Bank and Bourbon Review: Bourbon Bash

Located on the ground floor of Philly's Loews Hotel, Bank and Bourbon took over the reigns from Sole Food a year ago. So in an effort to celebrate their success since then, an inaugural Bourbon Bash was hosted on April 28th. Even better, proceeds were used to provide charitable support for DonorsChoose, a U.S.-based nonprofit supporting our public school teachers and students.

Midway through the event, the GM of Philadelphia's Loews Hotel, Sean Clancy, welcomed everyone and introduced newly named President & CEO of Loews Hotels, Kirk Kinsell. Together they noted that including ticket sales to Bourbon Bash [a very reasonable $49 pp], over $32,000 was raised! In fact, the event was so successful that the intent is to make it an annual event.

So what exactly does a ticket to Bourbon Bash get you? Unlimited drinks and tastes of Bank and Bourbon's finest dishes? Check. Steaks aged to 28 days? Check. A killer charcuterie station replete with Benton's Ham, duck rillette, and Birch Run blue? Check. Desserts to satiate anyone with a sweet tooth? Check, check, check, & check. So let's take a look at what was on offer.

Naturally, a broad selection of bourbons were on hand for the night. In addition to the open bar, there were stations throughout the venue featuring Jim Beam's family of bourbons, including Single Barrel, Devil's Cut, and Rye, along with small batch bourbons in the family like Knob Creek and Basil Hayden. Maker's 46 also made its mark, with generous pours being enjoyed all around. There's a reason why some of these bourbons round out my bar cart amidst some Pappy and Elijah Craig. Great everyday drinking. But for those interested in allaying some of the sweet, sweet "burn," there were plenty of cocktails to be enjoyed as well! 

Devil Went Down to Georgia 
Jim Beam Devil's Cut, ginger, pineapple, sage

Clearly the most popular libation, this had great ginger spice notes that were balanced by the sweetness of the pineapple that was brought back by the sage. Through it all, the undertones of Devil's Cut were there. Really nice. 

Level 33
Passion tea, honey syrup, Pinnacle vodka, yellow chartreuse, fresh citrus 

For those who prefer vodka, Level 33 featured citrus flavors that were tempered by honey and anise notes.

The speed of all the lines at the food stations was surprisingly fast. However, the line at the charcuterie station was clearly the longest - at a "snail's pace" of approximately three minutes (read: sarcasm).

 
The fact that Bank and Bourbon had mounds upon mounds of Benton's ham on offer, along with its Tennessee counterpart of aged Hamery and Creminelli Utah ham, was a testament to the quality of their efforts. Duck rillette, stone-ground mustard, Birch Run blue cheese, toasted house-baked bread, pickled vegetables, and other delectable delights rounded out the station.

Clearly, there was plenty more to be had - from seafood to steaks. 

Ahi Tuna | Rappahannock Oysters

The tuna was fresh and seasoned delicately with lime. While the spicy carrot wasn't overtly pronounced, the farro added some texture to each bite. The Rappahannocks were prototypically sweet and not overly briny. The accompanying mignonette helped to provide some balance. 

Salmon 

 

The salmon was beautifully cooked and delicate in its preparation. The mushroom-based sauce helped to bring some depth to each bite.

Duroc Honey-Brined Pork Chop
Fava, peas

The Duroc pork chop was moist and accompanied by gorgeous favas and peas. In fact, as good as the pork was, the star for me were the legumes - great bite and flavor.

Pastrami Short Rib 

The pastrami short rib was beautiful to behold. The rub was pronounced and the short rib had great texture and taste. Less fatty and more pure beef flavor, it had that classic pastrami cure. It was balanced by the watermelon radish.

Cowboy Ribeye 

And of course, the star of the show was the cowboy ribeye. You could taste the beefiness that comes from the month-long age. It was amazing at how quickly these bad boys were being grilled, plated, served, and turned over. The generous servings of steak were tender and well-seasoned. The heft was only heightened by the savoriness of the accompanying mushrooms, which were luscious in their own right.

From there, we naturally needed to end the night with the requisite satiating of the sweet tooth. What better way than by engaging the incredible dessert station. And by engaging, I meant engulfing.

Espresso Parfait

Having tasted the delicious mini Rocky Road and Orange Creamsicle ice cream sandwiches being passed around by the servers, we knew we had to try some of the items at the dessert station. Amidst all the bourbon, the espresso parfait was a welcome spark to the night. The espresso really shined through the custard of chocolate, which also featured a milk chocolate shard atop a quenelle of whipped cream.

