Three Reasons to go to Tapestry in Queen Village

(from Tapestry website)

Beer. Booze. Bites. That's the slogan at Tapestry - on the website, on the menu, even on the front door. We've been twice now and have to say, it's winning on all three points.

Tapestry replaced the beloved Adsum on the Queen Village corner of 5th and Bainbridge this past November. It was coined the latest gastropub in a series of openings around town, but feels less like the "pub" half of that label than most others.

Floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides open up the small-ish space and a slightly larger wine selection than many other gastropubs helps that cause. The menu, however, is a refreshing return to what we saw from gastropubs when the trend exploded a few years ago - upscale versions of staple items like burgers, fish n' chips and apps. We've been frustrated by some other well-established gastropubs fancying up their menus lately and taking off these traditional items. No matter what you call it, Tapestry is a safe bet for good food, drink and atmosphere.

Two enormous chalkboards provide the draft beer list and daily food specials. The beer selection is deep and rotates frequently. A third board lists 12+ traditional cocktails for $8 - $10 each. Bradd had a couple very well made Negronis during our first visit. Off the wine list, I'm a big fan of how easy a few glasses of the smooth Coppo Barbera L'Avvocata 07' go down after a long week.

Bacon-wrapped dates

I won't go into a ton of detail on each dish, but so far everything we've eaten at Tapestry was very good:

Bacon-wrapped dates and sweet potato fries - Both come with cranberry cherry apple cider chipotle marmalade. Commence drooling now.

Fried rock shrimp with sriracha mayo - Loved it. Not enough rock shrimp on menus these days.

Roasted peppers and stravecchio on house made bread - This is a decent-sized portion, good for sharing.

Mac & cheese - Served plain, a.k.a. three cheese, as a small plate but there is also usually a "mac n' cheese of the day" on the specials board. We had it with pancetta and peas and it was delicious. Don't worry when it comes out a little runny - it's still tasty and doesn't leave a gross heap of digested cheese sitting in your stomach all night.

Fish and chips - Tasty, and more like giant, lightly breaded fish sticks. No charge to substitute sweet potato fries for the automatic side of steak fries.

Fried chicken - Bradd is a sucker for fried chicken and is glad to see it appearing in more places (call it the Federal Donuts effect, I guess). This fried chicken was quite good. Juicy and crispy, just the way we like it.

Tapestry Burger - Another solid burger to add to the lexicon of Philly burgers. It's not up there with burger at Supper, Pub & Kitchen or Village Whiskey, but most of us would be more than pleased with it.

Daily special mac n' cheese

The staff at Tapestry was also very friendly and helpful with menu selections. They seemed happily accommodating to larger groups that walked in, shuffling around tables/chairs as best they could to seat everyone. The bar is easy to eat at, too, plus there's a little shelf for standing patrons to sit their beers on. It's the little things, you know?

We're still looking for one more go-to, solid little pub in our neighborhood on the other side of Broad St. For Queen Villagers, they've got it in Tapestry.

Fish and Chips

Super long sweet potato fry

Tapestry
700 S. 5th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19127 
http://tapestryphilly.com/

Mica: Craftsmanship at Work in the Heart of Chestnut Hill

By now you've likely read or heard that Philadelphia's own Mica was recently named one of GQ magazine's 10 Best New Restaurants in America. You can probably understand, then, why I did a little jump for joy reading this and knowing that we already had a reservation. Demand is sure to peak in the next few months. 

For us, Mica lived up to its reputation for complex and creative dishes, handcrafted with perfection by emerging local star Chip Roman. Looking at the meal as a whole though, including the progression of small plates and service, it was mix of positives and negatives. In the end, I did walk away with admiration for the TLC put into every bite.

There are just a few options at Mica: the chef's tasting of five or seven dishes, or a fixed price for three or four choices from the main menu. The month's tasting ingredients are listed but you don't know how they'll be used. We went in February, so what you see below may not be what's offered another month. 


We opted for the five-course tasting menu at $75 per person. It came with a freebie dish at the beginning and end, so we really had seven courses. Don't know if that's the norm, but it certainly made us glad we picked the smaller option. Roman's complimentary Spanish mackerel ceviche was a perfectly fresh combination of light fish, grapefruit, cilantro and salsa verde, possibly even our favorite dish of the night. It set the tone very well. 

