Tag: Philadelphia

When people think of Philadelphia some people might think about the Liberty Bell or Independence Hall. However, I am guessing most people think about cheesesteaks. And choosing where to get a cheesesteak can be a daunting task. There are plenty of famous places that all the tourists go. I did not want to do that. I wanted to go where the locals go.

Throughout my trip I would ask all my waitresses and bartenders where their favorite place was. It was almost unanimous that Jim’s Steaks offered the best. So, I headed to South Street to check them out.

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There was already a huge line when I showed up. Just seeing the line made me realize that I made the right choice to check them out.

The lined moved fast. Everyone knew how to order properly. I made sure that I figured out how to order before I got up to the window.

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A “Wiz With” is what I ordered. This gave me a cheesesteak topped with fresh grilled onions and cheese wiz liquid cheese.

The bread was soft to begin with but with all the cheese it because squishy. The meat was chopped up really fine. It mixed together with the grilled onions. The cheese help bind it all together.

The flavor was fantastic. I could taste the sweetness of the onions, along with the salty cheese. The meat had a great savory taste. It was a messy sandwich to eat. Glad I grabbed lots of napkins.

On my way out of the restaurant, I passed the machine that slices all of the rolls. It was amazing how fast it sliced.

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Plus I saw the machine that slices all the meat into the thin slices. That machine can take off your hand if you are not careful.

The line was out the door and around the block by the time I left. I hit them at the right time, around 11:30, right before the prime lunch time.

If you are headed to Philadelphia and want a cheesesteak I would recommend trying Jim’s Steaks. They were fantastic plus all the locals recommended them too. Make sure you bring cash, because that is all the accept.

Visit their website at www.jimssouthstreet.com

Enjoy!

T

I was really hungry for pizza when I was in Philly. We found a highly rated pizza place near our hotel that we decided to check out called Pizzeria Vetri.

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They were not very big inside. Most of the tables were already filled. We were able to get seats at the counter. These were awesome seats because I could watch them make all the pizzas.

They were tossing the pizza dough in the air left and right. They made it look so easy.

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I could also feel the heat coming from the wood fire oven. It amazed me how fast the pizzas cooked when they went inside.

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We were starving so we ordered couple of things. We started off with the meatballs. They cooked these in the wood fire oven too. They came out sizzling. These were ground chicken meatballs. They had a light and airy texture. They were seasoned perfectly and paired well with their homemade sauce.

For the pizza, I shared the fennel sausage pizza. The sausage had fantastic flavor. I could taste the fennel in each bite and the sausage was tender. The pizza crust was super thin and crispy. It had a nice smoky taste from the oven. The fresh mozzarella cheese added a great creamy element.

The fennel sausage tasted so goo we ordered it in the calzone for sharing. The calzone itself looked beautiful when it came out of the oven. It had a pretty sheen on top.

When I cut into it the cheese just poured out. There was no way I could take a bite, it was just way too hot. Once it cooled off I was able to take a bite and taste the sweet dough. It tasted different form the pizza crust, even though it was probably the same dough. The cheese added a creamy and salty element that complemented the sweet dough. The sausage was just as good mixed with all the cheese as it was on the pizza.

The food was amazing at Pizzeria Vetri. I am so glad we stopped in. They had many other pizza options to choose from. I would want to go back to try more.

Visit their website at www.pizzeriavetri.com to see their menu.

Enjoy!

T

Walking around on Chestnut in downtown Philly my friends and I came across a bar that we wanted to check out – Drinkers Pub.

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If you don’t like clowns, then some of the décor in this bar might freak you out.

But looking past the clowns, they have a really cool wall of credit cards. These were all different kinds of cards that have been left at the bar over the years. It is a very creative idea. And definitely a conversation starter.

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Their menu was filled with traditional bar food. They did have something unique – eggplant fries. I had never seen this before. I figured it would be similar to zucchini fries. So, I decided to try them. They were strips of eggplant that were breaded and fried. They served a jalapeno aioli on the side for dipping.

