Weekend in Philly

We spent the night in Philadelphia this past weekend and had such amazing food I wanted to do a post just to show off the deliciousness. I'm going to start at the end of our trip since I'm still drooling over our meal at Shake Shack. I've been making a knock-off version of these burgers for awhile now but trying the real thing was a revelation. So, so, so amazingly good. I can't wait to go back. We'll definitely be trying a milkshake next time.

We each got a double ShackBurger - cheeseburger topped with lettuce, tomato and ShackSauce. Double was the way to go. It was the perfect bread to meat ratio. The toppings were fresh and delicious but my favorite part was the crispy crust. Words really cannot describe how good this was.

We'd been told to get the cheese fries - crispy fries coated in a sauce made with American and cheddar cheeses.

One thing to note - for as long as anyone can remember (my mom will vouch for this) I've been disappointed by the real deal vs. the food-styled versions of food. Apparently I'd pitch a fit in fast food restaurants when I was a kid because the food I was served looked nothing like the pictures I'd seen on TV or even the menu in the store. But Shake Shack doesn't suffer from this problem. Our burgers, our whole order actually, looked exactly like every single photo I've ever seen of Shake Shack food. This is a very big deal to me and I was thrilled that I was given exactly what I was expecting.

I apologize for these photos not being better - the lighting in the restaurant was low and romantic, which wasn't good for taking pictures. Saturday night we went to the Oyster House for dinner. It had come highly recommended and we weren't disappointed. SP started with a gin and tonic made with royal dock gin and fever tree tonic, while I had the French fox - champagne, gin, campari, and lemon. I really enjoyed this but my favorite of my two cocktails (which I didn't get a picture of) was a concoction the bartender had just come up with - cantaloupe puree, alcohol and cucumber were involved. It was light and refreshing and dangerously addictive.

I started with a half-dozen oysters. I like them nice and briny and our waitress (she was incredibly attentive and helpful with oyster and cocktail recommendations) thought I'd enjoy the Naked Cowboy and East Beach Blondes. She also gave me a free oyster to try - a Wellfleet. They were all fantastic; I couldn't decide which were my favorite.

As soon as I saw whole belly Ipswich clams on the menu I knew we had to order them. They were perfectly fried and delicious.

I ordered the lobster roll, served with fresh hand-cut fries. Per our waitress's recommendation I opted for the chilled New England version - a little mayo and celery - to let the lobster meat shine. This was, hands down, the best lobster roll I've ever had. I've been searching for years for a good version that's mostly lobster meat and I finally found it. Simple perfection. Just look at those huge chunks of meat.

SP got the scallops, which were served with bulgar, sliced peaches, pistachios, tomatoes and an herb-yogurt sauce. I was a bit wary of how everything would come together but this was positively divine. The herb-yogurt sauce really made it for me. SP was gracious enough to give me a whole scallop and I made sure each bite had a little bit of everything on it.

We walked around a bit after dinner, went back to our hotel to watch an episode of Sherlock (have you seen this show? If not, find the time to watch it) and then we ventured back out for gelato at Capogiro. I love that you can sample any flavor you want before ordering. I ended up with the Thai coconut milk and peanut butter, SP got the mocha and Thai coconut milk. We were in heaven.

Restaurant Review: Bhan Thai, Mt. Laurel, NJ

I've mentioned before that I'm taking a weekly circuit training class on Tuesday nights. The instructor runs the session on a 6-week cycle with a week off between sessions. This past Tuesday was our off week, which was perfect because we'd just gotten back from a long weekend in Chicago to celebrate my grandpa's 90th birthday and hadn't been to the grocery store. SP and I decided to meet up near his office for a quick dinner before heading to the store. There are hundreds of restaurants near his office, but it's been awhile since we had Thai food, so we decided to check out Bhan Thai, located in the Cambridge Crossing Plaza in Mt. Laurel, NJ. The Yelp reviews were very positive, so I was excited to try it out.

Since it was a Tuesday the place wasn't crowded, although we weren't alone either. We were seated immediately and given menus. Being me, I'd already looked at the menu online as soon as SP suggested it for dinner and knew what I wanted. We both started with the Tom Kha Soup, mine with chicken ($4.95) and SP's with shrimp ($5.95). As you can see, the portion was huge:


Tom Kha Soup - chicken or shrimps and mushrooms in light coconut broth with a hint of fresh kaffir lime leaf and galangal

The chicken was a little tough, but the broth was incredibly flavorful and chock full of two different kinds of mushrooms in addition to the chicken. We always order Tom Kha Soup when we try a new Thai restaurant (or even when it's an old favorite) and this was, hands down, the best version either of us has ever had. Delicious.