Spanish mackerel ceviche

Next up was fluke crudo with yuzu, a Japanese citris fruit and another ingredient that resembled baby chilies (missed the name, any guesses?). Also excellent. The yuzu added a nice, sweet flavor and it had just enough heat to stir up a little party on your tastebuds. The dish was up there with our favorite hamachi ceviche at Jose Garces' Distrito. 

Fluke crudo

The next two dishes were foie gras and veal sweatbreads. Ok, gourmands, please don't hate us, but this was simply too much. We totally expected to eat something of this nature at a place like Mica, for a price like Mica, and on their own each dish offered an impressive combination of flavors. But we all kinda looked at each other after eating the two dishes in a row and agree, I really hope the next dish is more... normal.

Veal sweatbreads

Foie gras

The thick round of foie gras came with a white chocolate power, banana cream and gingerbread. It was a really innovative mix of flavors that actually kinda felt like a dessert. At the same time, the foie gras was so rich it reminded us of a hunk of butter - on its own far too powerful, but on the gingerbread quite lovely. Follow that with a pile of veal sweatbreads, red bean sorrel, pear puree and shitake mushrooms, though, and it was just too much, too fast. The sauce grew on Bradd but he added that more mushrooms may have helped ease the odd texture of the sweatbreads. Including one or the other of these dishes would have been better. Or at least something in between (we asked for more baguette). 

The next course's roasted lamb saved the day. It was perfectly cooked and made us wish for more. A bed of celery root puree and trumpets was the right combination to round out this dish. Bradd absolutely loved it.

Roasted lamb

We thought the small but yummy pistachio creme brulee would be the satisfyingly light finale, but Mica surprised us each with a beautiful dark chocolate bonus dessert with candy twisted peanuts, kumquat, blood orange and vanilla-infused puree. I wasn't feeling overly full until I polished off this slice of chocolate heaven.

Chocolate dessert

Pistachio creme brulee

The service at Mica was generally average and we appreciated the pace of dishes so we didn't get stuffed too quickly. Although when you're paying $75 a person just for the meal, you should expect more. The waitress' explanation of the tasting menu was basically that Chef Roman is so great that you get what he says is best. A little more detail at the beginning and when each dish was brought out would have been appreciated. Why does Chef Roman think foie gras should be spread on gingerbread with banana cream? We found ourselves asking each time for a repeat of the ingredients to make sure we got it all. 

The water/wine pouring was also chaotic. Every time the waitress came to refill our wine glasses, the water guy was right there pouring at the same time. It crowded the table and was distracting. We confirmed with a trusted veteran of fine dining service that this is generally unacceptable.

As with many restaurants, the rule at Mica is everyone gets the tasting menu, or no one does. One of our companions was seven months pregnant, though, and asked very kindly if the restaurant would make an exception. She couldn't eat all the ingredients and didn't want to preclude the rest of us from the tasting experience. In our view, the immediate answer should have been "absolutely, not a problem" but instead the waitress said she had to check with the chef. He said it was fine, but was it really a big enough deal to ask? 

The verdict on Mica is that the tasting menu is chock full of rich flavors and creative combinations that make it worth the splurge, but our particularly rich tasting left us a bit overwhelmed at times. We enjoyed Mica more than Blackfish, though the latter is more likely for a revisit based on price alone. Chip Roman's attention to detail and eye (taste?) for unique flavor combinations is sure to keep him on the path to local stardom.

*****
On a side note, we can also see why it is so hard for businesses make it in Chestnut Hill. We went there early on purpose to wander the streets but the main drag shuts down by 5:30 or 6:00 pm on a Saturday night. We made it to Penzey's for spices (massive collection of spices, worth a trip) but after that didn't have much to choose from. Chestnut Hill has tremendous potential to be one of the hottest shopping/dining areas of Philadelphia; hopefully the presence of places like Mica will help that come true. 

Mica
8609 Germantown Ave
Philadelphia, PA, 19118
http://www.micarestaurant.com 

Battle of the Philly Hot Dogs: Underdogs vs. Hot Diggity

Could an artisanal hot dog war be heating up in Philly?

Philly Eater presented this idea in a recent post after the opening of Underdogs at 17th and Sansom St. In the opposite corner is Hot Diggity, which opened at 6th and South St. last June.

