Moshulu 2019 Fall Menu

As you might already be aware, the Moshulu recently underwent a renovation. It still remains the only restaurant in the world aboard a tall ship. And the food coming out of Chef Anthony Bonett's kitchen is still top notch.

Clockwise from Right: Smoking Sazerac, Beet & Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese Croquette, Lobster Cocktail

Whether it's at White Dog Cafe or at the Moshulu, you'll find me enjoying the Smoking Sazerac. Easily enjoyed with an earthy and well-seasoned beet & arugula salad that came with crispy, salty goat cheese croquettes. The lobster cocktail was a delicious deconstruction of a lobster roll. Perfectly cooked, atop a buttery brioche round.

Clockwise from Right: Sea Scallops with Gnocchi and Black Truffle, Honey Sriracha Atlantic Salmon & Quinoa, Mac n Cheese

The seared sea scallops were nicely paired with a deep black truffle mushroom jus, with seared gnocchi. Hearty fare as we go into the colder months. The crispy Atlantic salmon made a believer out of crispy fish skin for the wife. Honey sriracha imparted a spicy sweetness in that crispy skin, with the meat being nicely moist and flaky. The tricolor quinoa was cooked in a nice stock and came with carrots and peas. And what's a Fearless Restaurants meal without their killer mac? So comforting! 

Key Lime Cheesecake 

The wife loves cheesecake and I'm all about key lime pie. Normally I defer to her, but luckily we had the best of both worlds with the key lime cheesecake. 

If you still haven't been to the Moshulu, make sure to stop by. Perfect way to enjoy the waterfront and have a meal on a boat! 

Moshulu Restaurant

401 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd. 

Philadelphia, PA 19106

(215) 923-2500

https://www.moshulu.com

P.J. Clarke's Philadelphia Review

It took two and a half year's for P.J. Clarke's to open its doors in Philly, but based on the design and popularity when we stopped by, it was well worth the wait. Housed in the Curtis Center on 6th and Walnut, it's surprisingly sprawling, with plenty of dark wood throughout. Whether you want to dine in or simply grab a seat at the raw bar, P.J Clarke's has got you covered, especially with Chef Ned Maddock in as Executive Chef (Brigantessa, XIX). 

Aperol Spritz [Top Right] | Negroni [Bottom Left]

Our drinks were made well, with the GF's aperol spritz providing that slight bitter essence, with the floral orange notes really coming through. I was all about the Negroni, made with The Botanist, an Islay gin. There's a real emphasis on G+T's & whiskey at P.J. Clarke's, which is certainly on trend. 

Sea Bass Ceviche

Tart 3 Spring Apples, Radish, Jalapeno

We started off our meal with the ceviche, which featured fresh and snappy sea bass, tart apples, and radish. Mix away as you'll want all of the seasoning to immerse each bite. 

Maine Lobster Cocktail

Firecracker sauce

The lobster cocktail is a showstopper and a must. Perfectly cooked, meaty, and completely dispatched for you, lobster doesn't get easier (or tastier). Add in some of theTabasco to the Firecracker sauce - it's a bit sweet, with the faint hint of horseradish coming through.

The "Cadillac" Burger

Double-smoked country bacon, onion, American cheese, bread & butter pickles

A bit of miscommunication as my burger came unadorned, but nothing the kitchen couldn't fix in no time flat. The fries were on point - salty, crisp on the exterior and creamy within. 

Seared Sea Scallops

Toasted farro, celery root puree, lemon

Scallops were plump, sweet, and with a light sear. I appreciated the texture on the farro, with a creamy celery root puree and fennel rounding things out. The spritz of lemon really brightened out each bite. 

Bacon & Peas Mac n Cheese

The mac n cheese was everything I could have wanted in a side. Crisp, smoky bacon and sweet peas were interspersed throughout, with a substantive richness clinging to each bite of the cavatappi noodles.  

Dottie's Blondie Sundae

Magic Shell & whipped cream

Dottie's Blondie Sundae is a stunner. The blondie itself was hefty in its own right, perhaps to withstand the vanilla ice cream hidden within the chocolate shell. Decadent, rich, and a great sweet treat to end the meal. 

Beyond lunch and dinner, be on the look out for Happy Hour & Game Day specials. I can definitely see the raw bar being the ideal spot to grab a stool and slurp back a few dozen oysters. 

