March 14, 2012
Enjoy picturesque views of Washington Square Park while sipping on craft cocktails and fresh farm-to-table bites.
(Photo courtesy Talula's Garden)
Aimee Olexy and Stephen Starr’s Talula’s Garden on Washington Square is one of the city’s best spots for outdoor dining.
Luckily, the restaurant has officially opened its gorgeous outdoor garden space, the perfect spot for a cocktail or meal this afternoon or evening. If we didn’t know better, we’d think it was the heart of spring given this perfectly sunny and breezy weather. (And here are a number of other options for dining alfresco tonight.)
The spot’s older sister Talula’s Table was recently named one of the five best restaurants in Philadelphia by Philadelphia Inquirer Restaurant Critic Craig LaBan, thanks to its locally grown seasonal fare.
This weekend brings the debut of brunch service at Talula’s Garden, and the forecast is equally promising for an under-the-sun mid-day meal.
In keeping with the restaurant’s farm-inspired dinner fare, Executive Chef Sean McPaul has created an a la carte brunch menu with highlights like Talula’s Little Donuts with Hazelnuts, Berries and Coffee Scented Chantilly Cream; Warm Crab Toast with Crumbled Bacon and Cucumber-Golden Beet Salad; Omelet of Kennett Mushrooms with Country Ham, Tender Spinach and Cabot Clothbound Cheddar; and much more.
Enjoy picturesque views of Washington Square Park while sipping on cocktails like The Haymaker, a muddled pear cooler with citrus clove and Smirnoff pear vodka; or The Butcher, a spicy bloody mary with Tito’s vodka and fresh horseradish.
Talula’s Garden will serve brunch every Sunday from 10a.m.-2 p.m. For reservations, call (215) 592-7787.
Talula’s Garden
210 W. Washington Square
www.talulasgarden.com
February 6, 2012
For the first time in five years, Inquirer critic Craig LaBan established which restaurants in Philadelphia are the super elite.
(Graphic via Philly.com)
As we mentioned last week, Sunday was a big day for the Philadelphia restaurant scene.
Philadelphia Inquirer Restaurant Critic Craig LaBan yesterday unveiled the results of revisiting the Philadelphia region’s top restaurants for the first time in five years to see which restaurants deserve his coveted four-bell rating.
A quick refresher: Craig LaBan employs a bell system for reviewing restaurants, awarding a restaurant between zero and four bells. No bells is poor; one bell is hit-or-miss; two bells is very good; three bells is excellent; and four bells is superior. And rare.
LaBan considered 13 restaurants as four-bell contenders when he began his quest back in the fall. And five restaurants rose to the top.
The new four-bell restaurants are (drum roll, please): Vetri, Zahav, Bibou, Talula’s Table and Fountain Restaurant at The Four Seasons Hotel.
(Turns out we were not that far off with our guesses last week.)
LaBan writes of the new Philly restaurant elite,
“From the timeless crystal elegance of the Fountain, to the exotically-spiced charcoal-grilled kebabs of Zahav, to Vetri’s inspired pasta riffs, to the seasonal whimsies of Talula’s Table, to the rustic soul of French bistro fare on a pedestal at Bibou, these restaurants cover it all. Every one has managed to distinctly capture that elusive feeling of enchantment: a sense that dinner is more than just a meal of memorable flavors and gracious service, but a special moment in time at a table that could be nowhere else on earth.”
Congratulations to each of the four-bell restaurants. It is a distinction that is well deserved in each case.
Over on Philly.com, there is a lot of great content related to the four-bell recipients, including a full write-up on each one as well updates on the other eight restaurants that were considered. (The other eight restaurants in the 13 considered were Lacroix, Le Bec Fin, Tinto, Barclay Prime, Morimoto, Osteria, Amada and Talula’s Garden.)
On Thursday, LaBan is going to release more great restaurant content when the Inquirer puts out his list of “Best In Their Class” rankings for categories other than fine dining: e.g. Gastropubs, New American BYOB, New American Full Service, Updated International, Italian and Great Restaurants That Don’t Get Talked About Enough. So stay tuned.
Craig LaBan’s Best Restaurants in the Philadelphia Area [Philadelphia Inquirer]
December 29, 2011
Coming soon: Victory Beer Hall at Xfinity Live, Shake Shack(!!), a new restaurant at PAFA's Lenfest Plaza, and a new Barnes cafe... We can't wait. (Credits clockwise from top left: courtesy Xfinity Live, courtesy Shake Shack, courtesy PAFA, courtesy The Barnes Foundation)
2011 was a sensational year for Philadelphia’s culinary scene, and we were here to document it every step of the way.
From impressive accolades and huge awards to star-studded competitions and headline-making restaurant openings, 2011 was a year to remember for food and drink in Philly.
Perhaps even more exciting — 2012 promises to be another amazing year for eating in Philadelphia!
To whet your appetite of some of the many things to come, below we present the Top 12 things we’re looking forward to in 2012 when it comes to Philly’s dining scene, as well as our Top 11 Dining Stories From 2011.
Enjoy; and let us know in the comments what you’re most excited about.
Top 12 Things We’re Looking Forward To For Philly’s Dining Scene In 2012 (not necessarily in any particular order…)
1. Jamonera: Valerie Safran and Marcie Turney are enhancing their 13th Street Empire by replacing Bindi with Jamonera, a cozy Spanish tapas bar. It’s named after the clamp that holds down an Iberian ham for slicing. Expected to open in January. More on this soon.
2. Alla Spina: Marc Vetri is adding to his holdings on North Broad with another Italian restaurant and bar that will be located just down the street from Osteria, and right next door to Stephen Starr’s new Route 6. Tastings began a month ago. Alla Spina means “From the Tap,” and is expected to open in January.
3. XFINITY Live!: Formerly known as Philly Live, XFINITY LIVE! will be located next to the South Philly sports complexes, with an April opening date. Food-wise, there will be five major options, including Victory Beer Hall (yes, that Victory Brewing Company) boasting indoor and outdoor seating, firepits and a stage for live music. Additional dining options include the more upscale Italian Spectrum Grille, Broad Street Bullies Pub, PBR Bar and Grill and the Philly Marketplace with ice cream, coffee, fries and the like.
4. Shake Shack: The beloved burger stand from famed New York City restaurateur Danny Meyer will be opening its first-ever Philadelphia location in 2012 at 2000 Sansom Street right across from Village Whiskey. The menu primarily consists of burgers (which use a custom La Frieda blend), dogs, custard, fries, and shakes. Summer 2012. We can’t wait.
5. Frohmans Wursthaus: Jose Garces’ only Philadelphia opening slated for 2012 will be a beers and brats spot in Midtown Village at 13th and Chancellor. And while this project has been in the works for a while, it’s sure to be worth the wait.
6. The New Barnes Cafe: When the new Barnes Foundation opens on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in May 2012, one of the new building’s welcoming public spaces will be a 50-seat cafe with a courtyard for outdoor dining overlooking some of the campus’ sure-to-be beautiful outdoor gardens.
7. The Restaurant & Rooftop Lounge At The Hotel Monaco: Philadelphia has been due for a rooftop hotel restaurant for a while and Kimpton is making it happen in 2012. The Hotel Monaco will be opening in late summer complete with a yet-to-named ground floor restaurant and a sure-to-be amazing rooftop bar and lounge overlooking Independence Mall. This is going to be a game-changer.
To see the remaining five, and all 11 from 2011, click through to read on.