The breading had great flavor with the herbs they mixed in. They were nice and crispy on the outside. The eggplant was a little softer than I would have preferred. Despite that I still enjoyed them. They tasted even better in the jalapeno aioli. It was not too spicy but had a slight kick.

Drinkers Pub was a fun place to hang out with friends. They had a full bar and good choices on their menu. Check them out at www.drinkersrittenhouse.com

Enjoy!

T

One of my favorite things to do when I am traveling is to check out different breweries. They are popping up all over the place. When I was in Philadelphia I made sure to check out Yards Brewing Company.

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It was a little on the outskirts of the city, but my friends and I made the walk. We were so hot when we arrived that we could not wait to have a nice cold beer.

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The brewery was very large. There was seating everywhere. We decided to sit at the bar so that we could get the best service.

We each decided to so a beer flight. They had several to chose from. I went after the Summertime flight.

• IBG grapefruit pale ale
• Heritage Surf IPA
• Lucy
• Knotty IPA

My favorite was the grapefruit pale ale. It had a great citrus taste that was refreshing on a hot day.

We also got a bite to eat while we were drinking our beers. The Ruben Bites sounded good. These were shredded corned beef, sauerkraut, and cheese all mixed together. They deep fried them until crispy. These tasted just like a Ruben sandwich. I really liked that the cheese was melted throughout.

Yards is a fun place to hang out with friends and drink beer. We did not stay long because we wanted to move on and try some other places around the city, however I would definitely go back.

Check them out at www.yardsbrewing.com

Enjoy!

T

Across the street from the Reading Terminal you can find Field House.

This is where the Philadelphia Gator Club meets to watch football games. What a wonderful group of people. They were completely welcoming to an out-of-towner.

To kick off the party right, they had a special drink on the menu for the group – the “Gator Chomp”. It was the perfect way to celebrate the football game.

They had many traditional pub foods on their menu, all of which sounded good. However, their Kettle Chip Nachos sounded amazing. These were not typical nachos, they layered the chips with house made beer braised short ribs, chilies, smoked melted Gouda cheese and salsa.

While the flavor combinations worked so well together, it was the short ribs that sent the dish over the top. The meat just fell apart when you touched it and it was so moist. I couldn’t get enough of the short ribs. I wanted just a bowl of that.

I was able to save room for their cheese steak. I couldn’t come to Philly and not have a cheese steak. The chipped sirloin they used was tender when I bit into it and they smothered it with their homemade cheese sauce. It was definitely  satisfying.

If you want to watch your favorite team head over to Field House. Check them out at: www.fieldhousephilly.com

Enjoy!

T

 

 

The Reading Terminal has been an institution in Philadelphia since 1892. It’s story is one of ups and downs but speaks to the American entrepreneur spirit. This market is bustling with over 80 businesses where visitors and local can get everything from homemade meals & desserts to flowers & books.

To be overwhelmed in the Reading Market would be an understatement. Luckily for me I was given advice before I arrived on how to handle this place – know what you are hungry for. It may sound simple but it really was the best advice.

While in Philly I wanted to have Italian Roasted Pork and Dinic’s is the place you have to go to when you are in Reading Market. All I had to do was follow the line, it lead me right to Dinic’s.

As I squeezed my way up to the counter, I ordered my roasted pork and added broccoli rabe and had it topped with a slice of sharp provolone cheese. The rolls they used for the sandwich were fresh and it made the sandwich all the better.

I saw the size of the sandwich, so I decided to order just a half for myself, which was a good choice. The pork was perfect just on it’s own, but paired with the broccoli rabe and provolone cheese added a kick to the flavor. It is what made the flavor of the sandwich stand out.

This place was so busy while I was there. Their menu is simple but they definitely have a following. The amount of pork that they go through each day is amazing.

If you are heading to Reading Terminal Market I recommend trying Dinic’s. Check out their menu and their hours at : tommydinics.com

To help plan your trip to Reading Terminal check out their complete listing of businesses at: www.readingterminalmarket.org

Enjoy!

T