Restaurants »Pat’s King of Steaks

1237 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA

In all my trips to Philadelphia, it seemed lazy that I’d never bothered to stand in line for one of the city’s first and most famous cheese steaks, Pat’s King of Steaks. Situated catty corner to the big rival, Geno’s, I picked Pat’s because they chop their meat, which I assumed would be a consistency I’d prefer over strips. Plus, I wanted to get out for the day while the weather held (because, otherwise, while pregnant I tend to sink into lethargy and naps if I don’t get myself up and at them in the morning) and how fun and low brow decadent is it to hop in the car for a Philly cheese steak in Philly?

The line was as long as I expected, winding through already seated diners and around the small building (it only got longer as the day progressed) but it moved surprisingly quickly. The speed of the food from grill, to bun, to hand has a lot to do with the efficiency. The sandwich is great, with onion and cheez whiz, exactly as it should be. Next time I’d maybe go for double cheese and my only complaint was a couple small bits of fattiness. Still, a classic for sure, and one worth the lines and crowds to sample yourself. Lemonade and fries are also good but not as noteworthy.

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Posted on April 25, 2010

Recipes »Pate and Cornichon Sandwiches

pate cornichon sandwichClassic French Sandwich

Cornichon and Pate is a classic French sandwich. We started it all off right with the supremely excellent chicken liver pate from Marlow and Daughters. It’s a simple delight that’s simple to make: just spread a thin layer of butter and dijon, then a thicker layer of pate onto crusty French bread. Add sliced cornichons, and you’re all set.

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Posted on November 15, 2009

Recipes »Eggplant Mozzarella Panini

This Eggplant Panini from The Passionate Eater is a hearty sandwich with marinara sauce and melted cheese. It takes only a few minutes to make – be sure to get the eggplant nice and soft by pan frying first. We used our panini maker, which is an appliance I find far more useful than I ever I expected we would when we got it years ago.

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Posted on September 7, 2009

Restaurants »t.b.d.

bahn mi tbd greenpoint brooklynAside from being the most Los Angeles like place in all of Brooklyn, t.b.d. distinguishes itself from other places to get boozy with it's huge picnic table dotted back yard and most importantly it's incredible grilled take on the increasingly common Bahn Mi. While it may take a while to get from the grill to your table, this hulking, slathered meal of pork, eggs, fresh veg and spicy sauces is worth the wait.

I pushed it into the restaurant category for it's stellar menu, even though the place advertises as primarily a beer garden. The food is taken pretty seriously though and its no surprise that the wonderful flavors come from a former chef at Brix Picks fave Fatty Crab.

Another welcome addition to the growing food and drink scene in Greenpoint.

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Posted on August 31, 2009

Restaurants »The Adore

amore sandwichThe Adore deserves it's name because:

a. the space – with natural wood and giant airy windows is adorable, and

b. as it was packed even after peak lunch hours, it seems to be universally adored by those who know about it. And it's little wonder with their large selection of fresh sandwiches, salads and soups at comparatively reasonable prices.

I was taken with the inclusion of a warm anchovy sandwich – simple and yummy like everything we tried, that I paired with a potato leek soup. Unlike most creamy, heavy versions, this one is with a clear broth that's salty but not too much and chock full of chopped up fresh veggies. Fresh and home made really were the words for the day. Shaun's mustard dressing was also not heavy, but clearly made from scratch with ground up mustard seeds.

We sat upstairs where views of green trees outside add to the strikingly pleasant atmosphere. Even though it's fairly square in the middle of NYU and Union Square bustle, once you're inside you feel transported. Where exactly to is up in the air. The place is Japanese owned and run, (and therefore has rules that drive some Americans crazy if you read all the yelp and menu pages complaints) but they serve solid French sandwiches in a farm house/ loft setting. Truly a gem to anyone that discovers it and if you're in a rush, they have pastries and coffee to go downstairs but you'd miss out on the peace the inside offers.

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Posted on June 1, 2009

Restaurants »Porchetta

porchetta nycPorchetta has been at the top of my list since it topped all the big end of the year restaurant round ups, but the place is super tiny and with little chance of grabbing a seat and the weather being as crummy as it has been, we've yet to make the visit until just this week. The titular and most popular dish is, of course, porchetta, an Italian culinary tradition of roasted pork with crispy skin, lots of herbs and spices then slow cooked. There are sides too, but we just stuck to the?main attraction.

It's out of this world yummy. Don't bother to spoil the layered textures and moist juices with any extraneous toppings – this is one sandwich meant to stand on its own sans condiments. The sandwich is smaller than I expected, which is probably a good thing as far as my calorie intake?goes, and it was plenty filling. It's served on a ciabatta roll that holds up to the intense innards without overpowering it (I hate to bite into and sandwich and get all bread) but you can also order the pork as a platter without bread, but I can imagine it's quite difficult to take away.

The place is crowded but the line moves pretty fast; it's bound to become a classic East Village destination and I can't imagine that between the overwhelmingly positive word of mouth and the amazing food that it will be going away anytime soon. Still, I'd stop by sooner than later – heavy cracklins and pork sandwiches tend to suit the slightly cooler days of early Spring more than the dead of Summer.

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Posted on April 13, 2009

Restaurants »Vietnam Banh Mi So 1

Vietnam Banh Mi So 1 This is amazing and it's really cheap too. French bread with Vietnamese cold cuts are a match made in a colonial culinary dream. There's one with pate (which is awesome) and there's one that's just called the Number 1. You probably should get them both.

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Posted on December 5, 2005