PRIME CONCIERGE

February, 2014

“There are no standards of taste in

wine, cigars, poetry, prose, etc. Each

man's own taste is the standard, and a

majority vote cannot decide for him or

in any slightest degree affect the

supremacy of his own standard.”

… Mark Twain

The Restaurant Report by Bob Bickell

Chef Justin Bogle at Avance; Han Dynasty in

New York; Jon Taffer and the Bar Rescue

response; Lacroix at the Rittenhouse; Le

Virtu; Serpico; Zahav; and Vedge.

The “BAR RESCUE” Man Listens…

“95% of the public has no clue regarding the

subject of wine”…. January Issue, 2014

A (January)

comment from

Phillip Silverstone

(a serious wine-guy

who doesn’t take

his wine all that

seriously).

“I read your interview with Jon Toffer of Bar

Rescue. He suggested that 95% of the public

has no idea when it comes to the subject of

wine. He might be right, but I say so what?

What is the percentage of people who really

understand what chefs do? Must you be a

connoisseur of food to actually understand

what’s on your plate? I don’t think you have

to be an expert to enjoy food or wine. I

believe it’s more important to just enjoy the

experience, and leave the real details to the

experts (the other five percent).”

A reader response…

“I have to disagree. Do not underestimate the sophistication of the modern eater and drinker. These days foodies and eaters in general are interested in the mechanics of cooking.

Otherwise I am not sure how we can account for the cult of the TV chef and the vast sales of cook books. Demystification of the art of the chef- to quote the Naked one - has been crucial to the rise of the discerning diner and the home cooking revolution. Same with wine - not so much the mechanics of making it, but the understanding of the history and the wine & food matching”.

Alan Alphonso Harding

And more from New York…

Chef Christopher Daly:

Everyone can benefit by educating themselves

about great values and simple wines of

excellent origin, and there are plenty out

there. American wine has never been better...

The best way to restart the educational part is

getting back to basics, asking lots of questions

and drinking lots of wines.

I always recommend Kevin Zraly’s “Windows

on the World Wine” course as the ultimate

refresher which will cover the back to basic

education about even the down to earth

“quaffing” wines which I would employ with

most simple dinners I cook for myself and for

company.

Many a time I cooked dinner for Kevin’s wine

classes when I was Executive Chef at The

Edwardian Room at The Plaza and I can tell

you I have met few people with his knowledge

that can create such a down-to-earth passage

into the world of wine, and his book is an easy

read.

Wine is my favorite pairing with most food,

and I have written many lists to pair with my

cooking in a few different restaurants here.

Not too long ago (at Bellew Restaurant) I

wrote a list that received extremely favorable

nods from The New York Times, Wine

Spectator and a few other reviewers.

The accolades were based on the composition,

but more important was the New York Times

mention of the fairness of pricing.

I have always said you cannot eat percentages

which means if you mark-up a wine by 2.5 to 3

times which is standard in a restaurant, selling

5 cases of that wine is much better on every

front than marking it up by 5 times and selling

1 bottle.

Great juice and great verticals are terrific to

have on one hand, but my philosophy has

always been that even great wine is meant to

be drunk, not placed on high and celebrated.

If you are buying on price alone let’s hope

there are some great choices, and when I

wrote the aforementioned list, over one-third

were under $35 Dollars.

A very simple down-to-earth bottle,

reasonably priced can do just as nicely as a

Ridge Zinfandel, Howell Mountain - 1988.

Han Dynasty

Pete Wells is the current restaurant critic of

the New York Times. He bashed the

Manhattan branch of Philadelphia’s Han

Dynasty. I have Han Dynasty on my

“Recommended Philadelphia Restaurant List”

so I must respond to his disappointing review.

I’m not a fan of the New York Times, and I can

do without the opinion of Mr. Wells.

My argument in this case is quite simple. If a

restaurant is doing as much business as Han

Dynasty in New York, should we conclude that

all these people have to re-think their dining

experience? Mr. Wells has now educated all

these fans of Hans Dynasty, and obviously the

many fans are badly mistaken. The food was

not as good as you thought it was. The great

experience that keeps you coming back has

come to end. Mr. Wells has spoken, and I

must immediately remove the restaurant in

question from my recommended list.

