Pizza Challenge Round 2- Marra's

The oldest of the old school. Marra's has been slinging pies and plates of spaghetti and meatballs since the 20's. This place is red gravy legit, prominently peacocking on Passyunk. The service can be somewhat chaotic. Ladies who probably danced on American Bandstand when it was still in Philly do their best to keep up with the tables and the random string of commands being shouted over a loudspeaker. For some reason there's a flat screen in the main dining room tuned to college basketball.  The booths are tighter than jeggings on J-Lo and leave barely enough room for four people and their assorted cups & plates. 

What they lack in ambiance they make up for in pizza. All the pies we had were good. Bubbling hot out of the brick oven with great toppings and sauce. It's an unexpectedly good departure from the standard plates of chicken parm and fettuccini al fredo that you see on most of the other tables. This is a neighborhood place that has catered to generations of families in South Philly. Why mess with winning recipe?  Give the people what they want.

A note here before I start talking pizza. We didn't try any appetizers or pasta dishes. And none of us had ever been here before. The Yelp reviews are not particularly glowing for Marra's - most advise to stick with the pizza. Don't walk in here expecting Vetri style Italian. This place is about as unpretentious as it gets, and there's something to be said for that.

The pizzas come out pretty quick - no more than 10-15 minutes wait.  And they won't be spaced out. You'll get each one as it's ready to come out of the oven. Our favorite was the Parmigiana with thick cut slices of fried eggplant, sprinkles of parmesan and gobs of fresh ricotta, seasoned with fresh herbs for a beautifully speckled look. There is something magical about that mix of eggplant and ricotta. You feel like you could be whisked off on the Hogwarts Express before dessert.

The Alla Bianca featured some absolutely delicious Italian fennel sausage that lends a great tooth and sweetness to counteract the bitter and garlicky broccoli rabe & sundried tomatoes.  Marra's swaps out the standard mozzarella for sharp provolone and get's this pie humming.  Honestly one of the best toppings mixes I've had - a great suggestion from out waitress.

The margherita was tasty, with hunks of fresh mozzarella, whole basil leaves and maybe just a bit too much sauce.  The cheese was good, but not so amazing as to leave you pining for more. If you're only going to have cheese and sauce, it better be top notch stuff. It also could have used another minute or two in the oven to melt.  Of the three we ordered, this would get picked last for kickball. 

I have to say the sauce was a big step up from Zavino. Not nearly as sweet and with a better depth of flavor.  You can taste the fresh tomatoes that they started with.  Toppings were great on the first two pies, with some room for improvement on the mozzarella.

The crust was the only real negative I can speak to. It was more than sturdy enough to hold up to the heavy toppings, but the outer ring ends up being tough as venison jerky.  You could lose a crown trying to chew through that. This might be a symptom of the heavy hand used for the toppings themselves.  They give you an overly generous portion, which is appreciated, but they have to make the crust so thick to compensate that it loses any chance of being light and airy.

Overall I was pretty happy with dinner. Three pies and two carafes of wine only cost us $90 for the table, with tip.  Definitely worth a trip on the Broad Street line to check this old school Italian joint. Leave the pastas though, take the pizza.

Food Baby Rating: Only Child

Marra's

1734 East Passyunk Ave

Philadelphia, PA 19148

215-463-9249

http://marrasone.com/

Los Gallos

Enchiladas and groceries. No, seriously. At this tiny corner market at 10th & Wolf you can shop for produce, canned tomatoes and prepaid phone cards while you wait for your chicken tacos and salted beef tortas to be prepared. It's kind of a crazy setup, but the food here is authentic and addictively good.  

Just cooked chips, hot from the fryer and free bowls of salsa verde keep you busy if you're not browsing the shelves. Bright green guacamole with chunks of whole avocado is some of the best I've had in Philly. And those homemade chips can stand up to the thick guac. No party foul chip breakage here, although you might be tempted for the double dip.

salsa verde and house made chips

chicken tacos a la plancha

I swear, there actually is chicken under the pile of grilled cactus. Bonus - they serve all their a la plancha tacos with slices of avocado, grilled jalapenos & charred green onions at no extra charge. This is a hell of a deal for $10.  The chicken is grilled nicely, and mixed with the pile of veggies on top creates a substantially filling meal that will leave little room for anything else. You'll probably be wrapping this up for lunch tomorrow. 

