Although I grew up on Dunkin' Donuts, I must admit that I have a special place in my heart for Krispy Kremes, which I think are significantly lighter and airier by comparison.
Even though I got to pass by the Krispy Kreme at Penn Station in New York every single morning and afternoon for several years, the most memorable Krispy Kreme experience I ever had was driving up to a store in Atlanta at 11:30 at night, when the sign for HOT donuts glowed brightly red. It was heaven to sink my teeth into a warm gooey original glazed donut. And at that random hour, it tasted especially good. Mmmm....
Which is a long way to say that I was thrilled when I found out that Krispy Kreme was opening a store in Center City, right at 16th and Chestnut!
While it would've been thrilling to win a dozen original glazed donuts every week for a year (the reward for being the first person to walk through the door), there was simply no way that I would've been able to get there at 6 in the morning. Nor would I have started waiting at 4:30 in the afternoon the day before--which apparently the first person did.
It was impressive enough that I wandered over and waited 15 minutes in the rain to get in the door--which was monitored by a security guard! Amidst TV cameras, many Krispy Kreme lovers, and (apparently) Mayor Nutter, I picked up two dozen original glazed donuts for my friends at the office and at the gym (so ironic, I know). I also decided to treat myself to a special dulce de leche donut, which was very light and airy, but would've been better with a creamier dulce de leche in the middle.
There were honestly so many kinds of donuts to choose from that the girl in front of me (who was picking one up for a friend--how dedicated!) was slightly overwhelmed. I'm excited to go back and try the rest, but for today, I was happy to share the originals.
If you haven't tried them yet, I think it's about time...
Krispy Kreme Philadelphia
16th and Chestnut Streets
http://www.krispykremephilly.com/
And if you have, well then, it's time to get going!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Krispy Kreme's Grand Opening
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
On Brief Hiatus for Finals
After a great semester, Penn Appetit is taking a break for finals and move-out. However, this year, instead of spending the summer dormant, we plan to start posting again May 16! If you're interested in writing for the blog during vacation, email us at pennappetit.blog@gmail.com for more info. You don't have to be in Philly, and this is a great way to get involved in a low stress, laid back way. There will be some new restaurant reviews posted intermittently until we return in a few weeks, so keep checking back (or follow us on Twitter and Facebook).
The Penn Appetit Blog Editors
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Food Events @ Penn
What: Savor the Silk Road, Taste beers from around the world, imported from countries along the Silk Road, and enjoy a variety of foods inspired by the flavors that traveled to the West along this legendary trade route.
Who: Penn Museum
Where: Penn Museum
When: Thursday May 12, 6:30-9pm
Cost: $30 for Students, $35 for general admission
What: Eats and Beats--Dinner to support the youth-led Rooted in Community Conference and the Mariposa Food Co-op.
Who: Urban Nutrition Initiative
Where: Woodland Presbyterian Church, 401 S 42nd Street
When: Saturday May 21, 5:30-8:30pm
Cost: $15-20 at www.eatsandbeats2011.eventbrite.com or Clark Park Saturdays 10-2
Friday, April 29, 2011
High Tea at The Dandelion
With the royal wedding coming up fast and furious, I thought it'd be a good idea to prep for it by doing high tea at The Dandelion. And while I'd loved the pork belly I had for dinner a few months back, what I was really looking forward to when the restaurant opened was English tea and sweets.
I finally had the opportunity when a good foodie friend was visiting from out of town. What would be more quintessential Philadelphia than high tea, right? (Cough cough.) I invited two other tea-drinking girlfriends along, and we arrived on a gray and rainy afternoon reminiscent of London.
We were seated on the second floor, in what I've nicknamed "The Dog Room," as we were literally surrounded by all forms of dog paraphernalia and prints. There was simply nothing in the room that did not have a picture of a dog on it. It was quite bizarre, yet utterly calming at the same time.
