We recently came across two interesting (and short) Jersey Shore stories of interest.

1: The Daily News ran a profile of Teresa DeSanctis, the "ravioli queen" of the Jersey Shore. Based in
Wildwood's Ravioli House, DeSanctis sells wholesale pastas to more than fifty restaurants.

2: Belmar, New Jersey has officially decided to legalize drinking from unregistered beer kegs and to decriminalize giving the finger. Party on!

Rush for the Raviolis [PDN]
lNJ party town relaxes rules on kegs, rude gestures [philly.com/AP]

Amazing. Craig LaBan went on a systematic tasting of Jersey Shore high-end restaurants to find the perfect goods. Apparently, he's all about Jay's on Third over in Stone Harbor. Damn this stuff sounds good:

I could taste a glimmer of talent in the promptly served appetizer course, which signaled an appealing Asian-fusion bent. Beautiful scallops came over a creamy chowder sauce rimmed with the orange heat of chile oil. Tender duck confit shreds in an Asian barbecue glaze came mounded into brioche slider rolls with house-pickled pineapple. The "bamboo beef" skewers were a fun Japanese take on satay beef.

But then the glad-handing started, and as Hippen did his endless rounds, the already flustered service fell apart. We couldn't get bread. We couldn't get water. And where was the main course? It appeared, after a long wait, with the marks of a harried kitchen.

The red snapper was seared to an unpleasantly tough, fishy chew. The halibut was slightly better, but at $26 seemed awfully lonely in a bowl of miso broth with nothing but three tiny clams beside it, one of them with a broken shell. The well-roasted chicken was a highlight, plump and juicy, with braised oyster mushrooms and good mashed potatoes.

However, LaB said the desserts aren't that good. But that's why God invented Rita's.

Wild Food Days [Inquirer]

Main Line Today's annual Best of the Main Line list is out. Most of the winners are pretty expected (come on - you know Maia was going to get love and Whole Foods would be mentioned at least once), but some of the winning choices were creative ones. Here are some of our favorites:

• Bulk teas: The Head Nut
• Burger: The Wooden Iron
• Cheesesteaks: Vic & Dean's
• Fried calamari: 333 Bellerose
• Ice cream: Handel's
• Highbrow pork sandwich: Newtown Grill
• Neighborhood bar: Flying Pig Saloon
• Pastrami sandwich: Landis Deli
• Reason to become a carnivore: Main Line Prime
• Vodka selection: Riverstone Cafe

Best of the Main Line [MLT]

Here's something of interest from the Atlantic City files. Capitalizing on AC's newfound penchant for all things Asian, a new "Modern Japanese pub" just opened over at the Borgata.

Called Izakaya, the resto has hired exec chef Michael Schulson (of Pantry Raid on the Style Network) for their start. From the press release:

"With a menu that will highlight Japan’s rich culinary heritage but also integrate more modern elements of that culture’s pub cuisine, Izakaya will offer a voluminous selection of hot and cold appetizers, a la carte grilled meats and fishes, a sushi bar, tempura selections and heartier entrees. Signature dishes will include: Octopus Salad with jalapeno, cilantro, olives and tomatoes; Red Miso Glazed Eggplant with crispy tofu and Thai basil; Kinki Chicken Wings with pickled cucumbers, chili and ginger; and Shiso Lamb Loin with braised daikon and soy-sake reduction.

There will also be assorted tempuras of everything from maitake mushrooms to soft shell crab to buffalo mozzarella; a traditional Japanese Robatiyaki grill with more than a dozen fresh options; and a sushi menu, including signature rolls such as Baked Rock Shrimp with spicy aioli and soy bean paper alongside more traditional sushi and sashimi choices."

And since it's Friday, here's a freebie: Schulson's recipe for tuna tartare.

Izakaya [Official Site]

This week's Craig LaBan review pick is Dream Cuisine, a new French restaurant in Cherry Hill. Yes, a French restaurant in Cherry Hill. Owner Vincent Fanari, the former executive chef of Plough & the Stars, has created a damn good menu loaded with specialties from his native Nice.

Here's what we learned from Craig LaB's review:

1) The food critic doesn't like chain-styled Italian restaurants:

When the food arrived, the smell of seafood in garlic butter and tomato sauces piqued with Nicoise olives wafted up invitingly. I inhaled the aromas and poised my fork for a taste of Provence, when . . .

"Happy birthday to you!!!"

The recorded music was being piped out of Toscana, the cheesy Italian restaurant a dozen yards from our table. And it blared across the pedestrian plaza of the Village Walk for what seemed like the fourth time that hour. The reverie was broken, yet again.

2) French pasta doesn't have to stink:

I'm pleasantly surprised by Fanari's homemade pastas, but they are a reminder of Nice's proximity to Italy. Delicately spun capellini come beneath a tender chicken breast topped with melted Gruyere and the soft folds of pink prosciutto - a simple dish that I've lately come to crave.

Important lessons both.

