The Little Lion Review

The GF's folks were in town and we decided to spend the day walking through the boutiques in Old City. A bit famished, we decided to grab brunch at Little Lion.  

It's a beautiful space, with plenty of seating whether you're looking to grab a table for a bite or get a seat at the bar for Happy Hour. The upstairs is especially vibrant and clearly a visual focal point. 

Mac & Cheese [$10]
Stewed tomatoes, buttered bread crumbs

Regular readers know that I always have to order the mac. And while the temperature was barely luke-warm, the flavors were all there. Reminiscent of a buttery grilled cheese with tomato soup, the stewed tomatoes added a nicely bright acidity to the creamy cheese-drenched cavatappi. 

Fried Green Tomatoes [$8]

Pimento Cheese, bacon tomato jam, buttermilk ranch

The fried green tomatoes were a winner, The tomatoes had wonderful bite, with a crisp fry on the exterior. The pimento cheese had a kick that woke the palate and was tempered by the jam and the cooling buttermilk ranch. 

BBQ Chicken Thigh Sliders [$8]
Sour slaw, potato rolls, bread & butter pickles 

The chicken had a bit of BBQ char and were enjoyable juicy, with the acidity of the sour slaw and the pickles providing some levity. 

Buffalo Chicken & Biscuits [$12]
Sausage gravy, potatoes

Sadly, as I excited as I was for this dish, I was immeasurably disappointed on the execution. Perhaps it was sitting at the pass for awhile, though in the interest of full disclosure, service actually quick and great overall. Not only was the gravy cold, but the chicken wasn't that much warmer either and only had the faintest hint of buffalo sauce. I'm of the school of thought where unless I'm at a fine dining restaurant, I usually don't send things back. And even then, I've only done it once. Yet here, it took everything I had not to send it back to the kitchen - more so to provide feedback. That being said, the concept and the flavors were definitely discernible. The accompanying home fries were on point, with plenty of charred and crisp veggies studding the spuds. 

Lion Burger [$14]
Sharp cheddar, bacon, pickled red onion, pimento cheese, butter lettuce, Heirloom tomato, house-made pickles

The GF's burger didn't fare much better. Granted, it was ordered medium well, but there was also a general lack of seasoning. Worse in my book? The fries were limp, greasy, and devoid of texture. 

Smoked Turkey Sloppy Joe [$9]
Smoked free range turkey, sweet & spicy tomato, chilies, bread & butter pickles, grilled onions, brioche

The last thing I would order on a menu was the surprise of brunch. The ground and smoked turkey was incredibly moist and juicy, with great flavor from the sweet and spicy tomato. And who can say no to sweet potato fries, which surprisingly had more crisp that the aforementioned fries! 

Overall, Little Lion's a great-looking spot with potential. I was excited at the prospects when looking over the menu - so much so that I know I'll be returning to see if it was just a misstep on the back of a kitchen that was on the latter half of a brunch service. Not that that's an excuse ... 

The Twisted Tail Review

Our friend was visiting for the weekend, so we obviously had to hit up a boozy brunch. Not having tried the Twisted Tail just yet, I booked us an outdoor table for Sunday brunch. An added incentive? The boozy champagne popsicle cocktails I've been seeing all over Instagram! 

Champagne cocktails aside, this Headhouse Square hotspot is a Southern-inspired bourbon house and juke joint, with plenty of American whiskies and bourbons on offer. You can dine al fresco and enjoy the sights and sounds of the Headhouse Square farmer's market or listen to live music as well. 

Champagne Popsicles

That being said, 2/3 of our party were of the feminine persuasion, so we had to indulge in the trendy tipple (not that I needed my arm tail twisted!). They usually have a variety of homemade popsicles on offer - we tried both their Meyer lemon and strawberry. When melted, the popsicles expectedly imparted their sweet flavors upon the effervescent, dry champagne. Easy drinking!

Pro-tip: Twisted Tail offers half-off sparkling wine on Sundays! 

Beer-Battered Cheese Curds [$9]
Thousand island, spicy tomato jam 

Twisted Tail's beer-battered cheese curds are gargantuan and likely the best curds I've had! The batter was like glass and housed squeaky and stringy hot curds. The accompanying Thousand Island was on point and the spicy tomato jam was even better. 

Praline French Toast [$13]
Brioche, pecans, bourbon pineapple 

Our friend's french toast was requested without the bourbon pineapple, yet was still quite tasty and comforting! We're talking a thick slab of brioche, with the exterior nicely crusted and a pillowy, almost creamy interior.

