considered ordering another round of these, but eventually decided my stomach just couldn't handle another bite.

Shrooms

As the meal went on, food started coming out at a furious pace- even when we were all slowing down. The waitress was awesome at keeping up with our continuous flow of orders, but the servers weren't quite as competent-- they would basically walk around the dining room with baskets of tacos asking "Hamachi? Carnitas?" until someone claimed their order. This resulted in a contradictory issue- on one hand, you could easily claim food that wasn't yours, and on the other, someone else could claim your food. Particularly with a big group, with everyone ordering similar items, it got a bit confusing at times. However, we tried to keep pace; at one point, J had two taco baskets on the table and when another dish was delivered, moved one to her lap. Our waitress found this hilarious and in jest exclaimed, "MUST EAT MORE TACOS!" Well, yes.. that was our exact plan, thanks!



We all walked away from the table absolutely stuffed, and spent a good while commenting that we would have been fine, but that "Those last __ number of tacos weren't such a good idea!" It's a great way to experience Distrito in a casual, over-indulgent way, and tons of fun with a larger group. In other news, I have NO idea what football teams were playing and which team won that night. It's really not a great place to catch a game-- only two or three smallish TVs-- but we couldn't have cared less!

Distrito
3945 Chestnut Street

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Lacroix

Finding good food in Philly isn't difficult-- I like to think we show you that on a regular basis. There are so many great places to grab a bite. But, it also has a few "creme de la creme" restaurants that are about six steps above anything you'd think about going to for a regular dinner out. One of these is just a hop, skip, and a jump across Rittenhouse Square from us- Lacroix at the Rittenhouse Hotel.


Photo courtesy of the Rittenhouse Hotel

We've dined here once before, during Restaurant Week, and honestly I can't say I remember much about the meal other than feeling rather intimidated by the elegant dining room and the formality of the servers. However, we've always had their brunch on our "list" of eating adventures we would like to have. At $59/person, it would definitely be a special occasion meal. After over a year of talking about it, we decided to celebrate running our first 15K race with what was sure to be a delicious brunch.

I almost made a fatal mistake of waiting too long to make a reservation- just a week out, I had to settle for a 2 PM table (last seating at 2:30!). Upon arriving, our table wasn't quite ready, leaving us stranded for a few minutes. After awhile, the hostess led us to the table.. which still wasn't set. Awkward. Our waiter didn't seem thrilled, but gave us brief directions on how the brunch is set up-- starters and cold dishes in the front of the restaurant, desserts towards the back, and hot items and entrees in the kitchen. Our first foray took us to the closest "stations," the hors d'oeuvres, salads, and raw bar, all of which are located together in the center of the restaurant.



There is some major food love going on here, and I was rather overwhelmed by the number of selections. All of the hors d'oeuvres are portioned out into mini bites, allowing you to grab several items in one go. Everything is also very well labeled, thankfully! Arranged within the plates of appetizers are larger bowls of salads. These aren't your typical Caesar or simple lettuce salads. Actually, nothing here is simple-- the ingredients, the preparation, and the plating are all extremely unique and very carefully thought out.



The raw bar is located immediately adjacent, with two large bowls of oysters on ice, individual shrimp cocktails, several kind of rolled sushi, three or four varieties of caviar, and several smoked fishes, all with multiple accompaniments. Basically, it was seafood heaven, and to us made the meal's price tag immediately worth it. On my first go round, I tried beet salad with raspberries and hazelnut vinaigrette, an espresso marshmallow with passion fruit gelee (left spoon), foie gras mousse with grapefruit (right spoon), a couple pieces of sushi, a pumpernickel macaron with country ham, smoked salmon, pine yogurt with pineapple-ginger (white glass), an oyster, and fennel soup with mushrooms and black garlic (black glass). Impressed? Yeah, we were too! As much as I'd like to rave about every single bite I ate, it would probably take all day. So, I'll try to touch on some particularly memorable ones. One of J and I's combined favorites was the macaron. We were both amazed at how this classic French cookie was converted into a savory "ham sandwich." The outer texture was soft and chewy, just as a macaron should be, but with the deep, dark flavor of pumpernickel, stuffed with salty ham.



