Fried Flounder Hoagie FTW!

I’ve been living in Newbold/Point Breeze for 7 months now. I’ve passed by 16th Street Seafood and had been curious about it. While I’m not a huge seafood fan, I do love fish – fresh, fried, baked, raw. Yummy! Anyways, I was not in the mood to make lunch today and this place immediately came to mind. So I sauntered down to peruse the menu. In addition to big seafood meals and platters – shrimp, scallops, snow crab, and various fishes – they also have sandwiches and hoagies. As the name implies, the majority of the menu is seafood or fish, but they also have cheesesteaks and chicken options.

Today I wanted fried fish! So I ordered the fried flounder hoagie w/ tartar, lettuce, tomato, and raw onion. The verdict? Outstanding. First of all the hoagie is HUGE! Easily a foot-long. The flounder is perfectly fried on the outside, juicy on the inside. According to their menu they also have tilapia and whiting hoagies as well fish cake and crab cake on round rolls. Color me impressed! Oh, but the best part… it was only $5! Screw Subway, this is the $5 foot long you want! Especially if you’re a fish sandwich/hoagie fan. Do yourself a favor and check this place out! (Note: it’s take out only)

Website is “coming soon”, so do a search on Google maps (16th & Tasker) and you’ll see where they are located.

Rieker’s Prime Meats!

I work five blocks from one of Philadelphia’s hidden treasures, Rieker’s Prime Meats, a German butcher and deli. Rieker’s is located in Fox Chase, a section of Philadelphia nestled between Elkins Park and Northeast Philly. I feel incredibly lucky to work so close to this unique place. Not only do they make the wursts, sauerkraut, and rouladen in house, Rieker’s also imports European chocolates (mostly German and Swiss), pierogies, and German condiments. During the holidays the store is practically bursting with exotic sweets and pastries, or so I’ve been informed by my coworkers. I hope they are right about this one.

Tonight while walking to the train station right behind Rieker’s, I decided a German-style meal was in order but that I didn’t feel like cooking too much since I was only cooking for myself. I walked back to the butcher, bought one single rouladen, 1/4 pound of the succulent sauerkraut (yeah, I love the stuff), and a bag of dried spaetzle. Under most circumstances I would make my own spaetzle, having been coached by my Berks County relatives I am fairly good at it, but tonight was not the night for making noodles. I opted for the rouladen because I figured it wouldn’t take long to cook as it is a pre-portioned amount of food.

German rouladen is delicious, if you like meat that is– this particular one was comprised of a beef shank pounded and flattened, meatloaf, bacon and mustard rolled into a little pouch of… well, meat. Some folks will add cheese to the roll, but really it isn’t needed. To prepare dinner, I seared the unholy alliance of meats on my beloved cast iron skillet, deglazed the pan with some Williamette Pinot Noir, added shallots and garlic to the mix, then returned the roll into the pan and braised it in the oven at 350 degress for 30 minutes. I served it over hot, buttered spaetzle and the pan gravy.

Rieker’s did not disappoint, the meat roll was delicious! I’ve also had their Oktoberfest Bratwurst which was clearly homemade, but amazingly tasty and herbal. It’s definitely worth the jaunt up to Fox Chase to grab reasonably-priced gourmet meat and German chocolates!

Rieker’s Prime Meats
7979 Oxford Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19111

Restaurant Review: Azul Cantina – Gayborhood

A fellow Philly Grubber had invited me out to dinner to welcome me back to Philadelphia. She suggested Azul Cantina on the corner of 10th & Spruce (across from Kanella’s), on the eastern edge of the Gayborhood.

Mexican is not on my list of favorite foods because it often contains dairy products which are a no-no for me.  When I think Mexican, I think swimming-in-cheese enchiladas or burritos.  However, after peering at the menu online, I was pleased to see there was a good selection of dishes that even the lactose-challenged could enjoy.

On my way there, my stomach began to feel upset.  I took some pills and hoped for the best.  I certainly didn’t want my stomach woes to get in the way of some good grub!  When I got there, Infytur, seated outside with her sweet pooch Boaz, had already ordered a margarita since the early Happy Hour was in effect.  I knew for a fact an alcoholic beverage was out of the question for me.  So I explained to the waitress that I had a bit of upset stomach, she promptly recommended ginger ale and bitters.  I don’t know if it was the pills I took or the ginger ale and bitters, but by the time the entrees had arrived my stomach was feeling just fine.

For starters, we ordered the traditional guacamole and grilled pineapple salsa.  Both came with chips. The guacamole was tasty, but pretty standard in my opinion.  To its credit, though, it was not overpowered by garlic.  In fact, I don’t think it had any in it at all.  The menu doesn’t list it as an ingredient either.  That’s a good thing because of my mild garlic allergy.  The grilled pineapple salsa was wonderful.  You could really taste the cilantro, which I love!  All in all, I felt we were off to a decent start.

For the main course, we ordered and shared Mescal Brined Pork, Black Bean & Goat Cheese Enchiladas, and Sweet Potato Enchiladas.

