• Celebrate the birth of marshmllow fluff with MP: Boston!

• Celebrate the comparison of food to geopolitics with MP: Chicago!

• Celebrate a real life hamburglar with MP: San Francisco!

• Celebrate the year of the steakhouse with MP: South Florida!

Northeast Philly regionialisms. We know all about the cult of panzarottis, Irish-themed sports bars (that don't serve Guinness!), wooder ice and complaining about the traffic on the Boulevard. Today it's our turn to scope out what Uwishunu says about square pizza at Santucci's:

I work for R5 productions (concert promoter) and when our “Near” NE Philly friends are coming down for a show, we often request that they bring us the coveted pyramid. Three descending sized boxes of this amazing tomato pie. Often you can see us chowing down at the door reluctantly taking money and stamping hands as we put back slice after slice. This is the classic Philly style cheese on the bottom pizza or tomato pie, not to be confused with the cheese-less tomato pie. Santucci’s pies have a thicker gooier crust than Tony’s Place’s circular tomato pie, if you are familiar.

Pyramid of Pizza: Santucci Brothers [Uwishunu]
Santucci's Original Square [MenuPages]

If we were you, we'd reconsider eating buffalo wings for the time being. It turns out that an enterprising businessman was selling chicken wings to area pizzerias and restaurants... that he processed in his garage:

"It wasn't a chicken processing plant. It was a garage behind a Philadelphia row home. Inside, a barefoot worker could be seen cutting wings that might have been served up at your favorite restaurant. It was hot. Flies were everywhere. NBC 10's cameras spotted chicken dropped in the water on a sloppy floor. At one point, the wing was picked up and tossed back in the pile. "He's got blood in that water, plus the ice, and it's just bacteria," the deliveryman said. They were chopped down into Buffalo wings, party wings, wingettes and the distributor resold them for a profit."

An investigation by NBC10 into the illegal chicken wing operation on Northeast Philadelphia's Tabor Avenue found fly baits on rotting pieces of chicken, fly strips and an utter lack of sanitation and temperature control in the garage where the chicken was stored.

Uhm, ew.

Distributor Found Selling Chicken Wings In Dangerous Way [NBC10]

News-of-the-weird website Fark.com is holding an open thread for their readers on fast food restaurants of the past. Which was your favorite?

What was your favorite chain restaurant that is no longer around? [Fark]

We recently came across this review of West Philly hippie/punk-loving caffeine joint Satellite Coffeeshop and had to share it:

Having grown up with crusty punx; I barely noticed the customers draped in filthy costumes that are more patches than clothing. It is curious, but hitherto unremarkable that the number of the kids covered with paint is disproportionate to the amount of painting going on in the city. What cinched it for me was the second time I noticed a girl drinking coffee from a pseudo-Mason jar.

I’ve seen a slew of people bring their own travel cups or mugs into all manner of cafes. That is reasonable. In fact, Satellite knocks 50 cents from the price if you bring your own mug. The distinction here is the types of vessels which Satellite clients choose to bring: former containers for peanut butter, beans, or bruschetta. Drinking coffee from a glass jar is preposterous posturing beyond all rationality.

There is a reason that coffee mugs are porcelain or ceramic: thermal conduction. This lesson is not missed by these jar-drinkers, based on the method of gripping the jar by the rim with two finger tips they have developed to avoid a scalding wake up call.

I’ve never spoken to anyone at Satellite, so I merely can presume the motivations of these people. The only purposes I can imagine, based on the political positioning of the typical West Philly Kid, are matters of thrift and of ecology.

Satellite Coffeeshop [Cafe Tableaux]

A few openings, rounded up over at the Inquirer's Food and Drinq blog:

• Pei Wei Asian Diner, P.F. Chang's budget spinoff chain, is making a concerted effort to break into the Philly market. Locations are opening up in Springfield (October 8) and on City Avenue (October 22). Can anyone explain why the Philadelphia 'burbs are in love with chain restaurants that have all the soul of a cardboard box?

• Old City Belgian gastropub/potential mussel haven Beneluxx Tasting Room is aiming for an October 5 opening. Right now they're sorting out some issues with the LCB.

