Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Restaurant Review

03 Jul 2007

Good Dog Bar – Philadelphia

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2 Comments

June 17, 2007
Cuisine: American (traditional), Burgers

224 S 15th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102

Phone: 215-985-9600
Website: www.gooddogbar.com/

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Good Dog Burger – half pound house ground sirloin, stuffed with Roquefort, topped with caramelized onions and served on toasted brioche ($10)

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Ever since Craig LaBan released his article about the best burgers in Philadelphia, I’ve been jonesing to try his top pick—Good Dog Burger. What can I say? I am a sucker for lists. LaBan writes:

The burger that inspired the song “Cheeseburger, I Hold,” Good Dog’s signature sandwich triumphs where so many before have tried and failed – stuffing a burger with blue cheese. The meat itself is deliciously seasoned, perfectly cooked, and wisely topped only with a mop of sautéed onions. But bite into the heart, and behold. A river of molten bleu. A powerhouse of tangy savor. Too rich to be an everyday burger. But can you hear the music playing? Order it no more than medium-rare, or risk losing the cheese.

Melina, Tara

For my final dinner in the city with two of my favorite girlfriends, Tara and Melina, we headed to Good Dog Bar to try the famed burger. Curious to see if the hype was warranted, we each ordered one; Tara requested hers prepared medium rare, while Melina and I had ours cooked medium. Our burgers were served with a mountain of shoestring sweet potato fries and a side of flavored aioli.

The Good Dog Burger is a damn fine creation and maybe even a little genius. Okay, a lot genius! The meat was well-seasoned, just like LaBan promised, especially around the lightly charred edge of the meat. Tara appreciated this little touch. The Roquefort oozing out of the center of the patty was deeply flavorful, but not too overwhelming. By the way, my perfectly cooked medium patty still retained a good amount of cheese. The caramelized onions and brioche added a tinge of sweetness to the entire burger, which enhanced the Roquefort’s taste. Tara, Melina, and I unanimously agreed that the Good Dog Burger rocked! The sweet potato fries with the aioli were plentiful and fine accompaniment for the burger.

Mel, me

(more…)

Restaurant Review

30 Jun 2007

Twenty21 – Philadelphia

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June 15, 2007
Cuisine: American (New)

2005 Market St, Philadelphia 19103
At N 20th St

Phone: 215-851-6262
Website: www.twenty-21.com

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Rosemary Foccacia (complimentary)

Homemade Meatloaf – traditional meatloaf, mashed potatoes, mushroom jus ($15)

Jumbo Lump Crabcake – Napa cabbage, caramelized pears ($19)

Tahitian Vanilla Crème Brulée ($7)

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I’m leaving Philadelphia.

The Astronomer and I are packing our bags and heading to Ho Chi Minh City for the next year to temporarily escape the grind and to see what life is like on the other side of the globe. While I’m beyond stoked about our coming adventures, I’m extremely bummed to be leaving the city I called home for the past few years.

For my farewell luncheon, my colleagues and I dined at Twenty21, which is located across the street from our building in Commerce Square. Even though Commerce Square is positioned right smack in the middle of two high rise buildings in Center City, the ambiance is surprisingly serene due to a flowing fountain and shady greenery.

Twenty21’s dining room is huge, smartly decorated, and dimly lit. We opted to dine outside because the weather was much too pleasant to be stuck inside. As we waited for our food to arrive, we nibbled on some rosemary foccacia with olive oil. The foccacia was stellar and flavorful as is, so the olive oil wasn’t necessary. We enjoyed it so much that my colleague Carol asked for seconds for the entire table.

I ordered the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake and struck a deal with my colleague Jennifer to share her meatloaf. The crab cake, served with sautéed Napa cabbage and caramelized pears, was disappointingly bland. While it’s important to showcase the crabmeat, it’s also essential to properly season the crab cake. Jennifer and I both agreed that the sautéed cabbage was really great. The pears were good, but too thinly sliced and skimpy.

Whereas the crab cake was under-seasoned, the meatloaf was slightly over-seasoned, especially the portions sitting in the jus. I served my portion of the meatloaf on to a separate plate so I didn’t find it too salty, but rather just right. The potatoes were smooth, buttery, and extra delicious with the mushroom jus. The asparagus and mushrooms atop the meatloaf were all cooked very well.

In a celebratory mood, Jennifer and I split a crème brûlée for dessert. The sugary shell was done right, but sadly there was only a shallow layer of crème beneath. The miscalculated ratio of sugar to crème was unsatisfactory.

Restaurant Review

30 Jun 2007

Day by Day – Philadelphia

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1 Comment

June 14, 2007
Cuisine: Sandwiches, Soups

2101 Sansom St, Philadelphia 19103
At 21st Street

Phone: 215-564-5540
Website: www.daybydayinc.com

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Italian Bread (complimentary)

Quiche Lorraine ($7.50)

Turkey Club with bacon, lettuce & tomato on Italian bread served with Red Bliss Potato ($8.50)

Panini with Smoked Turkey, Cheddar and Mango Chutney ($7)

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After two years of observing the staffers from Day by Day smoking by the dumpster, unloading delivery trucks, and packing up catering vans as I walked to work each morning, it was nice to finally sample their offerings on a recent lunch date with Wes and Wayne. Day by Day serves up soups, sandwiches, and a variety of weekly specials colorfully written on blackboards both outside and inside the restaurant. Most of their fare is classic Americana, but there are a few Asian, Latin, and Southern twists thrown in to keep things from veering toward boring.

Wes ordered a turkey club with bacon, while Wayne had the quiche Lorraine. Wayne thought the quiche was great and really hit the mark. Day by Day offers a different variety of quiche each week. Wes liked his sandwich as well, but didn’t have much of an appetite this afternoon which was a shame.

I thoroughly enjoyed my panini with smoked turkey, cheddar and mango chutney. The multigrain bread was especially memorable, as was the mango chutney which was sweet, sticky, and tart. I love sandwiches with fruity elements! The panini was served atop a lightly dressed bed of greens that was quite good, but the panini was definitely the highlight.