FTC Disclaimer: Thanks to P.J Clarke's for inviting us in. Regardless, my opinions are mine alone and therefore, unbiased.

P.J. Clarke's Philadelphia
601 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
http://pjclarkes.com/location/philadelphia/

London Grill Lobster Month Review

London Grill is a stalwart Fairmount staple, having been on the food scene since 1991. But its history as a bar actually dates back to 1843, where it started as the Golden Lager Saloon. The Saloon was opened by a pair of Russian immigrants, whose descendants still return every 10 years for family reunions.  London Grill owners Terry Berch and Chef Michael McNally are pioneers in the city's food and drink scene, being one of the first to source from local farmers and introduce an all-craft beer list. If you want a glimpse into Terry & Chef McNally's dedication, please read this great interview from Danya Henninger.

Throughout the month of August, London Grill will be hosting their annual Lobster Month, bringing forth the coast of Maine to the heart of Fairmount. They're serving a special menu of lobster dishes, alongside beers from Maine's Allagash Brewing, on tap and in bottles. I stopped by to try a few of their offerings.

 Lobster Bisque [$8]

Their lobster bisque was a classic French preparation. Clearly a true stock of lobster, shells, and crustaceans, it emanated the briny depth of lobster, with a light bitterness I enjoyed. Pro-tip: Do get the off-menu lobster ice cream, which sets off a nice contrast in temps to make each spoonful even more interesting.

Lobster Roll [$24]

Hand-cut fries

You can't go wrong with their lobster roll, lightly dressed in mayo, celery, and green onion, allowing the lobster to shine through. It's all housed within a buttered bun. The fries at London Grill are excellent - well-seasoned, crisp on the outside, with just enough chew within to provide a textural contrast.

Lobster Mac n Cheese [$15]

If you're into creamy mac and cheese, London Grill's iteration is a must. Al dente noodles are coated in a rich, creamy cheese sauce. For Lobster Month, the mac had large chunks of perfectly-cooked lobster interspersed throughout.

Other items on the menu include the Lobster Gnocchi with Chanterelles & Corn [$23] as well as a Whole Maine Lobster with drawn butter, red bliss potatoes, and corn on the cob [$28]. Pair your meal with Allagash White and you're set!

So be sure to stop by the London Grill. It's an exceptional Philly restaurant story with great food to boot. Terry & Chef McNalley also own next-door Paris Wine Bar, which features wine on draft, including many from local PA wineries! 

FTC Disclaimer: Thanks to London Grill & Profile PR for hosting me. Regardless, my opinions are mine alone and, therefore, unbiased.

Palm Philadelphia Reopening: Media Event

Since opening the first location in NYC in 1926, the Palm Restaurant has always been emblematic of the prototypical steakhouse experience. The Palm's always been known for great steaks, bold wines, and service to match their philosophy: "Treat guests like family, serve great food, and always exceed expectations." 

Center Right to Bottom Left: Jacqueline of Eatadelphia, GM Paul Sandler "accosting" Lea of PhilMyTummy with a 5 lb Nova Scotia Lobster, Bari of BarisBelly holding court with a glass of bubbly

And the Palm Philadelphia certainly did that at a media dinner this past week. A Philly staple since 1989, considering the revived restaurant boom, the Palm Philadelphia sought to enhance the customer experience with an updated space and a modern kitchen. And after a year-long remodel, they had us in to celebrate their recent renovations. 

Wine and champagne pours were heavy and there were plenty of classic and innovative takes off the cocktail menu. For obvious reasons, one of my favorites was the barrel-aged, featuring bourbon married for 2 weeks with Luxardo cherries, vermouth, and bitters for a really smooth Manhattan. 

Clockwise from Top Left: Thick-Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon & Coconut Crusted Sea Scallops | Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail | Iceberg Lettuce Wedge | Gigi Salad with Shrimp

A proper steakhouse in my mind has got to showcase some smoked bacon to start and the Palm's certainly got that. Thick-cut slabs of cured pork belly are lightly maple-glazed and showcase sweet and savory porcine flavors. Sea scallops were deftly fried, with the coconut supporting the innate sweetness of the bivalves. Jumbo shrimp were some of the largest I've seen and the wedge was definitely my favorite of the two salads. Plenty of blue cheese, walnuts, bacon, and fried onions were interspersed in every bite. 