Both are jumping on the new, gourmet hot dog trend that is riding the coattails of fancy burgers and pizza. As "haute dog" joints, they focus on fresh, quality dogs with chef-inspired toppings.

You can count us on Team Hot Diggity if we have to declare allegiances in this match up.

A quick look at the tale of the tape (dog and bun) showcases the main differences in preparation. Hot Diggity grills their long, thin Sabrett dogs, while Underdogs serves a thicker, boiled Dietz & Watson. The grilled Sabrett packed the flavor of a traditional NYC-style dog without overwhelming the other ingredients, and was just crispy enough to make you long for summertime barbecues. Meanwhile, the plump Dietz & Watson was served to us lukewarm and seemed more processed. Ballpark-style, in truth.

When it comes to the bun, Hot Diggity uses toasted rolls from Liscio’s while Underdogs goes for untoasted from Cacia's. Again, we appreciated the warm, toasted bread at Hot Diggity much more. Both of these style elements are really based on preference, so perhaps yours is different, but they are important details to know before you go to either joint.

Menu posters at Hot Diggity

Being a gourmet hot dog joint, each place has an array of creatively-named options such as The Windy City, Philly Surf & Turf, The Coney Classic and The Georgia Bulldog. Check out their menus for more.

In our dog duel we had the Texas Hold-Em and Seattle Grunge from Hot Diggity, and the Pero Caliente, California Dreamin and Penn Deutch from Underdogs.

Hot Diggity easily won this face off, with ingredients and presentation leading the way. Just look at the pics below. Each Hot Diggity dog was packed with fresh ingredients and looked the part of a chef-created dog.

The Texas Hold 'Em is a bacon-wrapped dog with melted cheddar, barbecue sauce and hot sauce. I wish it had more hot sauce, but it was otherwise perfect. The Seattle Grunge is buried in garlic cream cheese, red onions and chopped tomatoes. We both enjoyed the garlicky coolness of the cream cheese on the dog. I would have preferred chopped over stringy onions, though.

Seattle Grunge at Hot Diggity

Texas Hold 'Em at Hot Diggity

The three dogs we split at Underdogs were seriously underwhelming. While the names aimed to match Hot Diggity’s, the execution did not. We felt all three dogs were missing the fresh bite-me-now appeal of Hot Diggity and none had enough ingredients. We actually didn't finish any of them.

Of the three, the Pero Caliente with pico de gallo, chocolate cayenne mole, jalapenos and sour cream was the best, but could have used double the mole sauce. The house-made pepper hash on the Penn Deutch was dry and didn’t have much flavor. We’ll let the photo of the Californian Dreamin, with avocado, tomato and lemon mustard vinaigrette, do the talking.

Pero Caliente at Underdogs

Penn Deutch at Underdogs

California Dreamin at Underdogs

Where Underdogs and Hot Diggity tie is with the fries. Each place offers fresh cut fries with an array of specialty dipping sauces for 25 cents each. Think pineapple salsa, garlic aioli, thai peanut, sriracha ketchup, etc. On taste, both places were great, though it was a little more fun how Hot Diggity’s fries are served in a cone that slides into a hole in each high top table.

Underdogs Fries

Hot Diggity Fries

It’s those little details that also make the hipstery, South St. vibe at Hot Diggity standout. Easy-to-see cartoon posters of each dog are another example of the inviting decor. At Underdogs, you have to sort of awkwardly look over people while they're eating in order to review the wall menu.

Two things Underdogs does have over Hot Diggity is lower prices and locally-made sausages of all varieties - chicken, lamb, merguez, chorizo, kielbasa, you name it. We did not try any on our visit, but would be willing to go back for them after hearing positive reviews from foodie friends. For this review, we stuck with the traditional dogs. Underdogs also sells their dogs for $3.25 - $3.75. Hot Diggity charges $5.00 - $6.00 per dog. More expensive but better product, we think.

This war seems to more like David vs Goliath at this point. But, hey a true turf war like "Pat’s or Geno’s?" has to have its ardent supporters. Anyone taking Underdogs??? Apparently Moe's Hot Dog House at Washington Ave and Gray's Ferry is supposed to be good, too - anyone like them best?

In the end, we are all for any friendly food competition that stirs conversation and brings us food hunters out to try new things.

