"K" is for Kanella

I like to think of myself as a very open-minded and adventurous eater. I would watch Fear Factor and see the contestants get all grossed out eating bugs or brains or whatever other unsavory items that were placed before them and think "Stop being such a wuss. I could get through this 'challenge' easily."

Of course, I wasn't always this way. Thanks to a suburban upbringing, my impression of "ethnic" restaurants growing up were Chi Chis (Mexican), Olive Garden (Italian), and King Tien/Mandarin Garden/whatever other Americanized name (Chinese). That was pretty much it. I would still try various items probably beyond most teenagers when we went to nicer restaurants -- I was on a duck kick for many years, and it remains one of my favorite dishes when done well, and I distinctly remember ordering snake one time -- but looking back, my palate was limited. And frankly, I probably wouldn't have liked a lot of the ethnic places in the city back then -- it's easy to grow up closed minded to food because that is what you are around and that is what you know. Indian food? Gross! French? Yuck, yuck, yuck. Give me TGI Friday's any day!

Fortunately, as I grew older and burst out of my suburban shell, I recognized that there is more to life than General Tso's chicken, unlimited breadsticks, and bean burritos. One of my favorite things -- if not my absolute favorite thing -- about living in the city is the wealth and diversity of culinary choices. As I hope I have demonstrated in my blog so far this year, you can experience so many different parts of the world within only a few minutes drive that it's a crime not to open your eyes and your mouth to see what is out there, what you truly do like and truly don't like.

However, I have to admit sometimes I am too open minded and have a hard time admitting that there are some foods and some cuisines that I just don't like. Take eggplant for instance. It's a relatively popular vegetable that pops up on so many menus and I know a lot of people enjoy it. So when I kept trying it served in many different ways and as part of many different dishes and constantly said "Ick," I kept figuring it must have been the way it was prepared. It took years to finally recognize, "You know, maybe I just don't like eggplant that much."

So what does all this have to do with our latest stop, Kanella? Well, Greek food is my "eggplant." The wife and I spent our honeymoon in Greece, and while the country and scenary was beautiful, the food was general uninspiring. The best thing I ate was a $2 gyro from a street cart near the beach in Santorini. Everything else was bland, mushy, and just generally uninspiring. But I kept chalking it up to, "Well, the chef here must not have been that good." I went to a Greek place in San Francisco back in November and was equally unimpressed. Obviously, a pattern was forming, but I remained convinced it was the restaurants and not me.

And so I arrived at Kanella with an open mind. I really, really wanted to like Greek food. I mean, I read the menu and it sounded OK so I figured, "Heck, I should like this, right?"

We were greeted by a very cheerful brother and sister team (waiter and hostess) who were really exceptionally friendly and accommodating. They treated us very well and did their best to guide us through the menu to the right choices. Frankly, nothing jumped out at me as a "must have" so I was happy to have some help. I knew from the start that we were going to get the pita with the "dips of the day" -- those are usually among the best bets for the wife and I -- but I was somewhat at a loss for my entree.

I didn't want something boring -- whole fish, steak, or chicken -- so I narrowed my choices to the two most ethnic choices on the menu, the braised rabbit and the goat stew. As I soon as I mentioned my options to our waiter, he didn't hesitate in guiding me toward the goat stew. OK, I was willing to go for it.

It arrived and looked pretty bad -- it just didn't present well. The goat looked like something that might have been floating in the toilet. But I have had some excellent meals that weren't visually appealing -- it doesn't happen often, but it happens. Unfortunately, this was not one of those times. There was nothing wrong with how the dish was presented -- the goat was cooked fine, but it just didn't taste like anything. The accompanying beans and vegetables were also OK, but it just didn't excite me. Everything was just so very blah. Especially with a $24 price tag. Alas...

On to the full review...

THE FOOD: Outside of my main course, the pita and dips were yummy. There were three kinds -- hummus with sardine paste, fava beans with parsley, and eggplant (talk about a signal!). I really like salty fish, so the hummus with sardine paste was my favorite, but they were all good. The wife got the moussaka for dinner -- as traditional Greek as it gets -- I tried it and hated it, but she liked it.

THE DRINKS: Kanella is a BYOB. They had an interesting-sounding almond drink on the menu, but I didn't try it.

THE STAFF: As mentioned earlier, the waiter and hostess were both very nice and they tried their best. When I noted to our waiter that I wasn't crazy about the stew, he said, "Guess I should have recommended the rabbit." But he didn't offer to take anything off our bill. Oh well.

