Bonefish Grill

4889 West Chester Pike
Newtown Square, PA 19073
(610) 355-1784
Website

I was recently asked to check out the new menu at Bonefish Grill (on the house), so I decided to oblige. They have a seasonal rotation of menus and this one was well worth the trip. I will start off by saying that while they probably deserve 4 cheesesteaks, I have a hard time assigning that rating to a national chain...

I started with a Moscow Mule that was served with crystallized ginger. It had the ginger bite, and the candied ginger was an interesting touch.

They then brought out their house bread with herbed oil. This one hit the mark. I am usually not a chain restaurant person, but sometimes you have to love knowing just what you will get. I ate all of this bread, and then asked for more.

The most famous (arguably) appetizer is the "bang bang" shrimp. When I told friends I was going here, this was the unanimous "must try", They are lightly battered, fried, and served in a creamy spicy sauce. I found these quite addictive.

The creamy sauce did not make the crust into mush, maybe it was because I ate them in about four minutes. But I could see coming here to get a beer and at the same time CRUSH some of their bang bang shrimp.

Just enough sweet and spicy chili sauce to keep it interesting and they hide some romaine under there too, which makes me feel like I'm really just eating a salad. A healthy bowl of smothered and covered fried shrimp over ribbons of lettuce drenched in that incredible sauce.

Even though I had already eaten quite a bit of food, the entrees were now on their way.

Next up were the Blackened Baja Fish Tacos- Alaskan Cod with three warm tortillas, mango salsa, lime crema and shredded lettuce.

The cod itself was nicely blackened, I liked the sweet mango salasa and the lime crema. It was a lot of food but obviously I powered through. The tacos were pretty well balanced and had a good combination of flavor.

Fries were good but nothing out of the ordinary. Like I needed fries anyway...

The Chilean seabass topped with lump crab, truffle mac and cheese, and crab fried rice were my next victims. The fish was again, nicely cooked, with a crunchy crust, and the lemon and herb sauce went well with the flaky white meat.

The fish was cooked exceptionally well and despite the look of it, the lemon butter drizzle was quite light and rather delicious.

Crab fried rice was an interesting approach, and for an extra $4.50 it totally was worth the upgrade.

The truffle mac was another up-sale that I couldn't deny and you could probably get a day's worth of calories out of one order. I still ate the whole thing. Creamy and rich, this had just the right smack of truffle essence. It's definitely not for anyone watching their waistline. But I'm not watching mine.

I was pleasantly surprised at the food, as I didn't have any expectations coming in. Everything worked well, and was hot an timely. For a chain experience at this price point, I don't think I have had better and if my parents want to take me back, I would not argue. At all.

Fortis Craft Spirits at White Dog Cafe

Fortis Craft Spirits 2300 Trumbauersville Rd Quakertown, PA 18951 (215) 268-6071 Website

White Dog Cafe 3420 Sansom Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 (215) 386-9224 Website

I was recently invited to try out a new local "craft" distillery that had a unique niche – they are shooting to be the well-liquor of choice in Philly. Never one to turn down free drinks (just ask about anyone), I figured it was worth a try. To double down, I asked the rep to meet me at the White Dog Cafe in University City, as I have been meaning to try the food Chef Josh Varquez is putting out (I had heard rumors of house cured jowl pastrami). I was surprised with how nice the building was, and the food was no slouch either.

Rum, Gin, and Vodka, are the standards at Fortis, and I had to sample them all. The have some flavored varieties as well, but I'm more of a cut and dry guy with my hard alcohols. Check out the basement dining area at White Dog in the background. Amazing.

They use Fortis in a variety of mixed drinks, such as the Snoopaloop for fall.

The rail is populated with a variety of Fortis products. Fortis is headquartered in Quakertown and is slowly spreading their product throughout the eastern, central and western parts of PA. Founded by a couple of Carnegie Melon grads, they have a good business plan and they know what they're doing.

You can see their interactive map here, and they expect to have 1L bottles in most PA wine & spirits shops before the end of the year. I mean, it's affordable with a great looking label, so I recommend trying this as your at-home well-drink (if you have a bar, I'm currently working on getting one in my basement...). In the meantime, they're having a Philadelphia launch/cancer research benefit in Northern Liberties this Friday night; get info here. Now on to the White Dog experience.

On the left is a Marmadaiq, with "Green Apple & Kiffir Lime Infused Fortis Rum, Lime, Cranberry Bitters, and Sugared Cranberries." Although I am a whiskey and beer type of guy, this was a refreshing drink. The Fortis tasted just as smooth as I would expect of any other mid-range rum.

The other drink was a Cowan's Hero, "Fortis Gin, Art in the Age Sage, Pear, Honey, Lime, Sage, Soda". This was a real winner. The sage flavor mixed well with the neutral gin, and the pear and honey added some fruity sweetness.

I then had the pleasure of trying some of Chef Varquez's favorites, starting with the short rib sliders. I am not usually a slider fan, but these things fixed all of the issues inherent in small sandwiches.

