Monday, September 29, 2014

Animo Juice: Philly Review

If you're working in Center City and looking for some good lunch grub, Animo will certainly fit the bill.


Juices, salads, and burritos are on offer here and there's enough seating in this clean and quaint space. 


The burritos are good, but I say the best bet to get an even heftier fill is to go down the path of a burrito bowl.

Pork Fajita Burrito Bowl ($9.50)
Pork, rice, beans, roasted veggies, guacamole, cheese


Animo was out of steak, so I went with the pork fajita. The pork had good flavor and was well seasoned. Hearty beans had bite and were not mushy at all, with the fresh grilled peppers and caramelized onions adding richness to each bite. The creamy guacamole had a nice acidity from the lime. They must have forgot to add cheese on mine unfortunately. Blue corn chips were a nice accompaniment.

Chicken Haight & Ashbury Bowl ($10)
Chicken, rice, beans, guacamole, sour cream, cheese 
  

The GF went with the chicken bowl, which had a nice melange of moist protein and a similar mix of beans and rice. In place of roasted veggies, her order had sour cream and she actually did receive cheese. A nice creamy mix for each bite.


So if you're looking for good eats during your workday in Center City, Animo is a good bet. 



Animo Burrito & Juice Bar on Urbanspoon
 http://www.animojuice.com/ 

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Lazos Pizza & Grill Review

On a lazy weekend night, the GF and I hopped on GrubHub and decided to roll the dice. We landed on Lazos Pizza & Grill and were not disappointed.

Special [$23.50 + $2.75 topping]
1 large pizza, 20 wings, 2 liter

As a special, Lazos Pizza & Grill offered a large pizza, 20 wings, and a 2 liter for $23.50. Even with the pepperoni surcharge, this wasn't half bad. I've provided the a la carte pricing as well for the purposes of the blog. 

Large Pepperoni [$13.15]
16'' pizza


The crispy, thinnish crust was reminiscent of a proper NY slice. The sweet, tangy marinara was well-seasoned and had some body to it. The salty pepperoni and cheese created the melange of flavors I was craving. 


Boneless Buffalo Wings [$12.45]
Blue cheese, celery


The 20-piece boneless wings were meaty and substantial, The blue cheese was creamy with whole chunks of blue cheese speckled within. We asked for half buffalo and half BBQ, thinking that they could accommodate the request like The Spot at Rittenhouse does. Lazos did accommodate it to some degree ... I'm pretty sure they combined the buffalo and BBQ sauces to coat the wings! This created a sweet, yet spicy concoction that wasn't too appealing to the GF, but was fine with me. Next time I'll be more specific I suppose.

Large Buffalo Chicken Stromboli [$13.45]
Peppers, onions


In addition to the special, I had to check out the stromboli, wondering whether it was on par with Pandora's monster. This was huge like a torpedo and ate more like a fajita than a stromboli due to the eventual sogginess of the dough.


The innards could have used some more blue cheese and hot sauce to reinforce that buffalo flavor.  The upper crust on the ends were crispy however and there was certainly enough to last the week. 

Turkey Club [$7.75]
Bacon, lettuce, tomato, coleslaw
 

The GF wasn't in the mood for pizza, but was definitely down with a turkey club. This was a good triple decker sandwich with moist turkey and crispy bacon. The sweet and slightly tangy cole slaw was on point as well. But the real winner here? The crispy, crusty fries. If you haven't had the fries at Lazos, you should definitely check them out.

Mega Fries [$5.25]
Bacon, whiz, mozzarella


So regular readers know - if I see mega fries on the menu, it's likely going to be ordered. The crispy fries made a reappearance, along with thick-cut bacon and a blanket of mozzarella. A side of whiz was provided and was the icing on top for this pig.

Onion Rings [$2.95]


And if you're going to offer $3 onion rings, I'll likely grab an order of those as well. These were incredibly crunchy and clearly house-made. The onions themselves weren't substantial, but for $3, this wasn't a bad side in the least. 

Overall, Lazos has got you covered for your takeout needs and if you're craving an unpretentious, NYC-style slice. Top that off with quick service and a friendly delivery guy - what more could you ask for? This is easily one  of our favorite Fairmount pizza delivery joints when we're not in the mood for artisanal pies from Pizzeria Vetri downstairs.


Lazos on Urbanspoon
www.lazospizzagrill.com

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Fado Irish Pub Review

As with most cities, Quizzo is a popular thing at most bars early in the week. Fado Irish Pub is no different. The GF and I know it from our grad school days where we spent the weekend nights dancing away amidst the crowd.


