LET IT SNOW!!

DO NOT ADJUST YOUR COMPUTER. FROM NOW UNTIL AFTER THE HOLIDAYS IT WILL BE SNOWING ON MY BLOG.

IT’S OK, YOU DON’T HAVE TO DRIVE IN IT.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

IL FIORI – BYOB

Collingswood, NJ was decked out in all it’s holiday splendor last night. The entire town looked as if it had just stepped off a Norman Rockwell magazine cover. Christmas lights lit up the streets, a choir sang carols on the steps of a church, and the sidewalks were jammed with shoppers and diners. All of this made it difficult to find a parking spot for our 8:00 P.M. reservations at Il Fiore. I dropped my wife, Kathy off in front of the restaurant and spent the next 20 minutes searching for a parking spot. I found one a half mile away and trekked back to Il Fiore, enjoying the carolers as I passed the church. There was a crowd outside the restaurant milling about as they had arrived without reservations and the place is way too small to wait inside. I made my way through the throng to our window table, Jerry and Joe and Carol, Sue, and my wife were nearly finished with the bread and their first glass of wine. Joe had brought a 2007 La Posta, Malbec from Argentina and Kathy was claiming that she liked it, a lot. I had chosen an Italian wine, the 2001 TerraGens, Romio, Forli a Sangiovese based wine from the Emilio Romagna region. It imitates a Super Tuscan at half the price and I thought it was very good. Kathy felt it had evidence of the “barnyard smell” that she constantly finds in French wines and has now discovered in Italian wines. Maybe it’s an anti-European bias on her part.

I should note that just after taking the picture of the Collingswood street scene my camera conked out so there will be no food pictures in this review. That’s actually too bad because our entrees all looked good. I started with an Insalate di Fiori and topping the mixed greens was a generous portion of crab meat which blended well with the subtle dressing and tomatoes and  created a good start to the meal.

I should warn you that Il Fiore is a place for food, not ambience. Tables are crowded into the tiny space and it’s a wonder the waiters can even make their way to each table. Having said that, the food more than compensates for the cramped space, and ours was even less effected as we were by the window.

Kathy and Joe chose one of the evening specials, cavitelli with shrimp in a tangy blush sauce. Joe liked it but would have preferred the “tails” be removed prior to serving. Kathy thought the “tails on” added to the presentation. Jerry had the Salmone al Forno and thought the fish was done well and the white sauce worked perfectly.  Sue had a pasta dish with sausage and herbs which she thought had great flavor. I had the Involtini de Pollo, four small pieces of rolled chicken with prosciutto, cheese and spinach in what, I believe , was the same blush sauce that everyone else had on their entrees. I enjoyed it but it was not large enough to have for another meal. Carol had the Pollo Limone, chicken breast in a lemon wine sauce.

We all enjoyed our entrees, passed on dessert as we went back to Carol and Joe’s house for that, and made mental notes that Il Fiore is certainly a place that can be visited often. Prices were extremely reasonable and the food good enough that you can find real value, once again, in another Collingswood eatery.

WINE AND CHEESESTEAKS

Let me confess before you read any further. I’m not sure ANY wine goes with a cheesesteak. If I had a gun to my head I might suggest a nice Zinfandel but, quite frankly, I have never had wine with a cheesesteak, nor is it in my future plans.

I wanted to write this post because as I find more readers stopping by my blog it occurs to me that many of them may not be from the South Jersey or Philly area. One of the questions that always seems to take center stage with visitors to this area is, “where can I get a good Philly cheesesteak. As a public service to those readers, I thought I would offer a few suggestions on where one might partake of one of life’s greatest pleasures. Strange, isn’t it, that I consider both wine and cheesesteaks as some of the best things on earth and yet, they don’t go together. In fact, my drink of choice with a great cheesesteak would be your favorite soda or a nice cold beer. 

Most discussions on the topic of who makes the best cheesesteak usually begin with the eternal Pat’s vs. Gino’s debate. These two bastions of the Philly cheesesteak sit facing one another in the heart of South Philly. Are they representative of a Philly cheesesteak? Yeah, they probably are. Are they the best examples? Nope, they are not. Everyone has their own favorite. That’s part of the fun. No two are exactly alike. That adds to the quandary. In fact, when I went online to look for pictures of cheesesteaks I had to look through over a hundred to find what I thought was the right look.

Glen Macnow, a Sports jock on one of our local radio stations recently went in search of the Ultimate Philly Cheesesteak. He ended up with a Top 45 list. Here are his Top 10. You can’t go wrong with any of these selections.

Glen`s Cheesesteak Reviews

1.  John’s Roast Pork, 14 East Snyder Avenue, South Philadelphia, 215-463-1951.
I love the smell of onions grilling in the morning. And that’s the best time to get to the classic and famous John’s Roast Pork, because it opens before 7 a.m. and closes down shortly after lunch.

This little shack of a place – nestled between train tracks and an abandoned building or two along Snyder Avenue – hardly needs our endorsement. It has been honored in recent times by Esquire and Gourmet magazines, named the best cheesesteak by the Inquirer’s Craig Laban a few years back and even won a snooty James Beard Foundation Award.