Malted Chocolate Cake | Blueberry Hand Pie | Mini Doughnuts

The blueberry hand pies were expertly fried, with a light sugar dusting coating the sweet crust of the pie. The innards were satisfyingly creamy and redolent with warm blueberries. The mini doughnuts weren't so mini. They were huge! More importantly, they were delicious. It took everything I had not to get up to get another and this is coming from someone who doesn't have that much of a sweet tooth. Lightly crisp on the exterior, the doughnuts were fluffy within, without any overt flavors to detract. And the malted chocolate cake? Light, fluffy, chocolate-y, with a malted marshmallow topping? Consider me stuffed, because I ate it all (with some help from the GF!). 

Believe me when I say that Bank & Bourbon and Loews Hotel pulled out all the stops. The quality of the food was surprising for an event that had this many attendees. Even the plating of the individual dishes left me wondering why I hadn't stopped by for dinner just yet. Service was exceptional and the turnover for the food and drink pours were seamless. This is one event that should not be missed. So the lesson here? Mark your calendars for 2016, especially if you missed out this year. I know I'll be on the lookout for their 2nd anniversary bash! 

FTC Disclaimer: While I was invited to this event gratis, all opinions are mine alone and are unbiased.

www.bankandbourbon.com

Sampan Review

I don't know why it took me so long to check out Sampan. I've been to petty much every restaurant on 13th street - even the newer ones like Little Nonna's and IndeBlue. Despite my own stupidity, the GF and I stopped by for dinner before heading to the Kimmel Center to see Annie.

Sampan's owner and chef, Michael Shulson, also heads up Izakaya at the Borgata Hotel & Casino in AC. He had tapped Top Chef alumn Travis Masar back in 2013 to head up Sampan, but earlier this year, Chef Masar left for Bing Bing Dim Sum. 

Sampan's clearly popular for happy hour, with the main bar area surging right after 5PM. The dining area on the outskirts was comfortable and themed appropriately. 

Edamame Dumplings [$7]
Truffle, pea shoot, sake broth 
 

I was perusing the menu while waiting for the GF to arrive, so the kitchen sent out a gift of edamame dumplings - definitely a nice touch. The dumplings were expertly made, with creamy edamame and a nice truffle essence that wasn't overpowering. The broth was clear and brought even more depth to each bite. The pea shoots offered great texture as well. The GF was lucky enough to pop in before I finished the quartet!

Ming Mule [$12]
Vodka, lychee, mint ginger
  

For drinks, she opted for Sampan's take on the Moscow Mule. Served in a mason jar, this tipple had sweetness from the lychee, but not overly so. The undertones of basil offered a nice herbaceousness rounded out by some spice from the ginger. Easy drinking to be sure.

Junmai Fizz [$12]
Sake, sangria, champagne

I was in a bubbly mood, so went with the sake-based concoction. The Junmai fizz had a mellow sweetness that was punctuated by some effervescence from the champagne and fruit from the sangria.

Pork Bao Bun [$7]

Shallot, pork belly, mint 
  

If there's ever a reason for me to continue returning to Sampan, it's the pork bao buns. The pork belly was thickly cut, and offered a great dichotomy in textures - gluttonous, unctuous, and crispy. The bite of shallot and freshness of the mint helped to temper the fattiness of the belly, with the soft sweet bun housing it all quite nicely.

General Tso Soup Dumpling [$7]
Chicken, soy, vinegar
  

Knowing our penchant for all things Dim Sum Garden, it was a safe bet that we would order the soup dumplings. While not as technically advanced as the ones at DSG, the flavors were spot on. The well-seasoned and moist chicken was enveloped by the umami of the soy and the acidity of the vinegar.

Crab Wonton Taco [$13]
Avocado, cilantro, pickled shallot 

When I saw how much crab was being packed into these tacos on Yelp, I knew I had to try them. While I didn't get any sense of avocado, jumbo lump crab was filled into these housemade wonton tacos - no filler here! There was some lingering heat at the end which was nice and offset the sweetness of the crab. The pickled shallots offered some acidity, with the cilantro offering some freshness. 

Crispy Spicy Shrimp [$14]
Pickled radish, yuzu, chili aioli
 

The crispy shrimp were expertly fried and despite being coated in a flavorful yuzu-chili aioli that had a lot of punch, the crispy tempura fry somehow persisted. The pickled radish helped to provide some additional counterbalance to the richness of the aioli.

Dan Dan Noodles [$12]
Pork, sesame, soft egg  

A la Han Dynasty, we had to order the dan dan noodles, which were similarly brought out and mixed at our table. 

