Balkan Express (Philadelphia, PA)

Glimmering Gold and Balkan Sunshine on a Rainy Day

Tutankhamun. His name is certainly not thought of on a daily basis. However, this most famous of all Egyptian pharaohs was certainly on my mind as I headed towards the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. On this night, I was meeting my cousin Andy for a lecture on the upcoming King Tut exhibit followed by a culinary adventure at Balkan Express, a small neighborhood Balkan restaurant that has recently received positive reviews.

Due to the torrential rain, we both arrived late and hurried into the lecture hall. At the conclusion of the lecture, we headed over to Balkan Express. As we approached the restaurant, a look of panic appeared on both of our faces due to the darkened interior. As we entered the restaurant we were informed that it had closed for the evening by the owners, Radovan Jacovic and his wife. I was annoyed and angrily reminded them that I had called earlier in the night to inform them that we would be arriving at 8. They told me that they had decided to close due to the inclement weather. Fortunately, they agreed to cook for us in no small part due to my eagerness and insistence.

I started with sarma, a traditional meat stuffed cabbage appetizer. The dish was highlighted by the sweet sauce, rough texture of the softened cabbage, and the tenderness of the meat. I thoroughly enjoyed the spicy beef strips, pepper, tomato and onion stew served with Duvec rice entrée that I ordered (the dish is called muckalica). The dish had a tremendous amount of flavor and the meat was tender and moist. The dish is stew-like but not to be confused with a standard meat stew due to the thickness of the sauce and the large quantity of beef strips

We finished with Balkan style baklava. Having had baklava many times in my life, I was not expecting anything new. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I took my first bite. This preparation of baklava was dry and free from the typical drenching of syrup, which often overshadows the delicate phylo dough pastry. In addition, the phylo itself was denser and doughier than I am accustomed to and the nut flavoring was quite strong. Overall, I really enjoyed the dessert and appreciated their unique take on this classic dish. Despite their initial reluctance to serve us, I was very happy with the personalized service that we received. Radovan’s warmth and friendless was certainly the highlight of our meal.

The only damper on the evening was the miserable walk from 23rd and Grey’s Ferry to my car on 32nd and Walnut during the pouring rain. By the time we arrived at my car, we were both soaked and there was not a solitary dry spot on my pants. However, we had a wonderful night full of history lessons and food to remember.

The Facts
Name: Balkan Express
Address:
23rd and Kater Street
Philadelphia, PA
Phone: (215) 545-1255
Cuisine: Eastern European

Upstairs at Varalli (Philadelphia, PA)

Mahlerian Vista at Varalli

I had attempted to dine at Upstairs at Varalli on one previous occasion but was unfortunately seated downstairs. To ensure that Dad and I were seated upstairs for our pre concert dinner, I added a note to our opentable.com reservation. When we arrived at the restaurant, we headed upstairs and were seated immediately. We both appreciated the fact that our hostess asked us if we were attending any performances tonight so that she could guarantee that we were finished on time.

The atmosphere at Upstairs at Varalli is outstanding. The view of the city is breathtaking though the panoramic window, especially at night when Broad Street is illuminated by street lamps. The dining room is very romantic with candle lit tables and low level ambient lighting. Our server was attentive and provided excellent dish suggestions throughout the evening.

I started with an octopus salad, which was one of today’s specials. Large, fresh pieces of grilled octopus were accompanied by mixed greens, olives, and scallions. The salad was refreshing, nicely portioned, and very flavorful.


Dad loved the seared jumbo scallops with a pumpkin butter sauce, wilted spinach, apple-smoked bacon and black truffles. The pumpkin butter was well balanced and nicely complemented the lightly grilled, moist scallops. The wilted spinach was too bland for my taste. I ordered the seafood risotto with lobster, shrimp, scallops, crab, mussels, tomatoes, saffron and basil after a very strong recommendation from our server. I was impressed with the large portion of seafood and risotto and found the dish to be particularly filling. The seafood selection included several pieces of lump crab meat, four mussels, three large grilled shrimp, two scallops, and a small lobster tail. All of the seafood was fresh. I enjoyed the risotto but must warn that the tomato and saffron flavoring is extremely strong; Dad was not a fan of my dish.