So, of course, we were skeptical. No place can be that good. But, tell you what – one whiff of the aroma wafting from John’s had us enticed. And one bite of the $7.76 cheesesteak, and we were in gastronomic heaven. This, my friends, is ecstasy on a toasted Carangi’s roll.

It’s about a foot long and a thing of beauty, as you unwrap the white paper surrounding it. Loads of molten sharp provolone oozed throughout every crevice of the sandwich. Top quality seasoned beef, sliced into ribbons. Onions that are sweet, while still retaining a little sting. The roll – crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside to hold the juices – even comes with some sesame seeds for flavor.

John’s has been around since 1930, and deserves to be recognized as a civic treasure. The day we went, the customers were a blend of cops and blue-collar guys and a couple of dark-suited attorneys debating a case as melted cheese dripped on their legal briefs. A great cross section of this city’s populace enjoying al fresco dining on a few picnic tables as the semis rumble through South Philly. 

This is family-run operation, Momma Bucci and her sons, and everyone behind the counter and on the flat grill is gracious – in other words, they won’t holler if you screw up the ordering code.

I run these food hunts every year in order to tell you which places are the best. Folks, John’s Roast Pork, quite simply, makes the greatest cheesesteak I’ve ever had.

2. Steve’s Prince of Steaks, 7200 Bustleton Avenue, Northeast Philadelphia, 215-338-0985.
There is a perception in this town that to get a genuinely great cheesesteak, you need to head south of, say, Washington Avenue. Too bad. Because the one we had at Steve’s in the near Northeast should eliminate any geographic bias.

The hand-trimmed roast beef is tender, thickly sliced and doesn’t have a trace of fat. Because Steve’s uses top quality meat (one of my tasters – a former butcher – declared it to be eye round, which would be very impressive) it doesn’t have to be diced into oblivion. Instead, it’s grilled in whole slices and laid across a torpedo roll. Ahh, let your eyes savor this thing of beauty for a few moments before your taste buds take over.

One more plus: The quality of the beef means they don’t have to cook into a vulcanized rubber mess. The pros at Steve’s actually take the meat off the grill when there’s a trace of pink left. Everything else is top shelf – the provolone had a little bite to it, the onions carmelized into a sweet accent and the chewy roll held up its end of the deal. 

This is a truly magnificent sandwich, one worth breaking the diet for, a cheesesteak for the ages. Others may haughtily declare themselves “The King;” we’ll bow down to “The Prince.”

3. Chink’s, 6030 Torresdale Avenue, Philadelphia (Tacony), 215-535-9405
The grill is in the window on this Tacony hole-in-the-wall, and if the sight of steam rising from the meat on the big griller isn’t enough to pull you in, then the long line for take-out in mid-afternoon ought to be enough of endorsement. This joint – around for nearly 60 years – knows how to make our city’s signature meal

Any great sandwich starts with the bread. Chink’s roll was perfect – crisper than most on the outside, softer than any on the inside. This was not just two slices of bread to surround the meat, this roll could stand up on its own. The other big plus here was the cheese – stringier than most, almost like a good pizza cheese. The beef was fine, although a little overcooked; the onion beautifully browned. 

A few other plusses: The servers are young and – well . . . let’s say, lovely. Since we’ve thrown all dietary caution to the wind, we ordered up a strawberry-banana shake, which was cold and thick and (3,000 calories later) made a great compliment to our cheesesteak. And the juke box blasted a medley of Beatles and Stones tunes, which played right into our middle-aged wheelhouse. All in all, a terrific back-in-the-day experience.

4. Talk of the Town, 3020 S Broad Street (at Pollock), South Philadelphia, 215-551-7277.
I’ve learned in my years at WIP never to ignore Anthony Gargano’s food suggestions. So when The Cuz recommended this long-time Sports Complex-area diner, we loaded up the SUV with interns and headed down. Great call. Talk of the Town may not have the big-name cache of some other South Philly staples – it just has a better cheesesteak.

Everything works to near perfection here: the finely chopped onions, which are neatly distributed throughout the sandwich (nothing annoys us more than when onions are just sprinkled on top and tumble off onto our lap); the great roll, soft but not spongy; the thickly-cut, gently cooked ribeye, and the mouth-watering provolone, with an emphasis on the word sharp. 

Because of its location by the stadiums, Talk of the Town likes to boast of all the players who stop by after games (they’re open until 1 a.m. on weekends). Maybe so, but we’re not into mixing celebrity watching with our cheesesteaks. Instead, we recommend going early, before games, and grabbing a cheesesteak to take to the ball game. Trust us, it’s a whole lot better than you’ll get inside.

5. Grey Lodge Pub, 6235 Frankford Avenue, Northeast Philadelphia, 215-825-5357
Every time I launch one of these food hunts, I discover (thanks to listeners) a gem of a neighborhood bar that serves great brew and has surprisingly great food. One such place was Rossi’s Bar & Grill in Trenton which won our Hamburger Hunt. Another is the Grey Lodge Pub, a cozy Northeast spot with dart boards, local microbrews on draft and one of the most flavorful cheesesteaks we’ve found yet.

