The Original Turkey Review

For the GF's go-to work lunch, she typically heads to The Original Turkey, which I've never had the pleasure of trying. So on a recent weeknight, she decided to pick up a few turkey reubens for dinner - essentially her go-to sandwich.

Turkey Reuben [$9.50]
Turkey, Swiss, Russian dressing, Cole slaw

Despite being takeout, I enjoyed the flavors and quality ingredients. The thick-cut roasted turkey was moist and the cole slaw was nicely creamy with bite. The sandwich could have done with an extra dousing of Russian dressing or another dollop of the cole slaw. The Swiss was also lost in the mix.

Just another excuse to head over to Reading and try their sandwiches first hand.

Turkey Reuben Wrap [$9.50]

Decided to try it in wrap form and this was a joyous mess to eat. Filled with moist turkey along with plenty of Russian dressing and Swiss, I was satisfied. Pro-tip: You can get whole Turkey breasts to go! Perfect for a holiday (or weekday) meal!

Mac n Cheese

Their mac n cheese wasn't anything to scoff at either. While the noodles were slightly over, the creaminess of the cheese sauce had that hint of sharpness I enjoy and the viscosity that the GF dreams of (read: bordering soupy).

I would definitely recommend hitting up The Original Turkey the next time you're at Reading Terminal. Especially if you've got a hankering for Thanksgiving in March.

2016 Garces Foundation Benefit

There's only a few chefs in town that have the power to corral more than 40 chefs and vendors to support a single cause. Unsurprisingly, Iron Chef Jose Garces is one such force. And what better cause for these chefs to support than the health and education of the local immigrant community.

The GF and I are were lucky enough to have been invited to this year's Think Local, Give Local Benefit, presented by the Garces Foundation at the Loews Hotel. Tastings from the city's most accomplished chefs were on offer, along with local entertainment, live, and silent auctions. 6ABC's Alicia Vitarelli and Billy Harris were the emcees for the event.

There were plenty of sponsors, including Tito's Vodka and local Bluecoat Gin. Tito's had a cocktail that was actually on feature at the Garces Wedding Showcase - Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down. Mixed with rosemary simple syrup and lime, it made for an easily quaffable vodka cocktail. I've always enjoyed Bank and Bourbon's Secret Knock, which features whiskey, green tea, lemon, and clarified milk. Light and refreshing, it's no surprise I came back for more. But on to the food! 

Note: All dishes are described clockwise, starting from the top right. 

  

Morimoto - Cured Hamachi, Pumpernickel, Gin Creme Fraiche

Abe Fisher - Smoked Whitefish Salad, Buttermilk Ranch Potato Chip, Pickled Cucumber

Vernick Food & Drink - Salmon Poke

Double Knot - Albacore, Scallion, Onion Ponzu, Radish

 

 Zeppoli - Sicilian Octopus & Calamari Salad

Ela - Root Vegetable Scone, Smoked Bone Marrow Butter

Kanella - Pork Stew Dolmades 

Distrito PHL - Ceviche, Charred Jalapeno Oil, Pepitas, Citrus 

Laurel - Kobe Beef Tartare, Bresola, Beef Salt, Pickles 

Friday Saturday Sunday - Beef Tartare, Smoked Bone Marrow Cream 

Blackfish - Chicken Liver Parfait, Malted Parsnip, Sherry Vinegar, Caraway 

Bistrot la Minette - Foie Gras Mousse

Alla Spina - Octopus Ragu, Straciatella, Brioche  

Dim Sum Garden - Vegetarian & Pork Dumplings, Pork Bun, Scallion Pancake

Fork - Green Garlic Gnocchi, Roasted Mushrooms, Chicken Ragu

Lacroix - Celery Root Potsticker, Country Ham, Scallion

In the midst of all the tasting, there was plenty of entertainment as well. Live band American Deluxe kicked off the night with some tunes. Flamenco group De Luna a Lunares were center stage and sparked some excitement. Denise Fike was providing gorgeous fashion illustrations of the guests. Silent auction tables were littered with plenty of exciting packages, including dinner at many of the chef's restaurants. The highlights from the live auction included a Norwegian cruise for 2, a one week stay in Costa Rica, and a private dinner for 10 at Chef Garces' Luna Farm, hosted by the Iron Chef himself! The latter turned into two dinners for 10 - at a winning bid of $8,000 each! That's including access to the farm's hot tub! 

