Talula's Table

Earlier this week, we had the fantastic opportunity to dine at Talula's Table out in Kennett Square.  The small space actually plays a daytime role as a market, selling upscale artisan food items like jams, pickles, meats, cheeses, pastas, etc.  Someone in our group used the analogy "like a really nice Cracker Barrel" but I preferred my own "country DiBruno Brothers."  In the evenings, one lucky group of 10 to 12 can stake claim to the Farm Table centered in the shop- but beware, reservations require a years advance notice. More info here.

The only other dining option is the "secret" chef's table, which requires a bit of an "in" to reserve, allowing a bit more flexibility with getting a reservation. Luckily we have a good friend in the biz, so we all agreed to make a (looong) trip out to Kennett Square to celebrate a birthday.  Although we arrived a few minutes late, the Talula's staff still allowed us some time to peruse the store.

Pickles and hot sauces.. basically our favorite shelf!

Before dinner started, we were brought a number of hors d'oeuvres.  First up was a bluefish salad served on a fried tater tot with a little pickled onion.  Probably one of the better tots I've ever consumed.

However, the lamb confit with mayo and arugula on a rosemary puff was a bigger hit- the slightly game-y but perfectly tender lamb along with spicy greens and an airy bun created a wonderful sensory experience.

Things took another turn for the better with a chilled and pureed cauliflower soup complimented by thinly sliced cucumber and a pile of salmon roe.  I'm not used to a caviar with such large individual size- biting into them created a really unique feeling that I'd almost compare to chewing up a fish oil capsule.  Slightly overwhelmingly salty, but this was well contrasted by the subtle soup.

At this point we were ushered back into the kitchen, where we took over a large, hightop square table that definitely continued the rustic vibe from the main room into the more sterile, stainless steel environment of the cook space.  We perused the menu and prepared ourselves mentally for the next eight courses, which were based on an "early summer" theme.

Last three courses on the menu

The fun part about being at the Chef's Table was being able to watch some of the cooking and all of the plating action.  A lot of the components are prepared ahead  of time- with only one chef and one guy helping with the plating, this is clearly very important.

Watching the Chef explain the first course to the servers

The first course actually ended up being my favorite of the meal, which set a really high standard for the rest of the dishes. A small slice of sourdough toast is spread with a generous amount of whipped butter brightened by Old Bay seasoning. Underneath lay the lightest, butteriest mini-omelet that seriously just melted against the edge of a fork.  Chunks of Chesapeake blue crab were pocketed by the eggs, and the whole thing was topped by a little herb salad that included parsley and chives.

Between the first and second course, we were served the first round of bread- another popover type roll identical to the one used for the lamb sandwich hors d'oeuvres.  A great compliment to the lightness of the crab omelet as well as the ensuing foie gras.

The foie gras course is traditional for a multi-course meal, but the way it was served here was anything but traditional.  A thick slice of a foie terrine with a touch of surrounding gelatin is seared and plated with pickled rhubarb, a turnip puree, and additional pieces of turnip and radish.  This is finished with a touch of pork jus.  I can't say the flavors were my favorite pairing for the intensity of the foie, but I commend the use of seasonal vegetables and a creative approach.

For the remainder of the meal, we were provided with a basket of mixed breads including pretzel rolls, sourdough, a multi-grain, and a cheddar-filled country white.  I tried a few between courses, preferring to use it as more of a tasty palate cleanser than to pair with the rest of the food.

Next up was the "pasta" course- a lone raviolo (singular version of ravioli) stuffed with ricotta and spring pea puree and perched on a thick slice of Berkshire pork belly.  The dish was finished with more pea greens, a few shaves of Parmesan and a bit of frothy... something. The thick, doughy pasta and the super-fatty pork belly made this a pretty heavy course, but with incredible layers of flavors- the result of top quality ingredients and a very skilled chef.

Following the pasta was the fish- another rendition of oily blue fish served atop an impossibly light custard flavored with roasted garlic.  Al dente fava beans, a fennel salad, and an herb-infused oil provided lots of green to the color palette and helped balance the heavier fish.  The custard was definitely the star of the show here.

The poultry course was my least favorite- the cold smoked and butter poached chicken was plenty flavorful, but the curry roasted carrots and dill yogurt were very confusing and entirely dissonant.  My dislike of strong curry didn't help a bit- others at our table seemed to enjoy the dish.

