Amada Brunch

If you haven't been to Amada by now, you're missing out on a classic Jose Garces destination restaurant. Beyond being the long-standing bastions of tapas cuisine in the city, the kitchen's ability to execute on classic dishes, with a creative twist, keeps me coming back for more. 

Clockwise from Top Right: Ensalada Verde, Pan con Tomate, Law of Desire Cocktail, Pastry Basket

For brunch, the $27pp prix fixe is the way to go. Coffee or tea, along with a killer pastry basket is included. Think warm, flaky, buttery croissants and olive oil cake, paired with fig jam and whipped butter. I also enjoyed the Law of Desire, featuring Jim Beam Honey Whiskey, Iced Coffee, and Cinnamon - easy drinking. From there, the prix fixe allows you to order 3 items per person off their sectioned brunch menu. My sister was in town for the holidays and to start, she had the ensalada verde and I went with the classic - pan con tomate. First off, I need to order more salads at restaurants, especially if they're at Amada. Here, diced green beans, favas, asparagus, and avocado are perfectly seasoned and dressed, with plenty of shaved manchego on top. And what can I say about the pan con tomate - it's a must. Juicy diced tomato, olive oil, and garlic is atop crusty bread ... if you come to Amada for just Happy Hour, do get this. 

Clockwise from Top Right: Sangria Pancakes, Revuelto, Panceta, Patatas Rosti

For our mains, we went with the Reveulto and sangria pancakes for a savory and sweet combo. Soft-scrambled eggs, shrimp, and truffle-butter toast was on point. And the sangria pancakes? Plenty of texture from apple, pear, figs, and the pancakes themselves, to be drizzled with that sangria syrup. For sides, we paired the Patatas Rosti which were essentially hockey-puck sized fluffy potatoes, crisped on the exterior. And obviously the smoked bacon really hit the spot for me. 

Not that anyone needs a reason to go to brunch, but Amada clearly has plenty to reach those #BrunchGoals for your squad. 

Amada

217-219 Chestnut Street

Philadelphia, PA 19106

(215) 398-6968

https://philadelphia.amadarestaurant.com/

White Dog Cafe University City Review

Originally opened in 1983, White Dog Cafe in University City is a true pioneer in what we now consider to be the local, sustainable food movement. With that in mind, restaurateur Marty Grims purchased White Dog from Judy Wicks in 2009. And in doing so, he brought sleek, yet welcoming designs while maintaining the environmentally sound model. Consistent with all of his restaurants, he continues to ensure well-executed and creative dishes as well. Having just celebrated the 35th anniversary, the University City cafe recently expanded by adding 82 seats. This includes a bar and a lower-level solarium. Designed by the folks from Rohe Creative, floral fabrics and garden furniture keep it all in theme with White Dog's uniquely whimsical rooms.  

Cocktails: Honey Mule [$13] | McGruff Manhattan [$13]

Local is name for the cocktails as well. Having recently gone on a Philadelphia Distilling Company tour, I was excited to see both Bluecoat Barrel Reserve bourbon and their barrel-finished gin on display in their McGruff Manhattan - boozy, yet smooth, with a bit of sweetness coming through on the finish. The GF enjoyed her Honey Mule, which featured Penn 1681 vodka, along with the sweet spice of the Fruitlab ginger liqueur and Q brands ginger beer. 

Squash Fritters [$12]
Chili curry emulsion, pickled vegetables, micro cilantro

To start, we enjoyed the seasonal squash fritters. Crisp nuggets of hearty squash married well with the chili curry emulsion underneath, with the countervailing bite of the pickled veggies offering up a nice acidic balance. 

Kennett Square Mushroom Soup [$10]
Truffle creme fraiche, snipped chives

I always have to get the mushroom soup here. Not only are the Kennett Square mushrooms local, they doesn't get any better. Poured tableside, the earthy umami punch from the mushrooms hits you along with the faintest scent of truffle from the creme fraiche underneath. Don't forget to mop up the last spoonfuls with the house-baked bread.

Locust Point Chicken Chopped Salad [$22]
Smoked bacon, Birchrun blue cheese, hard boiled egg, red onion, ranch dressing

For the GF's main, she opted for the chopped salad, featuring grilled Locust Point chicken. It's enough for two, with the funk of Birchrun blue offering up hearty savoriness along with the crisp bits of bacon, hard-boiled egg, and ranch-dressed greens. 

