NYC Tastes

Our final meal of the Philadelphia weekend was brunch at Russet, a gorgeous Rittenhouse Square restaurant helmed by Chef-Owners Kristin and Adam Wood.  Located inside an 1877 year old townhouse, Russet has a simple, elegant atmosphere that feels almost like being at an upscale dinner party. The small, well curated menu changes daily but I highly suggest the Woodlawn Jewel Mushroom Omelet if it's available.  The mushrooms are roasted just enough to bring out that deep earthy flavor then scattered atop a creamy ricotta cheese omelet drizzled with garlic confit. The omelet would have been more than sufficient on it's own but I never say no to Double Smoked Bacon. Not to mention Russet was another BYOB place and we had brought along  another Funky Buddha Beer; the delicious Maple Bacon Coffee Porter.  It only seemed right to have some bacon with said "bacon beer". It's also worth noting Russet has some incredible fresh squeezed orange juice.  Even in the...

My absolute favorite place in Philadelphia is Matyson, a cute little restaurant right in Center City that consistently churns out some of the most creative and delicious food I've ever tasted.  The menu changes all the time but it's always focused on what's fresh and in season. Plus it's BYOB which means Mr. T and I can get creative with the food and drink pairings.  Since our dining companions had just gotten engaged the night before a bottle of Veuve seemed like the appropriate way to kick things off and actually paired wonderfully with my Goat Cheese Gnocchi. Soft little pillows of cloud like cheese studded with crunchy pine nuts and brussels sprout in a duck ragu.  I've had a LOT of gnocchi in my day (thank you my Italian college roommate) but this was one of the most satisfying versions I've ever tasted.  There was just something incredible about that rich duck ragu with those earthy vegetables.  I basically had to fend off my dining companions from fi...

Friday we got up bright and early and took a cab over to Sparta Hallen for the Copenhagen Beer Celebration.  This festival is the brain child of Mikkel Borg Bjergsø of Mikkeller brewing who has organized it since 2010.  Forty brewer's were in attendance from around the world, offering two different beers at each four hour session over the course of two days.  We had tickets to three of the four and let me tell you it was easily the best beer festival any of us have attended.  Besides some serious problems with purchasing the actual tickets months ago (which was the ticketing site Billetlugen's fault) the event was pretty flawless. We showed up right around 9:30 and got in the small line that had formed outside for the 10:00 AM start.  After a quick check of our tickets we were handed our glasses and walked inside to begin the next 8 hours of beer tasting.  The event had been sold out for months, but tickets were so limited that there was...

Today's New Brew Friday comes to you from Funky Buddha Brewing in Florida.  With beers like Lemon Meringue Berliner, Rice Krispies Ale and Carrot Cake Wheat it's tough not to be a little intrigued in their offerings.  So when I had a chance to sample a bottle of the Maple Bacon Coffee Porter I was incredibly excited. The beer pours a dark brown, almost black with a HUGE coffee aroma and just a little bit of foam lacing the glass. The mouthfeel is incredibly silky smooth and the flavor is absolutely nuts!  Smokey and sweet playing integral roles but somehow it's perfectly balanced.  I'm pretty sure I would drink this beer every day if I had the chance...with a big stack of chocolate chip pancakes preferably:)  Cheers! Funky Buddha Brewery