Clockwise from Top Right: GM Paul Sandler and his 5lb Nova Scotia Lobster | Creamed Spinach | Half & Half Cottage Fries and Fried Onions | Split 4lb Lobster & 18 oz. NY Strip

And with the mains incoming, the night got even better. GM Paul Sandler brings a quarter century of restaurant experience to the Palm. And tonight, he also brought in a 5lb Nova Scotia lobster. Why? Because while the NY strip was certainly tasty, steak's not the only thing the Palm is known for! They source only the best crustaceans and we were each plied with a split 4lb Nova Scotia Lobster, declawed and de-shelled at the table. Trust me, leave it to the skilled professionals - they know what they're doing. Accompaniments included plenty of butter to satiate any hedonistic tendencies, along with some of the best creamed spinach I've ever had. There was an entire serving tray of lightly salted and crisp cottage fries, along with plenty of fried onions. 

To end the night, we were served some of Palm's classic desserts, including a moist carrot cake, creamy NY cheesecake, sweetly tart key lime pie, and a flourless chocolate cake. Stuffed! 

Service was exceptional and as much as I want to imagine it was simply due to the media event in the private dining room (the Palm doesn't believe in charging for its use by the way!), it was clear that wasn't the case when I stopped out to the main dining room. By 8PM on a Wednesday night, every table was booked and the bar area was hopping. Everyone was enjoying their meals and thoroughly engaged with their friends and family, with the front of the house ensuring the Palm philosophy.

Look out for the notable additions to the lunch an dinner menu, which include:

Jumbo Crab over Grilled Romaine Hearts | $18

Nova Scotia Lobster Roll |  $19

Bone-In Colorado Veal Rib Chop Malfata | $44

28 oz. Prime Porterhouse Steak | $65 

And through August 15, Palm patrons can return for the annual Summer Lobster event. For $99, it's a 4lb Nova Scotia lobster dinner for two, along with with a choice of two starters and either a signature veggie or potato side to enjoy!

FTC Disclaimer: This event was hosted by Palm Philadelphia, along with the Brownstein Group & Gloss PR. Regardless, my opinions are mine alone and, therefore, unbiased.

The Deck Philly Review

A few weeks back, I stopped by the Moshulu to preview the opening of The Deck. I was blown away by the recent renovations. The topside of Penn's Landing's venerable ship was beautifully done, with plenty of comfortable seating to enjoy Philly's sunsets while sipping some summer cocktails. And what better venue to enjoy brunch, perhaps after working in some on-the-deck Sunday yoga? This past Thursday, the GF and I popped in to try some of The Deck's dishes and indulge in their shakes!

Tuna Tartare [$18]

Citrus lime marinade 

We started off with the tuna tartare, which was spot on. I appreciated that the tuna wasn't so finely diced so that I could appreciate the quality of the fish. The marinade didn't overpower, but imparted a nice citrus-soy bite, all atop a California king-size bed of creamy avocado. Crispy onion strings, radish, and jalapeno added some texture, along with the accompanying buttered crostini.

Spanish Octopus [$17]

Preserved lemon

The octo's a must-order in my mind. Lightly charred on the outside, it cut like butter and was incredibly tender. Clearly a lot of time went into the prep of the cephalopod, not to mention the dish itself. Plated with root vegetables for some heft as well as preserved lemons for some acidity, I especially enjoyed the bite of the black garlic paste, which was tempered by the aioli. Do get this!   

New England Lobster Roll [$27]

Butter poached lobster, cole slaw, Old Bay potato chips 

Summer in the city means it's the perfect time for a lobster roll. And The Deck's got you covered with plenty of sweet lobster piled high atop a pillowy, buttered roll. The Old Pay potato chips were homemade and transported us right to Maine. The surprising standout? The cole slaw! I know I'll be adding dill to all my slaw moving forward. It was so good that the GF had to slap my fork away from her plate.

Prime Burger [$24]

10 oz. patty, bacon onion jam, cheddar, mustard aioli, sesame brioche, fries 

For my main, I went with their burger, which boasted 10 oz. of Prime beef, though I have a feeling mine was a full pound. Along with a beautifully salty crust revealing juicy beef within, the wall of cheese cascading over the patty was unreal. Housemade bacon-onion jam sealed the deal by bringing each bite over the top. Make sure to ask for an extra napkin! The crisp fries were well-seasoned and the mustard aioli was addictive. In fact, if you get a standalone order of fries as a Happy Hour snack, I'd ask for that aioli!  

