Fette Sau

Even though it's not exactly a barbecue destination, Philly actually has a few decent options in that category, including Percy Street and Sweet Lucy's.  Regardless, restaurateur Stephen Starr saw an opportunity to open another BBQ venture, conveniently located next to his popular German beer hall, Frankford Hall.  Essentially an outpost of Brooklyn's Fette Sau, meaning "fat pig" in German, Starr was able to make a copycat BBQ joint with his own special touch, creating a fun and rustic environment to chow down on some serious smoked meats.

The wide-open space is lined on one side with chalkboard menus, cases of food, and a bar- after entering under the neon pink sign, make your way along this side to place your orders.  Trays are assembled with a bit of teamwork by the staff to expedite the line. Next, grab a seat at one of the many booths or picnic tables- located both inside and out.

Before I dug in, I took a minute to admire the "barnyard chic" decor- exposed beams and brick, aged wood bar, tractor seat stools, and lamps crafted from tin cans and chicken wire.  The cement wall next to our table was tastefully decorated with a informative guide to various cuts of meat.  Even the bathroom stalls are made with what seems like scrap OSB.  A little bit over the top, but that's what the Starr empire is good at.

The place was pretty empty on a Thursday evening, so we were able to place our order without a bit of a wait.  We were undoubtedly overambitious with our decisions, but... there are far too many options.  Advice: go with a big group and split as many things as you can.

Meats are served by the pound (a quarter pound is still plenty to share) and sides in a small or large version. Between the two of us, we ended up conquering six types of meat, four sides, and two desserts.  Rolls were thrown in for free.

In no particular order: the first two sides were potato salad ($3.50/small) and coleslaw ($3.25/small)- two backyard BBQ classics.  Fingerling potatoes were kept whole and tossed with a light coating of a vinegar and Dijon based dressing as well as a bit of chopped parsley and chives- definitely a German-style potato salad, but nothing exciting.  The coleslaw on the other hand, was a big hit.  Purple cabbage and shaved carrots had lots of crunch and an acidic, almost pickled flavor profile.  A bright (and beautiful!) slaw.

BBQ is notoriously difficult to photograph, so bear with me on these pictures. Pulled pork ($8/half pound) is another classic- I typically use it as a measuring stick by which to judge a BBQ joint.  However, Fette Sau's was definitely on the bland side, some nice burnt edges but it needed additional sauce to really make it worth eating.  Additionally, it was definitely on the colder side of lukewarm, an issue we had with almost all of our meats.  Obviously this pork isn't coming straight out of the smoker, but I like my BBQ served hot.  The black Angus brisket ($4.25/quarter pound) was relatively lean, but with a decent salty, smoky infusion of flavor.

Pulled pork, brisket, 1/2 chicken in the back

Luck was on my side- my tray of goodies was full of items that ended up being much more exciting.  On a whim, I ordered the flank steak (not a typical BBQ item?) and also snagged the pork belly- both of which ended up being fantastic.

However, the tub of "burnt end" baked beans ($4.50/small) called my attention first- a sweet and spicy conglomeration of beans and slow cooked shreds of beef that provided a really robust, meaty flavor to a sauce perfectly balanced with a hint of molasses.

About that flank steak ($9/half pound): a perfect medium pink (the only meat actually served hot, too!), peppered edges, juicy and tender- I'd like an 8 oz cut of this please.  Definitely worth a return visit for this sleeper hit.

A half pound of the pork belly ($9) also proved to be a generous portion with layers of crispy edges, melt-in-your-mouth fat, and perfectly cooked pork.  Don't let this get cold- the fat will actually congeal- but squares of belly served up on a potato roll with a dab of beans makes a fantastic sandwich.

The Nicolosi hot Italian sausage ($8) finalized the meat-fest- spicy and snappy, this guy could definitely hold his own amongst the South Philly competition.  Again, a bit of a surprise on a BBQ menu, but I think it helps round out the menu.  The original Fette Sau has a lengthy list of meat options- from Cornish hen to duck breast to pig's tails- can we hope for a menu expansion in the future?