• A new steakhouse might be opening near Washington Square.

Odds & Ends [Food & Drinq]

New York blogger Jason Kottke just came across the very first restaurant review the New York Times ever published. Check it out in full.

First NY Times Restaurant Review Circa 1859 [Kottke.org]

Philly's Latino bakeries just got the Daily News treatment, with a look at the Colombian Bakery:

It's a Saturday morning around 10 at the Colombian Bakery, and Angela Benitez could use another set of hands. Customers are lined up to the door in this tiny storefront, which serves authentic Colombian and Mexican breads and pastries to a largely Hispanic clientele. Benitez, a Colombian native, has worked at the bakery since it opened five years ago. And business is good. A tray of warm triangles of puffed pastry stuffed with cream cheese and guava makes it to the counter, but barely. With most items priced between $1 and $3, and the coffee as dark, strong and potent as you might imagine, breakfast hours are a busy time here. Benitez works efficiently, smiling brightly and calling most of her customers by name or amor ("love" in Spanish). The atmosphere is warm and convivial, and the customers seem to hail from all walks of life, from landscapers and contractors to business people sitting at tables in the back with their breakfasts reading Spanish-language newspapers amid all the hubbub. A happy toddler with a smear of guava jelly on her face wanders underfoot.

Only... the DN forgot to mention where the Bakery is. The Colombian Bakery is located at 4944 N. 5th St. Check it out.

Aroma of home [Daily News]

[Image via Daily News]

Talk about a special delivery! Police arrested the manager of an Andorra pizza shop yesterday after they found that he was using his delivery men to run a drug operation on the side. Undercover cops spent several weeks studying Giuseppe "Joe" Stellato and the extra toppings he allegedly peddled while he worked at Argento's Pizza, said Narcotics Capt. Chris Werner. Stellato, 36, of Erial, N.J., was charged with drug possession and possession with the intent to deliver. Werner said investigators confiscated $5,000 worth of prescription drugs, including Oxycontin, from Stellato's car, which was outside the pizza shop on Henry Avenue near Port Royal Avenue. "Basically, he was directing drivers to his car, where he kept the narcotics, and they would make drug deliveries while they were out on their routes," Werner said.

Meanwhile, the health inspector bandit is finally going to trial:

Former city Health Inspector Clarence Morris was supposed to be checking the place. But according to witnesses, he did more than look around the North Philly Chinese take-out eatery last July.

Witnesses said Morris swiped $1,200 from the restaurant, assaulted a store employee, then ran over the foot of a female witness as he attempted to make his getaway in his city-issued vehicle.

Yesterday, Morris, 33, was held for trial on charges of robbery, simple assault and reckless endangerment after a preliminary hearing before Municipal Judge Patrick Dugan. Wearing a charcoal, pin-striped suit and pink shirt, Morris sat motionless during the hearing, occasionally leaning over to whisper into his attorney's ear as the restaurant employee testified through a Mandarin-speaking interpreter. As she identified Morris from the witness stand, the employee told Assistant District Attorney Evangelia Manos that she became suspicious of Morris when he warned her husband not to follow him around the Erie Express Chinese Restaurant, on Broad Street near Venango. "He went to the front, middle, back, everywhere," she said of Morris through interpreter Alex Wong. "After he walked around the refrigerator [where she stashed the money in a box], I couldn't see the money anymore."

Cops: Pizza shop 'sauce' of drugs [Daily News]
Ex-Health aide faces trial in theft, assault [Daily News]

It's official: After a long round of votes, the cheesesteak BLT at Vesuvio has been named the best sandwich in America by the Today show:

So I took a bite ... forget about thin slices of pressed steak — this sandwich actually cooks an individual filet mignon, slices it thick and piles it on a ciabatta with provolone, sauteed onions, bacon, lettuce and tomato and a special mayo. Its more of a meal than a sandwich ... and while I still love Pat's, these two sandwiches can't even be fairly compared as the quality of the ingredients at Vesuvio clearly separates it from the traditional cheesesteak!

Today's tasy sandwiches of America [NBC]
Vesuvio [MenuPages]
Vesuvio [Official Site]

· Meet Larry Rossi. The Bucks County resident is dedicated to breeding the pawpaw. What's the pawpaw? You'll just have to read the article to find out.

