The Spring Garden Takeover: Bufad Review
In the same way Marcie Turney and partner Valerie Safran dominate 13th Street, Michael and Jeniphur Pasquarello seem poised to take over Spring Garden. The pair already own Cafe Lift and the always-busting-at-the-seams Prohibition Taproom and, now, along comes their newest venture–a pizza spot called Bufad that sits on a corner a few steps from Prohibition Taproom. Above all else, the duo should be congratulated for the ingenious idea of snagging the once-vacant spot where Bufad is now housed and creating a space to catch the overflow of patrons from Prohibition where it’s...
Read MoreNY Must-Try: Dinner at The Spotted Pig
The burger and rosemary shoestring fries at The Spotted Pig may be the best meal on Earth. Often times in the restaurant world, descriptors like ‘cramped,’ ‘overcrowded,’ and ’tight’ sound a death knell for the eatery in question. Throw in excrutiatingly long wait times and a ‘no reservations’ policy and its fate is likely sealed, but somehow The Spotted Pig–logistical nightmare that it is–manages to deftly avoid the minefield of extinction. Navigate the throng of diners desperate to snag one of the impossibly tiny tables upstairs...
Read MoreHidden Gem Alert: El Tule (Lambertville, NJ)
Trio of traditional Mexican tacos Though postage stamp-sized, Lambertville is one of those tiny towns teeming with curious little shops, narrow alleyways, and a surprising number of eateries. It is separated from its sister city New Hope by the Delaware River and, when coupled together, the quaint duo makes for a fun day trip. When it comes to Lambertville and New Hope, I’m no stranger to “stumble travel”–that means no GPS, no itinerary, no concrete plans–I literally stumble upon interesting spots and almost always discover a gem. I...
Read MoreOn the ‘Mein’ Line: Dining at Nectar
Underneath a crisp sheath of pomegranate-glazed tempura pumpkin, a mélange of roasted pumpkin, avocado, and sushi rice come together in this seasonal roll. Nectar–the Main Line’s French-Asian fusion monolith–is just as much about numbers as it is about food. From the billowy 18-foot silkscreen Buddha tapestry that towers over the cavernous 200-seat dining room to the $5 million David Rockwell-designed interior, the restaurant evokes a sexy, cosmopolitan air sorely missing from the suburban dining landscape–especially that of the Main Line’s. It is...
Read MoreA NoBL Effort: The Reopening
There’s nothing better than the opening of a suburban restaurant whose menu could very well rival those of its city-dwelling counterparts. When NoBL (an acronym that nods to its geographic North of Baltimore & Lansdowne location; pronounced “noble”) arrived on the scene, it signaled a much-needed change for an area known more for its hair and nail salons and takeout joints than anything else. But were Delco diners ready for Mediterranean small plates and a wildly eclectic, offal-heavy ”midnight special” staff meal? Like a suitor trying to win the...
Read MoreWho is The Palate Princess?
Iris McCarthy is a food writer and author of the popular book Food Lovers' Guide to Philadelphia. This website is where she gets to sound off on all things culinary.