FARMiCiA Food and Tonics - Philadelphia, PA

The owners of White Dog Cafe and Metropolitan Bakery present to the Philadelphia food scene FARMiCiA Food and Tonics. A group of friends and I decided to check out this lunch spot, and it has definitely become one of my new favorite spots. The restaurant is located in a quaint location in Old City, and the food was absolutely amazing. 

Duck Trap Nova Salmon 

We were waiting on half of the group to come, so we decided to order an appetizer as the rest of us waited. The duck trap nova salmon was an excellent choice. The salmon was served with dijon-rye toasts, caper cream cheese, sliced tomato, and red onions.

Grilled Goat Cheese on Sourdough

This was one of my favorite dishes of the meal. The goat cheese and the sourdough bread really complimented each other, providing a nice flavorful bite each time. The salad was also surprisingly good and the farthest thing from bland.

Pumpkin Pie French Toast

For our sweet dish, we decided to get the french toast. Usually, french toast tends to be very sweet and difficult to eat after a few bites. However, this dish was just sweet enough to keep eating the whole thing.

Jumbo Crab Omelette

The jumbo lump crab omelette was also a great choice. The omelette consisted of the crab, sauteed spinach, sour cream, and mushrooms. 

Website: http://www.farmiciarestaurant.com/#about

Rx The Farmacy - Philadelphia, PA

Rx the Farmacy isn't just for brunch (check out the blog post here), but the restaurant also has a dinner menu. I thought I would check it out since the brunch menu looked so good and the restaurant is so close the campus!

Mushroom Risotto

The risotto was a little on the salty side. It wasn't anything amazing, and it could have definitely used some sriracha. Then again, anything could use more sriracha.

Mussels

The mussels were actually great. The broth in which the mussels were soaked in was indeed tasty.

Wings

And what's a good meal without some wings? These parm covered wings were pretty run-of-the-mill. They weren't anything noteworthy. I don't really remember what it tasted like, which says a lot. 

Jamonera - Philadelphia, PA

This draft post kind of got lost under all the other posts that we have been doing; however, this was actually one of my favorite restaurant that I have been to over the past semester. Sorry for not only the delay on this one but also the dark photos...

We decided to tackle this one together, which makes it the first collaboration post! We randomly chose this restaurant because of its association with Barbuzzo.

Jamonera is a quaint little wine bar with a great tapas menu. Surprisingly, all the tables were occupied by reservations, so we ended up grabbing seats at the bar. (Make sure to make some reservations if you're looking to grab a meal here.) The atmosphere is classy and intimate, which is perfect for a date or even a casual night with friends. The bartender makes an effort to become your friend instantly, which really reinforces that intimate and friendly atmosphere. Overall, great restaurant. We can safely say that we would definitely be down to go back to try some of the other tapas. 

The Papa Frita was a great tapas to start off with. It was made of crispy skin potato with wood smoked garlic aioli, brava salt, and house made sherry vinegar hot sauce. As an avid lover of hot sauce, this hot sauce was great with the entire meal. 

Papa Frita

Moving away from all carbs, we had the Camarones de Ajillo, which was just garlic shrimp with arbol chile, roasted peppers, lemon, and grilled bread. The shrimp could have used a bit more seasoning, but the hot sauces from the papa frita took care of that.

Camarones de Ajillo

We also had the pork tenderloin to include at least one meat dish to our meal. The pork tenderloin was so tender and well-seasoned, and the flavors really worked together.

Pork Tenderloin

Website: http://jamonerarestaurant.com/jamonera/ 

The Fat Ham - Philadelphia, PA (PART 1)

In place of that wine bar that I'm not sure anyone went to before, Top Chef winner, Kevin Sbarga, has just opened his newest restaurant, The Fat Ham. Once I heard "Top Chef" and "southern comfort food" in its descriptions, I knew it would move to the top of my list for new eats. I planned on trying out the place on Sunday; however, I randomly ended up here on opening day with a friend who is a huge enabler. Since I'll be here twice in the span of a weekend, I will have two posts to cover the restaurant! 