But being working stiffs now, along with some friends, we decided to stop on over for Happy Hour and stayed even longer for some Quizzo. Apologies in advance for the cell-phone pics.

Maple Manhattan [$9]
Tap 357 maple rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters
  

I went with the maple Manhattan, an even sweeter version of this classic fern-bar standby that went down smooth. Appreciated the appropriate rock as well.

Strongbow Cider [$6.75]
 

The GF went with the cider, which was crisp, dry, but had enough sweet and tart flavor to go down easy for the GF.

Moscow Mule [$10]
Russian Standard vodka, Crabbies alcoholic ginger beer, fresh lime juice 
  

We also tried the Moscow Mule which seems to be getting popular once again - along the same vein as the Manhattan. This sweet tipple was tempered by the ginger beer and the tartness of the lime.

Slow Roasted Pork Belly [$7.95]
Magners cider reduction
  

This was on offer as a special during Quizzo, and while these were sizable hunks of pork belly, they were a bit too tough for my liking. I didn't seem to get as much of the slow-roasted action I was expecting. The cider reduction was a nice element to the dish though, along with the bite of the green onion.

Pretzel Cup [$6.95]
Three fresh baked pretzel sticks, Harp lager cheese sauce, specialty mustard


For a city known for its pretzels, Fado's iteration is great - buttery and salty, maintaining a crisp crust on its exterior, with a softness within. The cheese sauce was accompanied by a specialty mustard that had some kick with horseradish notes. 
Topped Chips [$6.95]
Harp Lager cheese, bacon
  

There were a variety of topped chips on offer, including chicken curry, chimichurri, pulled lamb, or peppercorn for a dollar supplement. While they weren't crispy, they were certainly creamy and topped with a well-seasoned cheese sauce and some hearty chips of bacon.

Fish & Chips [$6.95 Quizzo Special / $9.95 Half Order Entree]
Lightly battered haddock, thick or thin cut chips, tartar sauce, house-made slaw  


For Quizzo, Fado had a $6.95 special for the half order fish and chips. The haddock's batter had a nice crisp and was fairly light, with the fish maintaining its flaky meatiness. The accompanying cole slaw had a creamy mayo-base and the thick-cut chips were well-seasoned.

Fado Gooey Double Cheese Burger [$11.95]
Two house-made gourmet patties, cheddar, pretzel roll, fries
  

I went with the cheesy burger, which had a unique flavor - not unlike the seasoning for a Salisbury steak. I actually enjoyed it, encapsulated in a pretzel roll. The crisp fries were creamy within and were perfect pub fare. 

Fado's also beefing up its cocktail program, in addition to an already strong beer and draft line-up. So in addition to having good pub grub and a bumpin' weekend crowd, what else do you need from an Irish pub?

Fado Irish Pub and Restaurant on Urbanspoon
http://www.fadoirishpub.com/philadelphia/

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

La Calaca Feliz Review

Having moved to the Fairmount area, one of the places I was excited to finally try was La Calaca Feliz. Chef-owner Tim Spinner's debut restaurant was well-deserved after years of cooking alongside Iron Chef Jose Garces at El Vez (coincidentally one of our favorite Mexican restaurants in Center City). It received three bells from Craig La Ban to boot! And so on a bright sunny day, the GF and I stopped by for some proper Mexican fare.


The space was larger than initially expected, with a great outdoor space in the back - perfect for lively parties. If it's nice enough, do get a space outside for a somewhat al fresco experience. 

Chiquita Margarita [$12]
Skinny margarita, espolon blanco, fresh lime juice, cointreau
  

As expected, go with the margaritas here - even the GF's skinny version was good. Not overly sweet or tart, the mellow flavors were accentuated by the cointreau.

Stagger Lee [$9]
Bourbon, honey, pineapple, jalapeno


I was on a bourbon kick, so went with the Stagger Lee - as weak as the rapper unfortunately - almost to the point of tasting like water. The jalapeno added some spicy freshness, but I felt like the tipple could have used some lime. Stick with the margs!

Guacamole Traditional [$9.95]
Avocado, tomato, jalapeno, onion 


The traditional guac was fresh and had nice hints of jalapeno and lime. Nothing as spectacular as El Vez, but certainly a decent iteration. It was served with house-made chips and a pat of salsa, which was unfortunately a bit bland and tempered.

Pulpo a la Parilla [$9.95]
Octopus, achiote, crispy chocoyotes


On the other hand, the octopus was great. The char from the grill was evident and lent itself nicely to the pulpo. The well-seasoned crust surrounded the tender pulpo. The crispy gnocchi offered similar textural contrasts and the radish and cilantro helped to provide some freshness to each bite.