At this point I was getting understandably stuffed, but there was one final meat course to be eaten- the red meat.  We were served red meat two ways- sliced skirt steak as well as a cylinder of braised short rib seared together.  The paired vegetable was also served two ways- with melt-in-your-mouth fried squash blossoms and roasted zucchini enhanced by accompanying poblanos.  The heartier veggie and a low level of spice was an excellent addition to the perfectly cooked beef.

We also had a traditional cheese course, but again, Talula's takes an incredibly unique approach to this, serving five of their favorite cheeses with a number of infinitely interesting "condiments."  The cheeses ran the gamut from an aged, crystallized gouda paired with raspberry mustard, to a deeply veined blue paired with pickled asparagus and a sprinkle of multi-grain crisp.

Coffee was served with the anticipation of dessert- A & I shared a cup of decaf spiked with a splash of heavy cream and a small chunk of brown sugar.  Coffee doesn't always appeal to us after a large meal, but this hit the spot.

Thankfully after all this savory food, the transition to a sweeter final dessert course was relatively painless. Mini blueberry pancakes and a small scoop of tart buttermilk ice cream relied heavily on the sweetness of the blueberries instead of a heavy hand of sugar.  We were extra impressed with the pancake-making technique- the chef actually used a baking sheet over the burners instead of a griddle. Each pancake had exactly enough room to expand without touching its neighbors, which required some extra skilled flipping action.  Regardless, coffee and pancakes really ended the meal on a high note.

We're incredibly glad to have had the opportunity to try Talula's Table.  Apparently it is one of the hardest reservations to get in the entire country, and the food tells a seasonal story that makes it worth the wait.  However, coming in at $139 (includes tax and tip), it's not a cheap meal and best for that extra special occasion (like a 30th birthday!).

Talula's Table
Kennett Square, PA

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Luke's Lobster and Life Updates

Life 

For those of you who came here to read about Luke's Lobster, feel free to skip down to the pictures.  For those of you who have some interest in our lives and blogging habits, we have some news for you. We've recently discussed closing the blog- it seems that in the past several months, blogging has become not only more difficult, but also less enjoyable.  As we no longer live together, we don't eat together as often, and taking photos and making notes during meals spent with friends, family, and significant others takes something away from those experiences.  Since we get nothing out of this other than the simple joy of eating and sharing our thoughts, it seems silly to continue to do something we aren't loving.  However, we've decided not to shut Two Eat Philly down, but instead start on a new path- a path of much fewer posts, and likely far less words, and (hopefully) more pictures.  Topics may vary a bit, but of course will always be food related.  We're maintaining a forum to share our thoughts and adventures, but perhaps to a smaller audience- and that's just fine with us.  We hope you continue to follow along, but if not, thanks for stopping by for the past three years!

Luke's

And now-- onto the food!  Luke's just opened a couple of weeks ago, but a single picture of their lobster roll had me checking my calendar for our first chance to check it out.  My husband and I are in the home stretch before our closing date (sold our place!), and so began the terrible packing process this weekend.  A break for lunch offered a perfect chance to treat ourselves to Luke's to help offset packing grumpiness.

Located in the old Bonte space on 17th and Sansom-ish, right next to another favorite, Underdogs, the space has been reconstructed to look very nautical.  It's cute.  The menu is short and simple, mostly seafood rolls but a soup of the day, a simple grilled cheese, and a couple sides are also available.  I chose the "Taste of Maine" to get a sample of all three seafoods offered-- shrimp, crab, and lobster ($20).

Taste of Maine; iPhone pics might become more regular around here

 Each type of seafood is prepared very simply- served cold (not even room temp), with just a hint of mayo and/or butter.  The "rolls" are actually top-split mini loafs of what I can only describe as Texas Toast- you know, that soft, fluffy, buttery, pure white bread.  Lightly toasted, I can't think of a better carrier for fine seafood.  All three meats (?) were just as you'd expect- super fresh- with lobster being the clear winner.

The Taste of Maine also comes with a side of chips and a soda- self-serve from large baskets and a refrigerator respectively.  Both remain loyal to the New England theme- Cape Cod kettle cooked chips, and Maine Root sodas.  Obviously I've had Cape Cod chips a million times, but Maine Root is new to me.  I'm not a soda drinker, but MAN.  The spicy ginger brew is particularly amazing, and I'm sure the blueberry soda, sarsaparilla, and root beers are equally as unique and tasty.  I would seriously consider stopping in just for one of these drinks, especially on a hot and sweaty day. Self-serve water is also available, and Luke's goes the extra step, providing mason jars from which to drink it.