Just as a preface, this place is southern inspired and involves a lot of meat. This means that if you don't eat meat or fried food, this is probably not the place for you. So let's move on to the food:

Baked Mac and Cheese

The baked mac and cheese was awesome. This isn't your run-of-the-mill mac and cheese that you can find at FroGro. Trust me, I would know as I had a few pounds of FroGro mac and cheese over Thanksgiving. The Fat Ham M&C had a nice, creamy cheese with potato chip crust. The contrast between the crunch from the crust with the pasta soft shell really made this an interesting dish that sets it apart from other M&C. The ambiance here feels very southern farm-esque, and this is really reflected in the dish aesthetic. Where else will you be served M&C in a skillet?

Hot Chicken

As a southern kid at heart, I was, of course, drawn to the fried chicken. Perhaps, this dish could have used a bit more seasoning, but the spicy aspect really made this dish. If you're really looking for something spicy, this is definitely what you'll want to try here. The hot wings top off a white bread with ranch dressing and pickles. As you see here, the plate aesthetic is well thought out and really reflects the theme. 

Apple Cobbler

Who doesn't like a-la-mode cobbler? The apple cobbler was warm and tasty, and the bourbon molasses ice cream really topped it off well. Probably my favorite dessert dish here.

Banana Pudding Doughnut with Spiced Sugar

The banana pudding doughnut was essentially an egg tart filling in a donut hole. The pudding was nice and warm; however, it wasn't particularly tasteful. You really wouldn't be missing much by skipping this one. 

Definitely loved some of the dishes I've tried here, but I'll give my final take on it soon! Look out for my next post.

Doc Magrogan's - Philadelphia, PA

DocM has an excellent happy hour with small plate specials and $1 oysters till midnight! I saw Hunger Games the other day, and I needed to get some oysters after seeing Peeta open one up in the movie. Although there were no pearls in these shucks, I saved a fortune on the $1 deal! My favorite was the Malpeque oysters, which had a crisp taste with a clean finish. If you're looking for something a bit saltier, the Sewanscott was equally as excellent with full flavors, slight brine, and a hint of sweetness. 

Oysters

Of course, happy hour isn't complete without some small plates. The favorite here was the crispy fresh calamari. These bad boys are topped with cherry & banana peppers, spicy aioli, and garlic-parsley butter. To even touch this plate, make sure you get a seat at our near the bar as they only serve it in the front. 

Spicy Fresh Calamari

Oyster crackers are always a nice addition to an oyster-filled meal!

Oyster Crackers

Remember that friend from my Rouge post who loves mac&cheese? Well, these wings are a shoutout to that same friend! She loves wings, so I decided to give these a try. I was not disappointed with the sweet minced garlic & soy butter sauce! 

Boneless Wings

My friend who ate with me is a huge enabler, and when you put us together, there are basically no limits. Today, our enabler personalities pushed us to order a pound of lobster for only $12! It was a decision we definitely did not regret after filling our stomachs with this sea fiend.

1 lb. Lobster

I will definitely be coming back here for more happy hour specials as they provide an excellent meal after a long day of classes. 

Website: http://www.docmagrogans.com/

El Vez

Originally tempted by the appealing pictures seen on yelp, we finally arrived at El Vez at around 10pm after two attempts. It was well worth the wait! Although we managed to order way too much food, it was all quite good, which is saying something considering how full we ended up. The ambience was also very distinct – the lighting and décor was reminiscent of Distrito or Continental – trendy and colorful with a modern atmosphere. Most people there were lively and excited, probably celebrating with post-work drinks.

We started the night off with their popular Tito Santana guacamole. This came with chips and a spicy red salsa on the side. The guac was great, and I'm not even the biggest fan of avocado (sorry!). The mango pieces set a nice sweet contrast between the rest of the ingredients: bell peppers, chiles, jicama and habaero.

Tito Santana Guacamole

Chips & salsa

For the main entrees we decided to go with the Taco Tasting Platter, which had 5 different tacos: sea bass, beef, chicken, carnitas, and mahi mahi. They were all quite good, although my favorite would have to be the sea bass taco, which consisted of a unique sweet potato puree, grilled scallion, and fried jalapenos. The beef tacos were also quite good, especially because I enjoy spicy foods and the roasted tomatillo-chipotle salsa had a nice kick. By the time we finished the tacos we were pretty full already, which unfortunately may have caused some diminishing marginal utility with the remaining food.