Biscuits n' Gravy [$13]
Sausage, sunny side eggs 

Admittedly, my main could have been executed slightly better. In addition to the brown gravy being a bit jarring, it was clear it had started to seize. Still, the flavors were there, with plenty of savory sausage and ham and a flaky biscuit providing substantive heft to each bite. And while I typically prefer poached eggs, sunny side made sense when considering the gravy. Regardless of your preference, who can say no to any type of eggs on top? 

Chicken & Sweet Potato Waffle [$16]
Bourbon-battered, maple syrup 

The GF's chicken and potato waffle was likely the best main. Crisp, juicy chicken came bone-in and packed with plenty of flavor and seasoning. The sweet potato waffle had some texture and was subtly sweet. With a drizzle of maple syrup and a dash of that apple butter, it was easy to create the perfect sweet and savory bite. 

French Fries [$5]

We were all in the mood for fries and thankfully, the Twisted Tail's are perfect - crisp and salty. They also came with a trio of side dips as well, including a curry ketchup and garlic aioli. 

We all know Philly has plenty of proper brunch spots. And if you're in the Society Hill area, I'd recommend hitting up the Twisted Tail - boozy brunch or not! I know I'll be stopping by again to indulge in some bourbons and to check out their Happy Hour.

Hunger Burger Philly Review

This is for a series of posts for Reading Terminal Market including: The Rib Stand, Hatville Deli,By George! Pizza, Pasta & Cheesesteaks, Olympic Gyro, Iovine Brothers Produce, DiNic's Pork and Beef, Meltkraft, Wursthaus Schmitz, Beiler's Donuts, and Hunger Burger.    

Over the past few years, we've seen much of what I like to call philanthropic capitalism. Whether it's TOMS, Everything Happy, or Soap Box, the One for One model certainly has an altruistic element - so I'm all for it! Apparently this extends to the food scene as well with Hunger Burger, located in Reading Terminal Market. 

The husband-and-wife team of George and Kim Mickel already own By George and Mezze eatery in RTM. With Hunger Burger, they're griddling up stellar burgers, with the mission of feeding a child in need, with every burger sold! 

Mac n Cheese Specialty Burger [$6.95]
Angus beef burger, Mac n Cheese, Bacon

Hunger Burger usually has a specialty burger on offer and I couldn't resist the Mac attack. The soft potato bun is the perfect vehicle to house the innards - creamy, cheesy mac interspersed between crisp strips of bacon and perfectly crusted and seasoned burger patties. Grease bomb to the Nth degree, but well worth the trip to burger bliss! 

Lobster Mac n Cheese [$10.95]

Who can resist lobster mac? There was nice depth of flavor here, with decent chunks of tender lobster strewn throughout the cavatappi noods. A well-rounded complement to this carb fest of a lunch.

So if you're in RTM, please give Hunger Burger a try. Sure, you can always up your lunch game with Dinic's Roast Pork or Beiler's Donuts, but save some room for a great burger as well! 

Craftsman Row Saloon Fall Feast Event

Located in Philly's Jeweler's Row, Craftsman Row Saloon is nearing its one year anniversary with owners George and Vasiliki Tsiouris at the helm. Yes, the same brother and sister duo that brought you Midtown Village hotspots Opa and Drury Beer Garden! 

I was able to stop by for a media event to try out their bar menu, along with a few seasonal drinks and surprises! 

The drinks were definitely on trend. From Pumpkin White Russians (callin' all my #PSL girls) to caramel apple spiced cocktails to whet and warm your palate, Craftsman Row Saloon has got your Happy Hours covered in seasonal delight! 

With saloon as part of its name, Craftsman Row has plenty of bar bites to keep you satiated. Chili chip nachos will set you right on Game Day. And who doesn't like homemade mozzarella sticks? Be sure to take your pick between their French Onion soup and brisket mac n cheese - either of which will give you a taste of homemade flavors.

There are also a variety of burgers on Craftsman's menu. Rep' South Philly with the "Stallone," which features smashed burger patties, ham, genoa salami, capicola, sharp provolone, and red pepper relish. The Mac Daddy is clearly a crowd pleaser with gooey mac oozing out from the griddled patties. Fried chicken's also on the menu, with a Southern-style biscuit on the side. Speaking of sides - the buffalo cauliflower bites are a sleeper hit! 

So if you're looking for a Game Day bar or Happy Hour spot, make sure to give Craftsman Row Saloon a try! There's plenty of room and the bartenders are friendly. Definitely a bright spot considering Jeweler's Row isn't known for being an oasis of food and drink. 

FTC Disclaimer; I attended a media preview event hosted by Bondfire Media. Thanks to Marie for the invite. Regardless, my opinions are mine alone and, therefore, unbiased.