After the dizzying show of monetary support for the Foundation's cause, what better way to enjoy the rest of the evening than by continuing with the tastings!

Buena Onda - Smoked Tuna, Malanga Chip 

Distrito Moorestown - Guacamole, Roasted Jalapeno, Cotija 

Buena Onda - Esquites  

The Farm and the Fisherman - Scarlet Bean Pozole 

Townsend - Whole Roasted Suckling Pig, Sherry Gastrique 

Kensington Quarters - Maple Cured Ham, Pumpernickel, Root Vegetable Slaw, Mustard

Tinto - Iberico Bellota Montadito, Iberico Lardo, Padron Pepper Escabeche, Bellota Jam, Idiazabal

Village Whiskey - Smoked BBQ Pork Slider, Coleslaw, Pickle Chips

Sbraga - "Cubano" Country Ham, Pickle, Pickled Onion, Mustard, Ciccharon

It wasn't all a porcine pleasure paradise. There were plenty of vegetarian and vegan options as well. And who better to represent that segment of the culinary population than Vedge's husband-wife duo of Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby, clearly engaging the crowd and enjoying themselves as well. 

 Will BYOB - Arugula Vichyssoise

Garces Trading Company - Spiced Smoked Carrots

Vedge - Spicy Greek Briam Stew

Bank and Bourbon - Salt Roasted Celery Root, Truffle Cheese

 Whetstone Tavern / Brauhaus Schmitz - Marinated Beets, Sherry Vinaigrette, Feta, Quinoa, Pumpkin Seeds, Zatar

JG Domestic  - Carrot Pastrami

Honey Lavender Ice Cream Sandwich - Local Wildflower Lavender Honey, Shortbread

Butterscotch Brown-Butter Sage - Butterscotch Custard, Heritage Sage Streusel 

Dessert came in the form of Weckerly's Ice Cream, which was stationed along with Baba's Kombucha Brew, Subarashii Kudamono Gourmet Asian Pears, and Gilda's Biscotti.

All in all, if you're at all culinary-inclined, I'd keep the Garces Foundation Benefit on your radar. You're supporting the local community and getting a taste of what this great city's brightest chefs have to offer. 

Special thanks to Corie from Gloss PR and the Garces Foundation for the invite!

Luigi's Pizza Fresca Review [2]

My previous Luigi's Pizza Fresca experience with their pizza and fries wasn't that great. But their chicken fingers were on point. So, the GF and I were in the mood for some bar bites and snacks, so decided to give them another try. 

Cheddar Jalapeno Poppers [$5.75]

The cheddar jalapeno poppers seemed homemade and were nice - the breading was crispy and a cheddar cream cheese mixture was within. The marinara was a bit weak though, without much seasoning. 

Zucchini Sticks [$6.35]
 

The zucchini fries were fresh and were also crisp.

Buffalo Chicken Fingers [$7.45]
 

 

The chicken fingers weren't overly breaded and were juicy. The accompanying fries weren't well-seasoned, but were thin and crisp.

Grilled Portobello Panini [$7.65]
Portobello mushrooms, fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers, caramelized onions 

 

The GF was in more of a vegetarian mood so went with the grilled portobello panini. The innards were decent - fresh mozz, roasted peppers, rich caramelized onions, and hearty mushrooms. However, the bread seemed like pizza dough and the sandwich as a whole could have been on the press a bit longer, if a press was even used.

Cheese Fries [$3.45]
 

I was in the mood to carbo-load, so went with some cheese fries as well. The fries were limp however and the mozzarella covering it didn't really do much to add to each bite.

Overall, Luigi's Pizza Fresca has some good bar bites. Do try their chicken fingers, zucchini fries, and jalapeno poppers, but I'd skip their panini's. 

Mama's Vegetarian Review

One of the business district's lunch-crowd hotspots is Mama's Vegetarian - right by 20th and Market. Despite the inevitable line during prime time, service is quick. Just be prepared - it's cash only!