· Check out the Jewish food exhibition at the National Museum of American Jewish History. Mmm... pastrami on rye.

· What's the deal with the new Vango Lounge from the owner of Byblos?

· Ellen Yin, congrats. We love ya and it's awesome that we get to celebrate 10 years of Fork.

· Meet your new food master, Stephen Starr. He's taking on a massive boutique hotel project in AC called the Chelsea Hotel (no relation to the Sid Vicious/Dylan Thomas/whatev one) and opening several new restaurants in Philly for '08.

· Awesome. The Astral Plane, which closed in July, will be reopening under a new owner.

· It's fall, so why not make a list of Philly's best pumpkin dishes?

Philadelphia magazine put together a list of the city's best eggplant dishes. Making the list: The lasagna with eggplant mousse and pistachio-onion confit at Horizons, Osteria's eggplant pizza and the eggplant salad at Phoenixville's Thai L'Elephant.

In Search of: Eggplant [Philly Mag]

It turns out that the Weavers Way Food Co-op has a really good blog. Who knew?

Straight from the Farm [Official Site]

Saturday is the Midtown Village Fall festival. While we don't know about "Midtown Village" as the new, hip name for the neighborhood south of City Hall and north of the Gayborhood, the events scheduled seem pretty interesting. Ludwig's Garten will be throwing their annual Oktoberfest, Fergie's is setting up a 40-foot-long outdoor bar, Robin's Books will be selling books by the pound, Tbar is setting up a "Kids Korner" where children can brew their own custom blend teas and Sailor Jerry is bringing in local hardcore band Clockcleaner for an in store performance. Good times.

Midtown Village Fall Festival [Midtown Village]

A new sports bar named The Field House will replace the shuttered Independence Brew Pub at Market East Station. The Field House will be operated by the folks behind Public House. Expecting openi0ng date is November 15th.

Big new sports bar is on deck [Daily News]

It warmed our hearts when we opened today's Inquirer and found out that restaurants are standing up for the right to serve foie gras. Nearly 20 establishments in the Philadelphia area have teamed up for a week of exposing the public to foie gras. "Freedom Foie for Five" will offer lunch and dinner portions of foie gras for $5 at restaurants including Vetri, London Grill, Rylei and Le Bec-Fin. Participants are receiving foie gras at cost through an agreement with the Artisan Farmers Alliance.

Foie gras has been under fire in Philadelphia lately. A bill is in the works at City Hall that would ban foie gras and animal rights protestors have been using thuggish tactics against restaurants serving the dish. There are claims that the production of foie gras, which involves force feeding ducks, constitutes animal cruelty.

For our part, we can't understand how with Philly's massive homeless problem and the miseries of "Murderdelphia", how activists can focus on... ducks. Do the right thing and buy one of the London Grill's t-shirts (pictured; available at bar).

A full list of partcipants is available at Food & Drinq.

A bargain for loves of foie gras [Inquirer]

· Over at Coquette, the food is epicly delicious and unhealthy:

A lyonnaise salad—the bistro classic that pokes fun at the health-conscious by wrapping itself in bacon and poached egg—was a pleasant mix of textures. The crispness of the bacon, the silkiness of the egg and the soft, salty addition of sauteed cubes of potato made the discipline of tough, bitter frisee seem necessary. Links of boudin blanc sausage were as velvety as custard and served alongside a generous portion of sliced cornichons, tangy mustard and lentils.

· Nodding Head and Grey Lodge Pub are honoring the memory of Michael Jackson with a National Toast on Sunday night. That's Michael Jackson the prolific beer writer who recently died of complications from Parkinson's Disease, not Michael Jackson the creepy fake-nosed pop star. Just FYI.

· Inside the brave, healthy world of artisan tofu.

• Wanna undertake a security check to sling lattes at irritated travelers all day long? Than this job as a barrista at Philadelphia International Airport is totally for you.

• Lacroix has openings for a line cook and morning bussers/servers.

• Pita Pocket needs a grill person.

