re.CAP: EASTER

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Timing is everything. Or nothing.

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Easter came early this year— almost like an afterthought before the actual thought. It crept up on us, shocking like the mystery that it celebrates. Acting much like the weather: temperamental, moody, unpredictable, and early. It’s been an up and down of temperature—unseasonably warm one day and typically cold the next.  Lions and lambs fighting and ending in an oddly unbalanced stalemate.  Hot and cold like the most passionate affair or weary teacher. But Easter came and went, as did March—quickly, quietly, and early (by early, I mean, time is moving forward faster than I could have imagined or even hoped in darker times). And now it’s gone.

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Easter ushers a breath of fresh air after stale Lent, dark with deprivation and reflection, and quarter three, full and dense with symbolism and five-paragraph essays. The death and darkness of Lent and winter months culminate in Resurrection and the rebirth of spring. Easter is a moment of new beginnings and celebratory feasts.

And feast we did.

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JAR 3.27.16

Timing is everything.

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3.27.16

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BIG brunch punch : Sabrina's Cafe

JAR 1.11.13

We were supposed to have a third, but it was once again a party of two. My sister was going to join us for brunch. It was all planned, and then it was not. She even picked the place we would indulge in. When she could not go, she told us to still go, saying something about hearing it is the best.

So we went.

Sabrina’s Café (one of their locations) is a sweet little place in uptown Philadelphia, near to the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel campuses. The restaurant shares the ground floor of what was a University building. It once was a large Victorian home, many twists and turns and rooms. Some of this could have been modernization and re-purposing, but it felt old and lived in.

The menu had some of the classic brunch essentials, like french toast, scrambled eggs and omelets. But it was the daily specials sheet that had some of the more interesting offerings, from the savory end to the sweets. Because of the number of items on the regular menu, and that brunch special menu, it was extremely difficult to decide. We, like always, called on our server for help.

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I ordered a breakfast wrap, filled with fried white fish, scrambled eggs with black beans, topped by a pineapple salsa and a mound of sour cream. The spinach wrap was almost obsolete. It was impossible to pick up like a sandwich or a wrap, so the tortilla was aesthetic, binding for something that could not be contained. I was not thrilled with the seasoning within the brunch wrap. Some spice (Cumin maybe) did not blend well with the rest of the flavors. The white fish was breaded and fried. I believe it was one of the spices that was in the breading that put the whole dish off kilter for me. The fish on the inside was perfectly cooked, flaky and moist, but its crunchy exterior felt one sided. Black beans were burrowed within the fluffy scrambled eggs, formed like an omelet and folded complexly to fill the spinach wrap. The eggs, though, were a little over cooked to me, brown and almost dry. They were fluffy but flavorless and lifeless.

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The plate was definitely overwhelming.  It was a lot a lot of food. On top of the giant breakfast wrap, there was a healthy mound of hash browns on the plate. These were delicious. The potatoes were just crisp enough on the outside, and just soft enough on the inside. Each cube still had some of the skin on it, and large enough to be almost two bites. There were translucent strands of sautéed onion weaving throughout the potatoes. It was nice and salty, seasoned, and hearty. I wanted so badly to focus my belly on the wrap, the eggs and the fish, but my fork kept returning to the hash browns.

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My dining companion also opted for one of the special breakfasts, called Leo’s King Size Brunch (most of the dish names had some association to astrology and the horoscopes). This was a complete mix of the midday meal and breakfast. This lion sized meal included two poached eggs, a fried pork cutlet, and a resounding mound of root hash. This was all drizzled with a mustard mushroom gravy. It is even a mouthful to say. When I first looked at the description of this meal, I was not sure how all these disparate elements could combine and be cohesive. I had never really thought of eggs going well with pork, and pork going well with rutabaga, or mushrooms going well with mustard, but somehow, in the end it worked.