On J's first plate, she also added a shrimp cocktail, another salad, and a chocolate-filled pastry. I forgot to mention-- a huge basket of various muffins, scones, pastries and breads was also located in the same vicinity as the hors d'oeuvres. I (sadly) passed it up completely, keeping precious stomach space for more unique goodies. We both tried the espresso marshmallow, and agreed it tasted a little off. It was probably the worst thing I ate all morning-- extremely bitter and almost herb-y tasting. In the grand scheme of things, it didn't even make a dent in the food joy I was basking in- if I didn't LOVE an item, I would simply taste it and move on to the next.



Our second trip to the food found us wandering into the kitchen. It is a little bit weird to walk past the dishwashers and food preps to get to the buffet, but it's an interesting experience and allows you to see the inner workings of the restaurant. It also brings you in closer proximity to the chefs, allowing for some interaction and conversation. The kitchen had a number of "serve yourself" stations, several smaller "take one" options (much like the hors d'oeuvres), and a few carving stations manned by chefs or assistants. This set up was slightly less overwhelming to me-- there were fewer options of things I was interested in trying, and the selections weren't as crowded.



My plate ended up with a warm farro pudding, duck confit with rye grits, a few types of charcuterie, a random escargot, truffled brussel sprouts, a slice of Wagyu brisket, a coddled egg, and a parsnip tart. I also grabbed another oyster on my way back to my seat. The oysters were AMAZING- one of our favorite parts of the meal, and I couldn't get enough. Sprinkled with a little red wine vinegar mignonette, they were perfectly cool, smooth, and salty, and not the least bit gritty or fishy tasting. I could have slurped down a dozen, easily. Refrain had to be practiced however, in order to enjoy this second plate of delight. The brussel sprouts were definitely some of the best I've ever had- just the right touch of earthy truffle oil. I sometimes find truffles overrated, but in this case, they were used perfectly. The duck confit was another one of my favorite dishes- I love duck, and this was falling off the bone, right into a pool of rye grits. I've never had rye grits before, and I'm not sure if they were a chef creation here at Lacroix, but essentially they were exactly as described- the soft, creamy texture of grits with the flavor of rye bread. Delicious!



I ended up talking with one of the chefs about the coddled egg- he explained that they are cooked at a low temperature for a long period of time, to essentially create a very soft, and perfectly shaped, poached egg. He said it was one of his favorite menu items, prompting me to try it. Both J and I were a little disappointed though; the egg was so soft that upon cutting it with a fork, the yolk oozed into the puddle of lobster glaze, creating a salty, fishy, egg-yolk soup. I needed something to scoop it up with, and without a spoon, was really unable to proceed.

After plate #2, we weren't quite ready to hit up the desserts, so we headed back to the kitchen to make sure we hadn't missed anything we wanted to try. I convinced J to try the bread pudding with goat cheese, even though it didn't look the most appetizing, and I grabbed the buttermilk biscuit with gravy, which also suffered the same "meh" appearance. Thankfully, we were both pleasantly surprised- again, a thumbs up to Lacroix for beautiful execution in the taste department, even for items that aren't as visually appealing. I also opted to try some sauteed wild mushrooms, a slice of black garlic-stuffed pork roast, a couple of "missed on the first round" hors d'oeuvres, and of course, a few more oysters. The roast pork was another one of my favorites, again making me very glad I went back to try some of the things I didn't select the first time.



The kitchen also hosts a mini dessert corner, including TWO chocolate fountains. Offered alongside these fountains are many possible "dippers" (in Melting Pot language), including rice krispie treats, marshmallows, fruit, cake, you name it. J found room on her plate for a few chocolate covered macaroons- this time of the coconut cookie variety. You really just can't go wrong here. She also tried a mini white chocolate pancake, in order to test out a few of the specialty syrups Lacroix makes-- not your typical maple syrup, but exotic flavors such as root beer. It really is amazing how many special touches and ridiculous options they offer.



