After a much-anticipated opening, we sat down and enjoyed a meal at the new Portuguese BYOB, Koo Zee Doo. The Northern Liberties restaurant serves their entrees and appetizers family style, allowing the table to enjoy favorite ingredients and to try new ones. Delicious and unique, the portions are just right, leaving you satiated but not stuffed.

We slurped on the Caldo Verde and Açorda de Beldroegas soups, both equally delicious in different ways. The Caldo Verde, true to tradition, is served on a hearty foundation of pureed potato broth with thin ribbons of collard greens, cooked perfectly so they maintain their textural integrity with each bite. What blew us away was the fried chorizo floating atop the bowl, so crunchy it was reminiscent of a tasty meat crouton. It may arguably be the best chorizo we’ve ever consumed. The broth in the Acorda de Beldroegas (aka The Bread Soup) is more delicate in comparison, but not lacking in flavor. Dotted with cheese and a spoonful of crusty bread and mushrooms, it’s topped with a bite of poached egg that was a burst of simple comfort in these colder days — not to be missed.

Also sampled was a chopped vegetable salad, dressed with a vinaigrette so good, we wish we had the recipe at home. It’s a red wine coriander vinaigrette which is poured atop cherry tomatoes, tender potatoes, crisp string beans and fava beans on a bed of refreshing watercress, creating a dynamic salad. The table loved the Sardinhas na Brasa, (Sardines and Roasted Red Pepper Salad), which was even savored by those who claim to dislike sardines. Served whole and browned, you de-bone the sardines yourself at the table (a demonstration which provided a nervous chuckle from the table and a second how-to from our server). The forkfuls of firm, white flesh are then scooped up with marinated peppers, resulting in a highly complimentary, fresh flavor.

Our main entrees, Arroz de Pato (Baked Rice With Duck) and Portuguese favorite Bife à Portuguesa (steak and eggs), were just as good. The Arroz de Pato is baked rice, flecked with crispy chorizo bits mixed with a braised, pan-seared duck. In the Bife à Portuguesa, slices of presunto (Portuguese prosciutto) are layered over the juicy and browned steak, plated with a fried egg, fried potato and broccoli rabe. The muted bitterness from the greens and the egg’s gooey yolk accent the salty thick potato rounds, highlighting the outer crust of the steak and it’s tender center.

We’re usually too stuffed to participate in dessert, but the portions throughout the meal were just right, so we chose the Chocolate “Salami” — which is not salami at all but a dark chocolate wafer with cookie pieces spotted throughout, tasting very much like a pirouette cookie.

When a restaurant aims to make you feel at home — and the vibe here, in the old space that was once Copper (Cu), is very homey indeed — good service is an important proponent to the experience. The waitstaff at Koo Zee Doo provided that. They were attentive, welcoming and and answered any questions without judgment or haste. Overall, we have nothing but praise for Koo Zee Doo and wish them luck. The only complaint you could say we had is the super bright lighting over the tables at the windows. Aside from such a persnickety observation, we delighted in our experience and encourage you to grab your favorite bottle and dining buddy and go pay them a visit.

Koo Zee Doo, 214 N. 2nd St., Philadelphia, PA 19123, 215-923-8080

JS: So, the other night, we were both treated to a once-over of Chef Michael O’Halloran’s Kong, which just opened in NoLibs and boasts, to my mind at least, one of the most dangerous bacon dishes in the city.

CF: On the same tip, Sweens. You hit the high note early. The bacon dish was amazing. Fat as hell, juicy as hell, and quite sizzling. Surrounded in leafy greens as an homage to lettuce wrap, but with a much bigger score to settle.

JS: I figured it was good one to start with, for one, because the dish — Honey-Glazed Chinese Bacon with Spicy Roasted Peanuts — is at the heart of Kong’s “Chinese Street food” menu (in this case, on the dim sum section) and two, because the one thing I kept thinking as we tore through seven plates, is that this stuff is MAN FOOD. Which is not to say it’s not accomplished — so much of it truly is — but it’s certainly not dainty.

