Parc

After braving the slick and barely salted streets of Philadelphia for some final Christmas presents, we stopped into Parc for a welcome respite of wine, cheese & French fare. We'd dined at Parc before, but always during the summer at outside tables overlooking Rittenhouse square. I'd almost forgotten how large the interior was, and how cozy this bistro can make you feel on a chilly evening.

Our meal started with a cheese plate that featured an amazing stilton-like sample that was filled with those magical little veins that lend its dark blue coloring. I have dreams about cheese like that. We also had a great camembert-ish cheese that was soft and oozy, served with an addictive bit of real honeycomb and slices of perfectly made French bread. We didn't get the names of the cheeses, unfortunately. The carafe of house wine probably had something to do with that.

Dinner for the finance was roasted salmon with a black trumpet mushroom crust that was cooked perfectly, served overtop fennel puree and fresh chevril (a tarragon-like herb). She loved her meal, and this is from a girl that eats salmon all over the city, and not a huge fan of fennel either.

I went for the special that evening, coq au vin. It's been years since I've even ordered it, but one bite made me start questioning myself for passing on something so good and so French. Chicken legs & thighs braised in good red wine till the meat is falling off the bones, this is heaven on plate. This is the kind of meal that makes you do a little happy dance in your chair.

Overall, Parc does the French bistro thing about as well as anyone in the city (still have a special place in my heart for Bistro la Minette). The menu is brief but well executed from top to bottom, and the atmosphere makes you feel like you're in a neighborhood Parisian bistro. The carafes of table wine are a decently priced at $28, and you should not leave without trying a cheese plate. Can't go wrong with the essentials.

-T. Kaso

Parc is located at 227 S. 18th Street, on Rittenhouse Sq. They accept all credit cards and 11pm on weeknights, midnight on weekends and 10pm on Sundays.

Xochitl

A cold Tuesday night found us celebrating the arrival of my sister (very pregnant and home from London for two weeks) at cozy little Xochitl on Headhouse Square. This was my first time there, but the fiancée had been for drinks with the girls a few times, and I have to say that the cocktails did not disappoint. She had the margarita (perfectly made) and I went with the Senor Barriga - a great mix of tequila, muddled lime, sugar, thyme and a kick of jalapeño to warm you up on a chilly December night.

Having lived in London myself for a brief stint on a study abroad program in college, I understand the dearth of decent Mexican available there. Shocking, really, given the amazing collage of cultures and foods - it's where I had my first Thai & Indian meals, sparking a love affair with curry that has only gotten more intense with the years. So, dutifully, we escorted the big sister out for a night of guacamole, tequilas and perfectly made tortillas.

We decided to skip the big meals - although they all looked very good (must come back to try those veal tongue meatballs). Instead we went with a bunch of appetizers, each one excellent in it's own right and reminiscent of dishes I'd had in Mexico. Guacamole made table side started us off, mashed in an authentic molcajete, with your choice of additions including minced onions, jalapeños, habeneros, and cotija cheese. Spot on, and the hot chips right out of the fryer were perfect - we had to ask for more to nibble on after the guac was gone.

Along with the guacamole, we had chicharrones - a wonderful Mexican version of pork rinds that are puffy and light with not a hint of grease, served with a spicy salsa verde for dipping. We'd had a different version of chicharrones in Peru that were actually fried bits of pork, but these were excellent in their own right and a nice little surprise. Sopa azteca was a tasty soup served with fried tortilla strips, chunks of avocado and cheese, all floating in a deep flavored broth that was poured into bowl at the table to keep the tortillas crunchy. Well played.

The mackerel ceviche was served on big crunchy tostadas, mixed with a tangy pico de gallo. Not quite as good as ceviche I've had at places like Amada or Tinto, but for $11 I was happy. This brings us to the queso fundido - one the most amazing bits of Mexican cooking that I've come across. The dish couldn't be simpler, melted chihuahua cheese served in a hot skillet with fresh tortillas. You scoop some cheese into your tortilla and add in the accompanying mushrooms, peppers, or pickled red onions and then slowly savor this gooey little delight from the gods.

The only disappointment was the cazuela de chorizo y papas (chorizo served with kale and potatoes). The dish was a bit bland, and not nearly enough chorizo or spice. Kale & potatoes don't lend much to the party, but do give it some backbone. I'd skip this next time back.

Prices are affordable for a decent meal with drinks (appetizers average $10 and entrées are between $15 and $20), and I'm looking forward to exploring more of the menu. They've also got a sturdy tequila menu that I'll be sampling on my next visit - not a school night.

-T.Kaso

Xochitl is located at 408 S. Second Street on Headhouse Sq. They are open for dinner from 5pm-12am 7 days a week, with the bar staying open till 2am. All major credit cards are accepted.

Mmmmm....Koch's Deli

One of the hidden jewels of west philadelphia, Koch's Deli might be the best thing for a hangover since gatorade was invented.  Mountains of hot pastrami and melty swiss cheese on ridiculously good bread make for a nap and a lazy Saturday on the couch.  

The quintessential Jewish deli, I started going to Koch's while at school at Drexel, and have been coming back ever since.  It's a bit of an institution at UPenn, with the walls decorated in pictures and hand written letters to the Koch brothers to prove it.  It's definitely not the fastest service, but thats part of the appeal.  The almost overly friendly staff will chat you up and hand out free slices of turkey, muenster and homemade pickles while you wait for your little piece of heaven on a roll.   And they warm up the meat & cheese for each sandwich individually, so that when they finally put it all together it just oozes with flavor and makes you realize that it was worth the wait.  

I went for the reuben today and never looked back.  A 5" high stack of pastrami, swiss cheese & kraut with homemade russian dressing on perfect jewish rye.  I dare you to find a better one this side of New York.  Not much has changed at Koch's in 40 years.  They still have their original refrigerators & scales, which they are fiercely proud of, and they still know how to make a sandwich to write home about.  Thousands of hungry college students can't be wrong. 

-TKaso

Koch's Deli is at 4309 Locust Street, at the edge of UPenn's campus in West Philadelphia.   

Quizzo at The Lost Bar

I'm a big fan of the Quizzo games in Philadelphia.  Nothing like trying to recall the real name of Sting after 3 or 4 beers (it's Gordon Sumner, if you're counting).  It's more than just the sheer nerd factor of being able recall the author of Crime & Punishment or know how many 3-letter body parts there are,  it's about having a reason to drink on a week night.  We've been making the rounds at different games for the past few months. 

We hit up The Lost Bar in Kensington/Fishtown last night for Irish John's early game at 8:30.  If you haven't played his game, it's pretty entertaining.  Not for the questions so much as his vocabulary - this guy could make a sailor blush.  His game is great though with a really good mix of questions, extra credit, and a lighting round.  We had been going to Liberties quizzo on Tuesdays with Tom Asher but the questions seem to be geared towards those that were in college during the Carter administration.  

As for the bar, it's a great shot & a beer joint with a good selection of beers - none more than $3.  No food, but the cheap beers made up for it.  The only fault I could see is that there's no ATM at the bar, and it's cash only.  I had to walk 4 or 5 blocks to York street to get cash.   Think we'll be back again next week though, early enough to get a table and cash in hand. 

-TKaso

The Lost Bar is at Frankford at Hagert streets, across the street from the Philadelphia Brewing Company.  Quizzo game starts promptly at 8:30 on Thursday nights.  All PBC brews are $3, along with Magic Hat, Lager & other microbrews.  Domestics are $2.50.