Sunday, January 25, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Oscar's
Oscar's is back in my life. Two visits in 36 hours. Huge beers for $3.25. The best cheese fries in the city. Take that Geno's. Strange deep fried pierogies. And crunchy-and-not-too-greasy onion rings. Yum. The onion rings will no doubt give you indigestion for hours, but one Pepcid AC followed by a margarita mixed with club soda seemed to resolve that problem immediately. I don't know how I forgot that Oscar's is by far the best dive in the city. Bonus points for serving everything on paper plates with plastic forks, and nothing on the menu over $6. Although I would love to know what happened to the homeless man who used to work there!
Update: I made a third visit and went for actual food. I ordered a tuna salad sandwich and when asked what kind of bread I wanted I said wheat, but I think the question was pointless because it seems only white was available. And also there was no tuna salad. So I had chicken salad on wonder bread with no lettuce or tomato and another order of those cheese fries, and although I ordered the fries my sandwich still came with chips. The food here reminds me a lot of a school lunch, but in a really charming comforting way. I also switched from my usual giant lager to giant Long Island iced tea, 23 oz of booze for $9. Oscar's is SO back.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
A Twee Grows In Brooklyn
So, I am back in Brooklyn for a couple of days in order to celebrate a friend's birthday. I must admit I have been excited to visit old favorite bars and restaurants (Diner, Marlow and Sons, the Cobb Salads at Lodge and Teddy's) and to experience the new ones I have been reading about. Really, the only thing I actually love about Brooklyn is the dining and bar scene. Such options!
But I must admit that everything here is so...just so. The cutesy, old timey, farmhouse chic aesthetic becomes a little cloying after a while. While the abundance of new restaurants is a blessing for us consumers, resulting in constant one-upping on quality and price and experience, it also means one-upping on twee.
Today, for instance, I spent the afternoon in Clinton Hill, a charming and diverse neighborhood where Rosie Perez once watched me play tennis! The polar opposite of Williamsburg. Families and black people live here. Hipsters are scarce. But, we walked into a new charmer named LOU LOU for brunch and are immediately greeted by a skinny beauty with scruff on his face and jeans painted on.
The walls are a perfectly faded blue barn wood. Our water glasses are small jam jars. Nothing matches, but it all looks lovely together. Did I mention this place is called Lou Lou? Cute. Cute. And more cute. "Uggh" I think at first. South Philadelphia will certainly change a perspective. But then I look at the menu and see only solid gems. And then I take another look at my server and think I want to marry him. And then they present us with a complimentary round of mimosas in honor of Obama. WTF? Brooklyn is la la land. I order the skate sandwich with applewood smoked bacon (is there any other kind anymore?) and housemade tartar sauce and give in to Lou Lou.
The sandwich is super tasty. The sweet and salt of the skate perfectly balanced by the creamy tartar and smoky bacon. The roll is perfect. Joel's Monte Cristo sandwich is huge, delicious and not greasy. Maggie's Omelette is perfectly fluffy. The portions are actually big and the bill is pretty small. The coffee was the only downside to this meal. Watery and tasteless. Note to Lou Lou: if you are going to do everything right, you have to do right by the coffee!
We went for a walk in the snow covered park afterwards. Children were sledding. Beautiful people were laughing and jogging. It felt a little like magic. I hated myself for loving this so much. Next weekend I will have to do with the certain charm of trash-lined streets and a Royal bloody and burger.
But I must admit that everything here is so...just so. The cutesy, old timey, farmhouse chic aesthetic becomes a little cloying after a while. While the abundance of new restaurants is a blessing for us consumers, resulting in constant one-upping on quality and price and experience, it also means one-upping on twee.
Today, for instance, I spent the afternoon in Clinton Hill, a charming and diverse neighborhood where Rosie Perez once watched me play tennis! The polar opposite of Williamsburg. Families and black people live here. Hipsters are scarce. But, we walked into a new charmer named LOU LOU for brunch and are immediately greeted by a skinny beauty with scruff on his face and jeans painted on.
The walls are a perfectly faded blue barn wood. Our water glasses are small jam jars. Nothing matches, but it all looks lovely together. Did I mention this place is called Lou Lou? Cute. Cute. And more cute. "Uggh" I think at first. South Philadelphia will certainly change a perspective. But then I look at the menu and see only solid gems. And then I take another look at my server and think I want to marry him. And then they present us with a complimentary round of mimosas in honor of Obama. WTF? Brooklyn is la la land. I order the skate sandwich with applewood smoked bacon (is there any other kind anymore?) and housemade tartar sauce and give in to Lou Lou.
