Butcher and Singer 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.

For my second Restaurant Week outing, I decided to head to Butcher and Singer, another Stephen Starr classic. We had previously been here for dinner and had a wonderful evening. This time around, we invited one of our friends for lunch.

The interior certainly has an old Hollywood vibe. With its vaulted ceilings, it is a gorgeous location to dine and people watch.

But what was I most excited about? Getting to finally try the Butcher Burger, an oft-acclaimed burger that is only found on the lunch menu, Monday through Friday. But perhaps I'm being a bit hasty ... so let's start with the apps! For those of you who don't know, Restaurant Week lunch, typically 3 courses, goes for $20 per person.

Just a FYI - perhaps because it was lunch and/or Restaurant Week, bread service was not offered, though it is offered during dinner.

Caesar Salad

I went for the Caesar salad, interested to try Stephen Starr's take on this classic steakhouse dish. This was fairly standard, with lots of shaved parmigiano regianno on top.

Winter Squash Soup

The GF and our friend opted to try the winter squash soup. This was smooth and lightly creamy, with an undercurrent of sweetness from the squash. The herbs were a bit jarring - there were several small branch-like stems that seemed to get in the way of the appreciating the dish.

Organic Scottish Salmon Salad 

Arugula, Roasted Red Pepper

The twins went for the salmon salad for their entrees. The greens were well-dressed and mixed with sweet roasted red peppers with a vinegary tang, gorgeous cherry tomatoes, and what was deemed to be out-of-place roasted potatoes. The salmon itself was glazed, but dry. It was telling when most of the ladies' salmon was left uneaten.

Butcher Burger 

English Cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, Russian dressing

I went for the healthier tastier option. Ordered medium-rare, this came out perfectly juicy and succulent.

The hefty portion of cheddar and the caramelized onions added additional richness to the dish. The Russian dressing was not as noticeable as I would have liked but regardless, this was a great burger. The accompanying fries were thin, crisp, and well seasoned.

Chocolate Salted Caramel Tart

The tart was ordered by the GF as she is a huge fan of Chef Marcie Turney's salted caramel budino at Barbuzzo. The play on salty and sweet was prevalent here and appreciated. Chocolate rice balls (think Crunch bars) were nice additions on top of the whipped cream.

Apple Streusel 

Crème anglaise

The apple streusel was crumbly and delicious. The powdered sugar and the creme anglaise added sugary decadence. Mascerated raisins helped to bring tart notes to the dish.

Blood Orange Sorbet

I opted for the sorbet, which reminded the GF and our friend of Flintstone push-pops (in a good way!). I appreciated that this creamy dish was restrained as I typically find blood orange desserts to be a bit too tangy and sweet for my taste.

Overall, I'd love to return to Butcher and Singer and have their burger again. But be sure to stop by for dinner to have one of their delicious Delmonico rib-eyes, hockey puck sized stuffed hashed browns, and baked Alaska. Pure decadence and how a steakhouse should be run.

www.butcherandsinger.com 

Sonny's Famous Steaks Review

Walking around Old City, I was by Campo's Deli and noticed Sonny's Famous Steaks. I figured what the heck and decided to try my luck in finding a decent Philly-based cheese steak. As with most other steak joints in Philly, head on in and give your order and they'll make it for you right on the flat top. Quick and easy service. Just a FYI though - there is a $9.99 credit card minimum - somewhat annoying.

Can't fault Sonny's for using Amoroso's rolls for their cheese steaks though - fresh and delivered daily, these are great.

Cheese Steak ($8.37 including tax)

Wit' onions, provolone

Sonny's fresh sliced rib-eye is succulent and juicy. The onions had some bite to them but were so sparse in the cheese steak that I could barely find them. The provolone was perfectly melted, but as you can see - it wasn't interspersed throughout the dish, so it tends to stick to the wrapper. I definitely prefer my cheese enveloped within the meat or placed beneath the meat. It's the little things ...

The meat could have been seasoned (not sure if any salt or pepper was used on the flat top), but overall, this cheese steak was one of the better ones I've had in Philly. Still - not on the level of Philly's Best.

