Saturday, November 30, 2013

Gelato Review

This is for a series of posts for the Borgata Hotel & The Water Club including: Bobby Flay SteakWolfgang Puck American Grille, Wolfgang Puck American Grille [2], The CafeteriaTony Luke'sN.O.W.N.O.W. [2]MetropolitanSun RoomSun Room [2]Old Homestead Steakhouse, Old Homestead Steakhouse [2], Fat Burger28 WestGelato, the Borgata BuffetIzakayaBread and Butter, and Fornelletto.

After a long evening at the blackjack tables, nothing makes the GF happier than a scoop or three from Gelato at the Borgata. Located within the Metropolitan Cafe, Gelato offers delicious, creamy gelati for every taste.


So step right up and enjoy the view!


Similar to how Capogiro in Philly showcases their products, it's nice to see the base ingredients atop  the finished product.



Small Cup ($3.50)
Reese's peanut butter, mint


The GF decided to juxtapose the heaviness of Reese's peanut butter with a scoop of cool, light mint. A perfectly dichotomous cup of gelati, with a whole Reese's peanut butter cup on top! Completely affordable and abundantly scooped, Gelato offers a refreshing break from the noise of the slots and the smoke of the casino.

Gelato
Borgata Casino
1 Borgata Way
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
(866) 692-6742
http://www.theborgata.com/assets/pdf/Gelato_Menu.pdf


Thursday, November 28, 2013

12 Year Whiskey Review

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! It's been a great year and I have much to be thankful for. And in the spirit of celebrating, I thought we would imbibe just a bit. I've been doing a tour of a few 12 year whiskeys, with the majority being Scotch. I don't know whether it's the "Mad Men" impact or the correlation between increasing age and increased whiskey consumption, but I like it.



This review focuses on some 12 year Scotch, Irish, and Japanese whiskey, but I'll move on to a separate American whiskey review - in the form of bourbon. I'm especially excited about this because I was able to get my hands on some 12 year Old Rip Van Winkle through black market dealings (I *somehow* missed the 8 minute window for PA Fine Wine & Good Spirits - note the sarcasm).




I still consider myself a bit of a novice, but to put it simply, whiskey is the larger set, the universe, if you will. Of these, you can have different subsets. Scotch whiskey is made in, you guessed it, Scotland - typically made with malt and grains (wheat or rye). Irish whiskey is, yes, made in Ireland, with the principle flavoring being unmalted barley. Canadian whiskey is made by our neighbors up North, with the principle element being rye. Bourbon whiskey is made, by law, in America, and is typically associated with Kentucky. Bourbon is made with at least 51% corn and usually rye, though there are a few wheated bourbons out there, including Pappy.
But enough of the whiskey lesson for now, on to the good stuff. 

Jameson Special Reserve


Jameson 12 year special reserve, formerly known as Jameson 1780, is a blended Scotch whiskey. It's matured for 12 years in a combination of bourbon barrels and Olorosso sherry casks. A decent introduction to what aging can do to bottom shelf Jameson.

Nose: Sweet, emanating caramel and spice. 
Palate: Vanilla, spice, and cinnamon, with notes of sherry and some peat.  
Finish: Smooth, warm, long-lasting, without much smoke. 

Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Year


Johnnie Walker Black Label is a 12 year blended Scotch of approximately 40 different whiskeys. This is the what is often described as the quintessential Johnnie Walker tipple. Due to the blending, it's a bit muddled for my taste. 

Nose: Sweet, emanating maple and caramel. 
Palate: Spice, with vanilla notes and some smoke that can overpower a bit.
Finish: Smooth, with a smoke that lingers.

Glenfiddich 12 Year


Glenfiddich 12 year is a single malt Scotch whiskey. Easy drinking, though was a bit bland compared to the others.

Nose: Floral and honey.
Palate: Spice which can be a bit harsh at first, but then the citrus develops a bit, with notes of green apple. 
Finish: Subtly sweet with some vanilla and honey.

Glenlivet 12 Year


The Glenlivet is also a single-malt 12 year and definitely my favorite. It's not surprising that this is one of the top, if not the best, selling whiskeys in the world. 

Nose: Herbal with some sweetness. 
Palate: Light spice and a bit of smoke, with vanilla and brown sugar continuously progressing. 
Finish: Smooth, long, warm, with malt that lingers.