The sandwich is super tasty. The sweet and salt of the skate perfectly balanced by the creamy tartar and smoky bacon. The roll is perfect. Joel's Monte Cristo sandwich is huge, delicious and not greasy. Maggie's Omelette is perfectly fluffy. The portions are actually big and the bill is pretty small. The coffee was the only downside to this meal. Watery and tasteless. Note to Lou Lou: if you are going to do everything right, you have to do right by the coffee!
We went for a walk in the snow covered park afterwards. Children were sledding. Beautiful people were laughing and jogging. It felt a little like magic. I hated myself for loving this so much. Next weekend I will have to do with the certain charm of trash-lined streets and a Royal bloody and burger.
Distrito!
This posting is about two weeks overdue, but I can't let it go. And if I already talked to you in great detail about my experience at Distrito, feel free to skip this one. I went with a friend the the weekend after New Year's. I was shocked that on a weekend night we walked in around 8 and were seated immediately. With all the hype surrounding this place, I didn't think it would be so simple, but the place was kind of dead.
I was totally won over by the decor - its like a big pink party, lots of color, and marquee signs over the bar with some of the drinks. We started off with cocktails, I had a passion fruit margarita and my friend had a grapefruit. Both were tasty, and nice and strong. They brought out some seasoned nuts; I picked at them but really they were a little hot for me. I don't really like spicy.
So then for the food. We ordered the guacamole with crab meat, the caesar salad, kobe beef tacos, esquites, and a chicken enchilada. Everything was delicious. The crab meat was for real in the guac, and the chips they came with were thick and crispy. The salad was good, a little more dressing than I would like, but good. I just started eating a few bites of red meat now and then, and I only want it super rare. My friend had the tacos before and highly recommended them, and I agreed. The meat was rich and tasty and there were tiny french fries on top for a little crunch. The enchilada and the esquites were my favorites. The enchilada was in a smoky red sauce with just a little heat, and the esquites was like a corn and cheese parfait. Like that corn on the cob they served all summer at Cantina, but cut off the cob and with a little more of the queso fresco. I think it was only $5, and Imight insist on getting it on all of my future visits.
We had a second round of cocktails, and I decided to try the house margarita to see how it was. I love margaritas but bad ones give me terrible heartburn. This was decent.
We were too full for dessert, but when they brought the check there were little sugar coated jellies for each of us that were just the perfect thing. When we got up to leave we realized we were some of the last people in there, and Iwas impressed that the server didn't try to rush us out of there. We went upstairs to use the bathroom and snoop around a little, and also tried to win a Mexican wrestler toy from the crane machine (we didn't win), and left totally satisfied and a little tipsy.
I was totally won over by the decor - its like a big pink party, lots of color, and marquee signs over the bar with some of the drinks. We started off with cocktails, I had a passion fruit margarita and my friend had a grapefruit. Both were tasty, and nice and strong. They brought out some seasoned nuts; I picked at them but really they were a little hot for me. I don't really like spicy.
So then for the food. We ordered the guacamole with crab meat, the caesar salad, kobe beef tacos, esquites, and a chicken enchilada. Everything was delicious. The crab meat was for real in the guac, and the chips they came with were thick and crispy. The salad was good, a little more dressing than I would like, but good. I just started eating a few bites of red meat now and then, and I only want it super rare. My friend had the tacos before and highly recommended them, and I agreed. The meat was rich and tasty and there were tiny french fries on top for a little crunch. The enchilada and the esquites were my favorites. The enchilada was in a smoky red sauce with just a little heat, and the esquites was like a corn and cheese parfait. Like that corn on the cob they served all summer at Cantina, but cut off the cob and with a little more of the queso fresco. I think it was only $5, and Imight insist on getting it on all of my future visits.
We had a second round of cocktails, and I decided to try the house margarita to see how it was. I love margaritas but bad ones give me terrible heartburn. This was decent.
We were too full for dessert, but when they brought the check there were little sugar coated jellies for each of us that were just the perfect thing. When we got up to leave we realized we were some of the last people in there, and Iwas impressed that the server didn't try to rush us out of there. We went upstairs to use the bathroom and snoop around a little, and also tried to win a Mexican wrestler toy from the crane machine (we didn't win), and left totally satisfied and a little tipsy.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
cold snap
Well I had planned on today being Blackout Wednesday, but the cold weather is keeping my drinking buddies in the house. So I decided to spend my allowance on food instead. I decided to pay a second visit to Terryin Sushi Bar on 4th and Snyder. On my first visit I walked in and got take out and was charmed by the waitress/cashier. She seems to be high-school age and while I was waiting for my sushi her cell phone rang. She picked it up and it had one of those cell phone charms on it, except it was Beanie Baby sized! I was amazed. A big soft Winnie the Pooh was smacking her in the chin while she was talking. I wasted time texting my BFF to tell her about it and by the time I realized I should be sneaking a pic, her call ended. And then my sushi was ready.
