The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Philly Edition

[BelgianBeerMistress]

Ok, so I'm doing some restaurant research of New Orleans since my husband and I are going early June for a trip (hooray!). And there was this thread: Best Thing I Ever Ate: New Orleans. It was such a cool way to read about the restaurants worth visiting, as well as the specific dishes they ate as kids or adults.

So....what are the best dishes you ever ate in Philly?

I have to start it off thusly...

Best Burger: Village Whiskey. Get the duck fat fries with the Sly Fox sauce and DUNK YOUR BURGER IN IT.

Best cheesesteak: John's Roast Pork

Best dessert: Creme Brulee, Valanni, New Years Eve menu

Best Salad: Belgian Endive Salad, Blue In Green (sadly closed now)

Best Pasta: Tagliatelle (or is it Papardelle?) with Mushrooms and Pecorino, Melograno

Best Iced Tea: El Rey Sol (little mexi place on South Street years ago)

Best Ice Cream: Bassett's Cinnamon

Ok, I could go on...

Your turn!

[Philly Ray]

Best Pork: The roasted suckling pig at Amada (With all the sides, maybe even the best meal I have ever eaten in Philadelphia)

Best Pork (mini version): Pernil Asado at Amada

Best Pasta: A tie between the Almond Tortellini at Vetri or the Pappardelle with mushrooms at Paradiso

[jaba]

Best sandwich: Gustaio at Paesano's

[JanR]

Best fish: skate with spinach spaetzle at Little Fish, tied with skate with truffle spaetzle and parmesan broth at Fish

Best cheese plate: the generous, from the Italian market, cheese plate at (dear departed) Pif, where they let you choose which cheeses you want (eg. two of the same and another...)

Best dessert: red velvet cake at Golosa

Best bread: the bread they used to serve at Pif from boulangerie artisanal, with the small ramekins of unsalted butter topped with Hawaiian sea salt

Best whole fish: branzino at Meme

Best dessert: blood orange sorbet at Pumpkin

[JanR]

Just realized I posted two best desserts. A tie.

[Tir_na_nOg]

Best bread: Modo Mio

Best cholesterol: breaded bone marrow, seared foie gras and sweatbreads at Bibou

Best BBQ: Carolina-cut pork ribs at Smoke Daddy's

Best crab cake: Smith Island crab cake at Capt'n Chucky's

Best dessert: goat cheese cake at Le Bec Fin

Best offal (my definition): deep-fried shrimp heads at Bluefin

Best pasta: Elysian Fields lamb papardelle at Blackfish

Best pork: Berkshire Pork Belly with Okinawan sweet potatoes at Fond

Best steak: Grilled 31 oz bone-on prime rib at The Prime Rib

Best tasting menu bargain: Monday-Thursday prix fixe Matyson

Best sandwich: burnt ends sandwich at Smoke Daddy's

[asmith]

Best dessert: Osteria's Polenta Budino with gianduia mousse and candied hazelnuts
Best pasta: Osteria's Candele with boar ragu
tied with Melagrano's Papperdelle Tartufate (wild mushroom with truffle oil)
Best Asian apps: Vietnam's Cha Gio
Best bread: Parc Bistro
Best ice cream: Bassett's Vanilla
Best pad thai: Chaaba Thai
Best croissant: Baker Street
Best wonton soup: Cin Cin
Best steak: Blackfish

[JanR]

Even though I already listed two best desserts, I am going to have to revise that. You are correct, asmith, the best dessert IS Osteria's polenta budino. Are they still serving that?

[asmith]

Yes!

[FrancisdeR]

I have to give an emphatic third vote for the Polenta Budino at Osteria's.