The Prime Rib: Philadelphia Review

Restaurant Week is a major part of any big city and is something that I've enjoyed in New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia. Still, I understand the undercurrents of disdain from major chefs, service staff, and foodies - namely due to the problems with shoddy service, which is inevitable from the glut of customers who are all getting at least 3 courses of food ($35 for dinner and $20 for lunch).

However, depending on where you go, you can get a pretty good deal and try a myriad of tastes. In general though, I tend to avoid the more foodie-centric establishments as I would prefer to enjoy a true a la carte or tasting menu experience there anyways.

In any case, to kick of Philly's first Restaurant Week of 2013, I felt like indulging my primal urges and quite simply ... felt like digging into a prime rib. Reminiscing of the succulent prime ribs at Lawry's in Chicago, when I saw that The Prime Rib on the list for Restaurant Week, I couldn't help but head over for their eponymous dish.

Entering into the Philly outpost of The Prime Rib, the atmosphere felt slightly stuffy, as if I was coming in for a power lunch/dinner. Happy Hour was in full effect (I hear it's great actually according to Yelp), and all the patrons were easily twice my age. The latter is understandable due to the high price point for the majority of the dishes at The Prime Rib. Still, we're talking about a prime rib joint and not reinventing cuisine. And that's ok! Sometimes all we need is a nice slab of meat, great service, and a pianist riffing on a clear-top grand piano. Nothing else.

Bread Service

The bread was served warm, which I appreciated, along with the spreadable room-temp butter. Decent variety, but pretty standard.


Roasted Tomato Soup

The tomato soup came out hot with a sweet, tangy undertone from the roasted tomatoes. Delicious and a nice way to whet my carnivorous appetite.

House Salad

The GF opted for the house salad, which was a bit over-dressed with ranch. However, there was a nice mix of chopped egg whites, fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, and mixed greens. The pepperoncini offered some bite to the dish.

Famous Potato Skins ($10 supplemental)

I can't resist anything advertised as 'famous.' So I obviously went for the potato skins, which did not disappoint. They were unadorned with anything fancy like bacon bits or cheese, but that's ok when we're talking about something that is so simple that's done so right.

The innards were scooped out, resulting in skins that were crispy on both sides. Perfect vessels for the accompanying horseradish and sour cream, which worked well to bring some fresh flavors to the dish.

Grilled Atlantic Salmon

The salmon had nice seasoning and a decent crust from the grill. However, the GF wasn't the biggest fan since it didn;t taste particularly fresh and was frankly, a bit dry.


Roast Prime Rib of Beef

This 12 ounce slab of beef was well-roasted and seasoned. However, as you can see, there were portions of the beef that were whole unappetizing chunks of fat. The accompanying grated horseradish was frankly chewy and didn't taste that fresh.

The outer crust that I typically enjoy on prime rib was also quite dry and inedible in some parts. Still, the parts of the beef that were edible were enjoyable and exactly what I was looking for in a good prime rib. I'll chalk the rest up to Restaurant Week demands. 


Creamed Spinach

The Restaurant Week menu advertised roasted vegetables, which was actually a duo of dishes that are typical of any steak or prime rib joint. The first was the creamed spinach, which unfortunately was a weak iteration of this standard dish. This was a soupy mess - indicative of what may have been frozen spinach. Butter shone through rather than the essence of spinach.

Mashed Potatoes

The mashed potatoes were sufficiently smooth but were fairly standard. It would have been nice to seen these spruced up.

Key Lime Pie

The key lime pie was perfectly smooth and tangy with a nicely light, thin graham cracker crust. A nice way to cleanse the palate, especially after a heavy meal.


Creme Brulee

The creme brulee had a perfect sugar crust and the custard was creamy and redolent with vanilla essence.

