A Pinch Of a Full Philly Meal for 50

Yup, you read that right: we’re at the 50 weekly newsletters mark. This doesn’t quite feel like such a small thing anymore. There will be a pinch of something more once we hit the year mark, but we have to get there first.

After the week of 100-degree temps, I hit the shore to celebrate a friend on a bachelor party. Sea Isle City welcomed us warmly, then cooled down, before a great beach day to round out the weekend. Food was fuel this weekend, plus a little hibachi action in the backyard on the final night.

Since coming back, I’ve been treated to a few great meals:

• Italian Hoagie from Gentili’s, for a Sunday afternoon post-drive back lunch

• Meyer Lemon Risotto from The Love, a nice lunch with some coworkers

• Salmon Bowl, to get back to the reality of healthier weeknight dinners

Philly Death Row Meal

As we’ve done with every 10th newsletter, here’s a version of a top ten – and I’d argue an important one at that for the big 5-0. This idea comes from Jacob Does Philly. A couple weeks ago he shared this idea from his comments and his Philly Death Row Meal.

I love this idea because it’s pretty specific and there are some boundaries about piecing together a meal. That said, I’m sure there are a few that I’m missing here, whether that’s because I’m blanking on them or just because I haven’t had them yet. For now, I did as well as I can from perusing my photos, map and notes app (after a long weekend).

So let’s break it down:

1. Ambiance at Sally

2. Starters from Zahav

3. Pull-Apart Rolls from Wilder

4. French Onion Soup from Parc

5. Pierogi from Little Walter’s

6. BLT from Middle Child

7. Burger and a Beer from Fountain Porter

8. Cacio e Pepe from Fiorella

9. Khao Soi from Mawn

10. Deconstructed Cheese Plate Dessert from Mish Mish

Ambiance at Sally

Now there’s a lot about Sally that I love, and honestly the pizza, caesar salad and starters did make the shortlist for this meal. My favorite part about this spot in my neighborhood is the vibe. So starting in the similar direction as Jacob’s list, I’m marking down Sally for the ambiance. The small spot inside with the pizza oven and bar surrounded by tables is great, and the outside benches and happy hour tables bring it that extra notable step above.

‘Twas one of my favorites before moving over here, and I have to hold back from stopping on my way back from work for happy hour snacks or maybe a sneaky full meal.

Starters from Zahav

Again, there’s plenty from Zahav that could’ve been chosen. Looking back at the pictures I have from the one time I was able to get there, the starters were what I really loved the most. The Hummus-Tehina, Laffa Bread, and Salatim – made up of Beets with Tehina, Twice-cooked Eggplant, Pickled Napa Cabbage, Moroccan Carrots, Marinated Cauliflower and Spicy Fennel. I could eat the laffa bread with so many damn things. There’s a reason why this is a Philly food scene staple.

Pull-Apart Rolls from Wilder

Yes, I do understand how crazy it sounds to choose rolls as part of this meal… 1) it’s my meal, 2) if you’ve tried these you understand, and 3) you’re telling me great bread and butter isn’t a highlight of meals?

The compound butter that Wilder is mixing up with these rolls is always amazing, fermented honey butter when I went last. Looks like they’ve got some oven-roasted tomato butter now. Fine, guess I have to go back.

French Onion Soup from Parc

This is the soup I think about the most. I’d probably eat it on a 100-degree day if I’m being honest. Parc does a lot of things right, which makes sense because everyone knows the restaurant… but this french onion soup is worth the stop in itself. And I’ve done just that a few times, planned or spontaneously.

Pierogi from Little Walter’s

When I first got to Little Walter’s, we shared two different types of pierogi: the regular and the seasonal with squash blossoms. I loved both of them. In fact, as I’m writing this, they’re celebrating their one-year anniversary that features a pierogi tasting menu. They’re damn good. What I’d do to have this spot closer for a little pierogi and a martini happy hour deal.

BLT from Middle Child

Described as “wet, sloppy” by Middle Child themselves, these will always find a plate on my death row meal. BLTs can sometimes be controversial, and sometimes bigger sandwiches don’t always mean better. Middle Child kicked both those opinions away with this one, and even said more is more with the BBLT, adding burrata into the mix. I think about this sandwich every year… I need one now.

Burger and a Beer from Fountain Porter

This was also a contender for ambiance, but I realized this exact experience of a burger and a beer at the counter at Fountain Porter is what I love about it so much. It’s also the perfect size to fit into such a large meal. There was a food-tour, bar-hopping night that cemented this as one of my favorite bites and sips in the city.

Cacio e Pepe from Fiorella

There’s always going to be a pasta dish in this meal. And Fiorella is almost always the first restaurant I name when I start to share my favorite restaurants in the city. It’s a pasta bar. It’s so much more than just a pasta bar. Marc Vetri, Philly’s king of pasta, created the perfect space just around the corner of the Italian Market. And they’re cooking up so many good things on their rotating menu, but I have to give it up to my favorite pasta dish, The Cacio e Pepe.

Khao Soi from Mawn

I don’t even think my words are needed here, considering owner and chef Phila Lorn just won a James Beard Award. So I’ll just call it back to my favorite bite of last year, the Khao Soy from Mawn. These warm, brothy noodles were packed with flavor that I simply couldn’t get enough of. As the menu describes: northern thai curry, braised chicken, chili jam, red onion, pickled greens, neighborhood ramen 2 ways.

Dessert: Deconstructed Cheese Plate Dessert from Mish Mish

Yes, that is a dessert. Mish Mish is another spot that could’ve raked up a few spots in this list. And it’s actually been way too long since I’ve been there (a year), so I have to say I’m not even sure if this is still on the menu. But it was the funkiest, packed-with-flavor, captivating dessert I think I’ve ever had, made up of brandied cherries, hazelnut praline and shaved L’Amuse Gouda. Yes, gouda cheese as a dessert. I may just need to think of this as inspo for a homemade dessert with some fresh cherries from the market.

And just like that… the final bite commences. That’s enough for a final meal, right? Of course as a resident tummy trouble expert, I fully acknowledge that not even half of this could actually work together… but, again, this is a hypothetical and a final meal after all.

So on that note, some honorable mentions:

• Ice Cream, choose your fighter: Philly has such an incredible ice cream scene, whether it’s the classic Franklin Fountain, a newer staple like Milk Jawn and Weckerly’s, the creative 1-900-Ice-Cream, or the gelato cravings like Vita.

• A Guinness from The Black Sheep… because there weren’t enough drink mentions, and this special place is where I’ve consumed the most with great company. (And yes, I’m aware Guinness is not a Philly beer. Fountain Porter counts as having the taps for the local beverages.)

So that caps off 50 of these things. As always, feel free to let me know what I may have missed, any recommendations that I may haven’t gotten to, or just chat back to say cheers.

Cheers to you all 🤘