The City Tap House is located on Walnut between 39th and 40th in the Radian, that brand new residential + shopping + eating complex that Penn built, which I personally feel looks like an homage to 80s tape decks.  The door was a little hard to find, sandwiched next to Capogiro, and most of the parking around there costs money, although all the meters have been replaced with kiosks.  The El would be the easiest option, SEPTA-wise, since the 40th street stop is only a few blocks away.  Once you enter, you immediately take an elevator to the restaurant, which is two or three floors up (it was hard to tell).  The look is very sleek and modern, and they have taken full advantage of being located on the second floor–the entire wall facing south is windows, and about half the place is outdoor seating.  There were the fire-pits, as advertised, with cushy bench seating around them–I saw people ordering food, but many people were choosing to just lounge around them and drink.  There was even a field of wildflowers next to the patio tables.  I suppose this was to help with drainage and make the building more green; I liked it–it made it feel like we weren’t in the middle of the city.  The view was great, too, looking out at Penn’s campus and beyond that, the city skyline.

Overall the prices seemed moderate–my Scottish Salmon BLT was $10, and most of the other “craftwiches,” salads, and appetizers were around the $10-12 range.  They also have daily specials and mussels that you can get as entrees.  The entrees were a little more, maybe around $15-20.  The beer ranged from $4-7; there’s a wine list, but with 60 beers on tap (the most in the city) I didn’t pay it any attention.

So about that salmon BLT…first, it was the size of my head, and the size was mostly salmon.  There was nothing skimpy about it.  It was also cooked to order (I got rare, and it was amazing). I had to eat it with a knife and fork because I couldn’t figure out how to pick it up, and it was fantastic.  I only managed half.  My dining partner got the mussels in a saffron sauce, and she said they were delicious.  We also got the vegetable bruschetta–you only get 4 little squares, but it was very good; however, dinner was so good that I think next time I wouldn’t bother with an appetizer.  I also got fries with my BLT; they were shoestring style, crisp and tasty.

Finally: THE BEER.  One great thing that the Tap House does is give you a card to take notes on your beer; you put your name at the bottom and they save the card for you so that when you come back, you can see what beers you tried already, and what you thought of them. For a place that sells itself on the amount of beer it has, this is a fabulous idea.  Some people are just able to remember the names of every beer they drink; while I like beer, I am not that good.  They also sorted their draft list by type of beer and gave helpful descriptions about the beer, which I also appreciate.  Their beer list changes daily, so you are not guaranteed that the beer you have one day will be there the next, but included in the list they tell you what kegs are next to be tapped in case you want to come back for one.  The draft list is also on the website; I’m guessing it is updated fairly regularly because when I went to look up what beer I had, it wasn’t listed there anymore (all I know is, I had a brown ale and then a Japanese coffee stout, and they were both great).

Dress code was fairly casual; I wore jeans and so did most of the servers, although there were several tables around us with dressed up folks.  The beauty about a restaurant near a university is that there were also tables of people all in scrubs, or workout clothes, or business suits.  They also do live acoustic music fairly regularly, although that appears to mostly happen indoors, and with this place, outdoors is where you want to be.

My summary: good food, good beer, great atmosphere–perfect for escaping the city on a summer evening, when you can’t actually get out of town. I will definitely be going back to sit by the fire pit and fill out more note cards about their beer!

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.