Teassert Bar Review

Originating from Thailand, hand-rolled ice cream is all the rage these days. First taking LA and New York by storm, the craze has hit our fair city over the past few months. The most recent entry comes from Teassert Bar in Chinatown. 

It's a bright, inviting space that was definitely a cooling respite from the muggy heat wave. There's plenty of seating, with Jenga, Connect Four, and free Wi-Fi to enjoy with your ice cream or bubble tea. 

Thai Iced Tea Bubble Tea [$3.50 Regular | $4.50 Large]

The Thai Iced Tea was everything you'd expect - cool, refreshing, creamy, and sweet. Teassert offers freshly brewed teas with pure cane sugar - there's no fructose or artificial powders at all! You can customize the sweetness and ice levels and choose from tapioca, popping boba, or lychee jelly as well! 

But really, it's all about the hand-rolled ice cream. On what is basically an anti-griddle, the ingredients for your ice cream are poured on. How fresh is Teassert Bar? Literally only three ingredients were used to make our strawberry cheesecake ice cream. Cream was poured on top of strawberries and cheesecake, chopped, and then rolled out to a wonderfully creamy consistency. 

Green Tea Teassert Waffle [$8]
Strawberry cheesecake 

We first tried the Hong Kong style waffle, which is a crisp egg-based waffle that had a wonderful texture with the subtle essence of green tea. A nice juxtaposition alongside the creamy strawberry cheesecake ice cream. Better yet? Unlimited toppings including fruit, chocolate, whipped cream, syrups, and Pocky sticks! 

Snickers Ice Cream Roll [$7]

Peanuts, caramel, chccolate

We also enjoyed the Snickers, which had peanuts, caramel, and chocolate interspersed within the hand-rolled ice cream. Topped with brownie bits, M&M's, syrup, and Oreo's, this was a decadent delight! 

So if you're looking for the latest fad or simply want high-quality and hand-crafted ice cream, be sure to check out Teassert Bar! For those that are lactose intolerant, they offer non-dairy sorbets as well. Do keep in mind that they really are crafting the ice cream right in front of you, so it'll take a few minutes. It's not as simple as scooping out of a gallon drum and moving on to the next customer. But trust me, it'll be well worth the wait! 

FTC Disclaimer: Thanks to Stephen for reaching out to invite us to the Grand Opening. Regardless, my opinions are mine alone and, therefore, unbiased. 

Kabuki Sushi Review

On a random weekend night, the GF and I felt checking out another Philly sushi spot for delivery. We settled upon Kabuki Sushi. 

Sushi Regular Entree [$15.95]

Seven pieces of assorted sushi, California roll, miso soup, house salad

With the sushi regular entree, we received some miso soup, which was fairly standard - briny with bits of tofu and scallion within. The house salad came with some tomatoes, Iceberg lettuce, and julienned strips of carrot, along with some of that prototypical ginger dressing. 

From left to right, we had fatty white tuna (I know it's bad for you, but I love it!), meaty yellowtail, snappy striped bass, fatty salmon, fresh tuna, and a California roll. The rice was lightly warm and had a sweet vinegary seasoning that didn't overpower the fish. Not bad for delivery! 

 

Philadelphia Roll [$5.25]

Smoked salmon, cream cheese, avocado

I love a good Philly roll and this didn't disappoint. Basically bagels and lox without the cure, the fattiness of the salmon, avocado, and cream cheese obviously went well together. 

New York Roll [$12.95]

Spicy salmon, tuna crunchy, avocado roll, topped with spicy tuna, salmon, flying fish roe, scallion, wasabi sauce.  

Their specialty NY roll was a contrast in spicy salmon, which was cooled off by the creamy avocado. I appreciated the crunch of the tuna and the briny pop of masago. 

Volcano Roll [$9.95]

Tempura rice roll topped with spicy tuna, chef's sauce

The volcano roll was especially gluttonous and overdone with mayo on top of the spicy tuna. Americanized sushi exemplified. 

Sweet Potato Roll [$4.95] 

You know we had to order our standard sweet potato roll. Sadly, the sweet potato was still a bit starchy and the tempura crunch was just not there. 

Overall, the nigiri were good at Kabuki, especially for delivery. But there were a few misses as well. Still, if you're looking for takeout or delivery, I'd give them a try - the order got to our door within 30 minutes! 