If you're in the mood for prime rib and have deep pockets, I would suggest giving The Prime Rib a try. Overall though, I can't see myself coming back anytime soon as this dining experience was rather lackluster - certainly not on par with Lawry's. Regardless of whether it was Restaurant Week or not, we came for an early dinner and the restaurant was not close to being packed by the time we paid the bill.  However, I may just have to stop by for a drink and some of their potato skins.

www.theprimerib.com

Bitar's Review

After another day of work - the GF and I were feeling something fresh, perhaps even a bit funky. So we scoured DiningIn and settled upon Bitar's! The reviews on Yelp were great and we were in the mood for healthy, yet delicious Middle Eastern food. Hummus ... ho! Any Thundercats fans out there?

DiningIn was amazing as usual. In fact, they called to let me know that they were 5 minutes late due to traffic and then called when they were a minute away. Great customer service, 

but let's get on with the food! 

Vegetarian Bittza ($5.25)
Tomatoes, onion, feta cheese, and roasted peppers. 

I was interested to try this Middle Eastern taken on pizza. Served on crispy zaatar bread littered with  thyme, sumac, sesame seeds - all dressed with a bit of olive oil, you've got ripe tomatoes, fresh onions, and funky feta melding well with the sweet roasted peppers. A healthy take on pizza, but delicious as well.

 Vegetarian Combo ($8.95)
Grilled falafel, grape leaves, and babaghanuj.

The vegetarian combo showcases Bitar's falafel making skills. Crispy on the outside with a creamy blend of spices within, this was a pretty good, though a tad dry (nothing beats Mama's Vegetarian's though!). The sides were a nice mix which included smooth babaghanuj, which highlighted the creaminess of eggplant. The hummus was similarly creamy, but with the taste and feel of meaty chickpeas accented by fresh, tangy lemon. The tabouli salad was just as tangy - highlighting the fresh, crisp veggies. The dolmades or stuffed grape leaves were filled with creamy, sticky rice.

Mediterranean Combo Chicken ($14.95)
Hummus, babaghanuj, tabouli, dolmades with tatziki sauce and feta or olives, chicken.

The Mediterranean chicken combo was a similar mix of fresh items, but with the addition of huge chunks of feta and chicken! 

The chicken was perfectly moist - lightly marinated and grilled. The tahini sauce was a bit watery, but was a perfect sesame dressing for the requisite chicken gyros that had to be made with the accompanying pitas. 

Overall, Bitar's gets the job done if you're in the mood for fresh tasting, delicious, yet healthy Middle Eastern food. For those of you in South Philly, lucky you! For the rest of for the rest of us who are not within walking distance, DiningIn offers a quick, expedient way to deliver the food directly to your door!

http://www.bitars.com/

Sun Room Review

This is for a series of posts for the Borgata Hotel & The Water Club including: Bobby Flay Steak, Wolfgang Puck American Grille, Wolfgang Puck American Grille [2], The Cafeteria, Tony Luke's, N.O.W., N.O.W. [2], Metropolitan, Sun Room, Sun Room [2], Old Homestead Steakhouse, Old Homestead Steakhouse [2], Fat Burger, 28 West, Gelato, the Borgata Buffet, Izakaya, Bread and Butter, and Fornelletto.  

On a recent trip to the Borgata Hotel, Casino, and Spa (expect a review of the main hotel, Wolfgang Puck's American Grille, the Borgata Buffet, and the Cafeteria to come!), the GF and I knew we had to check out Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian's Sun Room. Featured on the Food Network on shows such as the Next Iron Chef (he won!) and Chopped, you can also see him plastered all over the Borgata.

We had previously been to Iron Chef Bobby Flay's eponymous Bobby Flay Steak and were unfortunately not impressed, though Chef Flay's Mesa Grill in NY and Vegas are consistently good.  However, Iron Chef Zakarian has worked under Chef Daniel Boulud of NYC fame and unsurprisingly, his style of cuisine is a modern take on French cuisine. He's also worked with Arpège's, Chef Alain Passard of three Michelin star fame. Basically, on top of being a TV personality, he's actually got the fine dining experience and the chops.