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Each of the different parts was just as delicious on its own as with the other components. The poached eggs, though beautiful in concept, were a bit over cooked, thus limiting the delightful over spill of runny yolk. We were imagining the deliciousness that would have ensued had the poached eggs been just right. Runny yolk mixing with the colorful hash, coating the different roots and marrying the gravy… but it was all a dream.

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The cutlet was much more tender than it looked, as the outside was crunchy and brown. The meat almost melted in the mouth and was flavorful, instead of grey and bland. Somehow the mushroom mustard gravy vanished on the meat and amongst the cubed root vegetables, though a mushroom would appear here and there, but no precise taste of the sauce was present to me. The rainbow of roots was just as delicious as the regular hash browns served at Sabrina’s café. Though some of the roots I was not enjoying, the combination and mixture was innovative, colorful, and hearty. These roots were just the right base for a king sized meal.

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Because of our need to try it all, we ordered yet another menu item, this, though to share. After discussing our concern and qualm with our server when we were initially ordering, she eased our worries, and gave us a half order of the stuffed french toast. We were unsure about it since we were ordering other things, but she told us that the stuffed french toast is the reason why people come there. And she was right, it was pretty delicious. But, I am not sure if 1. I could eat a whole order on my own voluntarily and 2. If I really needed to have it again. Don’t get me wrong, it was delicious—two thick slices of Challah, eggy and custardy, fused with a heavy dose of sweet cream cheese filling, topped by a fair dusting of powdered sugar, rounds of banana and sticky sweet syrup. But like most everything else, it was a lot.

Honestly, it was a great brunch spot, busy, friendly and satisfying. The portions were large, the combinations were different and varied, and the atmosphere was homey and quirky at the same time. Unfortunately, my innovative and interesting sandwich did not match its potential for me, and it makes me think that I should just stick to the basics if I ever visit Sabrina's Cafe again (which I would... mostly for a half portion of the stuffed french toast).

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oh SHUCKS : Oyster House

RER 1.11.13

They were glum that Friday night. Maybe it was because the weather was so dreadfully dreary. It was cloudy all day, warm, but ominous. And then it sprinkled, and then it rained, and then it was dark. Maybe it was because they were both realizing that their little sojourn was coming to an end, and this was one of their last adventures in Philadelphia, this time. It was probably the latter.

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They were a little soppy when they finally arrived to Oyster House, much like the boisterous bunch that had already gathered there. They got in the door right around when the happy hour including "1 Buck Shucks" and discounted featured drinks ended, but the crowd was still there, loud, lingering, and probably getting warmer and hungrier. There was a wait for a table in the dining area, outside of the bar as well as the oyster bar. So they stood there, taking in the sights; the dim lighting in the bar area lined with giant windows looking out onto the wet streets, the hostesses hovering over a tiny table, the hanging black and white photographs revealing a different time, the bright lights above the counters surrounding the shuckers. There was a lot to see, but the wait time allowed for observation.

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They finally were seated at a tiny table near the oyster bar. A perfect view for the daily special oysters and clams scrawled on a chalkboard, and the men in white aprons surrounded by oysters and ice. On the table rested a giant glass filled to the brim with what chewed like crackers, but were shaped more like knots, accompanied by a jar of tangy horseradish. The walls were heavy with plates that looked to be haphazardly hung up; different colors, different stories.

The menu appeared to be transitory, changing with the times and the catch of the day. It was only on a single sheet of paper, printed with the date, and the dishes. Their server revealed, after politely responding to the forever question “what do you recommend?”, that the proteins basically remain the same, but their preparation and side accoutrements change almost daily. This means fresh, innovative, and always moving. Though he gave insight into the vision and the method of the restaurant, his suggestions for food felt open and surface.