For our entrees, SP decided to get one of the specials, Chu Chee Duck ($18.95), which was in a coconut curry sauce over baby bok choy. He loves duck and usually asks them to make him a masaman curry with duck, but he thought he'd try the special instead:


Chu Chee Duck with curry paste and coconut milk over baby bok choy

It was a gorgeous platter of food and he liked it but wasn't overly excited. I didn't try any of the duck but it looked moist and flavorful. I think he was just jealous of my curry. I got the Chicken Masaman ($12.95) and was thrilled. It was also chock full of chicken and veggies:


Masaman Curry with coconut milk, potatoes, butternut squash, tomatoes, onions, peanuts and avocado

The portions were huge, although for the amount of curry I wished for more rice. We had to ask for another portion of rice with our leftovers and were charged $1 for each. We both enjoyed our meals. Everything was flavorful, cooked well and beautifully presented. And having enough for lunch the next day was a bonus. That never seems to happen when we get Thai food. Other restaurants we visit have much smaller portions, which means no leftovers. Being able to enjoy the curry again the next day was a big plus in my book.

Service was also good. Even though we stuck with ice water our glasses were refilled frequently. Many times I feel like restaurants don't like when customers drink tap water and "forget" to refill glasses unless asked. I had one small complaint and that was with the timing of the food delivery. I try to eat slowly, both so I don't overeat and so I can enjoy the food. As I was slurping up the last of the soup the waitress was putting my entree down on the table. The soup had taken a little longer than expected to arrive and I wished there had been some lag time between the soup and entree.

I have to admit, I'm jealous that SP can visit Bhan Thai for lunch during the week. He works about an hour away from where we live so it's not convenient for us to eat there together often. Maybe someday he'll bring home takeout. If you're local or find yourself in the area I highly recommend this gem.

Bhan Thai
4330 Dearborn Circle
Cambridge Crossing
Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054
Phone 856-234-4202
Fax 856-234-4203
info@bhanthaicuisine.com

Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 11:00AM – 9:30PM
Friday and Saturday: 11:30AM – 10:30PM
Sunday: 12:00PM – 9:00PM
Closed everyday from 3:00PM - 5:00PM

Restaurant Review - Bluecoast Seafood Grill

We had one truly amazing meal while we were on vacation, at a seafood restaurant called Bluecoast Seafood Grill. Everything on the menu sounded amazing and we had a tough time deciding, but the good news is we plan to go back every year when we're down there for vacation.

We shared the Flash Fried Buttermilk Calamari with lemon and warm tomato sauce, which was tender with a crispy coating:


We each got a salad. SP had the Caesar salad with Romaine, Butter Croutons, White Anchovies & Parmesan, which caused me serious plate envy. It was tangy, cold and crispy, with the option of whole anchovies on top:


I had the Spinach salad with Apple, Cranberries, Blue Cheese, Pistachios & Orange-Vanilla Vinaigrette, which was too sweet for my tastes. Thankfully a bite or two of SP's Caesar in between bites of my salad helped tame the sweetness:


As soon as I saw the Seared Scallops with Paremsan Grits, Crawfish Beer Jus & Zucchini Corn Salad on the menu I knew that would be my entree choice. The scallops were beautifully cooked, the grits were creamy and the corn salad provided a burst of summer. I would have drunk the jus if it was socially acceptable:


SP had his eye on the Lobster Cavatapi with Peas, Crisp Prosciutto, Parmesan & Lobster Vanilla Cream. He was practically drooling over the dish, which was full of large chunks of sweet lobster. This was an outstanding dish:


We got desserts, but they were a real disappointment after the incredible meal. I'd recommend skipping it and heading into town to one of the many ice cream stands instead.

The entire meal was wonderful, up until the desserts arrived. The restaurant gets very crowded, especially because they don't take reservations. We had come early because of that (and because of Baby Girl) but by the time we were ready to leave the place was packed. Right after our desserts arrived our waitress appeared, slapped the check down on the table and made it very clear that we should pay and get out. That 30 seconds ruined the other wonderful service we'd had up until that point. And it had been some of the best service I'd ever experienced. Dirty dishes were immediately removed from the table by any member of the wait staff who happened to be nearby. Drinks were refilled quickly and even Baby Girl was taken care of with her cavatappi with butter and cheese and incredible grilled green beans that SP and I couldn't stop eating.