• Self-explanatory: shot girls/beer tub girls" target="_blank"> for "one of the hottest nightclubs in Philly."

• Because we love the 'burbs too... California Pizza Kitchen has openings at King of Prussia for hosts and servers.

Mount Airy's Geechee Girl Rice Cafe is a unique restaurant. The majority of the menu is based on the cuisine of the Gullah, an African-American people who live on the Barrier Islands of South Carolina. We just stumbled on this article on Gullah cooking over at Gourmet:

Over the last few years, though Gullah culture has been under attack from the forces of real estate development. The islands of St. Helena, Daufuskie, and Edisto--historically Gullah strongholds--are rapidly being transformed into vacation destinations. However, it's still possible to find traces of Gullah culture, especially if you're willing to look in out-of-the-way places. On the island of St. Helena, Frogmore stew--a boil-up of assorted seafood, pork sausage, and corn on the cob--is still popular. It's named after the town of Frogmore, a crossroads of the most visible Gullah settlement on the island.

Forgotten Cuisines of America [Gourmet]
Geechee Girl Rice Cafe [MenuPages]
Geechee Girl Rice Cafe [Official Site]

Epicurious has been putting a ton of old content from Bon Appetit and Gourmet online, including this 2003 story on the beers of Wallonia. Wallonia is the southern, French-speaking half of Belgium. It's recently been in the news over fears that Belgium will dissolve, but beyond geopolitical issues... it's a beer drinker's heaven:

Perhaps because the area's largely rural character necessarily makes for small marketplaces and contained villages, Wallonia's brewers have typically been of an artisanal bent. Like their Flemish neighbors to the north, they prefer to brew fruitier, rounder-tasting ales rather than leaner, crisper lagers, and they like their beers strong. However, they are less constrained by the classic beer styles of the north—such as the Belgian wheat ale (known as "white" beer), the lambic beers (fermented by wild, airborne yeasts), or the wood-aged Flemish red and brown ales. Wallonian brewers also tend to be a bit more experimental in their approach, often spicing their ales with great enthusiasm.

Here in Philadelphia, Walloon beers can be found at, among others, Monk's Cafe and Zot.

Drinking Beer in Wallonia [Epicurious]

This is pretty cool. TMZ reports Philly native Patti LaBelle is launching a line of hot sauces:

The 63-year-old vocal powerhouse is getting into the condiment business, by coming out with a line of five different hot sauces and relishes. Available later this year, the flavors will include Sweet Hot Jalapeno, Rich Red Blended Cayenne, and for all you menopausal women out there -- Hot Flash Blended Habanero & Jalapeno sauce!"

Then there's her new cookbook and DVD too.

Patti LaBelle Is a Salsa Queen [TMZ]

Chow has gone to the trouble of compiling some of Julia Child's best quotes. Here are some of our favorites:

· “If you’re afraid of butter, just use cream.”

· What would she have done if she hadn’t gone into cooking? “I would have married a Republican banker and become an alcoholic.”

· “The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.”

· When a sommelier asked her to name her favorite wine, she replied, “Gin.”

The wit and wisdom of Julia Child [Chow]

Over at the Inky's unfortunately named Food and Drinq blog (Tierney, stop with all the cuteness!), there's the news that a number of popular Philly area restaurants are now offering BYO nights. Among the restos named: Carmine's Creole Cafe, Happy Rooster and Bistro Cassis. Being able to drink affordable wine with your dinner = pretty awesome.

If you can't lick em... [Inquirer]

[Photo via Gerald S. Williams/Philadelphia Inquirer]

• MP: Boston is all about Godfather references.

• MP: Chicago is ga ga for fish tacos.

• MP: San Francisco is going behind the scenes at the Mission's only Michelin-starred restaurant.

• MP: South Florida is setting off metaphorical fireworks in honor of the year of the steakhouse.

Over at Blogalicious, Adam got a sneak peek at the interior of yet-to-open French Italian spot Le Virtu on Passyunk Avenue in South Philly. Look for an October opening.

