The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. Review

For the majority of industries, the trend seems to be going back to the past - whether it's in the movies, fashion, and even food. Speakeasy-type establishments appear to satiate that craving while appeasing those who want to be in the know - specifically about where they can get a good drink around town. Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. was one of the first in Center City to provide such an atmosphere - complete with an obscure entrance. But on a weekend night, just sniff out the line in front of an atypical doorman/bouncer - they lead to some stairs down below.  

Despite the notoriety surrounding Al Capone, the Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. apparently served as a front for the largest alcohol ring in the country. And in the spirit of both the bygone era and the noble bartending craft, Franklin celebrates finely crafted drinks and the surreptitious spirit sometimes involved in imbibing them.

They have a bevy of cocktails on offer, categorized as Easy Going, The Flowing Bowl, Rebellious Spirits, I Asked For Water She Brought Me Gasoline, and Cool It Down. It could be seen as a veritable progression in how the night should go.

With 4 of us in tow, we scored one of the leather booths, offering a sleek environment for us to knock back a few.

La Loup Garou [$12]
Barbancourt 4 year rum, Amontilladdo sherry, lime juice, cane syrup, Peychaud's bitters, muddle strawberry, up  
 
 

Entering the Easy Going territory, the ladies decided to try this rum and sherry-base tipple. Sweet, tangy, and citrusy, with the bitters adding a bit of complexity, this was easy going indeed. Dangerously so.

Lamp Lighter Punch [$14]
Laird's apple brandy, Pierre Ferrand ambre cognac, creme de cassis, lemon juice, pink earl grey tea syrup, teapot bitters, rosewater

From The Flowing Bowl, we saw a new drink created for late last year. The punch was just as easy going, with an added smoothness from the cognac and brandy, brightened by the addition of lemon juice and rosewater. The earl grey syrup and teapot bitters helped to ground the drink from becoming too sweet.

Kensington [$13]
Buffalo Trace bourbon, Carpano Antica sweet vermouth, Dolin dry vermouth, Peychaud's bitters, orange marmalade, up

It's hard for me to say no to bourbon, let alone Buffalo Trace. So entering into the Rebellious Spirits territory, the classic tastes of a Manhattan were all there.

The Carpano Antica and orange marmalade lent a smooth sweetness to the finish, with the burnt orange rind and the Peychaud's adding complexity.

Mercy of Circumstance [$12]
Banana infused Flor de Cana 4 year & 7 year rum, Bols Genever, brown sugar syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, rock

From the gasoline menu came forth this rum-based cocktail, ordered with extra Circumstance. Really smooth, licorice and smoke emanated through the sweet, almost creaminess of this drink. 

Philly is home to many great bars and other speakeasies as well. With good reason, Hop Sing Laundromat has received much of praise over the past few years for the latter. Still, there's a reason that Franklin Mortgage has been here even longer. The service is exemplary, the drinks are creative, and more importantly, they're delicious.

http://thefranklinbar.com/

Alma de Cuba Review

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.

Stephen Starr is clearly a dominant force in the Philly restaurant scene. And so it's not surprising that he brought in Chef Douglas Rodriguez to be one of the pillars of the empire, as EC at Alma de Cuba. Raised in Miami to Cuban-born parents, Chef Rodriguez won a slew of awards in the 80's and 90's, with Newsweek selecting him as one of 100 Americans that would influence the millennium.

Designated as a super chef who made Latin food haute, he also won a James Beard Award for Rising Star. But perhaps more prominent to contemporary foodies, he is the chef-mentor who brought eventual Iron Chef Jose Garces to Philly.

I first dined at Alma de Cuba a year ago, after the weight of a Michigan Christmas's week of meals. The GF and I decided to do a sampling of some of the smaller tastes from Chef Rodriguez. It wasn't too packed when we stopped by before an 8PM showing of Elf at the Walnut Street Theater. We were on the 3rd floor, which was more of a private space.

