Thai/Food/Gaga...Oh, My!

I've always thought that Center City Philadelphia could use a few more great Thai restaurants.  There are my go-to spots like Tamarind/My Thai/Aqua, and even though I'm always happy to go back for more, I still feel like there's room to add to the mix.  So, when I heard that Erawan would be opening a second location in Chinatown, I was thrilled.  Unfortunately, I have never been to their original spot on 23rd and Sansom (I really need to venture out to the Art Museum Area more), but I've heard great things, so walking the few blocks to 9th and Arch was a must. 

The gals and I checked it out for lunch on a weekday when they offer their fantastic lunch deal of salad/soup or app/entree for $7.95 +.  And this cute little byob with their super friendly staff and Thai Lady Gaga music (no joke, they have their own version of Bad Romance) hit the spot.  The peanut dressing on the Erawan salad was so rich and delish that I honestly sent the bowl back completely clean.  My veggie spring rolls and Holy Basil Supreme were completely satisfying as well.  The portion sizes were plentiful, easily allowing us to package up some leftovers to savor over later.  My only minor complaint was that the entree could have been just a tad bit spicier, however I'm sure they would have been more than happy to fulfill this request as the staff was oh-so helpful and pleasant throughout our dining experience.  With their options for take-out and delivery as well, I will definitely add Erawan to my go-to list.  Grab a few bottles and a few friends and check out Erawan and their version of Lady Gaga for a savory dish or three.

You Say You Want a Revolution...

After much wait, Old City welcomes Revolution House, the new bar/restaurant located on the corner of 2nd and Market Streets which was home to Snow White diner for oh-so, long.  I'm happy to report that the owners have put a lot of elbow grease into the new place.  Not a trace of the former diner has been left behind, which for those of us who have dined there before know that's a great accomplishment.  The only thing that nods at the locations previous roots is the diner-style breakfast that's offered on their menu complete with omelettes/pancakes/sides of bacon. 

The two-story spot is spacious indeed, providing a bar on the first and second floors with table seating for dinning as well.  The exposed brick walls/wood-planked bars/metal railings/chandeliers and hanging bottles give an array of textures adding much warmth to the environment.  The real gem of the space however, is the huge roof deck which faces Market Street and is surrounded by colorful plantings and wall sconces for night time diners. 

The beer list has a great mix of draft and bottle selections (any bar that serves Allagash White on draft is alright by me), and the wine menu allows winos to select their choice of glass or bottle (always bottle) for all sparkling/white/red/rosé.  And, in addition to the diner-style breakfast, the food menu is all about comfort;  burgers/tater-tots/meatballs/pizza.  I sampled the margherita pizza, as well as the tater-tots, and to be honest I've had much better of both, but dining al fresco, above Market Street, away from the typical Old City crowd is good enough to keep me coming back.

Glendi Thursdays

This Thursday, June 9th, Opa will be hosting Glendi, a fashion/music/photography event kicking off at 9pm with showtime beginning at 9:30pm.  Take a peak, as Sansom Street is turned into an art lover's haven between 13th Street and Broad all night.  On the runway, fashion will be provided by local Philly favs like Carmelita Couture and Matthew Izzo. Charlie Salon will be taming tresses, and DJ Rahsaan will be mixing and entertaining the crowd.  And of course, Opa will be serving their tasty Greek dishes and delicious cocktails inside.  Fashion/Food/Fabulous Fun.  See you there!

PBW is Here!

Philly Beer Week kicks-off this Friday, June 3rd at various locations throughout the city and burbs.  With plenty of options to try some new and fav brews, head out and get your drink on through the 12th at some of the events listed below. 

 June 3rd - Cool off with Capogiro's mouth-watering, beer-based gelato.  Check out their four locations for flavors like Rogue Chocolate Stout with oats/chocolate malt/chocolate/hops, as well as Voodoo Love Child with passion fruit/raspberries/tart cherries.  Divine!

June 4th -The Farmer's Cabinet hosts Mikkeller Draft Party starting at 3pm. The Cab. will be pouring an astounding 25 taps of rare beers from this Denmark brewer.  I'm there!

June 5th - Monk's Cafe hosts The Lost Abbey at 4:30pm. With an lineup of tempting and pleasing sour beers, look for such brews as Duck Duck Gooze with pineapple guava fruit. Yum!
 

And, for more events, don't forget to download PBW's app for iphones and androids to help simplify the extensive list of 1,000 or so events to attend.  Bottoms up!