At this point my stomach was getting quite full, and I decided it was time for dessert. We had passed by the dessert table on our way to the kitchen, but this time we stopped and studied all of our options. Again, the desserts are served in mini portions, allowing us to sample multiple. However, unlike at the other stations in the restaurant, I found myself not really wanting many of them. I'm not sure whether it was my now-inhibited appetite, or whether the options were simply not up to par, but regardless, I grabbed a few, including a peanut butter and lime combination (left), a flourless chocolate cake (middle), a banana-chocolate combo, and a tiny scoop of blueberry-pear cobbler. Of course, I added a few chocolate covered items, and some fresh blackberries (berries on steroids-- they were huge!). None of these desserts really stood out- I enjoyed a bite here and a bite there, and of course appreciated the sweet end to my meal, but felt as if the restaurant definitely put a heavy culinary emphasis on the savory eats.



J sampled a different selection of desserts, including a chocolate chip cheesecake (back left) and a cream puff (front left). We also both grabbed cinnamon soda "shots" from the hors d'oeuvres table to enjoy with our desserts, a sweet sip to accompany our last eats. Once again, we were amazed- who makes their own soda?? Thank you, Lacroix!



Beyond the amazing food (and drinks), the service here is top notch. Our waiter didn't have a whole lot to do beyond keeping our water glasses filled and clearing our used plates, but he was very attentive and even folded our napkins each time we went off foraging for more food. He did have a slight mishap, giving us the wrong check (we knew it would be pricey, but not $450!), but was very apologetic and helped clear up the mistake. The views of Rittenhouse Square were perfectly lovely as well- no other restaurant in the city can claim views like these, and I almost prefer the bright, sunny "daytime" view that we received during brunch.

Overall, this was hands down one of the best meals of my life. I have never had the opportunity to sample so many delicious items, have access to all you can eat extravagant foods such as oysters, caviar, and Wagyu beef, all while enjoying a casual atmosphere and an open kitchen. It was the perfect meal for a post-race celebration-- I really don't think I could have enjoyed it as much if I hadn't been in need of 9.3 miles of refueling. We both wholeheartedly recommend this experience to all food-lovers, special occasion or not!

Lacroix at the Rittenhouse
210 W. Rittenhouse Square

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Peanut Scones

With another race planned for the weekend, A and I decided we should bake some post-run recovery snacks- we really enjoyed the homemade protein bars we made for our last race. This time, we had a few "new" ingredients in the house that we thought we should take advantage of. One of these was a huge bag of sliced almonds generously donated by our grandpa for future granola making. With more than enough almonds to make many batches of granola, A decided to repurpose some of them for cooking. First, she froze the almonds. We actually keep all of our nuts and seeds in the freezer to keep them from spoiling. Next, she filled up our food processor and chopped the almonds into a flour-like consistency. Apparently if you use room temp nuts, you will make almond butter instead, but I'm not sure our food processor is that good. In fact, it's terrible. Anyway, we stored the finely chopped almonds in the fridge to throw into any number of potential dishes: oatmeal, pancakes, as a crust for broiled meats, etc.

The other new ingredient is peanut flour. I'm not sure how we haven't discovered this stuff before, because it's pretty cool, and you know we love anything peanut-y. It is powdery, like flour, and tastes a lot like peanut butter, but not quite as good because it is "partially defatted." Good flour to use for those that need to avoid gluten. Also, it has a lot of protein, which was important for our task at hand.



One of our favorite bloggers made some delicious looking scones recently, so A went on a search for a "healthy" scone recipe that could double as post-race fuel. She used her magic internet searching skills and found a peanut & almond flour based scone recipe. The original recipe is here. Of course, we modified it quite a bit.

First, I put the "wet" ingredients into the bowl. 1/3 cup coconut oil, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 T flax meal, and 1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt (instead of the original applesauce). Mix this up, then add a cup each of the two flours, as well as a 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and salt. Because the dough is pretty thick, I had to use my hands to get everything combined. Also, since the yogurt is a lot thicker than applesauce, I had to add in a largeish extra dollop to get everything mixed together.



Dough blob.

You're supposed to use parchment paper to bake (350F for 15 minutes) but I didn't have any, so some well-greased tin foil did the trick. Smush the dough out into a circular shape about 3/4" thick, and cut it into desired-size wedges. I used the non-cutting edge of a butter knife so that I wouldn't rip up the foil, causing my edges to end up a little crumbly. Some of the more solidified bits of coconut oil didn't blend in real well, but that's OK- it all ends up melting and incorporating in.