My husband got the lobster roll alone, and this is the route I'll take in the future (well, plus the soda!).  For $15, yes it's a pricy "fast food" lunch, but it's 100% worth it.  Where else can you get that quantity of fresh lobster for that price?  Not anywhere around here, that's for sure.  Centrally located, super quick (we waited 5 minutes) and with plenty of space to sit and eat... I can't think of anything to criticize.  Welcome, Luke's!

Luke's Lobster

130 S 17th St

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Strangelove's

Location is everything super important for a restaurant to succeed, and one would think 11th Street between Walnut and Locust would be fail-proof.  Unfortunately, after the long stint of Doc Watson's (1971-2010), the space has changed hands a number of times in just a few years.  Strangelove's is the newest rendition, thankfully run by the same experienced pair who has brought us Memphis Taproom and Local 44.  Let's hope this concept sticks because it sure is good.

We were seated in the back portion of the first floor, which was a little too dim but cozy and quiet. Our waitress was completely emotionless but no other complaints on service.  The menu finds inspiration from NOLA cuisine, a nod to Chef Paul Martin's place of birth.  I particularly enjoyed the "greenery for your scenery" section of the menu- I love a good, inspired salad, especially amongst many gastropub-y options.  The Russian kale salad ($10) is hands down the best salad I have had in recent memory, an ENORMOUS portion of kale perfectly massaged with an acidic sumac dressing and mixed with nutty farro grains, edamame, chopped pecans, and huge chunks of sweet roasted yellow beets.  Although this is the perfect balanced meal all by itself, three of us could not take on the size of this thing.

Obviously we had to try lots of the unhealthy stuff as well, including the loaded tots ($5).  The "tots" were more like really rich gnocchi, with a creamy center- I'd like to see a little more crunch, but if you like melt-in-your-mouth tater tots, these are for you.  The potato bites are topped with a thin, mild white cheddar "wiz," crumbled smoky bacon, and chunks of tomato and finished with a sprinkle of fresh chives.  I think a few more toppings are needed for these to be truly "loaded" but they were enjoyable.

The wings were also a necessity ($8), oddly served in a bowl topped with a carrot and celery slaw instead of the typical carrot and celery sticks.  These are described simply as being coated with "hot sauce," but we tasted an interesting complexity to the sauce- rice vinegar? Sesame oil? Something Asian, it seems.  There was definitely a crisp, tangy bite thanks to plenty of vinegar.

Strangelove's caters to the vegetarian/vegan population, with several clearly marked options for each.  Even though we're indiscriminate eaters, A tried out the "really good mushroom soup" (vegetarian, $6) which had a surprising amount of flavor- very well-seasoned and with a richness probably due to plenty of cream and a variety of mushroom species.  A drizzle of truffle oil didn't hurt a bit.  The large crouton dressed in a pea puree added some textural variety and helped make the soup a little prettier, but the pickled mushrooms didn't pair quite as well.

I also tried out the signature burger ($14), an incredibly dense, thick patty of beef on a fluffy potato roll.  Well seared with a perfect pink center, thankfully medium-rare as ordered. The thing I noticed most was that the burger didn't drip grease, making for clean eating and all the flavor retained in the sandwich instead of on my plate.

Toppings include a fried green tomato (always a good bet), a pool of goat cheese sauce layered with a chili pepper aioli, and a bacon BBQ sauce in place of your typical ketchup.  There was lots going on, but each element was portioned perfectly to create the right ratio of flavors.  It was even great eaten cold for lunch the next day (yes, I'm weird, I prefer things cold over reheated).

A simpler sandwich is the catfish po' boy ($11), a flaky fried piece of fish on airy white hoagie bread complemented by a slightly spicy tartar sauce, a bit of shredded iceberg, and sliced tomatoes.  The softness of both the fish and the bread was slightly surprising- not a lot to bite into- but the simplicity of it was appreciated.  A chose the "greens" over the house made chips- definitely not as good as the kale salad, but a solid mix of crisp veggies with a light lemon-y dressing.