Sandwich Quest: Mix n' Match Your Meatballs at Marabella

I recently set off on a Sandwich Quest to try some new sandwiches including the falafel at Mama’s Vegetarian (review coming) and the lamb gyro at Opa. On my walk to Opa, I passed Marabella Meatball Co. (MMCo.) and as luck would have it they were celebrating their one-year anniversary with a $5 sandwich special. That’s as good a reason as any to change plans and give a meatball sammie a shot.

The majority of MMCo.'s menu is focused on meatballs, but you could order pasta, if desired. Unless you are a regular, I don’t see any reason why you would get the pasta. I’ll stick to their specialty.

You can create your own meatball sandwich or choose from a list of MMCo. favorites. If you go with the mix-and-match you choose from four types of meatballs (beef, pork, chicken or vegetarian), three sauces (tomato, marinara or mushroom) and four cheeses (provolone, fontina, piave vecchio or mozzarella).

I skipped the create your own option and ordered the Classic sandwich off the favorites menu with beef meatballs, aged provolone and tomato sauce. The $5 anniversary special was for the smaller "Nonni" option, which comes with two meatballs on a round roll. The normal price is $6.25. The "Traditional" option is served on a long roll with four meatballs and costs $8.50.

The Classic was good, not amazing. The cheese was not fully melted and the meatball didn't pack a ton of flavor. The sauce was sweet and plentiful, though, and the bread was excellent. It didn’t fall apart even with all the sauce.

I’d recommend MMCo. if you are looking for a quick, decent bite. The Nonni is probably the best option for most people since the four meatball sandwich seems like a lot of meatball for one person. I’m willing to go back to try another favorite.

Stogie Joe’s still holds lead within the meatball portion of Sandwich Quest. Any other meatball recommendations to add the list?

Delicias, a New Venezuelan Food Truck in University City

The food blogger gods are on my side in 2012... a new day job has me working in University City rather than commuting an hour away from the food haven of Philadelphia each day. That can only mean one thing: more lunches to write about!

Midtown Lunch recently highlighted Delicias, a new Venezuelan-themed food truck at 34th & Market near Drexel/Penn. These awkwardly warm winter days have been perfect for venturing out at lunchtime so I gave Delicias a try.

Choripan Sandwich - look at allll those onions!

The chorizo sandwich, called a Chorpian ($5), was great. It's a long, soft, toasted roll with several pieces of sliced, medium-spiced chorizo, covered in homemade pico de gallo and caramelized onions. Admittedly, I picked off a handful of onions so I wouldn't totally stink up the office, but there were still plenty left to enhance the flavor. The pico de gallo had a nice kick but not more than my sally-pants could handle.

Also key in food truck lunch excursions, the Choripan traveled well back to the office. It had a good 15 minute walk to survive but the tight foil wrapping worked well.

The fried empanadas weren't quite as lucky. My shredded beef one ($3.50) was still relatively warm and had good flavor, although the outside lost most of its original crisp. The salty white cheese empanada ($2.50) is definitely best devoured during the walk back. The cheese had cooled and hardened by the time I got to it.

Know that empanadas in Venezuela are also corn-based, so they don't taste quite the same as white/wheat flour Argentinian and Spanish empanadas you may be more used to. Wikipedia's listing for "empanada" includes a lengthy and interesting list of all the varieties around the world, in case you're curious. I wasn't a huge fan of the saltiness of the cheese or the corn breading (I prefer flour tortillas with Mexican food, too) but I'd give it another try fresh out of the frying pan.

Empanada

The co-workers with me represent both gluten-free and vegetarian diets, so they were pleased to see options for both on the menu. Delicias' signature Venezuelan item - the arepa - is made with corn flour patties so it is both wheat and gluten free. The corn patties are split and filled with a variety of yummy-looking options.

The avocado, tomato and cotija cheese arepa got a thumbs up but my male co-worker commented that it was a bit small for his lunch. Lesson learned: an empanada on the side might help fill you up. Perhaps the Domino empanada with black beans and cojita cheese ($4), which also got a positive review. The empanadas are pretty big so one as a side is all you need.

Follow Delicias on Twitter for menu updates, location info, etc.

Simple wipe-off board menu with weekly specials. 

Delicias doesn't have a big sign - look for the black truck with this smaller sign, usually near Chewy's.