News & Events

Philadelphia Weekly’s Taste of Philly

November 24, 2014 by Penn Appetit Staff

The Crystal Tea Room at the Wanamaker Building transformed into the spectacle that is Philadelphia Weekly’s Taste of Philly event on Tuesday, November 18, 2014. Created in 2007 to accompany PW’s annual dining guide, the culinary event has steadily expanded with each passing year.

University City’s coZara prepped guests’ palates with a bright and acidic pickled vegetable medley.

Hai Street Kitchen & Co., famed for its sushi-ritos, had their Hai Street chips and wasabi guacamole on hand, as well as three of their signature rolls.

I gave the Hai Satay (grilled chicken, spicy peanut sauce, romaine, cucumber, carrot, pickled jicama, cilantro) and Slammin’ Salmon (tataki salmon, gochujang sauce, romaine, cucumber, pickled jicama, red cabbage) a go.

2nd Story Brewing featured toasty-warm pretzel bites accompanied with a thin cheese fondue (it wouldn’t be a brewing company without a couple brews; read on).

Maggiano’s wouldn’t be an Italian-American restaurant without some red sauce pasta, right?

Cibo Ristorante Italiano had three pasta varieties to try: eggplant ricotta agnolotti, sausage manicotti, and gnocchi.

Whether or not you’re a fan of Chickie & Pete’s crabfries, no one could argue that these spice-bathed crinkle-cut beauties flew off the table. The white creamy cheese sauce for dipping wasn’t far away.

Liscio’s Bakery handed out full-length seeded baguettes, as any proper bakery should: “It always starts with the bread!” Bread wasn’t the only item on the menu, however…

Desserts by the platter were in full display, including cream puffs, flaky turnovers, and cannoli.

Perennial favorite Ben & Jerry’s had three flavors to scoop up for guests; I went for the Two Wild & Crazy Pies (coconut cream and chocolate cream pie ice creams with a chocolate cookie swirl). Because who doesn’t like ice cream, pie, and chocolate all rolled into one?

The libations flowed just as easily as the food.

The amber-colored Fritzie’s Lager from 2nd Story Brewing was a malty, bready traditional Vienna lager.

Sly Fox’s Phoneix Pale Ale was a medium-bodied, spicy concoction, brewed with Pale and Crystal malts and hopped with Centennial and Cascade hops from the Pacific Northwest.

The smooth “sipping rum” from Sag Harbor Sag Harbor Rum’s gets its distinguished flavor from being aged in old bourbon barrels and lightly infused with a blend of spices and fruits, a practice adopted from historical whaling ships storing the rum in barrels that had previously been used for coffee, exotic spices, and fruit. One guest even commented on an amaretto aftertaste.