Bourbon Dinner At terra

I get myself in trouble every time I whine on Twitter. This time I whined about terra's 5-course bourbon dinner held on December 15 not having vegetarian options, when I know from reading terra's blog that their chef, Eric Paraskevas (Slate, Lolita), boasts of including veg options on the menu and keeping tempeh stocked in the kitchen.

An almost instant reply back on Twitter from terra (small "t") said they'd look into the matter, and the very next day a veg option for the bourbon dinner became a reality. How could I not reserve a seat after my little Twitter bitchin'? Plus, I've heard good things about the somewhat newly opened warm, cozy, subterranean restaurant and bar nestled below Tavern on Camac on the quaint Camac St. ally.
Different bourbons from the Jim Beam family were an ingredient in each of the five courses that evening, and each course was paired with a bourbon drink by a duo of personable representatives from alcohol distributors Southern Wine and Spirits who also circled the room answering any questions about the bourbon being served. The reps also raffled off a bottle of Knob Creek. (Our table didn't win.)Steak Tartar (tofu in my case) with Baker's Bourbon Caviar was the amouse bouche. With not much flavor to the bourbon Caviar nor the tofu, diced onion was the main flavor.Baker's Bourbon served neat started the evening off. Sweet, smooth, and as a dinner partner noted, toasty, this 7-year aged bourbon is a nice sipper.A warm and light onion roll arrived to the table, which was so good, I ate all of it, and I normally don't eat bread brought to the table unless it's worthy.Arugula salad with Humbolt Fog cheese, Jim Beam soaked cranberries, roasted parsnips, house bacon (omitted in my case), and ginger bourbon vinaigrette was an outstanding salad and my favorite course of the evening. One could taste the bourbon in the cranberries, but the tart sweetness of the berries tempered the bourbon. All the other components of the salad came together to create a perfect salad.
Jim Beam Black, cranberry Juice and Dekuyper Peach Schnapps was a fruity drink that did pair well with the second course, but everyone at our table poured a little Baker's Bourbon from our first round of drinks into the cocktail to knock the fruitiness down a little.Smoked Pork Belly (seitan in my case), chestnut blini, pickled beets and maple Knob Creek Bourbon foam was the second course. Happy to see that the foam was dense and more like a sweet maple bourbon whipped cream, it paired well with the mini chestnut blini. Sad to see that the seitan was just straight-up seitan without any special sauce or marinade, the seitan paired well with the perfectly pickled and peppered beets. A bite of all four together, though, muddied the components.A Manhattan made with Knob Creek, sweet vermouth, dry vermouth, bitters, and fresh lemon with a cherry garnish was paired with the second course. At our table we had a lover and a hater of this drink. You either like vermouth and bitters, or you don't. Or you're impartial, like me.
Unlike the lamb on the right, the seitan on the left could not stand up to the heavy bourbon flavor of the grits.

Pan seared lamb chops (seitan in my case) with Booker's Bourbon grits and Szechwan peppercorn jus was the third course. Again, I was sad to see straight up seitan without any special sauce or marinade. The jus on the vegetarian dish seemed to be a light vegetable broth, and with the unsauced seitan, the two could not stand up to the creamy polenta-like grits heavily flavored with bourbon. The meat eater at our table did not have any problem with the flavor of the bourbon grits as they had the heavy flavors of lamb and sauce to counter balance.Booker's Bourbon served neat was paired with the third course. With a much higher alcohol content (121-127 proof) than the Baker's Bourbon (107 proof) that started off the evening, this uncut, unfiltered, straight-from-the-barrel bourbon burned and warmed. And left the inside of my lips numb. Glad I held onto the Baker's Bourbon to taste the two side by side. I'd prefer to sip on the sweeter and mellower Baker's Bourbon than the Booker's Bourbon. Ordering a cup of ice like the gentleman sitting next to us and slipping a cube or two into the Booker's might be a good idea.
Black Forrest Gateaux and Jim Beam Red Stag creme anglaise with coffee granita was the final course. Unfortunately the coffee granita was mostly a puddle of coffee when it reached our table. The firm disks of chocolate cake topped with bourbon-soaked cherries and cream sitting in a pool of vanilla sauce was respectable if not a little sloppily assembled, but did not wow, as so many desserts never do.
Jim Beam Red Stag, hot chocolate, and whipped cream with a cherry garnish was paired with the dessert course. Being that it's the holiday season and I have a chocolate tooth and a sweet tooth, this mixed drink was my favorite of the evening. (I did enjoy drinking the two straight bourbons side by side for comparison's sake the best.) Jim Beam Red Stag is a black cherry-infused bourbon, which I've sample straight, and do not care for it's cough syrup reminiscence. In a dessert drink, the Red Stag worked. Would probably work well in Coke, too.