Look Inside: Le Virtu [Blogalicious]

If you've ever watched Andrew Zimmern's show Bizarre Foods on the Travel Channel, this is the story for you. The Times of London sent reporter Matt Rudd on the trail of the world's wildest delicacies. Check out what it's like to eat the exotic ortolan:

Considered by the French as the ultimate gastronomic experience, and by the rest of the planet as the ultimate cruelty, ortolan-munching was banned in 1999. It’s not hard to see why: putting a napkin over your head and scoffing a petite and endangered songbird, bones, beak and all, could be construed as unnecessarily nasty. Not long before the ban, François Mitterrand didn’t set a good example, requesting ortolan to be served to him and 30 guests at a final banquet, eight days before he succumbed to cancer. This month, the French government agreed to enforce the original ban after campaigners revealed that an estimated 30,000 birds were still being poached each year in Aquitaine. Tastes like crunchy hazelnuts with a brandy aftertaste – not surprising, as the unfortunate birds meet their death in a glass of armagnac. I can think of worse ways to go.

Yeah, that's kind of disgusting.

The world's wildest delicacies [Times of London]

Hey! It looks like everyones favorite sixth borough partisan Jessica Pressler just wrote about the new Silk City Diner for the New York Times.

Notes:

1) Of course, the word "jawn" had to be explained for a non-215/610/856 audience.

2) Pressler stopped by for the white hipster-friendly 1990s rap night "Mo' Money Mo' Problems."
Songs played included the Stereo MCs' "Connected" and the Wu-Tang Clan. Hey... just like high school!

3) "The new owners have changed the menu - Thai spareribs and mojitos have replaced the scrapple and milkshakes."

4) Yes, Diplo was quoted for the article.

The Bar Car is Rocking [NY Times]
Silk City Diner [MenuPages]
Silk City Diner [Official Site]

[Image courtesy New York Times]

New Main Line Belgian spot Teresa's Next Door just got the Craig LaBan treatment. It sounds like our kind of place:

The folding chalkboard sign perched in front of Teresa's Next Door beckoned to passersby with an unexpected pitch: "WARM BEER, LOUSY FOOD! (We're new... What did you expect?)"?

It was just the right wink for a new Belgian bar trying to turn heads in downtown Wayne, an old-line martini zone if ever there was one, where the offbeat beer crowd downing Kwaks and sour ale stands in sharp relief to the native preppies. Then again, those two worlds have converged happily at this handsome pub, where I saw not one, but two Mohawk-topped punks bopping amid the paisley, pink and green. That alone was worth the visit.

Recommended dishes: The mussels (of course), the fried tomatillo appetizer and the waterzooi.

Teresa's Next Door [Inquirer]

[Image courtesy Inquirer]

Over at the Inky, Michael Klein reports there's an opening at Philadelphia mag:

"Philadelphia Magazine is hunting for a restaurant critic, since Maria Gallagher left to help care for her mother. Front-runner seems to be Jason Wilson, who contributed a few reviews to the mag in 2003. I have a photo of Wilson, but really, now. What kind of publication would show the face of another publication's restaurant critic?"

Nice LaBan joke there, Mike.

Inqlings [Inquirer]

At the Reading Terminal Market, we've passed by Basic Four Vegetarian before. We never stopped by, though... Because, we admit it, we're carnivorous. Give us a roast pork with greens sandwich from DeNic's or turkey with all the trimmings at Dutch Eating Place anytime. But it turns out that we were missing out on some damn good sweet potato fries at Basic Four:

Regular french fries don’t do much for me, and I always rub the oversized salt granules off of my soft pretzels. However, the beautiful thing about these fries is the perfect balance of salty-outside and sweet-potato-inside. They have just the right amount of crispiness too.

French Fries, Sweet Potato Style @ Basic Four [Uwishunu]

[Image via Uwishunu]

Doesn't this food look good? These pictures are from Mac & Cheese Review's recent visit to NoLibs tapas spot Bar Ferdinand.

Bar Ferdinand [Mac & Cheese]
Bar Ferdinand [MenuPages]
Bar Ferdinand [Official Site]

• It's a September trend piece explosion: School lunches - are PB&Js still the best?

• How to make a damn mean meal sized salad.

• Rich Nichols declares war on City Grange.

• The London Grill is taking on anti-foie gras protesters with t-shirts.