The Macallan 12 Year 


Those of you that watch Lost know about The Macallan. Yes, there's also a "The" in front of this  drink as well. This is a single malt Scotch that coats the tongue and allows the flavors to develop.

Nose: Sweet notes of honey, light maple, and caramel. 
Palate: Hints of spice, with light smokiness and fruit coming through.
Finish: Smooth.

Now whiskey isn't limited to the Old World. Japan actually makes some fine whiskey as well. There are around 10 distilleries in Japan, with Suntory being the most predominant and well-known for its high rating. And Japan's foray into whiskey production came with Suntory's single malt, Yamazaki.

The Yamazaki 12 Year


When I visited the GF's family over Christmas, her dad gifted me this bottle, which was much appreciated. He's just starting to get into whiskey himself, so started his journey off with Glenlivet 12. But back to the Yamazaki. I can definitely see why it had such a high rating and took the world by surprise. 

Nose: Sweet note of cinnamon, apple, and sugar. 
Palate: Medium bodied, honey, and vanilla with apple coming through.
Finish: Pleasant with some more fruit lingering.

In the opinion of this self-professed whiskey ingenue, this quintet of 12 years was a nice introduction to what is possible with aged whiskey. I would say that The Macallan is definitely impressive for a 12 year. But Glenlivet is my favorite due to its great balance of light spice and smoke, which eventually lends itself to a subtle sweetness that continuously develops. Great anyday drinking.

So consider a whiskey to end your Thanksgiving meal - I know that it will be my drink of choice to end the night.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Steve's Prince of Steaks: Center City Review

Steve's Prince of Steaks is one of many cheese steak joints in Philly that profess to be the king. Well, technically in the case of Steve's, they're a bit more modest and only proclaim to be the prince. Still, from the weak Yelp reviews, I wasn't expecting much but felt I had to give it a try. They opened up an outpost in Center City, which seems to be frequented by many working professionals. After trying the actual cheese steak though, perhaps it really is - location, location, location.


The first thing that annoyed me was that there was a different line for cheese steaks only and another for items such as fries, drinks, and the like. You're telling me that I really need to get in a whole other line for extras? I can see why Steve's might think that speeds things along, but really, it just makes me think twice about adding extras to my order and frankly, it's annoying.


They do have toppings like hot peppers out in the open for you to top your cheese steak, but would have liked to have seen closed lids. Perhaps it's all the epidemiology courses I've taken over the years.


But I digress ... let's move on to the food!

Cheesesteak ($12.65)
Double meat, onions, provolone
  

Having read the reviews on Yelp, I knew that getting a regular cheese steak was not the way to go (3 flimsy slices of steak on a sandwich? No thanks). So I went with the double meat, provolone, and onions. While there were nice abundance of steak, this cheese steak was pricey - essentially twice the price of most cheese steaks in the area. The soft roll was nice and the innards caused the sandwich to be greasy - in a good way.


However, the meat was where I found most of the fault in this cheese steak. It should have been much more thinly sliced - while it was beefy, it was so chewy that my jaw had an intense workout while I tried to get through the entire sandwich. The onions and provolone were nicely mixed throughout the sandwich, but did not do much to distract from the dry, chewiness of the beef. Unfortunate.

I can't imagine I would try this cheese steak again nor would I subject any out of town visitors to this particular iteration. I'll stick to Mike's in the Comcast Center or Jake's Sandwich Board, thanks.


Saturday, November 23, 2013

Top Tomato Pizza Review

The GF and I have had Top Tomato's regular Neapolitan-style pizzas several times now - they're decent though at times doesn't really stand up to delivery. Thus, the pizza occasionally results in a soggy crust if overladen with toppings. 

So this time around, we decided to see if the heft of a Sicilian pie would stand up to delivery.

Sicilian Pie ($15.99)


This was as solid iteration of the square-shaped pie. As you can see, there's an abundance of cheese that still maintains its gooey-ness and doesn't result in a massive clump. The marinara has some tang to it, but is mostly sweet. But the real measure of a good Sicilian to me? It's all about the dough.


The Sicilian's dough was simply OK. There was too much heft to it as it was not buttery and could have been crispier. Still, it was well-seasoned. 

