Birra

A few weeks ago we stopped into Birra, a pizza and beer restaurant right in the heart of bustling E. Passyunk Avenue. Open for only a few months now, Birra has had no problem finding it's stride.

The tight restaurant and bar was packed when we arrived, and since they don't take reservations (too casual and small for such a thing), we put our name on the list, were given a thirty minute estimate on the wait, the host took our phone number, and we scooted a block up the road for drinks at Salt and Pepper's more sedate bar. Thirty minutes later our phone rang, and a table was waiting for us when we walked in Birra.

Birra means beer in Italian, so of course Birra has a strong beer list to match it's name. I was a bit concerned that Birra did not offer wine, since it's not listed on the online menu, but fear not; they have wine!
We hit most of the vegetarian items on the menu that came recommended by our server, although there are plenty more veggie dishes to hit, even though the menu is short and sweet.

The roasted veggie salad with mixed greens, seasonal vegetables, and balsamic mustard vignette is served with a few triangles of flat bread. Winter squash is in season, but I'm not sure how seasonal the zucchini and cured tomatoes are. Those tomatoes were the best part of the already likeable and sizable salad, so I'm not really complaining. The chewy and concentrated flavors of the cured tomatoes were, again, the best part of the red sauced, roasted vegetable pizza. At twelve inches, Birra's thin crust pizzas are perfect for splitting with another person. The mac and cheese pizza at Birra is not the first time I've had such a doubly carb loaded disk. The concept of such a pizza is not as bad as it sounds, and also not as interesting as it sounds. This menu item didn't come recommended, but I had to give it a go anyway.

Black pepper is about the only stand out flavor on this pizza, and considering that Birra's pizza crust is a bit bland, you really want to order a pizza with more flavor umpf at Birra. I'm thinking the mac and cheese pizza would be better ordered as a "Birra bowl" — any pizza toppings and sauce baked in a bowl with a pizza crust laid on top like a pot pie.
The roasted veggie panini with cured tomatoes, zucchini, basil pesto, and provolone was actually my favorite of the night with big flavors, crusty bread, and small pitcher of their sweet tomato sauce for dipping.

Birra may not have my favorite pizza crust in town (everyone has an opinion about that!), but their vegetable toppings are fresh and flavorful. The atmosphere is casual and lively, making Birra a perfect spot to grab a drink or meal while taking in a game on one of their many sports-tuned televisions, or, you know, just to hang with some friends

Birra
1700 E Passyunk Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19148
267-324-3127

Izumi

Many foodies in town just gush over Izumi, the tiny BYOB sushi restaurant on Passyunk Ave. just across from the Singing Fountain. From what I hear, if you're into really fresh and interesting creatures from the sea served as sushi or sashimi, Izumi is where it's at.

But what if you're a vegetarian?

Izumi's food is perfectly fine — tasty, well executed, and beautiful — but, because of their small menu, there really isn't much that goes above and beyond most vegetarian offerings at sushi restaurants.
Vegetable tempura gets a little update with an accompanying 3-part tray of red pepper puree, smoked salt, and the traditional soy-based tempura dipping sauce.
The seaweed salad is visually stunning thanks, in most part, to the wonders of mother nature. Four different kinds of seaweed — one dark green, one bright green, one magenta, and one clear — are served in a bowl with a mellow soy broth and a lemon wedge. This was the shining spot in my meal, and certainly different and unexpected than the green, stringy, wakame seaweed salads at most Japanese restaurants.
The teriyaki-marinated mushroom and cream cheese maki roll is the most exciting of the vegetarian sushi rolls offered. The other four vegetarian rolls are pretty standard fare — cucumber, avocado, oshinko, and kampyo.

The one off-putting part of our meal was when our server refused to ask the sushi chefs if they would make any off-the-menu vegetarian sushi, whatever the chef desired. This is a request I often make at sushi restaurants (cucumber and avocado rolls get boring), and have never had a server or sushi chef refuse. It's as simple as pulling a vegetable or two from somewhere else on the menu, and any good restaurant should be able to accommodate such a request. Izumi's chefs were never given the chance because of our server.

Also on the menu and vegetarian are a tofu and seaweed miso soup, edamame, and inari.

Izumi
1601 East Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19148
215-271-1222
BYOB

Chhaya

There seemed to be some skepticism in the air when Chhaya opened a few months ago on Passyunk Ave. A cafe that was a coffee house specializing in sweet and savory waffles during the morning and day, then, on weekend evenings, a cafe serving small plates?

It's really not as complicated and schizophrenic as it sounds. Chhaya is simply a cafe that serves up better than average food than most coffee houses.On the surface, Chhaya's small and bright cafe looks like any neighborhood coffee shop, with people dropping by the counter for a latte to go, and people settling in at a table with a cuppa and their computer. If you're a coffee snob, know that Chhaya prepares coffee to order using the siphon method.If you'd like a little more sustenance, Chhaya offers the likes of bagels, muffins, vegan cupcakes, scones, yogurt parfait, pancakes, eggs, home fries, salads, wraps, and paninis. Most baked goods are made in house, with the exception of baguettes (sources up the road from Artisan Boulanger), and bagels.