While these featured a thicker noodle and had less of an initially apparent punch in terms of seasoning, the richness of the softly poach egg helped to provide a richness to the dish. The crispy bits of seasoned pork helped to round out each bite.

Korean Fried Chicken [$21]
Crispy garlic, kimchi apple 
  

We really should have stopped at this point, but thinking the fried chicken would be a much smaller portion, I went for it. Clearly I didn't know how Sampan rolled. The fried chicken is a must here - doubly fried a la Korean-style, this rendered the chicken properly crisp and as moist and tender as poultry comes. A thigh, drumstick, and breast was on offer here, with the kimchi apples rubbed in gochujang to provide some countervailing sweetness and spicy heat to the richness of the fried chicken.

Mini Ice Cream Cones [$2 pp]
Chocolate, Twizzler
  

I felt like some sweetness was needed to end our night so went with the mini ice cream cones that were much touted by the staff. Unfortunately, this was pretty much the only miss for us. While cute in essence, there wasn't much impact in terms of flavor. We had tastes of chocolate and Twizzler. In reality, we also wanted only one of each, but I think it was assumed that we had each wanted to try one.

Service from the runners to the hostess was on point. Our server Anastasiya was great - she was extremely knowledgeable bout the menu and was friendly. The food is clearly the star here though - don't miss out on the pork belly, edamame dumplings, or the KFC. The drinks are easily quaffable so it's clear that there's an underlying reason behind the power of their happy hour and at their alleyway Graffiti Bar so be sure to check it out!

www.sampanphilly.com

Go Popcorn Review

Pittsburgh has come to Philly in the form of Rob Day and Genalle Passanante, popcorn geniuses that have opened up a carnival-themed popcorn shop in Midtown Village. The waft of butter and freshly popped corn kernels from Go Popcorn beckons and you'd be hard pressed not to enter. The classics are all there including cheddar, movie theater butter, and a ChicagoMix that's highly reminiscent of Garrett's Popcorn!

There are also kooky creations that can range from turkey stuffing to garlic Parmesan! So when the GF's folks were in town, we had to get three large bags to satiate our sweet "teeth."

Sweet n Salty Kettle Popcorn [$8]
Large popcorn
  

The kettlecorn was sweet and salty - a classic combination that goes down so easy. I can certainly attest to the freshness of the kernels - three days later, we were still inhaling these like they were just popped.

Peanut Butter Cup [$9.99]
Large popcorn 

If you like Reese's peanut butter cups, look no further. Creamy bits of peanut butter provide the salt and smoothness, while the chocolate helps to sweeten eat bite. 

Chocolate Caramel [$11.99]
Large popcorn
  

Cheddar is definitely my favorite. But of the sweets? Chocolate caramel is the one for me - crispy and crunchy - if you're looking for chocolate overload, this should be your pick.

So if you're looking for fresh popcorn with great flavor combinations, look no further than Go Popcorn. You won't be disappointed!

http://www.letsgopopcorn.com/

Federal Donuts: Sansom Street Review

Chef Michael Solomonov is well known in Philly, with plenty to be proud of, including his critically acclaimed and delicious Zahav, the newly opened Dizengoff, and a bastion of Federal Donuts outposts throughout the city. In fact, there's even a Federal Donuts stand in Citizens Bank Park - home of the Philadelphia Phillies (check out the review here)!

Fair warning - even though the Sansom Street location doesn't sell out as quickly as the one on 2nd Street in South Philly, the couple of times I've been here - they've always been out of the fancy donuts by 11AM. Womp womp.

But naturally, I made do with a few whole chicken orders and their regular specialty donuts. 

Whole Chicken [$18.50] 
Two split breasts, two drumsticks, two wings  

Federal Donuts has a variety of dry seasonings and wet glazes, with a whole chicken order netting you two split breasts, two drumsticks, two wings, and two cinnamon sugar donuts. The chicken is juicy, moist, and crisp. 

Shabazzi

The shabazzi seasoning was nice, featuring green chile, dried fennel, and sumac - heady, but not overpowering. The housemade pickles provided some brightness in between bites of chicken.

Buttermilk Ranch

 

The buttermilk ranch is a dry seasoning which was salty and had great ranch taste without being overpowering.

Chili-Garlic

The chili-garlic is definitely one of my favorite wet glazes - the spiciest of the offerings, with a light burn on your lips. Still, the chicken is so moist and delicious, it's hard to breathe while you inhale it all in. 