Delivery might take a bit during the lunch-time rush, but your pizza will most likely come hot. So give Top Tomato a chance and see if it hits the spot for your pizza cravings.


Top Tomato Pizza Kitchen on Urbanspoon
www.toptomatopizzeria.com 

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Gianfranco Pizza Rustica: Center City Review

In the mood for a white slice, the GF and I decided to try another Philly pizzeria in my perpetual search for the perfect slice. So we hopped on Grubhub and happened upon Gianfranco Pizza Rustica, which has three locations in South Philly, Old City, and Center City. The latter was closest so we went with them. The person who took the order was friendly and amenable, especially considering the fact that we had a bunch of specific instructions.

Large Half White / Half Tomato ($14.85)
Tomato, garlic, spinach


One of those instructions was for a half red, half white pie so we could try both - for the sake of the blog of course! The pizza had a decent crust with nice char. Overall, the pizza was also well-seasoned. 


However, the red pie could have definitely done with more cheese. If the dough wasn't seasoned, this could have been inedible. The white slice was a lot better - nicely seasoned with garlic and with an abundant amount of cheese, tomatoes, and spinach. Dollops of ricotta would have been a nice creamy element though.


Eggplant Parmigiana Sandwich ($6.50)


We also ordered an eggplant parm sandwich, which was housed by crusty bread. However, while the eggplant was fresh and thickly sliced, it was over-breaded and not crisp at all. I appreciated that the sandwich wasn't drenched in sauce, but overall, it was definitely dry from the lack of marinara. There was a nice amount o cheese though.

Large Cheese Fries ($4)
 

Cheese fries can come with either mozzarella or cheese whiz. As Philly transplants, we opted for the latter. The fries were crisp and well-seasoned, with the whiz adding
a creamy, salty element to the fries.


The pizza at Gianfranco Pizza Rustica is decent, but isn't the best in Philly. I would stay away from the eggplant parm sandwich, but wouldn't mind another order of those fries. 


Gianfranco Pizza Rustica on Urbanspoon
http://www.gianfrancopa.com/

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Route 6 Review *NOW CLOSED*

This is for a series of posts for Stephen Starr restaurants including:
Alma de Cuba, Barclay Prime, Butcher and Singer, Continental Midtown & Martini Bar, The Dandelion, El Rey, El Vez, Jones, Parc, Pizzeria Stella, Route 6 [1], Route 6 [2], & Square Burger.

Lauded, and at times maligned (haters gonna hate), restaurateur Stephen Starr opened Route 6 in the latter half of 2011. Following in the steps of Marc Vetri's Osteria and Alla Spina, Stephen Starr's Cape Cod-themed restaurant adds to the boom of life north of Callowhill Street. The restaurant is named after the famed highway that runs through the coastal towns of the East Coast and offers a wide variety of seafood options to tempt you with traditional shoreline cuisine.


The 150-seat restaurant even has picnic tables to add to a somewhat relaxed outdoor vibe.


Or perhaps you'd like to take a seat at the bar?


The inside is certainly trendy and pristine - boat shoes and navy blazers anyone? 


Stephen Starr is the master at getting his restaurants just right - even down the the minutest of details. Check out the candle holder - isn't it reminiscent of a sandy beach with a half shell on top?


Now with the lobster surplus what it is, October at Route 6 was Lobster Month! What does that entail? Half-off all lobster dishes! At such prices, it would have been a shame not to order almost everything that had lobster (we came back the following month to tackle a few 3 pounders). 


Cape Codder [$12] 
Stolichnaya Vodka, cranberry ginger compote
  

To start though, the GF and I ordered a pair of cocktails. She had the Cape Codder, which was not overly tart and had a subtle sweetness from the cranberry, with the ginger providing the kick. Easy drinking here! 

Nor' Easter [$10]
Maker's Mark, maple, lime, ginger beer


I had the bourbon-based tipple. The maple provided a nice counterpart to the bourbon - a mellow sweetness that was balanced by the tartness of the lime and a bit of effervescence from the ginger beer.

At this point, I was hoping for the oyster crackers and horseradish to show - essentially the 'bread service' at Route 6. No such luck on this night (perhaps they did away with it for Lobster Month). We were fine regardless, because it was on to the lobster parade! 