CF: Agreed. I liked the heat they started with, too. The first dish was that Stir Fried Egg and Crab, and was my second favorite of the night thanks to the burning sriracha. Man food yes, sloppy, no. I thought the wine list was a complete miss though, as with anything spicy, all you really want is Rieslings, and there was only one or 2.

JS: I went with the Halida, a light and tasty Vietnamese beer — something about the menu made me want almost anything but wine. And you’re right about that Stir Fried Egg and Crab — that’ll definitely be one of the dishes Kong will be able to hang its hat on. And it also gets to the heart of O’Hallaran’s concept — the “street food” thing, buzzworthy as it is, doesn’t really convey the homestyle vibe that dishes like egg and crab had. That vibe ran through a lot of the dishes here.

CF: Totally agree…there’s not enough ‘handfood’ like the wraps. I found the Fried Green Beans were almost flavorless, and needed some sodium kick somewhere. Also, the Deep Fried Asparagus has been done better other places, but I liked the hoisin sauce that came along for the ride. Those missteps aside, BIG YUM on the Beef Brisket with Shanghai Noodles. Rusty, smoky, and a bowl full of warm hugs. I could eat that any day. of. the. week.

JS: I’m glad you mentioned that: I DJ next door at 700, and I can tell you right now, that noodle bowl is gonna get me through the winter. It was a perfect dish through and through, and showed something else I liked a lot about Kong: These guys are willing to go the distance. That brisket is not cooked quickly by any stretch of the imagination, and the noodles are made right there in the kitchen.

CF: Gotta say: I am a dumpling FIEND, and the dumplings I had were a little too hefty on the dough to be called sensual. The edges of mine were a little dried out. With a glut of such great dumplings in this town (Sakura, Dim Sum Garden, Sang Kee) I want to see this one get rectified. I like the pork stuffing three ways, it was awesome, just needs a better home. Not a tough thing to fix up. I said ‘dumpling’ like 4 times in this message. Sounds dirty.

JS: I agree about the dumplings, dumpling. I think in recent years, we’ve been treated to a lot of places that do these almost Faberge Egg versions of them, where the emphasis is so much about the lightness and precious nature. By comparison, these were very heavy, by I have a feeling that’s Kong staying on message with the whole homestyle thing. I don’t think little old ladies in China are serving up the Steven Starr version of ultralight steamed veggie dumplings, as good as they are. Still, that’s one concession to the outside would I would have liked to have seen. They weren’t bad, they were just… too much.

CF: Steven Starr version? No way man, I mentioned 3 Chinatown staples. A Starr version would be 2 over-the-top dumplings full of duck rillette and roasted fennel, for $19. I give a high five to the Pork Belly Rice Bowl I had. Nice aromatics with the anise. Quite tasty, too. The rice was done well in all of my dishes, just slightly toothsome. I would like to seemore fire and less sweetness though. Most of my dishes had a lot of sweet.

JS: That’s true, but let’s back up to those Duck Buns. Haha, I said “duck buns.”

CF: Duck Buns were solid. I enjoyed them. The meat was shredded just right, and I thought the bun itself wasn’t too cakey. I think that’s a dish I could get behind any day of the week. I said ‘get behind’. This chat is falling apart at the toilet joke seams.

JS: It’s going to be impossible for me to get through this sentence: Lots of things can go wrong with those Chinese buns. But again, O’Halloran’s cutting out the middleman and making them in=house.

CF: As it should be. Everyone at this stage in the game should be doing in-house. Philly is huge foodwise and there’s so much competition. Lets talk prices. I like the app prices and the dim sum. All do-able. But some of the bowl prices might be slightly steep on a regular basis. I want that Beef Brisket to be $10. But then again, that’s because I want to eat it every day.

JS: But look at it this way: All seven plates plus four drinks rang out at only $100. That is some serious eat-like-a-king action right there, but I think even if you don’t, it’s pretty reasonable. And honestly? I’d pay $20 for that noodle bowl. Actually, I’d empty my pockets. I’m totally sold on Kong. I think this is one of the more unique and well-thought-through new spots to open up in a while. The whole time I was there, I kept thinking about when the next time I went there was gonna be. And it’s soon. Real soon.

