Franklin Fountain

Whenever I'm having dinner in Old City, I usually head over to The Franklin Fountain for dessert. Although the design is based on and old soda shop, most people visit the for the ice cream. On any given summer evening the line stretches far onto the sidewalk meandering past tables, chairs, and the passersby. It gives you just enough time to decide, or debate, what you should get. I'm a big fan of the "College Ice" where you can choose one scoop and one topping. But realistically there's no choice for the topping because the hot fudge is the chocolaty-est, gooey-est, most delicious item on the menu. Once you've had it, you won't consider any other options. If I'm on the mood for a walk, a cone is the way to go. After all, what says summer better than strolling around aimlessly with an ice cream cone as you try to strategically slurp it all up before it drips down to your elbow.

But sometimes, my husband and I will split a sundae-usually a Mt. Vesuvius. If you ask, they'll let you choose two flavors instead of the standard chocolate and vanilla (we like hydrox cookie and rocky road). The generous sundae comes in a bowl spilling over with brownie chunks, malt powder, whipped cream and the piece de resistance-hot fudge. Excuse my cheesiness but it does make you want to erupt with joy. And while the sundaes may seem pricey at $8-$10, they are a bargain considering the heaping portion, that is probably enough for 4 people but, sigh, somehow we manage to devour it with only two of us. We are troopers. If this doesn't make you drool then, I'm sorry, but there is no hope for you.

Overall: A-

The Franklin Fountain

116 Market Street

Philadelphia, PA 19106

215-627-1899

http://franklinfountainphilly.blogspot.com/2009/03/energy-and-persistence-conquer-all.html

Bombolini

Since I'm a pastry cook, guests always expect something great at the end of one of my dinner parties. However, I always have a hard time deciding what to make that will 1) be easy enough to prepare 2) be somewhat impressive and 3) please everyone. To complicate things on this particular occasion, I was entertaining family, who I have not seen for awhile, and children. After much internal debate, I settled upon bombolini for my dessert. It's an easy dessert (really just fried balls of brioche), is fun to eat, and has great stage presence. And who doesn't love doughnuts?

The day ahead, I made the brioche dough, and put it in the refrigerator to scale the next day. On the morning of the party, I scaled out 20g pieces, rolled them into balls, and left them in the fridge until dessert time. While I waited for the fryer to heat up (the second time I've used it in 2 years!) I removed the bombolini from the fridge and placed them in the warm kitchen to rise-which may take shorter or longer depending on the temperature of your kitchen. I fried them in small batches until golden brown and cooked through, let drain on a paper towel, and rolled them in cinnamon sugar while they were still warm. To add wow factor I served them with homemade fillings-on-the-side that each person could add to his or her liking. You could use anything from homemade fruit compotes, creme anglaise, or sauces to pre-purchased hot fudge, frosting, preserves, or whipped cream.

Frying Bombolini
Draining

Rolling in Cinnamon Sugar

Done!

The bombolini were a hit. Everyone loved them and the bowl seemed to disappear in no time. Its not everyday that we treat ourselves to a doughnut, especially one still warm from the fryer so I think this one is will stay as a favorite. Now I just have to think up more excuses to use the deep fryer...

Taqueria La Veracruzana

As I continue my search for authentic Mexican food (without actually having to travel to Mexico) I thought I'd try the place where Jose Garces supposedly goes to get his taco fix-Taqueria La Veracruzana. The first thing I noticed upon entering was that the decor was a bit better than the average taco joint. I then took the liberty of standing awkwardly in the doorway for a full 2 minutes waiting for some sign of what the "system" was here. Should I seat myself? Wait for a server? Order at the counter and then sit down? I also couldn't tell which tables were really even available because many of the vacant ones hadn't been cleared yet. I went to the window, asked if I could just sit anywhere (which seemed like the system? I'm still not sure) grabbed some menus and we were on our way.

