The Sidecar Bar & Grille
22^nd and Christian Street
Philadelphia, PA
www.thesidecarbar.com

Philadelphia has incredible neighborhood pub food and The Sidecar Bar & Grille is no exception. The bar builds itself on having "cozy fare and American craft beer", and indeed it has both.  It also boasts excellent, not-to-be-overlooked daily specials on both the beer and food. 

On the night we visited, all drafts were on special for $3.50 and a table was available immediately in the dark, intimate pub.  We did have to wait a while for our delicious IPAs and wheat brews, which arrived ice-cold and potent after what seemed like eternity. (I remember thinking, "I'm going to lay down and DIE if I don't get drink soon.")  But, I'm here to tell you about it, so perhaps the beers arrived more speedily than my impatient thirst originally indicated.

The Sidecar offers a sophisticated, creative menu with a sense of humor. One of the popular appetizers are the fries dubbed "Formerly-Known-As." Apparently, the restaurant can't call crabfries by the oh-so-Chickie's-&-Peet's trademark "crabfries" name.  As a result, they've pulled a Prince, and since they're using real crab, we're more than willing to let it go.

We tried the oven roasted chicken, the steamed PEI mussels, and the Faux Sloppy Joe. The chicken was moist and savory in au jus sauce, served with truffle mashed potatoes. The mussels were tender, grit-free, and flavored nicely with fresh fennel. The Faux Sloppy Joe consisted of tempeh and tofu and was indeed sloppy, salty, and delicious. The bill for the three of us, including multiple beers and entrees, came to a reasonable $65.

The cozy Sidecar now offers a brunch menu on Saturdays and Sundays that's as extensive as their daily dinner fare.  For beer lovers, there's an eclectic, constantly-rotating selection of craft and microbrews.  

The Sidecar certainly has a ton of cuisine to try out, whether you're looking for "food for the hands," just a "lil' sumptin' sumptin'," or a taste of some real "sweet stuff."  The fact is this neighborhood gastropub is a lil' sumptin' sumptin' good.

The P.O.P.E.
The Pub On Passyunk East
1501 Passyunk Ave.
Open daily, 11am-2am
pubonpassyunkeast.com

Located on the corner of Dickinson and East Passyunk in trendy South Philly, the POPE has a hipster vibe that's nicely balanced by local clientele. The space itself is large, big enough to accommodate the hipsters, the regulars, and a mishmash of urbanites and out-of-towners.

The superb jukebox rocks the place with quality tunes (from the Misfits to Townes Van Zandt), and a huge flat screen shows the nightly sporting event.  The POPE's a bit dim, but the atmosphere is laidback and welcoming, and after a few craft beers from their extensive collection, it feels like you could stroll up to any table and strike up that easy, insta-friendship that a good pub ought to offer.    

The food is solid gastropub fare, often venturing into heady territory with solid vegan/vegetarian options.  I had a veggie burger that didn't try to be a meat substitute (hallelujah), but instead was loaded with pureed and julienne-cut veggies, creatively bound with buckwheat ($8.50). The menu also features items that play on the POPE's religious theme, such as "The Trinity," which is a trio featuring hummus, a spinach-and-artichoke dip, and eggplant caviar served with pita ($8). Other standards include the regular or vegan nachos ($7), the meatloaf with buttermilk mashed potatoes ($10), and the fish and chips ($8). For vegetarians, there's the seitan, "wheat meat" cheesesteak ($8.50), or the tofu skewers with red peppers and pineapple, served with a soba noodle salad ($10).  For late night munchies, the kitchen is open until 1AM, and enticingly, the POPE now offers Sunday brunch. 

The POPE's beer selection (including 14 drafts) is impressive, and the bartenders and staff are outstanding.  They know everything about the menu and beer, and their service is quick, friendly, and competent.  On a recent outing there, the beer list was out-of-date but the tattooed bartender took care of us, patiently diagnosing our tastes and letting us sample beer after beer until we found the one we wanted.

In short, the POPE is a hit for all types.  Good people, good beers, and delicious food. It won't be long before I return to the altar of the POPE.

If you've ever dreamt of graduating from cooking for friends and family to tutelage under the, ahem, "watchful" eye of chef Gordon Ramsay, then today is your lucky day. Ramsay is looking for a select number of talented amateur chefs for the opportunity to become a MasterChef!

Ramsay will challenge and coach contestants to new culinary heights, but isn't afraid to speak his mind. If you've got a thick skin and special talents, this may be your chance to shine.

For those in the New York area, simply fill out the application at Fox.com/casting and make your way to Sur La Table in Manhasset this Sunday, January 10th, where they'll be holding auditions between noon and 5 pm. Don't forget to bring your best - judges will be expecting one prepared dish to be served at room temperature. You'll be given the opportunity to plate your dish there, but you are responsible for any utensils or other materials that you may need.

If you've got any questions, you can send them over to MasterChefNewYork@gmail.com. Good luck everyone!

Unless you're abstaining from alcohol completely this New Years Eve, it pays to drink smart. An oxymoron, I know. One can always try. Here are a few ideas.

Tip #1 - Pace Thyself

The most obvious and the most often ignored rule of any prolonged New York New Year's Eve Party, proper pacing is essential to ensure that when midnight comes around you’re kissing your date/stranger of choice/whoever, not hugging a toilet in New York City.

Tip #2 - The Bottle Is For the Whole Table

Bottle service: always a good idea. Doing shot after shot after shot while your friends are out on the dance floor living it up: don’t. Not only is it a bit rude, it’s also a guaranteed way to have people start saying, “Wow, what happened to that guy?”

Tip #3 - Water

Superstitions about drinking water on NYE being bad luck abound, but a glass or two of plain ol’ H2O here and there can help you make sure you aren’t the first to go home.