The last dish we tried was the only disappointment- the duck and sausage gumbo ($8).  Though this soup had a dark color and plenty of shredded meat, the flavor was extremely subtle and the texture was a little on the thin side.  Maybe a good "starter" gumbo for someone breaking into the Creole scene.

I wish we had bigger stomachs because all of the side dishes and the desserts sound terrific- definitely lots of the menu left to return for, and knowing Brendan Hartranft's other endeavors, the menu will evolve over time.  Though this place seems to be getting the most attention for their beer list, the food alone is well worth a visit!

Strangelove's
216 S 11th Street

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EATS Philly 2013 Part 2

After stuffing our faces on unlimited food truck snacks (if you missed out, read here), we headed inside for the EATS Philly Chef Throwdown.  The huge ballroom at Vie was transformed into an Iron Chef-type competition space, with the judges up on stage and tables for each of the competing chefs down below.  

The judges included Michael Klein from the Inquirer and Tony Luke Jr., famed cheesesteak heir, and the competition was emceed by NBC 10's Tom Furlong-- it was fun to see so many local "celebrities." Tim did a great job of interviewing the contestants, the judges, and the crowd, but unfortunately the sound system wasn't great enough to overcome all the chatter of the guests.  While it would have been fun to catch all the action, it was enough just to taste test all of the competitor's goods.

The food started rolling out almost as soon as we sat down, clearly having been made in mass quantities ahead of time.  For some of the dishes, that was fine, but some would have been significantly better if eaten straight off the stove.  Understandably, providing samples for 200+ folks at the same time doesn't allow for that.

There were two rounds of 6 contestants, so plenty of bites circulating over the course of the hour.

Up first: Chad Rosenthal from The Lucky Well (Ambler): Memphis Pie-- Handmade pie crust, filled with a backyard Ambler smoked pork shoulder, homemade BBQ sauce, and slaw with a kick, finished with a pickle trio.  Genius idea, but not as flavorful as I hoped (and it was cold).  Second out: Angie Brown from Soul Catering Inc. with a Louisiana Creole Peacemaker: Louisiana oyster po'boy with spicy remoulade sauce and creole praline.  Can never turn down a fried oyster, but again would have been better fresh outta the fryer.

Memphis Pie; Louisiana Peacemaker

The judges gave marks for Taste, Interpretation of Street Food, and Originality, and I have to give major props to the chefs for getting very creative.  Clark Gilbert from Bisou on Main made one of my favorite dishes: pork and shrimp sausage with pickled slaw.  A really nice two-bite dish. Some of the dishes were way too big, including a ridiculous artsy dish from Tony Clark (Valley Forge Casino)- a steamed bao bun with BBQ shrimp, pickled vegetables, and five-spice bacon.  The overly sticky bun dough sealed the deal: not my favorite.

Pork & shrimp sausage; bao bun concoction

The final two dishes of the first round were a two-component dish from Tim Spinner (the owner) of La Calaca Feliz, and a Mortadella corn dog with housemade mustard from Adam DeLosso of Garces Restaurant Group (formerly head of Garces Trading Company).  Tim's dish was awesome: a "fish taco" (in a mini hard shell) with Hawaiian kampachi and a lemongrass-coconut sauce, and an off-the-cob corn salad reminiscent of the Mexican street classic, esquites.  This dish actually won the "People's Choice" award-- top ranked by the audience, although not so by the judges.

Fish Taco/Esquites; Sylva's Slider

After a short break and some amazing auction items (really wish I had a couple grand to spend on a private event at COOK or a dinner with Craig LaBan!), the food began again.  The second round was a more competitive round, as chefs included Greg Vernick, Aimee Olexy, and Marcie Turney.  Scary!

Marcie's got this in the bag.

We were allowed to go and watch the chefs making their creations (larger portions and more beautiful plates fresh for the judges), but I mostly stayed out of their way.  Highlights from the second round included:

Sylva's Slider (from Sylva Senat of Tashan; see above): a wonderfully flavorful pork tenderloin slider with mango mayo and pickled cucumbers-- is this on the regular menu at Tashan?!  The bun was a bit dry but the meat and the topping flavors were perfect together.

Korean mushroom tacos with kimchee "crema" from the team at Vedge: Richard Landau and Kate Jacoby have no trouble concocting a vegan dish for a carnivorous crowd, that's for sure.  I do think they could have been more heavy handed with the spice, but understandable for a mixed audience.