This baby comes with sliced (not chopped) beef, big chunks of sweet onion and a generous amount of cheese. It arrives on a fresh roll covered with flour dust. It’s a tad pricey at $7, but, hey, you’re paying for the atmosphere as well, and I’ll give extra points for a sound system boasting Tom Petty, Cheap Trick and other geezer rock that I prefer. Overall, it’s an outstanding sandwich – tender, succulent, greasy enough to please my clogged heart. A real pleasant surprise.

Only afterward did we learn that Grey Lodge’s fries were named “Best of Philly” by Philadelphia Magazine. How did we miss that? Ah well, a good excuse to return and scarf some down with a pint of Sly Fox Porter. And return we will.

6

. Slack’s Hoagie Shack, 2499 Aramingo Avenue, Philadelphia (Port Richmond), 215-423-4020.
Full disclosure: Anyone listening to my show over the years knows that Slack’s has been a good sponsor and friend. I am proud of my association with this fine chain of sandwich shops. I am also proud to have sampled nearly every sandwich on the menu, although a little restraint from time to time probably wouldn’t hurt me.

Anyway, I keep coming back to the cheesesteak. It’s top-notch, because Slack’s doesn’t scrimp. They use loin tail beef, with a little skirt steak mixed in for flavor. The cheese is a creamy Wisconsin provolone and the roll is specially made for Slack’s by Amoroso. Nothing fake here, nothing artificial, no liquid injected into the meat. All in all, it’s a superb sandwich.

By the way, my radio partner, Ray Didinger, always orders something called “The Empire,” which comes with all kinds of veggies and peppers. C’mon Ray, why junk up a great thing? Stick with the basics.

Last time I checked, Slack’s has 16 locations in the Delaware Valley, but my favorite has always been the one at the corner of Aramingo and Cumberland. Beyond the cheesesteak, you can get a mean plate of onion rings, as well. 

7. Sonny’s Famous Steaks, 228 Market Street, Philadelphia (Old City), 215-629-2760.
This Old City steak shop received almost no notice from the thousand-plus folks who put comments on our Cheesesteak Challenge web page, and I’m not sure why. Thanks to my poker buddy who tipped me off., because Sonny’s is a spot that any self-respecting cheesesteak aficionado must not miss. It may not have the notoriety of some of the tourist-trap shops around town, it just offers a better sandwich.

They use rib eye here, fresh-sliced daily and cut thicker than most so that it doesn’t overcook. I like a tender cheesesteak. It may have a slightly higher fat content than some other places we’ve been to, but here’s the rub: They add no oil to the grill at Sonny’s, so the meat needs a little more of its own lard for cooking. All in all, it tastes closer to a good roast beef than your typical chopped hash.

A crisp and fresh roll, thickly sliced onions, better-than-average provolone. It all comes together to 
produce one of the best cheesesteaks we’ve had over this grueling six weeks. Sonny’s has been open for less than five years, we’re told. Keep cranking out sandwiches this good, and it should enjoy a nice, long run.

8. Tony Luke’s, 39 East Oregon Avenue, South Philadelphia, 215-551-5725
You won’t believe this – I’ve been to Tony Luke’s dozens of times over the years and never ordered up a cheesesteak. Roast pork with greens and sharp provolone, yes. Veal cutlet with broccoli rabe, many times. But cheesesteak? I don’t know; it just seems like the kind of thing I could get anywhere else.

 

 What was I waiting for? Tony Luke, Jr., one of Philadelphia’s great characters, puts the same care and quality into his cheesesteaks as he does into all of his signature sandwiches. The beef is thick and juicy and not overcooked. The cheese is laid on thick, and it’s tangy – real quality South Philly provolone, rather than the generic government cheese we suspect we’re getting elsewhere. The onions were nicely browned and incorporated throughout the sandwich so that – unlike other places – they don’t tumble onto the floor as soon as you take your first bite.

Several weeks into the Ultimate Cheesesteak Challenge we’ve discovered that the great myth is that you can only get a great and authentic cheesesteak in South Philadelphia. Well, Tony Luke’s may not win our contest, but it is – by far – the best we’ve had south of Vine Street so far. Still . . . next time we’re here, we’ll probably go back to the veal cutlet.

9. White House Sub Shop, Mississippi and Arctic Avenue, Atlantic City, 609-345-1564.
We swore going in to this contest that we weren’t traveling as far as the Shore, limiting our search to the Delaware Valley. But so many callers and website bloggers insisted we try White House that we loaded up the Family Truckster and head for A.C. – bringing along, of course, our usual bag of loose change to fritter away at the casinos.

Was it worth the trip? Well, not judging by results at the tables. But the cheesesteak? Yeah, that was worth it. The meat here was first-rate. The onions were terrific – cooked to that great brown color, sweet but still a little crunchy. Top quality cheese as well.