Tip #4 - Eat Sensibly Before You Start Drinking

Indulge in a fatty piece of pizza, small steak, or al pastor taco before you head out. The fat will help your body cope with all the booze to come. Carbs will help keep your blood sugar high for hours to come. Yes, it’s a holiday. No, it’s not Thanksgiving, so keep portions sensible. If you’re going to a formal dinner, constantly refilling wine glasses and cocktails can make it difficult to tell how much you’re actually drinking, so try to keep track.

Tip #5 - Quality Over Quantity

It’s a celebration, so celebrate New Years Eve! Take the chance to be classy. After all, you probably didn’t get all dressed up just to drink the same thing you were drinking back in college.

Looking for the best NYE Parties? Check out 6-Hour Open Bar Amnesia New Years Party.

Have fun, stay safe, and have a happy hangover!

Consider yourself warned: bubble guts and long lavatory visits will be the consequence of negligent champagne and wine selections. Don't be a victim. Instead, on New Year's Day 2010 you should be feasting on black-eyed peas, watching football and maybe even sifting through some bills. The toast on New Year's Eve, which officially brings in the New Year, traditionally marks the unmitigated totality and culmination of the year as well as the climax of the evening. Therefore, mustn't we honor this occasion appropriately? For just this one night, abandon the Andre and ditch the Sutter Home, because tonight, your taste is held to a higher standard. Here are a couple new world suggestions to help guide you.

New Year's Eve Wines

Although all of the Scholium Project wine varieties are new, hip and upcoming among this community and will be sure to satiate your palate, we've chosen the Babylon Tenbrick Project Petite Sirah from the Suisun Valley Vineyard in California as this year's landmark selection. Pour this fierce 2004 vintage throughout the night and an air of class and fun will ventilate your atmosphere.

A luxuriously crafted and classic choice for New Year's celebrations is always suitable. That's why we're suggesting the Long Shadows Winery Sequel 2006: a polished and precisely textured Syrah with pure class and contemporary innovations. Based out of Washington, this winery from the Columbia Valley competes with even the most acclaimed winemakers, the definitive preference for traditional celebrations.

Quintessa Red Wine 2001, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, is a signature variety with beauty and flair. Instead of intensifying your New Year's Eve experience to the extreme, relax, enjoy, and sip on this refined choice. What better way to rejoice than with this sophisticated and mature blend?

New Year's Eve Champagnes

When making that ever so anticipated toast, make sure your glass is not too full and without a doubt, sparkling! Bringing in the 2010 New Year denotes the end of one  decade and the beginning of another. Before a midnight kiss, a toast to this epoch is customary. Fill your flutes with Perrier Jouet Fleur de Champagne Rosé 2002, grab a handful of confetti, and live in the moment!

Sip the lesser known, yet equally elegant Domaine Ruinart Brut Rosé to begin 2010 with élan and style. We suggest casual sipping of this powerful and persistent selection, paired with creamy and decadent flavors.  Cheers!

A flagship of new age champagnes, Krug Grande Cuvée Brut, is another of our recommended flute fillers. Highly rated with sweet style and complex, refined depth, this gem alone is toast-worthy by itself. Feel an exclusive confidence in your celebration drink and raise your glass high!

Royal Tavern
937 East Passyunk Ave
215-389-6694
www.royaltavern.com

The warm red walls of the Royal Tavern and the lively crowd that can be found there on a Tuesday night usually make this Bella Vista pub a great place for an early dinner. It also has a wide selection of vegetarian and vegan specials, which I appreciate as a health-conscious, vegetarian-leaning diner. During previous visits, the Royal has made me bow to its popcorn served warm with truffle butter ($3) and to its yummy triple cheese grilled sandwich ($6). However, on my recent visit, the neighborhood pub was definitely having an off night. 

The pub is known for an impressive beer selection, and it had one of my companion's first choices: Russian River. But it was too pricey to actually order. I chose to drink the wine that had the most descriptive ink on the menu, an Austrian red, which unfortunately had the complexity of grape juice.  

I ordered the fish and chips that were one of the many nightly specials, but the chips were soggy, the batter on the fish was too thick, and the fish itself tasted musty -- musty like it had been in a damp basement for a few years. The meal came with grilled corn on the cob that looked beautifully scored with char marks and slathered with herbs, but it was chewy. My companion ordered the vegan mushroom soup, which had a dark, rich, and meaty broth. However, we had to ask for a spoon twice.  

After a long wait, our plates were finally cleared by a waitress who pointedly remarked that she was not our waitress. She then dropped a fork, and proceeded to kick it to the clearing station. Hardly royal service. 

The Royal has been good in the past. Its menu is loaded with creative regular dishes and specials, and it features an excellent beer selection. A lively, interesting crowd usually fills the comfortable neighborhood space, but it remains to be seen whether I experienced a one night flub or witnessed a monarchy in decline.  

Oyster House
1516 Sansom St.
Philadelphia, PA 19102-2811
215-567-7683
www.oysterhousephilly.com

The Oyster House offers daily buck-a-shuck oyster specials from 5-7pm, and the staff will deliver a beautiful description of the selection's attributes. The restaurant's open, airy space is reminiscent of coastal skies given its palette of grays and white, and the sparkling clean bar made of repurposed marble is a good spot to watch the oyster shucking, check out the after-work Center City crowd and sample the tastes of the sea.

Because oysters filter 30-50 gallons of water each day, they take on the flavor of their geography. For people who grew up near coastal waters, eating an oyster can be like a visit home. If you're from the West Coast, try an oyster that tastes of pine forest and rain. I myself always want the essence of my home place: New England. The flavor of the Northern Atlantic is rich in Wellfleet oysters-straight-up-the-nose brine. The fruits of another New England state, Maine, are also offered regularly at the Oyster House. The Pemaquids were icy cold, deliciously salty, and rich with mineral taste, while the Wellfleets' flavor is tempered by Cape Cod marsh.

