Veggie Cheesesteaks

I've never had a real cheesesteak. And I never had a veggie cheesesteak until I came to the birthplace and capital of cheesesteaks — Philadelphia. I think (veggie) cheesesteaks are a pretty crude, sloppy sandwich, yet I'm fascinated by finding the best one. Here's what I've documented so far:

Blackbird Pizzeria
Copabanana
Cosmic Catering
Gianna's Grille
Govinda's
Home Slice
Olde World Cheese Steak Factory
P.O.P.E.
The Abbaye
Washington Street Ale House

Recipe Index

All recipes are vegetarian. (V) denotes vegan recipes.

Many non-vegan recipes can easily be made vegan by making simple substitutions - margarine for butter, agave nectar for honey, soy milk for milk, etc., so be sure to look around.

One Dish Meals
Apple and Squash Risotto (V)
Chicken Bog
Chili con Chocolate (V)
Cincinnati Chili
Couscous Salad with Halloumi
Massaman Curry (V)
New Potato and Rosemary Pizza
Omelette Cake
Paella with Tomatoes (V)
Persian Layered Seitan Polo (V)
Tomato Pie
Tomato Pie 2.0
Udon Noodle Salad (V)
Vegetable Pot Pie
White Chili (V)

Soups
Beet Curry Soup
Gazpacho (V)
Thai-Style Chicken Soup (V)
Vietnamese Hot and Sour Soup (V)
Yellow Lentil Soup (V)

Sides
Balsamic-Braised Cipolline with Pomegranate (V)
Bourbon-Walnut Sweet Potato Mash
Collard Greens (V)
Copper Pennies (V)
Hoppin' John (V)
Israeli Couscous and Spring Vegetable Salad (V)
Mom's Mac and Cheese
Mom's Mac and Cheese, a pictorial
Pineapple Salad (V)
Raisin Kugel
Raw Beet Salad
Raw Kale Salad with Root Vegetables (V)
Roasted Squash & Beet Salad
Squash Casserole
Stewed Okra and Tomatoes (V)
Sweet and Sour Coleslaw (V)
Wheat Berry Salad with Dates and Red Onions (V)

Sandwiches
Curry Veggie Burgers (V)
Monte Cristo
Pimento Cheese
Soy and Seitan Roast for Sandwiches (V)
Tempeh Salad (V)
Tofu Banh Mi (V)

Breads
Biscuits
Callie's Biscuits
Rustic Rolls
Sweet Potato Biscuits

Ice Cream and Frozen Treats
Avocado Shake
Avocado Ice Cream
Banana Pudding Ice Cream
Basil Ice Cream with Chocolate Chunks
Black Sesame Seed Ice Cream
Boiled Peanut and Sorghum Swirl Ice Cream
Chick-O-Stick Ice Cream (V)
Chocolate Coconut Ice Cream (V)
Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream
Earl Grey Tea Ice Cream
Frozen Chocolate Banana Pops
Mojito Granita (V)
Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream (V)
Pear-Caramel Ice Cream
Thai Tea Ice Cream
Vanilla Ice Cream

Pies and Tarts
Apple-Cranberry Pie
Grape and Honey Goat Cheese Tart
Green Grape Pie
Sorghum and Bourbon Pecan Pie
Sweet Tea Pie
Vegetable Pot Pie

Cakes and Cupcakes
Boca Negra Cake
Caramel Cake
Chocolate Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes
Donut Muffins
Gingerbread Pudding Cake
Key Lime-Coconut Cupcakes (V)
Lemon Petits Fours
Peach Upside Down Cake
Pumpkin Streusel Cake (V)
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Red Velvet Cupcakes (V)
White Fruitcake
Yellow Layer Cake

Cookies and Bars
Cappucino Brownies
Corn Cookies
Chocolate Toffee Matzo
Fruitcake Cookies
Ginger Granola Bars
Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Cashew Cookies
Key Lime Bars
Lemon Bars
Moravian Molasses Cookies (V)
Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cookies (V)
Pepper Spice Cookies

Truffles
Charoset Truffles (V)
Coconut Truffles (V)
Truffles

Miscellaneous Desserts
Banana Pudding
Chocolate Frosting
Summer Pudding

Beverages
Passion Fruit Mojito (V)
Vodka Rosemary Lemonade Fizz (V)
Zen Press (V)