What was unsettling, however, was the random collection of tattooed, pierced, punk rock types that walked into the room and proceeded to camp out at the bar while we were sipping tea from flower spray tea cups. It was as if they just fell from the sky into the room. We didn't know what to make of them, except that they were a bit loud for high tea. The staff may have done better to seat us in a smaller space if a big party had been expected.
Of course, that was pretty much the only thing that was worth complaining about, because the experience was amazing and delicious, and authentic to the point that it made us feel as if we should've been sitting up tall, crossing our ankles, and drinking tea with our pinkie fingers in the air.
While we were waiting for the entire party, we asked for the roasted spiced bar nuts, which were sprinkled with rosemary and served warm. Great smoky flavor without too much salt (like other bar nuts).
For our savory dishes, we went with the deviled eggs, the butter lettuce salad, the chicken and duck liver parfait, and the crab and cheese toasties. The deviled eggs were well-seasoned and creamy without tasting too much like mustard or mayonnaise. The butter lettuce salad brought together a nice blend of tastes and textures, including apples, grapes, walnuts, and stilton.
Although the crab and cheese toasties were both novel and delicious, our favorite savory dish was probably the liver parfait. Not only was the liver simultaneously super light and super creamy, but it was complemented extremely well by the buttery brioche toast. In addition, the waitress was gracious enough to bring us more bread when we asked for it, even though it was more decadent than your average dinner roll.
In the meantime, our 6-cup tea pigs of chamomille and breakfast teas served us well, coming steeped with loose leaves, which we had to carefully strain out in our flower spray teacups. On the one hand, I think that we could've been provided with more tea options. However, at the end of the day, good short menus generally trump confusing long ones.
For our sweet dishes, we ordered everything except the banoffee trifle (which shall be tried next time, of course). As a citrus lover, I immediately picked the steamed lemon pudding and the lemon ice cream. While some found the ice cream a bit salty, I loved the contrast of tangy and salty. In addition, I loved the faint sweetness and mushy cake consistency of the steamed lemon pudding, which melted in the mouth along with the golden lemon syrup.
On the sweeter side, the sticky toffee pudding was one of the best examples of sticky toffee pudding I've ever tasted. Sitting on, drizzled in, and soaking up the toffee-rum sauce, the cake-like pudding became moist yet managed not to fall apart. The denser pudding worked well with the lighter and creamier date ice cream, with neither being overly sweet. And most importantly, I could definitely taste (and smell) the rum.
I viewed the mousse crunch and cherry sorbet as a modern version of PB&J minus the bread. Another great combination of flavors and textures. But because we were at high tea, we absolutely had to order the traditional tea cookie plate, which came with shortbread, scones, Devon cream, lemon curd, and berry jam. The plate came perfectly composed, with two triangular pieces of shortbread (with just enough crispness and chew), two raisin scones (buttery and moist), and three pots of cream, curd, and jam. Given the substantial nature of the various components, that plate alone might've been sufficient had we not ordered any other food.
At the end of it all, each of us paid less than $20 for a quintessential high tea experience. In my opinion, it was well worth the shillings.
The Dandelion
18th and Sansom Streets
Philadelphia, PA
215.558.2500
P.S. For those of you looking to experience a bit of the royal wedding, check out the viewing parties at the Rittenhouse Hotel and the Four Seasons Hotel. In addition, you can make Prince William's Chocolate Biscuit Cake or order ice cream inspired by William and Kate!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
JG Domestic
I went to Garces' JG Domestic for the first time for dinner on a Tuesday night. The restaurant is in the Cira Centre, sitting beneath crisscrossing escalators and tall windows, adjoining 30th Street Station. The decor is all crates and checkered cloth and fake chalkboards--which clashes almost spectacularly with the gleaming chrome of the skyscraper that houses it. I'm not sure whether this was the right choice. Why not embrace the modernity of the space, instead of trying to insert rustic ambiance where it jars? There's something hokey and forced about it. And despite attempts to make the restaurant feel small and cozy, this is a losing battle. The soaring ceilings, the sunlight pouring in: it's inherently airy and open, and I'd say it'd be near impossible to change that short of major architectural alterations.