Dream Cuisine [Official Site]
Dream Cuisine [Cherry Hill]

Ever since the story broke, we've been fascinated about the firefighters in Delaware County, Pennsylvania who were caught running an illegal bar out of their firehouse.

A bit of background... The firefighters of Colwyn serve a small borough of .3 square miles with a population of just 2,453. Colwyn has been a dry town for decades; located near the larger municipalities of Landsdowne, Sharon Hill and Darby, it's largely reliant on those neighbors for public services.

However, Colwyn does have a very small volunteer fire department consisting of approximately 100 neighbors. Colwyn's population is 2,453. That means that more than 4% of the town volunteered for the FD — an admirable rate of civic participation.

Except that, if the local press is to be believed, the vast majority of Colwyn Borough Fire Company's members just came by to get sloshed and gamble. On a raid on Thursday, May 8, the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control seized 10 bottles of liquor purchased outside state lines, two illegal video poker machines and approximately $2100 in cash. The firehouse (pictured) included a garage-sized barroom with a pool table and shuffleboard.

Meanwhile, the actual fire department living facilities themselves were smaller than the bar and were limited to a small room with two futon couches and a television — most non-garage space was allegedly devoted to the bar.

Although knowledge of the "secret" bar first went public in 2004 thanks to a report on WCAU-TV, legal action was not taken until the raid in May. The raid allegedly took place after state authorities were tipped off by the firefighters themselves, upset that the FD's non-firefighting members controlled the kitty. Shortly before the raid, they all resigned en masse:

The now former firefighters said the hundred or so social club members also control the $40,000 in fire taxes raised by the borough.

"They go out and buy a 50-inch plasma TV, but we can't get air packs," Assistant Fire Chief Brandon Patterson said.

Among the drinkers when the State Police raided the secret firehouse bar... Well, both the mayor of Colwyn, John Fitzgerald and several borough councilmen were among 'em. According to state police, the public officials insisted they weren't buying drinks — just "making donations."

All this came to a head on Tuesday, when the Colwyn borough council voted to sever the municipality's relationship with Colwyn Fire Company Number 1.

As of the time we write this, Colwyn lacks any fire department whatsoever. Colwyn residents will have to rely on the firefighters of neighboring Darby and Collingdaale instead.

See what happens when you turn your firehouse into a bar, kids?

(And for the curious, yes, the Colwyn Fire Company website is still up. It requests that all potential members "be in good standing" with "good moral character." Free shots of Jim for everyone!)

Firefighters Resign Over Alleged Illegal Bar In Dry Town [NBC10]
Colwyn Votes To End Relationship With Troubled Fire Company [NBC10]
Colwyn firefighters resign, citing social club raided by police [Inky]
NBC10 Eliminates Town's Fire Company [PW]

This sausage sandwich, in our opinion, looks amazing. It's from Pepperoncini in the Conshohocken office park corridor of doom. We found the sandwich over at Foodzings, who waxed rhapsodic about it:

The place is totally cute. And there's a nice little bar inside too. They have a simple lunch menu, with sandwiches, pasta, and pizza. R got the italian sausage sandwich with broccoli raab. Do you see how big this is? And the bread... the glorious bread! It's crusty and cripy and chewy with the perfect amount of sesame seeds. I'm in love with this bread. It's from the Conshohocken Bakery. I'm totally going there to pick up some of this awesome bread.

And whaddaya know, we have the menu for the Conshohocken Italian Bakery too.

Pepperoncini [MenuPages]

Pepperoncini [Foodzings]

Thanks to Mac & Cheese, we learned that a firm called Sarah's Savories makes a vegetarian scrapple. It's called, yes, Vrapple:

Vrapple is a delicious non-meat breakfast treat that the vegan and carnivore can both agree on!

It makes those early morning protein struggles obsolete. Though it tastes eerily like it’s ‘meaty’ cousin, it is one-hundred percent meat-free.

Primary ingredients are seitan, locally grown & milled cornmeal, locally grown & milled buckwheat, organic vegan stock, organic canola oil, organic cane sugar, sea salt, and spices - but don’t think it’it does have a little back pepper kick!

If you want to try it for yourself, Vrapple is on the breakfast menu at Milkboy Coffee in Ardmore.

Fakin' It Like A Loca [Mac & Cheese]
Sarah's Savories [Official Site]
Milkboy Coffee [MenuPages]
Milkboy Coffee [Official Site]

The confluence of dining and the 2008 Presidential race is a curious one. Here in Pennsylvania, Barack Obama has been spending a heavy amount of time campaigning in both the fading industrial cities of Northeastern Pennsylvania and in rural central Pennsylvania (aka "Pennsyltucky.")

Too bad eBay's the newest variable in the equation. We just got word that Barack Obama's partially eaten breakfast of sausage and waffles from a Scranton diner has been put up for sale on eBay.