CF: Agreed. I like the direction, every issue I had can be rectified. I just WANT to love it more than I do right this second. And I will give it many more chances. There are plenty of reasons to go as I type this. But I want to be evangelical. I want it to be on the tip of my tongue when people come from out of town.

Kong, 702 North Second Street. 215-922-5664

Aside from meat and seafood, vegetarian options are aplenty on this menu, offering something for everyone. When ordering from the noodles and rice section, you have a choice of meat, seafood, tofu and vegetables; from this option we ordered the Tofu Garlic Noodles, which were tasty and flavorful, served with marinated firm tofu and broccoli. The Mongolian Beef was fresh, tender and cooked with great flavor, the aroma of the beef and onions pointing in the general direction of “comfort.” A popular favorite among our group was the Crab Rangoon, which the menu described as a cream cheese wonton mixed with crab meat, served with sweet and sour sauce. The steamed veggie dumplings also got an all-around thumbs up.

The service was polite, attentive and answered any questions we had. The prices are affordable, and the food is fresh and tasty. Overall, Ken Shin is not upscale but it’s certainly not a diner, don’t let the name fool you. Northern Liberties needed a spot like this and it finally has one. Go check it out.

– Dana Fedeli

Ken Shin Asian Diner, 301 Spring Garden Street. 215-925-8887

But like we say, the Prohibition solves a handful of problems in this up-and-slooooowly-coming neighborhood. For one, here is a bar one can really live in: An odd-shaped bar makes plenty of conversational nooks and islands, but there’s also plenty of table seating, and what we can handily say it’s got the best gastropub jukebox in town. (Confidential to the rest of you gastros: Take all metal, math rock and employees’ bands off your jukeboxes at once; come 10pm, your clientele just cannot be trusted with it.) But here’s the other thing: The food is good. While we would have liked to have seen some more soups (it’s cold outside!) and vegan options, baked mac and cheese ruled, and the pulled pork sandwich, in a rogue move when compared to others we’ve sample recently, had real-deal spicy, smoky BBQ kick to it. Side salads were generous, and fried green beans were taut, crunchy and off the plate in a flash.

Meanwhile, the Prohibition is also secretly doubling as a great tasting room for craft beers: In addition to Autumn ’08 staples like Sly Fox Dry Stout and plenty of other locally made suds, the bottle selection was great, too; we tried Samuel Smith Winter Warmer (amazing, creamy, smooth) and a big ol’ bottle of Brooklyn Local 01 (hearty, satisfying, flirty). All in all, it’s rare to see any place come this strong out of the gate, but by doing a handful of simple things really well in a part of town that has been starved of just that, Prohibition Taproom is gonna win friends left and right.

Prohibition Taproom, 501 N. 13th St. 215-238-1818.

For only thirty dollars a Dining Days diner gets three courses at Marigold, which is a really great deal. I rarely order salad in restaurants but I was very curious to try the Mache greens with marinated cucumbers and warm cornbread. The portion was somewhat tiny but packed a lot of flavor. The radish and cherry tomatoes added extra punch to the already tangy dressing. The warm cornbread was buttery and delicious and was the perfect companion to the small salad. I also snagged a bite of the grits and shrimp that my roommate was eating. It was much better then I expected grits to ever taste. For the second course I ordered the quick-smoked salmon with fried green tomatoes and yellow squash. The salmon was smoked just right, however the fish was still tender and flaked with my fork. Combined with the squash it was a texture. The fried green tomatoes were not necessarily my taste, but they were crunchy and not greasy which was delightful. I also tried the chive gnocchi with spinach and shittake mushrooms. Mushrooms and spinach are two of my favorite vegetables and they were cooked just right in this dish. Nothing was too soggy and gnocchi was very filling, but not too heavy. Dessert is always my favorite part of dinner and the warm chocolate cake with vanilla malt was by far the best part of the meal. A fist-sized chocolate cake is presented in a very large bowl next to a small glass of malt. Not sure if the large bowl was so you could pour the malt over the cake, but that’s just what I did and it was divine. Dinner lasted over an hour and a half, but the size of the dishes as well as the quality made you savor them slowly, so there were no large gaps of time in between courses. Overall I was very pleased to have finally experienced Marigold and hopefully will be able to snag a table for brunch very soon. Tonight is the last night for University City Dining Days so hurry up if you want to catch the great deals they have at select restaurants.