The Oyster House has a solid geographic base to choose from. You could try several fruits of Jersey's coast, or some cooked, spicy "oysters Espanol". The raw oysters are served beautifully and simply on white plates heaped with ice, and there are plenty of other cooked items to choose from on the menu -- from grilled lobster to a full clam bake.  But eating raw oysters is a little like going to a backyard garden, plucking a tomato fresh from the vine, and taking a juicy bite under the sun. It's immediate, direct, unadulterated and even a bit mysterious.  You might even find a pearl.

Popular Philadelphia restaurateurs Steve Cook and Michael Solomonov of Xochitl and Zahav have taken on Texas at their new Percy Street Barbecue. Fitting right in on leather-heavy South St., this new Texas-style barbecue house prides itself on authenticity. After a trip down South for research, Cook and Solomonov returned to Philly determined to bring that Southern hospitality and finger-lickin barbecue back to the City of Brotherly Love.

The music is slow, the seating is old church pews and the food, served family style, is hearty. The meats, seasoned in dry rub are slow cooked over wood, served dry, with a tangy and slightly spicy barbecue sauce on the side. The brisket, the signature item on the menu, is served ranging from very lean to moist to burnt, depending on preference. Other meats include barbecue classics such as spare ribs and chicken, while the more adventurous diner may choose the pork belly, an especially moist and tender cut of meat, with heavy marbelization. All meats are served either by the half pound ($10-13) or by the pound ($17-23) and are accompanied by white bread, pickles and onions. Side dishes also come family style in small ($3-6) or large ($6-10) portions and include such Southern favorites as collard greens, macaroni and cheese and potato salad. The food at Percy Street is simple yet flavorful, and above all adheeds to that golden Texas standard of both simplistic quality and enthusiastic quantity.

Cocktails are limited to a few Southern specialties, which incorporate peach juice, sweet tea and lemonade. Six beers are on tap and are served individually in handled Mason jars, or by the half gallon or gallon.

Percy Street offers a full on sensory experience that goes far beyond the food. But a no-frills, home-style meal never hurt anyone, and if you're hankering for some true Southern hospitality this side of the Mason-Dixon line, then you've come to the right place. 

Percy Street Barbecue
900 South St.
215-625-8510
www.percystreet.com

Tonight, we’re planning to experiment with something new, kiddies. Its name is Spike Your Juice. Actually, scratch that…we’ve nicknamed it the Jesus Juice Experiment. Think of it as juice that starts off sweet and turns into a tangy, refreshing alcoholic drink. A popular European favorite that has made it all the way to the NoHo Lofts for an inquisitive group of amateur mixologists to taste test. Natural fermentation in an easy-to-use packet! Bacchus must be smiling. What more can we ask for to start an adventurous night?

A great conversation piece: what the heck is in that packet that was only available during harvest time until now? We learn that yeast, organic evaporated cane juice and emulsifier make up this magical powder. We read the simple-looking directions. It’s a three step process. Starts with a basic 64 oz bottle of your favorite juice and presto! Champagne-like alcohol.

The first step is to grab a 64 oz bottle of your favorite minimum sugar juice, although best results mandate you use grape, cranberry or pomegranate. The juice should be unfiltered, not artificially sweetened and not refrigerated. The second step is to Spike Your Juice with the packet provided. Half way done gang, and here’s a fun fact: Federal law permits making 100 gallons of beer or wine per year for personal use and not for resale.

Next fill the provided Airlock bottle with water and seal with a Rubber Stopper. One last step and we’re almost there. Final step… wait 48 hours. Wait? What? Bacchus stops smiling. You want a stronger and dryer taste? Wait longer. Apparently fermentation doesn’t rush for anyone. A regular work in progress that one.

The motto is “Make it the way YOU like it.” We tend to like our booze fast. After staring at the concoction for 45 minutes, we wanted our instant alcohol. Our hostess suggested we get a chemist on speed dial. Stat!

A trip to the market and three bottles of red wine later, we were still transfixed by how we could speed up the process. We stared at the bottle intently. Who knew natural fermentation was so interesting? Was that a bubble in the air locked water? Something is happening.

Questions led to more questions. Are you supposed to leave it out? Or put it in a fridge? What if we just do it now? What if we just…add alcohol?

The hostess couldn’t locate a chemist and decided to go commando. She poured all 6 packets in the juice. Encouraged by any form of speedy progress, I assisted her. The others dismissed our rash impulses. There was nothing more left to do but wait.

FORWARD: Two Days Later…
Some members of the original group were present. Others had things to do or were done with the magic of fermentation. Our concoction had been juggled around so much that it was sticky due to getting dropped, thus, the Airlock got a bit of oxygen. However, we were down to taste, and taste we would.

The end result was quite delicious and refreshing, albeit the fizziness, bubbles, and a good buzz. Was our inept mismanagement of the specific directions the culprit? Final consensus, the experiment was a fun night for all involved. If the Europeans have the patience to figure it out, then we can make Bacchus smile again in Noho.

Suggested time for use of product: long weekends or a very long date.

I am an Englishman. I am an Englishman who likes his food. Therefore I am in a perfect position to discuss something very important to me: The English Breakfast.

The English Breakfast is the cornerstone of British society. Wars have been fought as a result of it. General Bernard Montgomery requested a full English every day he was planning the Normandy invasions during World War II. It’s said that Oliver Cromwell became very specific about how his black pudding was to be cooked while he was spear-heading the English Civil War. When Mary Shelley, John Polidori and Lord Byron retired to their country manor for a weekend of ghost stories (resulting in The Vampyre and Frankenstein), they had culinary chefs prepare a smorgasbord of full English Breakfast trimmings.

With such a rich history, the Full English Breakfast is an art form unto itself. Many restaurants, hotels, bars and pubs across this fine city have purported to do a real full English, but none as far as I can tell have succeeded in getting it completely right. So let me educate one and all as to what defines a real Full English Breakfast.