• Inside the new owned-by-Monk's Belgian Cafe near the Art Museum. Also, Goodburger is coming to Philly. Awesome!

• The cuisine at Coquette is pretty good... and it might be spearheading Philly's french renaissance.

• Damn that's quirky. Meet Sant Gardez Pan de Vida, a hidden coffee-and-Korean joint.

• A guide to gluten-free Philadelphia.

• South Philly's new French BYOB Cochon is almost ready to open; ditto for the new pizzeria in the former KFC/Taco Bell space on South.

• Welcome to CP's list of the best burritos in town. The hidden quasi-Mexi treasure: Mugshots' breakfast burrito.

• Where to take the parents if you're a college student.

Due to an internet outage, we weren't able to post yesterday. But, hey... we're back!

Thanks to Neatorama for this great photo.

"Starbucks" In Goa, India [Neatorama]

So you go to Drexel? Cool. Posters at Chowhound are debating cheap eat options near the school. The following all got shout outs:

• Dock Street Brewing Company (50th & Baltimore)
• The Magic Carpet food truck
• The Koja (Korean-Chinese) food truck
• Pattaya
• Mad Mex

Phila University City - (Drexel) cheap eats [Chowhound]

Something funny is going on behind the scenes at the Silk City Diner. Departing chefs, vicious rumors, high drama... you name it. Philly mag food blog Taste Daily reports that David Katz and Mark Bee are at each other's throats:

September 12, 2007: Mark Bee leaves me a voicemail, stating that “crazy” Katz just threw a frying pan at him. I call him back. He said he was just kidding. I have dinner at Silk later that night with Katz still in the kitchen, though he hints that all is not well.

September 19, 2007: David Katz e-mails me, explaining that his last day at Silk City was Monday, September 17th. He complains that Silk is heading in a direction too similar to Applebee’s, that the kitchen was “out of order,” and that Bee is “strange.” Reached on his cell phone, Bee says that Katz was “unreasonable,” that he “dismantled the menu too fast,” and that “he always said ‘no way’ instead of ‘no problem.’” Dunmire will be helping out temporarily, but Bee expects a replacement within a week.

For those keeping track at home: Mark Bee is Silk City's owner. David Katz is the former Restaurant M chef who was hired by Silk City to replace Peter Dunmire, who is now the chef at Bee's other restaurant North Third. Confused yet?

Breaking! The Silk City Soap Opera [Taste Daily]
Silk City Diner [MenuPages]
Silk City Diner [Official Site]

We've found what might be Philadelphia's best tomato salad... and it's at an Ethiopian/Eritrean restaurant. Here's the word from Uwishunu on Dahlak:

The difference between a tomato and a tomato salad is all in the seasoning. Seasoning that emphasizes fresh-tomato-yness rather than covering it up. The tomato salad at Dahlak is drizzled with olive oil, onions, lemon, parsley, and green chili peppers– a brilliant combination.

Dahlak’s original twist is that the chopped tomato is poured right onto the spongy injera bread, which soaks up the spicy cool oil and perfectly complements the flavor of the tomatoes. The Eritrean dishes there are delicious too, but the temptation to always order them paired with the tomato salad is so strong that I’ve yet to overcome it.

Green chili Olive Oil meets the Tomato at Dahlak [Uwishunu]
Dahlak [MenuPages]
Dahlak [Official Site]

Today's Daily News is going all out in the inner ring 'burbs with a guide to Upper Darby. While they talk about the 69th Street shopping strip, Tina Fey, Todd Rundgren, Jim Croce and all the rest (what, no FOD?), our interest is in the food.

Upper Darby is an ethnic dining heaven. The DN gives shout outs to a bunch of local joints, including La Marqueza, Sabor Latino, Sohna Punjab (6937 Ludlow St.), Little Saigon, Sol del Peru (57 Garrett Rd.), Chung Woon Gark (29 Garrett Rd.) and Bona Cucina.

There's even a seperate feature on the ethnic food offerings at U.D. Korean supermarket H Mart.

A guide to global grub in immigrants' haven [Daily News]
A Seoul-food grocer near Terminal [Daily News]

• The consensus on Sabrina's Cafe & Spencer's Too: Stay for brunch but skip the dinner.