Of course, don't miss out on Chhaya's specialty — waffles!
If you have a sweet tooth, order the whipped cream-topped, thick Belgian-style waffle with either fresh fruit or chocolate chips. Classic, sweet, and simple.Feeling savory? The chili, cheese, and fried egg- topped waffle is in order. The mildly spiced vegetarian chili is studded with black and kidney beans, carrots, tomatoes, onions, and celery. Would love to see a corn meal-based waffle paired with the chili, but the not-too-sweet standard waffle batter works here.

An Eggs Benedict waffle topped with a poached egg, ham, and Hollandaise sauce is also on the menu. There is also a waffle of the day. On our visit, the waffle of the day was chicken curry. Yum!

Chhaya is a BYOB, so bring your champagne for brunch mimosas, or a bottle of wine for Friday and Saturday evenings when the menu changes over to small plates.

Weekend evening small plates feature dishes like olives, roasted eggplant relish, tomato salad, white bean hummus, charcuterie plate, warm figs with blue cheese and prosciutto, marinated white anchovies, and Tuscan style meatballs with white wine sauce.

See, it really is a coffee shop with better food. Just look at this spread of food! Must return for dinner soon.

Chhaya
1823 E. Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19148
215-365-1100
Mon-Thus: 7am-7pm
Fri: 7am-10pm
Sat: 8am-10pm
Sun: 8am-3pm
BYOB

Cantina Report

Hi, ya. Cantina report here. I know the Cantina Los Caballitos (and Cantina Dos Segundos) can be hit or miss, but they sure are great places to get a pitcher of margaritas and while away the afternoon.

It's been a while since I ducked into the Cantina on Passyunk, but this last time there was a new-to-me menu item — seitan anticuchos with quinoa salad.

Verdict: hit!

Yum, yum, and yum. The Cantina serves mostly Mexican influenced food, but this dish of sesame seed crusted, sweet rum glazed seitan skewers, and sweet quinoa salad studded with carrots and yucca is a vegan take on anticuchos, Peruvian grilled meat on a stick.

I actually did a double take on the crispy seitan, because I swore there was a fatty layer like pork has, and the edges were just so damn crispy and tasty. Nope. It was seitan. How did they do that? And can I have some more?

Cantina Los Caballitos
1651 E Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19148
215-755-3550

Fuel

I'm not one to count calories, but I do try to put healthy foods into my body at most meals, so can appreciate the health conscious, everything-under-500 calories menu at Fuel.

Now, be careful with those calorie counts printed on the menu. Those numbers don't include bread or tortillas if you opt to get an item as a sandwich or wrap. And, of course, a bit more oil here or a bigger piece of chicken there than the original recipe calls for, and those numbers mean nothing.

And, muscle jocks, note that protein grams are printed on the menu, as well.

I also appreciate that many of Fuel's menu items are vegetarian or have an option of adding tofu, but am miffed that subbing tofu for chicken is the more expensive option. Tofu is dirt cheap.

Fuel, the East Passyunk casual eatery owned by radio host, DJ and trained chef, Rocco Cima, is decked out in minimalist black and bright red and green. Add the too loud pop dance music that's constantly rocking and music videos playing, and you might thing you're at a Christmas rave. The music is pumped onto the street, as well, making the uncomfortable slatted metal bistro chairs the least of your al fresco dining pains.Smoothies are part of Fuel's juice and coffee bar menu, and the Fruit Fuzzion with strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, and bananas was solid.Fuel's menu and table-top display calls attention to their many "award winning" items. We suspect Fuel was handing out the awards themselves, but decided to take the bait on the "award winning" sweet pea wonton dip.
The vibrant green, chunky green pea dip topped with sun dried tomatoes is evenly tempered, not too garlicky or salty, but certainly not bland. The grilled wonton chip are delicately thin, keeping carbs and calories low. The Thai tofu wrap had a pleasantly light and tangy peanut sauce, fresh cucumbers and carrots, and a surprise crunch from noodles. If basil had been included, as the menu suggested, the wrap would have been better. The uncooked and unseasoned tofu was a huge disappointment, though.

Tofu aside, the Thai wrap was pleasant, but not outstanding. Marinated tofu either grilled or baked would have added much flavor and a more pleasing texture without adding too many extra calories. Something Fuel might want to consider.

The accompanying side salad was simply mixed greens dressed with a maybe too vinegary balsamic vinaigrette.The Fuel Stacker was ordered as a pannini, probably doubling the calorie count printed on the menu, even though the bread is a low fat loaf specially baked for Fuel at neighboring Nino's Bakery. Grilled portabello, zucchini, eggplant, squash, tomato, melted Mozzarella and pesto make for a sizable, if standard vegetarian sandwich.

Fuel is not a destination dining spot by any means, but makes for a decent, everything-under-$10, casual lunch, dinner, or weekend brunch (egg white omelette, any one?) stop when cruising the Avenue...as long as you can stomach the pumping jams. Skip the bread if you're truly calorie conscious.

Fuel
1917 E. Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19148
215-468-FUEL
Mon-Sat: 11am-10pm
Sun: 11am-9pm