Korean mushroom tacos

Gooey cheese and mushroom crepes from Aimee Olexy of Talula's Table: quite a feat to provide something gooey to such a big crowd, but she succeeded.  Unfortunately at this point in the evening, something this heavy wasn't sitting well with my palate or my very full stomach.  On its own it may have been one of my favorites!

Mushroom crepes

Last, but not least, Marcie Turney's Indian turkey khema kabob with fresh chickpea salad, yogurt, and mint.  Another ridiculously over-the-top plate which was kind of a turn off (no food truck would construct this!), but especially when wrapped up in the Bibb lettuce leaves, all of the components shone together.  And here we are: the winner of the evening!  Apparently the judges were more enamored with the presentation than I was.  I also loved that she went with an Indian dish, a little throwback to her days at Bindi.

Indian turkey kabob

The evening wrapped up with additional live auction items, and then we rolled ourselves home.  A walk down deserted Broad Street was perfect for recapping our favorite eats of the night- and mentioning several times how happy we were that the team at EATS Philly reached out to us with the offer to attend as their guests.  A really nice event from conception to conclusion- very well organized, with lots to offer attendees: an overwhelming amount of food and drinks, hours of entertainment, and the chance to meet and mingle with some local celebs (we fangirl gawked at Jose Garces on our way out!).  A great way to support worthy causes, and get a big bang for your (tax deductible) buck- we're looking forward to future events.

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Giant Starburst

Hi there.  Guest blogger here.  A’s picky husband who usually orders the steak or the burger at fine dining establishments.  Since we got married, she’s been showing me the debatably wonderful world of vegetables.  Feeling that it was a bit one sided, I figured it was only fitting that I broaden her horizons in my personal favorite food group – candy.  If you follow the 4 simple steps in this guest blog post, you’ll have no problem achieving type II diabetes.

Since we wanted to make a Starburst that was proportionally correct, I made a mold out of some small plastic sheets inside a small cardboard box.  Any cake pan or loaf pan should work just as well as long as you grease it.* 

Step 1: Unless you’re looking to add some roughage to your diet, you should take the wrapper off all the Starbursts.  We used about 600 Starbursts so it may take some time.  You can also separate all the colors if you want to have a giant Starburst with layers.  Otherwise it will come out pinkish-orange.

Step 2: Fire up that stove. Pick your favorite flame height (I clearly know nothing about cooking) and dump the Starbursts into the non-stick frying pan.  Use a non-stick spatula to stir them until there are no lumps left.  No lumps.  No lumps.  No lovely Starburst lumps.

Step 3: Pour the goopy mix into the baking dish.  It should be liquefied enough to spread itself out evenly but you may need to spread it a bit to the corners yourself.  I recommend using disposable utensils if you have them since the molten Starburst remains will harden like a rock on it after a few seconds.  And they’ll be very difficult to get off.  If you don’t have disposable utensils, you can just suck it.  No, really, you can just suck on the Starburst remains till they melt away in your mouth.

Step 4: Now it’s time to wait.  Set it on the counter to cool and pop in Arrested Development Season 1 on DVD to kill some time (or later seasons if you’ve seen Season 1).  You can also wait it out by cleaning up, reading a book, or scheduling a dentist appointment to replace the fillings you’re about to lose.  After roughly 11 hours (or one full season), it should be cool and hardened.  If you leave it out overnight and live with roommates, I’d suggest making a little sign that says “No Touching.”

And voila!  There you have it.  Your very own giant Starburst.  If you decide to wrap it up, use wax paper so it doesn’t stick to it like ours did.  And I wouldn’t recommend eating it unless you want to lose dental fillings.  I wasn’t kidding.  It’ll harden like a rock.  A super-firm but ultra-sticky filling-grabbing rock.  It’s best for gag gifts or discussion pieces atop a fireplace mantle.  Enjoy.

*Assumption based on roughly 23 minutes of cooking experience.

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EATS Philly 2013: Part One

It's been a month (!!) since I gave you details about a fun event for a Philadelphia-based charity, EATS Philly.  Just a little reminder, EATS (Eat Along The Street) is co-chaired by Moon Krapugthong, a much-loved Manayunk based chef, and was established to support organizations through "feed(ing) both body and mind through multicultural cuisine and education."  This years event raised money for new kitchen facilities at both Wat Bodd Voraditth, an orphanage in Thailand, and Children's Village, a local Chinatown education center.  The event was really a two-for-one, with a free-for-all of amazing food trucks to begin, and then a Chef Throwdown, with chefs from around the city challenged to produce their best street food inspired dishes.  Our recap will be split in two, since there was so much to do (and eat!).

