Garden Cafe

23 South Jackson Street
Media PA 19063
(484) 444 2424
Website

Media has a great bar scene, but the restaurant selection leaves something to be desired. The higher end places can't compete with the city for the most part, and the medium to lower budget options just don't have any soul. Now, when I read the Garden cafe was offering panini's and salads, I thought, typical. Luckily they have an ace up their sleeve.

They were rated as the best chicken pot pie by some publication in some geographic area. So that was certainly something that piqued my interest.

The pie crust is just about perfect. Crispy without being overly browned, a nice X ventilation system, and served in it's own foil pan.

But the interior was even better. Creamy, with perfectly executed veggies, moist chicken, and plenty of black pepper. This was a delicious standout within the potted pie community. I have to say, it's been a while since I have had a chicken pot pie out, and even longer that I have had one as good as this. Buttery,crispy crust, paired with the creamy succulent filling helped keep this one a winner.

I also tried some sandwiches, including the Cuban, pictured below. It was perfectly fine, and quite acceptable for a Cuban. Though like most Cubans (the SANDWICH) nothing to write home about.

A very well executed sandwich below.

The buffalo chicken panini was lacking in nothing but napkins, and potentially something other than meat and cheese. Again, totally a fine sandwich, and even good for a panini. But it is not my typical cup of tea.

The salad was refreshing and had fresh vegetables and grilled chicken. It is perfect for someone the opposite of me, but expected for a place called Garden Cafe. This is a good, healthy spot for a quick lunch, unless you get the chicken pot pie, in which case you can wait a bit longer for something much less healthy and much more delicious.

House

110 South Jackson St.
Media, PA 19063
(610) 566-2505
Website

In continuing my quest for the best sandwiches in Delco and beyond, I stumbled upon House in downtown Media and gave it a try.

It's a corner spot – a quaint and well cared for little tudor-style joint for the architecture enthusiasts out there.

The decor is straight out of Pinterest and appealed more to my *a hem* feminine side. If that even exists...

But all of that aside, it was time to try the Frenchie. Did I say feminine?

This one features smoked ham, double creme brie, caramelized onions, honey-dijon aioli and is served on a crusty baguette.

They also threw some mixed greens in there for a smack of crisp freshness. The ham was meltingly tender and masculinely thick. There were no chewy bits, every time I sunk my teeth into that pink meat, it cut right through without hesitation. Not to mention the generous portion of Brie that came along with it, all cut with some tangy-sweet, whole seed mustard spread. It's a well balanced, flavorful & generous portion of fancy ingredients for a meager $6.50.

Next item was the Southwestern Panini with house roasted turkey, roasted peppers, cheddar, bacon and chipotle remoulade.

Here was another stack of thick-cut meat with similar tenderness. The turkey looked like it was going to be too much and too dry, but when I took my first bite, I was surprised by the rich balance of ingredients. The turkey was anything but dry and the chipotle kick kept my mouth watering for more.

It was cooked just so all ingredients could meld together - nothing was left in the cold here.

Probably the highlight of my meal was the blue cheese and bacon potato salad. It doesn't get any better than this. Between the thoroughly mixed hints of blue cheese, the hearty pieces of bacon and the vinegar tang of the mustard, I was in flavor explosion heaven.

Another perfectly balanced flavor explosion.

Between the architecture, decor and all of the menu items I chose to sample, House certainly knows how to strike the right harmony in everything they present to their customer. Go see for yourself.

Cafe La Maude

816 North 4th Street
Philadelphia PA 19123
(267) 318-7869
Website

I have ridden past La Maude countless times, but if I am stopping for food on this block, it always ends up being Honey's. I figured it was high time that changed. This place is just a few doors north of the famous corner spot, and you can't miss it.

The façade is really nice, with a great awning and wood framing. According to their site, they "look like Paris, and taste like Beirut."

They had a wide selection of pastries and desserts. Although I was tempted, I was here for some brunch.

It's all about high quality presentation here.

Prices are a bit high, but there is a great ambiance. And the food has a lot of creativity.

Also, the coffee is fantastic.

The benedict was delicious. Their version was served over thin slices of Canadian bacon with a generous smear of Brie, fresh avocado and topped with a bright & citrusy hollandaise.

Not to mention the skewers of fresh fruit...

The eggs were poached to perfection, and served with a side of some nicely crisped potato wedges. Everything on this plate was prepared just right.

I also got the Halloumi press, which consisted of grilled halloumi cheese, roasted tomatoes, green olives, mesclun greens, and pesto served on a French baguette.

While it may not have been the largest sandwich I have eaten, it was among the tastiest. Simple, refreshing, and delicious. There was a level of acidity that made the ingredients come alive, and the crispy toasted bread held everything together nicely.

I have to say, the next time Honey's is too full, I wouldn't think twice about heading down to La Maude. Even if it means a few extra bucks. I actually may be craving that sandwich in the near future and head down that way for a coffee and a sandwich on the sidewalk. Weather pending.

Milk & Honey Cafe

Sister Cities Park
18th St. & The Parkway
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 387-6455
Website

Open since mid-May, Sister Cities Park is the resulting transformation of that (what used to be useless) section of green that sits in front of the immaculate cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul.

Once the home to many a man without a home, this triangular section of Logan Square was recently given a face-lift. Enter a new visitor's center / Milk & Honey Cafe.

The architecture of this small building is fantastic. It's bright, rustic and modern all at the same time.

With 3 of four sides made out of floor-to-ceiling glass panels, the views are pretty amazing.

Atmosphere = 5 cheesesteaks. But let's get down to what we're really here for, the eats.

All of the sandwiches are pre-made and housed in a typical open shelved refrigerator, with salads and drinks nearby. You have the option of either eating your selection cold, or they offer to heat any one of them up on their panini press. The employee recommended heating up any/all of them and I agreed, feeling how solid and cold the bundles were upon handling.

In an attempt to purge myself of the weekend's indulgences, I've adopted Meatless Mondays - well, on an every-other-Monday basis. (Let's face it, forcing myself to a weekly eating regimen of vegetarian only items will go nowhere, fast.) So, I went with what was labeled as The Franklin: house made red pepper pesto, mild Gouda cheese, tomatoes & fresh arugula.

The whole grain bread was fresh and full of fiber, and the combination of pesto and tomatoes kept it from being too dry. I'm sure the whole pre-made, sitting around all day thing helped too.

The Gouda was, shall I say, gouda. All in all, not a bad veggie panini, if you're trying to take in healthy ingredients.

The old dining mate forgot about Meatless Mondays and ordered The Italian Market Hoagie with Prosciutto di Parma, Genoa salami, Green Meadow Farm ham, provolone, & fresh arugula. Notice how they don't mention any condiments?

Well, they over pressed it AND it was dry. Luckily they had Hellmann's mayonnaise packets to add the much-needed lubrication.

The cured meats were okay, but a bit lacking for an $8.50 sandwich. The bread would have been decent, had it not been burnt to a crisp. Couldn't really taste the provolone, a nice sharp variety would help kick it up a notch.

Good thing we grabbed a bag of salt & vinegar Joe Chips to hold us over.

All in all, Milk & Honey is a great destination – but I recommend it only if what you seek is coffee, some internets and maybe a bagel or other AM pastry.