It reminds me of an Inquirer review of a very

popular Cuban concept in Old City. The critic

had to wait in line to enter the restaurant.

The review was similar to that of the New York

Times. All those people were having too much

fun to realize the food was not as good as they

thought it was. Give me a break.

Chef Justin Bogle – Avance

I recently met with Justin and I was impressed

with the look of the restaurant and the chef

himself. The man was extremely successful in

New York, and he looks and sounds like the

perfect choice to make this spot a significant

winner. The timing of their opening (December, 13th)

with the ongoing miserable January weather

might explain a relatively slow start.

It’s interesting to note that several chefs have

recently discovered great success in our area,

and in so doing, Philadelphia has become an

infinitely better restaurant destination.

New spots such as Serpico; Vernick; The

Farmer and the Fisherman; Noord, Will Byob;

Fond and Laurel were all pleasant surprises.

They hit the ground running, and they were all

outstanding on a rather immediate basis.

Avance made a very different introduction.

For months, it was the restaurant that would

occupy the spot of a Philadelphia legend. It

was a big project to make it very different

than the former Le Bec-Fin, and for good or for

bad, Chef Perrier still owns the building, and

his former partner (Chris Scarduzio) is part of

the new management team.

The expectations are off the chart, and it will

take some time to establish itself as a truly

successful restaurant. I have always believed

the key to success in this business is the man

(or woman) in the kitchen. With this in mind,

I’m betting on Avance, but more importantly,

my real bet is on Chef Justin Bogle.

Lacroix at the Rittenhouse

A vital part of the Philadelphia upscale

restaurant scene located in the prestigious

Rittenhouse Hotel on beautiful Rittenhouse

Square. Experience their progressive

international cuisine from the young and

talented Chef Jon Cichon.

210 West Rittenhouse Square

Chef Joe Cicala – Le Virtù

Chef Cicala spent time in Washington, DC and

cooked at the highly respected Del Posto in

New York City. Even before his arrival in

Philadelphia Le Virtù was an outstanding

restaurant, but one could easily suggest that

he made it even better.

1927 East Passyunk Avenue

Chef Peter Serpico – Serpico…

The man from Momofuko in New York

teamed-up with Stephen Starr and this dinner

only spot on South Street has become a local

favorite. The good chef is a James Beard

Award winner, and the big winner is South

Street. Could it possibly become another

“Hippist Street in town? (the Orlons)

604 South Street

Zahav…Chef Michael

Solomonov

One of Philadelphia’s most talented chefs does

everything from incredible Israeli cuisine to

chicken and donuts. Zahav is a serious concept

that has become one of the best (and most

interesting) restaurants in Philadelphia.

237 St. James Place

Vedge - Chef Rich Landau and

wife, Chef Kate Jacoby…

They did what was

thought to be the

impossible…

they found the way

to make vegan food

delicious. They also

moved into a classic

spot that was once the home of Fritz Blanc and

Deux Cheminees. With more seats and more

visibility, they brought Vedge into the national

restaurant scene. It’s a great story, and Vedge

has become a Philadelphia favorite with

outstanding food, and even a great bar and

cocktail lounge.

1221 Locust Street

From the folks at BIGBITE Philly…

A Prosciutto di Parma Tasting & Craft Beer Pairing Event Brought to you by:

ONE chef will be crowned Philly’s King of Parma by an esteemed panel of judges while guests have the chance to win dinner for two at the winning chef’s restaurant by voting over social media. The chef who wins by popular vote will walk away with a leg of Prosciutto di Parma!

Next page:

View the

Participating

Chefs…

Joe Cicala, Le Virtu paired with Peroni Brewery.

Mike Deganis, Osteria paired with Ama (Amarcord) Brewery.

Luke Palladino, Luke Palladino Hospitality Group paired with Flying Fish Brewery.

Mike Santoro, The Mildred paired with Yards Brewery.

