Looking for Focus at MidAtlantic

David Snyder visits MidAtlantic and finds Daniel Stern’s new West Philadelphia restaurant lacking in focus. But that’s not to say there isn’t some highlights on the menu like the hot dog platter that might be the dish of the month.

My favorite dish was Wednesday’s “Nightly Special,” a duo of hot dogs, for which the kitchen grinds beef neck, brisket and short rib together with a special spice blend to fill inch-and-a-half-thick hog casings. After being grilled off, the dogs are cradled in pillowy unsweetened doughnut rolls and served with house-made chips and thick country sauerkraut. Pickles and house-made horseradish mustard may overwhelm those looking for a more subtle bite, but the dog’s brilliant flavor and texture (and that wonderful bun) scream signature.

Amish Mash [City Paper]