On Monday, April 21, Obama stopped by Scranton's Glider Diner, a 24-hour institution in the NEPA city, for a campaign breakfast. Shortly after, his breakfast turned up on eBay. Here's the description from the seller with typos intact:

"THIS IS BARAK HUSSEIN OBAMA'S BREAKFAST FROM THIS MORNING, 4-21-08 AT THE GLIDER DINER IN SCRANTON, PA. WINNER GETS HIS USED DINER PLATE WITH HIS USED SILVERWARE AND UN EATEN PORTION OF HIS WAFFLE & SAUSAGE LINK. IT WAS WRAPPED WITH SARAN WRAP IMMEDIATELY AFTER HIS DEPARTURE AND IS NOW IN THE FREEZER AWAITING THE LUCKY WINNERS BID!!! THIS IS 100% AUTHENTIC AS YOU CAN SEE HE WAS AT THE DINER BY THE PICTURE AND IT WAS ON ALL LOCAL NEWS STATIONS. THIS PLATE WAS WRAPPED BY THE WAITRESS THAT SERVED HIM. GUARANTEED AUTHENTIC, HIS DNA IS ON THE SILVERWARE. ALL PROCEEDS GO TO HILLARY FOR PRESIDENT!!!! HAHA"

Obama's breakfast is selling, as of 12pm Tuesday, for $76 with six days left in the auction. Seller dixpea has a 99.6% positive eBay rating.

As for the Glider Diner, food gurus Jane and Michael Stern recommend the hot roast beef sandwich with gravy.

Barack Obama's Campaign Breakfast [eBay]
Glider Diner [Official Site]
Glider Diner [Roadfood]

Collingswood, NJ restaurants have been on a roll lately. First, Craig LaBan reviewed Javier (poorly, but whatever). Then the Food Network filmed a grilled cheese-themed episode of Throwdown With Bobby Flay at The Pop Shop. Now the Philadelphia Daily News is reviewing Casona, a new Cuban/Nuevo Latino restaurant from the people behind Mixto and Tierra Colombiana:

Cuban Springroll ($6.95) features pork, ham, cheese and mojo. The spring roll wrappers were crunchy, and this combo was an example of the "nuevo," but I found the traditional Empanada Queso ($6.95) superior as morsel-in-a-casing. The Ensalada Citrica ($9.95), or Citrus Salad, was a disappointment. As a veteran "rubber necker" in a restaurant, I saw many a delicious-looking salad on other diners' tables. I should have taken better notice of what they were ordering, but was taken by the description on the menu of hearts of palm, avocado and orange slices with cranberry vinaigrette. The dressing was too harsh, and the salad was loaded with those soft canned black olives. While the Vegetarian Platter ($15.95) certainly held no appeal to me, the noncarnivore of the group enjoyed the plantains, beans, rice and vegetables. Personally, I would have liked an accompanying sauce to liven things up and attention to presentation to make it seem less like a clump of sides. Ropa Vieja ($16.95) is a very traditional Cuban dish. It translates into "old clothes," which doesn't sound very appetizing but certainly is descriptive of this dish of seasoned shredded meat. The meat is cooked to the point of, well, old ragged clothes. Accompanied by creole sauce, white rice and plantains, it was worth a try for authenticity, but not a keeper. More to our liking was another traditional dish, Lechon Asado ($17.95). The slow-roasted, citrus-marinated pork was also shredded, but the texture and flavor was much more appealing than the flank steak.

Casona [PDN]

[Image via Philadelphia Daily News]

Philly food critics (though, alas, not us) made it onto the Food Network last night. Bobby Flay headed over to Collingswood's Pop Shop for a fun little grilled cheese throwdown.

Serving as judges were Art Etchells of Foobooz and Drew Lazor of CityPaper.

Check it out.

Throwdown With Bobby Flay: Grilled Cheese at Collingswood's The Pop Shop [YouTube]

Pity poor Haddonfield, NJ restaurant Javier. In an Inky review, Craig LaBan called it a "dramatic display of mediocrity," called his $29 fish entree "a five-act tragedy," accused employees of finking on each other and the service on his first visit as being "disastrous." Yowch.

A sample excerpt:

"What has Javier delivered for this investment? A dramatic display of mediocrity served at outrageous prices.

My $29 tuna entree alone was a five-act tragedy. First came a dish prepared completely differently from the potato-wrapped fish described on the menu, which it turns out, was several weeks out of date.

Then came skulduggery as a neighboring waiter dissed our server: "He's new. He was supposed to tell you that."

Of course, it wasn't his fault the kitchen had totally undercooked the fish, hardly searing this still-cold piece of tuna, though we'd asked for it medium-rare.

The tuna redo, predictably, brought a steaming gray hunk of fish so carelessly overcooked, I really didn't want it anymore."

That said, LaBan did like the "suave" maitre d'.

[Image via Akira Suwa/Inquirer]

Javier [Official Site]
Javier [Inquirer]

Word on the street is that a new branch of burger chain Five Guys will be opening in King of Prussia within the next 120 days. We've written about the glories of Five Guys before and, well, KoP shoppers are damn lucky for this.

Currently, the chain's nearest outlet is located in Springfield. There is a Center City location as well.