Jeremy Nolen, Brauhaus Schmitz paired with Ommegang Brewery.

David Ansill, Bar Ferdinand paired with Stoudt Brewery.

Doug Allen, Lacroix paired with Brooklyn Brewery.

Mike Sultan, Street Food Philly paired with Otter Creek Brewery.

Cured & Crafted – Thursday, February 20, 2014 Power Plant Productions - 230 N. 2nd Street 6:30 – 9:00 pm

Everything you have to know … http://bigbiteblog.wordpress.com/2950-2/

Barbara’s

Kitchen…

Home

Cooking at

its best!

The lady can flat-out cook. She could

have been a notable restaurant chef,

but that was not to be. She cooks for

her family and friends, and she shares

her favorite recipes with us. It’s a

beautiful thing!

PEPPERY PENNE (Serves 4-6)

1 lb. Penne Pasta & 1½ lb. ground pork.

2 tbs olive oil (I prefer extra virgin).

8 oz jar of mushrooms sliced & drained.

7 cloves of garlic minced.

5 scallions, white & green separated

and sliced.

24 ounces of sauce (I use Classico-

tomato & basil). 1 tbs crushed red

pepper.

Salt & black pepper to taste

¼ cup flat leaf parsley chopped

¼ cup grated parmesans cheese (plus

more for serving)

DIRECTIONS…

Cook pasta as directed on package.

(Reserve 1 cup of water and set aside)

In a large skillet heat the oil and add

pork, red pepper and salt & pepper.

Cook at high heat until pork is no longer

pink (About 5 minutes) then add the

mushrooms, garlic and white scallions

and cook until softened (3 minutes).

Lower heat to medium and add the

sauce and reserved water.

Simmer 10 minutes.

Pour over pasta and add parsley, green

scallions, and cheese. Toss & Serve with

extra cheese, and ENJOY!

RECIPE: Asparagus with

Wasabi Mayonnaise

Dip…

(From the kitchen of

Chef Sanford)…

3 pounds thin to medium asparagus trimmed…

1 cup Mayonnaise…

4 teaspoons soy sauce…

1 ½ teaspoons sugar…

2 tea-spoons wasabi paste…

Blanch asparagus in 2 batches of boiling

salted water. Mix remaining ingredients

together and serve.

“A man wrapped up in himself

makes a very small bundle”

…the New and Young Ben Franklin

www.BenFranklintoday.com

http://philadelphiamuseumofart.createsend1.com/t/r-l-pjtiuyk-ttjjhitutd-jd/

Valentine's Day at the Museum

Love is in the air. Enjoy the Celebration’ on February 9th.

Stephen Starr chef demonstration 'Food as an Artistic Aphrodisiac' on February

12th.

Valentine's Day Dinner at Granite Hill restaurant, or grooving to soul music at

our Art After 5 Love Lounge on February 14th.

PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM of ART

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is among

the largest art museums in the United

States. It has collections of more than

227,000 objects that include "world-class

holdings of European and American

paintings, prints, drawings, and decorative

arts.

www.philamuseum.org

Prime Travel – It’s even more fun than

Bungee Jumping!

PRIME TRAVEL –

The Phillies in Clearwater

Each and every year tons of Philadelphia

baseball fans travel to Florida for their favorite

part of the baseball season – spring training.

They watch a lot of baseball, and they party in

the local bars and restaurants. Most of it

happens in March, but one of the big

challenges is reserving a room as March is the

busiest month in the Clearwater area.

Having spent a great deal of time in Tampa, I

witnessed the Philadelphia people do their annual

thing. Actually, I have experienced the fun of

spring training myself and basically it’s a party that

never seems to stop.

Keep in mind that the Tampa area is also the

spring training home of the New York Yankees and

the Toronto Blue Jays, so there is a lot to consider.

In terms of the experience, everyone can google

the hotels, bars and restaurants, and the neat

places to go. I have my favorites, but keep in mind

that Clearwater has incredible beaches, and there

are lots of hotels within a few steps of the beach.

The names are all there… Hyatt, Hilton, Sheraton,

Holiday Inn, etc., etc. If you can’t secure a room,

my suggestion is a drive to downtown Tampa

where there are a bevy of places to stay.