MAD PROPS FOR: I must give credit to our waiter for saving me from my own stupidity. We were walking back to the car when I realized I was missing something -- namely, my wallet. I turned around and walked 2 blocks back to the restaurant. Fortunately, our waiter had it in his hands waiting for me. My credit cards were all still there too.

OVERALL: Sadly, I think it's time to swear off Greek restaurants. Kanella may indeed be a worthwhile stop for others -- there was nothing about it that screamed out, "Don't eat here!" -- but it's not for me. One more minor qualm -- the new restaurant across the street that replaced Azul Cantina (our first entry in this series) played very, very loud music and really hurt the overall ambiance on a nice Friday night.

THE CHECK: $62 with tip for the 2 of us. It's not a cheap joint.

On the Ls...

Ineligible restaurants for round 12:

• La Locanda del Ghiotonne -- Hot, bright, loud, and reeking of garlic -- exactly the way a classic Italian restaurant should be. La Locanda has lots of personality and great food. One of my favorite places in the city.
• L'Angolo -- A big reputation that, at least on my night there, didn't quite live up to the accolades.
• Las Bugambillas -- There are a lot of Mexican fusion places in the city that I love; Las Bugambillas doesn't mess with that sort of stuff. It's high-quality, traditional Mexican food. Enchiladas, burritos, etc., with a lot of seafood as well.
• Las Cazuelas -- This Mexican gem on Girard Ave. has quite a following. I like it, don't love it.
• La Viola -- This place did so well that it opened up a sister restaurant across the street with the same name. I'm told the original restaurant is nicer -- I only ate in the loud, crowded neighbor.
• Little Fish -- Easily one of my top 3 favorite restaurants in the city. It is VERY small, but I love the open kitchen, the small menu, and the absolutely fabulous food. It deserves every one of the accolades it has received in recent years.
• L'Oca -- L'Oca is a weird place. Everyone in my neighborhood was very excited when it opened a few years ago, but it hit a rough spot and people soured on it. Yet it has hung in there and I'm hearing better things. Time for a revisit soon.
• Lolita -- Love the BYOT (tequila) concept, hate the surly wait staff.
• London Grill -- One of Fairmount's original gastropubs. London Grill is a nice place to sit outside, have a drink, and order a plate of fish and chips. The higher end fare is not worth the trouble.

Candidates for round 12:

• Le Bec-Fin -- Philadelphia's stalwart, Le Bec-Fin has been the city's culinary anchor on Walnut St. for many, many years. Anyone want to foot the bill? http://www.lebecfin.com/
• Le Virtu -- Not your usual south Philly Italian joint. The restaurant has an interesting mix of pastas and heartier entrees. http://www.levirtu.com/
• Lovash -- A pretty Indian restaurant right in the heart of hipster South Street. I've read mixed things about the food. http://www.lovashindiancuisine.com/
• Ly Michael's -- Upscale Asian food in Chinatown. I'm up for something hot and spicy if you are. http://lymichaelsrestaurant.com/default.aspx

"J" is for John's Roast Pork

If you ask people across the United States what Philadelphia is best known for, you may get a few answers. "The Liberty Bell" or "Obnoxious Sports Fans" or "Really Cute Jewish Men" but more often than not, they are going to throw out "Cheesesteaks!" At least a dozen times a year, I am asked on my summer walking tours of Independence Square (coming soon!), "So where is the best place to get a cheesesteak?" Now I don't purport to be a cheesesteak connoisiour -- I probably only eat one or two a year -- but I have been to many of the big-name places. Geno's. Pat's. Jim's. None are particularly wonderful, but they are all a true Philadelphia experience. But I am very clear when I recommend one of these places (usually Jim's since it is closest) -- if you are expecting to a memorable meal flavorwise, you are going to be disappointed.

Traditionally, my favorite joint has been Delassandro's down in Roxborough. I was turned onto it by a friend a few years ago and usually go every now and then. It's a good sandwich that follows the hallmark of a respectable cheesesteak -- checklist to come later -- but it's a bit of a hike from downtown Philly.

I had first heard John's Roast Pork mentioned as a worthy challenger a few years back in Philadelphia Magazine's section on the best cheesesteaks in town (or was in the Inquirer? I forget) and then again on WIP when they had some sort of cheesesteak competition (which gave them a puny trophy that wasn't even as nice as my 2nd grade "participation" soccer trophy -- very very weak). Both times, the voters lavished praise on this tiny little south Philly shack in the shadows of Ikea. So why has it taken me so long to get there? Well, basically, because it's not exactly a customer friendly place.

