Holy Guacamole!!@#$%@!
El Vez: This Steven Starr location in center-city Philadelphia has it all: great food, great drinks, and a photo booth. Like every Steven Starr establishment the place had an awesome décor complete with a circle bar in the center with one of the most gaudy low-rider bikes on display that happened to be a tribute to none other than Oscar De La Hoya. It was a Sunday night when I went to El Vez and we actually had about a 10-minute wait, enough to start a drink at the bar. I had a blood orange margarita that was deliciously sweet and a perfect start. Soon after our drinks were poured and served we were guided to our table. Recommended to us first before we even got a chance to look at the menu was the Bazooka Limon Guacamole: goat cheese, pistachio, Chile flakes and roasted tomatoes. It was the best tasting guacamole I have ever eaten (a return trip is necessary just for this dish alone). I really enjoyed that the menu had 7 different variations of the dish including an original guac. We skipped an appetizer and ordered another round of drinks to go with our guac. This time I indulged in the traditional margarita that was perfect again. I always get nervous at restaurants because sometimes you can’t taste the tequila and question if any even went in. That was not the case here. For my entrée, I had the Mahi-mahi tacos (items served a-la carte so order your sides if you want them). A beautifully decorated plate with 2 nicely portioned tacos came out. The fish was cooked to perfect and tasted fresh and great. The red cabbage and chipotle pepper remoulade was a perfect compliment to add on top of the fish given it another dimension of texture and taste. For our dessert we had the Tres Leches Cake. It was a beautiful piece of cake that was so rich and moist. Topped with a medley of fruit this was heaven on a plate. El Vez is a great place to go if you’re having dinner with friends or even for a nice evening out.
-J
Price: $$ - moderate
El Vez’s Location: 121 S. 13th Street Philadelphia, PA
Sushi You: What is this, a sushi place for ants?! All kidding aside, the place is quaint. There are about 7 tables in the place. About 4 meant for 4 people each and 3 just for couples. They have a modest sushi bar with, usually, one sushi chef going at a time, although the greeter/waiter doubles as a sushi chef. This place is independently own to the max. This place opened in early ‘09 and still has the “Grand Opening 50% off Sushi” banner going. 50% off sushi is also their selling point. The sushi is about 50% cheaper than what sushi traditionally goes for at other places. Their maki, hand rolls, and sashimi going for about $2.00 each or so. Their menus at first, seem like a place mat until they take it away after you order. This may be a good thing considering that at these prices your may never stop ordering.
Daisy May’s BBQ: Since 2005 Daisy May’s has boasted the title of, “Best BBQ in New York City” and they haven’t looked back since. Any article or blog I’ve read recently regarding NYC BBQ has Daisy May’s placed at the top of the list. One afternoon my father and I boarded the hype train to see if this place stood up to the bold claims I’ve read about. To start Daisy May’s is located a block or two from the USS Intrepid not really close to anything and a nice walk from the Port Authority. It’s a cafeteria-style restaurant where you order and pay then head down the line past all the food and pick up your meal. There is no wait staff and the food is ready a few minutes after you order depending on the line. The dining room is set up just the same 3 long tables and you can be elbow to elbow in strangers. The overall size of the restaurant was a lot smaller than I expected. But, had a real awesome feel to it with its BBQ themed decorations and look.
Mexicali Rose: I did this place before for our Mexican restaurant week a while back. I’ve decided to do it again because of the changes made to the place. Being that the original restaurant was closed for a few years and reopened in 2008, the first year has shown that the new managers have gotten the restaurant back into the it’s former groove. The menu’s are very colorful yet confusing. The re-vamped restaurant offers far more items then they ever did before. Yet the menu seems very condensed. They offer three entre specials and one appetizer special. They still don’t have a liquor license, so it’s still a BYOB which is great.