Bank and Bourbon Review

Regular readers know that I'm a fan of Bank and Bourbon's annual Bourbon Bash. It's an event that every foodie should have marked on their calendars as it's the perfect venue to taste all of South Philly-bred Chef Thomas Harkin's incredibly executed dishes. A stalwart of the Philadelphia Loews from the SoleFood days, he stayed on to "bank" on the hotel's new vision. Chef Harkin and his incredible team epitomize how hotel restaurants have come a long way, whether it's the incredible sourcing of ingredients or the farm-to-table approach. It's no wonder that the 2 bells from Craig LaBan was nearing a third ring for this long-time veteran. 

Bread Service

The GF and I were invited to come in to try the new spring menu and as always, meals start off with fresh sourdough and a pat of room temp butter to enjoy. 

Champagne 

Coupes of champagne were sent over - much appreciated! This was a nice dry sparkler to kick off the night. 

Hamachi [$12]
Pickled plum, avocado, ginger oil 

I love a good crudo and Chef Harkin does his right. The fish was the star, with the wonderful meatiness of the hamachi coming. I appreciated the light accents from the ginger oil and acidity from the pickled plum and jalapeno. The avocado mousse helped to create an even better mouth-feel for each bite. 

Warm Corn Salad [$9]
Snow peas, candied walnuts, lime, Parmesan 

The corn salad was a fresh summer standout and definitely the GF's favorite. The sweet corn kernels had bite and the texture from the candied walnuts and snowpeas helped to create an interesting melange of flavors. The blanket of salty Parmesan cheese and some bright acidity from the lime helped to bring this dish over the top. 

Pork Belly [$14]
Apricots, kale, onion soubise 

I'm already sold on the fact that Chef Harkin and his crew know how to do pork belly. I still can't forget about their pastrami pork belly from this past Bourbon Bash! So I had to order this starter that ate like an entree. A huge slab of unctuous pork belly was slow-roasted at 250 in juniper and bay leaves and fall-apart tender. The onion soubise had great depth, which provided additional savoriness to each bite. The pickled apricots and jalapeno helped to bring forth some levity and balance to the dish. Spot on! 

Trees Knees [$12]
Rittenhouse rye, Bourbon-aged maple syrup, fresh lemon, sage, smoked paprika 

At this point I was aching for the Secret Knock - Bank and Bourbon's signature bourbon cocktail with clarified milk. But I decided to branch out and try the intriguing Trees Knees, which yes, was the bee's knees! For those still afraid of bourbon, it's the perfect starter drink that doesn't go overboard on sweetness. The bourbon-aged maple syrup does bring some subtly sweet lightness to each sip, with bright acidity from the lemon and a bit of smoky kick from the paprika. Easily quaffable and a new favorite. Be sure to check it out during Happy Hour! 

32 oz. Dry-Aged Cowboy Steak [$80]

Crispy fingerling potatoes, watercress 

The cowboy ribeye is always killer at Bank and Bourbon. Cooked medium to cater to the GF's tastes, the well-charred beef is so tender you might think it was filet! But don't get me wrong - the enjoyable fattiness of this ribeye could not be denied. The quality of the beef here really shines and it's no surprise that Bank and Bourbon sources approximately $10,000 worth of LaFrieda meats on the reg. For those in the know Pat LaFrieda is easily the king of beef these days. Make sure to check out Bank and Bourbon's burgers which are similarly sourced! 

But back to the steak! You can't have meat without potatoes right? The crisp fingerlings still had bite within and were well-seasoned. We especially enjoyed the spuds that were extra crispy! I also appreciated the bitter watercress, which helped to provide some balance to the dish. 

Chef then stopped by and decided to send out all of the new desserts on the recently revamped menu. Kudos to pastry chef Amanda Kaewvichien, who is constantly on-point with her standout desserts! 

Blueberry Pie [$8]
Streusel topping, vanilla ice cream

When you see blueberry pie on a menu, you're usually thinking you'll get a nice slice. At Bank and Bourbon, we're talking about a whole individual pie, topped with crumbly streusel and a healthy scoop of vanilla ice cream. The filling within were studded with whole blueberries and I couldn't help but smile with each bite.

Burnt Sugar Cake [$7]
Cream cheese icing, pineapple, coconut sorbet 

The moist burnt sugar cake brought forth caramelized flavors that worked well with the cream cheese icing. The sweet pineapples and coconut sorbet helped to brighten up the richness of each bite.

Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwich [$8]
Pretzel cookie crust, caramelized bananas, chocolate fudge

Ice cream sandwiches are often found at Bank and Bourbon and with good reason. This iteration channeled the city's often enjoyed pretzels. The hearty pretzel cookie shortbread contrasted nicely in texture with the creamy vanilla ice cream. With the bruleed bananas and chocolate fudge, this dish is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. 

