April 2, 2012
The menus at our picks for Passover in Philadelphia, like at Zahav, are delicious whether you celebrate Passover or not. (Photo courtesy Zahav)
We all love eating out on holidays, but those celebrating Passover (which starts this Friday, April 6 at sundown) face a unique challenge: no leavened dough can be consumed.
That means that any dish with bread or pasta (and for some, even rice and legumes) is banned, making dining out a decidedly tough affair.
Fortunately, once Passover rolls along, restaurants around Philadelphia supplement their regular offerings with menus specially designed for those observing the holiday.
It’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy all of the city’s diverse culinary talent, with menus melding traditional Jewish food with flavors from Italy, Mexico and more.
Check out our top picks for Passover dinner at Philadelphia restaurants, below:
• Le Castagne: Jewish-Italian fusion is a term that’s seldom thrown around, but it’s exactly what’s on the menu here April 7-13 — mini matzoh ball soup, braised brisket with horseradish mashed potatoes and flourless chcolate and almond torte are all available.
• Zahav: Recent James Beard Award winner Michael Solomonov is serving up a $45 passover feast April 6-13 at the modern-Israeli jewel in his crown, featuring hummus with braised beef cheeks and brisket with the traditional fruit-and-nut mixture charoset.
• London Grill: Fairmount’s staple watering hole has a $40-a-person Passover menu available April 6-13 with all the trimmings, including gelfite fish, matzoh ball soup and even a traditional seder plate.
• Supper: Enjoy a farm-to-table seder feast on April 6 and 7 for $58 a person, featuring classic takes on Jewish-style brisket and chicken roasted with 40 cloves of garlic.
• Cantina Feliz and La Calaca Feliz: “The Feliz Mexican Passover” is the perfect marriage of “Ole!” and “Oy vey!” It’s a four-course feast for just $30 a person, available at both restaurants April 6-13 and boasting awesome, unconventional dishes like brisket tacos and salmon tostadas.
• Fork: This three-course Passover menu has continental flair — lamb shank comes with toasted quinoa, matzoh brei with whitefish roe — and is available for $45 on April 6 and 7.
March 8, 2012
Amada and Alla Spina are two Philadelphia restaurants that proudly wear their affection for all things pork on their sleeves, with pig sculptures occupying prominent positions in each restaurant: the entryway at Amada (left) and above the bar at Alla Spina (right). (Photo credits clockwise from top left: Image courtesy Google; photo by Danya Henninger, Imagic Digital; photo courtesy Alla Spina; photo courtesy Amada.)
Attention pork aficionados: this one is for you. If you’re looking for a place to go to enjoy a whole roasted suckling pig, you’re in luck.
Philadelphia has a number of great restaurants that are now serving the signature dish, an awesome excuse to grab a group of friends for an indulgent dining experience.
As Chef Jose Garces puts it, “There’s a decadence to having an entire animal roasted snout to tail for your pleasure… and it’s too delicious to miss.”
So in honor of the special “Pig Out” event coming to Amada, Chef Jose Garces’ first restaurant, on March 25, when the whole suckling pig menu item will be available for the first time to guests not in a group of four or larger, we’ve rounded up a few choice spots around town where you can partake in this gastronomic indulgence and other large format pork dishes.
Go ahead and pig out:
• Alma De Cuba: Whole Suckling Pigs are now available at Alma De Cuba for parties of two or more. Dinner includes a ceviche tasting, sides and desserts. You must order three days in advance and, of course, come hungry.
• Amada: On Sunday, March 25, Chef Jose Garces’ Amada will host its first-ever Pig Out, featuring two seatings of all-you-can-eat Cochinillo Asado, or roasted whole suckling pig. A signature dish since the restaurant opened in late 2005, the cochinillo asado has never been available to groups smaller than four guests, and requires a 72-hour advance order. But for one night only, for $55/person, you can enjoy a special menu including all-you-can-eat, hand-carved suckling pig. The restaurant will host two seatings: 4 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. On March 25, the entire restaurant will be reserved exclusively for this indulgent feast. (If you do have four or more people, you can still order the Cochinillo Asado for other dates as long as you call ahead.)
• Cantina Feliz: The dinner at Cantina Feliz includes a “Cochinito,” a whole roasted suckling pig for four or more people. It’s $38 per person and served with grilled asparagus, plantains, grilled corn, black beans, refried beans, salsa roja, salsa verde and tortillas.