Honey-Ginger

The honey ginger chicken is another favorite, with the spice provided by the ginger and the honey tempering it all. With each bite, I still couldn't get over how perfectly cooked the chicken was - so moist and juicy. 

Cinnamon Brown Sugar [$1.25]

And after inhaling all that chicken, what better way to cleanse your palate than enjoying freshly fried donuts. The regular cinnamon brown sugar donuts are surprisingly tart, with a cake-like consistency that is nice. 

Strawberry-Lavender [$1.25]

One of their specialty donuts is the strawberry-lavendar - another favorite. Sweet, with fresh strawberry zest throughout. 

Vanilla Spice [$1.25]
 

Vanilla spice is just as nice - light and moist within, with a sugary crust dusted on the outside. 

I still have to check out their fancy donuts, but somehow, I'm never disappointed when I leave with a delicious order of fried chicken and their regular donuts. And with good reason - it's all delicious and always well-executed. 

http://www.federaldonuts.com/main/

City Tap House: Logan Square Review

Public House was home to many a happy hour when I was in grad school. While it didn't have the best food, the space was sleek and spacious compared to most spots in Philly. When I heard City Tap House had decided to take over the space, I was excited at the prospects for the food as well.

I missed a recent Yelp Elite event at CTH, so before seeing Interstellar IMAX at the Franklin Institute with some friends, we all stopped by to grab dinner and a drink. CTH has several outposts including one in Uni City and another in DC. They're possibly expanding to NYC as well!

There's plenty of space and seating for you and your friends to grab a brew and watch a game on the big screen. It seems fairly family friendly too as there were plenty of kids hopping around while enjoying their food and night out on the town.

Buffalo Trace Bourbon [$12]
 

I started off with some Buffalo Trace bourbon - lightly smoky and refreshing. 

Corn & Crab Hush Puppies [$12]
Citrus remoulade, honey thyme butter

We ordered a slew of apps. The corn and crab hush puppies had great crunch, but maintained a fluffy consistency crab and corn, with seafood essence. It was served with a citrus remoulade and a housemade honey-thyme butter which had a touch of subtle sweetness to add richness to each bite.

Foie Gras Mousse [$15]
Apple cider gelee, pommery mustard

When I saw that foie was on offer at CTH, I knew that efforts were being made in the kitchen by Executive Chef Ian Branning, who has honed his skills at Ruth's Chris and Stephen Starr's empire of restaurants. I was really surprised at how nice this turned out - creamy, yet light, the richness of the foie was tempered by the apple cider gelee. Six grilled toasted points were the perfect vessel for the foie, which was also balanced by the acidity of the pickled red onions and the great dijon mustard. A must order.

Ten Spice Wings [$12]

House blue dressing, celery, carrots

A huge portion of wings had a great dry rub that wasn't spicy and had a texture reminiscent of cornmeal. The chicken was moist and juicy. Celery, carrots, and blue cheese accompanied the wings.

Blue Crab Mac n Cheese [$12]

Cavatappi pasta, herbed bread crumbs
 

While the mac n cheese could have used more bits of blue crab, the essence was definitely in the creamy cheese sauce. The cavatappi noodles were perfect to hold on to that delicious sauce, with a great al dente texture.At first I thought this was a pittance of a portion, but the richness of the dish made this just the right amount.

Caesar Salad [$10]

Romaine hearts, Parmesan crisp, garlic croutons, crispy shallots
 

Considering the onslaught of apps for just 4 of us, the GF opted for a lighter option for her entree. The salad was dressed well, without being drowned in Caesar dressing. A thick Parmesan crisp, garlic croutons, and bits of crispy shallots rounded out each bite.

Braised Short Rib [$21]

Truffled parsnip puree, radicchio, salsa verde, shaved horseradish

I went with a heartier dish of short ribs. While the meat could have use a bit more seasoning, they were fall-apart tender and there were three decently sized portions of meat. The buttery and subtly sweet parsnip puree was lightly accented by the truffle oil, though I missed the shaved horseradish. The star of the dish for me though? The raddichio which had some acidity (pickling?), which I enjoyed.

 

CTH is not just a bar offering pub food. It's on par with a gastropub, offering great bites with some creative twists. On top of the great food, the service was on point as well. We had a great, snarky waitress from Brooklyn and the manager Andrew managed to stop by to check things out. On a Friday night at 7PM, it was bumping and everyone seemed to be enjoying their drinks and food. Considering we live only a few blocks away, I'm sure we'll be by again. Hopefully the rest of 2015 solidifies this great start for City Tap House at Logan Square!

http://www.citytaphouselogan.com/