Taco Tasting Platter: (clockwise from TL) Mahi Mahi, Sea Bass,Chicken, Beef, Carnitas (center) 

Close-up of Beef Taco

Close-up of Sea Bass Taco <3

In addition to the tacos we also ordered the Enchiladas Mixtas, which had 3 different enchiladas: chicken suizas, shrimp, and hibiscus. The chicken was extremely creamy and had lots of cheese, a little too much for me, but definitely tasty. We weren't sure what hibiscus was at first, but it was a very interesting dish with bright pink/purple colors from the beets and carrots, and was quite good (and vegetarian!). The shrimp enchiladas were my personal favorite, although they had a strange appearance from being coated with a cilantro sauce. I think the combination of flavors and colors for all of the enchiladas made the eating experience that much more fun.

Enchiladas Mixtas (R to L): Shrimp, Hibiscus, Chicken Suizas

By this time we were practically unable to breathe from eating so much (don’t make the same mistake we did) and sadly did not have room for dessert. Next time, definitely coming back to try the signature El Vez – flourless chocolate cake with peanut custard, caramelized bananas, chocolate suace, and peanut butter ice cream. :D

Sushirrito - San Francisco, CA

Part sushi. Part burrito. Sushirrito has created a unique, hybrid lunch option that offers the best of both worlds. I decided to try the Sumo Crunch, which had surimi crab, shaved cabbage, cucumber, avocado, green onions, shrimp tempura, and red tempura flakes. The sauce was a sriracha aioli, which added a nice spicy touch to the meal. 

I also tried the queso fries. However, they weren't very memorable.

Sumo Crunch

Queso Fries

Website: http://www.sushirrito.com/

Parc Restaurant Bistro & Cafe - Philadelphia, PA

Parc was an excellent choice for a nice Saturday brunch beside Rittenhouse Square Park. Brace yourselves for a carb-filled post with lots of bread involved. 

One of my friends who inspired me to actually start a food blog wanted to try the breakfast pastries as our appetizer since we were with a large group of people. The basket came with a chocolate croissant, plaint croissant, nutella brioche, madeleine, chocolate and cherry scone, and chausson aux pommes. It was a nice mix of plain and sweet breads. This pastry basket was a nice start to the meal. 

Breakfast Pastries

On top of the breakfast pastries, we also received complimentary breads for the table. 

Complimentary Breads

To complete my carb overload, I decided to get the brioche french toast with apples and hazelnut butter. Although french toast is typically a sweet dish, I was a little overwhelmed with Parc's french toast. The hazelnut butter was great for the first few bites; however, I was tired of it towards the end of the meal.

French Toast

Website: http://www.parc-restaurant.com/

Rouge - Philadelphia, PA

I heard about this restaurant from some native Philadelphians sitting next to me at Zahav. The first thing you notice when you walk into this quaint restaurant is the ambiance. The decorations were classy, verging on bougie, which was the perfect setting for a nice lunch date to catch up with an old friend. Even the coat check service reinforced this classy atmosphere.

Bougie Interior

As we were looking at our menu, I was caught off guard when the waitress brought over some bread with butter. I was instantly happy not only because I was famished but also because I love carbs. 

Complimentary Bread & Butter

For my main dish, I decided to try the Spicy Tuna Burger. I was not too amazed by it. In fact, the side salad was better than the burger. The dish was on the bland side and could have used a bit of seasoning. Also, the burger was not as spicy as I was anticipating, given its name.

Spicy Tuna Burger 

The side dishes on the other hand were great. The truffle parmesan pommes frites were amazing (yet again evidence of my love for carbs). They reminded me of the fries at Delicatessen in SoHo (NYC). Although they are not the original Pommes Frites in East Village (NYC), they are definitely a close substitute for Philadelphia.

Truffle Parmesan Pommes Frites

 We also got the mac and cheese side dish in memory of a mutual friend--a girl who loves macaroni and cheese. We quickly devoured this cheesy goodness like nobody's business. 