You will need the following. Please note, all ingredients are minimums, and can be extended if so desired, but nothing can be omitted:

2 sausages – pork is always best in this case.

3 slices of fatty bacon – not too crispy

2 eggs – normally fried sunny side up, but scrambled is an acceptable substitution

Handful of button mushrooms

1 can of baked beans (Heinz is always a winner here)

1 tomato – sliced in half and fried

3 hash browns

2 pieces of buttered toast

1 thick slice of black pudding – this is fried pigs blood wrapped in intestines, and is an essential element.

So there you have it. When I find a restaurant that serves all of that, I will spread the news far and wide. Until then, it is my humble opinion that you cannot advertise a full English breakfast if you don’t have the ingredients.

Just a little rant from a hungry Englishman. Excuse me, I'm off for lunch.

Pizzeria Stella, Stephen Starr's newest restaurant in Society Hill presents itself as a traditional Italian dining experience. Consistent with many of his other restaurants, the theme is a strong influence on not just the food and drink but the atmosphere. The restaurant is centered around a large wooden oven where deliciously crusty pizzas are quickly passing in and out. Long banquet tables and smaller, more private enclaves fill out the room.

The menu is simple, naturally focusing on gourmet pizzas, but with many great surprises for antipasti and insalata. The Lentil Ragu ($6), a thick warm stew with the tasty combination of sweet sausage and green lentils with a tomato base, is perfect for a chilly fall evening. The Arancini rice balls ($7) are perhaps the most accurate Italian recreation on the menu, and these cheesy, fried delights are also one of the larger appetizers. The Roasted Beet and Arugula ($7) and the Grilled Radicchio ($9) salads are two tasty alternatives to the traditional insalata.

The pizzas at Stella are made to be individually portioned. However, at 12 inches they are easily split among two. They have a smoky and hearty appeal, with a thick crust around the outside and a thin crust in the middle. They can be somewhat hard to navigate, with a thin bottom and heavy on the toppings, but the original mix of flavors makes it worth the greasy fingers. The menu selection ranges from the classic Margherita ($13) with buffalo mozzarella to the unexpected Tartufo ($17) topped with black truffle, fontina, egg and parmesan or the Vongole ($17), which incorporates clams, garlic, parsley and scamorza cheese (similar to mozzarella), and made with cow's milk, atop a sauceless pizza.

Don't forget to try the homemade gelato ($4) for dessert. While it isn't the most authentic part of the Stella experience, leaning more towards creamy ice cream than the lighter traditional Italian variety, it is still a good way to end the meal, served in a variety of flavors and with biscotti.

The wine selection stems from various regions of Italy. House Wines are a steal at $5.50 a glass, with the rest of the wine list working up from $7.50 to $10 dollars a glass. Bottles are also available starting at $33 dollars. Stella's beer list also sports a few of the most popular Italian beers, Peroni and Birra Morretti, as well as local favorites.

Delicious food, fine wine and reasonable prices. What can I say? Stephen has done it again.

Pizzeria Stella
420 S 2nd St.
215-320-8000
www.pizzeriastella.net

Remember, remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot
I see no reason, why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot

Every year, all across England on November 5^th, fireworks light up the night sky, and giant effigies of Guy Fawkes are burned in celebration of the discovery of the gunpowder plot attempt. It is a family-and-friends orientated event, which holds many fond memories for me from my earliest childhood. Mulled wine is drunk, and all across the major cities, stalls set up for the night, selling winter-warming pies and ales.

The story itself is an exciting one, filled with deceit, treason, murder and gruesome torture. It was popularized by the Hollywood movie V for Vendetta in slightly dramatized form.

The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 was an attempted assassination of King James I and the British Parliament. The plan, set in motion by a group of Catholic rebels, was to overthrow the then Protestant Government, and have it replaced by a more tolerant, pro-Catholic one. The most famous conspirators were Thomas Wintour, Robert Winter, John Wright, Christopher Wright, Robert Keyes, Thomas Percye, and Thomas Bates.

In the early 17^th Century, the Palace of Westminster embodied a cluster of buildings, situated around both the Houses of Parliament and the Royal Courts of Justice. In 1604, Thomas Percye, who had recently been appointed to be a member of the King’s Bodyguard, was able to lease a space next to the famous House of Lords. The plan was to tunnel from the adjacent building under Parliament, and lay the explosives there. However, later the same year, a coal-storage bunker directly beneath the House of Lords became available. From then on, Guy Fawkes assisted the plotters by providing barrels of gunpowder which were carefully hidden beneath the building. As a result of the Black Plague, which struck England in 1604, the opening of Parliament was continuously delayed, until a date for late November was set. By this point, the traitors had managed to fill the basement with thirty-six barrels of gunpowder, which, had they all been ignited, would have created an explosion large enough to destroy all the surrounding buildings with the Westminster Palace, and cause severe structural damage to buildings up to a kilometer away.

The downfall of the plot began when some of the conspirators worried about fellow Catholics who may be in attendance at the opening of Parliament. The downfall of the plot was most likely a result of a letter sent by Sir Francis Tresham to his brother-in-law, Catholic MP Lord Monteagle. The letter read (in typically flouncy old Englishe) - I advise you to devise some excuse not to attend this parliament, for they shall receive a terrible blow, and yet shall not see who hurts them.

This letter was promptly handed over to the King, who ordered a search of all the buildings within the Palace grounds. The plot was at first abandoned, until Guy Fawkes checked the coal cellar and saw nothing had been discovered. The plan went ahead until the night of November 5^th, when Guy Fawkes was apprehended leaving the cellar, and the gunpowder was discovered.

