2007 was a good year for the Philadelphia palate. But it’s time to look ahead. Some things I’m already craving in 2008, in no particular order:
Maia, the long-long-long awaited Villanova project from the Feury brothers (You know Patrick from Nectar, and Terence from Striped Bass). They are saying March, though last January, they were also saying March — 2007.
Michael Solomonov in the kitchen at new Old City restaurant Zahav (May); and Erin O’Shea’s Southern revamp of Marigold Kitchen (As of January 2.)
Chilango, Jose Garces’ 3rd Philly spot, this one Mexican in West Philly, planned for early summer — and the cookbook we are working on together, Latin Evolution, due out in the fall.
Yet another Chris Scarduzio spot: “steakhouse bistro” Table 31 in the Comcast Center. The super-organized chef says May 2nd.
Some new stuff from Stephen Starr — Expect French Bistro Parc on Rittenhouse Square in the summer.
A bigger spot from Alison Barshak in Fort Washington, on the calendar for late spring, will take all you love about Alison at Blue Bell, but will have a more casual feel.
Eric Ripert’s new American spot at the Ritz-Carlton, also slated for late spring — and particularly the famed chef’s signature fish burger.
A digital rendering of Table 31, which opens in May 2008; image, table-31.com
If you’ve had dinner at my house in the past couple of weeks, you’ve eaten roast chicken. It’s the perfect easy meal amid the holiday rush, and I’m on a quest to perfect this simple dish, with the help of Judy Rodgers and Thomas Keller — okay, okay, with the help of Rodger’s Zuni Café Cookbook and Keller’s Bouchon.
And these recipes — and Griggstown Quail Farm’s chickens — are producing delicious crispy skinned birds. Now, if only I could justify buying one of the Staub cast-iron pans Nineteen chef Marc Plessis uses to roast and present his infinitely more-elegant roasted bluefoot chickens. The pan holds the bird, which has already been brined for 24 hours, upright while it is steamed and then roasted at a high heat. Plessis surrounds the bird with substantial roasted carrots, onions, brussels sprouts and bluefoot mushrooms. Sounds like I’ve got another method to try.
We’ve come to expect wine to be intimidating. Traditional label terminology is bewildering, and when every bottle is branded with a tasteful engraving, it’s difficult to distinguish one wine from another, let alone determine which would best suit a meal. There’s a simple marketing solution to this confusion, of course — but is the wine world ready for Pizza Red?
This latest wine-packaging trend — labels that let you play sommelier in the state store — is particularly suited to this city’s BYOB scene. Stumped as to what to bring to Japanese BYOBs like Sagami in Collingswood or Kisso in Old City? Try Oroya wine, which spells out “sushi” in Kanji lettering on the label.
Malty Anchor’s 2007 Christmas Ale is the 33rd in a series of annual Christmas gifts to beer lovers everywhere from San Francisco’s legendary Anchor Brewing Company. Each is made from a new secret recipe and features a different tree label sharing holiday wishes, Anchor’s Christmas card to the world.
In the glass, this year’s offering glows reddish-brown and sports a head as thick and fluffy as Santa’s beard. A liberal helping of caramelly malt makes this full-bodied ale as sweet and strong as a Christmas fruitcake, laden with flavors of rum-soaked raisins and figs, while malt aromas of hard toffee and gingerbread compete with a piney edge of herbal hops.
Good boys and girls may find some Anchor Christmas Ale in their stockings this year, but needn’t rush to drink it up. This is one of the first American beers to be designed to cellar as well as a fine wine. While it’s a tasty treat now, a year or two of aging (in a cool, dark place) will do this beer a world of good.
If an elaborate dinner isn’t enough to mark the coming of the New Year, consider one of these 10 area restaurants, where dessert isn’t the last course. — Bridget Salmons
Alma de Cuba
If you like your food — and your dancing — spicy, enjoy one of Alma’s multiple dinner options before salsa dancing to the Latin music ensemble, La Creacion. 5 p.m. seating: three-course meal, $40. 7 p.m. seating: four-course meal, $60. 9 p.m. seating: five-course meal, $90. 8 p.m. to midnight: Dancing and a champagne toast, included with the $90 meal.
Cuba Libre
It’s Havana nights at Old City’s resident Cuban restaurant, with exotic sounds and eats. Twilight Dinner: seating from 5 to 8:30pm, includes a 3-course meal, $32. Late Dinner: seating at 9 and 9:30, includes a 4-course meal, champagne toast, favors and dancing, $150. For an extra $50, tack on the Late Night Bar package. Late Night Bar: available from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., open bar, hors d’oeuvres, champagne toast at midnight, and salsa dancing, $85.
With the (no doubt) impending and numerous Snowstorms of the Century, we sent our scouts out to dozens of cafés from Bucks to Gloucester County in search of this winter’s hottest drinks.
Caramel Cream Dream: The “Dream” at Old City’s Double Shots may keep you up: steamed milk, pure vanilla extract, caramel, and two shots of espresso. 211 Chestnut Street, 215-351-5171, doubleshotscafe.com.
