Philly Cooks, Penn Eats

Foobooz’s Philly Cooks 2014 culminated a weeklong food extravaganza of neighborhood-focused restaurant tours. The  event brought together 40 restaurants and bars under one roof to showcase their favorite offerings.

Hosted at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, the free-flowing food and libations made many a stomach happy.

SAVORY

The porky sausages laced with marjoram, caraway, and mace were nestled into crusty bread rolls and topped with pungent sauerkraut. Brauhaus also had the pleasure of hosting Philly Cooks’ after-party, where people celebrated well into the night.

Unctuous folds of pork belly and plush bread made this kosher dish hard to beat.

The thick dough of Bufad’s pies made for a cushiony bed for the toppings. We would love to try a hot version of the flavors on hand at the restaurant itself.

Cheu’s one-bite wonders were breakfast dumplings filled with chinese sausage, egg, and cheese. A maple syrup chili oil made it sweet and spicy all at once.

Supper’s Buffalo Grits is perfect example of creative flavor pairings: the soft, creamy grits, sharp blue cheese, savory pulled pork, crunchy veggies, and tangy buffalo sauce made it a surprisingly irresistible dish.

The FedNuts crew was hard at work all evening crafting countless copies of one extraordinary sandwich…

Could this be FedNuts newest hidden menu item? The chilled fried chicken reminded us of warm-weather picnics.

Chawanmushi literally means “tea cup steam” or “steamed in a tea bowl.” The silky egg custard had flavors faintly echoing the sea, with a crisp texture contrast from the lobster chip.

These meaty slivers of mushroom basked in a savory sauce that we would have been willing to sip by the spoonful.

Thinly sliced roast pork, smoked ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard were pristinely pressed together for tea-sandwich-sized paninis.

Big things come in small packages: these bite-sized meatballs packed quite a punch, exploding with delightfully-spicy flavor.

The shortrib was cooked perfectly, its moist meat shredding easily and complementing the pasta.

The thick, savory sausage in the dish was perfectly complimented by soft, hearty beans, and the spiced mustard added a tangy element to each bite.

Perhaps one of our favorite aspects of Philly Cooks was Celebrity Cruises’ make-your-own-seasoning/rub bar, where guests could fill tins with a variety of spices including garlic powder, paprika, and jerk seasoning.

Each plate that Pennsylvania 6’s team cranked out was a work of art. It tasted just as good as it looked, the tender piece of tuna cut just right to go down easy.

As we expected from Alma De Cuba, the pork was tender, soft, and melted in our mouths.

Twisted Tail’s Swordfish Tartare with Carolina Benne Wafers

The fishy tartar was robust, smooth, and rich, but we were even more impressed by the colorful presentation of the dish.

This gnocchi was addictive. Even among samples from 40 different restaurants, this was one of the few places we went back twice. It was made fresh in front of us, and the parmesan sprinkle on the soft, pillowy gnocchi made it a comfort food far superior to the beloved macaroni and cheese.

Snails aren’t exactly a common protein we eat. Slightly chewy like clams, the texture worked well with the smooth bites of potato gnocchi.

Although it wasn’t exceptional in taste, the dish caught our eye due to the vibrant oranges, yellows and greens arranged on the plate.

Sweet

Little Baby’s never fails to bring unique flavors. We gobbled up miniature scoops of Rose Pistachio and Coconut Chai.

These chocolate caramels were beauties, the chewy caramel within enveloped in a thick layer of rich dark chocolate. Tradestone also had berry-laden bark and espresso truffles on hand.

The generous portion of creamy custard had a rich banana flavor that was balanced out by salty caramel chips. The kick of rum was unmistakably present in every bite.

The sweet, doughy pastry was brightened up by the tangy, acidic blackberries and smooth, creamy mascarpone on the side.

It had an overpoweringly strong banana flavor, but the palm-sized pie was still fun to handle and eat.

The layers of soft chocolate frosting, thick cherry jam, and moist chocolate cake were enough to fill us up after merely a few bites.

The red velvet cheesecake cupcakes were luxuriously creamy, rich and moist- the flavors blended together perfectly, and we could tell they were baked fresh from scratch.

This pie had a wonderfully creamy consistency and was just the right amount of sweet, with a rich butterscotch flavor and  flaky buttery crust.

Farrel’s Picks:

Savory:  Supper’s Buffalo Grits With Pulled Pork and Blue Cheese, Little Nonna’s Pan-seared Potato Gnocchi with Braised Shortrib

Sweet: Velvet Sky Bakery’s Red-Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes, Magpie’s Butterscotch Bourbon Pie

Nicole’s Picks:

Savory: Pennsylvania 6’s Yellow Fin Tuna Crudo, Continental’s Cuban Lamb Meatballs

Sweet: Tradestone Confection’s Chocolate Caramels, Little Baby’s Rose Pistachio Ice Cream

— Farrel Levenson & Nicole Woon