steak enchiladas

Steak enchiladas with green chile sauce reminded me of the local Mexican places in Denver. The suace tasting like it  had been slowly simmered for hours with just enough heat to keep it interesting but not overpower.  Lovely refried beans on the side with an almost silky texture. The steak inside was fork tender and melt in your mouth good. 

el ranchero tacos

Grilled bits of chicken topped with lettuce, avocado, Mexican sour cream, pico de gallo salsa and crumbled fresh cheese define the el ranchero tacos. Something about that thin, tangy Mexican sour cream just brings these simple tacos up to another level. The scattered crumbles of queso fresco don't hurt either. A squeeze of fresh lime and suddenly you could be in a Corona commercial somewhere overlooking the Pacific. 

tacos al pastor

Not quite as good as Los Taquitos de Puebla, but definitely a contender for their tacos Al Pastor. That spicy seasoned pork carved from the roasting spit, topped with cilantro, onions and chunks of fresh pineapple. It creates such a fantastic mix of spicy, sweet and savory in each bite. If I had to eat one meal for the rest of my life, it might very well be Al Pastor tacos. My mouth is watering just thinking about them.  

Need some canola oil or a can of spaghetti sauce? You can literally reach behind you from the tables in the middle and grab items from the shelves. Apparently they started as more of a market that happened to have a takeout menu. The food was so good that they added a couple small tables. Now they've removed a whole row of shelves from the middle of the store to accommodate more seating. This is a sign of a restaurant that is doing things the right way, and one that is starting to develop a cult like status for their tacos. 

Tacos, tacos, tacos! I can't even remember what these ones were, but the picture came out so pretty. The bright pink radishes, green limes, grilled scallion laying lazily over the jalapeno.  The backdrop a beautiful canvas of tortillas, cilantro, grilled meat and diced onions. This is what Mexican should look like, taste like, smell like. It's bright flavors, simple ingredients, fill you up kind of food. And it should never be expensive. Los Gallos hits it on all notes. Salude!  

Food Baby rating: Twins!

Los Gallos market/restaurant

951 Wolf Street

Philadelphia, PA 19148

215-551-1245

Open daily 9-11

Cash only | BYO

www.losgallosphilly.com

Circles

Bit of a hiatus the last couple weeks due to some personal matters that had to be attended too. Sadly, my lovely Grandmom Peggy passed away, leaving a gaping void in a lot of hearts. She was an incredibly sweet and generous woman, who loved to cook, eat, and was a fan of this little blog. I will miss her terribly. Thanks to her and my Grandpop, we were able to travel to Thailand for our honeymoon, using their timeshare for our week in Ao Nang. An experience of a lifetime that vastly expanded my culinary horizon, and instilling in me an even deeper love for travel. 


Every time we make Thai food at home or seek out the latest greatest takeout spot for green curry, I think back to our amazing trip there, and ultimately of the people that made it happen for us. Thank you, Grandmom Peggy, for everything you've done for us. Hope you're eating well, wherever you are. Love you. 


______________________________________________


Ok, onto the food and my new favorite Thai place. Circles has been open for over a year now, but buried deep in south Philly (15th & Tasker) it's not exactly getting a lot of foot traffic. After a Craig Laban review a few months back, the place has been receiving considerable buzz, and it's well earned. 


Don't let the team of round eye servers fool you. The kitchen staff are off the boat from Thailand, and they have brought the flavors of their country with them. When the servers ask if you want it "Thai hot", be wary. This is not the dumbed down version of spicy you get at a normal Asian restaurant that thinks you can't handle the real stuff. You will have steam shooting out of your ears by the end of the meal. But you can't stop yourself from practically inhaling the perfect rice noodles, and brightly flavored beef salad that's placed before you. 


The spring rolls were crisp and without a hint of grease. Filled with a nice mix of cabbage, carrot, bean sprouts and optional chicken, they were nearly as good as the ones we made during our class at BaiPai cooking school. A sweet plum sauce for dipping on the side and you've got a perfect appetizer. Some of the best I've had in Philly. 

chicken spring rolls w/ plum sauce

The essential beef salad, served "Thai hot" and tasting of the bright flavors of lime, cilantro, mint and scallions. This instantly brought me back to dinner on the beach in Ao Nang. Those utterly unique tastes each shine through on their own, but become an incredible symphony when conducted properly. Your taste buds will be singing, while your lips are tingling. 