Five Guys [MenuPages]
Five Guys [Official Site]

[Image via Serious Eats]

Located outside of Scranton, the small town of Old Forge is one of America's great pizza meccas. CNN recently took a trip to the self-proclaimed "Pizza Capital of the World" to examine the local pizza:

Now, if you are thinking regular pizza, forget it. This is Old Forge pizza and all the cafés here make it. It's not round, it's rectangular and it's "red" or "white." Red is made with tomato sauce and cheese; white is cheese only, double crust, with olive oil and rosemary sprinkled on top, although they recently introduced a new version with broccoli. Old Forge also is famous for "black" pizza, my favorite. No tomato sauce. Just cheese, black pepper, olives and anchovies.

We've had the pizza at Old Forge's Salerno's and can confirm it's damn good.

Dough rising in the pizza capital of the world [CNN]

[Image via Roadfood]

Talula's Table in Kennett Square is a charming little prepared-foods store that we've written about before. We've mentioned the mind-boggling wait for a meal at their one eat-in table before, which the Philadelphia Inquirer once compared to Thomas Keller and Michael Mina's best.

Now Condé Nast business mag Portfolio has picked up on it:

Diners have included chefs, writers, tycoons, musicians, mushroom farmers, plastic surgeons, and actors. John Turturro traveled down from Brooklyn with his wife, Kathie Borowitz, on Valentine's Day; a friend had praised Talula's food so lavishly that Turturro had to see for himself. "I was a little dubious at first, but the dinner surpassed my highest expectations," Turturro said after a banquet of egg custard with Jonah crab, exotic mushroom risotto, snails in rigatoni farci, roast pompano, osso buco and house-smoked bacon, lamb and wildflower honey, and an array of winter blue cheeses."Each dish was a separate love affair," Turturro said. "It was the kind of a meal you'd request before your execution."

Booking Talula's Table [Portfolio]

Main Line Chinese restaurant Yangming is getting into the cooking class business. Ever take a seminar on wine and cheese at a Chinese restaurant? Well, you can now:

ITALIAN WINE & CHEESE SEMINAR Sun., Mar. 30, 2008 3-5pm Yangming Restaurant, Bryn Mawr ($55)

Come join one of our most popular entertaining and educational annual events. Pair Italian wines with cheeses (new selections) under the direction of "The Cheese Guy," Emilio Mignucci, DiBruno House of Cheese and Moore Bros. "Wine Guy." Zagat awarded Moore Bros. BEST wine buys, BEST top service, BEST overall wines, BEST shopping experience. Explore the fascinating regions where each is produced.

Yangming [MenuPages]
Yangming [Official Site]

Back in January, we reported on the upcoming marshmallow cookbook from local author Eileen Talanian.

Now, we got word about the book release party on Sunday, April 6 at Alison at Blue Bell:

On Sunday, April 6, author Eileen Talanian will celebrate the release of her second cookbook, Marshmallows: Homemade Gourmet Treats (Gibbs Smith, $18.95) with a Marshmallow & Wine Pairing Reception and Book Launch. The sweet event begins at 6 p.m. at Alison at Blue Bell (721 Skippack Pike; 215-641-2660) with a delightfully surprising tribute: Chef Alison Barshak, will use Talanian’s marshmallow recipes to create sweet and savory dishes that will be paired with beers and wines. Each guest will receive a signed copy of Talanian’s whimsical 4-color cookbook.

Marshmallows: Homemade Gourmet Treats embraces marshmallows in all forms: classic white or colorfully flavored, whimsically shaped or simply cubed. Barshak’s launch party reception will include such unusual items as Griddled Apple Marshmallow, Cheddar and Bacon Sandwich and Goat Cheese Croûtes, with Blood Orange, Rosemary and Zinfandel Fluff and more. Dessert will be a treat as well, featuring Toasted Coconut Marshmallows with Chocolate Dipping Sauce, among other surprise goodies. Wines and beers will be offered to complement these exciting dishes, and are included in the price.

Marshmallows: Homemade Gourmet Treats is 176 pages, including more than 100 recipes, and features spectacular full-color photos by Courtney Winston. Eileen Talanian’s first book, Chewy Cookies: America’s Comfort Food, established this entrepreneurial pastry chef and Pennsylvania resident as “The Cookie Queen.” She has served on the Philadelphia chapter Board of Directors of both the American Institute of Wine & Food and Les Dames d’Escoffier International; more information about her is available online at www.howthecookiecrumbles.com.

Tickets to the Marshmallow & Wine Pairing Reception and Book Launch are available for $45 per person, and must be purchased in advance. Tax and gratuity are not included. Alison at Blue Bell is a 65-seat suburban bistro known for its contemporary American cuisine with Mediterranean, Southwestern and Asian influences, with an emphasis on seafood. www.alisonatbluebell.com. For tickets, call Alison at Blue Bell at 215-641-2660.

Alison at Blue Bell [Official Site]

Plans to revive downtown Ardmore's shopping district are in jeopardy after developer Edward Lipkin dropped out of the $300 million project. Lipkin's plans for Ardmore — developed in collaboration with the town — include a six-story office tower and boutique hotel overlooking the R5 tracks, 700 new residential units, a new train station and 44,000 square foot of retail that would include several new restaurants.