Our oven required an extra ten minutes or so over the suggested fifteen minutes, but we were looking for more of the dry-ish top that scones have. They turned out to taste a lot like... peanut bread. While they were good, they definitely need perfecting. The original recipe balances the salty nuttiness of the flour with the sweetness of applesauce and dried apples. The ones we made definitely lacked sweetness- perhaps they needed a bit more sugar, or a dried fruit (we like dried cherries). Pumpkin would be another taste element that could help balance it out. The texture was perfect- slightly crumbly yet still with a touch of moisture in the middle.





In other news, the race was awesome- perfect weather, a well organized event, flat course, and great performances by both of us.

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PYT

The baseball post-season is here, and that can only mean one thing here in Philly: baseball fever. Philadelphia is known as a sports-obsessed city, but in the past few years it seems it has reached an all-time high (probably related to the Phils winning the World Series). Finding a good place to watch the games can be difficult- most of the sports bars and restaurants are too small and crowded in Center City. However, we've found a good alternative spot in Northern Liberties that is certainly not a secret-- the Piazza at Schmidt's. The giant courtyard within the complex sports a huge projection screen, plenty of room to sit or mingle, and several delicious restaurants in arm's reach.

Our goal for game night was to hit the Piazza right as the Phillies took the field, grab some food at Swift Half and end up in the courtyard. The "little brother" of Good Dog in Center City, I was always a little skeptical of Swift Half (there was no way it could be as good!), but had a pleasantly surprising meal there over the summer. Unfortunately, when we arrived, the hostess informed us that there was basically zero chance of us scoring a table before the game was over.

So that is how we ended up at PYT- just across the Piazza, a little bit quieter (not definitively a sports bar, so baseball fans did not immediately flock to it)- and snagged one of the last tables. Good view of a TV, a menu we've been meaning to check out for quite some time.. Swift Half, we'll see you next time.



PYT (not really sure what it stands for.. apparently it is NOT Pretty Young Thing) is known primarily for their burgers, but also offers a number of other artery-clogging delicious items, mostly deep fried or sugar coated. No "sugar coating" of the nutritional content however-- they offer a ridiculous burger known as the "Fat Boy Monster."

The "burger of the week" option at PYT often has me salivating-- a different theme such as Thanksgiving, Texas BBQ, Chicken Cordon Bleu presented in burger form-- and I had to order the current special, the Korean BBQ Burger ($12). Described as an 8 oz. (holy huge!) beef patty made with short rib sauce, topped with kimchi, spicy Asian slaw and a special mayonnaise sauce, I couldn't turn it down. It was a good decision- definitely one of the best burgers I've ever had, even more so than the famed Village Whiskey burger.



The flavors of this sandwich were authentic- I honestly could have been eating Korean BBQ. I'm not sure what "short rib sauce" is, but it turned that beef into soft, shredded short-rib as soon as it entered my mouth. It was extremely juicy (and more than a little greasy), but held together perfectly. The kimchi and the slaw were perfect accompaniments, adding a sweet-sour crunch to every bite without overwhelming the overall flavor of the meat. Oftentimes a good burger is ruined by a bad bun, but that wasn't the case here-- a giant seeded Martin's roll encased the contents without drying them out. It was really more of a burger container, a bit of a taste/texture afterthought. The sandwich was served with a side of fries, which are fresh and hand-cut (thumbs up), but then tossed with some sort of garlic-onion-herb mixture (thumbs down).

The other item on the menu that was calling my name was the Southern Fried Chicken Sammy ($9). Thankfully, J was thinking the same, and I was able to snag a few bites. A chicken breast was coated in a crumbly, corn meal crust, and then topped with bacon, lettuce, tomato, spicy mayo, and pickled green tomatoes. The chicken and its crust were the perfect "Southern-fried" texture, but something about the flavor was off. It needed.. something else? Thankfully, the rest of the ingredients stood up to the challenge, and all together on the bun, it was very enjoyable. The pickled tomatoes were particularly delicious- firm to the bite and tasted identical to the normal cucumber pickles served with both sandwiches. One note-- the pickles are spicy! A little surprising, but I was a fan.