The Pop Shop: If you’re a fan of the TV show, Throw Down with Bobby Flay then you might be familiar with the Pop Shop in Collingswood, NJ. A few seasons ago Bobby challenged them to a grilled cheese showdown in which he pulled off a narrow victory over South Jersey’s finest grilled cheeser. My first time going to the pop shop, I totally understood why Bobby chose this place for the grilled cheese show down: They have too many grilled cheeses! There are so many on the menu it’s overwhelming, because they all sound so delicious and they are constantly adding more. The Pop Shop atmosphere is just blaring as you walk in the door. It’s reminiscent of the soda shops and diners of the 1950s complete with a checkerboard floor. The place is loud and bright so if you’re looking for a quiet meal, keep walking. But, if you can deal with the noise and want to enjoy a great meal at a family friendly establishment this is the place. Everything at the Pop Shop is retro including the menu. It is designed like a newspaper with different options in an article setting. You can see a copy of this on their website. They have a lot to offer for everyone, including vegetarian options, and they serve breakfast through out the day. They also have a soda fountain. I’m not talking about your typical soda machines found in any restaurant. I’m talking a 50s style soda fountain complete with different syrups to give you that delicious drink. I ordered a cherry vanilla coke, which is a personal favorite. For my meal, I decided to stick with a grilled cheese as that is what they are known for. I ordered the Frazer: Jack cheese, grilled chicken breast, chipotle mayonnaise mixed with jalapeños and onions on sourdough. As a side order, I ordered Maryland fries (fresh cut potatoes covered in Old Bay seasoning). The grilled cheese came out and it was massive; huge slices of Sourdough overflowing with grilled chicken and gooey melted cheese. The chipotle mayo blew me away and I wish I was able to take some home with me. This meal was heaven, every bite being a mouthful of something. There were no vacant bites of only bread that you get with some “gone wrong” grilled cheeses. The fries were an excellent addition, giving a little kick with their homemade spicy ketchup. You couldn’t go wrong with it. The Pop Shop also has a huge ice cream and dessert selection, but by the end of the meal, I could barely move let alone take on a dessert. Maybe next time.
Aki Restaurant: Deep in the heart of the little Tokyo section of Bloomfield (a place which exists only in my mind) there is a little sushi nook called Aki. It is actually in the north end of Bloomfield where all the fancy to-do’s, and people with nuclear families live.
Neptune Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge: As a recommendation for dinner last Saturday night, I was told about an enchanting little place called Neptune: A place that had great seafood and great steaks. Being that it was March 14th, I felt a steak dinner was only appropriate (if you don’t get the reference send us an email and I’ll explain). The outside of the place is decorated like something you’d see in a shore town, with sea related items with the inside being no different. There were countless antique items related to the sea giving the restaurant a lively feel. The waitress we had was extremely nice and helpful and always there when we needed something. The night we happened to venture in was not an ordinary night. It was also Prime Rib night: A 20oz Prime Rib for 12.99! Accompanying it was soup/salad and a vegetable of choice. My dinner was as follows: New England clam chowder (white), a baked potato, and an ice cold beer to top it off. Who eats steak without beer? I mean come on. The soup came first and, overall, it was good but nothing to write home about. I was, however, impressed with the amount and size of clams in the chowder, which did help me enjoy it more. After that, our steaks came out sizzling right off the grill. Aside from the fatty part of the steak which comes with the cut, I had a great steak. It was deliciously seasoned and cooked to perfection. Each bite was superb. A potato is a potato; I don’t think you can really screw that up. But, overall the meal was great and there was no room for desert. For this low price and great food you can’t really pass it up. Neptune also has a very extensive seafood menu as it is pretty much a seafood restaurant. I definitely see myself coming back to try some great fresh sea food.
CulinAriane: The title of this entry says it all. Ariane Duarte was a contestant on this past season of Top Chef. My girlfriend watches anything that is on the Bravo channel so I got suckered/was forced/started watching Top Chef. I noticed this woman owend and operated a restaurant in nearby Montclair and decided I should give it a shot.