I ordered the Maine Lobster Cappuccino and the Jidori Chicken. I also tried the asparagus with quail egg. I love lobster bisque, and the idea of vanilla emulsion with it fascinated me. It arrived in a steaming mug, a thick layer of foam on top. Floating in the soup were hunks of lobster and a couple of butternut squash dumplings. Taking a bite was a confusing experience as my tastebuds kept expecting it to taste like coffee. The soup was thinner, closer, actually, to the consistency of cappuccino. Add to that the sensation of foam on the tongue and the mild sweetness of the vanilla, and it was like eating a seafood latte, which sounds disconcerting, but is actually pleasantly strange. The dumplings were rich but a little too heavy. I don't know if they're necessary; the lobster pieces would have been sufficient. Although it was an interesting twist, the soup was already a new perspective on the classic. Adding dumplings was less putting it over the top and more overdoing it. The chicken, served with baby carrots, fingerling potatoes, and cipollini, was delicious and well worth the price. It's a lot of food; comparatively, the portion of the lamb loin was paltry. The chicken was submerged in a thick, homey-smelling sauce. The carrots were packed with flavor, the meat juicy, the potatoes golden. Upscale comfort food at its finest. Of course, I can't not mention the amazing, flaky, melt-in-your-mouth rolls, which came to the table warm and buttery. I didn't get a chance to try the desserts, sadly. It was a good meal, but apart from the lobster bisque (which was more gimmicky than truly sensational), not really a memorable one.
JG Domestic
2929 Arch St
Philadelphia PA 19104
215.222.2363
Monday, April 25, 2011
Cuba Libre - A Ticket to Havana
Growing up in New York, it was easy to access delicious Latin cuisine for not much money. That said, if I ever have to pay more, I better be getting something else out of the experience. With Cuba Libre, I got delicious food, affordable prices, and a ticket to Havana.
Walking into the space, you're literally transported to the tropics. As you enter, you pass through a dark curtain to find yourself at a dark bar--one that has great happy hour specials ($4 bites, $4 drinks), 5-7PM, Monday-Friday.
As soon as your entire party has arrived, you can wander into the restaurant, with its high ceilings, palm trees, and Old Havana decor. If you choose, you can sit up on the second floor, where tables wrap around and overlook the main dining area. Otherwise, you can sit in the shade of the palm fronds on the first level, or in the more intimate spaces in the back.
Regardless of where you are, the atmosphere of the restaurant is lively, with both smaller and larger parties chatting and laughing over mojitos and capirinhas. The drinks menu is extensive, and the last time I made it to Cuba Libre (around the holidays), I remember my dinner date being very impressed with the authenticity of his drinks. In addition, the restaurant is known for its rum collection, so that should certainly be tried if rum is your liquor of choice.
On my most recent trip, my out-of-town friend and I decided to sample a few aperitivos rather than tackle the larger platos (of which the Paella Nueva and Camarones con Cana are absolutely phenomenal, by the way). Not only did this strategy give us the opportunity to try several smaller dishes, but it also left us with room for our post-dinner Max Brenner adventure! (Priorities, folks, priorities.)
Because April was Empanada Month, we decided to sample the Empanada de Langosta Eclipse, an empanada made with black corn dough, filled with Maine lobster and coral butter, and accompanied by a mango escabeche salad and passion-fruit citrus mojo. The dish was well-balanced in terms of tastes and textures, with the black corn giving the empanada structure and crispness, and the rich filling being cut by the tangy mojo.
To satisfy our need for chips and dip, we went with the Mariquitas Cubanas--a trio of dips (black bean hummus, smoked marlin salad, and eggplant spread) and a trio of chips (plantain, malanga, and yuca). The chips came with a matte finish, betraying none of the oil that was most likely used to get them to their perfect crispness. While the dips were well-seasoned, they arrived in extremely small amounts, which left us wanting after just a few chips.