The key at the White House is the freshly baked bread, still piping hot and boasting the perfect blend of crispy and soft. The sign on the window says it is delivered up to 12 times a day by nearby Formica Bros. bakery. Next time we go, we’re going to see if we can get a few of those great rolls to go.

So why isn’t White House at the top of this list? Two things. First, the sandwich was poorly assembled, with a mountain of meat in the middle, but nothing at the ends. (As we said, eating an empty roll here isn’t the worst thing that could happen). And second, they lose a few points for service. We called ahead for our cheesesteaks, but when we arrived, the order had been lost. So we stood around for a while – gazing at all the pictures of celebrities who’ve eaten there. They even have, framed on the wall, a towel that Sinatra used to wipe his brow at his last Atlantic City concert. How many sandwich shops can boast that kind of ambience?

10. Dalessandro’s, 600 Wendover Ave, Philadelphia (Roxborough), 215-482-5407.
It’s cramped and a little bit seedy and there’s no menu to speak of. No matter – we’re not headed to this Roxborough hole-in-the-wall for ambience. Our mission is one of the city’s great cheesesteaks and, in that regard, the 50-year-old Dalessandro’s does not disappoint. This is a worthy contender for our title this year.

Start with the roll, which was described as “squishy” by one member of my Taste Team, but struck me as fresh and tasty. The beef is cooked on a big flat-top grill that insiders say is regularly seasoned with fat. Don’t ponder that image too long, just enjoy the great blend of meat and grease. Hey, if you don’t like grease in the first place, why are you eating a cheesesteak? 

Dalessandro’s melts the cheese on top, the better to ooze cholesterol-packed deliciousness through the chopped – but not too finely – ribeye. The onions were cut a little large for our liking, and somewhat under-fried. We ended up pushing about half of them off the sandwich. That’s okay, there was more than enough to eat – Dalessandro’s is not stingy with the beef. One more plus: You can order up a beer with your steak. Now that’s a party.

What’s my favorite? Hmmm, hard to say, I’ve always liked Dalessandro’s, John’s Roast Pork has a great one (if you can find this place, it is NOT easy), Jim’s at 4th and South is a good choice and maybe the easiest location for visitors. Fortunately, there is almost no such thing as a bad cheesesteak, just varying degrees of good. I’d write more but I gotta run out to Pannichelli’s here in Washington Twp. before they close, and grab myself a cheesesteak nightcap!!

By the way, if YOU have a favorite spot for cheesesteaks and you want to share it with others, use the COMMENT section below to tell the world!

POSSIBLY USELESS WINE INFO – VOL.1 #4

Most wine shops have over 30 Spanish wines under $10.00. If you have no idea what wine you are looking for, pick any one of these wines and you have a good chance of finding something drinkable.

A Vintage Port is declared only in years when the grape crop in Portugal is exceptional. It usually happens about 3 years per decade. Thus far this decade, the  2000, 2003, & 2007 have been declared vintage years for port. It is expected that the 2008 vintage will join those ranks. Vintage port will age for many years and although pricey, is something well worth trying. It’s unusually different from other wines and delicious, too.

England’s Prince Charles was recently in Canada and while at Niagara College for a wine tasting described the wines of that area as “brilliant”.

90% of all wine produced in the USA comes from California.

In the United States, for a wine to be labeled by its varietal name, i.e., Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, etc, at least 75% of that grape must have been used to produce that bottle.

more later…..

RITZ SEAFOOD – BYOB

Ritz Seafood in Voorhees, NJ was our choice for the second half of a back-to-back BYOB weekend. It also helped that Ritz was located in the same shopping center as the Ritz Theatre where we were going to see “The Road” at 7:40 P.M.

Again, as last night, my wife, Kathy, and I were joined by our friends Carol & Joe B.

Ritz Seafood is another small dining establishment, well lit and, lest I forget to mention this later, I love what they do with fish! It’s one of those menus that take you forever to make your choice because so many items sound so good. All four of us opted to do the FOUR COURSES for $35.00. This is where the menu takes on the complexity of the Chinese “one from Column A. two from Column B”. Most of the regular menu items are offered on the “Four Course” Package but a few of them require a couple of additional dollars not to mention that you can pass on the Salad and add a soup or pass on appetizer and add something else. You do need a degree in Culinary Foods to complete your order. It’s fun though, and eventually we had all settled on our choices. There were so many different items coming t0 our table that it’s going to be tough to remember them all but I will do my best. I should take notes but I’m usually intrusive enough in restaurants taking pictures of the food. If I took notes I’d have little time left to eat.

Kathy and Carol started with the Vietnamese Bang Bang Shrimp, tossed in a chili and garlic aioli. The women loved them and the sample I was given showed why. Nicely cooked shrimp in a spicy, tangy sauce. 