The Deck Shakes [$16 each]

Chocolate Tasty Shake

Chocolate Ganache, Philly Candies, Soft Pretzel, Whipped Cream, Peanut Butter Tasty Cakes 

Wild Thang Strawberry Shake

Vanilla Buttercream, Pastel Candies, B'day Cake, Whipped Cream, Pink Caramel Angel Hair

Of course if there's anything you've got to try at least once, it's The Deck Shakes. When these bad boys came out, I noticed that all the patrons gaped and turned their heads in awe as it came to our table. The Chocolate Tasty Cake hit all the right notes between salty and sweet, featuring a cornucopia of Philly soft pretzels, Tasty Cakes, peanut butter cups, chocolate candies, and plenty of whipped cream. Beneath it all was a cool and creamy chocolaty shake that's perfect for a summer sugar high. The Wild Thang features an entire slice of birthday cake, pink caramel angel hair strands, vanilla KitKats, and a delicious strawberry shake, along with a rainbow of chocolate candies studding the body of the glass.

Beyond their ridiculous shakes, The Deck offers "Deck Jugs," which features their top cocktails mixed and served in a Jug dispenser for parties of two or more! Perfect for an after-work meetup with coworkers and friends. So be sure to stop on by - where else can you enjoy your Philly summer on a ship, by the water, and with great food and drinks! 

FTC Disclaimer: Thanks to the Fearless Restaurants and The Deck Philly for hosting us. Regardless, my opinions are mine alone and, therefore, unbiased. 

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! 

Fine Palate Review

The GF and I love to go out for New Year's Eve dinner. Most of the time though, we're left disappointed because it's typically an overpriced prix fixe that's bereft of quality cooking. That's often due to the fact that it is indeed NYE and oftentimes, the actual chef isn't in the kitchen. So we usually turn to the menu itself over the actual restaurant and hope for the best. We continued with that strategy for 2015's last meal out and we're glad we settled upon Fine Palate.

Fairly new to the restaurant scene, Fine Palate was opened up by the folks who brought you the food at Le Bok Fin. And located in Center City proper, Fine Palate's Courtney Dow and Chef Vince Joseph bring you an array of globally inspired cuisine. 

New Year's Eve Menu [$79 Pre-Paid / $95 At the Door]

Their NYE menu was $95 pp, but an even more reasonable $79 pre-paid. A bit awkward, but makes sense to source exactly what the kitchen needs on a night when reservations are easily canceled by patrons who might have last minute changes to their plans.

Complimentary Champagne

A perfectly crisp, tart, and floral flute of champagne was graciously provided to start our meal. A nice touch, to be sure.

Sazerac [$9]
Fig-infused rye, bitters, sugar with absinthe rinse

I also decided to enjoy a well-made sazerac that was nicely citrus forward with a light anise backbone. The rye certainly came through on the finish. 

Painkiller [$9]
Amber and dark rum, orange, pineapple, coconut, nutmeg, cinnamon

The GF enjoyed the easily quaffable Painkiller, which had a nicely subtle sweetness that came through with the coconut shavings. The foundation was enjoyably tart and citrusy, with the nutmeg and cinnamon providing some balance.

Artichoke Soup with Black Truffles

As a whole, the soup could have used a bit more salt, but it was certainly light and delicate, despite the earthiness from the black truffles. I did appreciate the bitterness from the radish - almost an apertif of sorts for the rich meal that was to come. 

White Truffle Scallops

The GF's scallops were beautifully presented, nicely seasoned, and delicately seared. The fragrant white truffles perfumed each bite. Stunner. 

Smoked Foie Gras Torchon
Seeded mustard, Seckle pear

I went more rich with the smoked foie gras. A healthy portion (or two) of the torchon was provided, along with some stone ground mustard to cut through the heft of the foie and a nice counterpoint of sweet pear and honey. Some crusty crostini was the perfect vessel to assemble each delicious bite.

White Truffle Risotto 

The GF and I each went with the risotto, though with white and black truffle, respectively. Each grain of rice had nice bite, but the risotto was still wonderfully creamy overall. And who could say no to a rain of white truffles? Could easily eat a pot of this. 

Black Truffle Risotto 

My black truffle risotto was more earthy, but just as delicious and even heartier. 

Mediterranean Blue Lobster
Butter poached lobster, celery root puree, porcini

For her main, the GF received a gorgeous butter-poached lobster. Sweet, snappy, and succulent, the lobster was accompanied by other elements that were spot on from the light celery root puree to the well-seasoned porcini.