Bread Service
Chimichurri

Fresh pandebono was on offer, delightfully crisp and sweet on the outside with some yeasty cheesiness within. The classic South American bread was made of yucca flour, manchego, and queso blanco, resulting in a gluten-free fluffiness. Who knew gluten-free could actually test good? It came with a wonderfully garlicky chimichurri which tempered that initial attack of sweetness.

Corn

In ordering the ceviche tasting, we also received a duo of corn - salty, savory, fried corn kernels and buttered popcorn. 

Ceviche Tasting [3 for $28]

Alma de Cuba offers several ceviche tastings - we went with the smaller on this particular night. You can also opt for 5 for $45 or all 7 for $59. Interestingly enough - they don't offer a tasting of all 8 that are on the menu. 

Tuna Tostone [$17]
Tuna, crispy tostone, avocado puree, pickled shishito pepper
 

The first of our trio offered fresh slices of tuna ceviche that weren't overly marinated, on top of a puree of avocado. While the tostada was chewier than crisp, the pickled shishito offered some acidity and helped to meld a nice balance of flavor.

Rainbow [$16]
Tuna, salmon, black bass, jalapeno, lime, sweet potato

The heat of the jalapeno and the pop of the line highlighted a nice mix of lean tuna, fatty salmon, and toothsome black bass. The fried sweet potatoes offered some additional texture to each bite.

Sea Scallop [$16]
Celeriac leche de tigre, pomegranate, elderflower, hazelnuts

The scallop was a clear favorite - clean, with the leche de tigre providing classic ceviche flavors. The weight of the hazelnut balanced the acidity of pomegranate nicely. 

Alma Sampler [$13 pp]
Smoked albacore tacos, royal palm dates, empanada de verde

In the trio spirit, the GF and I decided to try the Alma sampler, which comes priced per person.

And with the arrival of a tower of appetizers, we were instructed to eat in the following order.

Empanada de Verde [$14]
Spinach, manchego, artichoke escabeche

The empanadas were perfectly fried, with a nice mix of spinach and salty manchego within. An artichoke escabeche was nicely pickled and offered some acidity to the savoriness of the empanadas.

Smoked Albacore Tacos [$14]
Iceberg, pickled jalapenos, malanga 
 

This was an interesting take on fish tacos, with the smoky tuna coated with a tangy, rich mayo. Pickled jalapenos brought the heat, with the malanga providing a nutty flavor.

Royal Palm Dates [$13]
Almond stuffed dates, bacon, Cabrales blue cheese

The fattier than crisp bacon had heft, which balanced out the bitterness of the endive nicely. The funky, salty cheese was a nice counterpoint to the sweetness of the date.

Gloria's Black Bean Soup [$9]
Crema fresca, croquetta de arroz

And if there's black bean soup on the menu, the GF will probably order it. And I'm glad she did! I don't know who Gloria is (Chef Rodriguez's mother?), but she might have the best black bean soup out there. Not overly salty, the soup was seasoned nicely and the texture was spot on. The rice croquettes offered some additional substance to each bite, with the crema providing some cool lightness. 

Oxtail Bone Marrow Croquettas [$16]
Roasted bone marrow, pickled onion, natural jus
 

I tried one of their newer additions to the menu. The marrow heightened the richness of the oxtail within the crisply fried croquettes. The pickled onions providing the countervailing acidity to balance out each bite. Nice.

Chocolate Cigar [$9]
Almond cake, chocolate mousse, dulce de leche ice cream
 

And if you have dinner here, you almost have to order this award winning dessert. An ode to Miami and Cuba to be sure, moist almond cake is wrapped in chocolate mousse and dusted with even more chocolate. The matches are made of sugar cane doused in a bit of alcohol to light, with a cracker serving as the match box. A scoop of the dulce de leche ice cream provided sweet richness that complemented each bite of the cake nicely.