 Joe ordered the New Zealand mussels with black bean and garlic sauce. He thought they were good. Not being a mussel fan, I didn’t try them. or even take a picture of them. I found so many different items appealing I was hard pressed to make a decision but finally selected something called Sweet and Spicy Grilled Rice Gnocchi”, chili garlic sauce and sesame. This was a very unusual dish which I totally enjoyed. Six perfectly cooked “gnocchi” with the same sauce as the Vietnamese shrimp. They were tasty and had just the right bite of seasoning. I made a good choice!

Instead of salad, I paid $2.00 more for the Lobster Bisque. The others all had the Soup du Jour which was Summer Squash. My Lobster Bisque was fine, nothing memorable. I have had much better and many that were worse.

One of the items that was offered as both an appetizer and an entree was their Lobster Mac and Cheese, with shrimp and crabmeat in a lobster sauce. It sounded so good we ordered it as an appetizer in addition to our other courses just so all of us could try it.

It was DELICIOUS. It would have possibly been too much as an entree because it was so rich and flavorful that four of us could split an appetizer and feel content. We might have had to bring in the County Coroner had one of us had the Lobster Mac and Cheese for an entree. 

Selecting an entree was a difficult task. When the waiter, Scott, stood poised with pad and pen before me, I had narrowed my choice to 11 different offerings. I decided on the Chef’s Blend, which consisted of Tilapia, Devilfish and Hawaiian Butterfish, each with an appropriate sauce.  It included crisp vegetables and rice.  The individual treatments that each fish received was a nice touch and increased the flavor components greatly. My dish was terrific, especially the Butterfish portion, and I was happy with my final decision.

Kathy ordered the Pan Roasted Japanese Black Bass, with a lime and coconut topping and mango salsa, mushroom risotto and spring vegetables. She thought it was very good but would have preferred the topping more evenly covering the fish. I had a sample and liked the coconut flavor with the fish.

Joe ordered from the evening special list and his was a striped bass with an Asian spice sauce accompanied by a mushroom risotto and spring vegetables. He did say that he was pleased with his meal, and although I didn’t taste it, it looked wonderful.

 

 Carol chose the Broiled Lump Crab Cakes with Sweet Potato Fries and Wasabi-Tartare. It has always been my belief that crab cakes is a safe choice. Carol thought her crab cakes were high quality with lots of crab and little fuller but felt they lacked a lot of taste. I didn’t try them so I have to assume that this dish was the only one that didn’t draw rave reviews.

My wine for the evening was a good one. The 2006 Phillips Hill, Oppenlander Vineyard, Pinot Noir is a very small production Pinot Noir from Mendocino County in California. Toby Hill makes only about 500 cases of this soft, subtle wine that evokes flavors of soft strawberries and floral tinted herbs. It’s perfectly balanced and goes well with all types of fish. This is a great example of how good California Pinot Noir can be when crafted by those who know their trade.

Our FOUR COURSE meal included dessert so we had to try Chef Dan Hover’s famous Triple Coconut Cream Pie. This is an almost perfect dessert because it’s light and delicate texture is the perfect ending to a big meal. Kathy felt it was a little too light but she was infatuated with Joe’s dessert featuring a pumpkin flavored bread pudding with caramel glase and apple spice gelato. I have to admit, that was pretty good, too.

Owner Gloria Cho can be justly proud of Ritz Seafood as it has won many local awards and continues to put out interesting seafood with an infusion of Asian spices that make this restaurant more than just a place for fish. I would certainly hope that a return trip to Ritz Seafood is in the very near future.

HEAR YE HEAR YE

These are just some general comments regarding this blog. First of all, I want to thank all who stop by here from time to time to read this blog. Readership has been building each month in spite of a few obstacles. A better name for this blog would be The South Jersey/Philly Wine and Dine Blog. I think that gives a truer picture of the content. I don’t believe the name can be changed without creating a brand new blog. Anyway, being named as it is makes it sound very local to the South Jersey area which, if you stop by here often, you know it is not.

On the right hand side of the blog page is an area titled “SUBSCRIBE”. If you put your e-mail in that space I believe you will be notified by email each time there is a new post.

Remember to post comments at the end of each post. Bloggers LOVE feedback!

I had mentioned in an earlier post that there was new website “PALATE PRESS” which was an excellent online wine magazine covering all aspects of wine. You might notice that I have linked to their website on my BlogRoll. I have been asked by someone from Palate Press if I would like to submit articles to them for inclusion in their magazine. I mention that here because if I do decide to do that .I want to notify all of you that any kind words I might have for them in the future may be colored by the fact that I am one of their writers. Full disclosure, and all that, you know.

One last thing, some boyhood friends of mine have a Sports Talk Show on Sunday afternoons from 4:30 to 6:30 P.M.. They broadcast from Chickie and Pete’s in South Philly and they can be heard on 1490 AM in the Bucks County area, or online at www.1490.com. Their names are Gene, Paul and Kevin and they bill themselves as The Sports Chatter Guys. Their website is www.SportsChatterTalk.com. Tune in or log in when you get a chance. 

Thank you for listening. We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.