Forget what you know about Stephen Starr, as we did after walking into Parc. Yesterday’s Bastille Day celebration had the perfect postlogue in a trip to the new French Bistro on Rittenhouse Square. Collin Flatt ate his way through a surprisingly affordable meal at the latest in a growing empire. Read it all after the jump.

A pretty young thing donning a pink-streaked blunt cut is commonplace in Philadelphia, not so much in the Starr Restaurant Organization. She was there, front of the house, representing everything Parc was going to be. Different than what we know of his eateries, promoting Parisian style with a layered brushstroke. She had style, focus, and efficiently went about her business among the opening night madness as if it were any Monday dinner service. Professional.

I love French wine, I love French food, and now, I lovehate Stephen Starr. Maybe it’s just lust right now or a foodafterglow, but Parc did everything right from the moment I stepped on the premises. I shouldn’t be surprised, as I fondly remember Blue Angel for feeding my Francophileside correct. Classic Frog. Honest Frog. Parc brings it back in a rush, a not-so-distant memory from dishes past.

The mustard-tinged lighting reminds me of bistro more than anything else in the joint. That’s not to say the space is wrong, in fact it’s perfect, it’s just such an important detail that must be discussed and labored upon. Movie set designers developed the interior and leave nothing to the imagination, it’s all tangible. From the tilework to the brass rails, the molding to the sconces, the jeroboams of Veuve Clicquot to the full length urinals, it paints a picture and builds a model. Some leftover aesthetics from Blue Angel found a home here, an inside joke to those who have great food memory and restaurant obsession. The monolithic proportions of the room are offputting, but kept in check by carefully planned sections. I felt like my table, my neighbor’s table and the three top near us were in our own little cafe. Quite the feat for a dining room that seats 250 — so well-executed, it seemed simple.

The menu has no tricks or fad concepts, just straightforward French cuisine. A refreshing turn from the usual schlock we are forced to endure, I cannot give a bigger compliment to the respect for classicism at Parc. Starr-usual, the drink menu is full of weirdo cocktails, but at least they’re not watered down. I feared the wine list might be a joke/overpriced, but was soon calmed. I got great value in a glass of Languedoc Rose, and a sparkler from the Loire Valley. Both rang in around $9 per glass, which is more than reasonable. The only misstep: A $600 bottle of Haut-Brion ’99, which is about 4 times the auction price.

Organ meat, oh sweet organ meat. I always wanted to open a restaurant that served all organ meat. You’ll find plenty of entrails on the menu, I started with the Chicken Liver Mousse, which was salty and rich. Served chilly with a nice crisp layer of rendered fat on top, a side of mesclun and onion confit as a finish. The made-right-there bread was more than a supporting role for the table, it was a conversation piece for my dining companion and me. Teeth breakin’ crust with sourdough webbing and a baguette balanced the mousse with the wine and my giddiness. Chef Dominique Filoni isn’t standing on the shoulders of genius, he’s shaking hands with ‘em and sharing a smoke. I haven’t been this happy since they brought back Boo Berry.

After the Skate Grenoblois arrived, I realized I hadn’t gotten my Salade Lyonnaise. This was the only misstep of the evening, excusable because of the number of patrons in the dining room, as well as it being first night. Both the skate and salade are bistro staples, but one was much more successful than the other. The salade was fresh and crisp, not weighed down by the poached egg, which was slightly sloppy. The potato, though, was inconsistent, as some were cooked through and others slightly underdone. The bacon was thick and smoky, and there was no fat to be found. The crutons reminded me of this German snack called Zweiback, which made me happy, even if it was just for nostalgia. A salad that was good, but needs a little more precision.