John's Roast Pork is only open weekdays, and only then until 3 p.m. (grill closes at 2:30). It's certainly not within walking distance from downtown, which means I either have to take a day off from work, "work from home," or convince a co-worker to drive down there. I tried the last approach, but no one would bite, so I finally decided, "Screw it, I am working from home today. Today is the day!" And it was. Barely.

I walked it at 2:25 due to an unavoidable meeting at the office. I was the last person served before they turned off the grill. I would have been really, really pissed if I had been turned away. Fortunately, the food Gods were on my side.

So was it worth the wait? Oh yes. Oh yes indeed. Prepare yourselves people. John's Roast Pork is every bit as good as its reputation.

On to the full review...

THE FOOD: A good cheesesteak needs three things -- high quality chopped steak meat, cheese that is actually melted into the meat, and a hearty, moisture-absorbant roll. I can't emphasize this last point enough. If your cheesesteak drips onto your sleeve, it belongs in the trash can. John's cheesesteak passed the test in all three areas. Not only was their roll sturdy, but it has sesame seeds on the outside which only added to the flavor. I like mushrooms and onions on my cheesesteak, so those got piled on as well. It all added up to heaven. Hot, yummy, and filling. I was really, really impressed. It burned the roof of my mouth a little, but I didn't care even a little.

THE DRINKS: I got a Barq's root beer. Whoopie.

THE STAFF: John's is a family run joint. They move people in and out quickly -- it is a popular place. Like I said, I walked in at 2:25 p.m. on a Monday and there were 6 people ahead of me. Ten minutes later, lunch was served.

MAD PROPS FOR: The outdoor picnic tables. John's is nothing to look at. It's a shack next to the railroad tracks. But it was nice on a sunny day to be able to sit outside, spread out my sandwich and my napkins, and eat in peace.

OVERALL: If you have never been to John's, you really should go. It isn't the Philadelphia experience that Pat's, Geno's, or Jim's is, but this is a cheesesteak the way it's meant to be. They have other sandwiches on the menu also -- fish cake, anyone? -- but I can only recommend the one. It was everything it was cracked up to be. I will deliver my trophy next time I am there, probably in another 5 years.

THE CHECK: $9.75 for sandwich and a soda. It's a fair price for what you get.

On to the Ks....

Ineligible restaurants for round 11:

• Kabul -- I remember going to this Afghan place in Old City a few weeks after 9/11. It felt a bit eerie. Traditional, cheap food at this surprisingly good BYOB.
• Kentucky Fried Chicken -- The wife told me her "favorite meal" growing up was a bucket of KFC. Shed a tear for her, folks. How she couldn't appreciate the joys of Chicken McNuggets is beyond me.
• Kibitz in the City -- The "New York" style Jewish deli near my office. The overstuffed sandwiches are good, but it's very much overpriced. I don't get it.
• King George II Inn -- This Bristol restaurant is where I went to dinner the night I got engaged (we stole the thunder of the mom, whose birthday it was -- oops).
• Kisso -- I tried to like this sushi joint when I first moved back to Philly, but it never caught on with me. It was OK, but nothing special.
• Kite and Key -- One of Fairmount's newer gastropubs. The setup is great to enjoy the summertime weather and the food isn't bad.

Candidates for round 11:

• Kanella -- I have heard good things about this upscale Greek joint near Washington Square. www.kanellarestaurant.com
• Ken Shin Asian Diner -- This place just opened a few weeks ago. It's a total wildcard. I have no clue. http://philadelphia.menupages.com/restaurants/ken-shin-asian-diner/
• Kimberton Inn -- This round's suburban entry. Alas, I have no clue where Kimberton is. Just follow the manure, I suppose. www.kimbertoninn.com
• Kristian's Ristorante -- We're due to get back to a top-notch Italian restaurant soon. Here is your chance. http://www.kristiansrestaurant.com/

One more thing before I go. Special props to Copper Bistro out in Northern Liberties -- we had a surprise party for 18 for the mother-in-law over the weekend and not only were they accommodating and flexible every step of the way, but the food was very good at a very affordable price. I could not have been more impressed.

Enjoy the outdoor eating everyone!