Thankfully, our meal came with delicious toasted bread and mango butter. When we ran out of dip, we simply covered the chips in mango butter, which truly tasted like mangoes. In no uncertain terms, the best condiment of the night!
For our protein selection, we went with the Guava BBQ Ribs. And as a BBQ connoisseur, I really enjoyed the fact that the meat didn't fall off the bone. My thought is: If the meat is going to fall off the bone, then why give me the bone at all? I like to work a little for it! That said, the meat was still very tender and well-seasoned. And while I'm not a big fan of BBQ sauce, the ribs had just enough glaze that the acid from the guava cut through the richness of the meat.
Even without the entrees, we were very much sated by our selections for the night. Better yet, the bill came out to no more than $35 for the two of us. Considering that it costs more than that for one person to eat at Alma de Cuba (of which I'm not a fan), that I felt like I was eating in the tropics (without the mosquitoes), and that I was more than full by the end of the meal, I'd say Cuba Libre will definitely be seeing more of me in months to come.
Cuba Libre
10 South 2nd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215.627.0666
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Blog Bites: A Round-Up of the Week's Top Food Stories
• The Daily Pennsylvanian checks in with the progress of new campus restaurants Sweetgreen, TBowl and Kitchen at Penn
• ...and 34th Street offers its first impressions on Sweetgreen, as well as The Farmers' Cabinet, a new rustic-American style restaurant at 1113 Walnut Street
• Bobby's Burger Palace may offer a veggie burger option in the future, as the man himself has admitted he's finally been broken down by customer demand - Happy. Healthy. Life.
• The Daily News dishes on coconut's latest attention from health nuts
• Penn student and food blogger Hannah Bender reviews Barbuzzo
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Talula's Garden - A secret garden that shouldn't stay secret
While I'll admit that I'm partial to the Jose Garces empire, I found my recent Stephen Starr experience at The Dandelion quite engaging and delicious. As such, I was particularly excited to get a solo reservation at Talula's Garden--a joint venture between Stephen Starr and Aimee Olexy (of the famed Talula's Table in Kennett Square--an impossible reservation, by the way, from everything I've read on the blogs).
Whenever I tell people I like to eat alone, they often seem surprised or confused. Especially when most people can't stand the thought of eating out without some sort of company. At the end of a long day or week though, all I want is some "me" time, where I can sit with my own thoughts, relish the food in front of me, and enjoy the space I'm in.
Upon arriving in Washington Square, I had to loop around a few times, call 411, and even ask a tour guide for assistance before I found the restaurant tucked away on St. James Street. Although I could easily have been frustrated (given that my stomach was calling out to me by that point), I appreciated the possible Burnett reference--as if only those "in the know" would be able to find their way to the restaurant's "secret garden."
I was glad to find my way though, because the space is absolutely breathtaking--a wonderful combination of Stephen Starr's drama and flair with Aimee Olexy's farm-table aesthetic. High ceilings, lots of light, beautiful prints, and whimsical details. The main dining room is a bi-level open space that looks out onto a lush garden (which will be perfect for al fresco dining--that is, as soon as spring decides to settle in). In contrast, a few smaller nooks afford some patrons a bit more privacy in their dining experience.
As a solo diner, I was asked if I'd like to sit at the communal table, which was situated right by the cheesemonger and her array of cheeses. Considering that my friend Erich had just mentioned the restaurant's cheese focus, I would've been foolish if I'd chosen to sit anywhere else. Furthermore, the communal table was not only gorgeous with its tea lights in mason jars, but also with its view of the lighted garden.
My server Josh produced a series of menus for me to scan through, including a drinks menu, a cheese menu, and the dinner menu. As he was highlighting items on the drinks list, I had to stop and inform him that I was allergic to alcohol, at which point I started to inquire whether..."any of these are salvageable?" I had to laugh because that was precisely what I was thinking. I mean, who wants to simply substitute seltzer or tonic water in a drink? It makes sense. At this point, Josh bowed out gracefully to speak with the bartender, and then promptly brought me back a non-alcoholic version of the house sangria. The gesture was very thoughtful, and I actually found the drink quite good, though it could probably have been a bit sweeter.