L’angolo – BYOB (South Philly)

Tucked away on Porter Street, just west of Broad Street, L’angolo gives new meaning to the word tiny. If it’s size and ambience you are looking for you would do well to pass on this little gem of an Italian restaurant. However, if you came in search of really good cooking at very reasonable prices, then you have found the right place.

Once you have found a parking space in this home of the double-parked vehicles you are all set to enjoy the dining experience served up at L’angolo. When you enter, the first thing you see is the meals being prepared in the open kitchen area. You squeeze your way past the cramped outer area into the equally cramped dining room. If you are like me and have your wine container and camera with you, you’re in big trouble because the tables aren’t made to hold them and your space on the floor is at a premium. These are minor complaints and the bread soon arrives, the conversation progresses and you just make believe you and your party are the only guests in the place. Our regular Friday night crowd of 8 had dwindled to 4, probably, in part, a result of this being Thanksgiving Weekend. Carol and Joe B. and my wife, Kathy and I began the meal with an Antipasta Misto, a traditional Apulian vegetable antipasti for the table. I would be hard-pressed to name a lot of the items that we shared but I did recognize beets, cauliflower, carrots, onions, a spinach quiche, eggplant, some potatoes and at least four or five items I am forgetting.

I have never been a big antipasta fan but I have to admit this version provided a nice beginning to the meal.

I had been to L’angolo before in my pre-blog days. I even remembered that I had the Orecchietta with shredded duck and shaved parmesan and that it was very good. However, since I had duck last week at Tribeca Grill, I opted for the Pollo In Padella, chicken breast sauteed with pancetta, rosemary and a white wine sauce. The chicken was wonderful, with great flavor, healthy portions, and the juice from the pancetta and other spices made for the kind of sauce you want to dip your bread into. Although it would have been easy to finish the entire plate I purposely held back and saved some to take home for lunch today. Unfortunately, on leaving, I forgot to take it off the table and missed an opportunity for a tasty snack. It seems the South Jersey Wine Blogger Guy is not particularly bright.

Carol B. had the same entree as I did and enjoyed it immensely, while her husband, Joe, and my wife, Kathy, both chose the Pork Chop Milanese, described as breaded, thinly pounded with baby greens, in a white balsamic vinaigrette. Both Kathy and Joe agreed that although the chop had a nice flavor  it did not taste as if it was a really top notch grade of meat. They liked it, but both probably wish they had made a different choice.

My wine for the evening was the 2008 Chocolate Box, Barossa Shiraz. It had a smooth texture with lots of dark fruits, white pepper and, naturally, as its name implied, a hint of dark chocolate mixing with saddle leather. It’s not an expensive wine but it drank well and was a nice accompaniment to the meal.

Overall, my second visit to L’angolo was just as good as the first and I would have no qualms about recommending readers to veer off of Broad Street at Porter to try this excellent Italian restaurant.

FOUR FINE WINES

It’s not often I have the opportunity to experience a quartet of excellent wines on the same day. This past Saturday on a weekend trip to the Big Apple, that opportunity presented itself. My fellow oenophile, Gerry B. stopped by the New York Wine Exchange and picked up a bottle of the 2005 O’Shaughnessy, Howell Mountain, Cabernet Sauvignon. I had brought with me from my humble collection, a 2005 Larkmead, Oakville Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon.

We popped both of these in our room at the Marriott prior to dinner. It probably wasn’t fair to the O’Shaughnessy because I know from past experience that this is a huge wine that needs to be open a couple of hours before drinking in order for its true flavors to show. Parker had scored this wine 95 points and it has a great bouquet of licorice, dark berry fruit and tobacco. It’s smooth but quite tannic and that’s where not allowing it to breathe serves as an injustice. I’d give this one a 92 and blame the score on our lack of patience.

The Larkmead showed much better and although Parker gave it a 92, I think all of us thought it deserved higher. I’d give this one a 94. It’s not quite as full-bodied as the O’Shaughnessy but it felt more balanced and the flavors were crisp and precise with undertones of rich spices and blackberries.  We could probably have finished both bottles but it was time to get ready for dinner and more wine at Tribeca Grill.

Aside from the food, Tribeca Grill is a consistent winner of Wine Spectator’s Grand Award for their extensive 1800 selection wine list. I was thrilled to find the 2005 Lillian’s White Hawk Vineyard Syrah.  I had always wanted to try this wine having read so many rave reviews on the various wine boards. The fact that winemaker, Maggie Harrison, was the former assistant winemaker at Sine Que Non, which I have also never experienced, added to my excitement. The first taste was magical. Very seldom to you get a wine that delivers everything you are looking for in the beverage you are so passionate about. The Lillian Syrah delivers on so many different levels. It’s dark and brooding and packs so much flavor that you grasp for the right words. If Sarah and Sparky Marquis didn’t already capture the name “Velvet Glove” for their ultra-premium Mollydooker Wine, it would be perfect for the Lillian. It’s like getting hit with a velvet glove. The wine has smoothness down to a science and drinking it with my duck breast entree was like a meal designed in heaven. I’d give this one a 98 and place it #2 on my all-time list of wines. It was, as the sommelier mentioned when pouring at our table, “like drinking Sine Qua Non for one-third the price”.