Lipkin says that he had to drop out due to worries over oral agreements he had with two major backers. Three other development firms that submitted proposals to redevelop Ardmore's retail district are also interested.

Lipkin withdraws as downtown Ardmore developer [Inky]

Introducing our newest adventure in journalism: The Easter/Passover menu watch. As a service to our readers, MP: Philly will be offering new holiday menus as they arrive. Have a menu you want us to feature? Give us an e-mail.

In today's edition, we're offering menus from Berwyn's Bistro M and Art Museum-area institution the London Grill.

Menus after the jump.

Continue reading "Easter & Passover Menuwatch: London Grill & Bistro M" »

The King of Prussia branch of chain restaurant California Cafe has just named David Butler as their new executive chef. Butler was previously a sous chef at the restaurant. They're also introducing some new menu items as well. Here's the word, directly from the restaurant's PR mailer:

Delicious portobella pizza, a new vegetable platter or fresh Mahi are all in need of trying. Trying to keep your diet lighter for the new year? Don't forget about California Cafe's Asian Chicken Salad. With fresh Napa Cabbage, crisp red peppers and crunchy almonds this salad is sure to please any size hunger.

The KOP store is California Cafe's only east coast location. CC's other branches are located in Minnesota, Colorado and (of course) California.

California Cafe [MenuPages]
California Cafe [Official Site]

The next best thing to a drive-through liquor store (pictured) is a mobile liquor store. According to Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board spokesman Nick Hays, the state agency is strongly considering setting up mobile liquor stores in rural areas of the state.

Does this mean that residents of deep Chester, Montgomery and Bucks county are getting their grubby hands on trailers filled with vodka, whiskey and wine? We sure hope so.

Liquor control agency may offer booze on the road [The Patriot-News]

[Image via Bwog]

Major League Soccer is coming to Phladelphia. At a press conference yesterday, MLS confirmed that a franchise would be awarded to Philadelphia — and word on the street is that they will be playing in an 18,500-seat park in Chester.

That's right... You won't be forced to root for Red Bull New York or DC United anymore.

So in honor of the good news, how about a shortlist of UK-style soccer hooligan food in Philly?

• University City's New Deck Tavern serves some right-on fries in curry sauce. They might just be PHI's best take on curry chips around.

• The Dark Horse Pub in Society Hill offers a traditional breakfast fry-up: $11.25 gets you eggs, sausage, bacon, beans, fried tomato, fried mushrooms, black pudding and white pudding.

• Irish pub The Bards offers up chicken curries and bangers and mash.

• Sitar India serves England's true national dish: Balti.

Philadelphia market to get soccer franchise [Inquirer]

Blogalicious has some info on the new restaurant at the Borgata, which is aiming for a second quarter opening.

Here's the deal:

It's named Izakaya. In Japanese, "izakaya" means "pub." More specifically, it's a compound word made out of "i" (to remain) and "sakaya" (sake shop). You know, a sake shop you can drink in.

Obviously, Izakaya is going to take inspiration from them. Chef Michael Schulson, who cooked at Pod before moving on to the Style Network, will be running the kitchen.

But unlike those Japanese pubs, Izakaya is going to be a bit more swanky. The combination restaurant/club will feature a sushi bar, a yakitori bar and is hiring (natch) a sake sommellier. Izakaya is going to replace the old Suilan restaurant.

And the Name of Borgata's New Restaurant Is... [Blogalicious]

Life's tough for old-school Jewish delis. Selling oversized pastrami sandwiches, stuffed derma (aka "Hebrew Haggis") and chicken-in-the pot is a cash flow drag compared to your typical sushi restaurant or northern Italian trattoria.

Maybe that's the reason why Murray's, the Berwyn corned beef institution, decided to retool their dinner menu to serve New American fare. Fuggedabout the corned beef specials and french fries; they're going for the beet-and-goat-cheese salad and the pancetta wrapped pork tenderloin.

Any deli which sells pork wrapped in bacon is alright with us. As for the night menu, they're calling it "bistro M." Main Line Today described it as "Manhattan meets Westchester (N.Y., not Pa.)." Sounds interesting.

Murray's Main Line [Official Site]
bistro M in Main Line Today Magazine [The Latest Dish]

A former exec chef at Morimoto has opened a new restaurant in Media, Azie.

The resto's owned by Win and Sutida Somboonsong, who also own Teikoku, Mikado, Thai Pepper and Flavor By Thai Pepper. Here's the good word:

“My vision for Azie is to create the future of Japanese cuisine. I want to show people it’s so much more than sushi, sashimi and tempura,” says Chef Iinuma, whose rigorous French culinary training mingles with his Japanese heritage to create a unique culinary experience for guests. One of his trademark dishes is his Black Angus Rib Eye, which is grilled in a classic American style and served with honey-butter sauced sweet potato fries, a favorite snack from Chef Iinuma’s childhood in Japan.

