CO-OP Philly Preview Event

Ideally situated between Drexel and Penn's campuses, The Study is an upscale, boutique hotel concept from developer Paul McGowan. Marketed towards academic professionals, alumni, and parents, this is the second hotel, with the first having opened in 2008 near Yale University (a third is opening up near U. Chicago!). The Study also houses CO-OP, a modern, new American restaurant with Chef Craig Russell at its helm. 

CO-OP is spaciously designed on the ground level of The Study, with plenty of al fresco dining and doors that open out to the street.

I stopped by for a preview tasting and CO-OP's featured cocktails are perfect for easy summer drinking. The Doctor's Order was light, with the undertone of oak and floral notes from the gin and a subtly sweet spiciness from the ginger liqueur. The Weather Report was obviously a favorite - a smooth marriage of bourbon and earl grey syrup, with a nice citrus sweetness from the house orange-vanilla vermouth. 

Clockwise from Top Right: Crudite with Ash Roasted Eggplant Dip | Chicken Liver Mousse, Eggplant Crostini, Maryland Blue Crab Crostini | Potato Bread with Warm Ricotta Dip | Maryland Blue Crab Toast 

If you're looking to stop by for Happy Hour or indulge in a few starters, their crisp, cool crudite is paired with ash-roasted eggplant. The Maryland Blue Crab toast is a crowd-pleaser - its sweetness paired with sprouts and hearty whole-grain toast. The sweet and light potato bread was also easily enjoyed with the accompanying warm ricotta dip. 

Clockwise from Top Right: Blue Crab Fetuccini | Dukkah Spiced Cauiflower | Green Circle Rotisserie Chicken | Mahi Mahi with Couscous and White Asparagus

Chef Russell expertly executed the entrees, with his experience at Will BYOB clearly shining through. The cauliflower was surprisingly substantive and there was wonderful restraint from the dukkah spice that melded well with the pistachio and fennel. The fried cipollini onions helped to provide additional texture and some sweetness to each bite. The rotisserie chicken was moist, juicy, and had crisp, well-seasoned skin. Mahi mahi was gorgeously cooked, atop a bed of couscous, with white asparagus and roe adorning the plate. 

After enjoying some of CO-OP's drinks and dishes, I went on a tour of The Study itself. Relaxed and without pretension, there were numerous small touches that helped to showcase a brand seeking loyalty and trust among their clientele. Postcards were available in case you were seeking to sent a note (to be stamped and mailed by The Study!) and there was art on loan from local museums and galleries as well. If you're looking to book a room during graduation season, I'd reach out now - they're reportedly 75% booked for next year! 

And what better excuse is there to stay at The Study than having the delicious ease of stepping right down to the CO-OP? But even if you're not staying at The Study, I'd pop on in to try what Chef Russell's dishing out. As an aside, Marti from Mac Mart DM'ed me to let me know that she loved their onion rings as well as CO-OP's mac (it comes topped with brisket!). Quite the rec, considering we're talking about the local lady who recently got the nod from QVC! 

FTC Disclaimer: This preview event was hosted by Hospitality 3 and Philly PR Girl. Regardless, my opinions are mine alone and, therefore, unbiased. 

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!

Vedge Review

Vegetarianism. Veganism. Some things I swear I can't get behind (sorry, life's too short!). But if forced to, there's one place I would be - Vedge. Since opening in Fall 2011, Chef Rich Landau & Kate Jacoby have been winning acclaim from across the nation for their creative and bold approach to cooking vegetables.

There's plenty of seating at this Midtown village hotspot. Replete with a busy bar scene during Happy Hour, all the seats were filled during a pre-theater dinner service earlier this year. A testament to the number of non-carnivorous Philadelphians or just the quality of the dishes at Vedge, I was excited to see if it were the latter.

Planet Caravan [$12]
D'usse, Elijah Craig 12, Luxardo maraschino, grenadine, lemon 

This was smooth drinking, with some understated sweetness from the cognac. It lent itself nicely to the backbone of my favorite every-day bourbon. Nice.

Pickpocket Soda [$6]
Thai basil beet shrub, lemon

The GF went with this creative soda-based tipple. It was so delicious, I'm pretty sure I pried it from her sweet fingers. It was nicely earthy, with some sweet undertones from the beet and herbaceousness from the Thai basil. Some bright acidity from the lemon helped to create some balance. I couldn't get enough. 

Bread Service

The soft house-baked bread was nicely yeasty and was accompanied by some olive oil and pumpernickel seeds, which offered some nice rye notes. 

