pink is the new brunch

March 7, 2010
by kellie

Do you know what the best thing in life is?  Puppies playing?  Nope.  Sleeping with the windows open?  Wrong.  A good book paired with a cup of coffee?  Uh uh.  Grammatically correct text messages?  Incorrect.  Free alcohol?  Well, that’s pretty great, but no.  Ladies and gentlemen, the best thing in life is…(drum roll, please)…brunch.  The reason is quite simple: brunch is basically a no-holds-barred, gastronomic free-for-all.  The conventional rules of what’s acceptable to eat at any given time of day are thrown out the window.  Tequila with breakfast and steak before noon?  Yes, please!

This weekend marked the beginning of a new era for Distrito, the Jose Garces modern Mexican spot in University City (3945 Chestnut – entrance on 40th), with the addition of an alcohol heavy, surprisingly affordable brunch.   The building itself is a bit too much, and doesn’t fit in with the landscape and architecture of the city.  (It looks more like it should house a bunch of condos in Williamsburg.)  Having never been, I was not prepared for the pink – pink walls, pink napkins, pink cushions, pink accents in/on the chairs.  I actually felt like I had walked into a Stephen Starr restaurant, which was not the best first impression, at least in my book.

Once my eyes adjusted to the pepto bismol-colored decor, I was able to take in the overtly gaudy and kitschy touches, including the “Hecho en Mexico” t-shirts that the Latin busboys wore.  Over the top, to say the least.   My friend and I were the first people there (we take our brunch seriously, and new brunch = no line), and the service was pretty great, though waiting on one table isn’t really much of a feat.  The first thing we did was order a drink (surprising, right?), the nitro caipirinha (cachaça, canton ginger liqueur and lime; pretty much tasted like a mojito – sorry Brazil) for me and the hemingway (chile infused hornitos tequila, maraschino and grapefruit) for her.

We decided to share so we could enjoy both the sweet and savory options (always the hardest of the brunch decisions) and went with the huevos rancheros (fried egg, roasted tomato, asparagus and black beans) and the waiter-recommended torrijas (deep fried tres leches battered french toast, goat’s milk cajeta, fresh berries and chantilly cream).  The waiter commented on the torrijas being the food version of crack, and he may have been right – absolutely, delightfully, lip-smackingly delicious.  The huevos were also pretty tasty, but the drizzle of crema (not mentioned on the menu) was something we both could have done without (though it surprisingly didn’t seem to negatively impact the flavor for either of us sour cream haters).

We also ordered coffee (nice and strong) and got suckered into ordering the fresh pan dulce (sweet breads) to complement it.  Completely unnecessary – we had plenty of food without, so they basically just took up space on the table.  However, the couple of bites I had – most of which were dunked into my coffee, leaving an unappetizing mess of floating crumbs behind – were pretty damn fantastic.

Overall, Distrito offered a fairly good brunch in an overdone atmosphere that, despite being a touch excessive, still had some charm.  Not a bad way to start a perfect Sunday that will include a nap (with the windows open) and a homemade meal with friends.

La La La La (means I love you): A Top 5 of my Food Life

February 15, 2010
by stephanie

Basking in a post-Valentine’s Day glow, I began to reminisce on the good, the bad, and the ugly of past relationships and the food that defined them (talk about emotional eating). In my 30 years, I’ve had some pretty great men come through my life and have had the misfortune of crossing paths with a few that left me shaking my head and wondering how I could have ever wasted my time. Interestingly, many parallels can be drawn between my “love life” and my “food life”. I’ve spent many great nights in the throws of food ecstasy; have had a handful of meaningful, fulfilling relationships with a couple great restaurants; and, unfortunately, have walked away (more times than I like to admit) feeling completely and utterly unsatisfied….but I don’t like to dwell on the bad or the ugly. I want to instead pay homage to some of my favorite food loves (in no particular order): those fooderies, foods, and drinks (or some combination of the three) that have defined my food life, that I have loved and love still, and feel misty nostalgia over whenever I think back on the time I spent with them.