Other menu highlights include Salmon and Yellow Tail Ceviche with hot yellow pepper and fresh orange; Kobe Beef Carpaccio with garlic and mitsuba; Avocado Sashimi with giner and sesame; Honey Mustard Miso Black Cod with exotic mushrooms; White Marble Pork Chop with chunky mozzarella and tomato and mashed potatoes; and Tempura Fondue. Chef Iinuma has even created a whimsical tribute to the region with his New Philly Sushi Roll, a Kobe-draped shrimp tempura roll severed with a French-style cheese sauce.

Dining in suburban Cheltenham just got big ups from the good folks at the Daily News. They recruited cookbook author Aliza Green to compile a guide to eating around 611 and environs... Who got picked as the best of the 'burbs? A shortlist follows, accompanied by a picture of that crazy Frank Lloyd Wright synagogue in Elkins Park.

• Nouveau Kosher Max & David's.

• Massive Korean supermarket H Mart.

• Glenside rockabilly & psychobilly destination Blue Comet.

• Elkins Park bagel shop Rolings Bakery.

The Secrets of the Cheltenham Food Scene [Daily News]

West Chester's Avalon is getting a makeover. The ChesCo New America has redesigned both their main dining and second floor dining room... Avalon's menu has been revamped as well.

New Look & Menu at Avalon Restaurant [The Latest Dish]
Avalon [Official Site]

Quality New Orleans food in the South Jersey Pine Barrens isn't impossible. In this week's Far Flung LaBan Adventure, the food critic tried Ted's on Main, a Cajun/Creole resto located in... Medford:

His menu goes beyond the basics to present updated Creole cooking in the way a good contemporary New Orleans chef might, relying on quality local ingredients and deft technique, drawing inspiration from Louisiana flavors without letting them become cliches.

Those are sweet Cape May Salts broiled to within a breath of their oyster life, shined with a garlicky butter that sparkles with Tabasco and lemon. His fried green tomatoes are the best I've tasted in the recent local vogue for fried green tomatoes, their hot cornmeal crusts contrasting the toothsome tang of crawfish tossed in remoulade on top. His succulent pork chop, marinated in garlic and sage, comes with caramelized apples but also a Creole twist: brioche stuffing studded with earthy nuggets of andouille.

Awesome.

Ted's On Main [Inquirer]

Valentine's Day is coming up. If you're culinarily inclined, why not find an interesting way to celebrate it? For instance, you could attend a romantic cooking class. Here's the word from Main Line resto Pond:

Anyone can buy flowers and chocolate. Why not plan something a little different this year. Couples looking to spice up their Valentine’s Day can cook up some romance…and delicious dishes, too!

Executive Chef Abde Dahrouch of Pond Restaurant is offering the “Sweetheart Special”, a cooking class for men and women who want to woo their partners with a romantic meal. This FUN class will be held for both men & women, couples & singles on Sunday, February 10 from 2:00-4:00pm.

Chef Abde will walk the gentlemen and ladies through the fine points of shucking oysters, making tarts, garnishing plates and selecting wines. The dishes include ingredients with romantic history or symbolism: figs, avocadoes, oysters, caviar.

The cost per person is $75. Space is limited, so call 610-293-9411 to reserve your place.

Sweethearts Cooking Class at Pond Restaurant [The Latest Dish]
Pond [MenuPages]
Pond [Official Site]

For this week's Craig LaBan adventure, the critic journeyed out to Elkins Park to try new high-end Kosher restaurant Max & David's. Working within the strictures of Kosher dietary laws, it looks like the restaurant created something that is pretty damn good... and that the observant Jews of the northern suburbs will be more than pleased with the food (as will the rest of us):

My sister-in-law, Patty, glanced up from the menu at Max & David's with a rebellious look and laid down this commandment with unexpected umph.

"I am not going to get the fish!"

The pronouncement took me by surprise, at first. Over the dozen or so review meals we've shared over the years, she had dutifully tiptoed across menus strewn with land mines for a kosher eater. With all pork, shellfish, and dishes mixing dairy with meat (let alone any nonkosher meat) crossed off her list, she inevitably settled on fish or veggies. It seemed a reasonably flexible approach, given that even stricter kosher Jews probably wouldn't have come out to eat with me at all. But for some reason, I'd come to believe she actually just liked fish.

That was until I saw her eyes widen at the sight of Max & David's rib eye. And, lo, this wasn't just any rabbinically approved steak. This was a Let-There-Be-Meat! slice of flesh, a grilled bone-in slab of such biblical proportions that this Turkish-spiced chop perfumed the entire table with its savor when it landed."

Mmm... steak.

Max & David's [Inquirer]
Max & David's [MenuPages]
Max & David's [Official Site]

Hey, Pei Wei Asian Diner. You call yourself Asian but we know that, at heart, you're as American as mom and apple pie. Your food is influenced by a few generations worth of the American palate, from 1960's style goopy Cantonese food to the Americanization of sushi in the 1980s (paging Sasha Issenberg...) but we love you anyway. We've ate at your restaurant a few times and it's good to have a healthier option in the suburbs. Man can't live on cheesesteaks alone, right?