Rutabaga Fondue [$12]
Soft pretzel, rutabaga salad, charred onion, pistachio

One of our favorite dishes was the incredible rutabaga fondue. If this is on the menu, I dare you not to get this dish. This was unbelievable cheesy. Not in a "for a vegan-vegetarian restaurant" kind of way. In an all things cheese kind of way. The fondue was slightly sweet and savory with charred onion on top. The buttery and salty pretzel roll was beautifully baked and offered the perfect vessel to drown into the dip. The rutabaga salad was studded with pistachio and was well-dressed. A must-order.

  
Stuffed Avocado [$10]
Pickled cauliflower, romesco, "fried rice", black salt

The stuffed avocado was a fresh take on some classic flavors. The nutty romesco and pickled cauliflower brought some brightness to the richness of the fresh avocado. The fried rice cracker offered some texture.

 

Smoked Carrots [$11]  
Kimchee "reuben", white bean puree, pumpernickel

Kimchee is the new pork belly. Oft-used in a variety of preparations extending beyond traditional Korean cookery, it added some fermented pungency to the slaw, which featured a single beautifully pickled carrot atop. The white bean puree was studded with roasted, sweet-and-savory carrots. The "dirt" of pumpernickel crumble helped to add texture and impart the essence of rye to each bite.  

Roasted Maitake Mushroom [$16]
Celery root fritter, smoked leek remoulade, pea leaf puree

The roasted hen of the woods were appropriately meaty and I appreciated that it wasn't overly seasoned, allowing the pure umami flavors to shine. The crisp celery root fritter was freshly fried, with a smoked leek remoulade imparting some additional seasoning to each bite. 

Braciole [$15]
Smoked & roasted eggplant, Italian salsa verde, cured olive puree

A gorgeous plate showcased technique to great effect here. A braciole of smoked and roasted eggplant lay atop salsa verde, which imparted additional flavor and seasoning.

Fingerling Fries [$8]
Creamy worcestershire

The fingerling fries were well-roasted and had a slight crisp on the exterior. But really, the best part was the creamy sauce, through which the acidity of the worcestershire really shined.

Crispy & Creamy Sunchokes [$9]
Truffle, "trail mix"

Another must order was the sunchoke dish. Featured two ways - the crisp and sweet chips had a great crunch, with the "trail mix" of creamy roasted sunchokes were interspersed with the sweetness of raisins and the slight hint of truffle. Sweet, savory, and salty - each flavor really played well together.

Sweet Potato Arancini [$9]
Lime sorbet, halva, pho spice-orange supremes 

The dessert wasn't overly saccharine in nature. The halva was understated in its sweetness, with classic Middle Eastern-Asian flavors coming through, along with the essence of sesame. The sweet potato arancini were gluttonous within with a slightly crisp texture on the outside. The tartness of the lime sorbet was really needed with the somewhat savory essence of the sweet potato arancini.

Service was exceptional as well, with all of the servers being extremely knowledgeable about each dish. Our main server Alicia was especially great. And while the front of the house is up to snuff, Vedge's success truly lies in its kitchen. Philly's vegetarian and vegan scene is definitely more than just seitan. The cooking is top notch and it's no surprise that Chef Landau was recently nominated for a James Beard Award. While Philly as a whole didn't ultimately pan out this year, I wouldn't be surprised if Chef Landau and Vedge brought home an award in the near future.

      

Hip City Veg Review

Regular readers know that I am an unabashed carnivore. Still, I think that if I cared enough or wanted to subject myself to misery, I could definitely be a vegetarian. But vegan? That's going too far. Yet after tasting Nicole Marquis' food at HipCityVeg, I'm amazed at how vegan ingredients can be deliciously transformed. 

So after one weekend filled with 10+ course tastings, the GF and I decided to go vegan - for a night. 

Crispy HipCity Ranch ($8.50)
Battered chick’n, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, peppercorn ranch

I don't know what was in that patty (nor do I want to), but I could easily eat this every night. I was amazed at how crispy and moist this "chick'n" was. The peppercorn ranch and pickles added a nice salty, acidic element to each bite. 

Ziggy Burger ($8.50)
Classic veggie burger, smoked tempeh, special sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles

Easily one of the best veggie burgers I've had - the black bean patty was well-seasoned and juicy. The tempeh bacon wasn't especially crispy, but added a nice smoky element to each bite. The wheat bread was the perfect vessel for the burger innards as well.

Sweet Potato Fries ($4)
Cilantro-black bean dip
 

A must order at Hip City Veg? The sweet potato fries. They're crisp, sweet, and gluttonous, with the black bean hummus providing a nice acidic dip for each fry.

Hip City Veg also takes Level Up and for every $100, you get a $10 credit - nothing wrong with that! So if you feel like you need some clean living, there's no place better to get casual vegan that doesn't taste like you're eating dirt and soil - far from it.

www.hipcityveg.com