Saturday, December 27, 2008

At the beginning -- The Letter A

Several years ago, my friend Steve and I had this idea that we would go down the alphabet from A to Z and try one restaurant in our hometown of Philadephia representing a cuisine that began with that letter (e.g., A=Afghan [Kabul], B=Brazilian [Brazil -- long defunct], etc.) We got through D, I believe, before the idea fizzled out and Steve moved to California. It wasn't a bad concept, though I don't have a clue where we might have gone when we reached letters like Q or X. Still, it was an idea I always kept tucked away, waiting to revisit sometime in the future, albeit in a modified fashion.

And so, with 2009 about to begin, that's exactly what I'll be doing over the course of the next 52 weeks. But instead of wracking my brain trying to find an Israeli, Indonesia, Indian, or Iraqi restaurant inside the city limits, the concept is a little different this time (and admittedly somewhat easier). Instead of matching cuisines to letters, I'll simply be matching restaurants to them. Fortunately, with the vibrant restaurant scene throughout the city, it should be both pretty simple and pretty tasty.

There is but one catch -- every restaurant I'll visit will be one I've never been to before. This is unfortunately going to eliminate quite a few of Philadelphia better places, but hopefully it will also allow me to find some venues that I wouldn't have scouted out before. I'll come up with a list of possible choices in a poll for anyone who happens to stumble upon this site (my wife) that will help guide the final decision.

After each visit, I'll give a synopsis of what I saw and tasted, what I liked and disliked, and hopefully share a funny story or two. Other folks will undoubtedly will be coming along during the year, and hopefully they'll share their thoughts as well.

Ineligible restaurants for Round One (the "As"):
  • Alma de Cuba -- Good drinks (drinking a mojito at an outside table in the summer is prime territory for watching the beautiful people stroll by) but mediocre food.
  • Amada -- Almost everyone who likes to eat out has been at Amada by now, even if it is less than 5 years old. The chef (Jose Garces) has made quite a name for himself and his food is consistently excellent. I'm sure Amada is on the Top 10 list of most Philadelphians.
  • Ansill -- You need to have a sense of adventure at Ansill (as do your companions). I hope you don't mistakenly think that sweetbreads are a pastry.
  • Aqua -- Simple Malaysian food. Nothing fancy, but you get your money's worth.
  • Artful Dodger -- I was here the night I met my wife. That's about the only good thing I can say about the place.
  • Aspen -- In the neighborhood but never a favorite. High prices, spotty food. They have been closed for a few months reportedly for tax purposes.
  • Audrey Claire -- Lots of good publicity, but the one time I was there, I was unimpressed. I'd go back for another try in the future though. Too many people have too many good things to say.