The last side was the broccoli salad ($3/small)- I'd read that it was "boring", but I definitely needed a dose of something green on my tray.  Stems and stalks are blanched and then lightly pickled in a red pepper and vinegar sauce- again, plenty of crunch but a little too much acidity.  Oddly, this acidity helped cut the salty smokiness of the meat, so I appreciated that aspect of the salad.  Wait.. this isn't a "salad" at all- it's just broccoli!

I hear another good way to balance all that meat is to eat dessert.  The peanut butter cookie ($1.50) was a good inch and a half tall, studded with peanut butter chips and a subtle sweetness.  A chewy, sweet-and-salty option that pairs well with BBQ.

However, the bacon brownie ($3) was much more exciting. Thick, fudgy, and full of caramelized bacon- a true indulgence.  Chopped walnuts gave it a third dimension of flavor and a bit of crunch that really made this an outstanding dessert.  Warning: this is the definition of "rich." Plan on sharing and/or revisiting this the next day.

Speaking of revisiting, we had plenty of food leftover to take home.  We flagged down a staff member and he brought us a lid for the beans and sheets of foil to wrap up the meats, as well as a plastic bag to pack everything up.  I wasn't too pleased by the "I Love NY" label on the bag (I don't really looove NY)- perhaps the Brooklyn version had some sort of plastic bag excess.

Fette Sau definitely had some hits-and-misses, which was a surprise to me since the chef has so much experience and success in the BBQ realm.  However, there are certainly enough things to bring me back, perhaps in the spring when we can actually enjoy the outdoor space that Starr so carefully crafted.

Fette Sau

1208 Frankford Ave

Stateside

I have been wanting to get to George Sabatino's East Passyunk restaurant for months now.  You know what makes it the worst?  His Twitter feed with pictures detailing new dishes and specials.  Every time I see one, a small part of me dies, since I know I won't be eating it.  Drama aside, I was more than excited to finally check it out.  The recent addition of reservations also helps, as tables can fill up quickly.

Source

Located in a great corner spot on Passyunk (super accessible by the Broad Street subway line), the long room is split into a bar area and a small dining room filled mostly with two-tops.  Though we started dinner in a relatively quiet space, by the time we left late on a Saturday evening, it was slammed- the bar was completely packed, three and four deep.  If you're looking for a quiet, romantic spot, this might not be your best bet.

However, if you're looking for a menu full of small plates that each sound better than the last, you've found your haven.  The devotion to cheese, charcuterie, and pickles reminds me of a more food-focused Village Whiskey- but at half the price.  We started our meal off with two types of pickles: the cucumbers and the carrots ($4 each).

Pickled cucumbers?  That's just.. regular pickles.  But these housemade cukes had so much more flavor than dills in a jar (not that I don't love those.. I do!).  Soaked in a brine with a good dose of olive oil, fresh herbs, and mustard seeds, these had a little kick to them, and maintained an exterior crunch.  My mouth is watering as I write this.  The carrots were a bit less exciting, although their description of cilantro and dried jalapeno certainly sounded mind-blowing.  Instead, they had a subtle Asian flavor profile, and were topped with toasted black sesame seeds.  The thing that bothered me most was how crunchy they were.. they needed another few days in brine to reach a state of pickled bliss.  My dining mate disagreed, so perhaps this crunchiness was intended.

Post-pickles, we each selected a couple dishes to share.  My first selection was the Steak Tartare ($11).  Although Sabatino focuses on classic American styles of food preparation, he still manages to add a flair to each dish.  The minced raw beef contained the typical capers and raw egg yolk, but had a distinct mustard flavor that really jived with the beef.  The quail egg seemed rather chicken-y to me, but I'll never say no to egg yolk running over my dinner.  A sprinkling of chopped hazelnuts and a light splash of truffle oil sound like confounding ingredients, but really brought each bite to life in both flavor and texture.  If I say "Eat This Immediately" after each dish, will it lose its meaning?