1. Cookums Café

Cookums! We had a brief but fiery affair and oh, how I miss you. Formerly at an unassuming location at 15th and Arch, Cookums may have had some of the best crab cakes, mac and cheese, yams, and greens I’ve ever had. Now, granted, my knowledge of soul food may be limited but I know a good thing when it hits me. Having grown up eating the delectable southern dishes conjured up by my Raleigh-born grandfather (Poppy), Cookums filled me with the same warm satisfaction that his meals did as a child. A frequent lunchtime haunt for many municipal employees housed in the nearby Municipal Services Building (including me), you could guarantee a line out the door any payday Friday. But it was always worth the wait – the smothered pork chops alone made me want to slap somebody! So, I was very sad to learn of its closing and that my indulgent lunchtime rendezvous were no more. I’ve heard rumors that the cooks have moved on to other locations but I’ve yet to find them again. Sniffle sniffle.

2. The Flaming Volcano

My pre-requisites for a great drink: 1.) comes in a large ornate bowl; 2.) has an umbrella; 3.) is on fire; and, 4.) has two straws. Well, not necessarily all of these are required but to find them in one drink is just amazing. Served at one of my favorite spots, Vietnam Restaurant, the Flaming Volcano is an excellent date drink so long as you can handle your alcohol. WARNING: there is probably enough liquor in there to knock out a gorilla but it is a wonderfully fun drink, a great conversation-starter, and makes me feel warm and happy (for obvious reasons) every time I have it. Pair it with some yummy Pho and you have the start of a great night.

Flame on!

3. Lazaros Pizza

Lazaros Pizza has everything going on: Sweet savory sauce, a perfect cheese to sauce ratio, thin crispy crust, and HUGE-ass portions. Located in the Grad Hospital neighborhood, Lazaros is by far the best take out pizza I’ve had in the City. New Yawk transplants may have found their pizza home at Lazaros and it has yet to disappoint me as a Philadelphian (except when I made the mistake of ordering toppings –the pizza is far too flimsy to hold the weight of more than one topping). Lazaros has been a constant through many relationships and I’m fairly convinced that there is some type of addictive additive in their sauce because I can almost never get enough of their pizza. This is probably why they offer an “extra-large” option…why this can’t be an option in other situations, I don’t know. (Sigh.) I once ordered pizza from this place three different times over a 2 day period and ate it all with the help of a friend. Lazaros will always hold a cherished place close to my heart even after inducing more than one food coma.

My friend happily about to destroy an XL cheese pizza from Lazaros

4. El Azteca

While not the best Mexican in the city, El Azteca defined a particular point in my life and for that reason will always be a special place to me. I’ve celebrated birthdays, friends, first dates, and anniversaries at El Azteca, which speaks to its charm and fun atmosphere (where else can you get flashing disco lights, fried ice cream AND happy birthday all at once?) El Azteca is a BYOT (although that has changed as of late) and offers solid, home-cooked Mexican at an affordable price. And if the food and drink weren’t enough to bring you closer to your food companions while there, the two person women’s bathroom definitely will (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, you must check it out next time you are there).

My birthday at El Azteca (mmmm....fried ice cream...)

5. The Banana Bread Pudding at August

I’m a sucker for a quaint, romantic, BYO (and thank God I live in Philly, where you are all but guaranteed to find at least one in your neighborhood) but when that BYO also offers an amazing dessert that can be shared with another…well, that’s just the cherry on top. The Banana Bread Pudding at August – an understated, Italian BYO in South Philly – is truly heaven on earth. The Italian bread is blended with banana and chocolate, warmed to perfection, and paired with yummy vanilla ice cream. Bread pudding is an art and I make a point of trying it at any restaurant that offers it. The bread pudding at August is a true masterpiece especially when coupled with great company and conversation.