Upon questioning, Fawkes was direct and honest about his intention to blow up Parliament, but refused to name any other plotters. However, following severe torture, and evidence linked from the letters sent to other prominent Catholics, the following conspirators were arrested shortly afterwards, while trying to incite a revolt in the Midlands.

All the traitors were sentenced to death via a process known as ‘hung, drawn, and quartered’. The convicted person would be hung until weakened, before being cut down. Then, in full public view, the felon’s guts would be disemboweled in front of them, done by a skilled surgeon who managed to keep them alive, just long enough for them to be quartered – have their limbs dismembered before beheading finalized the punishment. It was considered the most brutal of all penalties, reserved for the worst criminals of the time.

Whoever says the British are too formal?

So today I heard some great news. Gordon Ramsay is continuing his tirade of volatile abuse in the US with a remake of British classic cooking show; Masterchef. Ramsay originally became a television sensation when Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares aired in the UK back in 2005. Since then, his amazing personality and penchant for saying f**k regularly (in January of this year Ramsay caused an outrage whenhe  swore 243 times, 187 of them ‘fuck’, in a show lasting just 103 minutes) has made him an international house-hold name.

As an Englishman, half of the appeal is watching a big Scottish lad swear profusely at terrified chefs who have no clue what they’re doing. It’s abusive, and it’s Schadenfreude like never before. F***ing genius. Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares was picked up by the Fox Network in the past, and their success has prompted the network to import Masterchef. I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing the US adaptations, but I know one thing for sure – it’s not going to have the same F'g charisma if censorship laws mean every f***ing swear word has to be f***ing bleeped out. How can you have the F Word without any f***ing swearing? That’s just f***ing stupid. The idea behind the show is taking a handful of amateur chefs, putting them through rigorous challenges (perhaps the most rigorous will be withstanding Gordon Ramsay’s temper), and seeing who has the potential to be a professional. It's not quite Tom Colicchio's quick wit or intense stares. it's a bit more brutal than that, and I can't wait.

Furthermore, Gordon has promised (after his January outburst) not to swear on the US show, for fear it might offend audiences.

Bullshit.

An online study by market researching firm Mindset Media found some interesting correlations between the beer you choose to drink and the personality traits that go along with it.

Mindset described their psychographic findings to Adage.com, and the results fit within many of the established advertising methods these beer companies use, but some were less clear.

A prime example of how beer can be marketed to very susceptible parts of the human psyche, i.e. the ego, is seen clearly in how Michelob Ultra drinkers see themselves. According to the survey, Michelob Ultra drinkers:

“Think highly of themselves and can be a little bit conceited. They care what other people think about them and want to appear perfect. They also tend to be take-charge types with strong opinions, and can even be confrontational. Michelob Ultra drinkers are 43% more likely than the average person to consider sustainability a priority, and 34% more likely to buy life insurance.”

Interestingly enough, that is spot on with their current TV ad. In the video, two young, sexy, corporate exec-types are working hard, then are quickly out running excitedly through the city, and moments later sipping Michelob Ultras at a chic Manhattan rooftop bar surrounded by other beautiful people sipping their energy drink, oh I mean beer. (You can see the ad here)

Mindset Media questioned about 2,500 people through online surveys on their favorite beer and many personality-describing questions relating to how to market to these individuals.

The director behind the survey, John Durant, said that, “he doesn’t just like beer, [he] loves it.” Personally, he drinks Stella Artois, and that means, “I’m a little bit immodest,” he said, “but it also means I’m very open minded, and like to experience new things.”

Craft beer drinkers were found to be social liberals. They separated craft beer from Blue Moon drinkers even though many don’t realize the orange flavored sorority favorite is part of the Coors Brewing Co. but instead that it is an independent brew. Regardless, patrons of both had relatively similar standpoints on most issues. Those that enjoy Blue Moon, and craft beers in general, lean socially liberal and according to the survey if you drink Blue Moon you are “105% more likely to drive hybrid cars, 77% more likely to own Mac laptops, 65% more likely to purchase five pairs or more of sneakers every year, and 32% more likely to not be registered voters.”

Values of beer drinkers and their choice of drink is a tricky business, there is certainly some stigma associated with drinking certain brands of beer, same as there would be for different brands of clothing. Some interesting correlations made in the study included the data that Budweiser is the choice for the practical, sensible, minded. Bud drinkers “are 42% more likely to drive a truck, [and] 68% more likely to choose a credit card with flexible payments.” Coors Light is a tried and true choice, and a drinker is probably more likely to get in a bar fight, and be less creative.

Corona, expectedly, attracts extroverts and people going out to bars a lot. Dos Equis was an interesting case. The Dos Equis ads featuring “The Most Interesting Man In the World” haven’t been around too long, and his catch phrase, “I don’t always drink beer, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis,” matched up perfectly with those who most often drink the double ex.

Of course, an analysis like this does tend toward a chicken vs. egg argument. Has Dos Equis always been the beer of choice for connoisseurs of life, or was that image solely created by Dos Equis? The same of course could be said for Michelob Ultra, and to lesser degrees all beer, although none limit themselves in a market slice as these two.

The full study data will be released shortly on Mindset media’s website.

Fond
1617 E Passyunk Ave.
215-551-5000
www.fondphilly.com

Fond, a two-month-old Passyunk Square restaurant, has had Phillie phoodies abuzz because of its pedigreed creators. Executive chef Lee Styer did his time among the best, at Le Bec Fin, Lacroix, and the Culinary Institute of America. Pastry chef Jessie Prawlucki also hails from Le Bec Fin and the CIA. So, I brought six of the foodiest food lovers I know to dine with me. The question: How would the cuisine of Rittenhouse Square compare in Passyunk Square? 

Put it this way: We started reminiscing about the meal while we were still at the table.  

Fond is all that a neighborhood eatery should be: comfortable, friendly, inexpensive, intimate, and BYOB. Table talk occurs. The waiters are cute. (The chef is even cuter). But Fond is also something that most neighborhood joints are not: Excellent in every way, with food that is superb. 