The server was really sweet, although she was overwhelmed with the million things she had to do at once. She spoke english pretty well so we avoided any ordering problems. She brought us some tortilla chips with red and green salsas. The salsa verde was refreshing and spicy while the red salsa was more earthy with a strong chipotle flavor. Since we weren't organized enough to have brought-our-own we went for the nonalcohlic drink list which contained cokes imported from Mexico. I could not tell the difference between the Mexican version of a Coke-a-cola and the American one, but I did appreciate that it was in a glass bottle. I don't know why but it just seems extra special and vintage.

The Tacos al Pastor came three to an order. The pork itself was seasoned with spices like cumin without any heat. However, it seemed as though the pork was shredded instead of shaved off of a spit like a traditional taco al pastor which was kind of dissapointing. However, the addition of fresh pineapple gave it a nice sweet note. The taco as a whole was pretty dry. B-. Parrillada Nortena- Nortena Syled Grilled Meat was a heaping portion of grilled beef, chicken, and Mexican sausage with cactus, onions, cheese, and sacapostlena sauce. The beef and chicken were fine. They had a nice grilled flavor, but it was not surprising that they were on the dry side. The sausage mixture was the best of the three meats. Covered in chihuahua cheese and sauteed with vegetables, I wished this was the only meat in the dish. One of the reasons we chose this dish was for the cactus, which neither of us had tried before. I couldn't really distinguish the flavor with everything else in the hash, but I did notice it reminded me of okra with that kind of slimy mouth feel. I didn't mind it though for some reason. The pico de gallo was a fresh addition. B.

To top it all off we ordered the Chilaquiles Rojos which were under the breakfast part of the menu, but were still available for dinner. This was another heaping portion, with enough food for 3 people. The red sauce with soaked tortilla chips sat underneath a mound of shredded (and dry) chicken. The red sauce had a real kick to it, which I really appreciated. The queso fresco and sour cream rounded out the dish to cut the spicyness and add a creamy texture. B-.

Tacos, burritos, quesadillas and the like are all around $6-$7.50. The larger dishes are more in the $12-$15 range. The dishes were what I would expect from this sort of Taqueria. It lies somewhere in between the Qdobas and real Mexican street food. Something with a hint of Mexico to keep the actual Mexicans coming but not enough to make them stop yearning for chilaquiles the way mom makes it.

Overall: B-
Taqueria La Veracruzana

908 Washington Ave.

Philadelphia, PA 19147

215-465-1440

Ansill: Korean Tacos

After hearing all the buzz about Korean Tacos, and how they quickly seem to be taking over the world, I had no choice but to head over to Ansill to see what all the chatter was about. With a great happy hour, deals on 1/4L carafe of wine, beer, oysters, and Korean Tacos (one will cost you $5) there's really nothing to lose here. Of course, you have to be able to sneak a seat at the shiny wooden bar. On this particular Friday, I sat next to none other than Chef David Ansill himself. While I'm not one to engage in small talk, he initiated a conversation with my husband and I, by politely informing us that he could assist us with any questions. So, I figured I might as well ask about the tacos, and proceeded with the incredibly original statement, "So what's in the Korean Tacos?" He explained that the meat is seasoned with Korean spices, and topped with crispy shallots, herbs, and spicy kimchee among other things. Sounds good, but I was still unsure. When it arrived I have to admit that I felt a lot of pressure to show my love for the taco since the chef was staring at me as I took my first bite. It was a bit uncomfortable actually, but thankfully the tacos were...really good! The meat was tender, the flavors were fresh and light, the kimchee was spicy and crunchy, and the sauce tied everything together. I eloquently remarked to the chef through my taco filled teeth, "It's better than a regular taco!" I couldn't think of anything else to say. But, it was good. The hype is accurate and well deserved this time. Who knew that a soft Mexican tortilla is the perfect wrapper for a collection of classic Korean ingredients? The melting pot of america at its best. Chef Ansill also mentioned he may open a truck similar to the one in CA where we can all get our Korean-Taco-Fix at various locations around the city. And for the record, I ordered another taco when he wasn't even looking.

Overall:A-
Ansill
627 S. 3rd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
215-627-2485
www.ansillfoodandwine.com