So whether you're looking for a new Happy Hour spot or looking for a proper meal, be sure to give Bank and Bourbon a try. They've got top notch cocktails, incredible desserts, and well-executed dishes that'll have you wondering why it took you so long to give them a try. 

FTC Disclaimer: Many thanks to Chef Tom Harkins and Jaimi from Loews Philadelphia for hosting us, gratis. Regardless, my opinions are mine alone and, therefore, unbiased. 

The Olde Bar Brunch 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], Tinto [Brunch], Village Whiskey, and The Olde Bar.

The Olde Bar is Iron Chef Jose Garces' contemporary oyster saloon in Old City. It's a memorable and distinct space that pays homage to the landmark Old Original Bookbinder's, a seafood restaurant steeped in historic tradition stemming back to the late 1800's. Chef's deference is reflected in the menu as well, which includes a modern take on the Old Original Bookbinder's snapping turtle soup! 

The main dining and bar area extends beyond to two distinct event spaces, the Blackburn and Vessel Rooms. So if you're interested in hosting private events, The Olde Bar has got you covered. There also aren't many restaurants in Philly where you can enjoy your meal and indulge in a quick tour of an historic space. 

Beat'n Horse Thief [$14]
El Dorado 8 year rum, aperol, beet & horseradish syrup, lemon, cherry shrub

The GF and I started off our brunch with some cocktails, including the Beat'n Horse Thief. We absolutely loved the rum-based specialty cocktail, which featured sweet grassy notes from the beet syrup, along with some kick from the horseradish to offset the smooth, sweet rum. 

Caesar Bloody Mary [$12]
Tomato juice, clam juice, horseradish

We also indulged in the Caesar bloody mary, which featured a subtle brininess from the clam juice and a slight kick from the horseradish. While prototypically peppery, this drink showed restraint - perfect to enjoy and not overtake a dozen of Olde Bar's finest oysters. Speaking of which ...

Dozen Oysters [East Coast $3/pc. | West Coast $3.50/pc.]

A dozen beautifully-arranged oysters ranging from bold Glidden Points to crisp and buttery Choptantz and Cape May salts were brought forth. Traditional accoutrements were provided, but I was more in favor of letting the gorgeous bivalves shine on their own. Be sure to stop by during Happy Hour for Buck-a-Shuck. And if you're averse to the raw persuasion, expand your palette with the Oysters Belmont, baked with bacon, spinach, manchego, and fennel. Pro tip? They're only $5 on Thursdays from 5-8PM! 

Olde Bar Fries [$14]
Crab, lobster butter, oyster stoudt, cheddar fondue

A must order in my mind are the Olde Bar fries, which features incredibly crisp, beef fat fries, topped with an abundant mound of jumbo lump crab, gorgeous lobster butter, and a ladle of oyster stoudt and cheddar fondue. To. Die. For. As much as I love the Village Whiskey duck fat fries topped with short ribs and Sly Fox cheddar, this has to be my favorite Jose Garces take on fries! 

Crab Benedict [$14]
Jumbo lump crab, country ham, lobster butter, poached eggs, bernaise

The crab benedict featured even more jumbo lump crab alongside rounded brioche, topped with country ham, wonderfully runny poached eggs, and a rich lobster butter bernaise that amplified the seafood essence in this dish. 

I mean ... c'mon. Absolute delicious! 

French Toast [$14]
Brioche, toasted coconut, berries, bourbon candied pecans, whipped cream

But the surprise of the meal for me had to be the dish I probably wouldn't have ordered from the brunch menu. In fact, The Olde Bar might have the best french toast I've ever had at brunch - quite a statement I know! Sure, Philly has Sabrina's and Green Eggs Cafe and their reputable stuffed french toasts. But the texture on The Olde Bar's bad boys have those beat by a mile. The brioche almost had a lightly deep-fried mouth-feel on the exterior, revealing light and pillowy airiness within. Bourbon candied pecans offered sweet crunch, offset by the tartness of the berries. Drizzled in syrup and whipped cream, this was the perfect ending to a wonderful brunch meal. 

As with all Jose Garces restaurants, service was great. Our server, Matt, and all of the runners were extremely knowledgeable and affable. I'd highly recommend stopping by for brunch and for Happy Hour. I know I'll have to stop by again to try the snapper soup and enjoy the dinner menu! 

FTC Disclaimer: Special thanks to Corie from Gloss PR for the invitation and to The Olde Bar for hosting us. Regardless, my opinions are mine alone and, therefore, unbiased. 

Ai Ramen Review

Other posts related to the Hai Street Kitchen empire of restaurants include: Hai Street Kitchen, Wok Street, and Ai Ramen. 