[asmith]

PS Best pizza: Lombardi at Osteria

[ladybugthepug]

+1

[barryg]

Best pasta: Osteria, chicken liver rigatoni
Best fried chicken: South Phila Tap Room
Best dessert: Barbuzzo, salted caramel budino
Best fancy pizza: Kennett, porchetta pizza
Best calamari: Bomb Bomb BBQ, calamari & peas
Best octopus: Estia, grilled octopus
Best soup: Hardena, Indonesian chicken soup
Best bar snack (tie): South Phila Tap Room, wild boar tacos
Best bar snack (tie): Royal Tavern, bacon wrapped tater tots
Best slow cooked meat: Zahav, lamb shoulder
Best coffee drink: Ultimo Coffee, cappuccino
Best cocktail: Ranstead room, Penicillin

[Beulah]

Best pasta -- ANY pasta at Vetri, Osteria or Amis
Best pizza -- lombardi pizza at Osteria
Best appetizer -- foie gras at Bibou
Best dessert selection -- pastry cart at Le Bec Fin

[spyturtle008]

Seconding the salted caramel budino at Barbuzzo -- I'd heard so many superlatives about it before going that I was almost tired of hearing about it, but oh, man... It really is all that.

[bluehensfan]

One more vote for the lamb shoulder at Zahav. Aside from the weekly pancake inhalation, it's probably the most memorable thing I have eaten in Philly for a while. It brought back memories of the opening of the Flintstones when the large portion of meat was placed on Fred's car causing it to tip over...

[ladybugthepug]

Michael Solomonov NEVER fails to impress me when I go to Zahav. The difference between the great Philly chefs and a lot of other places? They're in the kitchen.

[barryg]

During my last dinner at Zahav, Solo was definitely not in the kitchen--but it was still stellar. I don't know how much he cooks these days, he seems pretty focused on Federal Donuts.

[ladybugthepug]

Admittedly, I haven't been there in three months (I live in Cleveland). The three times I've been there he's been in the kitchen twice and was in Israel the other time. Don't even talk to me about Federal Donuts. I'm wondering if that spice master guy at Zahav was coming up with the fried chicken breading FD. If my travel schedule wasn't so full for the next few months, I'd definitely be getting in on a long weekend in Philly.

[Delucacheesemonger]

Best steak-Grilled 31 oz, bone in prime rib
Best sandwich-Nick's roast beef, overboard with rabe
Best Jewish sandwich-Hot Pastrami at Hershel's
Best bread-Modo Mio
Best cheesesteak-Chink's
Best burger-Rouge
Best oysters-Long Island Salts at Snockey's
Best restaurant hosts-Charlotte and Pierre of Bibou
Best pork-Pork belly at Cochon

[BelgianBeerMistress]

Yes! Best pork belly is definitely at Cochon.

[Delucacheesemonger]

Sorry there is a new fav pork belly in town, that of The Dandelion. In fact, as of now it is my best Philadelphia dish of 2011. Served on great lentils , get a side of their fab fries.

[cwdonald]

Has anyone had the pork belly at Dandelion this fall? It is definitely back on the menu, served on a bed of cannelinni beans, with duck confit.

[Delucacheesemonger]

Sorry forgot

Best pizza-Tacconelli's

[chefdaddyo]

I live 50 miles north, and get into Philly about six times per year. Last fall, we did some research and ended up at Tony Luke's nearly under rt. 95. I got the roast pork, provolone, and broccoli rabe. It was pretty close to the best thing I've ever eaten! I rarely eat lunch, but had no problem polishing off the entire sandwich. Truly fantastic!

[FattyFatMan]

Best items not yet mentioned

Best fried shellfish: sizzling mussels at Meme

Best slow-cooked meat pasta combo: short rib ragu gnocci at Mercato

Best under-the-radar pork belly: Happy Rooster

Best dessert: Baked Alaska at Butcher and Singer

Best unconventional pizza: Polpo at Osteria

The best non-fried chicken I've ever eaten: Jidori chicken at JG Domestic

Best take on a cheesesteak: Ansill's oxtail "cheesesteak" at Ladder 15

Best comfort food appetizer: cheese-stuffed meatballs at Barbuzzo

[missclaudy]

Best Lyonnaise Salad : Cafe Estelle. HUGE (like 1'x1'x1') house made lardon , tangy sherry vinaigrette, poached egg all atop a pile of frisee. One of the best things I have eaten in Philly ever.
The same salad at Parc paled by comparison.

[BelgianBeerMistress]

Noted. Thanks much. Haven't been there yet.