J switched out the side of potato chips (so boring) with a side of onion rings ($4). PYT used to list these as "Probably the Best Onion Rings You've Ever Had," but now has toned it down a little with simply "Famous Beer Battered Onion Rings." They may be famous, but they definitely aren't the best we've ever had. The onion to breading ratio is about 1:50, and the dough soaked up a monstrous amount of oil, making each bite a swim in the deep fryer. The flavor of the breading is also a little on the sweet side, reminding me of funnel cake. Onion rings are definitely supposed to be a savory item, so we were a little disappointed.



PYT also serves a variety of inventive milk shakes and desserts, but we had to draw the line somewhere. The Piazza was a great place to catch the game, so we are sure we'll head back to Northern Liberties again during the playoffs. Perhaps our next trip will see a successful trip to Swift Half and a stop at PYT for dessert afterwards. But for now: Go Phillies!

PYT
1050 N. Hancock St (in the Piazza at Schmidt's)

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Cheap Eats: El Fuego

As A and I are on a relatively tight budget due to our somewhat measly grad student stipends, we can't always have decadent weekend meals. Don't get me wrong, we definitely set a large portion of our salaries aside for food. However, after a long week in the lab sometimes it's just easier to grab a no-nonsense (and cheap!) dinner somewhere quick. One of my favorite "fast food" options is Mexican: between Moe's, Qdoba, and Chipotle, there's certainly enough competition in this category to keep the food decent (but don't get me started on how the Center City Susanna Foo is being replaced by a Chipotle. A disgrace.) A non-chain Philly version of these conglomerates is El Fuego. With two locations, we've walked by El Fuego quite a few times and always commented that we should try it.. you know how it goes.

Last Friday, we were looking for a quick dinner option and finally decided to check it out. The neon green chairs accompanying outdoor sidewalk seating, as well as the huge open windows along the front certainly make the Chestnut Street location welcoming. Inside, only a few diners filled the large eating area, and the guys working the counter looked bored. The chalkboard menu offers all the usuals: burritos, tacos, and quesadillas.

I decided to go with a "bowl" ($6.95)- essentially all the typical burrito fillings on top of either greens or rice- of course, I chose greens. I topped my salad with chorizo, pinto beans, and a big dollop of their mild salsa. The guy making my bowl asked "cheesesourcreamandlettuce?" to which I responded to with a hesitant "Sure...". Yes, he topped my salad with... more salad. No dressing was offered, which was fine by me- all those other toppings add in more than enough flavor. Overall the bowl was pretty good. The salsa had big chunks of fresh tomato and purple onion, with the chorizo adding a chewy, meaty texture and lots of spice. El Fuego makes all of their salsas and guacamole from scratch every day, using local, seasonal produce (when possible, of course).





A ordered a vegetarian burrito ($6.95) which was enormous. It was so stuffed that she could only manage a couple of bites of one end before it exploded and required a fork. Rice, roasted peppers and onions, pinto beans, both mild and hot salsas (the hot is a green-based sauce), and a ridiculous amount of guac filled up the soft white tortilla. The tortillas are steamed before they're filled up, but somehow it got down to a chilly temperature before consumption, which was a little odd. Overall this ended up pretty much like the salad, but with less lettuce and more soggy, doughy tortilla (yummm).





Because we were eating during "Happy Hour" (4-7 PM M-F), we also scored cheap chips and quac ($2). Their guacamole is super delicious- creamy while still maintaining a few chunks, just the right amount of acid, and a large grain salt making for little bursts of saltiness. The basket of chips we were given was also ridiculously big, full of crispy crunchy triangles of tortilla goodness.



Overall a solid, inexpensive, and quick dinner. Nothing spectacular or super memorable, but no real negatives (besides the exploding burrito phenomenon). With ESPN on in the background, and a great people-watching view of Chestnut Street, the airy and open atmosphere is quite pleasant. While this place has nothing on Baja Burrito, it's a good addition to our Cheap Eats list.