Look at the texture of this beef. The spicy cheddar was local and delicious, and the fried quail egg put this over the top. I was not left with any "bread only" bites, and could have eaten another six of these things.

At this point I transitioned to the cask Hop Devil, and Chef Josh transitioned to pastrami. From left – house cured beef pastrami, cold smoked salmon, and guanciale. Mixed in for toppings were some beet pickled quail eggs, pickled red onions, cornichons, whole grain mustard, and a caraway aioli.

My god, look at this pork cheek. Fatty, decadent, and speckled with dry rub, this literally melted in your mouth. This is not for those counting calories, and it was worth every fatty bite.

The salmon was fresh, with the texture of velvet, and the light smoke made for a great match with the caraway sauce.

Finally, the beef pastrami. This stuff was highly addictive. It was tough to beat the pork jowl, but this was a close match. Again, the tender fat kept this from being dry, and the attention to preparation was apparent.

One of my favorite parts was the ability to mix and match flavors and meat textures, with crisp pickles, tart onions, and flavorful spreads. I am hooked on the meats, and I am not ashamed to admit it.

Well done, White Dog Cafe. I'll be back soon.

Beau Monde

624 S 6th St
Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 592-0656
Website

Let me start by saying I am not a crepe person. I have nothing against them, but I never developed the passion for thin pancakes with food folded inside – I just couldn’t see the allure. That said, my foray into “all things crepe” came as a bit of an immaculate inception, so I did my best to keep an open mind and an empty stomach.

Beau Monde is a pillar of the stretch of Bainbridge Street (one block south of South) that houses a variety of eclectic shops and people, including the infamous club L’Etage (meaning the level above in French), which shares the same address.

The restaurant and venue are owned and operated by Francophiles Jim Caiola and David Salama, who made the jump from working in the arts to the restaurant world in 1998, with the grand opening of their creperie on the first floor at the corner of Sixth.

The inspiration for the crepe-heavy menu came from Jim (on the right, below), who cut his teeth working summers at his French uncle’s creperie in Chicago, rising through the ranks from bus boy to head waiter in his early teens. Given the uncle’s roots in Brittany (the home of the crepe), this traditional French pancake served as the perfect canvas for many variations, and allowed for a broad range of creativity in their menu.

Given the duo’s passion for art and design, it’s no surprise that the kitchen’s offerings are visually stunning, as well as incredibly delicious. We started with a couple of cocktails from their modern classic list, including the “horse’s neck” an amber drink containing Makers Mark bourbon, aromatic bitters, and spicy ginger beer, and the “Coquette Punch” sporting Beef Eater Gin, Grand Marnier, lemon, and a splash of club soda.

Both were delicious in their own way, with the prior evoking a smoky, writer's drink-of-choice, while the latter brought to mind sitting on the porch (or stoop if you will) during a hot summer night.

There was no way to begin this meal without trying their rendition of the classic French onion soup. Always a sucker for this cheesy, beefy indulgence, the-soul soothing broth was the perfect way to kick off an extravagant meal on a chilly winter night.

Based upon recommendations by both owners and staff, the crepe choices were whittled down to just two: the grilled chicken breast with leeks, olives, goat cheese, and lemon butter and the the scallop, tomato, and herb butter varietal.

Before I go into details, I want to mention the size of their portions. They were large, even by my fat-kid standards. Each selection came with a little sample of the contents on top, a convenient way to remember which is which.

The “grilled chicken with leeks, olives, goat cheese and lemon butter” combination was packed with tender chicken breast and plentiful, delicious leeks. The tangy goat cheese played well with the briny olives, and the lemon butter added some richness and acidity that really brightened the dish.

The “scallops with tomato and herb butter” crepe had a generous smattering of the nicely seared shellfish throughout and the well-seasoned tomato sauce was bolstered, again, by a generous application of compound butter.

Both were a hit, and the ability to taste the full spectrum of the menu, from citrusy chicken, to savory seafood provided a delicious adventure for my taste buds.

When dinner was finished, there was no room left at the inn for dessert. Or so I thought. Given my commitment to journalistic excellence and penchant for culinary gluttony, ordering a sweet crepe was a given.

The “apples, toasted almonds, brown sugar, caramel, and vanilla ice cream” crepe came highly recommended. It contained apples, which means it was not even bad for me… It was like a deconstructed apple pie, with the requisite melting vanilla ice cream on top. It wasn’t overly sweet, and was just impossible to stop eating.

There was a special, parfait-type layered desert (non-crepe) that the waitress brought out, complimentarily. It was prepared Neopolitan style, with layers of fresh berries and cream served with a side of cabernet sorbet, a decidedly French (and delicious) twist. Before I knew what was happening, both plates were empty.

God I love this place.

Beau Monde offers a an impeccable eye for quality finishes - both in their food, and in their decor. It's a fantastic establishment and a welcome breath of fresh air when you're stuck in the dingy filth of the South Street district.

Look for David and Jim in the news this year, future plans for the successful couple include reopening the landmark NYC eatery/sculpture garden The Tavern on the Green.