El Vez

121 S. 13th St., Philadelphia

All the times I've eaten at El Vez and I thought I'd done a review. Well, I'm heading back tonight so look for one soon.

Sahara Grill - a quick review

1334 Walnut St., Philadelphia, 215.985.4155

A coworker and I had been trying for weeks to get together for lunch. Finally, our schedules allowed for it. She's not the most adventurous, having once dragged me into an Olive Garden for one of the worst meals I've had in years. If you can't do soup and salad well, you can't do anything well. So fat chance I was letting her pick the spot.

Sahara Grill is nearby and had good reviews so I thought I'd help my friend push her boundaries a bit. I was pleasantly surprised. A very small space with over a dozen tables. The staff was friendly enough, nothing over the top or rude. And the meal came out quickly. My friend and I both ordered the falafal with hummus platter ($9), so the opportunity to try a variety of items was off the table. But, it came with a small salad and hot pita wedges. Be sure you have your breath mints. The hummus is kicking, in a good way. About six falafal balls, crispy fried and soft inside. And the real test...my friend loved them! Even the salad was flavorful.

The place filled up for lunch, which I tend to take as a good sign. I would definitely go back, maybe even try it for dinner with a friend on a casual night.

La Fontana Della Citta

1701 Spruce St., Philadelphia, 215.875.9990

We had been warned. High prices for okay food. But, we pursued the experience anyway.

First impressions were not good. La Fontana Della Citta had the look and feel of a bad suburban restaurant. Gilded framed paintings, marbled faux-painted walls, statues. Statues? Ugh. A bunch of Italian speaking young servers waiting on...just two other tables. Even the website with its auto play music is horrific. It was Girls Dinner, and our collective, "Oh boy." as we walked in the door said it all.

Girlfriend Mo had been there-TWICE-and claims to have had a good experience both times. I was highly doubtful. Especially after we noticed the white bread was stale and the olive oil offered nothing other than greasiness. And, a source of immediate annoyance, the only candle on our table was unlit. Guess the servers were too busy waiting on their two other tables to worry about little details like ambiance. But they had statues for that.

Thanks to Girlfriend Mo, we've now tried calamari in every Italian restaurant we've eaten in in the city. I can't tell you who's is the best, but La Fontana's was pretty tasteless. It came with marinara sauce for dipping which was also, amazingly, tasteless! Salt, a key ingredient, was definitely missing. The texture was light and crispy, but it was down right bland.

At some point, two groups of college girls in short ass dresses came strutting in with their Riunite jugs o' juice. The young Italian servers were smiling so hard, my face hurt. Surprisingly our service did not go downhill from there. And fortunately, the food got better. Hmmm.

The whole fish Branzino special was filleted tableside and was served with sun-dried tomatoes, lemon, and capers. The fish was fresh and the sauce was light and delish. Plus, we found only 3 bones. Of course, zero would have been better, but our expectations were still low. Although, I thought the fish was a little overcooked. Girlfriend Roz disagreed.

The Risotto con Funghi with porcini mushrooms was cooked al dente in rich cognac sauce. Yes, this was a winter heavy meal, and even though it stuck in my teeth, I brought it home and had the rest the next night. Yum.

Girlfriend Mo had another special, the Capellini with Shrimp, Scallops, and Spinach in a rose sauce. I think this was the best entree of the three. Fresh, light with a hint of sweetness.

And yet, the entire time, we snickered at the young girls in their stripper clothes. Girlfriend Roz succinctly put it this way, "I think there's a pole behind me."

We skipped dessert and finished our wine instead. The entrees prevailed, but not enough to warrent a return visit. Ever.

Dmitri's in Queen Village

795 S 3rd St, Philadelphia, PA - (215) 625-0556


Dmitri's is like an institution of the freshest seafood prepared in the most simple way. I'll never forget my first visit. I remember reading the review that raved about the grilled octopus. When it arrived in front of me, it smelled so unappetizing that I couldn't fathom it tasting good. But it did. It was so good in fact, that in the dozen or so times we've eaten there or ordered take out (weekdays only), the grilled octopus was a must-have item. We refused to waste an opportunity to order it.