thai beef salad

The star of the show and the measuring stick for any good Thai place is their Pad Kee Mow. This is the best version I've had in the US. Paper thin slices of pork, hunks of broccoli, julienned carrots, sliced peppers, mixed with super wide rice noodles, all soaking up an incredibly flavorful garlic-y sauce. Mix in a very healthy portion of spicy peppers and some fresh basil and it's like you're eating on the streets of Bangkok, just with better hygiene. Absolutely incredible. 

pad kee mow w/ sliced pork

By the end of the meal, with the chili sweats in full force, we needed a cool down. A tall glass of Thai iced tea (basically black tea with some spices, sugar & milk) helps more than the ketchup and mustard for Harry & Lloyd. This is one of those meals that you can't stop eating, even though your mouth is on fire, reminiscent of the best stuff at Han Dynasty. 

thai iced tea - you're going to need this

Lucky for us, they are opening a second location right on 2nd street in Northern Liberties. I've been working on my own Thai recipes at home, but with food this good down the street from us, it'll be hard not to pick up the phone for take out. The new location is scheduled to be open in late May or early June, according to the waitstaff at the South Philly locale. Can't come soon enough for me. 

Food Baby Rating:  Triplets!

Circles - Contemporary Asian Cuisine

1514 Tasker Street

Philadelphia, PA

267-455-0785

267-687-1778 (take-out or delivery)

http://circlesnewbold.com/

Ralphs Italian

The Godfather. Rocky. Red sauce. Sinatra. All thoughts that bubble up the moment you set foot in this 100 year old institution of a restaurant. Ralph's Italian is still owned by the Dispigno family, or so says the story on the back of the menu. They reassure you that you'll be receiving the same food that they have been serving for four generations here. And while the old school tile floors and kitschy charm of the place makes it feel instantly familiar, the 100 year old recipes could use some updating. 

We used our $29 Groupon for a prix fixe meal consisting of a bruschetta appetizer, shared pasta and two entrees. We also splurged a bit and got abottle of wine, dessert and some grappa to sip on after dinner. Nothing that came out of the kitchen was bad, but nothing was very remarkable either. The bruschetta was sliced italian bread ladled with marinara sauce, sprinkled with parsley and some parmesean that probably came out of a green plastic bottle. The fettucini alfredo was decent, lots of butter and cream in the rich sauce helps, with noodles that were cooked just al dente. But unless you're carbo-loading for a marathon the next day, there's no good reason you should go solo on this belly buster. 

the bruschetta

fettucini alfredo 

The flounder francaise was a nicely cooked piece of fish, slathered in a sauce that lacked any real depth of flavor. Instead of a light garlicky lemon dish, the kitchen went way overboard on the butter - I swear they melted an entire stick just for this plate. Veal parmigiana, buried under a quart of marinara sauce was tender, but forgettable. A shame really, since the breading was perfectly seasoned, but submerged in the cheese and sauce, it lost all it's texture. We finished dinner with full stomachs, to be sure, but an empty feeling inside like we missed out on great meal.   

flounder francais

veal parm - I swear it's under there

A bit of grappa picked up my mood, followed by an excellent cannoli. Not sure if they are doing their desserts onsite, but I wouldn't be surprised if it came from one of the amazing Italian bakeries in the neighborhood. It's hard to make up for an entire meal with one cannoli though, good as it was.   

cannoli

I think I had a notion in my head that this was going to be somehow more authentic Italian - superior ingredients, cooked with love. An old school place that's been doing things the right way all these years. Instead we got a boring meal that we could have made at home. Maybe we're jaded from the luxury of such amazing Italian food in this city. 

Ralph's certainly has it's loyal clientele - we saw families sitting down that clearly have been celebrating life events here for decades. The portions are definitely big, so if you're feeding a group of hungry kids, I can see the appeal. For two normal sized adults looking for good Italian in Philadelphia though, there are literally dozens of better places. Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.  

-T. Kaso

Food Baby Rating: OnlyChild

Ralph's Italian

760 South 9th Street

Philadelphia, PA 19147

215-627-6011

www.ralphsrestaurant.com

Great Burger Challenge Round 3.5: Kennett

Even though it's on the list for the Great Burger Challenge of 2011, we couldn't technically count this visit towards the official scoring since we were missing two team members. That doesn't stop me from trying on Kennett's very popular burger for size though. We'll be back at a later date to weigh in with the whole crew present, but for this night it was dinner with friends who live close to this gem of South Philly.