Having scanned through the menu online, I was very aware that: 1) the main courses were all fairly heavy and 2) the desserts needed to be ordered. Consequently, I advised Josh that I'd be choosing several of their smaller dishes to try, just so I could save room for sweets at the end. He quickly and easily obliged, offering to bring out each of my dishes as individual courses. Definitely the kind of dinner service worth paying for.
I started with a cheese plate of "Rare & Ridiculous Cheeses," which consisted of four cheeses, ranging from mild to blue. The cheeses came out on a piece of shale, with several accouterments, including dried fruit, stripes of jam, and thin crisps. Given the company in which I was in (namely, Kate the cheese-monger), I couldn't help but try a few more cheeses throughout my meal, including the Strathdon Blue, the Von Trapp Oma (which I seriously ordered because of the name), and a triple creme brie. All of the cheeses were cut into just the right size for a few bites, giving me the chance to try more than my fair share. A definite indulgence, no two ways about it.
My first small plate was the veloute of sweet peas, which was literally finished at the table. The server brought over a soup bowl with a few pieces of squid, a few pieces of crouton, and a thick stripe of squid ink on the bottom. Upon arriving at the table, he proceeded to pour the bright green veloute over the other components. As I mixed the bright pea soup with the dark squid ink, the soup turned into a lovely deep green. The squid pieces were perfectly cooked--tender without being chewy--and the crouton pieces added a nice textural contrast to the soup. I think the soup needed a bit of salt, but otherwise, it was a nice start to the meal.
My second small plate was the flourless ricotta gnudi, which was described by Josh as a much lighter version of gnocchi. With the torpedo shallot jus on the bottom of the bowl, I interpreted this dish as a wonderfully light and modern version of French onion soup (minus the soggy bread). The jus gave the dish a rich heartiness, but the limited amount prevented it from being overwhelming. The pillows of ricotta were perfectly sized, with each puff encapsulating the essence of ricotta. They were also perfectly decorated, with each puff being covered in just the right amount of seasoning and decorated with a single flower blossom. Talk about meticulous! Being the detail-oriented perfectionist that I am, this was definitely my favorite of the three small plates.
My last small plate was the mushroom pate en croute, which came with a chicken wing and a quail egg. I fully expected this dish to be my favorite of the night, but ironically it turned out to be my least favorite. (This kind of thing happens all the time--with me especially.) The mushroom pate was arranged to look like a piece of toast--whimsical, but the pate wasn't particularly good, and definitely didn't capture the essence of the mushroom. On the other hand, the two pieces of chicken (which in no way looked like they formed a chicken wing) were perfectly cooked--crispy on the outside, moist and juicy on the inside. The quail egg offered great color, but didn't add much to the dish. Plus, the brunoised onion or shallot (though I really couldn't tell) seemed to overpower the dish, as if the bitterness had yet to be burned off. All in all, I was pretty disappointed.
To close out the meal, I selected the chocolate cremeaux. While I normally go for something lighter and more citrus-ey for dessert, I decided to choose something richer given that all three small plates had been fairly light. As I had no preconceived notions of the dish, I was delighted when I tasted what looked like the chocolate mousse--and it turned out to be cold! Like a cross between chocolate mousse and a really rich, dense, and dark chocolate ice cream, the cremeaux slowly melted away on the tongue and left the faintest notes of chocolate on the palate. The best contrast was offered by the toasted marshmallow cubes (which could only have been made cuter by having them skewered on a branch) which were warm and melting on the inside. The chocolate cookie crumbles, the crushed bacon (mmm.... salt!), and the rich caramel served as amazing taste and textural contrasts, especially when one spoonful encapsulated all elements of the dish. This was definitely the best dish of the entire night.