When I think of Tampa restaurants, there are two

incredible concepts that you want to experience if

restaurants are deemed important in your life.

Bern’s Steakhouse

It’s a classic steakhouse where the food is

secondary to the experience. The people come

here from all over the world, and they will give

you a tour of one of the busiest kitchens in

America and a wine cellar that includes over

500,000 bottles. This is not a 25-seat BYOB.

This is a place where they serve desserts

upstairs in the dessert room.

They opened in 1956 and never looked back.

How about fresh vegetables from the Bern’s

Farm, and how about 21 choices of caviar.

And how about this line from their menu…

“We want you to know that we cut our steaks

to give you good eating, not necessarily good

looking. If you tour our kitchen, you'll see why

we buy 3-4 pounds of beef in order to give you

one pound of steak.”

I would also suggest that a dinner here is not

under the category of inexpensive, but at least

you can say that you’ve been there.

The Columbia Restaurant

This is very possibly the most unique restaurant in

America (the largest Spanish restaurant in the

world). We are talking about 52,000 Square feet

with 15 dining rooms and 1700 seats that takes up

an entire block in Ebor City in Tampa. Spend at

least one night in Ebor City. It’s not to be confused

with Disney, but Ebor City is something to

experience. You will find great bars and

restaurants with a feeling of “authenticity” that

cannot be replicated.

It’s a place of the 1800’s when Cuban immigrants

found their way into the cigar business and not too

much has changed. The Columbia Restaurant

opened in 1905 and the beautiful Outdoor Patio

was added in 1937.

The King’s Room…

The Don Quixote Room

The Bar

This is a restaurant you have to see to believe that

a concept of this magnitude can actually make it in

the modern restaurant world.

The Sancho Dining Room

Quiz... 10 Questions. You should get all ten! 1. Johnny's mother had three children. The first child was named April. The second child was named May. What was the third child's name? 2. There is a clerk at the butcher shop. He is five feet ten inches tall and he wears size 13 sneakers. What does he weigh? 3. Before Mt. Everest was discovered, what was the highest mountain in the world? 4. How much dirt is there in a hole that measures two feet by three feet by four feet? 5. What word in the English language is always spelled incorrectly? 6. Billy was born on December 28th, yet his birthday is always in the summer. How is this possible?

7. In California, you cannot take a picture of a man with a wooden leg. Why not? 8. What was the President's name in 1975? 9. If you were running a race, and you passed the person in 2nd place, what place would you be in now? 10. Which is correct to say, "The yolk of the eggs are white" or "The yolk of the egg is white"? The Answers – Next Two Pages… Johnny’s mother had three children. The first child was named April. The second child was named May. What was the third child’s name? Answer: Johnny of course

The clerk at the butcher shop is 5 feet 10 inches tall, and he wears size 13 sneakers. What does he weigh? Answer – Meat! Before Mt. Everest was discovered, what was the highest mountain in the world? Answer: Mt. Everest; it just wasn’t discovered yet. How much dirt is there in a hole that measures two feet by three feet by four feet? Answer: There is no dirt in a hole. What word in the English language is always spelled incorrectly? Answer: Incorrectly! Billy was born on December 28th, yet his birthday is always in the summer. How is this possible? Answer: Billy lives in the Southern Hemisphere. In California, you cannot take a picture of a man with a wooden leg. Why not? Answer: You can't take pictures with a wooden leg. You need a camera to take pictures.

What was the President's name in 1975? Answer: Same as is it now - Barack Obama If you were running a race, and you passed the person in 2nd place, what place would you be in now? Answer: You would be in 2nd. Well, you passed the person in second place, not first. Which is correct to say, "The yolks of the egg are white" or "The yolk of the egg is white"? Answer: Neither, the yolk of the egg is yellow [Duh!]

Did anyone get all Ten? Did anyone get at least Five? Did anyone miss them all? Don’t worry about it, we’re just having fun!

Who in the world does

your hair?

Seaside/Photo Taken by Doug Cox