The space inside is sparse and looks like your average local - albeit much cleaner and with a gorgeous bar that is supposedly from the turn of the century. It was a quiet night, but I can imagine with all the tile work that it will be ear ringing in the winter with everyone packed inside. Kennett has a healthy selection of craft beers, and the bartender was happy to give us samples of whatever we wanted to try. Bell's Two-Hearted ale was on draught, so I stopped reading the beer list there. A couple of martini's and a manhatten were well sized (not those little mini IKEA glasses for $11 you get elsewhere) and mixed by a pro. Their drinks menu is a throw back to prohibition days with the list broken up into sections of "Bootleggers" and "Reformers". There are definitely some unusual ingredients on the cocktail menu (sweet potato shrub, theila jasmine liquor, luxardo maraschino??) that faintly remind me of the now defunct Apothecary.

We started with a couple salads and a pizza to share amongst the four of us. A tomato, feta & red onion salad was fresh and clean. The tomatoes tasting like they were fresh off the vine and the feta in nice big hunks. A summer veggie salad with more tomatoes, peaches, candy stripe beats, onion with a sherry vinaigrette was also good. These are the kind of dishes you long for in the dead of winter with only root vegetables to get you by. Mmmm....summer.

tomato, feta & red onion salad

summer veggie salad with crispy chicken

A huge plank of a cheese board was killer. A creamy, earthy blue, camambert style "smythe" and lancaster county bouche cheddar were all great. Nice little accompaniments of sliced apple, cornichons, olives, pecans and whole grain mustard were paired perfectly with the cheese selections. The honey toast points for spreading were a nice touch as well. Always a good sign for a restaurant. You've got to know how to handle your cheese.

cheese plate

The pizzas are one of the signature features of the menu. House made dough (nearly as good as Stella & Zavino, I might add) and local toppings baked in a wood fired oven all add up to a spot-on pie. I would come back just for the pizza. We got one with mushrooms, salami, and fresh mozzarella. You can always tell when they use real mozzarella vs. the pre-shredded stuff. Nothing against the latter - we're usually first in line at Lorenzo's at the end of the night - but the fresh stuff is just SO much better. Great crunch on the dough, which held up to the toppings, and just the right amount of chewiness. Super.

wood oven pizza with fresh mozzarella, shrooms & salami

The burger was the real star of the show for me though. Kennett is making their ground beef mix with bone marrow. Seriously. Bone marrow. That's such a ridiculous idea, I can't believe someone didn't think of it before. If you've never had marrow, it's one of the richest, tastiest, and most decadent things you'll ever eat. Just a little spread on a piece of toasted baguette, and you'll forever be spoiled. You'll feel sorry for vegetarians. Mixing it into the burger was a stroke of genius. It makes a good burger great. The patty, cooked on a flat top, achieving just the right texture and consistency. See that caramalization sear on the burger? That's good stuff. These guys know what they're doing. Topped off with some pickled red onion (god bless the pickling movement) and crisp lettuce, I'd have to put this one in the upper echelon of burgers in the city. The sides were good, but a bit of a let down with such a serious burger. Cucumber salad and potato salad were both ok, but not memorable - I forgot they were even on the plate till I looked at the pictures.

Kennett burger with pickled red onion, cucumber & potato salads

Kennett's vibe - like so many others in the city - is locally sourced ingredients wherever possible. If that seems like the trendiest thing possible, it's because it is. But it's a great bandwagon to be on. Remember when Chilean Sea Bass was on every menu in the city? I'll eat organic if I can get it (and afford it), but eating local is way more important to me. As menus change with the seasons, you see yourself getting more in touch with the natural rhythms of food. It's not normal to be eating tomatoes and peaches in Philadelphia in February. You better learn how to appreciate parsnips and turnips if you'll be spending your winters 'round here. Kennett is helping to spread the notion of eating what is fresh and hasn't been shipped from California or South America. They are also making really good food that is worth checking out. If you live anywhere nearby, they are located on on Second street just a couple blocks south of Washington Ave, you owe it to yourself and the ones you love to make a little trek over there. You'll be returning often.

Food Baby Rating - It's a boy!