Salsas, Sauces, Spreads, Dips
Baba Ganoush
Chermoula Butter
Israeli Hummus (V)
Mushroom Dip (V)
Papaya Salsa (V)
Red Sauce (V)

Jams, Pickles, and Chutneys
Artichoke Relish (V)
Caramelized Pear Butter (V)
Cranberry, Pear, and Ginger Chutney (V)
Cranberry Relish (V)
Green Tomato Pickle (V)
Membrillo (V)
Pickled Jerusalem Artichokes (V)
Strawberry Bay Leaf Jam (V)
Strawberry Orange Marmalade
Tomato Jam (V)

Small Bites and Snacks
Boiled Peanuts (V)
Deviled Eggs
Garlic Nutritional Yeast Popcorn (V)
Onion and Goat Cheese Puff Pastries
Parmesan-Pepper Biscuits
Roasted Grapes (V)
Rosemary Roasted Cashews
Stuffed Peppers with Honey and Walnuts

Restaurant Reviews by Cuisine

Some restaurants are hard to pin down to a cuisine or type; I just don’t know where to stick some of them. I tend to be a lumper, not a splitter. Except for when I'm a splitter. If a restaurant is way out of place, or you have a more fitting description, let me know.

AfternoonTea
Hotel du Pont

American
Buckley’s Tavern
Chloe
Devil's Alley
Eclipse Bistro
Fare
Fuel
Garces Trading Company
Gayle (no longer open)
Kennett
Kraftwork
Meritage
Midatlantic
Moshulu
Nicholas (no longer open)
North Bowl
Renaissance Sausage
Swift Half Pub
Talula's Garden
terra
The Admiral
The Ugly American
Varga Bar
Village Whiskey
XIX Nineteen

Asian / Fusion
Chifa
Le Shio
Mantra (no longer open)
Sampan
Twenty Manning

Bakery / Sweet Things
Black Lab Breads
Brown Betty Dessert Boutique
Buttercream Cupcake Truck
Cupcake Heaven
Federal Donuts
Govatos
K.C.'s Pastries
Naked Chocolate Café (no longer open)
Philippine Bread House
Pink Rose Pastry Shop (no longer open)
Shane Confectionery
Sweet Freedom Bakery
The Fractured Prune
Tutti Frutti
Yummy Yummy

Barbecue
Bebe's Barbecue (no longer open)
El Camino Real
Percy Street Barbecue
Pig Out BBQ Pit
Q Barbeque and Tequila Bar

Bistro/ Café
Café con Chocolate
Café Loftus
Café Mazag (no longer open)
Chhaya
Fresh Thymes
ING Café
Lapp's Kitchen (no longer open)
Parc
Presto
Wild Chives & Rosemary (no longer open)

Breakfast/Brunch
Chhaya
Fitzwater Café
Green Eggs Café
La Copine
Lucky's Coffee Shop and Restaurant
Morning Glory Diner
Sabrina's Too
Silk City Diner
Teri's
Waffle House

Burger
Burger.org
Devil's Alley
Elevation Burger
National Mechanics
PYT
Sketch
SquareBurger
Village Whiskey

Burmese
Rangoon

Cajun
Blue Parrot Bar and Grille

Caribbean
Jamaican Jerk Hut
Genelle's (no longer open)

Chinese
Dim Sum Garden
Dumpling House (no longer open)
Han Dynasty
Lee How Fook
Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House
New Harmony
P.F. Chang’s China Bistro
Yummy Yummy

Deli
Citi MarketPlace
Famous Fourth Street Deli
Groucho's

Eclectic
Continental Midtown
Eclipse Bistro
Home Grown Café
Ikea
J. Farmers
Lucky's Coffee Shop and Restaurant
Riverfront Market
Sabrina's Too
Silk City Diner
Sonam (no longer open)
Teri's

Egyptian
Cafe Mazag (no longer open)

French
Parc

Greek
Dmitri's
Kanella

German
Frankford Hall

Gourmet Take-0ut
Fork: etc.
Talula’s Table

Hot Dogs
Frankford Hall
Hot Diggity
Johnnie's Dog House
Memphis Taproom Beer Garden
Moe's Hot Dog House

Ice Cream / Gelato / Frozen Yogurt
Capogiro Gelato
La Michoacana Ice Cream
Little Baby's Ice Cream
Phileo Yogurt
Tutti Frutti

Indian
Café Chettinad (no longer open)
Chai Pani
Devi
Desi Chaat House
Ekta
Hot Breads
Palace at the Ben
Philadelphia Chutney Company
Tiffin Etc.
Tiffin Store

