633859 Sat Jul 04 05:36:33 -0700 2009 24 15 Pennsylvania 0 4828832 hi philly hounds!!! i've missed this board & all my favorite restaurants so! i've been away for the last 3 months (the story of why can be found on a recent thread within my chow profile... been on an asia chow tour!), and i'm returning on july 9th to hopefully a whole new dining scene (and hopefully my old favorites, too)... i know that specifically, in northern liberties where i am, a ton of stuff has opened recently in the piazza which i have not yet seen since midway through its construction. and i think i heard word about a diner, the silk city beer garden, and an asian place? what's new in philly the past few months? most importantly what's good? (sorry, i just can't seem to get through the 1,000,000 pages of posts since i left off so i'm lazily asking you all to summarize it for me!!!) where should my first few new-place meals be? for sure, i'll be making the rounds of my old favorites... i'm making a reservation for the first sunday available at little fish, dragging a friend or two to melograno and modo mio and the prohibition taproom and interviewing potential roommates over brunches at the standard tap and north third. oh, man, and a proper coffee at higher grounds... oooh i'm so excited!!!! happy 4th!! Sat Jul 04 05:36:33 -0700 2009 13386 rabidog 1 4828920 I don't have any city news to report, but want to wish you a safe journey home. Welcome back! Sat Jul 04 06:27:23 -0700 2009 4828832 163011 crazyspice 1 4829213 If the 'diner' you're thinking of in the Piazza is Darling's, don't bother, it's not good. Far and away the best place that's opened in the last 3 months is Bibou, a french BYOB in the space formerly occupied by Pif, run by the former executive chef of Le Bec-Fin and his wife. Some other new places include Noble (very good, but not fantastic), and the reopened Sansom Street Oyster House (it's just 'Oyster House' now, but it's still on Sansom). Sat Jul 04 09:10:35 -0700 2009 4828832 29811 Buckethead 1 4829732 My friend visted the swift half and liked it alot in terms of decor/ beers/ etc She didn't eat or see the menu. However, I personally have issue with the Piazza. It 100% feels like a college campus and not in a good way. Sat Jul 04 13:57:31 -0700 2009 4828832 157661 hollyd 1 4839183 Hey rabidog, welcome home! Your trip looked amazing. You definitely need to get to Bibou - getting raves from all corners. I have heard mixed reviews of Noble and only good things about the Oyster House. In the Italian Maket is Bebe's - NC style BBQ, and my understanding is that their sides are vegetarian. There is also an Argentinian - something place about to open in the Italian Market. I haven't been to the Silk City beer garden, but Rick Nichols wrote about it a week or so ago and it is definitely on my to do list. Mixed info on the Piazza, but I understand Bart Blatstein insisted that most places open on the same day and folks just weren't ready - there is Swift House which is run by the Good Dog folks which seems to be the most promising spot. Little Fish, Standard Tap, No. 3rd have all kept there standards up while you were away. Enjoy! Wed Jul 08 07:39:33 -0700 2009 4828832 76938 Bigley9 2 4839773 Yeah I'd second Bebe's. Skip that awful Q place in Old City though, and salivate at the prospect of what is opening where Crescent City was this fall... And now there are four Capogiro's and three Naked Chocolate Cafes (does anyone eat there anymore?) to choose from. Wed Jul 08 10:23:50 -0700 2009 4839183 12572 bluehensfan 1 4859954 thanks for the warm welcome!! it's GREAT to be back in philly. i've spent the past few days hosting my dad who's visiting from DC, and we've spent the past few days walking around non stop, taking in all the new places and noticing what's closed. otolith on girard seems to have vanished. and in that former let's wok/el wingador/curbside chef place there is a new pizza joint with a fancy name. in between jetlag naps i've managed to make it out to a few old favorites that i was craving: govinda's, pagoda noodle cafe, cafe lift... working on the rest... i also went to the new beer garden at silk city, and it's pretty decent! cool space definitely. had the flounder sandwich which was great. ahhh deep fried fish (also what i'm planning on ordering whenever i make it up to swift half)... i have missed you so!!! Wed Jul 15 04:28:56 -0700 2009 4828832 13386 rabidog 2 4859996 One word (IMHO): Bibou Wed Jul 15 05:00:16 -0700 2009 4859954 213056 mlplyons 3 4860192 hahah it sounds like it's due for a visit!!! what's great there? BYOB ? Wed Jul 15 06:36:09 -0700 2009 4859996 13386 rabidog 4 4860374 pig trotters stuffed with foie gras and yes, BYOB. the warm and charming service makes it even more enjoyable! Wed Jul 15 07:25:50 -0700 2009 4860192 13076 urbanfabric 5 4860526 I would agree. Wed Jul 15 08:08:54 -0700 2009 4860374 213056 mlplyons 5 4860585 I'm pretty sure rabidog is vegetarian, even if not I'd warn all but the most enthusiastic meat-eaters to think twice before ordering the pig trotter. The texture is very gelatinous. Luckily the whole menu is delicious, but there isn't much (if anything) on it that's vegetarian, and precious few pescatarian options. Wed Jul 15 08:24:34 -0700 2009 4860374 29811 Buckethead 6 4861474 Even though it's not on the menu, Chef Pierre will make vegetarian dishes upon request. He can also accomodate gluten free, vegan, and all standard food allergies (garlic, nuts, shellfish, etc.). You don't need to give them advance notice, but it's always helpful because it gives Pierre more time to think about what to make. Pierre will also accomodate special requests in general with enough notice; I had requested softshell crabs, and Pierre prepared a truly extraordinary dish. I'd go one step further than the others here - I would argue that Bibou is the best overall French dining experience in Philadelphia when you consider the talent in the kitchen, the quality of the ingredients, the extremely reasonable prices, and BYOB. Wed Jul 15 12:43:57 -0700 2009 4860585 109393 Mr_Pickles 6 4869996 Oops! So sorry . . . . Sat Jul 18 10:02:32 -0700 2009 4860585 213056 mlplyons 1 4860462 New German "Beer hall" called Brauhaus Schimtz opened on South St. to mixed reviews. I haven't been there yet, but their menu and beer list look promising http://brauhausschmitz.com/ Wed Jul 15 07:50:21 -0700 2009 4828832 186590 Chefmonty 2 4870127 Thumbs up to Brauhaus Schmitz. It's exactly what the Philly beer scene has been missing: Great selection of multiple lager styles on draft in one location. Thanks Sat Jul 18 11:22:50 -0700 2009 4860462 26180 Chinon00 1 4860862 Leila Cafe - new FANTASTIC middle eastern place on 13th and Pine. Best falafel in center city. Wed Jul 15 09:46:36 -0700 2009 4828832 282621 jaba 2 4861109 Better than Mama's? Wed Jul 15 10:53:04 -0700 2009 4860862 281736 barryg 3 4861272 definitely better than Mama's. Okay, so I haven't had the truck yet, so I can't say that it's better than that. I'll qualify my statement to say best convenient falafel in center city. Wed Jul 15 11:46:57 -0700 2009 4861109 282621 jaba 4 4865679 goodness! this i must try!!! i did notice leila while walking around the other day and the menu looks fabulous. unfortunately i'd just consumed a govinda's hoagie ten minutes prior and was unable to indulge! did anyone notice the south st mama's now goes by a different name? menu looks the same... new owners or same? Thu Jul 16 16:57:37 -0700 2009 4861272 13386 rabidog 5 4866037 South St Mama's is now Chickpeas. And it's not good. Thu Jul 16 19:34:06 -0700 2009 4865679 282621 jaba 5 4866338 Different owners and as far as I know it is no longer Kosher. Thu Jul 16 22:11:11 -0700 2009 4865679 281736 barryg 2 4861193 Better than the truck?! Wed Jul 15 11:21:26 -0700 2009 4860862 17410 Ali 1 4865852 p.s. was it just me, or has the reading terminal market undergone some SERIOUS changes the past couple months?! i almost couldn't find the smoothie place the other day, it looked so different. i almost panicked that it was gone. Thu Jul 16 18:07:26 -0700 2009 4828832 13386 rabidog 2 4866981 The Pretzel place changing and the expanded candy/nut store change that end, then the Rick's Steaks area being prepped for FFFarms, something else too but I am drawing a blank, yeah, it has changed alot. And since we're talking about it have you seen this: http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/seasonalcooking/farmtotable/farmersmarketmenus Fri Jul 17 07:35:53 -0700 2009 4865852 76938 Bigley9