The skate wing, on the other hand, was delightful. A crunchy, nutty skin gave way to flaky flesh so soft it could have melted into the porcelain. The caper butter was slightly salty, but the crisp snap of Rapini made me forget about the sodium attack which was a tiny blemish on an otherwise perfect offering. The dish was plated perfectly, with the right amout of negative space and juice running between the elements on the canvas.

For dessert, I quickly consumed the sorbet medley which included a personal favorite: Cassis fruit. Known as black currants stateside, a laserbeam of freshness attacked me. The consistency was creamy, yet light, a perfect foil for the warm and muggy air that awaited me outside in Philadelphia. The little squirrel shaped hazelnut crunchy that adorned my sweet made me giggle and was pictureworthy. Whimsy for the win.

Parc is set to be the new hotspot for foodies and wanna-bes alike. Great for people-watching (I almost knocked over Mayor Nutter), slamming drinks, and most of all, enjoying stunning food. Most of us agree on the Disneyworld mentality Starr institutions own, but he really makes good with another successful French bistro. Best of all is the price. 2 glasses of wine, 3 dishes = $70 AFTER TIP. They threw in the salad because of the slow service (which wasn’t even that slow for an opening) and the miscue on the pacing. There shouldn’t be a problem getting seats because of the immense nature of the restaurant, but be prepared to talk loudly. I didn’t find that to be much of a concern because I was too busy thinking about my food. My dining partner had the same problem. Everyone should have that problem.

Before final judgment comes in the form of an official review, I will head back to Parc for lunch, brunch, and anything else they can throw at us. I had three excellent dishes and one mediocre attempt, hardly enough to give the final stamp of approval. That being said, it’s an inspiring start. Check back with us in a few weeks to see if they can keep it up. After all, Philadelphia is in dire need of more great French cuisine. And Stephen Starr might be the man to get it done.

- Collin  Flatt

Parc is located at 227 S. 18th St on Rittenhouse Square. 215.545.2262

After the jump, Collin Flatt continues in words and pictures with The Once-Over.

 
Fresh herbs are grown in the windows of the dining room that flavor the plate in front of you. A sapling lemon tree awaits her turn to provide the acidic bite many of Pitsillides’ honest dishes require. You’ll get your turn little lady, you just need a little time. The rest of the space is an open and inviting white wash with earth toned floor. One wall of exposed brick is where dried herbs and copper pans hang like trophies of successful dishes past. Tables adorn the edges of the room and along the glass facing 10th and Spruce for the romantics, with a long row of seating down the center providing for the large family dining experience. Blue and white pillows grace the bench seat reminding you of the restaurateur’s heritage. Heartwarming.
 
Our very capable and charming server Dominic ripped through the specials as he uncorked the Chilean Carmenerre we brought. They’re BYO sans corkage and pretention. The menu looked ample enough without the addition of Sepia as a special, but it sounded like the right move. Warm bread was partnered with a nutty tahini sauce while we waited for the main attraction to join us.

 
The ‘Dips Of The Day’ is just that. Chef Konstantinos whips up 3 special blends to accompany grilled pita each and every day. The mild color of each dip was a perfect indicator of the taste experience. We never imagined a fish roe sauce could be smooth and sensual. Easily the star of the trio, narrowly defeating the potato/garlic, and fava bean relish. The former had an amazingly zesty flavor which removed all shyness from the table regarding snatching the last pita.
 
The Sepia arrived next, in all of its tentacled glory. A close relative of calimari, but meatier and much more challenging to do justice. No problem. The consistency was pitch-perfect with little cripsy bits of grilled goodness surrounding the skin making the charred cephalopod a success. Often calamari’s flaws are hidden behind overcooking and seasoning, Chef let the little monster sing it’s song. Pretty. She was accompanied by an aromatic portabella salad, heavy on vinegar, cilantro, and parsley in a very good way.
 