Indonesian
Cafe Pendawa Lima
Hardena

Italian
Gnocchi
Marabella Meatball Co.
Monsú
Mr. Joe's Café
Paesano's
Salento
Toscana Kitchen and Bar

Japanese
Café con Chocolate
Gaja Gaja (no longer open)
Haru (no longer open)
Izumi
Maru Global
Mikimotos
Shiroi Hana
Sushi Planet
Utage (no longer open)

Korean
b.b.go
Gaja Gaja (no longer open)
Giwa
Kahl-Bee
Meju (no longer open)
Pastoral

Latin American
Cuba Libre
Hoof + Fin (no longer open)
Latin Farmer (no longer open)
Mixto
Sazon

Malaysian
Banana Leaf
Rasa Sayang

Mexican
Adobe Café
Burrito Bandido
Café con Chocolate
Cantina Dos Segundos
Cantina Los Caballitos
Distrito
El Camino Real
El Diablo
El Rey
La Lupe
Las Bugambilias
Qdoba
Tacos mi Pueblito
Tijuana Taco Shop
Xochitl

Middle Eastern
Bitar's
Divan
Maoz
Sansom Kabob House
Shouk (no longer open)
Zahav

Native American
Mitsitam Café

Philippine
Philippine Bread House

Pizza
Birra
Blackbird Pizzeria
Home Slice
Lorenzo's Pizza
Santucci's Square Pizza
Stella
Tiffin Etc.
Pizza By Elizabeths
Zavino

Portuguese
Koo Zee Doo

Pub / Tavern
Cooperage
Devil's Den
For Pete’s Sake
Kennett
Khyber Pass Pub
Kraftwork
Local 44
Monk’s Café
National Mechanics
P.O.P.E.
Royal Tavern
Swift Half Pub
The Abbaye
The Admiral
Washington Street Ale House

Sandwich Shop
Blackbird Pizzeria
Café Nhu Y
Capriotti’s
Chickie’s
Citi MarketPlace
Fu-Wah
Gianna’s Grille
Govinda’s Gourmet To Go
Groucho's
Paesano's
Pizzi Pizza
PureBread
Q.T. Vietnamese Sandwich Shop
Shank's Original

Seafood
Fish

Southern / Comfort
A Full Plate Café
Cooperage
Cracker Barrel
Delilah’s
Geechee Girl Rice Café
Honey’s Sit n’ Eat
Jones
Khyber Pass Pub

Tapas / Small Plates
Ansill (no longer open)
Cafe Apamate (no longer open)
Chifa
Distrito
Bar Ferdinand
Olé Tapas
Orillas
Sonam (no longer open)
Zahav

Thai
Chabaa Thai
Circles
Siam Lotus
Soybean Asian Grille
Sweet Basil (no longer open)

Vegetarian / Vegan
Blackbird Pizzeria
Gianna’s Grille
Govinda’s Gourmet To Go
Grindcore House
Horizons (no longer open)
Loving Hut
Mi Lah
Natural Goodness Market and Café
New Harmony
One Lucky Duck

Vietnamese
Ba Le
Café Nhu Y
Fu-Wah
Nam Phuong
Pho Cali
Q.T. Vietnamese Sandwich Shop
Viet Tofu

Wine Bar/Bar
Apothecary (no longer open)
Benellux
Chick’s
Domaine Hudson
Kreutz Creek Wine Tasting Room
Va La Vinyards

Contact

If you have any questions or comments feel free to email me at mac.and.cheese.review {at} gmail {dot} com

Breakfast of Champions

Photo by hundrednorth

Update: No longer open

I remember exactly what I did for my last birthday. I woke up and indulged in an entire Boston creme cake from Pink Rose Pastry Shop for breakfast, and then went and worked the ropes for an arborist for nine hours.

The Boston cream cake at Pink Rose is my favorite. I’m a sucker for creamy middles and chocolate, and this has both. The cake is individually sized, maybe a little larger than an index card, but best if shared with someone. The chocolate ganache covering the cake makes this Boston cream cake truly rich and the reason why is should be shared.

It was my birthday and I wasn’t sharing, though. Feeling guilty, and a little ill from my huge sugar breakfast, I was ready for work.

I'm also in love the Pink Rose's éclairs. Again, I’m a sucker for creamy middles and chocolate. The larger ones are huge. I know myself, and I would eat the large ones in one sitting, so I get the small ones. Other sweets in my mouth include the lemon bars, raspberry bars, black and white cookies, carrot cakes, and various cookies from their gift tins.