[missclaudy]

I forgot the delicious cubed fried potatoes which sit on top of the frisee.

[bonappetite]

Thanks for this post....I have been searching for a good Lyonnais salad and you're right, Parc doesn't cut it and even Le Bar Lyonnais is not really what i'm looking for....this may be dinner tonigh!!

[DoubleBurger]

The Combo at Lennys in Feasterville. Fish cake and dog, no bout a doubt it!

[cwdonald]

Good one. Personally I prefer just a dog with pepper hash and spicy brown mustard washed down with a Levi's Black Cherry soda. A taste of nostalgia.

[DoubleBurger]

The Combo has pepper hash. That place is on my list when I fly home in a few weeks, also, Tony Lukes pork sandwich and a hoagie from Sarcones, the Uncle Louis! God I miss Philly!!!!

[Philly Ray]

Try Moe's Hot Dog House on 26th and Washington Ave (right at Grays Ferry Ave). They even have Champ Cherry.

http://www.moeshotdoghouse.com/

[hoffam]

Chili cheese dog, american with chopped raw onion, at Jack Frost in Glenside. Not a Philly staple, but best I've had in the area. Did not expect to be that impressed.

[FayeD]

I didn't realize there was still a Lenny's. I have fond memories of the one on Castor Ave. in the Northeast. That was more than 45 years ago when my friends and I were walking around on the avenue looking for something to do. I wouldn't say it was my favorite ever food - but I definitely liked a hot dog with mustard, pepper hash, and sauerkraut. I will need to check this one out.

[FayeD]

I'm not clear if this is your all time best or best of current places. I will go with my all time best - things I still remember although the places are gone. This post is just dessert.

Best dessert - non ice cream - H&H - Chocolate fudge whipped cream cake. Real whip cream.
Best dessert - plain ice cream - at least this is still around Bassetts vanilla fudge. With some add ons - Three Threes also long gone had a vanilla ice cream with candied chestnuts that was absolutely delicious.

[sylviag]

I'm finally getting around to this great thread:

Best cold cucumber soup: Nan

Best foie gras: Bibou

Best pizza: Taconneli's

Best chicken liver appetizer: Davios

Best bread: Parc

Best dessert: Coconut custard pie at August (not always on the menu)

Best dessert runner up: many things at Matyson

Best mixed fries: Good Dog

Best Guinea hen: Vetri

Best veal filets: Tre Scalini

Best sandwich: Roast Pork at John's (it's been a while)

Favorite Caesar salad: Yang Ming

Best pastas: Can't do it. Love Vetri, Le Virtu (lemon), and too many others.

Thanks for listening!

[Cheesesteak]

Best app: the wontons in chili oil at Han Dynasty. I could eat a million of those things.

[Sensuous]

Michael Symon chose the pasta tasting menu at Vetri, declaring it to be his favorite restaurant in the country.

“If I had to go to one place for pasta, I would go to Vetri in Philadelphia, my favorite restaurant in America. I’ve never had a pasta there that is anything less than the best pasta I ever ate. [...] Marc’s pasta is breathtakingly perfect.”

http://www.uwishunu.com/2011/10/video...

[DaisyM]

Best Salad: Koo Zee Doo's chopped salad with red wine coriander vinagrette
Best Lamb: Zahav's roasted shoulder
Best Bread: Parc
Best Potatoes: LaCroix's fried potatoes with fleur de sel (at brunch)
Best Fried Chicken: Until I get to Federal Donuts, I'm still loving Popeyes.

[Bashful3]

Best Oysters//Best Steamed Seafood: The Huge Oysters at Taste Queen, NE PHilly, Krewstown Shopping Center: Steamed with light soy sauce, ginger and scallion.

[InSearchOfTacos]

zahav has been mentioned numerous times for their lamb shoulder, which i have not had. their halvah mousse, which i recently just had again (not sure how long its been back on the menu) is easily my favorite dessert ever.

[buggysmom]

my favorite food of all time in Philadelphia is:
Best Pasta Chicken Liver Rigatonia @ Osteria!!!