Trying to find a new restaurant during Philadelphia Restaurant Week is always a challenge.
First of all, the value is good - $30 for 3 courses. Plus, the fact that you’re getting 3 courses is a great way to be a little more daring and try some different dishes you might not typically order. Lately, though, we’ve come away from Restaurant Week feeling that despite the value, the portions seem to be getting smaller and smaller. That is until we went to Lolita at 106 S. 13th Street in Center City Philadelphia.
It was a warm Friday evening in September with people dining out on the sidewalk. Even though we had reservations, I was nervous we’d still have a wait since it was a Friday night during Restaurant Week and the place isn’t really big. It turns out we didn’t have to wait long and even got to request the “fish bowl” which is one of our favorite places to sit. Sitting in the alcove by the front window is a great place to people watch. We enjoyed watching the parade of under-dressed 20-somethings checking out the restaurant and walking in to request a table.
The great thing about Lolita is that it’s a BYOB. The chances of finding a BYOB on the list for Restaurant Week isn’t usually good so we were already ahead of the game. Hubby, as usual, picked the perfect bottle of wine to compliment our Mexican food. (I asked and he does not remember exactly what we drank. He thinks an oakey Chardonnay.)
My first course was a delicious ceviche. Hubby enjoyed his 3-chile marinated pork carnitas. What a nice surprise to find that these appetizers were “regular” size and not the smaller portions we typically get during Restaurant Week.
For our entrees, I had the grilled Hawaiian Waluu. It’s a different kind of fish than I’ve usually seen on menus and a pleasant surprise. Again, it was a good-sized portion but not overwhelming. Hubby loved his grilled pork chop.
Often for Restaurant Week, the pace is quick as restaurants are trying to get in as many diners as possible in one night. Our server didn’t rush us and let us linger over our bottle of wine while we made our dessert selections. We each ordered something different so we could try the other’s dessert. I ordered the pecan cheesecake and hubby decided to try the Kahlua-espresso soaked lady fingers. What a great way to finish the meal!
We’ll be sure to go back to Lolita again to experience it when it’s not Restaurant Week. I highly recommend reservations since the place is kind of small. By the way, they encourage diners to ‘BYOT’ as in ‘Bring Your Own Tequila.’ They will set you up with the fixins for your own pitcher of Margaritas!
xoxoxo,
The Phillly Foodie Girl
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Prime Time in Chadds Ford
Greetings again, Foodies! Thanks for your patience in hearing all about our recent visit to Brandywine Prime Seafood and Chops in Chadds Ford, PA.
I believe this restaurant used to be called the Chadds Ford Inn. The completely renovated ‘BP’ has managed to keep its rustic feel while its seasonable menu reminds you that you’re in Brandywine Country, just steps from the famed Brandywine River.
We met our delightful friends Theresa and Joe (who are not foodies but really appreciate good dining) at about 7:30 on a chilly Saturday night in October. The restaurant boasts two levels with a busy (smoke filled) bar on the first level close to the host stand. We thankfully were led to the upstairs dining area where it was a bit quieter albeit much colder. That’s when I reminded hubby why I wear longer skirts in the fall and winter.
So let’s get on to what really matters: The Food! We grooved on the very seasonal Pumpkin Bisque and Mushroom Soup. Both were really good and not too creamy, with the latter soup loaded with the locally grown Kennett delicacy.
For entrees, hubby was thrilled to see the very French Bistro Steak, complete with pomme frite. I had the crab cakes, while both Theresa and Joe opted for the straight-forward chicken dish. Everyone enjoyed the entrees, which were generally very good but not remarkable.
When I called to confirm our reservations I was sure to remind the manager that we were celebrating our friend Joe’s 4x birthday. Believe it or not, this has been a problem at some restaurants in the past. I’ve called ahead, many times at least twice, and still there was no candle or acknowledgement of the birthday we were celebrating. I was assured that there would be a candle placed on his dessert. The staff was efficient and friendly and did come through with the candle and a hearty happy birthday! In fact, the manager even came over to make sure that business was taken care of.