Green Meadow Double Cheddar Burger [$19] + Farm Egg [$2] + 1732 Meats Bacon [$2]
Grilled red onion, tomato, smoked bacon mayo, truffle Parmesan fries

Do get the burger here. Green Meadow Farms beef is juicy and well-seasoned with a nicely seared crust. I opted for a farm-fresh egg and 1732 meat bacon - the perfect combo. Each bite is amplified by the fact that there's smoked bacon mayo covering the buttery brioche. And to complement this behemoth? White Dog's killer truffle parm fries. Trust me - if you're at any Fearless Restaurant (think: Autograph, The Deck, Moshulu, White Dog Wayne), you'll be missing out if you don't order the fries. Crispy on the outside with a great chew to the spuds within, the perfume of truffle and the salty hit of parm will have you dreaming for more. 

Kennett Square Mushroom Gratin [$9]

I'd highly recommend ordering the mushroom gratin as well. And why not when they're this tasty, especially when melded with cream and truffled bread crumbs. Delectable.

Apple Pie Bread Pudding [$9]
Croissant bread pudding, brown sugar bourbon ice cream

We ended our meal with the apple pie bread pudding - comforting, sweet, and with a nice juxtaposition between the warm pudding and the house-made bourbon ice cream. The brown sugar notes really came through.

So if you're in University City, I'd highly recommend stopping by White Dog Cafe for any meal. Judging by the crowds at the bar and dining in on a Saturday at 6PM, I'd say the neighborhood agrees. Pro-tip: for brunch, I'd definitely ask to be seated in the solarium - it's a visual treat that will complement the tasty dishes that are sure to come out. 

FTC Disclaimer: Thanks to White Dog Cafe Philly & Fearless Restaurants for hosting us. Regardless, my opinions is mine alone and, therefore, unbiased. 

Garces Events Wedding Showcase Review

Personally, I've always joked that I've been on the 10 year marriage plan. And without getting too sappy, it's clear that for the GF and I, the light at the end of the tunnel is closer than ever. And while it's a given that I'll defer the majority of the wedding particulars to the GF, figuring out the catering will clearly be in my wheelhouse. And if the intended nuptials are in Philly, it's a safe bet that I'd be putting my eggs in the Garces Events basket.

For any of the newly engaged couples out there, be sure to attend one of their wedding showcases in preparation for your big day. Once registered, it's complimentary for the happy couple and for any additional family members, it's an affordable $10 per ticket. I was invited to the January showcase by Corie from Gloss PR and was blown away. From the gorgeous centerpieces from Sullivan Owen to the culinary stations from Jose Garces' restaurants, the showcase was simply stunning. 

But let's focus in on the food and drink shall we? With rose champagne in hand, the GF and I sampled a bevy of offerings from Chef Garces' restaurants, including Village Whiskey, Distrito, Garces Trading Company, Tinto, and Volver. How many caterers (and I use that term loosely because we're talking about an Iron Chef here) do you know that have mozzarella hand-crafted right then and there and jamon shaved to order? And of course, His and Hers cocktails were provided and can range from the always delicious white sangria to crowd favorites like the Truffle Rush. 

Servers glided about with hor d'oeurves including luscious kobe beef tartare, refreshingly tart apple ceviche, hearty swordfish tacos, grassy lamb sliders, and delectable tartines. 

I heard more than a handful of couples say that "there wasn't one thing they didn't like." Double negatives aside, that says far more than any singular recommendation I could give. I can easily see your wedding guests indulging in palomas or shots of tequila while enjoying Distrito's pork carnitas and mahi mahi tacos. There was also plenty of snappy lime-marinated shrimp and pickled jalapenos along with tubs of some of the best guac I've ever had. If you're looking for proper finger foods, look towards Volver to provide you with hand-made paella maki rolls, corn croquettes, tartines, and tortilla espanola. 

And of course, you can't forget about dessert! In addition to showcasing the numerous combinations for your wedding cake, there was also a station highlighting a number of sweet selections. French macarons, bouchons, lime verrines, cheesecake pops, strawberry shortcake sliders, and red velvet cupcakes were just a few of the desserts on offer. A clear crowd favorite was the incredibly moist apple cider cake donuts. 

So if you're considering how to handle the food and beverage for your big day, why not look towards Garces Events to take care of your needs? There are discounts for booking early. Heck if you book your wedding of more than 150 guests at the Cira Centre on March 6th, they'll waive the site fee! You can register for that event on the Garces Events website.  If the budget allows, I'm sure your guests will thank you! And regardless, best of luck to all the couples embarking on their journeys together. 

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. 

Russet Review

For New Year's Eve 2014, the GF and I decided to relax and have a late dinner around Rittenhouse. We'd been meaning to try Russet and figured that this was the perfect time to try the dishes offered by the husband-wife team of Chef Andrew Wood and Pastry Chef Kristin Wood.

Russet's a BYO and one of the few that takes credit cards. And in the spirit of NYE, we decided to bring a bottle of our favorite champagne. Crisp and very fruity with a medium finish, Moet's Nectar Imperial Rose is quite quaffable.