For dessert, I had the mango mouse with mango coulis while Dad had the key lime pie. Dad enjoyed the key lime pie although we both noted that it was by far the densest key lime pie that we had ever had. I was not a big fan of the pie although I loved my mango mouse. It was refreshing, light, and creamy. The strawberries were fresh and the mango coulis was flavorful. After paying the bill, we headed over to the Kimmel Center for what would prove to be an outstanding performance of Mahler’s 6th Symphony.



Overall, I recommend Upstairs at Varalli. The menu consists of well prepared Italian classics with a focus on seafood and risotto dishes. The view of the city is spectacular, especially once it becomes dark outside. The combination of the candle lit dining room and panoramic window makes for a very romantic meal. The service is also reasonably good.

The Facts
Name: Upstairs at Varalli
Address:
1345 Locust Street
Philadelphia, Pa 19107
Phone: (215) 546-4200
Cuisine: Italian
Website: Upstairs at Varalli
Price: Appetizers $4-$14, Entrees $9-$25, Desserts $5-7

Bluefin (Plymouth Meeting, PA)

Hidden Sushi Knockout

My evening began with an early exodus from work as I headed to Blue Bell for an appointment with my dentist. Normally, one does not look forward to such engagements but it so happens that my Uncle Hal doubles as my dentist so my visits are always painless and provide a nice opportunity to catch up. At the conclusion of my appointment, I followed him home, we picked up my Aunt Fran, and we headed off for a relaxing evening of sushi and conversation. Our destination on this particular evening was Bluefin, a local BYO sushi restaurant that was the site of and outstanding meal for us one year ago.

As you walk towards Bluefin, it is impossible not to be under whelmed. Located in a small strip mall in Plymouth Meeting, Bluefin is the very definition of a hole in the wall restaurant. The outside of the restaurant is cold and uninviting. However, nice warmth emerges from the restaurant as you open the door and enter to a round of welcoming cries from the sushi chefs at the counter. The dining room is typical, understated Japanese style décor.

As we settled into our table, our server immediately took the 2001 Hogue Genesis Merlot that I had brought with us to remove the cork as we examined the menus. Having previously dined here with Uncle Hal and Aunt Fran, I was familiar with the sparse menu. Although there are numerous appetizers to choose from, the entree listing is quite short and is limited to standard teriyaki and tempura dishes. The nigiri and maki selections are likewise standard but are reasonably comprehensive. A few “concept rolls” round out the menu.

I received a rude awakening with my first sip of the Merlot, which left a bitter taste in my mouth despite its clean palate. However, as the wine began to breathe during our meal, the bitter aftertaste seemed to disappear and the resulting wine was easy to drink. The wine had a very noticeable aroma of herbs.

We decided to start our meal with a few appetizers: Aunt Fran and Uncle Hal both ordered salads with miso soup and I ordered the spicy tuna sundae. The sundae was served up in a martini glass and was a conglomeration of tuna, spicy sauce, roe, and avocado. The presentation was extremely colorful and the dish was nicely assembled. My first bite erupted with flavor and I quickly consumed the remainder of the dish. The tuna was very fresh and expertly cut. However, I was slightly disappointed at the somewhat skimpy portion of tuna that I received.

