Adsum.

Dinner at Adsum.

Delicious 'old timey' cocktails beforehand.

P.S. if you get the fried chicken, it will be 2 meals on its own.

short ribs, spicy korean bbq sauce, pickled peppers

pork belly tacos, radish, habanero, pineapple

smoked“ bluefish dip, celery leaves, bacon, chive toasts

whole baked bronzino, fingerling potatoes, roasted almonds, mushrooms + sauce

super crunchy fried chicken, collards, ham hocks, corn bread, hot sauce

hanger steak, parsnip puree, trumpet mushrooms, peas, fried egg

warm apple pie with cinnamon ice cream

black cherry and cinnamon bread pudding + vanilla bean ice cream

BARBUZZO

At long last, I got a table for 4 at Barbuzzo.

So what if it was a 6:30 pm time slot on a Tuesday night?

So what if I had to book it one month in advance?

This food was worth the wait. Dinner at Barbuzzo defiantly ranks up there with one of the best meals I have ever eaten and here's why:

aspargo pizza:

shaved asparagus, barbuzzo pancetta, secret white sauce, fior de latte, truffle and farm egg

roasted beet salad:

with goat cheese, orange sections, pistachio pesto, Tuscan kale

chicken liver and foie gros mousse:

with brandied cherry, pistachio salt and radish sprouts with crustini and carrot & beet slaw

refreshing lemonade and basil cocktail

pan seared gnocchi:

with smoked corn, trumpet mushrooms, baby tomatoes, crispy prosciutto, and grana

Slow roasted pork ragu:

with tomato sauce and wide flat noodles with basil and shaved pekoreno romano

grilled bronzino:

with wood roasted mushrooms and artichoke farro, Sicilian tomato-almond pesto and salmoroiglio

*MISSING PHOTO*

(I think we devoured them before I could focus in on the shot....)

caciocavallo stuffed meatballs:

with house ground short ribs, pork, oregano and calabrian chile

warm Lancaster stone fruit bread pudding:

with warm caramel and almond brown butter gelato

Barbuzzo's "can't miss" dessert-

salted caramel bundino:

with dark chocolate crust, vanilla bean caramel and sea salt

(It wouldn't be complete without a tall glass of 2% milk)

Quince (5 times more fun)

Went to Quince in no libs for lunch one day during work.

I got the Lomo, cured pork loin with manchego cheese and quince paste on baguette sandwich.

You can upgrade to a "lunch box special". It comes with 'dirty' chips, water, fruit and a house made orange rind bar or whatever sweet they made that day.

the whole lunch comes neatly packed in this adorable cardboard portable "lunchbox" !

roasted ham + muster cheese with lettuce, tomato, avocado sandwich on sourdough bread

cucumber water with a motz, tomato, avocado, lettuce, pesto sandwich on baguette

Kennett

After a very fun but exhausting day fighting the severe winds of winter riverside ice skating, Jenny and I went to dinner at Kennett Restaurant. The hearty, comfort food of Philadelphia's first 100% sustainable and locally-sourced restaurant is a gem among many. They also have sixteen local craft beers on tap. The owners also hope to make Kennett the city’s first bar and restaurant to achieve certification through the Green Restaurant Association.

Here was the line up for the evening:

roasted brussle sprouts: sprouts roasted with sun chokes and pork belly and fresh herbs

beans on toast: braised butter beans with tomato and ale on thick cut brioche with a fried egg

beets and feta: ruby red beets, cooked tender and preserved in wine,

vinegar, and spice with mild bulgarian feta, mint, parsley, dill, and chive

deliciously spicy bloody mary with house pickled green beans garnish

sticky toffee pudding: dates, sherry, caramel, and cream

Hot Dog Heaven

Last weekend marked the long awaited opening of Memphis Taproom's Beer Garden.

an outside area next to the bar that offers gourmet hot dogs and fancy cans of beer from a permanently parked truck.

best idea ever??? i do believe so.

good thing its around the corner from my house.

Round 1. lunch with Jenny.

California Uber Alles.

beer battered dog, cucumber, avocado, nori, wasabi mustard, pickled ginger, soy

(AKA - out of control amazing flavor overload!)

Bigos Bambu.

grilled dog, sauerkraut, roast pork, kielbsey, apple, onion, beer mustard

Mackinac.

grilled dog, chili, cheddar, raw onion, yellow mustard, macaroni salad

Hell or High Watermelon Wheat.

umm. this beer is AMAZING.

Red Racer Pale Ale.

i would get this one just for the awesome can!

menu. pure genius.

went back later that night with Lisa and some friends for round 2.

Antipasta.

sharp provolone, caponata, garlic mayo, roasted red peppers, olives, pepperoncini

Polser.

bacon wrapped dog, remoulade, dijon, pickles, crispy shallots.

basket of Beer battered Kosher Dills with dipping sauce.

ICELAND

Amazing road trip adventure in Iceland.

hello beautiful Iceland!!!

at the great continental divide- standing between Europe and America

standing on one foot on a patch of ice 1 foot from the edge on cliff of this huge half frozen foss (waterfall)

seemed like a good idea at the time...

now my favorite picture of the trip!

huge rock formation- boats can sail through the arch.

this view was worth the exhausting hike up the snow covered mountain.

we saw hundreds of Icelandic horses.

they have thicker coats and shorter legs than regular horses but

don't call them ponies or they will get upset.

jet black volcanic sand beach and troll rocks.

church of Vik perched high atop a hill.

saw an Icelandic concert here at night.

we went hiking on a glacier!!!

we ended the trip with a soak in the blue lagoon, Iceland's largest geothermal hot spring

ever seen Hostel II? Yes...THAT blue lagoon.

over the course of 7 days we saw the landscape slowly change, showing hints of spring.

can't wait to come back in the summer to see iceland lush and green!

Icelandic fare

saved up by making pasta and veggies at hostels and splurged on one really classy dinner in Iceland.

Hotel Ranga ***** hotel. XOXO

in a glass box dining room, the sun was setting as we started dinner

smoked Arctic Char with toasted sesame seeds and soy

(chef sent this course out!)

simple greens salad dressed with roasted tomatoes and grated cheese

toppings for housemade bread:

evoo, sweet butter, sea salt, crushed pistachio, pepper medley

lobster soup with broiled langoustines and crushed pepper

serf and turf.

Icelandic lamb and Icelandic lobster with vegetables.

pea and potato puree with blueberry reduction and black salt

finished with chocolate lava cupcake and housemade blueberry sorbet