But the Daily News' chain gang stopped by the City Avenue Pei Wei and had a middling experience:

We started with Edamame (salted soybeans) for $2.95 and this simplest of dishes was properly prepared. If they screw up the edamame, run. [...]

Sweet & Sour Shrimp with fried brown rice ($9). "Very tasty but a little heavy. For someone who doesn't eat Chinese that often though, it was a good meal. The sweet and sour dressing was delicious. The shrimp was tasty as well. The rice was OK but not great and the green peppers were good. You do get your money's worth."

Honey Ginger Shrimp and Broccoli with steamed brown rice ($9): "The portion size was good for the price. Dish was decent, a step above Chinese takeout. However, the rice tasted as though it may have sat under a heat lamp for a while, rather than fluffy and freshly steamed."

The column's final verdict? The restaurant is alright.

Good food, good prices at Pei Wei [Daily News]
Pei Wei Asian Diner [MenuPages]
Pei Wei Asian Diner [Official Site]

[Image via Daily News]

Aw, this is cute. Conshy pizzeria Bella Luna Pizza Kitchen is offering a heart-shaped pizza special for Valentine's Day.

$18.85 gets you a 10" heart-shaped pizza, Caesar salad and homemade brownies for two delivered to your home.

Bella Luna Pizza Kitchen [MenuPages]
Heart Shapped Pizza for Valetine's Day [The Latest Dish]

We've heard a lot about the Ardmore Chinese restaurant Auspicious before. We're fans of their punny mastersofkungfood.com URL and our Main Line pals have, by and large, dug the food.

Foodzings just stopped by Auspicious and found that the portions were too small:

C got the sesame chicken. He was wavering on a decision, but I knew he would get it. It was very breaded and the portion was small. He was still hungry afterwards. We've both had far better sesame chicken at my local takeout place. They're also very very stingy with their rice. You get a very small cup. Way too small for my liking. You have to ration it.

We don't know about that... It seems to us like Auspicious is trying out normal-size portions like the many other high-end Chinese restaurants in north New Jersey or NYC owned by second- or third- generation Chinese-Americans. Given that a normal portion of sesame chicken at a Chinese takeaway roughly contains 3000 calories, we really do think there might be something to the smaller portion size.

Auspicious [MenuPages]
Auspicious [Official Site]
My Auspicious Sale [Foodzings]

A patron of the Red Lobster in Cherry Hill allegedly found an unexpected ingredient in her stuffed mushroom... A small metal spring. Here's the word from the Burlington County Times:

Blackson ordered an appetizer of stuffed mushrooms at the Red Lobster on Route 38 in Cherry Hill on Jan. 12, 2006, the lawsuit states. She did not finish the appetizer and asked restaurant employees to wrap the food so she could take it home, the lawsuit says.

While eating the leftovers the next day, Blackson choked on a spring inside one of the mushrooms, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit does not say how the spring got into the mushroom. The suit says the defendants “were negligent in the purchase of prepared foods, preparation of foods, (and) service of foods.”

Meanwhile, we find the fact that the woman discovered the spring while at home was... Interesting. Oh well; it's up to the courts to decide.

Lumberton woman sues restaurant [Phillyburbs]

[Image via mvny.org]

One more quick Bryn Mawr post. Tango Bistro is holding a wine special on Monday nights that includes high-end wines discounted to $30 a bottle. Here's a sample list, courtesy of the restaurant:

Whites Sauvignon Blanc/Semmilon - Ferngrove, Southeastern Australia Chardonnay - Talus Collection, Lodi, CA Torrentes - Bodega Norton, Mendoza, Argentina Sauvignon Blanc - Napa Cellars, Napa Valley, CA

Reds
Rhone Style Blend - Fess Parker, Frontier Red “Lot 71″, CA
Old Vines Zinfandel - Jewel Collection Wines Lodi, CA
Cabernet Sauvignon - Redwood Creek, CA
Syrah - Montevina Terra d’Oro, Amador County, CA

Rose
Gamay Rose - Sauvignon, Loire Valley, France

Tango Bistro [MenuPages]
Tango Bistro [Official Site]
Tango's Winter Wine Special [The Latest Dish]

Bryn Mawr's Ha Long Bay is one of those rare suburban restaurants in upper-middle class towns that manages to get ethnic cooking right. Foodzings just featured their reasonably authentic Vietnamese cuisine, with an emphasis on variety meats:

It was cold, so I wanted soup, so I ordered bun bo hue, the spicy beef hue style. Bad idea. I've had the pho here before. It's a completely different experience than going to an of the mostly pho places in the city. You know what you'll get. But here, when you order pho, no matter what kind, you will get funky stuff in it. You can order flank pho, and it'll have flank, some other meat, and some tripe. You order beef ball pho, and it'll have beef balls, some other meat, and some tripe. Tripe will inevitably show up in your pho here. So be warned! It also tastes a little funky. Not funky bad, but just not like the other places.