• Both Panorama Ristorante and Bar Ferdinand are offering upcoming Spanish wine nights.

• All about infused vodka.

• Going to school in a Main Line suburb? Dujour is looking for an evenings/brunch server.

• Morton's is hiring line cooks and dishwashers.

• London Grill is still searching for a floor manager.

• Get your food in the door of the Marc Vetri mini-empire with a p/t bartender gig at Osteria.

• Penn/Drexel kids take note: Pod is hiring servers.

Slashfood's Marisa McClellan recently traveled to the Chester County Restaurant Festival in West Chester to try out the specialties. One of them was Barnaby's of America cheesesteak egg roll (served with a side of cheez whiz). Unhealthy, artery-clogging... and so, so delicious.

Cheesesteak Eggroll at the Chester County Restaurant Fest [Slashfood]
Barnaby's of America [MenuPages]
Barnaby's of America [Official Site]

[Image via Slashfood]

The Kitchen Confidential author is ranting about food trends over at Radar. Check it out.

Anthony Bourdain's Overrated Menu [Radar]

Haverford gourmet meals-to-go and cafe spot Dujour will be opening a Center City branch in early '08.

The new Dujour will be located in the Symphony House, the new 32-story condo that's being built at Broad and Pine. It will offer a full breakfast, lunch and dinner menu. Also in the Symphony House will be a reopened version of Italian longtimer Girasole.

Hot news Du Jour [Inquirer]
Dujour [MenuPages]
Dujour [Official Site]

A little over six years ago I crashed on my bicycle and broke my neck. As a result, I’m what medical folks call a C-4/5 tetraplegic (which is the more linguistically accurate way of saying “quadriplegic”). I use a power wheelchair to get around these days. By no stretch am I what anybody would call a foodie, but — like most people — I enjoy going out with friends. I have several favorite places in my neighborhood (I live in Chicago) where the entrances are easily navigated, the restaurants are clean, the food is good, and the staffs are friendly. Going beyond these known quantities, though, is generally a crapshoot. In our local papers, you’re pressed to find a restaurant that doesn’t claim to be accessible, but experience has told me that what that means is wide open to interpretation. In many cases, it means that there are steps up or down, but busboys & waitstaff can be enlisted to carry you over such obstacles. (This, though, is a nonstarter for someone like me. My wheelchair alone weighs in at over 300 pounds. Throw my 130 lb. frame on top of that, and something’s going to give — either a poor worker, or some hardware on my chair.) In other cases, it means you can dine alfresco, but don’t expect to be able to get to the restroom inside.

Issues of Accessibility [NY Times]

[Image courtesy Hiroko Masuike/New York Times]

The Food Network is offering up a "Food Lover's Guide to Philadelphia" video online. It's a bit old (hell, Toto is featured and they closed years ago!) but several Philly landmarks get the nod, including Villa di Roma, Pat's King of Steaks and the Down Home Diner. There are even recipes. Want to make the Mayfair Diner's pot roast and vegetable gravy? Or Le Bec-Fin's galette de crabe? Or even a simpler-than-it-sounds gianduja chocolate fondant with Devonshire ice cream from the Ritz-Carlton chocolate buffet? Well then... today's your lucky day.

Food Lover's Guide to Philadelphia [Food Network]

If Philly Skyline can be believed, Center City Teuton standby Ludwig's Garten is on its way out in favor of a new condo development.

Bummerumor [Philly Skyline]
Ludwig's Garten [MenuPages]
Ludwig's Garten [Official Site]

Ramadan, the holiest month on the Muslim calendar, started last week. Observant Muslims are required to fast from sunrise to sunset and a special meal called "iftar" is eaten at night. Several restaurants around Philadelphia will be serving food for iftar, including Kabobeesh and Saad's Halal.

Saad's Halal [MenuPages]
Kabobeesh [MenuPages]

[Image via Midtown Lunch]

Al Yeganeh, the inspiration for Seinfeld's beloved "Soup Nazi" character, is in trouble. His chain, The Original SoupMan, began a nationwide expansion blitz, which includes a