The Crispy Pork Belly came next on our list of meats-we-need-to-eat ($11).  The deep dish provided two chunks of falling-off-the-non-existent-bone belly that were just right for sharing.  The maple-chili glaze was distinct on the top layer of crisped skin, but its presence beneath the meat in a saucy pool was hardly noticeable.  The fried strips of.. parsnip? were a fun addition, but not easy to eat in combination with the meat.  But.. it's perfectly prepared pork belly.  Eat. This. Immediately.

My second choice veered us in a slightly healthier, fresher direction with the Squash Flan ($8).  I wasn't quite sure what to expect, especially since I'm not a huge fan of the classic Mexican dessert (so, yeah, what was I thinking?).  But, of course, Sabatino has some sort of magic touch and produced a perfectly smooth, buttery, pumpkin-esque "flan" of which I would have no problem consuming an entire bowl.  The chopped vegetable salad served with it gave it an additional fall touch while keeping it light.  Yeah.. eat this too.

And now after that schedule interruption, back to the meat.  I don't have a lot of experience with beef cheeks, but after this rendition, I might have to seek them out again- Stateside's Beer Braised version was a whole Thanksgiving array of comfort crammed into a single small plate ($13).  The braising process gives the meat a slow-cooked shortrib texture, while somehow maintaining a crisped exterior that holds each bite together before it melts in your mouth.

Our final savory dish of the night was yet another how-did-he-do-that winner.  Sure, croquettes are a no-fail, right?  Everyone loves anything coated in bread crumbs and fried in a little pocket.  These Parmesan Croquettes weren't quite so simple ($10).  A very delicate shell held just the slightest bit of oil, creating a weightless bite.  The interior produced creamy, melted cheese, like the adult version of a mozzeralla stick.  I never think of Parmesan in a creamy context, so I was extra impressed.  The braised escarole salad was like a second "dish within a dish"- earthy, but bright with a balsamic glaze and a bit of lemon.  Even better? A bite of both together.

At this point I was comfortably full- the portions on the small plates are great for sharing, giving you just enough to fully enjoy each combination of flavor while leaving you prepared for the next delivery of food to the table.  However, Stateside has received consistently good press on it's dessert front. This course leads you out of the hands of Sabatino into the capable hands of Robert Toland (recently given a great shout out by Drew Lazor at CityEats).  While he has become well known for his takes on s'mores and PB&J, we went for something with a little more classic American flavors (wait.. that might not be possible..).

The Caramelized Apple and Pear Pie was not something I expected to enjoy as much as I did- but I think the amazing presentation might have had something to do with it ($7).  Our own tiny little pie shell!  With perfectly baked, sugar-crusted pie cookie top!  Of course, the warm, softened fruit in it's bath of caramel didn't hurt.

At the end of the meal, we realized we hadn't had an off dish- not even ONE that didn't excite, impress, and satisfy us.  When was the last time you had a meal like that, and were out for under $50 a person? It's hard to do, but Stateside does it without a sweat.  And, while I've continuously told you to order all the same dishes we did, I have no doubt that the rest of the menu is executed just as flawlessly.  Stateside officially has my seal of approval, and would be my absolute first recommendation for someone dining in South Philly.

Stateside
1536 East Passyunk Ave (corner of Passyunk and Cross Streets)

The Wedding Cake: Brown Betty Dessert Boutique

It's time for wedding food post #2! (Check out the rehearsal dinner here.)  This report took a bit longer, as I was waiting for the professional pictures from my super awesome photographer (hi, Amanda!) for full effect.

So this is actually the story of the wedding cake that almost wasn't.  I am against tradition-for-traditions-sake, and so therefore we didn't partake in many of today's common wedding rituals.  We debated a number of alternatives to the wedding cake (baking many mini-desserts for a dessert buffet, Rita's Water Ice, or s'mores-- which we ended up doing in addition to the cake), but in the end my husband-to-be requested we have a cake (and since I made the other 99% of decisions, I figured it would only be fair to grant him his wish!).  The generous offer from my grandmother to help us with the bill sealed the deal.