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To start, they landed on oysters, three ways. The small tastes of the sea animal that is the namesake of the restaurant, served as a method of procrastination. Neither could officially decide what they wanted to eat. The first of the three was topped with something like a pesto. It was herbaceous, and kind of buttery in the mouth. The second featured the strong flavors of ginger and scallion, described as Thai. This oyster was sweet and spicy, and fresh from the greenness of the scallions. And the last was surrounded by a jalapeno butter topped with a pickled radish. This radish gave a contrasting crunch to the smooth, chewiness of the raw oyster. In the end all of the disparate varieties were too buttery, disguising rather than enhancing the pearl within the shell. And they were still hungry.

Finally deciding on a scallop dish for her, and a meaty mackerel for him, they ordered and waited. Munching on the spherical crackers and the warm bread, they revealed expectations and raised concerns. When the plates came to their table, they were visions, perfected, and pretty, a slew of browns and oranges, accented by some moments of green.

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The mackerel fillet topped a bed of wilted kale, with a mound of pureed sweet potatoes just below, and was striped with loud red orange hot sauce. The presentation of the dish, invited them to combine the elements, demanding that each bite contained a morsel from each of the levels, blending fish with root and leaf. And that bite with all of the ingredients, mixing the rainbow, was almost perfect. The meatiness of the fish held up to the almost too sweet delicious sweet potato puree and earthy kale. It felt like a southern adventure, the kale and sweet potato staples and the heartier fish. Even the hot sauce was a shout out to a different style of cooking; hot, tangy and pungent. The hot sauce was just enough to cut the sweetness of the puree, while enhancing it, as well as bringing life to the kale. They only wished for another texture, something to counter the kind of sogginess on the plate. Though the fish was meaty, tender and textured, it was out numbered. Something crisp or crunchy would have elevated the dish and covered all the bases that the mouth longs for.

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Just like the mackerel dish, the scallop plate had a kind of textural monotony, and suffered from yet another uniformity, color. The scallops rested on a bed of root vegetables, parsnip, sunchoke and celery root. Both the scallops and the root medley, were dressed with a disguised grapefruit vinaigrette. This dressing was almost silent throughout the plate, until tiny pockets of pulp were stumbled on. And then, it was a raw burst of bitterness. The purpose of the grapefruit, was to usher in a counter point, a freshness to balance the heaviness of the earthy root trio. Unfortunately, it was too bitter and too strong, lingering on the tongue. The scallops, though pretty to look at, they decided, contained no flavor. The sponge like seafood, grasped on to no flavor, none of the oils that the roots were coated in nor the tart dressing. They did not even have any salt. Though the roots all tasted mildly different, some sweeter and softer, some more crunchy and sturdy, it was hard to discern much. It was a plate full of a lot of the same. Something green and lively could have made all the difference, something with a different chew and lighter to counter the heaviness of all the roots.

Mild disappointment and dissatisfaction, led them to think about ordering more food, there or somewhere else. They still felt hungry and deceived, like the warmth of the crowd and the lights, the abruptness of the hostess, and the various websites boasting the greatness, all let them down. They wanted more out of the Oyster House... Dessert, maybe?

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Dessert as always was a must for them, and hopefully some kind of redemption. After perusing the menu and hearing the specials with little indecision, but much time, the pair picked the special coconut rice pudding and one of the favorites, banana cake. A few green pistachios rested on the surface of the rice pudding. As rice pudding fans, they were anxious with anticipation, but the end results were not stultifying. It was wet, like the store bought variety. The rice in the interior was soft and soggy, and dissipated into the creaminess of the custard. There were mild, if any notes, of coconut. They were excited to taste the exotic and almost foreign flavor to rice pudding, but it was thin almost transparent. This was just run of the mill rice pudding for them, nothing magical or unexpected.

The banana cake, however was mildly more interesting, and they found themselves addicted. Though addictive, it was not fully delicious. The cake had the essence of banana, but it was dry and holey not the texture they were used to. And the cream cheese frosting did not have the pronounced bite of cream cheese, but was super sweet and fluffy. All the flavors were mild and almost excruciatingly sweet. The little chocolate cookie crumbles surrounding the cake on the dish, and on top of the slice, served as relief. It was a different texture a different flavor, something mildly bitter to break up the tooth wrecking, cavity producing sweetness.