• Alla Spina: Pork is the predominant menu theme at Alla Spina, the new restaurant from Marc Vetri, Jeff Michaud and crew. Dishes include pig pot pie, fried pig tails, pig sticks, pork terrine and more. There’s even a giant sculpture of a pig standing over the bar named Alex and, appropriately, it’s Alla Spina’s mascot. As for the pork dishes for a group: the whole roasted pork shoulder with mustard green salad and sotto aceti, on the regular menu for $80; it serves four. During the opening weeks, they’ve also been running a special on a whole roasted pig’s head. Depending on size, the pig’s head will serve between two and four people. Tip: go for the cheeks!
Bonus Round
• Amis: Amis is not letting Alla Spina have all the pork-related fun. Chef Brad Spence is on a whole animal kick right now, doing a “Beasts of Amis” series at the restaurant. Earlier this year, Amis offered a whole suckling pig dinners. And this week, the whole roasted pig was back in the house.
• Frankford Hall: Also, Frankford Hall has been known to roast an entire pig on special occasions. And trust us, you want to be there when they do.
(Top right photo by Danya Henninger, Imagic Digital.)
February 21, 2012
The food is just as vibrant as the setting at both Cantina Feliz and its newly opened companion spot La Calaca Feliz. (Photo by J. Varney courtesy Cantina Feliz)
In honor of National Margarita Day tomorrow, February 22, Cantina Feliz in Fort Washington and the newly-opened La Calaca Feliz in Fairmount will serve their signature Feliz Margaritas for the reduced price of $5.
The two restaurants, owned by Brian Sirhal and Chef Tim Spinner, serve more than 50 types of tequila, including tequila flights.
Spinner, whose resume includes El Vez, Amada and Distrito, knows how to dish up delicious south-of-the-border fare like tacos, nachos, Mexican pizza and skewers to pair with your marg.
Drink up!
Also check out how Jose Garces’ Distrito is celebrating the spicy holiday.
La Calaca Feliz
2321 Fairmount Avenue
www.lacalacafeliz.com
Cantina Feliz
424 S. Bethlehem Pike
www.cantinafeliz.com
January 25, 2012
Chef Tim Spinner and Brian Sirhal of Cantina Feliz in Fort Washington, which just recently celebrated its one year anniversary, have opened a new Mexican joint called La Calaca Feliz (that’s “The Happy Skeleton”).
Spinner, whose resume includes El Vez, Amada and Distrito, has created a contemporary menu featuring takes on classic south-of-the-border fare like tacos, nachos, Mexican pizza and skewers all prepared by Chef de Cuisine Lucio Palazzo, formerly of Xochitl in Headhouse Square.
The full bar stocks more than 50 types of tequila offering daily happy hours from 5-7 p.m. and late night deals on Saturday beginning at 10 p.m.
At the moment, La Calaca Feliz, which seats 60, is only open for dinner seven days a week but will be adding lunch and brunch to the mix, as well as a greenhouse expansion which will welcome an additional 30 diners.
Call (215) 787-9930 for reservations.
La Calaca Feliz
2321 Fairmount Avenue
www.lacalacafeliz.com
April 12, 2011
The menu is delicious whether you celebrate Passover or not.
(Photo by J. Varney courtesy Cantina Feliz)
It won’t be your grandmother’s typical Passover meal: Cantina Feliz, the contemporary Mexican restaurant in Fort Washington opened by Chef Jose Garces’ former Distrito chef de cuisine, has created a Passover menu with a Mexican twist.
The “Passover Feliz” menu is a four-course prix fixe meal that will be available from April 18 through April 24. The dishes will also be available a la carte throughout the holiday. Note: this menu meets most Passover requirements, but is not kosher.
The lineup:
• Matzo Ball and Red Chile Soup: Gaujillo Tomato Broth, Grilled Tomato, Chicken
• Salmon Tostada: Orange Habanero Vinaigrette, Chive, Jicama
• 3 Chile BBQ Glazed Brisket Tacos: Mango Salsa, Sweet Potato, Micro Arugula, Boston Bibb
• Key Lime Cheesecake
Plus, the bar offers more than 50 tequilas, a variety of margaritas and specialty cocktails, six rotating craft beers on draft, bottled beers, sangria by the glass or pitcher and more. L’chaim!
“Passover Feliz” menu
When: April 18-24
Where: Cantina Feliz, 424 S. Bethlehem Pike
Cost: $30 plus tax/gratuity
More info: www.cantinafeliz.com