The Sun Room is a casual dining experience in an oasis-like environment. It is located in the Water Club, which is the GF and my favorite place to stay. The Water Club is the Borgata's 'other' hotel property that is connected to the main casino as well, and it features several indoor and outdoor pools. An added bonus? It caters only to adults! In other words, no screeching kids peeing in your pool or crying next door! Unfortunately, I think the Borgata may be scaling back on comps, so we opted to stay at the main hotel this time around.

But back to the Sun Room! On a Sunday at 11AM, it was packed with people getting ready to check out and grab one last meal before heading out. In typical lounge fashion, there are a bunch of elevated coffee tables with individual sofas around then. Amidst some well-trimmed shrubs, the Sun Room emanates hip, cool, yet relaxed. The GF and I didn't have time to wait around, so we parked ourselves at the bar.

The Classic [$12]

Absolut, fresh tomato, celery salt 

To cap off a particularly great weekend at the blackjack tables, I started off with the Iron Chef's take on the bloody mary. This was definitely one of my favorite iterations of this classic drink. Enemies of spice and heat - stay away! The tipple had a nice searing kick induced by the pepper flakes interspersed throughout the drink. The tomato juice and vodka blended nicely, with the latter being mostly indiscernible until the end of the meal - the mark of a well made drink for me.

Scrambled Egg Sandwich [$14]

English muffin, herb salad, cheese, rosemary homefries

The GF went with the breakfast sandwich, which came with the option of several cheeses including provolone, American, and mozzarella. She went with the latter, which came out smothering the entirety of the perfectly creamy eggs, all atop a buttery English muffin. The peppery, bitter arugula salad was a nice countervailing element to the dish. The home fries were perfectly crisp, with a creamy center that helped to make this dish homey.

Lobster & Bacon Omelette [$20]
Maine lobster, smoked bacon, rosemary homefries

I opted for a perfectly made omelette, filled with smoked bacon and perfectly cooked lobster chunks. In fact, take a look inside!

The tender lobster shone through and the occasional bite of salty, smoked bacon was a winner in my book. On top of the home fries and salad, the dish also came with grilled sourdough and a saucer of creamy sauce, which was reminiscent of a lobster bisque even (hollandaise infused with lobster essence perhaps?).

Cheddar and pork grits ($6)

However, my favorite was actual a side that I couldn't help but order! These perfectly made grits were buttery and creamy, yet maintained the texture of the grain itself. The pulled pork was infused with a sweet, tangy BBQ sauce - a nice way to jazz up this oft made classic. And the layer of cheddar on top? The salamander grill definitely did its thing - almost crunchy on the outside, the layer of cheddar was a perfect element to blend into the grits.

Overall, if you want elevated comforts in a casual, yet elegant atmosphere - you need to check out Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian's Sun Room. His take on these simple dishes made me salivate for the opportunity to try his fine dining restaurants (which unfortunately are not at the Borgata). In fact, (spoiler alert!) out of all the places we've tried at the Borgata (Bobby Flay Steak, Wolfgang Puck American Grille, N.O.W.), Iron Chef Zakarian easily laid the smack down on these other establishments. So if you're interested in checking out Iron Chef Zakarian's skills, be sure to purchase tickets to his culinary demonstration on February 2nd, as part of the Borgata's Culinary Series and of course, check out the Sun Room.

FTC Disclaimer: I was not contacted to write this review nor was my meal paid for 

by the Borgata. My opinions are my own and unbiased. 

Lolita Review

This is part of a series of posts related to Chef Marcie Turney including: Verde, Lolita, the Midtown Village Festival, Jamonera, Little Nonna's, and Barbuzzo.

When I think of Philadelphia dining, I automatically think of Midtown Village and 13th Street in Center City. And the duo of Chef Marcie Turney and her partner Valerie Safran embody 'Restaurant Row' better than anyone else.

They infuse multicultural tastes in an intimate setting and more importantly - do it very well! Lolita (Mexican) was their first child, the foundation for an empire which included Bindi (Indian) at one point,  and now encompasses Barbuzzo (Mediterranean tapas) and Jamonera (Spanish tapas). This power duo is also the force behind Marcie Blaine (artisanal chocolates) and Verde (jewelry), among other ventures.