Except I think I've finally had octopus burn-out. I just couldn't eat it again. My dining partner vehemently disagreed and dove right in. Freshly grilled octopus bits, drizzled with olive oil and served with lemon wedges and hot peppers. Not chewy. Just right. It's best eaten hot right off the grill.


Dmitri's is teeny. Cramped, in fact. Two high top tables placed next to the front door offer window seating as well as a clear view into the open galley kitchen where bar seating is also available for about six. Past that and up a step (Don't trip!) are about seven other tables. Get there early or wait in line...or at the bar across the street at New Wave Cafe.


Hot grilled pita wedges and fresh bread arrives first with olive oil for dipping. If I just ate the pita and the Avocado Citrus Salad I would be perfectly content. The Avocado Citrus Salad is the only salad I order when we dine there. It's not available for take out. My one complaint is that the bowl is way too small. Lettuce, avocado, grapefruit, orange and almond slices are jam-packed in this bowl. It's a struggle to keep the food from falling over the edges.


This last visit I decided to order a special - the scallops. As with all entrees at Dmitri's, the sides were rice and steamed spinach which, I hate to admit, is utterly boring. The scallops were simply grilled in olive oil but were gritty and instantly derailed my appetite. This is why it's best to stick with the basics, I suppose.

For a fresh, simple take on seafood in an intimate atmosphere, give it a shot. Don't expect romantic closeness though. People are in your personal space.

P.S. It's also cash only.

Fabulous Dining at Tinto

116 S. 20th Street, Philadelphia, (215) 665-9150

I'm honored to be a guest contributor to the Table for You blog.

I first went to Tinto in early 2007. I waited far too long for my second experience; I'd forgotten just how fabulous this place is. First, if you are a cheese lover, I must recommend one of the many wonderful cheese courses as a starter tapas. This is a great way to taste cheeses from another country, to experience a different culture. Next came the serrano wrapped figs, which were delicate, sweet and salty. A couple tapas ordered included the diver scallops seared to perfection and the pulpo was tender. As for my highlight, I could not get enough of the artichokes. As I'm not a big fan of artichokes, I inhaled these baby ones with their refreshing lemon flavor. Overall, this place is wonderful and great for any occasion.

Read what others say at Yelp; Gayot; Philly Mag.

Raw Sushi & Sake Lounge

1225 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, 215.238.1903

Raw has been getting great reviews from friends, so a group of us went for lunch today. Lunch time on a Friday was relatively empty. I've heard dinner is packed. Raw a narrow space with a bar and an outdoor patio.

They have an extensive menu that is not cheap, but the quality and freshness are superb. I had the Sashimi Lunch Platter ($16) which comes with miso soup, a salad, two pieces each of tuna, salmon, and whitefish sashimi, and 6 pieces each of spicy tuna and tuna sushi. A ton of food! I don't think I've ever eaten fish this fresh.

Friends had the Bento Box lunches and Tempura, which was a work of art. This things come with a lot of food so don't be fooled. Really, when it comes to sushi, aren't you only worried that it's fresh and quality? You simply will not go wrong here.

Chifa

707 Chestnut St. Philadelphia, PA 19106 215-925-5555

Amada is my all time favorite restaurant in the city, so when Jose Garces opened up Chifa recently I didn't need to wait a month for them to iron out the kinks before going. He brought in his best, most professional wait staff who really knew the food, a Peruvian and Cantonese fusion of sorts.

Chifa is similar to Garces' other restaurants - sharing small plates. It's a great way to try many different foods. We ordered everything our server recommended and weren't the slightest disappointed. The Bluefin Tuna special was incredible. It is now a regular item on the menu but a modified version of what we originally had. Still delicious. I sent friends there for their anniversary dinner only to hear rave reviews of the Pork Belly Buns, and everything else they had. Since then, I've been back with some friends to find some of the dishes didn't quite live up to par, while others did. You'll start with puffy fried cheese rolls with spicy guava butter - if this was all they served we would have left happy. The Bluefin Tuna ceviche rocks and the Lobster Noodles were fabulous and filling.

If you feel overwhelmed by the menu, let the chef decide. You can't go wrong.

Read other reviews here; and here.