The event was held at Vie, on South Broad, with participating food trucks making a mini food festival on adjacent Green Street.  After checking in, guests were invited to sample from amongst all of the trucks- quite a feat, especially so soon after the Manayunk StrEAT Festival.  Thankfully, the trucks realized we didn't want to fill up and offered smaller portions.

Since J was unfortunately occupied at a Phillies game, I invited a food-loving friend to help me get a wider perspective on the offerings.  After doing a quick run through of the options, we started at the far end at Foo Truck.  A new-to-us truck with a definite Asian flair, Foo Truck actually got my vote for Best Truck at the event.  The truck typically produces "Foowiches," your choice of filling tucked into a tortilla and grilled.  For the EATS eaters, we were provided just a sample of the filling- perfect to get a taste.  I sampled the Lemongrass Chicken, chunks of grilled chicken with plenty of flavor from both a lemongrass marinade and the smoky grill.  The Thai Curry Quinoa completely stole the show though- a surprisingly delicious vegetarian option that completely outshined its simple appearance.  The green curry was both intensely bright and super spicy, and helped create an almost risotto-like texture.

Our runner-up for Best Truck (well, it may have been a tie, since we had two votes between us) was Nomad Pizza.  I already know that the Nomad storefront off of South Street is one of the best pizzas in the city, so no surprise that they can turn out the same quality of pie from a (very decked out) truck.  This isn't your typical food truck.  Nomad sets out separate tables under an attached awning for pizza preparation, including dough stretching and topping application, and the truck serves essentially as a mini kitchen- wood-fired brick oven, refrigerators, and sinks.  A major step up from most trucks, but the food they produce makes it all worthwhile.  We sampled slices of Truffled Pecorino (with super runny egg- yes!), Spicy Soppressata, and Arugula con Proscuitto.  I definitely preferred the Truffled Pecorino, but all of them have the ridiculous soft, chewy crust and high-end organic/local ingredients that make Nomad what it is.

I was pretty pumped to try Sammy Chon's KTown Express Koagie Truck, but they unfortunately were only offering a sampling of tiny tacos (Korean tacos?) and two flavors of wings.  The man dishing out the food suggested the tacos over the wings, and instructed us on different sauces available for extra flavor.  The taco shells were essentially deep fried wonton wrappers, but made eating the little guys more difficult than you'd imagine.  The fillings weren't terribly memorable, although perhaps too small of a serving to really get a handle on.

Vernalicious was our next stop, although looking back we probably should have skipped this one.  No offense to Verna (?) but the menu was much more basic and "typical food truck" fare than most of the other trucks.  The Fried Haloumi wrap caught my eye, since I am obsessed with the squeaky cheese, which worked really well in a soft pita with lemon dressed greens.  A grilled lamb gyro was also solid- flavorful meat and all my favorite Greek toppings.  

I had to laugh at the nonexistant line at The Cow and The Curd, since it was probably THE most popular truck at the Manayunk lineup.  Definitely a different crowd at EATS, and apparently a crowd that doesn't favor fried cheese curds.  My first foray with these little fried nuggets was fine (although the truck owner did a terrible job of keeping track of who was next to be served, which was semi-ridiculous considering the overall lack of interest), but really just reminded me of mozzarella sticks.  Am I missing something here?

While waiting for our curds, we were entertained with a Dragon Dance, a traditional Chinese celebration performance.  Three two-man dragons danced down the street to live drum music, attempting to "eat" guests along the way.  I can't remember ever seeing a live dragon dance, so it was fun to see the participants get so into it, even though it was relatively small compared to some of the ten-men dragons out there.

Our final truck eats of the night was at Gozen Yogurt, which I personally enjoyed based on their concept alone.  It was seriously just like a serve yourself frozen yogurt shop, just stuck into the side of a truck- so great!  A small variety of flavors, both fruity and more dessert-y (fruit alone doesn't classify in my opinion), with a small stand of add-your-own toppings and sauces.

At this point, we'd been perusing and eating for about an hour, and it was finally time to head inside for the first round of the Chef Throwdown-- and more eats!  Stay tuned for details on the competition itself.

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