Now please bear with me, as the Foodie Hubby will have a headache for the next month if I don’t talk about this. The best part of the meal was the wine. For a very reasonable $10.00 corkage fee we were able to bring along our own wine, a 2003 Chatauneuf-du-Pape Vieux Lazaret Cuvee Exceptionel. Hub commented that the wine seemed to be in its ‘dumb period’ and not yet showing its full potential. I though it was delicious. This bottle would have cost $200.00 on any wine list cool enough to have such an awesome bottle on their list. We really wish more restaurants would have a policy as reasonable as BP!
So to summarize, we enjoyed Brandywine Prime. My guess is that once it is decked out for Christmas it will be really festive and cozy. We’ll also probably opt for a menu item a bit more daring next time. And once again, Happy Birthday to our friend Joe!
Brandywine Prime is located on US 1 south just before the intersection of Route 100 in Chadds Ford.
xoxoxo,
The Philly Foodie Girl
I believe this restaurant used to be called the Chadds Ford Inn. The completely renovated ‘BP’ has managed to keep its rustic feel while its seasonable menu reminds you that you’re in Brandywine Country, just steps from the famed Brandywine River.
We met our delightful friends Theresa and Joe (who are not foodies but really appreciate good dining) at about 7:30 on a chilly Saturday night in October. The restaurant boasts two levels with a busy (smoke filled) bar on the first level close to the host stand. We thankfully were led to the upstairs dining area where it was a bit quieter albeit much colder. That’s when I reminded hubby why I wear longer skirts in the fall and winter.
So let’s get on to what really matters: The Food! We grooved on the very seasonal Pumpkin Bisque and Mushroom Soup. Both were really good and not too creamy, with the latter soup loaded with the locally grown Kennett delicacy.
For entrees, hubby was thrilled to see the very French Bistro Steak, complete with pomme frite. I had the crab cakes, while both Theresa and Joe opted for the straight-forward chicken dish. Everyone enjoyed the entrees, which were generally very good but not remarkable.
When I called to confirm our reservations I was sure to remind the manager that we were celebrating our friend Joe’s 4x birthday. Believe it or not, this has been a problem at some restaurants in the past. I’ve called ahead, many times at least twice, and still there was no candle or acknowledgement of the birthday we were celebrating. I was assured that there would be a candle placed on his dessert. The staff was efficient and friendly and did come through with the candle and a hearty happy birthday! In fact, the manager even came over to make sure that business was taken care of.
Now please bear with me, as the Foodie Hubby will have a headache for the next month if I don’t talk about this. The best part of the meal was the wine. For a very reasonable $10.00 corkage fee we were able to bring along our own wine, a 2003 Chatauneuf-du-Pape Vieux Lazaret Cuvee Exceptionel. Hub commented that the wine seemed to be in its ‘dumb period’ and not yet showing its full potential. I though it was delicious. This bottle would have cost $200.00 on any wine list cool enough to have such an awesome bottle on their list. We really wish more restaurants would have a policy as reasonable as BP!So to summarize, we enjoyed Brandywine Prime. My guess is that once it is decked out for Christmas it will be really festive and cozy. We’ll also probably opt for a menu item a bit more daring next time. And once again, Happy Birthday to our friend Joe!
Brandywine Prime is located on US 1 south just before the intersection of Route 100 in Chadds Ford.
xoxoxo,
The Philly Foodie Girl
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Breaking the Chains
When our daughter was born 3 1/2 years ago we were constantly told by other parents that "Your days of going to fine dining establishments are over. Get used to going to Olive Garden on a Saturday night."
Boy, we've been doing our best to defeat that theory and so far I think we're doing pretty well. Saturday night we dined at Brandywine Prime in Chadds Ford with our friends Joe and Theresa. (When the Foodie Girl gets back from the gym she'll tell you all about BP.)
However, I can hear those parents right now laughing at us with an "I told you so." Bookending Saturday night were two trips into the chain restaurant world: Hibachi and Carrabba's in the Springfield Mall.
Yep, you read right. Dinner next to a Halloween Adventure Store and inside the mall. Now here is the interesting part... neither were all that bad. Without getting into too much detail here is how it came down.