The Mescal Brined Pork presentation wasn’t very appetizing.  It sat on a black bean puree that was rather grey.  Though the pork had nice grill marks on it, it was slightly overcooked.  It was dry and chewy.  I could certainly taste the brine, though.  I meant to ask what they used for the brine, but I forgot.  I figured it was a typical salt-water-sugar brine.  It came with bacon-wrapped fried plantains which were absolutely scrumptious!  Then again how could anything fried and wrapped in bacon be bad? LOL

The Black Bean & Goat Cheese Enchiladas were very yummy, they were smothered with a spicy red sauce.  The black beans were in tact and not mushy.  The goat cheese (which I can have!) was a perfect pairing with the beans and helped “cool” down the spiciness of the sauce.  I’m not a huge fan of spicy-hot foods, but this was just too tasty to not thoroughly enjoy.

I took a big chance with the Sweet Potato Enchilidas – they were covered in a cabrales crema.  In other words, a cheesy sauce.  It looked too good not to sample!   Delicate, light, and topped with mole-cured bacon and scallions, it was really, really good.  Infytur suggested adding some of the spicy red sauce, which certainly added more flavor and dimension to it.

We pretty much finished everything, except for a few bites of the spicy black bean enchildas.  I was not going home right away, so I did not get a doggie bag for it.  We perused the dessert menu, but everything pretty much had dairy in it.  So we decided to stroll down to Capogiro for dessert.  I’ll save that for another post, another time, though.

In any case, if you’re seeking casual, adequate Mexican fare, then go right ahead and try Azul Cantina.  I have been told other places are better and cost less.  So I don’t think I will be rushing back real soon.

3.5 out of 5 Noms.

Azul Cantina
941 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA
215-627-5200

Sonic – Limerick, PA

Fast food. It’s a nasty gamble and almost every single time I partake in it, I ask myself, “Why did I do this?” and then go cry in a corner. Today I have eaten, truly, the worst and most debilitating, disgusting chum ever auto-produced by a fast food franchise. Sonic proclaims itself to be “America’s Drive-In!” well… keep on driving America. Do NOT waste your time, money, or tastebuds on it.

The way I felt after my Sonic experience is enough to turn me vegetarian. Really. I was physically crippled for a good 3-4 hours after I had so wrongly decided to eat at “America’s Drive-In.” Thankfully, a strong dose of ginger tea and a little nap helped rejuvenate me back into an animate human being once again.

I will never, ever, eat there in the future.

Stewart’s Drive-In, on the other hand, is a fantastic place for a delicious chili dog and a fresh blueberry milkshake.

Bubble House – University City

ucityphila.org

This will be a short post; I just need to rant about the Bubble House for a bit. First of all, when making iced tea, ladies, make it double strength! I don’t want my iced green bubble tea to taste like I’m sipping tapioca AND tap water. See, the funny thing about pouring hot tea over ice means it’ll water it down completely! Secondly, please don’t allow your staff to approach my table when they are cracked out. Thank you.

Ahem. Let’s try that with a little less angst. Well, yesterday I had the displeasure of drinking some tap water, I mean tea, at the Bubble Tea House. The waitress was aloof and disappeared for more than 20 minutes at a time, even though the restaurant was seemingly calm. The sencha green bubble tea was horribly watered down, even after I had it sent back the second time. The waitress, despite her dreamy, inattentive behavior, clearly showed her displeasure when I told her could barely taste the tea in my drink. The second incarnation of the tea tasted pretty much the same as the first. I’ll head to Chinatown the next time I have a hankering for bubble tea.

Rating: One nom.

Hikaru (“Shining One”) – Society Hill

A few weeks ago, my boyfriend, two out-of-town friends and I decided to try Hikaru, just south of South Street in Society Hill. I’m usually very picky about sushi; in fact, I rarely buy it at all. Many years ago, I spent some time studying in Japan and the food was amazing. Unfortunately, most of the Japanese cuisine in America cannot compare to the high quality I received abroad. Still, I was willing to try Hikaru due to the very positive reviews. Also, Hikaru means “Shining One” in Japanese and comes from one of my favorite medieval novels, The Tale of Genji, which is scintillating enough; so, I figured it might be a good place to meet some friends who wanted to try Philly sushi.

Sashimi Combination from Hikaru

The atmosphere of Hikaru was interesting. The lighting was low and romantic, typical of most Japanese restaurants. I was delighted to see they had traditional washitsu seating complete with tatami and zabuton. Sadly, my companions expressed their disinterest in sitting “on the floor”, so we selected the English-style seating.

The first thing I ask when I try a new Japanese restaurant is if they serve shabu-shabu or not. I figure that they might not have it on the menu, but may serve it anyway for real Japanese food fans. Alas, Hikaru did not have my favorite dish after all, so I opted for the Hell Roll appetizer, and the Tofu Teriyaki complete meal. My companions decided to try the Sashimi Combination Platter, and the Chicken Teriyaki and Beef Teriyaki meal.