Despite that one service issue I'd still heartily recommend Bluecoast and can't wait to go back next summer.

Carmine's

I was down in Atlantic City, NJ for my work conference recently. The night before the conference began most of the staff went to dinner at Carmine's. They are known for their huge, family-style portions and they don't lie. Look at this stuffed veal chop:


It's like something Fred Flintstone would eat. Yikes! It was delicious, if a little salty. The mashed potatoes were excellent. We also got linguine with seafood in a white wine sauce:


... which was also salty but the seafood was good. By this point we'd also had salad and bread, plus some drinks, so we didn't make so much as a dent in all this food.

Breakfast at Java Moon Cafe

My father and stepmom were in town last weekend so we got together with them, my stepbrother and his wife for the day. There used to be a Java Moon Cafe location closer to where I live, but it closed. I always enjoyed their food and since we were planning to spend the day in the area anyway we ventured out to the remaining location in Jackson, NJ.

I ordered scrambled eggs with ham, moonpotatoes, and toast:


Just look at all that food! Everything was delicious. The scrambled eggs were light and fluffy with the perfect creaminess I rarely find in restaurants. I was expecting a ham steak, but instead I got thin slices of deli ham that had been grilled so there were crispy bits. And the potatoes, oh the potatoes. I usually have bad luck with breakfast potatoes in restaurants, mainly because no one seems to understand that potatoes need seasoning in order to taste good. These were cooked with peppers and onions and were delicious. The toast was sliced ciabatta with a nice smear of butter.

I had an orange juice to drink and was eyeing up the American toast (just French toast) on SP's plate. I snagged one bite but I wish I'd had more. Everyone raved about their meals. It's a shame they're so far away but we've already planned a return trip.

DeLorenzo's

I don't usually write about restaurants on this blog (save for road trips and anniversaries) but in this case I have to make an exception for posterity. DeLorenzo's on Hudson Street in Trenton, NJ has been around since 1947. I've been going here for years, back before my palette had been refined and my idea of good pizza was Pizza Hut. My father used to take me here and I remember sitting in a booth in the back playing with straws as we waited for our food. The first time he took me here he explained that they only serve tomato pie - no salad, no garlic bread, no sandwiches - just tomato pie. For those of you not from NJ, this is not pizza it's tomato pie, as the sign below indicates:


DeLorenzo's used to be a regular haunt for both my father and my mom and stepdad. I can't even count how many times we enjoyed their pies, waiting in long lines that sometimes stretched around the block. This bench provided many with a comfortable place to sit as they waited:


The reason I took these photos is simple - as the atmosphere in Trenton changed over the years restaurants started looking to the suburbs, where most of their clientele lived, to open new restaurants. DeLorenzo's is opening a new store in Robbinsville's Town Center sometime in the next few months. Word around the pizza oven is that the Hudson Steet location will close once the new store gets on its feet. SP and I rarely venture into Trenton to eat these days, so since my parents invited us to have dinner with them last night, I took the opportunity to document what I believe is the quinessential tomato pie experience.

The restaurant is housed in an old, narrow row home:


... and they only serve dinner (no lunch except for call-ahead service on Fridays):


The inside is narrow and it's hard for me to imagine what it once looked like as someone's home:


The oven is in the back with the prep counter in front where the latest generation makes the pies. All the tables are booths except for the large table right in front of the oven that's reserved for parties of 5 or more. I used to love sitting there with my dad and his family because you were right in the center of the action and could watch the pies being made.

The view from the small room in the back:


... shows the soda machine (one of the few places I've been where they have Fanta Birch Beer "on tap") and the cutting station. I was actually shocked to see that they have regular ice cubes now:


... since one of the things I loved about coming here was that their drinks were served with crushed ice. Call me crazy, but I love the texture of the crushed ice.

Here's a pie waiting to be cut and delivered to hungry diners:


We started out by ordering two large pies, the first with half extra tomato and half pepperoni:


... and the second with sausage and sweet peppers:


The crust is super thin so you can eat a lot of pie without feeling full. We polished off these two pies and ordered a third (a small half sausage, half pepperoni) but I was in a tomato pie coma and forgot to snap a picture. Like always, everything was sensational. One of the best things about coming here was leaving with the smell of the pizza oven lingering on your clothes. Hopefully we can make another trip before they close (we've heard early spring 2008) since I know my father is anxious for one last trip, but just in case we don't I've got these photos to remember them by.