Who needs cake when you could have this?    Source

We tasted at two places, Sweet Jazmine's in Berwyn and Brown Betty Dessert Boutique in Northern Liberties.  Note to future brides: tasting at two bakeries in one day AND registering at two stores in that same day is not the smartest idea.  Sugar and stress overload.  While we loved the staff and flavors at Sweet Jazmine's, I had my stomach heart set on Brown Betty from the start.  The bakery had a small outpost just down the street soon after we moved to Center City, and their moist, dense cupcakes with thick, sweet frosting were some of our go-to treats during that time.

Just try to resist...    Source

Unfortunately, our experience with the staff at Brown Betty was always touch-and-go, and during the months between our tasting and the wedding, I at times wondered if we would actually have a wedding cake at all.  There was constant turnover of staff, including at the baker/decorator and manager positions, leaving me always wondering who I needed to be speaking with and when (I had to reach out to THEM to confirm the details).  Second note to future brides: when you pay the deposit, sign a contract.  We were told just weeks before our wedding we would have to pay an additional $100 delivery fee, but thankfully we were able to work things out.

While Brown Betty certainly isn't cheap (we paid about $6 per serving for a very simple design), they do allow you to choose among all of their popular flavors, and let us pick three different flavors for a three-tiered cake.  It wasn't easy, but we eventually decided on strawberry, coconut, and red velvet (I told you tradition isn't my thing!).

I wanted to keep things simple on the decoration front, since our wedding was a fairly casual affair.  No fondant, no flowers, and no crazy designs- just cream cheese buttercream frosting, and a simple ribbon and fondant dot border.  We were asked to provide our own ribbon-- something I was fine with doing (it's not that expensive!) but was a little surprised to have to do.

Swoon Over It Photography

The "fondant buttons" were instead piped with buttercream frosting, creating a bit of a non-uniform (can I say sloppy?) look.  Thankfully, I was way more concerned about the way it tasted than the way it looked, but for the price, it was a little disappointing.

Two non-food related comments that I must make: 1) our cake toppers were made by my very talented husband (pandas are "our" animal), and 2) our serving utensils were provided by my parents- the same set they used in their own wedding over 30 years ago.  Both of these made the cake so much more meaningful and personal to me (wedding portraits from family members surrounding the cake also helped!).

Swoon Over It Photography

To cut, we had to remove part of the ribbon on the bottom tier (thankfully our photographer avoided this awkward part of the process) and with last minute advice from my dad, we fed each other with no cake-to-the-face mess.  The bottom tier was our favorite flavor, and one we felt might be most popular- strawberry.  I wouldn't typically think to pair strawberry with cream cheese frosting, but Brown Betty's cream cheese buttercream is just that- a good mixture of both icing's textures and flavors. 

Swoon Over It Photography

Our caterers took care of cutting the slices, intermixing the three different flavors for people to choose.  The red velvet was fudgy, it was so dense and chocolate-y-- if anyone was looking for a light, fluffy cake, they wouldn't find it here!  Thankfully, we only heard rave reviews- although I doubt any guests would complain to the bride if they hated her cake :)

Swoon Over It Photography

The coconut was the top tier, providing the fewest slices-- we didn't intend to save any cake for our one year anniversary (hopefully Brown Betty will still be going strong so we can purchase a small cake to celebrate!).  For this flavor, the cake itself is actually a plain white vanilla, but the frosting between the two layers is chock full of sweetened coconut- just enough to provide flavor and texture, but not too overwhelming.  I will also say that the bit of leftover cake we did have, once stored in the fridge/freezer, had an even better flavor and texture!