Buffalo Filet Mignon
Potato puree, roasted mushrooms, black truffle jus

My buffalo filet was tender, moist, and surprisingly light. Better yet, it had a well-seasoned crust that wasn't overbearing, with the mushrooms and black truffle jus adding some earthiness to each bite. The baby radish was a nice countervailing element to provide some bitter balance. 

Creme Brulee

For dessert, we each received a small pat of creme brulee - sweet, redolent of vanilla, and with that expected crust of just-burnt sugar. Simple, but enjoyable.

Overall, Fine Palate exceeded my expectations for a NYE dinner. Usually when you see truffle on a prix fixe menu for the holidays, we're talking about truffle oil. Chef Joseph and staff clearly know what they're doing in terms of execution and balance. I'd highly recommend stopping by - I know I'll be back in 2016!

Wolfgang Puck American Grille Review [2]

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. 

When I started playing at the Borgata regularly, one of the first restaurants I had wanted to try was Wolfgang Puck American Grille. Unfortunately for the GF and I, we had a horrible experience. I mean, I realize that any casino-based celebrity-chef sponsored restaurant won't typically be up to the standards one might expect from the chef's own restaurants. Regardless, missed orders, cold food, poor execution, and aloof service does not a good meal make.

It took a few years for us to even consider returning to give it another go. And this time around, we opted to be seated at the more formal dining area, rather than at the more informal tavern. Perhaps that makes all the difference because our experience on this particular night was a complete 180.

The Macallan 12 Year [$15]

 

I started off with scotch, neat. A simple, yet effective way to start my meal.

Cabernet Sauvignon [$9]

Wolfgang Puck, California 2013 

The GF decided to go with a nice cab, produced for the original celebrity chef himself. It had nice notes of fruit, with cherries and chocolate on the finish.

Bread Service

Bread service was a nice array of walnut raisin, caramelized onion focaccia, sourdough, and olive oil crisps, along with a pat of room temperature butter. Very nice.

Maine Lobster, Shrimp, & Crab Cocktail [$34]

Horseradish flan, avocado, tomato

  

The lobster, shrimp, and crab cocktail was beautiful, generously portioned, fresh, and sweet. To serve as a counterpoint to the sweet crustaceans and the creamy avocado, a horseradish flan showcased some technique, along with a bit of kick to each bite. 

Spicy Tuna Tartare [$22]

Avocado, cucumbers, crisp wontons  

The tuna tartare wasn't exactly spicy on its own, but was a wonderful melange of lightly marinated tuna and avocado, Ginger and wasabi was provided on the side to spice things up, though I would have preferred them to be integrated into the dish. 

This was all accompanied by fried wontons and a pat of wasabi mayo.

Five Cheese Agnolotti [$22]

Summer truffles, sage, Parmesan reggiano  

The pasta was an unexpected sensation. The fresh agnolotti were rich and bursting with cheesy goodness. The shaved summer truffles were wonderfully fragrant, especially when mixed with the warm pasta. A perfect portion for two, because any more would have been sinful.

32 oz. Prime Cote de Boeuf [$110]

Armagnac, bernaise, chimichurri, two sides

The USDA prime ribeye here is grilled and presented whole with a rosemary sprig, before being cut. It's offered with  a trio of sauces, as well as the choice of 2 sides. In deference to the GF, it was cooked to a nice medium, but overall, there was a general lack of seasoning, which was unfortunate. 

I'm generally not a steak sauce kind of guy, but the trio of sauces fit the bill here, with the armagnac and chimichurri being my favorites.

Parmesan Polenta

I'm glad we went with the polenta, which was creamy and rich.

Jersey Corn 

Tarragon

  

Seasonal at the time, the "al dente" Jersey corn was obviously local, and more importantly, nicely sweet. 

Baked Alaska [$12]

Vanilla cake, raspberry ice cream

  

I don't know why, but I have a fondness for this classic dessert. Perhaps it's all in the meringue for me, which was beautifully displayed here. Wonderful textures and plenty of sweet, I appreciated the vanilla cake, along with the tart raspberry ice cream.

While the steak could have been seasoned better, overall, the meal was well-executed and delicious this time around. The service was also a lot better in the formal dining area compared to the tavern. So if there's ever a question of where you should sit, I'd opt for the former.