I think the meat eaters had a different and better experience at terra's bourbon dinner. A dish that is conceived of as a meat dish, does not always stand up to the mild flavors of meat substitutes like tofu and seitan. It's not enough to simply substitute tofu for beef, or seitan for pork and lamb. Had any of these naturally bland meat substitutes been sauced and punched with stronger flavors, the dishes would have probably been as compelling as the dishes in their original and intended meaty form. With more time to think out the vegetarian dishes, I think the chef would have nailed it.It's true that hospitality plays a huge part in a dining experience, and it most certainly did at terra. From terra's speedy response to a whiny Twitter blurb, the chef's flexibility and willingness to accommodating a vegetarian, and the friendliness of the restaurant owner (also owner of Tavern on Camac upstairs), I most certainly will be back to dine at terra.

The real judge of terra will be when I sample from the dishes as they were intended from the normal menu. I spied hoe cake (so excited to see this Southern specialty) and rigatoni with tempeh bolognese that have my name all over it. Also, I'm madly in love with terra's intimate, warm, and manly (but not too manly) space boasting a 200-bottle wine cellar.

terra
243 S. Camac St., Philadelphia, PA, 19107
215-545-1102
Sun-Thurs, 5-10pm
Fri-Sat, 5-11pm

Nicholas

Update: no longer open

It seemed when Nicholas opened (about a year ago?) in Pennsport, the hub-bub about this casual, cozy, 30-seat BYOB serving New American cuisine was just a blip...and then I heard no more. Despite getting lost in the chatter of newer restaurant openings, we recently decided to try out Nicholas. The fact that Nicholas is a BYOB (they also have mixers for cocktails), and a five minute walk from home doesn't hurt!

Named for the two owners and chefs, Nicholas Matteo and Nicholas Sweeney, Nicholas features a menu of straightforward, local ingredients that change seasonally. Not only does the menu change seasonally, it changes weekly! While some items may look familiar from week to week, there are seasonal tweaks to those dishes, and some dishes will be completely new.

It's so nice to see a restaurant wearing the "local/seasonal" badge that actually cooks with what's available at the markets and changes the menu more than two or three times a year. Plus, even if you're not a vegetarian, some menus are so small that, one or two visits and you've eaten the entire menu! Then what?

Nicholas' interior was more casual that I had imagined, with warm walls and colorful paintings of scenes from the Italian Market, and amply large dark wood tables. Our server was also extremely casual, but in a very friendly and comfortable way.Complimentary, house made rolls arrived (this is one of two) with garlic butter. I don't normally eat the complimentary bread, as it's merely filler to me, but I do take a pinch to sample. My partner, who does partake in complimentary bread, loved the garlic butter.
I started with the salad of grilled Romaine, roasted red peppers, Molisterno cheese, and white balsamic vinaigrette. Too long on the grill, and Romaine gets overly charred and wilted, but Nicholas pulled this half-head off the grill at the perfect time. The vinaigrette was certainly tangy, but I love tang.My partner went with the mixed green salad with pine nuts, dried grapes, and sherry vinaigrette. Initially, I was, like,"Ooh, dried grapes. Fancy." Two second later I realized dried grapes are raisins. Funny how wording can make things sound better. This large plate of greens was dressed with even a harsher vinaigrette than the one on the grilled Romaine salad. I love vinegar, but I think this dressing was a bit much for normal folks, especially in such large quantities.

My partner ordered some fish dish that I can't recall, nor did I take a picture of, but he said it was cooked perfectly. The only vegetarian entree on the small (but remember it changes weekly!) menu is the Veg Plate, and the Veg Plate stays on the menu all the time. What's on the Veg Plate? "All the good stuff from the other dishes, minus the..." And that's exactly what I got...all the sides from the entrees that evening.

Starting with the carrots and going clockwise:

These baby carrots were simply prepared with still a little crunch in the center. Nice.

The pea puree was absolutely fabulous, tasting of fresh peas with a little acidity (lemon?) to brighten the flavor.

The Spanish rice with black beans was tomato-y, and a little liquid-y. While pleasant enough, I felt the side was not refined enough in flavors or consistency to be served at a restaurant. This dish reminded me of a dish I might make on the fly at home as a one-pot meal

The white bean, spinach, and olive tapenade was big on olives, as tapenades are supposed to be, but I only like olives, not love them, so ate half of this side.

The Gorgonzola mashed potatoes were cheesy and greasy-good, and had a homey feel with lumps left in the mashed potatoes.

Overall, I enjoyed all of my Veg Plate and salad, but felt that the food was not as refined as it could be. The food felt comfortable, though, like food I would make at home if I were trying to throw together a dinner party to impress (I don't make pea puree or Gorgonzola mashed potatoes when I'm alone, but it wouldn't be a stretch to make these at home), and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Fresh, seasonal, approachable and comforting food served in a casual dining room in a South Philly neighborhood...that's how I'd sum up Nicholas. It's like eating at home, but a touch nicer.

Nicholas
2015 E. Moyamensing Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19148
215-271-7177
Thurs., 5pm-10pm
Fri. & Sat., 5pm-11pm
Sun., 4pm-9pm
BYOB

Settling In Wilmington

Wilmington. As my mother would say,"God love him, but..." Sometimes you make it just so hard brag about you, dear little city. The Brandywine river and parks surrounding downtown certainly get a good word from me, but the downtown area does not.