Swoon Over It Photography

If I had to do it again, I would still choose Brown Betty to bake our cake, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend them to other brides- their service and design didn't meet my expectations.  Overall, while we sometimes struggled with the cake process during our wedding planning phase, we ended up with exactly what we wanted- delicious cake, fun flavors, a simple design, and special-to-us touches.

Swoon Over It Photography

Brown Betty Dessert Boutique
722 N. 2nd Street

Burger Club PHL: Hickory Lane

Another month, another Burger Club meeting.  This meeting was supposed to take place at the tail end of October, but- maybe you heard?- we were hit by a hurricane.  However, the burger eaters prevailed, and we gathered at Hickory Lane, a small restaurant in Fairmount just a few blocks from recently-visited Lemon Hill.

We were greeted by personalized menus made just for us- Hickory Lane created a deal that combined a burger and a drink for $18.  The burger alone ran us $15- definitely on the expensive side for this city!  In comparison to many of the other places we've held "meetings,"  Hickory Lane offers a single signature burger- aptly named the "Hickory Burger." Executive Chef Matt Zagorski spent many years at Rouge, so he certainly has some solid burger-making experience.

The fact that there was only one option made ordering easy.  Our waiter informed us that the patties were being cooked to a medium rare-medium based on chef preference. Fine by us!  It took a little while before plates started coming out of the kitchen, but we understand the art of burger making is a serious one.

the self-described "bad boy"

The thick meat patty is sandwiched between a challah roll, creating some significant height to this sandwich.  Closer inspection revealed a few light char marks on the outside.  A large pile of pommes frites (why does an "American bistro" insist on using the pretentious French name for fries?) came alongside the burger- I had to clear a few from my plate to make room for burger-tackling.  Super fresh and crispy with plenty of peppery skin- the garlic aioli was a fantastic dipping sauce, if not a little on the greasy side.

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Another thing we noticed right away was the thickness of the cheese.  Melted over the burger, an extra-sharp aged white cheddar added a significant amount of flavor and texture.  I know I'm talking about the cheese before I even talk about the meat, but that's just how good it was.  It was definitely what everyone was exclaiming about the most- the fact that such a high-quality, flavorful cheese is used here, and so much of it!- really created a unique burger experience.

However, I certainly do need to acknowledge the meat.  A "proprietary" blend of three different cuts of beef are exclusively ground by Philadelphia Meat Purveyor Exceptional Foods just for this burger.  I'd say LaFrieda should be watching their backs- they've got some serious competition!  The patty was cooked perfectly to create a nice, thin crust surrounding some seriously pink ground beef.  The grind is still recognizable- these guys are getting treated pretty gently on the grill, providing a nice crumble with each bite.  The meat was underseasoned, allowing the slightly sweet and seriously fluffy challah and salty, aged cheese to play recognizable supporting roles.

Overall, this was definitely a five-star burger.  I'd even go so far to put it amongst the ranks of the Supper burger.  With this kind of burger-making talent, I'd definitely be interested in trying out some other menu items as well.  Any rec's from Hickory Lane fans out there?

Hickory Lane
2025 Fairmount Ave

Lemon Hill

Recently, I've found myself struggling to come up with good new-to-me restaurants to try- a problem I don't recall ever having since starting this blog.  I'm always in charge of choosing restaurants for date nights, and lately I've found it almost a chore (I know, poor me!).  However, my recent marriage has granted me half-ownership of a car, allowing the possibility to explore more distant neighborhoods.  Even though Fairmount isn't technically "far away," it doesn't have the ease of public transportation access of South Philly, so I'm embarrassed to admit that I have never spent time in most of the Art Museum area.

Lemon Hill was a perfect introduction to the neighborhood (after 20 minutes spent trying to find a parking spot!) and has me intrigued to get back there soon.  The "gastropub" (I hesitate to call it that, since I don't see it in the same category as some of the Philly gastro staples) has Mitch Prensky's name on it, and even though he's not the chef there, my love for his food and his philosophies have had me interested since its opening earlier this year.