When I got it home and opened the bag I got scared. The sushi was served in a styrofoam box, not a little tray with clear plastic lid. I felt a little better when I saw the paper grass inside, and my beautiful sushi. I got the avocado roll and the rainbow roll. Both were great! The avocado was perfectly ripe and all the fish was super fresh. Their rainbow rolls are a little smaller than a lot of places, but priced accordingly.
So I decided to order those same two rolls again, and at the last minute decided it was really cold out, I needed something hot. I was thinking spring roll, but crab meat soup caught my eye. The small was $3.50 and being a huge fan of all things crab, I went for it.
When I got to pick up my food the same girl was there, but there was no sign of her cell phone. My rolls were exactly as before, and then I saw the soup. I have never seen a soup like this. The broth was totally clear and thick, like the consistency of liquid soap. The crab meat was actually crab stick, and was seperated into noodle-like pieces. There were thin pieces of onion, and after a few bites I discovered little chunks of shrimp. I don't eat shrimp and don't think shrimp should be a surprise element to any food. I put the rest of the soup in the fridge. When /// got home I encouraged him to try it. He took one look at it and said it looked like placenta. He is one of the least picky eaters I know, and I don't think I have ever seen him turn down a taste of something. I do have to say that the waxed bag of crunchy noodles that came with the soup was a nice treat though.
Overall I think this place is a great sushi spot. Its close, inexpensive, the sushi has been fresh and yummy, and the people are really friendly. I have yet to eat in and enjoy the Japanese beers, and they also have a full menu of cooked Japanese dishes I haven't tried, so its safe to say I will return. But no crab meat soup ever again.
When I got it home and opened the bag I got scared. The sushi was served in a styrofoam box, not a little tray with clear plastic lid. I felt a little better when I saw the paper grass inside, and my beautiful sushi. I got the avocado roll and the rainbow roll. Both were great! The avocado was perfectly ripe and all the fish was super fresh. Their rainbow rolls are a little smaller than a lot of places, but priced accordingly.
So I decided to order those same two rolls again, and at the last minute decided it was really cold out, I needed something hot. I was thinking spring roll, but crab meat soup caught my eye. The small was $3.50 and being a huge fan of all things crab, I went for it.
When I got to pick up my food the same girl was there, but there was no sign of her cell phone. My rolls were exactly as before, and then I saw the soup. I have never seen a soup like this. The broth was totally clear and thick, like the consistency of liquid soap. The crab meat was actually crab stick, and was seperated into noodle-like pieces. There were thin pieces of onion, and after a few bites I discovered little chunks of shrimp. I don't eat shrimp and don't think shrimp should be a surprise element to any food. I put the rest of the soup in the fridge. When /// got home I encouraged him to try it. He took one look at it and said it looked like placenta. He is one of the least picky eaters I know, and I don't think I have ever seen him turn down a taste of something. I do have to say that the waxed bag of crunchy noodles that came with the soup was a nice treat though.
Overall I think this place is a great sushi spot. Its close, inexpensive, the sushi has been fresh and yummy, and the people are really friendly. I have yet to eat in and enjoy the Japanese beers, and they also have a full menu of cooked Japanese dishes I haven't tried, so its safe to say I will return. But no crab meat soup ever again.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
McCleary's mediocre Pub
So two days ago my mom sends me a text while I was at work that said, 'Can you call me right now?', and thinking there is a great emergency I called immediately. Turns out she just discovered a bar she wanted to try, and I was heading to her house that day, and would I have time to look at the website and check it out. So I check it out and it looks fine and we plan to go.
The directions that they post on their website are seriously wrong, and after a phone call to the hostess we finally arrive, both very bitchy and in desperate need of beers. We are seated in the bar area and look at the beer list - they offer about 50 bottles and have 12 on tap. Being the city snob that I am, I made a smart comment about how I have already had every beer on the menu, and I thought this was supposed to be a beer bar, and my mother reminds me that I am in Marietta, PA, and would I please shut up and pick something. Fransiskaner it is. I don't even know what she ordered, I was too crabby. She liked it, and we both got in better moods soon after the beer arrived.
Appetizers - we chose the seared tuna, which I ordered as rare as could be please, and it was delicious but overcooked for my taste. It was served on a seaweed salad. We also got a crab dip which was decent, served with celery and crackers and toast points. After the appetizers we got a second round of beers. The menu said Spaten and I assumed it would be the Lager, but I was served the Oktoberfest. Unexpected in January! But this is Marietta.
I had the crab cake sandwich and my mom had a blue cheese burger. Both were delicious, mine was more crab than cake and hers was cooked just as she wanted it. The menu claimed they would be served on kaiser rolls and neither one was. Both sandwiches came with a mountain of waffle fries that were very good, although we chose to eat the sandwiches instead and bring the fries home for our dogs. We did not save room for dessert, or as the website says, 'desert'.