After finishing our appetizers we eagerly waited for our sushi to arrive. Fortunately, we had an excellent view of the sushi bar and admired the sushi chefs’ handy work as they assembled our first order of sushi which consisted of six maki: a dragon roll, a shrimp tempura roll, a California roll, an unagi roll with cucumber, a crunchy spicy roll, and a Scottish roll (salmon and asparagus). Our sushi arrived on a large clear, glass plate. Each roll was pristinely composed. The California and Scottish rolls were fairly standard. The unagi cucumber roll was very fresh and extremely flavorful. Eel is an excellent freshness benchmark since non-fresh eel often has a bitter aftertaste; this roll passed the test with flying colors. It was evident that a gentle hand was used to fry the shrimp and this delicateness persisted throughout all of our tempura dishes. I particularly enjoyed the crunchy spicy tuna roll with its extremely crispy tempura chips. The tuna had a marvelous combination of textures, and was extremely flavorful without requiring the typically overdone helping of spicy sauce. My favorite roll was by far the dragon roll. It demonstrated an outstanding balance of textures and temperatures. The eel was perfectly warm while the avocado was cool and refreshing. The creaminess of the avocado was matched by the gritty texture of the eel. This is my favorite roll in general and one that is often carelessly composed or ruined by poor ingredients. Bluefin carried out the dish extremely well and I was left extremely satisfied after our first round of sushi.

While waiting for our round two of our sushi, we were given a complimentary fish tempura appetizer. We all appreciated the gesture but were disappointed with the overly dry fish despite the excellent tempura preparation. Our second order of sushi consisted of our favorites from the first batch, another dragon roll, crunchy spicy tuna roll, and a shrimp tempura roll plus one spider roll, which we had not previously ordered. All rolls that we ordered for a second time were just as carefully prepared and tasty as the first time. The spider roll highlighted fresh, soft shell crab tempura and was easily one of my favorite rolls of the night.

At the conclusion of our meal, we were presented with a dessert sampler, once again complements of the chef. The sampler contained extremely ripe honey dew melon, orange slices and three pieces of banana tempura. The banana tempura was unusual in that there was no added sugar as is commonly done. I was put off by this at first but then came to appreciate the natural flavor of the banana and tempura that is too often smothered and masked by an over abundance of sugar. After Uncle Hal and Aunt Fran settled the bill (as they always very generously do), we headed back to their house.

Overall I highly recommend Bluefin. The sushi is outstanding: very fresh, expertly cut, and very flavorful. The décor is understated and the menu is sparse but it is more than adequate for a fine evening of sushi. In my opinion, Bluefin serves some of the very best sushi in the region and should not be missed.

The Facts
Name: Bluefin Japanese Restaurant
Address:
1017 Germantown Pike
Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462-2449
Phone: (610) 277-3917
Website: Bluefin
Cuisine: Japanese
Price: Appetizers $2-$9, Entrees $15-$26, Sushi a la carte $4-$8, Maki $5-$15

Audrey Claire (Philadelphia, PA)

Local Mediterranean Comfort

As I sat at a small table for two and gazed through the window next to me, I thought about why it had taken me so long to finally dine at Audrey Claire. I had heard many good things about this cozy neighborhood BYO not the least of which was a strong endorsement from Kendra and Yehuda. However, thoughts of their cash only policy coupled with an earlier lackluster visit to Twenty Manning (Audrey Claire Taichman’s other restaurant) lingered in my mind as I waited for Eric. I was early for once; it seems that I am always late when I am meeting him for dinner.

Eric arrived shortly and we began perusing the menu. The menu is divided into “smaller dishes” and “bigger dishes”, which are essentially analogous to appetizers and entrees. The selection is varied and the prices are fairly reasonable. There are also a number of daily specials handwritten on a small blackboard near the kitchen. The kitchen itself is open and completely visible from the dining room. The dining room is small and cute but the tables are tightly configured, which makes for a cramped and noisy meal. Fortunately for us, the restaurant was exceedingly empty on this particular night thus rendering my 5:45 PM reservation completely unnecessary.

I started with the grilled octopus over mixed greens, olives, feta, and lemon after receiving a strong recommendation from our personable server. The salad was medium sized and extremely flavorful. The ingredients were fresh and well balanced. I enjoyed the tender octopus that was generously apportioned but was disappointed by the miniscule pieces that the octopus was divided into. I tend to prefer larger, more substantial pieces of octopus in my salads. Nonetheless, the dish was refreshing and a good meal starter; I will certainly order this dish again in the future.

