The 2011 22nd & Philly Scarpetta Awards

Welcome everyone to the first-ever 22nd & Philly Scarpetta Awards!

Why the Scarpettas? On the About 22nd & Philly page, we detail why we started this blog and how we define a good food experience: "at the end of the day, if Bradd cleans his plate with a piece of bread, you know it was a good meal." Little did we know there is an Italian phrase for using bread to clean your plate, Fare La Scarpetta. We learned about the word from Anthony Bourdain's show, The Layover, when he visited Rome.

What better way to characterize our own "Best Of" awards for Philadelphia?

The Scarpettas are based on the eateries we visited in the past year, food quests, local events, readers and friends we’ve met, among other considerations. It's our way of pointing out some of our favorite - and least favorite - discoveries within local food scene during 2011. Either our plates were clean, or something was left to be desired.

And the 2011 Scarpettas go to...

Brunch Week! The Charm of Carman's Country Kitchen

Update: Carman's sadly closed its doors in late 2012 after more than 30 years in business. Carman moved south to take a new adventures. Big loss for Philly's breakfast scene, so glad we got to try it. 

This spring/summer I've been out to brunch more than usual. I followed up Distrito in April and Sabrina's Cafe in May with outings to Carman's Country Kitchen, Morning Glory and Xochitl in the past six weeks. All very different, each has its own flair and appeal.

In honor of this personal brunch conquest, and because I need to catch up on posts, this week has officially been declared "Brunch Week" at 22nd & Philly. Here's my take on brunch at Carman's in South Philly. Stay tuned for reviews of Xochitl and Morning Glory later this week.

Brunch at Carman's is nothing short of an "experience." It has  an incredible charm, driven largely by a colorful mix of wacky/nostalgic/random/cutesy/phallic decor and very friendly staff. Carman's is also super small, with seating for only about 10-12 people including counter spots. On weekends you can also sit outside in the flatbed of a pickup truck parked on the street (sure why not?).

It was the perfect spot to bring a few fun-loving, world-traveling girlfriends in town and ready to party down at a wedding the next night.

Everything we ate was mouthwateringly good: Challah French Toast with mangos in a peach/pineapple sauce with key lime gramcracker gelato; Buttermilk Pancakes with banana, raisins, toasted coconut and vanilla; Omelet with cheese, avocadoes, tomatoes, sweet onions, scallions and yucca with a hint of white anchovies and cilantro. Drool over them in photos below.