848 South 2nd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
267.687.1426
www.kennettrestaurant.com

Burger Challenge Round 3: Royal Tavern

Round three of the Great Burger Challenge of 2011 finds us at the Royal Tavern on East Passyunk. At first appearance no more than a local watering hole with a kitchen in the back, they have set the standard in South Philly for the gastro pub concept.  Partly because they've been doing this for a few years now, but mostly thanks to a small but thorough list of craft beers on tap, comfortable surroundings and a surprisingly inventive menu. A fellow challenge contestant referred to them as the "Memphis Tap Room" of South Philly, and I can definitely see the parallel. However I think it would be more appropriate to call Memphis the "Royal Tavern of Fishtown". Their sister restaurants of Cantina Los Caballitos, Cantina Dos Segundos & Khyber Pass Pub probably get more press and foodie blog write ups, but Royal Tavern quietly does some very good things.

Several people questioned my sanity when I mentioned the burger challenge and didn't put them on the list. Clearly, I was missing out. Coming from NoLibs though, there was never reason to slog all the way to Passyunk & Carpenter when we've in the middle of gastro pub land with Standard Tap, JB's, N. 3rd, etc. I now have a reason.

Royal Tap room serves one of the great burgers of the world. Someone should write a song about this piece of artistry so that generations from now, our kids will know the tales of The Great Angus Burger. Served on sesame seeded brioche bun, the patty thick and cooked properly on a flat top so that no drop of flavorful grease may be wasted. No gimmicks here, just really good ground beef, served exactly as ordered (medium rare, please) with all the suggested fixins - bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots and chili mayo. It must have taken them months if not years to come with exactly the right combo of toppings to put this burger over the top. The best bacon you can imagine, and not cut in half to fit the roll but whole strips protruding way past the bun, like the burger is sticking it's tongue out daring you to eat it. Thick slices of onion that taste like the've been slowly sauteed for hours. Oh, is that a hint of smokey gouda I detect? Why yes, yes it is. Pickled peppers for a bit of vinegary tang and creeping heat. And the chili mayo that had hints of cumin in it reminding you just oh so subtly of really good roganjosh from Tiffin (or maybe Ekta on a good night). And don't forget the huge kosher pickle on the side. This could be a candidate for last meal on earth.

The Angus Burger.  Kneel before it.

My only negative comments would be that there were too many sesame seeds on my bun, but thats just a matter of personal preference, and the toppings were not evenly distributed. First half of the burger was missing the longhots and chili mayo. Although that did make for an interesting surprise a few minutes into the meal - it's like I got two burgers in one!

Have I mentioned the fries? My god, the fries! They might be laced with meth. Airy and crisp, perfectly seasoned and definitely not soggy or sopping with grease. No shoe strings. No sweet potatoes here. Just some of the best fries in Philadelphia, giving the frites at Monk's a run for their money.

Oh, there's also the rest of the menu. Fresh popcorn served in a brown paper bag so you can see the little stains of truffle butter seep thru is sprinkled with shaved pecorino cheese. Now I know where Khyber got the idea for the bacon popcorn. Only $3 for this version makes a great appetizer on the cheap.

The sweet potato bahn mi (Vietnam's answer to the hoagie) is made with bibb lettuce, jicama, carrots, pickled daikon radish, plenty of jalapenos and a cilantro aioli. We had them cut it in fours to make like a starter so everyone got a taste. All highly approved. The crunch of the radish, carrots and jicama went great with the savory sweet potato. Good crusty role and the cilantro aioli was a clever plus. Even the collard greens served on the side were awesome. They didn't just phone it in here. Hints of smoke and ham hock tell me these were cooked long and slow, and a kick of vinegar and tabasco gave it some tang and heat. Tasty.

Sweet potato Bahn Mi served w/ sauteed collards

Since popcorn, collard greens and a 1/4 of a bahn mi are clearly not enough appetizers before a burger challenge, we went all in with an order of the Cubano spring rolls. Basically a Cuban sandwich with the roast pork, ham, swiss & pickles, but wrapped up and quickly deep fried with a side of smokey ancho mustard for dipping. The boys both really liked these, but the girls took a few bites and decided to save room for the main attraction of the evening. Eh, more for us. 

Cubano spring rolls with ancho mustard 

A few Founders porters on draft took care of the rest of the ordering for me - there was definitely no room for dessert. I am so thankful to the suggestions from readers to add Royal Tavern to the lineup for the Great Burger Challenge. The gauntlet has been thrown down. This will be a tough one to beat.

Food Baby Rating: Octomom!!


937 East Passyunk Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 389-6694
www.royaltavern.com
Open Weekdays 11:30am-2am; Weekends 10am-2am