Asparagus Tlayuda [$10.95] with Fried Egg [+ $1]
Asparagus, truffle, poblano, jalapeno, requeson, queso mixto, manchego bechamel


The Mexican 'pizzette' provided some traditional flavors of truffle, asparagus, topped with a fried egg. The bechamel helped to add some creaminess to each bite of the crispy tortilla.

Chorizo Tacos [$10.95]
Mexican sausage, baby potato, onion, cilantro, salsa verde


At this point, the manager, Zach, stopped by with some complimentary chorizo tacos. When showcased as the primary protein, I typically find chorizo to be overly greasy. But these were delicious, with the baby potatoes soaking up the grease and spice. The condiments helped to provide some acidity and herbaceousness.

Carnitas Tacos [$10.95]
Pulled pork, salsa roja, onions, cilantro, avocado


The GF went with the carnitas, which were moist and pure pork flavor. The fresh avocado wedges added some rich creaminess and the corn tortillas were fresh. Do get these!

Pork Belly Tacos [$11.95]
Soy chili glaze, avocado, pickled onions, cucumber 


And of course, I had to get the pork belly tacos. The vinegar-based slaw provided the perfect counterbalance for the creamy avocado and sweet, soy-based sauce glaze on the crisp bits of pork belly.


After a somewhat slow start with my drink and salsa, I'm glad the meal picked up. La Calaca Feliz is on point with its tacos and from the execution of its pulpo, I'm excited to try some of the other menu items in the future. It's clear there's a reason Tim Spinner's spot is popular with the Fairmount crowd.


La Calaca Feliz on Urbanspoon
www.lacalacafeliz.com  

Friday, September 5, 2014

Beck's Cajun Cafe: 30th Street Station Review


Beck's Cajun Cafe is well-known for its Cajun-style cuisine, with New Orleans' staples such as muffuleta sandwiches and po' boy's at the forefront. The Train Wreck Po' Boy at Reading Terminal was so good (essentially a cheese steak on steroids), I knew I had to try a more traditional po' boy as well. 


So when the GF and I had a hankering while we were waiting for our train to the Borgata Water Club in Atlantic City, we decided to check out the 30th Street Station outpost for Beck's Cajun Cafe.


Fried Shrimp Po' Boy [$10.75]
Fried shrimp, french bread, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, creole mayo 


We decided to split a traditional shrimp po' boy. While I wish the bread was crustier (perhaps it was because it was almost closing time), there was an abundance of shrimp, well breaded and crispy. A squirt of hot sauce would have really made each bite though.


Also, I don't know if prices are higher than what's on the menu or perhaps the sandwiches are more expensive after lunch. Overall, I'd stick with the train wreck po' boy, which has everything you need already on the sandwich - no condiments necessary.

Beck's Cajun Cafe
2955 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 382-2800
www.beckscajuncafe.com 

Monday, September 1, 2014

Garrett Popcorn Shops: O'Hare International Airport Review

This is for a series of posts for a 2014 Chicago trip including Alinea, Giordano's, Bottlefork, Bub City, Portillo's Hot Dogs, Doubletree Hilton: Magnificent Mile, and Garrett Popcorn Shops.

Since 1949, Garrett Popcorn Shops have been providing quality popcorn in Chicago and beyond. I first tried it by Penn Station in NYC and became a frequent visitor while attending school in Chi-town. So during the GF and my recent trip to Chicago, we had to grab some before our flight back to Philly.


The popcorn is hot-air popped daily and the most popular mix is the Chicago Mix - a mixture of decadent salty cheese and sweet, crunchy caramel.


It's an irresistible mix that can is truly best experienced when eaten by the handful.


Large Chicago Mix [$7.85]
CaramelCrisp, CheeseCorn
  

Sweet and salty is a great mix of flavors that is clearly highlighted here. The caramel was like eating crisp candy that became pillowy upon masticatoin. But the real star for the GF and myself? The CheeseCorn. The popcorn was coated in sharp cheddar and provided bursts of intensity. I'm not surprised they put a 2:1 ratio of CheeseCorn to CaramelCrisp - in fact, there was still too much of the sweet caramel popcorn for my liking. Cheddar over sweets any day of the week for me! 

So if you're in Chicago and certainly before you leave, make sure to get your fix in. And if you're looking for a great gift, there are a variety of decorative tins that can be filled with the decadent flavors of Garrett popcorn.


Garrett Popcorn on Urbanspoon
http://www.garrettpopcorn.com/