Gerry had chosen the 2005 Venge Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. This was an interesting wine. Parker had scored it a 92 with these remarks in December of 2007 “exhibits a deep ruby/purple color, loads of new oak, plenty of cassis fruit, high tannins and a noticeable acidity.”

I found it to be the lightest Cabernet, in color, of any I have ever had. It almost looked light for a Pinot Noir. It has a beautiful nose and is exceptionally smooth but I found the fruit flavors subtle, not bold, and almost, not just Bordeaux like, but  Burgundian. It was good, but so different that I could never pin it down and I gave it a 90. I think both wives agreed with me but Gerry loved it; even more than the Lillian Syrah. I guess that’s why they make more than one type of wine and why the true way to judge a wine is by your own palate and not by high scores or the opinion of others.

The truth is that all four of these fine wines were excellent. They each had their own story to tell and all of them added to my own personal history of wine drinking pleasure.

TRIBECA GRILL (NYC) – NOT A BYOB

What better way to spend a November weekend then to head up to New York City and explore the lower East End including a tour of the Chelsea market and dinner at Robert Deniro’s Tribeca Grill, one of the bright stars in the area’s culinary heavens. Well, one better way would be to do it with good friends, and Gerry and Joann B. from Oaks, PA certainly qualify on that front. We met them at noon on Saturday, and after dropping our bags off in our rooms at the Marriott, we set off on foot to explore the area.

 We got a peek at the construction slowly progressing at Ground Zero. Cranes dot the skyline that once featured two gleaming towers. It’s taking more time than one would have imagined but I feel confident that when completed it will be a tribute of which we can all be justly proud.

We walked down to South Street Seaport for views of the ferries on the river and the Brooklyn Bridge, still for sale, in the background. We grabbed some lunch at a nice outdoor restaurant called Sequoia, as we took advantage of the sunny, almost 60 degree, late fall afternoon in the Big Apple.

We walked off the food by heading up to the Financial District, checked out the New York Stock Exchange, the weekend wanderers on Wall Street, and the scores of street merchants peddling everything from photos to watches to designer handbags.

We headed down to Battery Park, paused for a visit to The New York Wine Exchange, and caught a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty poised as she always is as the beacon of freedom to millions who have come here seeking the opportunity for a better life. In fact, so many find her attraction so compelling that they attempt to replicate her beauty. There were three of them in Battery Park but although many tourists were fooled into thinking these were the real Statue of Liberty, a history buff such as myself never hesitated in knowing they were imposters. See if you can spot the REAL Statue of Liberty from these two photos.

If you picked the photo on the bottom you are a true patriot who knows their American history and probably excelled in the classroom. If you picked the photo on the top, I suggest you stop reading this blog immediately, call a doctor, preferably an Optometrist and think seriously about having yourself institutionalized.

As the afternoon sun slipped toward the horizon it was time to head back to the hotel for a pre-dinner glass of wine and a recap of the afternoon as we prepared for what we hoped would be an excellent meal at one of New York’s best dining spots. The four of us had been here a couple of years ago and enjoyed  a couple bottles of the 2001 Shirvington at the Tribeca Grill.

I have decided I am going to discuss the wines that we enjoyed this weekend in a separate post simply because all four of them were good enough to warrant attention on their own merit. I will tell you that before dinner we had the 2005 O’Shaughnessy, Howell Mountain Cabernet and the 2005 Larkmead, Napa Valley Cabernet (I have just poured myself the final glass of the Larkmead 48 hours later and am about to drink it).

We took a cab (that would be a vehicle for hire as opposed to a wine varietal) from the Marriott to the Tribeca Grill for our 8 P.M. reservation. The restaurant was packed with weekend diners. It seemed every table in the room was buzzing with activity.  Gerry and I had looked at the wine menu online and made our selections. I had chosen the 2005 Lillian, White Hawk Vineyard Syrah, and Gerry wanted the 2005 Venge Family Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. Again, these wines will be discussed in the next post because there is much to say about both of these wines.

My meal began with a bowl of French Onion soup, correct temperature, lots of good onion flavor, a blanket of crusty cheese, and some bread to make your own croutons. A good start. The menu offered several interesting choices and mine was the

Grilled Long Island Duck Breast 29
Butternut Squash & Apple Purée, Spinach, sun-dried Cherry Sauce

The duck had been carefully sliced into multiple fork size pieces and then reconstructed on the plate to form an entire breast. It was crispy and looked picture perfect as it sat on the bed of spinach and squash puree. The portion size was excellent and the duck flavorful and cooked to perfection. I was very happy with my choice of entree.