I moved to downtown Wilmington specifically so I could walk to restaurants, drug stores, etc., but dang it if the downtown isn't dead after 5, or just doesn't have much going on of interest. A soon-to-come Qdoba on Market St. is actually exiting news. And I can't wait to see what comes to the LOMA revitalization project. Anything that doesn't close after lunch would be good.

What I love about Philly is its walkability. I park my car at the beginning of the weekend, and never use it until it's time to drive back to Wilmington. There's not much to walk to in downtown Wilmington in the evening, and when you do like I did this past weekend, you run up against not one, but two restaurants that are out of food. Seriously. Two.

That all was a longwinded way of explaining how we ended up at Washington Street Ale House, one of Cherry Tree Hospitality Group's three restaurants lined up in a row on Washington St. in downtown Wilmington. Not really great, but at least it was open and serving food. We were quite hungry at this point, so settled.$20 for shrimp scampi pasta with a fried Parmesan hat and dull, rubbery garlic bread stick is a bit expensive for the Red Lobster quality of the dish. (Not my dish, or remarks.)This Cali Reuben Burger with coleslaw, thousand island dressing, and Swiss cheese had a black bean burger subbed at my request. I'm not upset with the store bought puck of black bean burger (expected), but at how dry the burger was. With coleslaw and dressing, this thing should have dripped juices when I picked it up. Instead it was so dry I resorted to dipping my burger into ketchup. The bland, lightly dressed coleslaw added nothing to the burger, and I peeled back the lid to find all the sauce soaked into the bun. My burger was dead cold, too. Probably sat on the line while they were getting the pasta dish ready; it was piping hot.

Beer list is decent at Washington Street Ale House. It's an ale house!

They did a mushroom veggie cheese steak the last time I was there almost two years ago, but not no mo'. Apparently, I had to dip my sandwich in ketchup back then, too.

Wahington Street Ale House
1206 Washington St., Wilmington, DE 19801
302-658-2755

Chloe

Just like clockwork, my birthday comes every year at the end of March, and so does my friend’s. This means we usually share a birthday celebration. This year we were taken out to dinner at a location that remained a surprise until we crossed Market St. walking up 3rd. Yeah, at that point I guessed it. Chloe!

This was my first visit to the small, contemporary American BYOB in Old City that always appears on lists of romantic restaurants . They don’t take reservations or credit cards, so we ladies waited on the bench out front while the gents found an ATM. By the time they were back, we were in!

The inside is small, dimly lit, and kind of homey with knick knacks and a hand written specials board on the wall. It’s noisy, too. Small place packed with chattering people and it gets loud. Chloe is comfy and cozy, but I don’t know about romantic. Romance is overrated, anyway!

Low light; poor pictures. It's called "romantic."

A complimentary plate of hummus and bread came with our appetizers. No one at our table was fond of their hummus, which was subtly smoky, and as one person put it, tasted just like beans.

We started with two appetizers from the specials board. Everyone enjoyed the fried butternut squash and mushroom cakes. There were noticeable hunks of squash and mushrooms, and the flavors blended well.

The fish eater’s ordered the smoked trout appetizer with capers, watercress and red onion salad, and, I think, horseradish cream sauce. While I personally cannot report on the dish, everyone loved it.

Chloe has one vegetarian entrée on the menu – roasted pumpkin and ricotta ravioli with dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and brown sage butter. By default, I had that! The filling was not cloyingly sweet as some pumpkin filled raviolis unfortunately are, but the brown sage butter sauce ruined the dish for me. The raviolis were swimming in a flavorless oil slick. Blech!

The boy ordered the grilled salmon fillet with crispy polenta, sweet and sour eggplant chutney, and parsley gremolata. He really loved this dish. I snuck a little eggplant chutney and it was nice!

Manners tell me not to molest other people’s food with my hands or camera, so I will tell you what the others ordered. The guy got the pan seared sea scallops with crispy potato pancake, watercress and red onion salad, and smoked chili and sour cream chili. He liked it a lot, as did his partner who normally doesn’t like scallops.

She ordered the sushi grade tuna seared rare with banana ginger soy broth, jasmine rice, seaweed salad, and crispy wonton chip. She was hesitant to order this dish because fish and banana did not sound like a great combination, but the server assured her that the banana was subtle. Turns out banana and tuna together, no matter how subtle, is not for her! She also did not like the tuna. She felt it should have been left raw instead of seared.

For dessert, I shared a slice of chocolate mouse pie with chocolate and raspberry drizzle and cream. Nothing special. It was what it was.

The other side of the table ordered the chocolate gateau and the warm banana bread pudding. Out of the three desserts, given a chance to do it again, I’d go with the banana bread pudding!

By some cruel twist of fate, the two birthday girls struck out and the boys hit gold. All in all, it was a lovely evening at a cozy restaurant that none of us had ever been to, but with only one vegetarian entrée that disagrees with me, I don’t’ see a need for my return.

Chloe
232 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA, 19106
215-629-2337
Wed.-Sat., 5 p.m-9:30 p.m.
BYOB, cash only, no reservations