So if you're looking for fresh ceviche and thoughtfully executed dishes, look no further than Alma de Cuba. It's clear why Iron Chef Jose Garces has become the force that he is, thanks to the mentorship under Chef Douglas Rodriguez. Texture, tastes, and balance are all there - in a Stephen Starr setting no less.

www.almadecubarestaurant.com

Kansai Review

Kansai is a local sushi restaurant that is literally half a block from our apartment. So it's pretty sad that it's taken so long to check it out. Either way, it's good to know if I want some decent nigiri or rolls, they're just a few steps away.

First thing's first - Kansai is a Philly-friendly BYO! So the GF and I brought over a Junmai Nigori sake to start off our night right before seeing Aziz Ansari at Wells Fargo. This was a lusciously floral libation - easy drinking to be sure. So be warned, you'll find yourself knocking them back and stumble out the door. 

 
Salad
Ginger dressing
  

This came as part of the sushi regular appetizer and offered a fresh and crisp mix of lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber with that ubiquitous, yet addictive ginger dressing.

Spicy Tuna Tartare [$7.95]
 

I appreciated that the tartare wasn't obliterated beyond belief and that there were distinct pieces of tuna interspersed throughout this chili and ponzu-spiced melange. Accents of tobiko were a nice textural pop to each bite. Pretty standard, but well executed. 

Vegetable Tempura [$7.50]
 

The tempura were expertly fried - eggplant, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and squash were offered - each with a crisp, crunchy exterior that lent itself to tenderness within. 

Sushi Regular [$17.25]
 

The regular sushi appetizer brought forth a classic quartet of nigiri including salmon, tuna, yellowtail, and striped bass. Decent - the sushi was fresh and the quality was on par with a non-omakase sushi experience. A California roll was included as well.

Sweet Potato Roll [$3.95]
Spicy Salmon Roll [$5.25]
Yellowtail Scallion Roll [$4.95]
 

The yellowtail scallion wasn't exactly revelatory, but I appreciated that the spicy salmon roll offered substantial pieces of salmon, instead of a pureed blend of spice and salmon leftovers. The sweet potato roll was also one of the better iterations I've had - huge chunks housed in a crisp shell.

So if you're in the Fairmount area, you've certainly got a few options including the venerated Umai Umai and Doma Sushi. But if you're looking for a relaxed BYO environment with fresh, decent quality sushi, Kansai has got you covered. Better yet - while they take credit cards, cash is king and they offer discounts for those who bite.

www.kansaiphilly.com 

Bar Volver Review

This is for a series of posts related to Iron Chef Jose Garces including:

Amada, Distrito, Rosa Blanca, Bar Volver, Buena Onda, The Blue Anchor, PHS Pop Up Garden, JG Domestic, Tinto [1], Tinto [2], and Village Whiskey.

When Volver opened in Philly, it promulgated the arrival of a ticket system a la Momofuku Ko and Alinea. While this works in only a few New York and Chicago restaurants, Philly's foodies were not having it - especially with the city's highest tasting menu price point. After a year's run in the Kimmel Center, Iron Chef Jose Garces recently decided to lower the stakes. Volver has now opted for a standard reservation system and more competitive pricing.

I'll keep my opinions to myself on Volver until I try it out. But earlier this year, the GF and I did stop by Bar Volver to try some of their "bites" and cocktails before heading to see Sister Act at the Kimmel Center.

The entrance to Bar Volver and the main restaurant are on the north side of the orchestral hall in the Kimmel Center. It's sleek and spacious, with a glass wall filled with bottles of wine along the entrance. Seating is available around the main bar, with comfortable lounge chairs and tables off to the side.

Mission Margarita [$12]
Reposado tequila, Pedro Ximenez sherry, lime, fig
  

The GF started off with what she deigned to be one of the best margarita's she's ever had. The smooth tequila was pronounced, but the understated sweetness from the sherry and fig balanced it out nicely. And with the brightness from the lime, this was definitely a winner.

Truffle Rush [$12]
Bourbon, truffle, lavender honey, lemon
  

When I saw that there was a truffle cocktail, I was intrigued and knew I had to try it out. I assumed the truffle and lavender honey was from Garces Trading Company, and while this was an interesting tipple, the truffle overpowered the bite of the bourbon. After a few sips, the headiness of the truffle was all I could sense. 