Dining Room      Source

The space, though relatively small, is bright and spacious, and the bar is separated from the main dining room which I appreciated- they have received a lot of attention for the drinks side of the operation, so I imagine it can get loud and crowded at times.  The menu is short and very seasonal, with most of the dishes on the small side.  Specials are listed on a chalkboard, and feature mussels (rotating preparation), a main dish, and a fish.

I had a hard time choosing, but food stalking other diners actually helped me decide.  The foie gras special sounded amazing, but looked tiny- isn't this always good to know?  I started with a "Vegetable" (literally one of their menu sections, which I obviously loved), the Winter Squash Latkes ($6).  They were able to combine several fall-specific flavors without being cliche, combining the slightly sweet butternut (?) pancakes with housemade spiced pumpkin butter, thinly sliced crisp apples, and a few crunchy toasted pumpkin seeds.  A bit of creme fraiche stood in for the more classic sour cream.  The cakes were just barely held together, and combined with the rich pumpkin butter, were very comforting- I could eat these for a weekend brunch on a cold day.

We also ordered the House Made Pretzels ($6), located in the Snacks part of the menu- a good nod to classic bar food with a few fun twists.  The pretzel sticks were served warm and were slightly dense and chewy- exactly the consistency I require in a good soft pretzel.  Rye seeds studded the dough, and fat flakes of salt melt in your mouth.  The accompanying mustard was whole grain, but didn't have the bite that I typically associate with whole grain mustard- instead, it was tangy and sweet, similar to a honey mustard.  The fact that both items- the pretzels and the mustard- are made in-house is impressive to me- each component takes a special finesse, but they easily nailed both.

A diner at a nearby table ordered the Tagliatelle pasta plate, and one glance steered me away from the sandwich I thought I had settled on.  The pasta is ALSO made in-house.  Thick, chewy ribbons contained bites of softened black kale and smoky chanterelles, and a thin cream sauce with a hint of citrus held well to all of the components ($12).  A hefty sprinkle of Pecorino finished the plate- you can never have too much Pecorino, in my opinion.  The portion was deceivingly enormous, especially considering the price point (although, as one of the few vegetarian options, it's a fair price), leaving me unable to finish the plate (this almost never happens!).

I didn't feel too bad about not ordering the sandwich I had my eye on, since my husband ended up ordering it for himself.  The Korean BBQ Short Rib sandwich ($14) originally grabbed my attention because of the inclusion of (housemade, obvs) kimchi, one of my all time favorite foods.  The sandwiches are easily the largest plates served at Lemon Hill, with a foot long beef sandwich paired with a tall pile of fries.

He asked for the pickled cucumbers on the side (for me), but they weren't as great as I had hoped- faintly sweet and without the Asian flavors I was expecting.  The bread itself was also a disappointment- too soft.  Even though it was lightly toasted on the inside, I would have preferred a crustier roll.  However, the beef and the kimchi certainly made up for it- the beef alone having that melt-in-your-mouth meatbutter texture that Korean barbecue is famous for.  The kimchi was like none I have ever experienced before- made with a large assortment of vegetables, with some large chunks remaining that were still quite crisp.

There was a fair amount of chili sprinkled throughout the kimchi, giving it considerable heat- making me like it that much more.  The combination of salt, vinegar, and spice is my current trifecta of choice, although the salt component was definitely heavy handed.  I ended up eating a pile of the kimchi alone (removed from half of the sandwich), and it may have been my favorite part of our meal.  I'm still so impressed at all of their successful in-house endeavors.

Our evening ended with a trip to the Eastern State Penitentiary, a site I've never visited before, for their annual Halloween Terror Behind the Walls.  It was an easy stroll from the restaurant to the jail, and together made the night a terrific Friday night date (the haunted house is open for one additional weekend, for those of you who haven't been!).  With so many Philly classics and new hot spots, Fairmount is definitely a great neighborhood- we'll certainly be headed back soon.

Lemon Hill
747 N 25th St