The December issue of Philly Mag gives you 67 ways to help others in How to Be a Better Philadelphian, but we’ve got a couple of ways you can be a better foodie. In addition to the great local non-profits highlighted in the current issue — from donating home-cooked meals to Aid for Friends, to volunteering as a guest chef at the Ronald McDonald House to buying from the Fair Food Farmstand — this month, food lovers can participate in the Menu for Hope, the food-blog world’s annual raffle to benefit the U.N. World Food Program.
Bonus: There’s a couple hundred amazing food prizes to be won. Locally, food blogger Philafoodie (aka Philly lawyer/wine educator David Snyder) has donated a two-class gift certificate to The Wine School of Philadelphia. Then there’s stuff that’s worth flying around the world for: A tour of the elBulli laboratory with Ferran Adrià, for instance.
While wandering the new Marketplace at East Falls, a “work in progress” Ardmore Farmers Market imitator that recently opened on Ridge Avenue, I stumbled upon Pappardelle’s. The Denver-based artisanal pasta shop wasn’t even completely unpacked yet, but I couldn’t resist the long loops of dried pasta in vibrant colors and flavors displayed in wooden crates.
Hearty four-peppercorn fettuccine, with its lingering citrus flavors, will be a staple in my pantry, but I’m not so sure about the dark chocolate linguine. I had to buy the deep-brown pasta, and I’ve nibbled a piece of it dry — definitely, surprisingly, chocolate — but I don’t know what to do with it yet.
The clerk behind the counter suggested some whipped cream and graham cracker concoctions, but I’m craving a more savory preparation. Perhaps a rich duck ragu with orange zest, a twist on James’ duck tagliatelle with grated chocolate. Or a combination of venison and quince, a la Vetri … I’m taking all suggestions.
Just when you’re starting to think we have too many vodka flavors, something comes along to convince you otherwise. Finlandia’s new Grapefruit Fusion is a mouth-watering spin on the citrus craze that offers picture-perfect ruby grapefruit flavor. While many fruit vodkas have that fake Jolly Rancher quality, this one is more tailored to the adult palate, its flavor more like the addictive ruby-red grapefruit cocktails that are all the rage.
Alone over ice, it has aromas reminiscent of a twist of grapefruit peel and leaves a refreshing zing in the mouth. And perky grapefruit melds well into all manner of cocktail recipes, able to pinch-hit for its citrus cousins lemon, lime and orange with ease. Try updating your cosmopolitans with Finlandia Grapefruit Fusion or serve it up chilled for a stylish dry martini. Or double your refreshment with tonic and ice.
Where to eat dinner when you didn’t plan ahead? A forgotten restaurant, those no-longer-new, not-quite-classic places where the food is still solid and the atmosphere is still up-to-date, but the crowds are gone.
Popular Center City BYOB La Viola has solved its always-packed problem: Last October, the owners quietly opened an almost-identical location across the street,La Viola Ouest. Don’t worry: they didn’t try to reinvent anything. The street address and phone numbers are one digit apart. The room is still a sparse afterthought. The waiters are still Italian. The booze is still carried in by customers and the menu is almost identical, still red-gravy satisfying and suitably priced. Warm up with a bowl of red or white mussels ($7) then dive into homemade fusilli with cannelloni beans, sausage, onions and a drizzle of olive oil ($12). Both locations are great easy-peasy weeknight dinner spots. The new location has just one thing the old one doesn’t: elbow room.
2007 was a good year for the Philadelphia palate. But it’s time to look ahead. Some things I’m already craving in 2008, in no particular order: 
If you’ve had dinner at my house in the past couple of weeks, you’ve eaten roast chicken. It’s the perfect easy meal amid the holiday rush, and I’m on a quest to perfect this simple dish, with the help of Judy Rodgers and Thomas Keller — okay, okay, with the help of Rodger’s Zuni Café Cookbook and Keller’s Bouchon. 
We’ve come to expect wine to be intimidating. Traditional label terminology is bewildering, and when every bottle is branded with a tasteful engraving, it’s difficult to distinguish one wine from another, let alone determine which would best suit a meal. There’s a simple marketing solution to this confusion, of course — but is the wine world ready for Pizza Red?
Malty Anchor’s 2007 Christmas Ale is the 33rd in a series of annual Christmas gifts to beer lovers everywhere from San Francisco’s legendary Anchor Brewing Company. Each is made from a new secret recipe and features a different tree label sharing holiday wishes, Anchor’s Christmas card to the world. 
If an elaborate dinner isn’t enough to mark the coming of the New Year, consider one of these 10 area restaurants, where dessert isn’t the last course. — Bridget Salmons
With the (no doubt) impending and numerous Snowstorms of the Century, we sent our scouts out to dozens of cafés from Bucks to Gloucester County in search of this winter’s hottest drinks.
The 
While wandering the new 
Just when you’re starting to think we have too many vodka flavors, something comes along to convince you otherwise. Finlandia’s new Grapefruit Fusion is a mouth-watering spin on the citrus craze that offers picture-perfect ruby grapefruit flavor. While many fruit vodkas have that fake Jolly Rancher quality, this one is more tailored to the adult palate, its flavor more like the addictive ruby-red grapefruit cocktails that are all the rage. 