Three kinds of bread baked fresh that morning were doled out lavishly. Try the rosemary garlic-the flavors are mild and yet saturated. It's kind of hard not to fill up on the bread, but don't, because the bread is just a preview of more goodness to come. Next up was an on-the-house surprise. The taste of mushroom soup was served in a slender glass shooter, the style of which Lacroix diners will recognize. The soup was woodsy, with a nutty heft and nice salt finish. 

For an app, I had the chicken liver mousse ($11). I tend not to be the kind of girl who eats things like chicken liver, but I figured it would be the ultimate test: If I liked it, then I would become much more than fond of Fond. It was delicious. The dish exemplified balance, as the sweetness of the apple, the tartness of the home-made pickles, and the freshness of shaved fennel leavened the dark, meaty richness of the mousse. My favorite starter, however, was the grilled asparagus topped with poached egg, sherry-roasted shallots, and prosciutto ($9). I tasted citrus in the dish, and it was perfectly crisp- a good way to follow the earthy soup and airy bread. Also beautiful: The big-eye tuna crudo ($13). Its vibrant flesh was so tender, you hardly needed to chew.  

Throughout the night our plates were whisked away and replaced simultaneously and unobtrusively -- not an easy feat for a table of seven. Wine was poured discreetly but lavishly. And our entrees were superb. Everyone was happy. I had the night's special: striped bass. Moist, tender, and flakey, the fish was everything it should be, atop a wedge of polenta that boasted a crispy crust and creamy interior. Another piscatorial selection, the pan-roasted monkfish ($20), was amplified by red wine juice and lentils reminiscent of caviar. When another diner couldn't decide on a dish, a little voice from the corner whispered, "get the scallops ($24)..." Perfectly seared, they did not disappoint, while the beef strip loin ($26) with gorgonzola and bordelaise sauce glistened on the plate next to mine. 

The service at Fond is excellent, and each table in the restaurant was cared for in a way that is not typical. The chef checked in with each table. The waiter offered to run out and get me espresso with dessert. And while we are on the topic of dessert, let me suggest that you go to Fond for the dessert alone. One diner felt the passionfruit crepes ($8) were incongruous with the rest of the menu, but my heart belonged to the Irish-coffee frozen soufflé ($9). It was reminiscent of my favorite childhood dessert-mud pie. It came with brown-sugar shortbread that was buttery, crisp, and perfect for dipping into the coffee ice cream. 

This small neighborhood restaurant delivers excellently crafted food in an enjoyable space with charming service. Forget about ratings, forget about stars, forget about Rittenhouse: You won't forget about Fond. (And, unlike its northern neighbor, you don't have to ring that pretentious doorbell to get in...)

Frank
Cusine: Italian
Price Range: $30 to $100 per head

East Village
88 Second Avenue
(between 5th and 6th Streets)
New York, NY 10003
(212) 420-0202

Since my recent move to New York, I have become obsessed with Top Chef. We have cooking shows at home, some classics include ‘Can’t Cook, Won’t Cook’, 'Ready, Steady, Cook!' and the briefly famous (before one died) ‘Two Fat Ladies Ride Again’. Somehow they don’t quite live up to Tom Colicchio, dressed in Italian finest regalia, giving a verbal beat-down to some poor, quivering, sweating mess who tries to argue that their vegetables were blanched properly. I feel that, given the time and proper training, Colicchio could become the most powerful Jedi of all time. Imagine what the elimination process would be like then…!?

That is a digression from my point. Since my fascination with this show, I have become even more of an asinine and pedantic food critic than before. This has resulted in two things happening. I have alienated my original group of friends who used to dine with me, and have found a new group who find my puerile behavior amusing. I am pretty sure my new ‘friends’ are not good for me, but beggars can’t be choosers.

I have also developed a certain mental problem, which is that when it comes to meal time, I completely forget the name or location of any restaurants that I have been meaning to try. Therefore I meander the streets aimlessly, pissing off whoever I’m with, until their impatience drags me into the nearest restaurant. Fortunately, this time round, my dining ‘date’ was my good friend MK, who it should be noted, has not only the patience of a saint, but a vast restaurant database.

This is how we ended up sitting at the bar of Frank on the corner of 5^th and 2^nd Avenue, staring in lust and awe (both of us) at Michael; our red-checked plaid shirt wearing resident bartender/waiter. I think it was the subtle Italian lilt with which he said the word ‘gnocchi’, while simultaneously giving both myself and my dinner guest an intensely smoldering stare is what caused the salivation to start. Frank is the first in a group of three restaurants (Supper, and Lil' Frankie’s) who appeared following the phenomenal popular eatery.

It will be impossible to describe the sensation of the restaurant without describing the physics-defying way in which tables are crammed into this restaurant. While you may never be more than a foot from any other patron, and more often than not, you’ll be less than that, the dimly lit interior and bric-a-brac smothered surfaces are impressive rather than oppressive. From the moment we sat down, it felt as though we were in the middle of a big Italian family dinner, holding our own conversation at the end of the table. Very warm, very comfortable, and very informal.

As is want for any Italian restaurant, the obligatory thick crusted, rustic bread and olive oil comes as a complimentary bite. I don’t know how one eats the olives that are served in the dish of oil, or whether they’re just a superfluous garnish, but the Ciabatta was slightly, and noticeably, burned.

Returning (as I will frequently) to our Michael. Frank is a family run restaurant, and it is clear that you have to be family (or as-good-as, claims Michael) to find the dedication to reel off the dozen or so specials that, quite frankly, create a second menu unto themselves. This means that if you are one of those people used to looking and not really listening to specials, you are likely to miss out on a large portion of what Frank has to offer.