Our little one loves Chinese food. She has been eating noodles and rice dishes from Margaret Kuo's in Media since she was old enough to hold chopsticks (about two years old). We thought she would get a big kick sitting around the giant grill while the Hibachi chefs lit rice on fire and tossed shrimp in the mouths of diners. She was mesmerized and loved every minute of it. Those sitting around us got more of a kick watching her than the chef!
Anyway, I went for the Filet Mignon and Chicken combo. It was a bit of a small portion but very good anyway. The foodie Babe had a Scallops and Filet combo. She reported the meat not being as tender as you would expect from filet and the scallops being just OK. Because we were seated before 6:45, we qualified for the early bird price and saved about $12.00.
Now on to Sunday night and Carrabba's Italian Grill in the Springfield Mall. It was my big sister's birthday and my younger sister's 14th wedding anniversary, so 10 of us got together at 4:oo in the afternoon for dinner. Let me say I'm shocked how many people were in this place in the middle of the day. What ever happened to watching football on Sunday afternoon?
The staff there was quite nice. The only problem is I think every server in the chain restaurant world studies the same training manual. Just once it would be nice not to hear, "Hi, I'm Suzie Snowflake and I'll be taking care of you today. May I start you off with something to drink?" Actually the other thing that bugs me is when you're eating your 'salad' (iceberg lettuce with some diced tomatoes) and the entree comes out a mere 4-minutes later.
The good part about Carrabba's: they were flexible in altering their menu offerings to what we wanted. (They were nice enough to change a spaghetti dish to rigatoni with meat sauce for my dad and I.) My rigatoni was just OK. The Foodie Girl's salad with eggplant and goat cheese was a little small and on the salty side. Everyone else seemed pretty happy with what they ordered. Another hit was when they substituted my Absolut Citron with Kettle One Citron. You really can taste the difference.
The bad part about Carrabba's: as a group of 10 we were really confined in our pushed-together tables, our service seemed a bit rushed (see above comment), and the place is really dark. Next time we'll bring a flashlight to see the menu. Overall, this is what you expect from a place in the mall.
The best part: Having the family together to celebrate a birthday and an anniversary!!
Now get ready because as soon as the Foodie Girl gets out of the shower she'll be telling you all about our experience at Brandywine Prime. Caio.
Boy, we've been doing our best to defeat that theory and so far I think we're doing pretty well. Saturday night we dined at Brandywine Prime in Chadds Ford with our friends Joe and Theresa. (When the Foodie Girl gets back from the gym she'll tell you all about BP.)
However, I can hear those parents right now laughing at us with an "I told you so." Bookending Saturday night were two trips into the chain restaurant world: Hibachi and Carrabba's in the Springfield Mall.
Yep, you read right. Dinner next to a Halloween Adventure Store and inside the mall. Now here is the interesting part... neither were all that bad. Without getting into too much detail here is how it came down.
Our little one loves Chinese food. She has been eating noodles and rice dishes from Margaret Kuo's in Media since she was old enough to hold chopsticks (about two years old). We thought she would get a big kick sitting around the giant grill while the Hibachi chefs lit rice on fire and tossed shrimp in the mouths of diners. She was mesmerized and loved every minute of it. Those sitting around us got more of a kick watching her than the chef!
Anyway, I went for the Filet Mignon and Chicken combo. It was a bit of a small portion but very good anyway. The foodie Babe had a Scallops and Filet combo. She reported the meat not being as tender as you would expect from filet and the scallops being just OK. Because we were seated before 6:45, we qualified for the early bird price and saved about $12.00.
Now on to Sunday night and Carrabba's Italian Grill in the Springfield Mall. It was my big sister's birthday and my younger sister's 14th wedding anniversary, so 10 of us got together at 4:oo in the afternoon for dinner. Let me say I'm shocked how many people were in this place in the middle of the day. What ever happened to watching football on Sunday afternoon?
The staff there was quite nice. The only problem is I think every server in the chain restaurant world studies the same training manual. Just once it would be nice not to hear, "Hi, I'm Suzie Snowflake and I'll be taking care of you today. May I start you off with something to drink?" Actually the other thing that bugs me is when you're eating your 'salad' (iceberg lettuce with some diced tomatoes) and the entree comes out a mere 4-minutes later.