Not in my mouth, but on my mind, is their banana cream pie. I’ll quote their description: “A piled high dome of banana cream covered with fresh banana slices in our delicious fresh crust with a baked banana filling. You just won't believe how good it looks and tastes.” I just want to tie some ribbon to the pie, strap it on my head and wear it as a hat. It looks that good.

I always go to the counter and order my sugar package to go, but the Pink Rose has tables where you can sit and have tea or coffee and dessert. I’ve seen people forgoing dessert after dinner at nearby restaurants to grab dessert at the Pink Rose. They’re open most nights until 10:30 or later.

They also serve breakfast until 4 p.m. I’ve never been, but a friend has taken her mother there and said she thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s definitely a “mom” place with tea, cute curtains and sugar in the air. I’m just not sure I could eat eggs when the Boston cream cake was staring at me.

The Pink Rose is fortunately/unfortunately located around the corner from my boyfriend's house. I found myself stopping by on the way to clubs, before he got home from work, or after dinner. I found myself there a little too often.

In college, I used to stop by a restaurant and get a huge chocolate chip cookie almost every day. I put a stop to that when I realized that everyone knew exactly what I was going to order. Coming out of denial about the fact that a huge cookie every day is fattening was the other reason I stopped.

Well, I had to put a stop to ducking into the Pink Rose whenever I walked past it. Now I walk past their air vent on Bainbridge St. and breathe deeply, exclaiming dreamily, ”Mmm, butter and sugar.” They really do push the best smelling air in Philly, and it’s low cal.

This year I’m eating my Wheaties for my birthday breakfast and going to work to cut back 15-foot tall grass in a gully. Yes, I am a champion!

Pink Rose Pastry Shop, 630 S. 4^th St., Philadelphia, PA 19147
1-800-ROSE-383

Passion Fruit Mojito

Photo by A30_Tsitika
My birthday is a few days away and I’m depressed. Not because I’m getting older – I still rock it! – but because my birthday sucks in the Northeast. I’m used to it being warm, having azaleas in bloom and leaves on the trees. You know, spring!

But this has not been the case for the past 4 years since I’ve left warmer climes. It’s really miserable having my birthday when it’s cold outside. I just want to jump up and down, have a fit and pout about it.

Since I’m not moving someplace warm in the next few days, I’m going to pretend it’s warm and have a mojito. Come drink the cold and my pain away with me.

Passion Fruit Mojito
Makes one drink

sugar
water
2 oz. light rum
1 oz. Passion fruit juice (more if you like it more tart)
1 oz. simple syrup
1 lime
mint leaves (4 or so sprigs)
crushed ice
chilled lemon-lime flavored club soda
tall glass
spoon

• Make simple syrup: Heat equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan until just before boiling and stir until the sugar has completely dissolved
• Place the mint leaves and 1 oz. of the simple syrup (cooled) in the glass, then squish it all around with a spoon to release the oils. Leave the mint in the glass.
• Pour in the rum and passion fruit juice and stir.
• Add plenty of ice, then top off the mixture with lemon-lime flavored club soda.
• Garnish with a sprig of mint and a lime wedge and enjoy!

Brothers Ain't Cheap

Di Bruno Brothers specializes in cheese, meats and specialty foods. I’ve been in the original and claustrophobic store in the Italian Market, but it’s really hard to take in all the offerings when some one is constantly rubbing up against you. This really turns me off when shopping - I don’t care how hot you are, and the public is generally not hot.

I’ve been curious about the larger Di Bruno Brothers store in downtown Philly for a while, so I stopped in the other day in route to meet someone downtown.

What a beautiful culinary store…to have my wallet raped!!!

Oranges 99 cents each! Tofu for $4.99!! A bag of chips for $5.99!!!

Please. I don’t care what finery you’re selling. I’m not stupid enough to purchase your fine cheese if you’re going to rip me a new hole when I pick up a staple to make my meal complete.

I understand the concept of offering gourmet products and having staples conveniently available at a higher price than a suburban grocery store, but your mark up is out of control.

I’m sure there are people who would rather pay than be inconvenienced by making another stop or people who just don’t care or don’t need to care about the their finances, but your prices offend me. I won’t be purchasing a single thing from you; I don’t care if it is some rare cheese that no one else carries.