NYE Menu [$75 pp]

But on to the food! Russet was offering 5 courses for $75 pp, including some supplements which I took full advantage of. 

Bread Service
 

The rustic bread was nice, but served cold - perhaps it's because we had a 10PM reservation. The pat of butter was at room temp though, which I appreciated.

Heirloom Squash Turnover

Caramelized onions, pumpkin seed-arugula pesto, black walnut

The GF started off with the squash turnover which was buttery and delicious. The crisp texture of the turnover and the black walnuts contrasted nicely with the rich caramelized onions and squash. The pumpkin seed-arugula helped to brighten up each bite.

Oyster and Scallop Gratin

Celery, chervil, shallot

I went with the oyster-scallop gratin, which was served on a bed of salt. The mix of shallots, cooked celery, chopped oysters, and scallop was nice - briny and oceanic, with the bread crumbs providing some texture. The chervil helped to add some herbaceousness.

House-Cured Prosciutto

Local quince, grissini, pickled mustard seeds

I appreciate that Chef Wood house-cures his own ham and the prosciutto here was luscious and teeming with the porcine goodness you're looking for. The balance of the local quince and the pickled mustard seeds provided some brightness against the heft of the prosciutto.

Seared Foie Gras [+ $10 supplement]

Blood orange, thyme, buckwheat-meyer lemon madeleine 

The foie gras was prototypically luscious and rich, with the blood orange providing the proper foil. But the real star? The buckwheat meyer lemon madeleines churned out from Chef Kristin Wood. They were buttery, subtly sweet, and had a wonderfully crumbly texture. 

Woodland Jewel Mushroom Raviolo
Ricotta, Loc Tran's egg

The GF and I were looking forward to an oozing egg in the middle of her raviolo, but alas - it was only filled with ricotta, without much seasoning. The pasta itself could have used another minute in the water - more starchy than al dente. The sauce had some depth, but overall, each bite lacked seasoning.

Hand-Rolled Pici with Perigord Black Truffle [+ $18 supplement]
Roasted langoustines, leeks, pistachio, sauce Americaine  

Russet was offering a Perigord black truffle supplement for the pasta dishes so I opted to top off my pici pasta. A generous portion of earthy truffles was provided and though I prefer black truffles to be cooked to release more of that intense aroma, this added some nice depth.

The deliciously, buttery veloute coated the pasta well. However, while the langoustine claw was meaty and well-cooked, there were more than a few pieces of shell found interspersed in the pasta. I normally don't bring much attention to gaffes such as this, but it was so egregious, I did cordially mention it to the server. Alas, either the server didn't understand that I was pointing at about 4 pieces of shell on my bread plate or he couldn't care less ... 

Seared Branzino 
Caramelized parsnips, grilled vidalia onions, kale, parsley jus 

For her main, the GF went with the fish. Online, the offering appeared to be halibut with uni, but for actual dinner service, branzino was on offer sans uni. Regardless, the fish was moist, delicate, and flavorful. The caramelized parsnips and grilled vidalia onions added some texture and sweetness to each bite.

Slow-Roasted Border Springs Lamb
Floriani corn polenta, romanesco, green coriander, tomato fondue
  

I don't know if it's because it was 11PM on NYE or it was a NYE menu, but unfortunately my main was a disaster. I was really looking forward to the "slow roasted" lamb, which was incinerated beyond belief. About half of it seemed fried and the meat was not tender at all. The romanesco was bright and the corn polenta cake was decent however. But momma didn't raise a vegetarian - disappointing.

Bittersweet Chocolate Budino
Cranberry compote, cassis cream
  

Luckily though, pastry chef Kristin Wood salvaged the rest of the meal. The GF ordered the budino based on her infatuation with Chef Turney's salted caramel budino. This iteration was in cake form, with a nicely bittersweet chocolate ganache within. The cranberry compote provided acidity to balance the richness of the cake and the chocolate, with the currant cream providing some levity.

Mascarpone Panna Cotta
Blood orange, Grand Marnier syrup, oat crisp
  

My mascarpone panna cotta had the proper jiggle and was light and subtly sweet. The caramelized sugar oat crisp had nice texture and the Grand Marnier syrup wasn't overpowering or cloyingly sweet. The blood orange provided a bright tartness that was an appropriate end to the meal.

Russet is housed in a quaint Rittenhouse townhouse that was surprisingly bumping with conversation and music. Other than the gaffe with the langoustine pasta, service was just fine, especially considering most of the reviews on Yelp fault the restaurant on this point. Clearly, some of the courses on this particular night were disappointing, but I appreciated that Chef Kristin Wood was able to bring our meal to a nice close. Definitely willing to try Russet again.