Ha Long Bay [Foodzings]

We've been writing about West Chester quite a bit lately. Add to the list of recent openings in the town, the newish Blue Pear Bistro. BPB's menu is yuppified to the max with c.2008 updates on American standards, Craig LaBan reports:

Who would ever have thought "chicken nuggets" would be a best-seller to a Dilworthtown crowd - even at their casual neighborhood place? But there they are, in the noisy downstairs bar and the bronze-papered upstairs rooms, sprouting on skewers from virtually every table like crispy flowers in a pot. Of course, these are nothing like Junior's favorite snack. They are slow-poached with a cutting-edge French technique, chickened-up with an outer layer of poultry mousse, crisped, and served with a truffled honey mustard vinaigrette. [...]

Fogleman isn't immune yet to overdoing it with trendy flourishes. A homemade marshmallow was about the last thing the overly sweet pumpkin bisque needed to succeed. Another night's soup special, celery root puree topped with almonds and a cider reduction, was too one-dimensional for such a large bowl.

The bad side? According to LaBan, service at the restaurant stinks.

Blue Pear Bistro [Official Site]
Blue Pear Bistro [Inquirer]

[Image via Inquirer]

West Chester recently obtained a new Italian specialty grocer. Carlino's Market recently opened on Market Street & Church Street in downtown WC and has been earning steady praise on Chowhound. Among the top picks of the site's readers are the fresh figs, Italian cheeses, mixed olives, veal metaballs, harvest bread, calamari salad, fresh porcini mushrooms, mortadella, garlic knobs, marinated anchovies and the wild green salad with goat cheese and cranberries.

The new market is a branch of the original Carlino's in Ardmore.

Carlino's Market [Official Site]
New Italian Specialty Store in West Chester [Chowhound]

We don't journey to south Delaware County often. No, not at all. But Roadfood does and they've tipped us off to a hell of a beast. Boothwyn's Chamberlain's Roast Beef, located on the Booths Corner Farmers Market near the Delaware border, makes an epic sandwich:

As you enter, look to your right and gaze upon the huge joints of roasted meat sitting across from the counter fronted by half a dozen stools (there's also a very casual and brightly lit dining area to the left). The beef is pink and cool, sliced by hand, and piled high on a hard roll with the garnishes of your choice. The fairly thick-sliced meat is supremely tender, gristle-free and nearly fatless (even though the whole roast is clearly well-fatted; they take care in trimming the meat for sandwiches). Tables are outfitted with prepared horseradish, always a good idea with roast beef sandwiches.

Look at that roast, people. LOOK AT IT.

Chamberlain's Roast Beef [Official Site]
Chamberlain's Roast Beef [Roadfood]

[Image via Roadfood]

We just got some additional info on Maia, the soon to open Main Line restaurant that has already earned mentions in the New York Times and Food and Wine (!).

First off, the opening date has been moved to March and the concept of the restaurant has been expanded to include an in-house market selling homemade breads, pastries, charcuterie, fish and carryout meals. As for the restaurant itself, the Feury brothers (pictured) imported a New York design firm to set things up.

Here's the word on the menu:

The seasonal menu will include: Double Head King Prawn, with shrimp mousse and ancho chili vinaigrette; Trevise and Endive Salad, with concord grape focaccia and local blue cheese; Chestnut Soup, with smoked duck and wild mushroom; Grilled Poussin, with potato puree and lemon herb salad; Barbecued Eel and Foie Gras Terrine, with green apple, brioche log, hazelnuts and chive; Fondue with emmentaler, chicken herb strudel and sausage bread; and Steak Tartare, with bistro salad and potato gratin.

The menu will also feature an assortment of savory pies such as: Tarte Flambé with Caramelized Onions, Westphalian Ham, Gruyere and Crème Fraiche; Fresh Shucked Clam Pie with garlic and parmesan; Pissaladiere with Spanish anchovies, olives and onions; and Smoked Crayfish Tartelette with Vesterbotten and leeks.

Keeping in steps with the best of Main Line traditions, Maia will be offering valet parking as well. Because who seriously wants to, y'know, actually park their own car?

A Yet-To-Open Villanova Restaurant Gets The Times Treatment [MenuPages Blog]

Holy crap. South Jersey's Blackbird Dining Establishment recently hosted a party for Le Bec-Fin muckety-muck Georges Perrier on Sunday that ended up costing around $125 per person... and look at this menu. Wow. Just wow.

How Georges Eats [Daily Examiner/Philly Mag]

Taste Daily gives us a good look at the Americanized Asian cuisine of PF Chang's spin-off chain Pei Wei Asian Diner:

They took signature sauces from their full-service restaurants (like garlicky Mongolian and sticky Mandarin Kung Pao — to be tossed with your choice of proteins or veggies and served over rice) and favorite dishes like the Asian chopped chicken salad and lettuce wraps and put them in a nothing-over-$9 modified fast-food atmosphere.

Ah, suburbs and chains... two tastes that go well together.

Where We're Eating: Pei Wei [Taste Daily]
Pei Wei Asian Diner [MenuPages]
Pei Wei Asian Diner [Official Site]