While many at dinner will ask ‘wine?’, both MK and I are much more of the ‘wine not?’ persuasion. It is at this juncture that I must discuss the concept of ‘wines by consumption’. The menu itself cites that Frank (to the best of their knowledge) is the only restaurant to have such a policy, which involves being able to drink as much, or as little as one wants of a bottle of wine, and pay only for what you drink. It is left at your discretion, and measured in ¼ bottle increments. I’m always cynical of such gimmicks, because they are never quite as beneficial to the customer as you first may think. Newton’s fourth law states that if an open bottle of wine sits in front of you, said bottle of wine will quickly be void of its liquid via a process commonly known as imbibing. At first MK and I believed that this policy applied to all the wines on what was an uncommonly extensive list, but it unfortunately only applies to 4 (2 red, and 2 white) rather comfortably priced choices. In an inspired touch, the wines by consumption are rotated frequently to pair well with the seasons and the specials. At Michael’s recommendation, MK and I settled into a bottle of the 2003 Barbara D’asti, which, as most mid-range Italian wines are, was light-bodied, with sweet, earthy notes.

MK and I tucked into a shared bowl of mussels, served in a thick, hearty tomato broth with a touch of fennel tarragon and onions. A regular problem with ordering mussels is that you regularly have to toss a few unopened ones. This wasn’t the case here, which is fortunate, for, despite the large size of the crustaceans, their numbers were limited. A dish that worked better when sopped up with bread than perhaps as a seafood appetizer.

It’s clear that Frank’s reputation precedes itself, and the place defines the very essence of ‘neighborhood family restaurant’ – Michael, with a skill that I find truly enviable, had an anecdote for just about every customer to walk into the bar behind us.

I guess it’s fitting with the Italian dinner table attitude pervading the place that all our dishes came out in a seemingly uncoordinated order. MK’s beet salad came only moments before my halibut, which arrived a good five minutes ahead of the pasta al limone we ordered. The beet salad was over-bearing. Large, thick chunks of beetroot sat unceremoniously atop a plate of greens, and garnished with more lumps of mozzarella, which was decidedly fresh, but altogether too heavy for a side salad or appetizer. Ordering off the menu is a pet hate of mine, but one that I keep to myself for the most part, so when MK ordered a pasta al limone, a very accommodating Michael promised her he would create something for her (cue further blushing). Presentation is clearly not a high priority at Frank, with ingredients placed haphazardly on the plate, but that’s fine. I grew up with a mother who was proud of her ability to cook delicious meals, but admitted that presentation wasn’t her forte. This didn’t matter when the food tasted as good as it did. The ingredients at Frank are all clearly fresh, and the portions are not small, but nothing blew me away. My halibut was refreshing and light, with a perfectly crispy skin. The porcini mushrooms held such a wonderfully delicious flavor, retaining a perfect amount of turgidity, which made up for the fact that the runner beans were too saturated with oil and butter to be a positive compliment to an otherwise light and healthy dish. Also, it is worth noting that at $24 for the dish, the special outprices any of the entrees on the standard menu by a good margin.

My justification in forcing people to be critics is that in today’s fast-paced society, we so often eat for mere sustenance. We have forgotten what it means to taste and enjoy food. However, the inevitable downside is that one becomes too judgmental as a result, finding faults and flaws where they wouldn’t normally. So I will give my opinion on the pasta al limone as so – it was exactly what MK ordered – a plate of spaghetti, with oil and lemon. To me, it is an unimaginably boring, filling dish, without so much as a garnish or any particular flavoring or seasoning. However, as a simple pasta dish, it was quite well cooked. Perhaps a touch on the raw side, but then, is that just me being overly-sensitive?

Michael had no end of time for us and our anarchic musings. His attention was for the most part flawless, and his knowledge of post-meal grappa digestivos was refreshing, albeit perhaps expected from an Italian trattoria. What little space on the walls isn’t taken up with sepia-toned photographs, tarnished smoky mirrors, or a plethora of red wines is reserved for the offer-of-the-day board, which, I was told by one regular patron, is part of the secret allure of the restaurant. The spaghetti meatballs is a warp straight back to the old-country, and should never be passed up.

My biggest concern came two hours after sitting down, when the bill arrived. For two entrees, two appetizers, and a bottle of wine, none of which were spectacular, but all of which were tasty and satisfying, $180 including tip seemed a phenomenal price to pay. For the same price, we could have eaten at just about any restaurant in the city and had a more palate-stimulating meal. It is difficult to decide how I feel about the whole event. If you order cleverly and conservatively, it’s a great place to stop in for a bite to eat, and you can leave feeling good about having eaten a light meal in the winter months. Is Frank a very warm, cosy, intimate atmosphere, perhaps perfect for a date? Yes. Is it worth the price? Perhaps not, especially as I will spend the evening in fear, worrying that when it’s time to leave, I’m walking out alone while my date stays to talk food with Michael.

Natalie Portman has been making headlines recently over her new vegan lifestyle. The cause of her switch from vegetarian to vegan? A new book written by Jonathan Safran Foer titled Eating Animals.

Portman states, “This book reminded me that some things are just wrong. Perhaps others disagree with me that animals have personalities, but the highly documented torture of animals is unacceptable, and the human cost Foer describes in his book, of which I was previously unaware, is universally compelling.”

Foer is a critically acclaimed novelist best known for fiction, but his new book is far from fantasy. Eating Animals delves into the grotesque manner in which animals are raised for food, and the consequences it has on our health and global environment.

In a recent article Foer highlights the incredible volume in which antibiotics are distributed to healthy animals in the United States (17.8 million pounds, compared to the 3 million pounds that are given to humans). Foer explains, “For every dose of antibiotics taken by a sick human, eight doses are given to a ‘healthy’ animal.” The magnitude of antibiotics ironically has deadly results. It allows new strains of bacteria to build resistance and pathogens to mutate- enter swine flu.