Tuna Tartare [$14]
Yuzu mayo, edamame, shiso, chile oil, crunchy garlic

But on to the food! One of the highlights from Volver is the fact that they get a daily shipment from the famed Tsukiji Market in Tokyo, Japan. The components of the traditional tartare came out in separate stainless steel dishes. The tuna had nice texture and a lusciousness that was perfect for the tartare.

The wasabi-yuzu mayo was a nice counterpoint to the fattiness of the tuna, with the crunchy garlic adding additional texture. The tartare came with a quartet of grilled foccacia - a common element to many of the other dishes we ordered (read: we had way too much bread). Still, the bread was fresh, pillowy, and crusted on the outside.

Wagyu Tartare [$12]
Shallot, dijon, capers, quail egg yolk, tomato, fines herbes 

The wagyu tartare was served similarly. It was fresh and was well-seasoned to accent the great beefiness. The dill was bright, with the capers and tomatoes providing the acid.

The creaminess of the egg helped to bring everything together. This was all served with more foccacia

Wagyu Tartine [$9]
Shaved ribeye, black truffle provoleta, charred scallion
 

We decided to try two tartines as well. The wagyu was shaved thinly and was complemented with sharp Argentinian provolone. The charred scallion mix provided great acid and flavor, all atop some more grilled foccacia. Elevated cheesesteak anyone?

Ham & Cheese [$6]
Spalaccia, red pepper confit, tomme de savoie, basil aioli 

The ham and cheese highlighted La Quercia spalaccia. The cured shoulder is from acorn-fed Iowa Berkshire pigs, aged up to 22 months. This resulted in strips of pork that were almost glassy and translucent. The richness of the ham was complemented nicely by the acidic sweetness of the red pepper confit and the herbaceousness of the basil aioli.

Lomo Iberico [$8]
Iberian cured pork loin, red pepper - Dehesa Cordobesa; Adalucia, Spain

Loving secreto, I had to get an order of the lomo iberico as well. While I didn't know that it came atop more of that foccacia (sense a theme?), the ham was clean and delicious. The acid from the tomato underneath helped to balance the fattiness of the pork. Due to the overload of foccacia, we opted to forego most of the bread for this course. This may have been for the best because there was less to detract from the secreto.

Triple Cream [$12]
Organic cow's milk, cave-ripened organic triple cream - Champlain Valley Creamery
 

We decided to end our meal with a triple cream cheese - light, airy, and buttery, with some slight bitterness at the end. Delicious and of course, served with more of the foccacia.

Service was friendly, but contained. From what I hear, there is more of a show put on at Volver. As expected from Chef Garces and his staff, the flavors were all there and the dishes were well-seasoned. The bread overload aside (I realize the typical Bar Volver diner will be ordering one or two bites), Bar Volver offers nice riffs on cocktails and an array of dishes that will whet your appetite to consider shelling out for the true Volver experience.

philadelphia.volverrestaurant.com/  

Jack Duggan's: Philadelphia International Airport Pub Review

The GF and I needed to grab some dinner from Philadelphia International before our flight to Paris. So we stopped by Jack Duggan's to grab some standard pub fare. Expectations are always a bit diminished at an airport, but that doesn't mean that consistency and execution need to be sacrificed. Luckily, this doesn't appear to be the case at Jack Duggan's - at least based on this trip.

Beef Nacho Grande [$11.99]

We shared the beef nachos which was substantial, studded with spicy jalapenos, sweet cinnamon-based chili with beans, olives, and freshly chopped tomatoes. This was all drenched in a nicely sharp cheese sauce.

Chicken Fingers [$10.99]
 

The chicken fingers were hot, juicy, and crisply fried. The fries were just as good - crispy, creamy, and well-seasoned. 

Overall, Jack Duggan's has got you covered if you need some familiar tastes served with a smile. Service was a bit slow, but it's friendly. Fair warning, tables are hard to come by during prime time so you may be relegated to staring at a wall while sitting on a bar stool.