El Fuego
723 Walnut St
2104 Chestnut St

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Grandma's Granola

We first moved to Philly to start college, our first time living outside of Small Town USA. The transition was made slightly easier knowing that our grandparents (and other assorted family members) were located just an hour away. Over the years we've spent a lot of time with them, and truly, part of the joy of living here is getting to know them in a way we just couldn't living 1000 miles away. A few years ago, our grandma was on a bit of a health kick and decided to make her own granola. After the first batch, there was no going back- this stuff was truly addicting, a delicious breakfast, snack.. heck, I've even had it for dinner. Not only was it the best granola we've ever had, but it was made in huge quantities, and no trip to their home was complete without a bit of granola. We were even lucky enough to get our own stash to take home at times; there was nothing better than being greeted with "We have granola for you!" One evening, hanging out with our cousin, we eschewed a social event in lieu of heading to the g'rents house-- nothing more than "But Grandma has granola!" was needed to seal the deal.

Just a few months ago, we lost our grandma to lung cancer. As devastating as this has been emotionally, we have also been granola-less. Our grandpa and other family members have taken to making it on occasion, but eventually J and I decided we needed to make it ourselves- both to get our granola fix and to continue this small piece of our grandmother.

We headed into her kitchen, ready to learn the trade, complete with her own granola-making-ware. Don't be too intimidated by the recipe list- this will make more granola than you can eat, so if you're down for the challenge, we suggest either halving the recipe or finding friends and relatives to share with. The recipe straight from her own files:




I set out mixing the wet ingredients, while J and our grandpa tackled the dry. On my end, I combined a cup of maple syrup, 3/4 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup sesame oil, 1/2 cup of water, 1 cup of (natural, creamy) peanut butter, and 3/4 cup of brown sugar. All of this went into a pot on the stove, and was heated until it came to a boil, stirring constantly. As it heats up, everything melds together and thickens to form an almost fudgy batter. You can also add the brown sugar to the dry ingredients, but ours was a bit hard and crumbly, so we melted it into the wet stuff. You may also notice that the ingredients I added don't quite match the recipe-- one great thing about making granola. Substitutions, compromises, additions- it's kind of like "kitchen sink soup." As long as you don't go too overboard and stick to the basic ratio of ingredients, you'll end up with a delicious concoction.




Meanwhile, in a giant baking pan, the dry ingredients were being brought out. An entire large container of oats (which we later realized was three cups too much.. oops!), wheat germ, slivered almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, currants- all in quite massive quantities- and a touch of salt. Again, additions and substitutions can be made here based on what you have on hand and what your particular likes and dislikes are-- different seeds, nuts, coconut, raisins, dried fruits, the works. The best way to mix all of this is by hand-- meaning, get your hands in there and get mixing!




After this is done, it's time to mix the wet and the dry. Our grandma patented her method for dealing with the hot liquid-- dish gloves! Slowly pour the mixture over the dry ingredients, while mixing and kneading everything together with the gloves on. It'll still be hot, but it will be bearable. With this shear quantity of stuff, it may take awhile to get everything incorporated, but it's critical to the success of the granola. No dry oats should remain!







At this point, we packed up half of the wet granola to take home and bake, leaving our grandpa with a half tray of the goods. The baking process is a long one- about three to four hours at low temperature- but thankfully, requires little attention. Spread the mixture over a baking pan or dish, no more than about two inches deep. Leave in a 175F oven, and mix about every hour or hour and a half. This allows the granola to slowly dry, and the low temperature maintains more of the nutrients of the contents. The final product was finished in about four hours (but will depend on the quantity made), and while I was nervous about knowing when to take it out, it was quite obvious. It's just like granola! Allow to cool before packing away. It'll stay good for several weeks, but trust me, it never makes it that long. Just a note about nutrition: the fat content causes it to be a very filling meal or snack (a 1/2 cup serving keeps me full for hours!). Even as a small amount goes a long way, it hits that perfect combination of salty and sweet.



We're happy to have this granola back in our lives, and while it doesn't have that special Grandma touch, we will definitely continue to make this for years to come. While nothing will ever replace having her here with us, her memory lives on in so many way-- in our hearts and in the kitchen!

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