Philadelphia, PA

[denimdestroyedmylife]

and yes, wandering the city at night on acid is pretty fun

just be careful crossing streets

[Westbrook]

andy reid has ruined my life. (FFF!)

[wrl]

You should probably swing by Joan Shepp at 16th and Walnut. Women's boutique with a lot of designers you would probably dig. Margiela, Rick, Ann, Jil, Yohji, Junya, etc.

I wish they could expand and make a men's department.

If you are going to hit Chinatown I hear that Sang Kee Peking Duck House is the best chinese in the city (although I haven't been.)

I am not good at coming up with things to do besides getting drunk.

[Westbrook]

If you are going to hit Chinatown I hear that Sang Kee Peking Duck House is the best chinese in the city (although I haven't been.)

This is so true it's ridiculous. I'm crying just thinking about it. Their Peeking Duck is one of the best things I've ever tasted.

[poly800rock]

i'd say the philly chinatown is the best in the states

[wrl]

This is so true it's ridiculous. I'm crying just thinking about it. Their Peeking Duck is one of the best things I've ever tasted.

I think I'm going to hit that up this Saturday with my girlfriend then.

Also, if you happen to be a closet Narnia fan, the Franklin Institute is having an exhibit starting the 28th.

[HeidiSlimanus]

and yes, wandering the city at night on acid is pretty fun

just be careful crossing streets

haha yessss! love those lights riding my bike down broad like im in a video game haha.

[soonami]

i went to the R. Crumb show at the ICA last weekend

it was free (not sure when ICA started being free but that was a nice surprise)

also, checked out that new Mex place DISTRITO on 40th at Chestnut St

the former chef at El Vez

it was pretty all right

DDML, what you doing slumming in West Philly!

[islandboi8204]

so since my favorite BYOB place Django's (4th and South) closed recently i went to try Pumpkin (17th and South) the other night and it was great. i'd definitely recommend it, you won't be disappointed.

[denimdestroyedmylife]

DDML, what you doing slumming in West Philly!

i told you! looking at perverted comics and eating mexican food.

and i will make a quick stop in the wild wild west tomorrow too (eye doc)

this is not an invitation to stalk me

[mellowfellow]

I had dinner at Amada last week. It was pretty good, I would go back to try more small plate dishes. There are a few restaurants that I would like to try out in philly like vetri and osteria. Can anyone comment on those two?

[denimdestroyedmylife]

osteria is quite good. this will sound pedestrian, but try their pizza. it really is next-level and you won't regret it. they have some esoteric toppings, such as truffles, and caviar, iirc. it has been maybe 9 months since my last visit but yes, i remember their portions are not over-large. nice ambience (in particular if you are seated in the atrium, adjacent to the church) but also a deceptively large place. i have been meaning to go back.

[mellowfellow]

thanks. We drove by osteria last week and the place do look huge. Reservation should be easier than vetri. The weird thing about philly restaurants is that the places that I really want to try are closed on sunday!

[Roflcopterpwnsyou]

I will vouch for Sang Kee as well. I don't know anyone who doesn't like that place except poly because he thinks theyre reverse racist

Go to:

La Lupe in south philly

National Mechanics - be sure to ask Needles how his new teeth are doing, its a good story. Also, get the Legacy Hoptimus Prime.

Deep Sleep (free red bull) and Sugarcube down in Old City

I hear Vetri is also awesome, my girlfriends parents live near by and I've never seen it empty.

Also on Thursday I think a few friends and myself are heading to National Mechanics at night if anyone wants a mini meetup.

[poly800rock]

i haven't been there since such said reverse racism. but yeah, it hurts because their peking duck was that good. their duck wonton soup is fantastic as well, but the other place can do it just as well and is open after the bars let out

[Westbrook]

I had dinner at Amada last week. It was pretty good, I would go back to try more small plate dishes. There are a few restaurants that I would like to try out in philly like vetri and osteria. Can anyone comment on those two?

vetri and osteria are owned by the same crew. Vetri is their higher class joint, and it is absolutely spectacular. The food is really special. You'll definitely need a reservation there as it's quite small, and be prepared to drop some pretty serious bills there. If you can swing it, definitely get the tasting menu. They just bring you a bunch of plates of whatever's clever that day.

Osteria is much bigger and cheaper, but the food is fantastic. I had my rehearsal dinner there and it was really amazing.

[Roflcopterpwnsyou]

i went to amada the other week and i thought it was pretty overrated. ive had much better food in philly

i like alma de cuba as well, and i've heard great things about vetri. ive also heard its pretty hard to book, though

btw chinatown isnt really a DESTINATION in philly. its comparatively quite small and the food is meh okay. sang kee is definitely passable but i wouldn't call it a highlight of philadelphia as a city. fine dining is probably of relatively higher quality here

Honestly, this nearly warrants negrep. It's borderline treason.

Alma de cuba was good the one time I went, but I'm not a huge fan of steven star. Except the chicken and waffles at jones. Shit.