The GF and I have been to all of their outposts and are fond of Barbuzzo especially (think salted caramel budino!). This was actually our first time at Lolita, which is unfortunately cash only, but is also a BYOT joint - as in tequila! They offer delicious pitchers of mixes, including blood orange, which is an obvious best seller.

So on a recent Tuesday, the GF and I strolled in without reservations (apparently they do take reservations Sundays through Thursdays!) and were able to procure a table for two, by the kitchen. One note - the seating at these establishments is typically ... intimate (read: you will practically be sitting on your neighbors). However, this is really the only pitfall that I can discern from the dynamic duo's dining destinations (too much alliteration, I know, but I couldn't help myself!).

In any case, make sure to subscribe to the Lolita mailing list because then you'll be in the know about Taco Tuesdays - $20 prix fixe for a delicious meal!

Gaucomole & Chips [$9 supplemental]

Guacamole was offered as  supplemental course for $9, in addition to a $10 mango guac. We opted for the traditional, which was a delicious iteration of a favorite dish. But let's start with the chips, of which there were three varieties! The standard tortilla chip wasn't stale, but unfortunately, some were chewy. There were also mildly sweet plantain chips and deliciously sweet taro root chips as well! The guac itself was creamy, accentuated with lime, and topped with jicama slices. The tomato-heavy salsa was perfect and had a slight kick on the finish. And finally, the salsa verde was fresh and accentuated by cilantro.

The $20 prix fixe allowed us to choose from multiple options that seem to change every Taco Tuesday (which isn't every Tuesday mind you - so again, sign up for the mailing list!). Your selections are accompanied by three corn tortillas each, which actually had a flour-like texture which I enjoyed, along with various sides. Avocado-tomatillo and roasted tomato chipotle salsas were provided as well.  

Tomatillo Braised Pork Carnitas
Grilled chorizo, shaved green apple fennel slaw, pickled red onions

I opted for the pork carnitas, which were well-infused with sweet tomatillos. They were juicy and savory. A shaved green fennel slaw and pickled red onions offered a nice change in respective textures and tastes. The smoked chorizo was nicely charred and had some appreciated heat on the finish.

Crispy Potato & Wild Mushrooms
Smoked chihuahua cheese, sauteed kale

The GF opted for the crispy potato and wild mushroom taco for her selection. Unfortunately, her crispy potatoes weren't actually crispy and there were only three! However, they were still delicious and had a nice roasted flavor and texture. The mix of fillings was ... filling - mostly kale and mushrooms. The GF appreciated the variety in mushrooms, but noted that some were slimy in texture. She was, however, a fan of the accompanying spread.

Black Beans 

This included beans, which were the only difference between our respective spreads. Her black beans were sufficiently creamy and reminiscent of a black bean soup.

Mexican Beans
Smoked bacon, morita chile, caramelized onions

I had a sweet stew of pintos which contained smoked bacon and caramelized onions. I noticed the GF kept coming back for more!

Arroz Rojo
Tomato, jalapeno, red onion

We both had deliciously fluffy Mexican rice, which had nice chunks of tomato and red onion. The jalapeno was not sufficiently noticeable.

Jicama, Green Mango & Watermelon Radish Salad
Pepitas, Olive Oil, Lime

We also had the radish salad, which was mixed with olive oil and lime. The green mango pieces were appreciated and had an obviously softer texture and sweeter and taste when compared to the jicama and watermelon radishes.

"Street Style" Roasted Butternut Squash
Cotija, chile, lime aioli

But our favorite of the spread? The "street style" roasted butternut squash. The squash was creamy, but retained its structure - positively delicious, hearty, and O-face inducing (you know what I mean). In fact, this dish inspired us to buy some butternut squash to roast and top on tostadas later in the week!

Overall, Lolita hit the spot for us and Taco Tuesdays is a great deal to try a variety of Chef Turney's interpretations of Mexican-inspired dishes. Just be sure to bring some tequila, sufficient cash, and try to get a table that offers a bit of room!

http://www.lolitabyob.com/lolita/