There's not much seating, but for less than $10 - you can get an abundant platter of delicious vegetarian delights and sandwiches for even less. 

And on a recent weekday night, I picked up a few things for dinner for the GF and I. Definitely less of a line for dinner service.

Mama's Platter [$9.50]
Hummus, vegetables, pita

The Mama's platter comes with fresh, chewy, pliant pita and hummus that can be requested spicy or not. It has a heavy sesame-tahini base and is delicious. The coleslaw has a slight vinegary tang and the prototypical Israeli-style cucumber-tomato salad provided freshness. But the stars of the show are the falafel - nicely crisp, yet containing a moist melange of garlic, parsley, and chickpeas within.

Eggplant Platter [$9.50]
Hummus, vegetables, pita
  

We also went with the eggplant platter, which had similar accoutrements, including some falafel and gluttonous dolmas. The eggplant was roasted with balsamic and came skin-on (which I enjoy). The roasting provided contrasts in texture - crispiness from the skin and tenderness from the meat within. Nice.

Latkes [$2.50 each]

When I saw that latkes were on offer, I had to get some. The latkes were made of a veggie and potato mix and were well-seasoned. However, perhaps it was due to the fact that I had these for takeout, but they did not have the crispy texture I look for.

No one can fault the pickle bar though - free with purchase! Feel free to grab a variety of peppers, pickles, and pickled goodies to provide some oomph to your dish. So if you're in the area for lunch or dinner - do stop by. For reasonable prices, you'll get some delicious bites - and vegetarian, no less!

Bistro Southeast Review [2]

In the Graduate Hospital area, I highly recommend Bistro Southeast for their Asian-inspired sandwiches at more-than affordable prices. You definitely get the sense that it's a family-owned business, with long ties to the Philadelphia food scene. In fact, owner Troy Eap's sister owns highly regarded Artisan Boulanger in South Philly. So when Troy (pictured on the bottom right) invited me down to check out the distinct dinner menu, there was no hesitation on my part!  

Simply designed, there are plenty of tables at Bistro Southeast for diners to enjoy their amalgamation of Southeast Asian and Cajun flavors - Casian, if you will! 

Shrimp Summer Roll [$5.95]

The GF came along for the ride this time and she was so glad she did. We started off with the summer rolls, which featured crisp veggies, fragrant herbs, and snappy shrimp. They came with a duo of hoisin and mint cilantro sauces. Wonderful start to the meal. 

Thai Sweet Chili Wings [$6.95]

The Thai sweet chili wings are a must order in my mind and possibly better than the ones at Cheu Noodle Bar. Perfectly crisp, with some kick to the Thai chili sauce, the cilantro helped to cut through the sticky sweetness of each bite. 

Combo #2 - Shrimp Boil [$24.95]
1 lb. shrimp, 1 lb. clams, sausage, corn, potatoes

If you're stopping by for dinner, you obviously have to try one of their boils. Potatoes, corn, sausage, shrimp and/or clams are steamed together with butter, garlic, and Casian spices to maintain moistness and optimal seasoning. The potatoes still had bite and the sausage had wonderful snap to it. The clams were perfect little morsels of butter and brine, but the star of the boil was the head-on shrimp. The juicy bits of head fat were inundated with that buttery Casian flavor. A squirt of lime to provide some acid and countervailing balance? Heaven. Not exactly date food because you'll require multiple napkins and wetnaps, but what better way to test whether you're with the right person?

Fried Cheesecake [$6.95]

Asian restaurants aren't known for their desserts, but I appreciated that Bistro Southeast tries with their deep-fried cheesecake. Crisply fried and not overly doughy, the cheesecake still maintained its consistency within. Dragonfruit slices and rambutan provided some light and subtly sweetness as well. 

So if you're in the Graduate Hospital area or are craving Cajun flavors, be sure to check out Bistro Southeast! If you see Troy, don't hesitate to chat him up because he's a joy to speak with and will treat you like family.Pro-tip: If you check in on Facebook or Yelp, there's a 10% discount as well.