[ChadR]

Has anyone tried DISTRITO? (By Penn/Drexel) I had to go to school before the opening, but I read in one of the national mens magazines that it was good.

[mellowfellow]

i agree. stephen starr is a smart business man. I think his restaurants are like upscale cheescake factory. For a "special" occasion and you can't think of a "nice" place to take your date or relatives out for dinner, you can always rely on starr's restaurants. If you want mexican go to elvez, if you want asian fusion go to pod, if you want japanese go to morimoto, if you want chinese go to buddakan. He does well because he''s in philly. In nyc, not so much. I would rather go to a chef's restaurant. I would avoid stephen starr at all cost.

[poly800rock]

morimoto was legit when i went.

[jane]

You should probably swing by Joan Shepp at 16th and Walnut. Women's boutique with a lot of designers you would probably dig. Margiela, Rick, Ann, Jil, Yohji, Junya, etc.

I wish they could expand and make a men's department.

If you are going to hit Chinatown I hear that Sang Kee Peking Duck House is the best chinese in the city (although I haven't been.)

I am not good at coming up with things to do besides getting drunk.

woooooooooooooooow thank you for the tip, i was checking out their website and i can't wait to go!

still kinda bummed im going to wind up spending most of my vacation in Philadelphia instead of NY but this store cheers me up

[Roflcopterpwnsyou]

morimoto was legit when i went.

I do hear morimoto never fails

My favorite sushi place is Sagami in NJ. Very traditional menu and atmosphere. Everything is made out of wood and the ceilings are so low I almost have to crouch at 5'8. God damn I want udon.

[40ozprophet]

Morimoto is fucking awesome. the guy who designed it, Karim Rashid, is incredible. I go to school with Stephen Starr's (owner) daughter also. good place over all.

[wrl]

woooooooooooooooow thank you for the tip, i was checking out their website and i can't wait to go!

still kinda bummed im going to wind up spending most of my vacation in Philadelphia instead of NY but this store cheers me up

Philadelphia: Too bad we're not in New York.

I'll be sure to yell out your name if I see you in the area, I work 2 blocks away.

Be sure to bring all them fur coats and shit you got. City is getting mad cold.

[islandboi8204]

come on now, philly ain't so bad. i like living here for cheap while being close enough to visit nyc every once in a while. it's a mini-nyc.

morimoto's is definitely the best starr restaurant in terms of food and atmosphere - i like the mesmerizing change of glowing colors every 5 seconds.

ddml thanks for the tip on franklin fountain, great late night ice cream joint.

and yes, it's getting way too cold now

[poly800rock]

woooooooooooooooow thank you for the tip, i was checking out their website and i can't wait to go!

still kinda bummed im going to wind up spending most of my vacation in Philadelphia instead of NY but this store cheers me up

...................................

[denimdestroyedmylife]

morimoto was legit when i went.

the only way to do morimoto is OMAKASE

[emmitbrown]

Stephen Starr joints are for tourists and people from the suburbs. I've never been to Morimoto or Buddakan, but all the other ones I've been to I felt like they stole my money. islandboi just mentioned the chaning of glowing colors in Morimoto, and I think that about sums up the Stephen Starr experience. Lot's of distractions to keep you from thinking about the exorbitant amount of money being spent on mediocre food.

Philly does the gastro pub very well...if you (jane) weren't 16 I would suggest you go to one of them.

Hey...go to Vagabond while your on 3rd street checking out Sugarcube. You may find some stuff in there you like, and my girlfriend works there.

[denimdestroyedmylife]

^ I would put Morimoto at the very top of the Starr list.don't let Starr prejudice you against it. it is more MM than it is SS.

Buddakan a distant second but still head and shoulders above the other Starr restaurants.i do like El Vez though it doesn't make the earth move under my feet (fantastic guacamole though)

and brunch at Continental is not bad

POD is cool the first time you go....

the only one i haven't been to is the steakhouse (does it still exist?)... not much there for persons that don't eat red meat, i imagine.

BUT there is supposed to be a Starr Indian restaurant in the works. i am an avid fan of the indian food so i have high hopes for this one. i don't think philly indian restaurants are up to snuff, sadly.

[mrchariybrown]

^ I would put Morimoto at the very top of the Starr list.don't let Starr prejudice you against it. it is more MM than it is SS.

Buddakan a distant second but still head and shoulders above the other Starr restaurants.i do like El Vez though it doesn't make the earth move under my feet (fantastic guacamole though)

and brunch at Continental is not bad

POD is cool the first time you go....

the only one i haven't been to is the steakhouse (does it still exist?)... not much there for persons that don't eat red meat, i imagine.

BUT there is supposed to be a Starr Indian restaurant in the works. i am an avid fan of the indian food so i have high hopes for this one. i don't think philly indian restaurants are up to snuff, sadly.

new delhi?!?!?! so good.. so, so good.