The good part about Carrabba's: they were flexible in altering their menu offerings to what we wanted. (They were nice enough to change a spaghetti dish to rigatoni with meat sauce for my dad and I.) My rigatoni was just OK. The Foodie Girl's salad with eggplant and goat cheese was a little small and on the salty side. Everyone else seemed pretty happy with what they ordered. Another hit was when they substituted my Absolut Citron with Kettle One Citron. You really can taste the difference.
The bad part about Carrabba's: as a group of 10 we were really confined in our pushed-together tables, our service seemed a bit rushed (see above comment), and the place is really dark. Next time we'll bring a flashlight to see the menu. Overall, this is what you expect from a place in the mall.
The best part: Having the family together to celebrate a birthday and an anniversary!!
Now get ready because as soon as the Foodie Girl gets out of the shower she'll be telling you all about our experience at Brandywine Prime. Caio.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
A Non-Chain Restaurant in King of Prussia?
Thanks Foodie Girl for letting me say a quick something about a rare find in King of Prussia- Creed’s Seafood and Steaks.
Why a rare find? Well, if you’ve ever trudged along in the stop and go traffic along Route 202 or Gulph Road in K of P, you know the roadway is jammed with ubiquitous national chain restaurants that pretty much can be found anywhere. I don’t want to say that these places are bad, it’s just that you can find them most anywhere.
This is why Creed’s is so cool. It was great to hit a place, even for lunch, and find the proprietor (Jim Creed himself) in the restaurant saying hello to what appeared to be regulars. It’s been a while since the Foodie Babe and I have been there for dinner, but this lunch with a colleague was a winner.
As you would figure in that area at noon it was mainly business people, really a parade of suits and fancy cars in the parking lot. Despite what appeared to be a large party in one rooms the service was prompt and not at all smothering. My friend had the lunch special, Tilapia over spaghetti squash and rice. ($15.) I went for the classic Cobb Salad even though avocado does nothing for me. ($11.) Both were outstanding!
Since we were talking about business it was good not to be presented with a check too early as we hung out for nearly two hours. Our server was nice enough to keep filling the iced tea glasses as we shared stories about past experiences in the business.
So if you’re doing business in King of Prussia, Valley Forge or anywhere along 202 or 422 you must check out Creeds. If you are staying at a hotel in the area, like the Sheraton Park Ridge or Radisson, leave the hotel restaurants behind for a few hours and get some local flavor! And while I didn't see the dinner menu, I was impressed by the wine list.
You can see a short video about the restaurant here: http://www.philadelphiapavideo.com/city/play.aspx?ItemID=60&CatID=1
Thumbs up to Creeds on North Gulph Road in King of Prussia.
Why a rare find? Well, if you’ve ever trudged along in the stop and go traffic along Route 202 or Gulph Road in K of P, you know the roadway is jammed with ubiquitous national chain restaurants that pretty much can be found anywhere. I don’t want to say that these places are bad, it’s just that you can find them most anywhere.
This is why Creed’s is so cool. It was great to hit a place, even for lunch, and find the proprietor (Jim Creed himself) in the restaurant saying hello to what appeared to be regulars. It’s been a while since the Foodie Babe and I have been there for dinner, but this lunch with a colleague was a winner.
As you would figure in that area at noon it was mainly business people, really a parade of suits and fancy cars in the parking lot. Despite what appeared to be a large party in one rooms the service was prompt and not at all smothering. My friend had the lunch special, Tilapia over spaghetti squash and rice. ($15.) I went for the classic Cobb Salad even though avocado does nothing for me. ($11.) Both were outstanding!
Since we were talking about business it was good not to be presented with a check too early as we hung out for nearly two hours. Our server was nice enough to keep filling the iced tea glasses as we shared stories about past experiences in the business.
So if you’re doing business in King of Prussia, Valley Forge or anywhere along 202 or 422 you must check out Creeds. If you are staying at a hotel in the area, like the Sheraton Park Ridge or Radisson, leave the hotel restaurants behind for a few hours and get some local flavor! And while I didn't see the dinner menu, I was impressed by the wine list.
You can see a short video about the restaurant here: http://www.philadelphiapavideo.com/city/play.aspx?ItemID=60&CatID=1
Thumbs up to Creeds on North Gulph Road in King of Prussia.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