Foer notes that in addition to the H1N1 pandemic, the United Nations reported that greenhouse gas emissions as a result of the livestock business is higher than the emissions caused by all forms of transportation combined. And greenhouse gases equal global warming.

The torture of animals is another factor touched on in the book, as Foer equates the production of meat to a horror film. Most interesting is the fact that this comes as a shock to no one. It is general knowledge that the majority of conditions that exist on factory farms are inhumane and sickening. It’s hard connecting those conditions to the clean plastic packaged chicken lining bright supermarket aisles, but it’s a connection that needs to be made. Foer concludes, “When we eat factory-farmed meat, we live on tortured flesh. Increasingly, those sick animals are making us sick.”

I’d recommend the book for anyone interested in the subject, or anyone just curious to see if Eating Animals can convert you too.

We're not sure why UPenn graduate Drew Crockett chose to ditch his job in corporate America and open a West Philly coffee truck, but we're psyched he did. So drop that textbook, quietly exit the library and stroll over to the shiny, red truck parked on the corner of 38th and Spruce for a Hub Bub caffeine fix.

Hub Bub serves coffee and espresso from Portland, Oregon-based Stumptown Coffee Roasters.  Choose from hot and iced coffee, espresso, cappuccinos, lattes, tea, and fresh lemonade.  While you're there, snack on a muffin top, cinnamon roll or chocolate chip cookie.  It's ok, you're stressed out and you'll be walking back to the library.

Crockett's parked beside his alma mater Monday through Saturday from 7am until 5pm.  But don't get your biophysics notes in a bunch, Hub Bub Coffee will be open until 1am during finals week. 

Hub Bub Coffee
38th and Spruce Streets
hubbubcoffee.com

If you'd rather go to bed without your dinner than eat your vegetables, you might think Horizons would send you straight to sleep. But you'd be wrong. In fact, Horizons might just turn you insomniac. Although the vegan eatery's creations exist without meat and dairy, even a veggie hater will want to nosh all night. The variety of selections might even make you rethink tofu. For people who are already veg heads, however, you'll find Horizons to be nothing short of inspirational.

The scent of fresh thyme and rosemary greets you warmly in the cozy downstairs bar. A full bar also awaits upstairs in the lofty dining room, where the tables are dressed in crisp white linens. From the linens to the soothing, neutral-toned walls, lazily spinning ceiling fans, and intriguing water sculptures, each element of the décor both complements and contrasts in perfect measure. The flavors and texture of the cuisine accomplish the same.

Never before have you had parsnips as they are meant to be, until you've tried Horizons' Truffled Puree of Parsnip Soup with seaweed caviar and chives. The reasonably priced $8 appetizer will delete from memory evil Aunt Madge's Thanksgiving parsnip & carrot casserole. Instead, the creamy soup has a nutty bite and tang of salt, complemented with the spike of onion. Try the Mushroom Plate ($20) to accompany it; an elegant, vegetarian version of steak and potatoes. The portabella mushrooms are grilled to woodsy, meaty perfection served atop smoked eggplant mash, with earthy chanterelles and sweet creamed corn.

The patrons are apt to be as interesting as the food. You might see a family of five with three children arranged in order of height around a long table; the teenaged boy feverishly texts between his Salt-Roasted Roasted Golden Beets ($9) and his Autumn Vegetable Bouillabaisse ($18). You may also see a young woman with pink hair and her grandmother sharing the Vietnamese Tacos ($8) and the Hearts of Palm Cakes ($18). Or you could glimpse, over in the corner, the ever-entertaining first date. The woman in her white mini skirt leans eagerly over her Red Leaf Salad ($9), while her date looks back hopefully over his Truffled Fingerling Fries ($5).

The culinary creations of husband-wife, chef-owner team Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby are no mere substitute for meat; they are hearty, substantial dishes that celebrate seasonings, intense flavor, plant proteins, and the freshest of food. Horizons could be a way of life. Give it a try, bring home one of Horizons cookbooks, and you might just be a veg head for life.

Horizons
611 S 7th St. Philadelphia, PA 19147
215-923-6117
Reservations recommended.

Dirt and Candy are two words that generally shouldn’t be placed next to each other, you know, like unidentifiable and remains, or free and champagne… Actually, scratch that last one.

However, in this case, Dirt Candy are two words that fit together very well indeed. Step up Amanda Cohen, chef extraordinaire and owner of this East Village vegetarian hotspot, who quite candidly states that she doesn’t care about your health, and she doesn’t care about your politics.

Fair enough, there’s a lot to be said for honesty.

What she does care about, is vegetables, or as she more ‘tactfully’ puts it; Dirt Candy. Her Portobello mousse with fennel pear compote, and the Golden Beet Papardelle with yogurt, pistachios and honey are not done to satisfy your anti-meat fanatical ravings. They are done to celebrate the diversity and complexity of vegetables done right. ‘When you eat a vegetable you’re eating little more than dirt that’s been transformed by plenty of sunshine and rain into something that’s full of flavor’ she writes.

 Perhaps not the best marketing ploy in the world, but it certainly caught our attention back when she opened up shop.

 And now we are bringing Dirt Candy to your attention too, as the restaurant celebrates its one year anniversary with three days of festivities. Considering past complimentary write-ups in the New York Times, New York Magazine and Food & Wine, it’s no surprise that reservations for the actual anniversary sold out the moment they hit the floor. However, we at Joonbug have used our web of intricate underground sources to bring you some good news. If you turn up to 430 E 9^th street (and Ave A), on the 27^th, 28^th, 30^th and 31^st of October, you will be able to claim a free slice of their newest dessert - Red Pepper Velvet Cake with white chocolate and peanut ice cream, and a free round of hush puppies (which, like everything else on the menu, can be made vegan upon request.) Bear in mind though, that this is one order per table.

My advice? Go stick your head in the dirt candy.