Chilled Half Lobster [$16] [$8]
Green tabasco aioli


We started with the chilled half lobster - essentially the GF's first taste of lobster whole. Consider her converted and my bank account proportionally diminished! The sweetness of the lobster meat was apparent here. In fact, the green tabasco aioli was superfluous - yet also genius. So simple and delicious. Not gonna lie - the fact that we knew we had the ingredients to make the aioli at home made our night.

Crispy Fried Little Lobster Tails [$22] [$11]


I would say that the crispy fried lobster tails are a must order at Route 6 (especially at these prices!). Three nicely sized tails are fried in a thick, yet crispy batter. The batter was seasoned nicely and I imagine the "famous" fried chicken at Route 6 is similarly fried. The tails were slightly overcooked but were still nicely succulent and sweet. The aioli made a reappearance and we had no problem dunking these tails in the liquid gold (move along Velveeta).

Lobster Roll [$24] [$12]
Fries
 


We couldn't leave Route 6 without trying their take on the lobster roll. This was a classic take on this oft-enjoyed dish. It seems small at first, but there is a ton of fresh lobster meat on the buttery bun. Not overly dressed in mayo and lightly sprinkled with herbs, this is how it should be done. The fries were seasoned in some Old Bay and were, for the most part, nicely crispy (there were a few stray limp ones here and there). 

New England Clam Bake for 2 [$55] [$27.50]
1 1/2 lb lobster, steam clams, mussels, sausage, potatoes, corn on the cob


The lobsters at Route 6 are prepared in two ways - classically steamed and wood-grilled. The latter imparts a sweetness from the cherry wood and some smoke as well. But I saved that for the following month. On this night, I went for the New England Clam Bake. Yes, it was for 2 and I ate it for one - go big or go home, right? The mussels were plump, the clams were succulent and briny, and the sausage was slightly spicy, offering a hefty counterpoint to these delicate bivalves. And the lobster - sweet, succulent - perfect to dunk in the drawn butter. The corn on the cob was a nice clam-bake-esque touch, though I didn't particularly enjoy the potatoes - a bit too starchy and almost underdone for my taste.


The hot towels and lemons (spritz/rub on your hands for you novices) at the end of the meal are a nice touch. A great way to do away with the inevitable mess on your fingers. 


Our server Christina was incredibly friendly and certainly informative - typical of Stephen Starr's restaurants whether it's El Vez, Butcher and Singer, or Continental Restaurant (of course, there are a million others). Still, when the prices are not half off - it seems a bit steep, even with the Starr upcharge. I can definitely see myself coming back here for the raw bar and perhaps to try the fried chicken, but the 3 pound lobster will likely have to wait until Lobster Month come by again. So be sure to take advantage for the rest of November - it's currently "almost" half-off all lobster dishes.

Route 6
600 N. Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19130
(215) 391-4600
www.route6restaurant.com  

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Kitchen of India: Butter Chicken Curry Product Review

After being turned on to Butter Chicken at Tashan, I knew I had to get a taste of the dish at home. So I hopped on trusty Amazon, and found the highly recommended Kitchens of India paste - easy to use in a homemade butter chicken curry recipe.


And of course, some rice is needed to sop up the goodness that is curry, so I turned to my trusty Lundberg Wild Blend Rice. And if you've got some delicious naan, all the more power to you.


After that, all you really need is some chicken (or whatever protein you like). But for a bit more heartiness and flavor, I added a diced Vidalia onion.


Gently cooked down a tad with just a bit of salt, pepper, and olive oil.


To the onions, I added a cup of water, the paste, and just 3 tbsp of butter.


How easy is that?


Just stir until that butter melts in and turns the broth slightly viscous.


And then add the diced chicken - perfectly ready to poach and retain its juiciness.


Simmer for 20 minutes under a closed lid. Cook for 5 more minutes on high. Then keep aside, covered for 3 minutes. So simple, even my GF could do it! (Just kidding - she's actually a great cook - that is, when she tries)


It doesn't hurt to pop open some homemade wine, courtesy of our friends!


The combo of Kitchens of India Butter Chicken and Lundberg Rice is amazing. The spice of the butter chicken has a nice depth to it along with an underlying heat - something you wouldn't expect from just under an hour on the stove. The next time around, I'll add some potatoes and carrots to make this dish even heartier.