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In the end, they paid for too much time for parking, and could not draw out their visit to the Oyster House any longer. It was the noise and perhaps a mild annoyance that drove them out. There was no contesting that the seafood wasn't fresh, and the ingredients were not top of the line. But there was something lacking. Maybe it was soul and spirit. There were plenty of those characteristics in the patrons, but the staff and food felt played out and tired,like they did not quite want to be there. The balance was also lacking, between creative, innovative and practical and satisfying.

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1.11.13

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MangiaMore: Sweet Potato Squash SOUP

RER 1.23.13

It's a few weeks into the new year and everyone is still fighting to maintain those resolutions. You know the drill-- new year, new you. Like for many people around the globe January 1st means war. For some it is a project about getting fit and losing weight, while for others it's about chasing dreams and love and passion, and for some of us it is all of the above. For me, resolutions always tend to be losing battles; I start strong, and them bam, I fall off, and never pick it up again.

And winter weather and plummeting temperatures do not help. The cold does not make me want to take my behind to the gym leaving the comfort of the warm indoors or even eat light and healthy food. My body craves warmth, comfort and satisfaction, not deprivation.

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But who says you have to sacrifice to keep up with your healthy resolutions? Refinery29 (fashion, health, and beauty), revealed some great options for getting the things I long for in the winter months, while keeping balance and working on my health. In a article called "Soup Secret: 3 Recipes for a Healthy Cleanse," they list three soup recipes that can help you maintain your healthy new year resolution, while being satiated and sacrificing nothing. Each of these soups have a low calorie count, but large amounts of nutrients and super foods.

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I recently tried the Sweet Potato Squash soup. Not only was it easy to make, it turned out pretty delicious and hearty. The recipe is moderately low maintenance, considering so many other recipes out there, just some chopping, stirring, waiting and in the end, smashing (my favorite). What first caught my eye about this recipe was the sweet potatoes. I have never really though about sweet potatoes as healthy super foods, because of their innate sweet and delicious nature, so I thought, there was no way that this soup would feel healthy (like bunny food) to me. I was also struck by the combination of ingredients; butternut squash, onion, green apple, sweet potatoes, and a touch of olive oil. Nothing felt sacrificial about these ingredients, or that I was giving up any kind of comfort (just my kind of "healthy" recipe). And in some ways it made me feel skeptical. How could all these goodies create something labeled as a "detox soup," but whatever makes it one, I like it.

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But in the end, after it was all said and done; the skinning, the chopping, the cubing, the dicing, the pouring, the stirring, the waiting and the smashing (I know, sounds excessive), we ended up with a delicious soup. The soup was hearty and erred toward a puree. It was thick with pieces of the squash and sweet potato, and lined with remnants of granny smith apple. The sauteeing the onion and the apple in olive oil gave the soup a buttery feeling, and a sense of luxuriousness, without the less healthy elements of real butter. The butternut squash was not really perceptible in flavor, but the difference between it and the sweet potato in texture, was present and added interest.

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The recipe, however, called for no seasoning whatsoever. That, I found very odd 1. because I am all about seasoning, spices, flavors, add-ons, what have you... and 2. Just a few days later Refinery29 had another article "How To Eat Super- Healthy In The Dead Of Winter" which praises the additions of herbs and spices. So, we added some hot spices, mainly chili powder and hefty amounts of pepper, to our sweet potato squash soup. This gave our soup some kick, and added even more benefits (the benefit of extra deliciousness!). Also, when serving, we added a tiny bit of sour cream to offset the sweetness of the ingredients and add some tang. The creaminess added decadence, but also decreased its "healthy" perspective.

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This is a great soup to make to detox, or even when you are in a winter rut. It is super filling, nutrient and fiber rich, but also delicious and colorful for the colder months. It brings comfort and warmth while making your belly happy.

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