The Pan Fried Quail came with its digits. And we LOVED it. The sweet gaminess of the meat was framed by the smoky-wine flavored pasturma. A finger bowl accompanied the dish for heathens who eat with their hands. Perfection. A baby eggplant was grilled whole and separated the fowl from the roasted potato underneath. French knife skills were on display in the presentation of the starch. The sharp right angles were not representative of the consistency or flavor of the potato, creating a side-dish that was much more than a foot note.
 
Our next dish was the Top Loin Of Lamb. An unorthodox cut to be sure, the top loin offered the flavor of a steak and none of the gaminess that accompanies lamb. We like gaminess, but we’d never experienced sheep done this way. A beautiful mess of marbled juiciness kept in check by a crispy grilled exterior. Sliced and plated in half-moon shape, the ruby red sinew was Big.On.Power. It beat the crap out of our long-legged grape juice from Chile. Bulgur Pilaf was the sidekick, as rice wouldn’t have been able to handle the raw emotion of the meat. It was kept sophisticated with tinges of mint and fennel.

Not big on Flan, our server sold us with, ‘come on, it’s got apples.’ Thank you Dom, we’ll let you pick the cake for our wedding. The semolina base created a unique consistency somewhere between custard and cheesecake. Realness is honeyed apple slices with your dessert. The translucent shards of fruit pronounced the delicacy of Mediterranean shores where this dish was inspired. I’m a convert now. Flan4Life.

We got no beef with the other Greek establishments in town. We love Effie’s outdoor seating/Baklava and Dmitri’s simplicity. Kanella challenged us with its honesty. The flavors are beautiful and familiar, the presentation is raw and refined. Being blissfully unaware of real Greek cooking is no way to live. Let Chef Pitsillides show you the way. We’d follow him anywhere. He’s THAT dreamy. 

— Collin Flatt

Kanella is located at 266 S. 10th St. (215) 922-1773

One block over on 12th, thems folks are still looking for a voice like the one little brother shouts from a few steps away. They’re working on it though, and it’s coming along nicely. Finn McCool’s has been redone, TBar brings that loose-leafy sensuality and Blue in Green pours the best coffee in CC with a cast of characters/customers worthy of their own sitcom. But they don’t have a heavy bag, a centerpiece to call their own. Chef John Mims’ Les Bon Temps is trying to change that.

After the jump, Collin Flatt tells the rest of the story in words and pictures.

Les Bon Temps is cajun, creole, NOLA, whatever. Give it a name. Come for the menu, stay for the space. It’s drop dead sexy. A sprawling staircase awaits as you enter a very reserved and misleading storefront. With beautifully ornate woodwork around the bar and molding above it that leads towards balcony seats which are the best in the house. Any house. Large mirrors adorn the walls framed with dark stained cherry that create an illusion of infinite dining tables and infinitely hungry patrons. Up the staircase is an esplanade with more seating and a more intimate setting for those who want to chit chat over dinner and not ogle the architecture.

A dance floor is just up the next flight with purple walls, bejeweled mardi gras masks and a full bar. Leather sectional sofas and zebra-striped victorian style chairs are peppered throughout the room creating a speakeasy of sorts. The decor does not remove you from the fact that this was once someone’s living space. A homey feel washes over when you look out the bedroom window down onto 12th street. We were lucky enough to be shown the private bottle service room (still under construction) on the very top floor which has its own bathroom. It’s got wow factor out the yin-yang, and breaking the seal has never been classier.

With such amazing attention being spent on the interior design, I figured the food would be dynamite. While it’s definitely authentic Cajun/Creole, the execution of the dishes left a little to be desired.

I was ecstatic to see Duck Jambalaya Croquettes on the starter menu for a very reasonable $8. They were cooked perfectly, and not in the slightest bit oily as duck and croquettes tend to be. The shell was very crisp, and the mix of vegetables and meat was spot on. It was served with two sauces, a tomato-based and a butter-based sauce with the butter sauce mingling so much better with the duck. The problem with the presentation was that the food was served in a kidney bean shaped plate not much bigger than the fried beasts before me. It made for a messy dish that was not easy to consume. And while I like big food, the portion was out of control.