For my entrée, I chose one of their specials, crab cakes over a citrus risotto, with spinach, and dijon aioli. As a huge fan of crab cakes in general, I order them frequently and use them as benchmarks with which to compare different restaurants. The crab cake dish that I had tonight was outstanding. The two cakes were seared instead of being breaded as crabcakes typically are prepared. The crabmeat was fresh, tender, and free of filler. The seared cakes had a lightness to them that was unique. The citrus risotto had more of a coconut flavor than a citrus flavor to me but I enjoyed it. The dijon aioli perfectly complemented the crab cakes and risotto.

After finishing our meal we decided not to order dessert since none of the dishes jumped out at us. Instead, we ordered coffee, chatted some more, and then settled the bill before parting ways for the evening.

Overall, I enjoyed my meal at Audrey Claire. The menu consists of reliable Mediterranean fare and the service is attentive. Only a lack of coffee refills marred the service. I will be making a return visit during the next few weeks and will make a firmer recommendation.

The Facts
Name: Audrey Claire
Address:
276 South 20th Street
(Spruce Street)
Philadelphia, PA
Phone: (215) 731-1222
Website: Audrey Claire
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Price: “Smaller Dishes” $6-12, “Bigger Dishes” $14-22

The Smoked Joint (Philadelphia, PA)

Smoking Good Time

After having suffered through the dismal Penn football homecoming loss to Princeton earlier in the day, I was desperately in need of a pick me up. Matt and I had discussed meeting for dinner at The Smoked Joint and we thought that it would be a great place for our large homecoming Stouffer crowd tonight. I called and made a reservation for a party of 10 at 6 PM. The Smoked Joint normally has a no reservations policy but they make exceptions for large groups.

Our group arrived in several smaller subgroups, some via car, some via taxi, and some on foot (as was the case for John, Courtney, and I). The restaurant is located in a small shopping center on the south side of Locust Street east of 15th Street. A slightly gaudy neon sign identifies the restaurant but the décor inside is tasteful. The dining room itself is dark, extremely noisy, and has a relaxed atmosphere. We were seated at a long rectangular table that continued to grow in length by the addition of tables as more of our party members arrived throughout the evening.

The few of us that ordered soda received a pleasant surprise when each of our drinks came out in our own personal sized pitchers. Nonetheless, I still managed to require a refill of my diet coke. We ordered too many items for me to discuss so I will just focus on my three courses. A quick survey of our table indicated that most people were happy with their dishes.

I started with a smoked baba ganoush appetizer that was outstanding. Both the pita and baba ganoush had a very strong, wonderfully smoked flavor. This is one of the most unique baba ganoush platters that I have had in recent memory. For my entrée, I choose the slow smoked brisket dish, which is smoked for 18 hours. I was very disappointed with this dish. The meat was very tender but was devoid of almost all flavor. The generous helping of sweet barbecue sauce that I applied helped to compensate but there is no reason for the meat to be flavorless. Matt also had the brisket and shared my opinion. My included side dish of sweet potato fries was very good. The fries were thinly cut, crisp yet not greasy, and were well salted. Brooks and I decided to share the bourbon chocolate pecan pie topped with warm chocolate ganache with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. The slice of pie that arrived was small but nicely warmed. I enjoyed the gooey chocolate filling and was pleased with the dessert in general.

At the conclusion of our meal, we were pleasantly surprised with the total bill even after the included 18% gratuity due to our large party size. The bill was extremely reasonable and we were not charged for any of the sodas that we had ordered. After settling the bill, we headed outside, said goodbye to Tamy, Sara, and Ryan, and flagged 2 cabs. We soon arrived back on campus and headed to Brian’s room to continue our homecoming festivities.

I am reserving judgment until after my next visit. Overall, I enjoyed the vibe of the restaurant along with most of my dishes (aside from my disappointing brisket entrée). The service was extremely good especially given the large size of our party. The prices are also very reasonable.

The Facts
Name: The Smoked Joint
Address:
1420 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Phone: (215) 732-7500
Price: Appetizers $4-$14, Entrees $9-$25, Desserts $5-7
Cuisine: Barbecue
Website: The Smoked Joint