While I could've stopped there, I decided that my sweet tooth could handle more, so I asked for the house-made cookies to go. The box came with: a carrot cake cookie (which resembled a more substantial whoopie pie), a crescent shortbread cookie, a salted caramel cookie (which was pure decadence), and a chewy bar of some sort. All of them were delicious, and none of them made it home. What can I say? Eating and walking are my strong suits--especially in combination.
Although it was lovely to treat myself to a special meal, I'd definitely have to say that Talula's Garden is more of a place to indulge your senses than to pop in regularly for dinner. The price point is definitely on Starr's higher end, and the ambiance is a bit too upscale to feel comfortable strolling around in jeans. That said, brunch may be a little more relaxed, and outdoor seating may be as well. At the very least, I'd certainly be willing to go back for drinks and cheese. I mean, I did get complimented by Aimee herself on my cheese appetite....
Talula's Garden
210 W. Washington Square (at St. James Street)
Philadelphia PA 19106
215.592.7787
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Sweetgreen Opening
Sweetgreen’s opening on April 12th was marked with widespread excitement. I had been looking forward to the opening since Sweetgreen’s Facebook photo contest several months ago. I was asked to "like" a picture of my friend in front of the Sweetgreen’s window. Whoever’s picture received the most "likes" received a free bike. With widespread publicity like this and its prominent location, I wasn’t surprised to arrive at Sweetgreen to find a line winding around the small restaurant and ending in a crowd of people pressed against the front windows.
The Sweetgreen menu included salads, wraps, soups, and frozen yogurt. It showed similarity to the Gia Pronto menu. However, there was the added bonus of a selection of pre-formulated salads and wraps. I ordered the Curry Gold salad with baby spinach, roasted chicken, cucumbers, beets, dried cranberries, and toasted almonds. I was intrigued by its curry pineapple yogurt dressing. Meanwhile, my friend munched on her Santorini salad of romaine, roasted shrimp, feta, grapes, fresh mint, and chick peas, topped with cucumber basil yogurt dressing and fresh lemon squeeze.
While unique salads and wrap options like these are an exciting addition to Penn’s on-campus food selection, the eatery’s frozen yogurt is its biggest perk. Sweetgreen’s simple, tart frozen yogurt is fat free and made from natural ingredients and can be topped with a variety of fruits and garnishes, such blackberries, strawberries, chocolate, and even mint.
Sweetgreen
3925 Walnut St
Philadelphia PA 19104
215.386.1365
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Kitchen At Penn
While there are probably plenty Penn Alums who have gone onto culinary adventures, this may be the first time a current student as embarked on one. Kitchen at Penn
started as a senior research project by Nate Adler and has become a reality. Adler found a chef on Craigslist, rented out kitchen space in West Philly and recruited some friends to work the kitchen with him. Now, you can order a home-cooked meal from Kitchen at Penn Sunday through Thursday 6-10pm.
The inspiration for the menu is from the trend in the culinary world of simple, good food, at the same time trying to emulate the feeling of a home-cooked meal. The menu reflects this, with few dishes having more than five ingredients and simple well balanced flavors and seasonal sides. The most popular dishes are the baked chicken and the West Philly Banh Mi sandwich. The Banh Mi sandwich has a Vietnamese flair with meatballs, pickled vegetables and Sriracha Aioli. I tried the baked chicken, and while it was not the best chicken I have ever had, I have to say I would order it over Chipotle any night of the week.
The menu will change as we move more into spring, Adler says, he is planning on incorporating more fresh vegetables and is developing some salads to add to the menu. There may also be daily specials which you can find on the Kitchen at Penn website, which is adorable and completely and drawn! The Kitchen also has a blog where you can follow, almost daily, the goings on in the Kitchen.
While this is a senior project, Adler says that continuing Kitchen at Penn is a real possibility next year, maybe expanding the space, branding it and adding locations at other colleges.
Kitchen at Penn
4529 Springfield Ave
Philadelphia PA 19143
717.744.8154