Before the table next to us filled with recent college graduates drunkenly talking about the girls their boyfriends were flirting with online, I grabbed the cocktail menu from their table - ours didn't have one. They had a whole page of drinks made with that gross P.I.N.K. energy vodka, a list of what can only be called martinis because they are served in a martini glass, and lots of coffee cocktails, but no actual cocktails for grown folks who want to taste their booze. I was a little disappointed.
The whole purpose of our visit was for my mom to scope this place out as a new weekly spot for her and her friends as they are tiring of their old standby, Klingers. We decided it was fine once, but we probably wouldn't go back.
The dogs loved the fries.
The directions that they post on their website are seriously wrong, and after a phone call to the hostess we finally arrive, both very bitchy and in desperate need of beers. We are seated in the bar area and look at the beer list - they offer about 50 bottles and have 12 on tap. Being the city snob that I am, I made a smart comment about how I have already had every beer on the menu, and I thought this was supposed to be a beer bar, and my mother reminds me that I am in Marietta, PA, and would I please shut up and pick something. Fransiskaner it is. I don't even know what she ordered, I was too crabby. She liked it, and we both got in better moods soon after the beer arrived.
Appetizers - we chose the seared tuna, which I ordered as rare as could be please, and it was delicious but overcooked for my taste. It was served on a seaweed salad. We also got a crab dip which was decent, served with celery and crackers and toast points. After the appetizers we got a second round of beers. The menu said Spaten and I assumed it would be the Lager, but I was served the Oktoberfest. Unexpected in January! But this is Marietta.
I had the crab cake sandwich and my mom had a blue cheese burger. Both were delicious, mine was more crab than cake and hers was cooked just as she wanted it. The menu claimed they would be served on kaiser rolls and neither one was. Both sandwiches came with a mountain of waffle fries that were very good, although we chose to eat the sandwiches instead and bring the fries home for our dogs. We did not save room for dessert, or as the website says, 'desert'.
Before the table next to us filled with recent college graduates drunkenly talking about the girls their boyfriends were flirting with online, I grabbed the cocktail menu from their table - ours didn't have one. They had a whole page of drinks made with that gross P.I.N.K. energy vodka, a list of what can only be called martinis because they are served in a martini glass, and lots of coffee cocktails, but no actual cocktails for grown folks who want to taste their booze. I was a little disappointed.
The whole purpose of our visit was for my mom to scope this place out as a new weekly spot for her and her friends as they are tiring of their old standby, Klingers. We decided it was fine once, but we probably wouldn't go back.
The dogs loved the fries.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Broken Promise
So, we already failed on our promise to blog everyday. And, conversely, our favorite food blogs have been posting at an alarmingly prolific rate. WTF? Well, we have been busy. Work is hectic. And tonight at the restaurant I work, a certain important food critic who shall remain nameless came in! We are awaiting our first big review, you see. Well, I will tell you all about this tomorrow.
In the meantime, I just got home from work and am relaxing eating grapes, watching the late night rerun of Oprah. Some whacked out Milli Vanilli doppleganger who claims to be a spiritual guide is claiming being gay is a gift from God! Oprah is incredulous. She is getting into sassy black woman mode, you know all head bob and eye rolls, saying she's never heard THAT before. Neither have we. Except for that one time at Woody's around 2am.
So, anyway, we here at supper club think Oprah looks GOOD lately. I know the news is all about how she is embarrassingly fat now, and how she is ashamed, ASHAMED. But, she wears it well. It probably is the deluxe Spanx and Prada, but still.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Launches and Relaunches
While we were pre-gaming for the relaunch of the Drunk Spelling Bee at Bob and Barbara's, sipping on Bourbon and Dr. Pepper with a dash of bitters*, (and maybe even a spritz of fresh lime juice) we decided to launch this blog. We really just wanted another food blog to post already so we could read it, but grew impatient of course. We are insatiable, you see. So we decided we had to start a blog. For you, for Philadelphia, but mostly for us.
Our boozy promise to you, Philadelphia, is to post everyday. If it has anything remotely to do with food or booze, we will write about it. You can look forward to news, reviews, rants, raves, recipes and gossip gossip gossip.
And it goes without saying that we want YOU to be a part of Supper Club too. Send us your tips, your comments, your star sightings, and your blind items! We are excited to have yet another excuse in this blog to enjoy more often what this city has to offer.
*we used Old Grandad because it was found in the leftover booty of my sister's New Year's Eve party. And although a more lovely and woody choice like Basil and Hayden would pair well with DP, why would we ruin it? OG did the job. It did leave us feeling a little roughed up in the morning, but that could have been the half dozen shots of Jim Beam we threw down at B&Bs.
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