Dining at its Best

Whew! Back to sanity. So after a long month of hectic-osity at work, I finally have some free time to breathe and sleep. And blog.

One of the events of the past month was a work-related trip to Philadelphia, my old stomping ground. I took the opportunity to introduce my co-clerks to the greatness of Philly's restaurant scene and food in general.

For the high-class, trendy, gourmet sector of the scene, I took them to Stephen Starr's Alma de Cuba. And as usual, it did not disappoint. Fantastic ceviche, a solid entree of seared tuna, and the reliably delicious coconut tapioca dessert made for a fabulous dinner. And the top-notch mojito certainly didn't hurt.

For the hip, off-the-beaten-path, indie, BYO sector, we took a couple bottles of wine over to Django. E came with us for a very relaxing and satisfying meal. Simple dishes that are just amazingly well-crafted make this one of my favorite BYOs in Philly. And the flower pot brioche bread sets just the right tone. It all seems wonderfully homemade, but it's a gourmet French chef's home! And the intimate setting is right up that alley.

Finally, for the blue collar, salt of the earth, truly "Philly" sector, we went to none other than Pat's King of Steaks for the consummate Philly cheesesteak. It is as delicious and artery-clogging as ever, but I wouldn't change a thing. Cheese wit, may you never change. The inventor of the cheesesteak still makes them the best. The one flaw I saw though was that inflation has hit even Pat's -- it's almost $8.00 for a steak now! Yikes!