Gerry began his meal with the Charcuterie Plate 14
Speck, Veal & Mushroom Terrine & Chicken Liver Mousse. He raved about Mousse and felt the Lillian wine was an excellent accompaniment to the entire dish. For an entree he selected the Grilled Dry Aged New York Strip Steak – 16oz. 39
Roasted Chanterelles & Blue Cheese Potato Purée

His plate looked delicious and his steak was done medium as he had requested. I did get to sample the Blue Cheese Potato Puree and it was absolutely incredible. In fact, it would have gone well with my duck and yes, I was envious that it wasn’t included with my fowl. It appeared to me that Gerry was slowly savoring each bite of his meal.

The women started with salads and Joann chose what would have been my second choice for an entree, the Pan Roasted Atlantic Salmon 27
Bacon & Onion Stew, Horseradish Potato Mousse.

Once again, I was offered, and readily accepted, a taste of her salmon. It was perfect with a crisp crust, balanced beautifully on a cushion of horseradish potato mousse and the bacon and onion stew. If I had any complaint at all it would simply be that I would have preferred a bigger cushion of the wonderful accoutrements. Joann was quite happy with her choice. My wife, Kathy was torn between a few selections but opted for the Roasted Organic Chicken 23
Creamy Potato Purée, Porcinis, Brown Butter Carrots & Peas

Once again, Executive Chef, Steven Lewandowski displays his creative skills with a simple dish served in an elegant style and accentuated with porcini mushrooms, Kathy was completely satisfied with her poultry dish and all of us were totally impressed with the service and overall quality of the Tribeca Grill.

We lingered for a while talking and enjoying dessert. Kathy and Joanne had a plate of cookies and I chose the Banana Tart
Malted Milk Chocolate Pecan Ice Cream

This turned out to be one of those dishes that looked better than it tasted. It was well done and the ice cream was delicious but it just may have been that I wasn’t as into the whole banana thing as I imagined. It certainly did nothing to affect my overall impression of Tribeca Grill as being an outstanding example of what makes New York City the dining capital of the world. Remember, it’s not the BYOB capital of the world, that title belongs to South Jersey, but there is no denying that the hundreds of great places to eat in Manhattan make it the home of the Holy Grail for gourmands.

BONA CUCINA – BYOB

This one requires crossing the Walt Whitman Bridge and heading for Upper Darby, PA, close by Drexel Hill where I was born and raised so verrrrrrrrry few years ago . This was my third trip to this homey, neighborhood, Italian restaurant where the atmosphere is every bit as charming as the food. Bona Cucina has been making diners happy here for the past 25 years and Rob and Frankie Buonadonna are justifiably proud that just a week ago, the mayor and Upper Darby Town Council stopped in to present the couple with a Proclamation praising their quarter of a century of good food and good will for the community. 

Let me say right now, before I get into food pictures and tales of lifelong friendships shared with my dinner companions, Bona Cucina has a great menu and the food is excellent. I was joined by lifelong Oakview associates, Frank, Steve, Ange and Val. None of them total wine geeks like myself, but, a couple of them enjoy the grape when it’s available. We don’t get to do this very often so each dinner is a conversational event as we catch up on the tales of our lives and those of friends not present. Tonight was no exception and it was fun taking turns telling lies and trading insults.

My wine for the evening was a 2006 Mauceri, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir. This is one of the Newman wines. By that I mean, the former Chairman of the PA State Stores who was doing such a good job bringing new life and credibility to the antiquated and uninspiring booze system in the state, that he was unceremoniously replaced by an unqualified pretender who was a friend of Governor Rendell. Anyway, Jonathon Newman started his own company and he travels to wineries and works deals to bring their wines into his fold. They are usually then sold at prices well below retail and some of them are pretty good. This one was not bad. There are a few, not many, Pinot Noir’s under $20.00 that I find quite drinkable. This wine fell into that category, except that it cost more than $20.00, and therefore, should have been better. It should have performed as well as my potato soup starter did as an appetizer. The soup was flavorful and seasoned to perfection.

As I mentioned earlier, it’s a great menu with lots of choices that I know would be terrific. However, once again, as I have on each occasion that I have been to Bona Cucina, I ordered the reliably delicious Chicken Celeste. Two very generous portions of melt in your mouth golden chicken breasts, topped with imported prosciutto, roasted peppers, smoked provolone cheese in a white wine sauce. There was enough to bring home for another meal. I didn’t bring any home. I was glad last night that I didn’t. I regret it at this moment because talking about it is making me wish I had some now.

Here are a few more of the dishes that my friends found equally palate pleasing.

 

 

 

Left to right is Val’s Crab Imperial, Ange’s Veal Napolatano, veal sauteed with prosciutto, mozzarella, artichoke hearts, basil and fresh tomato in a white wine sauce. Steve’s Lobster Ravioli which was one of the evening’s specials. Frank had the Chicken Parmigiana which looked like most Chicken Parms except this one tasted better.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals and we lingered for another hour trading stories with Frankie, the owner, who doubles as one of the waitresses. Her presence adds greatly to the ambiance of Bona Cucina as she is a character who spreads her own type of “joie de vivre” to each table she visits.

Bona Cucina isn’t fancy, the food is good, the atmosphere is cozy, and Rob and Frankie are two down to earth, good people, who know how to make, and serve, great food.