My dining companion had the Eggplant Beignets which was the Dish Of The Night. An interesting take on an underappreciated vegetable and what appeared to be clashing flavor profiles worked out quite well. The fluffy tempura-esque batter fried shell was a delight. It was finished with Tobasco and then powdered sugar, upping the ante on sweet/savory with an ass-kick of heat. A simple dish, simply done better.

Ok, truth time. I’m not order-what-I-want guy. If there’s a tasting available, make that choice, for a chef knows his best work, a menu tells you nothing. In the event of a non-tasting situation, your server is your guide. Eddie, our guide for the night said Courtbouillon. Not as convincingly as you might like, but he had an answer for me. The catfish was cooked quite well, but I could only taste it on the first bite because the sauce was so spicy hot it demolished my tastebuds and palette. It was served to me in a large bowl with no real attention paid to presentation. $28 later, all I could taste was pain.

All things considered, the space is already prepared to kick ass as a night spot. Happiness is a megaclassypartyjoint. Even if they just sold small plate Creole snack food it could work because it’s just so.damn.cool. What’s missing is a Specialty Drink menu. You paid for the liquor license, might as well cash in on the bitch. Philly has already admitted it’s willing to pay $13 for Tang and vodka. Give it a funky name, we’ll love it.

The prices reflect the decor, I wish the food did as well. Minor tweaks to seasoning and presentation will give this joint the finish it needs to be a contender. John Mims is thisclose to making a name/home for himself on 13th St and expanding the Renaissance. I’ve seen his presentation chops at Carmine’s in Bryn Mawr. He can make it happen. What Les Bon Temps lacks in polish, it owns with grandeur. I’m sure it won’t be long until he marries the two.

— Collin Flatt

Les Bon Temps is located at 114 South 12th St. (215) 238-9100

After checking out the promising pics over at Beer Lass, we were charmed by the handsome interior, which includes heavy woods, a fireplace that likely will not see use until fall, and an almost-cheesy mirror etched with a devilish logo. Kitschy beer signs propagate on the wall space, but we can deal. Pour the Spaten Lager and we feel forgiving.

Devil’s minions are more informed than a new staff is often found to be. They were able to thoroughly discuss the beer selection as though they had studied under Joe Sixpack. After sipping some of PBC’s impressive Rowhouse Red, we came to realize the overwhelming combinations of drunken direction this could go in, with 16 taps and over 100 bottles. There are wines by the glass, if you care to go that way. When summer hits, we will gladly partake in a Devil’s Margarita by the french doors that open to the sidewalk.

Perhaps more challenging was the ordering of food. We were forced to say “Satan Tips” out loud. Our server stared us down, “The sei-tan tips? Of course.” A beautifully-arranged plate of skewered tips was sent over to us, laden on a mound of black beans and cilantro risotto over a banana leaf. We were informed that it was chef Joe Turrisi‘s first official order of the dish and that he had said something like “Ahhh, vegetarians.” We sent the empty platter back with our approval. Other chow you can feel more confident about munching on? The grilled bison burger and the Diablo mussels with a kick of tequila butter.

When it came time for dessert, the sin continued with an apple galette. Less-exciting options included a standard chocolate cake and something equally as forgettable. That doesn’t mean that the flaky galette did not make us reach back into our memory and compare it to a similar pastry we tried in Paris. Was it better? By the powers of caramel sauce and buttery drizzle, hells yes.

Devil’s Den is located at 11th & Ellsworth in South Philly.