I have mixed feelings about the dinner at Hikaru. On one hand, the Hell Roll was delicious: a spicy tuna roll without the globular, stinky mayonnaise that is usually plopped on top, for which I was grateful. The spice comes from spicy tobiko (flying fish roe) and a cayenne pepper coating on the outside of the rice. Although not very traditional, the Hell Roll was fantastic; the spice did not overpower the flavor of the raw tuna. The miso soup was perfectly seasoned with white miso paste, seaweed, and tofu. The salad, on the other hand, left much to be desired. The iceberg lettuce, barely a verdant hue, swam languidly in water I presume it was washed in. The tangy ginger dressing would be better paired with a different salad with fresher ingredients.

My tofu entree was somewhat better. The tofu was lightly fried, and amazingly flavorful; however, the teriyaki sauce was overly sweet and the accompanying vegetables were skimpy and, for lack of better of better word, sad-looking. I was surprised that Hikaru did not serve vibrant, summer vegetables rather than the bean sprouts and onions that appeared on the hot plate. Real Japanese cooking embraces seasonal ingredients, a philosophy that Hikaru did not seem to employ. Unfortunately, I forgot to snap a photo of my meal, but my boyfriend did get one of his (below right) and our friend’s meal (above left) on his iPhone.

Teriyaki Chicken from Hikaru

My companions seemed to enjoy their own meals, so I refrained from openly complaining about mine. The food was not terribly exciting, aside from the Hell Roll, which was great. Hikaru was filling means to an end. The tofu meal I purchased was overpriced for it’s mediocre taste, roughly priced at 18 dollars for some fried tofu, wilted vegetables, miso soup and rice. Honestly, 10 dollars would be a more appropriate price for such a meal. The wait staff was attentive and willing to converse a little bit in Japanese, a pleasant aspect of the dining experience. Dining near or on South Street usually calls for overpriced food, but this is a moot point. I will travel off the beaten path for an amazing meal, so location is of little importance to me.

Rating = 3 Noms.

I am still searching for the perfect, Japanese home-cooked meal. Any suggestions are welcomed!

Vietnam Cafe in West Philadelphia

Image via Daily Pennsylvanian

As a HUGE fan of Vietnam in Chinatown, I was ecstatic to learn that the Lai Family was opening up a satellite restaurant two blocks from my apartment in West Philadelphia. Vietnam Cafe does not offer as many dishes as the one in Chinatown, but in my opinion, that’s GREAT! The items on the menu are fantastic and more may cause too much indecision (on my part, that is!). The food is also cheaper and the restaurant is BYOB. Some may be turned off by the scaled-down approach to Vietnam Cafe, but I think it’s cozy and perfect for a West Philly establishment.

While I haven’t tried everything on the menu, most of the items are delicious and fresh. Having never been to Vietnam, I cannot vouch for the Vietnamese authenticity of Vietnam Cafe, but my discerning palate is most definitely pleased after each meal. A few of my favorite dishes are:

Grilled BBQ Platter: a variety of appetizers, the BBQ platter is served in a giant wooden bowl and is definitely a meal for two starving patrons. The meats are grilled to perfection; the dripping juices soak into the vermicelli-stuffed, self-rolled spring roll wrappers. Fresh mint, cucumber, and pickled radish and carrot are also delicious when paired with the meat. Let’s face it, I’m a sucker for pickled things. The beef wrapped with grape leaves are particularly amazing, almost reminiscent of a Greek kabob. Of course, fish and tamarind sauces are provided for dipping. The BBQ Platter is the first item I tried from the original Vietnam, and I was so happy to see that the Lai’s decided to add it to the new Vietnam Cafe menu.

Pho Tai (Beef Noodle Soup): a traditional Vietnamese staple. Vietnam’s Pho Tai has a delicious broth, which is what makes it stand out from other Asian noodle soups I’ve had. There are a lot of spices going on in the broth: star anise, ginger, pepper, and coriander are a few that I can detect. I’ve never been a huge beef fan, but somehow I am in love with this beef soup. Raw flank steaks are dropped into the broth so that they are gently cooked when the bowl gets to the table. Vietnamese cuisine seems to love the contrast between cooked and raw; the soup is presented with a side of fresh coriander (cilantro), bean sprouts, and jalapeno. I add all the accompaniments, plus a bit of Sriracha sauce to spice things up.

And… since I have such a sweet tooth, I usually get the taro coconut rice pudding, which is smooth, not too sweet, and amazing. They serve it hot, which may surprise some foodies, but I think it’s MORE than successful. The corn one is also delicious!

I almost forgot to mention that the Lai family and the rest of the waitstaff are welcoming, warm, and amazingly helpful. Some of the dishes a tad mysterious and the servers are descriptive with their explanations. I love this place! I usually dine at Vietnam Cafe once a week and I think they know me by name. Woohoo!

VietNOM!

4.5 Noms.