Mac and Cheese

Since it was a chilly day, my friend decided to order the Spicy Duck Soup. As a side note, this dish was probably spicier than my "spicy" tuna burger. The soup was lovely with some nice kicks and flavors. I would recommend this soup over the spicy tuna burger any day. 

Spicy Duck Soup

Overall, the experience is really in the ambiance. The food was good, but it wasn't spectacular. As a foodie, I don't recommend it. However, if you're looking for that date spot, you should haul your date over here ASAP. 

Website: http://rouge98.com

Rx The Farmacy - Philadelphia, PA

Being so close to campus, I had heard lots of great things about Rx The Farmacy and finally got the chance to try it while celebrating a friend’s birthday through brunch. We were seated in a quaint corner by large bay windows with a lot of sunlight streaming through, giving it a really airy and bright feel.

Before we ordered, the waiter surprised us with a complimentary Fruit n’Granola Board to keep us occupied while we wait for our food. We were all ravenous by then so the fresh strawberries, apples, bananas, raspberries, and vanilla yogurt, drizzled with honey and sprinkled with granola pieces really hit the spot.

Fruit n' Granola Board

Brunch being my favorite meal, I was pretty overwhelmed by all the choices. In the end, I settled with one of the specials of the day, the House Skillet, which consisted of teres major, scrambled eggs, cheese, onions, and home fries all mixed into a skillet. A few friends got the Crab Cake Benny – poached egg, crab cake, English muffin, hollandaise sauce, and duck-fried potatoes, while another friend got the Steak n’Eggs – over easy eggs, teres major, chantrelle essence, duck-fried potatoes, and wheat toast. It was all delicious; the steak was extremely tender, and the crab cake was super flavorful. I particularly enjoyed the duck-fried potatoes, which look a bit like giant mushrooms at first. My only disappointment was that they were not flexible with how they can make their eggs.

House Skillet

Crab Cake Benny

Steak n' Eggs

Because we couldn’t decide between savory and sweet (always a struggle), we decided to order the extremely tempting Rum Chatta French Toast for the table. We were greatly looking forward to the crème brulee butter with vanilla maple syrup, but the French toast seemed pretty ordinary. Although still good, it wasn’t stand-out.

Rum Chatta French Toast

Overall, I left the restaurant full and satisfied and enjoyed a very satisfying start to a beautiful autumn day. 

Joe's Shanghai - NYC

I was craving soup dumplings over the weekend, so I took a trip to NYC to try a Penn favorite. These were definitely some of the best soup dumplings I have ever had. The ratio between soup and filling was perfect, and the taste was on point. I could have not asked for a better lunch.

Soup Dumplings

I also got to try some other foods on their menu. The eggplant and garlic sauce was alright, but I would have probably preferred to just fill my stomach with more soup dumplings.  

Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

For dessert, I had some fried red bean pancakes. If you like red bean, this was an excellent dessert dish. If not, I would skip dessert and grab some of Joe's Shanghai's mint candy at the entrance. Actually, everyone should grab at least five of these. They are SO good. 

Fried Red Bean Pancakes

Website: http://www.joeshanghairestaurants.com/ 

CHeU Noodle Bar - Philadelphia, PA

I have been dying to try this place since it opened. Even friends all the way from San Francisco have been recommending this eat, so I had to try it. Here is my review of this new Asian-fusion spot:

Black Garlic Wings, Buns, Dumpings

What's a good noodle bar without some amazing appetizers? (Think Ippudo Pork Buns) The appetizers here did not disappoint. On the right, we have their signature buns, served on biscuit goodness and one of three filling options: pork, cheeseburger, and mushroom. The dumplings above were made of curry beef and potatoes; however, the kitchen mixes up this dish on the daily and perhaps hourly. Within a few hours of ordering, the daily dumpling dish had changed. 

Duck Pho

The noodles were pretty standard. The picture above is of the Duck Pho, which was probably not much better than your $8 pho in Chinatown.

If you're looking for a place to grab some tapas-style dishes by the bar, this is an excellent hangout. If you're looking for an excellent main course at a table, CHeU is probably not the spot for that. 

Website: http://cheunoodlebar.com/