Real talk, Phoodie-delphians: Phoodie.info is a no-budget, yo-budget startup. We do it on the hunch that the Philly food scene is a wild jungle of see-ers, fools and mysterious miracles that makes the music scene look positively staid and boring by comparison. But rules are rules: And to do the legit restaurant review the right way, you have to go to a place three times, anonymously if possible and, most importantly, pay your own way. We have not the time or the funds to do that right now, but we are committed to going to every restaurant in Philadelphia ever, at least once. And then, this blog shall die. Until then, we present our new “psuedoreview” column, The Once-Over, in which Phoodie staff roll up on somewhere they’ve never been, and then dish.
After the jump, we gush over Tria in the Gayborhood…

It is with hot shame that we admit to you now: We’d never been to either one of the wine & cheese bar/public “quality of life” information centers known as Tria. And we regrettably must admit that we’ve also never been to their Fermentation School or their Sunday School, either. In fact, we were mostly unaware that we were walking into not just a cute streetside wine cafe, but something more approaching a place that actually tries to foster community, help brains and in general, do a whole bunch of stuff that restaurants are not supposed to do.

Pardon me if I just made any of that sound not fun. Quite the contrary: Tria is not pedantic. Tria doesn’t talk down to you when you ask what something is. Hell, they don’t talk down to you if you ask what five things are. Like the young Bruce Springsteen, Tria wants to liberate you, confiscate you; it wants to be your man.

And of course, guidance is needed: Tria’s menu is a three-pronged attack of the High Life: Wines, cheeses and beers. (Although beer is kind of the red-headed stepchild here, Tria’s beer list got a Best of Philly a minute ago.) There are some sandwiches and desserts, but frankly, don’t even mess with that stuff — the sandwiches we got were delicious (Prosciutto di Parma, Grana Padano and Fig Jam Panino as well as a Grilled Artichoke, Spicy Tuscan Pepper, White Bean and Bulgarian Feta Panino), but once the cheese came, we were really wishing we’d thrown caution to the wind and gone all cheese, all night.

Because seriously, dig this cheese list. Impressive, no? Better still, Tria is generous with the portions — or at least, more generous than you’d think. When you walk into a restaurant and order an $8 hunk of cheese, you’re more or less expecting to get screwed. But each selection is a more than fair size, accompanied with bread and a spread the Tria cheeseologists have specifically matched to complement said cheese. And this is where your inner cheapskate is completely vanquished: Yes, Ugly American, you could save money buying hunks of these cheeses elsewhere perhaps, but A) you’re not gonna get these fine accoutrements, and B) you’re hear to learn, bub.

And what did we learn? Well, among other things, we learned that…

CASHEL BLUE (County Tipperary, Ireland · Cow-P)
Overtones of buttermilk and herbs flow over sea salt creaminess

… is pretty much the only thing in this life worth living for, and that…

PATA CABRA (Aragon, Spain · Goat-P)
Trees and earth merge into mouthwatering, salty goatiness of pure white

… comes with this apricot baby food thing that is so wrong, but Sweet Fancy Moses, so right. People of Philadelphia, get into these cheeses.

Lastly, the wines. Even if the rest of Tria sucked, it would still be a great place to learn about wines, simply because they offer a great list, with everything available by the glass. We were all over the place with our selections:

· CÔTES DU RHÔNE VILLAGES, DOMAINE GRÈS ST. VINCENT, ’06 (Rhône, France)
Organic and unfiltered “Jenny & François” selection: earthy yet elegant Grenache blend

· MALBEC “SELECCIÓN,” ALAMOS, ’06 (Mendoza, Argentina)
Sexy deep violet color with perfume and flavors of chocolate, cedar, cherry and vanilla

· PINOT GRIS, A TO Z WINEWORKS, ’06 (Dundee, OR)
Hip new wine co. crafts balanced bottles with ripe tropical fruits buttressed with clean finish

· CHARDONNAY, COPELAND CREEK, ’05 (Sonoma Coast, CA)
Boutique Chard from cool coast of Sonoma: creamy, tropical fruit with Toasty French oak finish

And not a one did disappoint. It’s a rare thing when you find a spot that you want to go back to again and again, but we literally have not stopped talking about Tria since we went there a few days ago. The service was outstanding, the vibe was great, and the check wasn’t bad, either: $74 (before tip) for everything mentioned above. Will we be back? Let’s put it this way: We’ll probably be back there, sitting at the bar, by the time you read this.

TriaCafe: They Could Settle Wars With This Stuff