If you've been keeping abreast of Philly's fast casual food movement, you know Hai Street has been expanding their Asian empire beyond just the sushiritos. A few months back, we had Wok Street starting to offer stir-fried rice and noodles. Now, we've got stellar ramen, bao, and sushi in the Shops at Liberty Place - thanks to Ai Ramen! 

You might think a ramen spot in the middle of a shopping mall is a bit funky, but it's oh so right. Especially during the summer, you might not think hot ramen broth makes much sense. But in the cool, air-conditioned food court of the Shops at Liberty Place, the ramen at Ai ("love" in Japanese) is easily enjoyed. They've also got a variety of sushi and bao buns for carryout if you're on the go! 

Pomegranate Oolong Tea [$2.38]

Cool yourself off with some Oolong tea. The bitterness of the Oolong contrasted nicely with the light, sweetness of the pomegranate. A nice refreshing treat for the summer's heat. 

Chasu Pork Bao [$4]
Teriyaki, lettuce, scallions

Ai's chasu is perfectly tender, yet well-roasted on the exterior. In place of the standardly seen pickled carrots and veggies, I enjoyed the bite of the scallions. These were a nice foil to the heft of the pork and the sweetness of the teriyaki. All housed within a nicely steamed and subtly sweet bao bun, I could have eaten half a dozen of these bad-bao boys. 

Ai Ramen [$10.99]
Orginal Ai broth, scallions, chashu pork, red ginger, lime pepper, black mushroom, seasoned egg, mayu 

But really, I was here for the ramen. Noodles are supplied from Sun Noodle Company, so you know they're on point. Perfectly springy and wonderfully textured, these aren't the ramen noodles from college, people. Even better? That broth though! Chicken and pork bones clearly put in work for hours to create an amazing stock, which was nicely balanced by the sweet funk of the black garlic mayu. Nicely roasted slices of chasu pork and black mushrooms provided savoriness, with the lime pepper, scallions, and red ginger supplying a countervailing contrast to each bite. Poached egg? Don't mind if I do! Sesame seeds studded throughout to provide additional texture. 

So if you're looking to branch out beyond your typical pizzeria or sandwich shop during the workweek lunch, I'd highly recommend checking out Ai Ramen at Liberty Place. Philly doesn't have an abundance of Ramen spots to boast about, but it does have Ai Ramen! 

City Tavern Review

If you're looking to get historical from a dining perspective while in Old City, City Tavern has got you covered. Owned by executive chef Walter Staib, the menu's inspired by actual colonial recipes, ranging from Martha Washington's turkey pot pie to an Indian pepperpot stew. If you recall, there was a fire that closed down the Tavern late in 2014, but it's now back up and running! 

One of the unique things is that the servers portray folks from the colonial era, if you're into that sort of thing. So if you start talking about modern gadgets and gizmos, they'll act as if you're from Mars! 

Apple Cider & Spiced Rum [$8.50]

You can order your drinks either cold or warmed up. The GF went with the cold apple cider and spiced rum - sweet, with a slight spice from the cinnamon, she enjoyed it.

Apple Cider & Applejack Brandy [$8.50]

My apple and cider brandy had a bit more bite to it and kept me warm throughout the meal! 

Wassail [$8.50]
Spiced cocktail
 

Wassailing's a traditional drinking ritual to ensure a good cider apple harvest. So this is City Tavern's ode to this tradition. Not overly sweet, this also had a nice spice that was enjoyable. 

Bread Service

Bread service included a selection of colonial-era breads, including tea, molasses and cornmeal, sweet potato and ginger, and banana breads. 

Smoked Salmon & Trout [$11.95]

Peppered smoked salmon, smoked Pennsylvania brook trout, capers, red onions, pumpernickel 

We all started of with some smoked fish, including trout and salmon. It came with some pumpernickel and a variety of accoutrements, including capers, onions, and sour cream. 

Wiener Schnitzel [$26.95]
Pan-fried pork, roasted vegetables, fries

I went with the schnitzel, which came out a bit cold and was frankly a bit underwhelming, as was the case with the roasted vegetables. The fries were decent - crisp and well-seasoned. 

Colonial Turkey Pot Pie [$21.95]
 

Clearly the way to go was with Martha's colonial turkey pot pie. The crust was flaky, buttery, and delicious. 

Cutting through it revealed a wonderful melange of carrots, peas, and moist chicken, swimming in a wonderful broth that had just the right consistency. 

Overall, City Tavern's the perfect spot for tourists who want to revel in the history of Old City, Philadelphia. Chef Staib's done a great job crafting a menu that provides deference to the past. 

City Tavern
138 S. 2nd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 413-1443
www.citytavern.com