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Hanukkah began Tuesday at sundown, and Christmas is a week away. Since the holidays have been described in song as “the most wonderful time of the year,” I thought about some magic that could help you with holiday entertaining.
I clicked my heels together three times, and Glenda, the good caterer, appeared. She waved her magic wand, and all my favorite restaurant dishes appeared on the buffet table.
Here is what Glenda summoned.
A big pot of lentil soup from Chef Bobby at Santucci’s, 901 S. 10th St., is perfect for a cold winter’s night. Breads from Fond, 1537 S. 11th St., and popovers from Sbraga, 440 S. Broad St., slathered with softened sweet butter topped with fleur de sel, is perfect with soup.
Glenda knows I could spend hours at DiBruno’s, 930 S. Ninth St., so a huge board filled with imported Italian meats, cheeses, olives, roasted peppers, marinated artichokes and mushrooms could be a meal in itself.
Chef Joncarl Lachman at Noord, 1046 Tasker St., sent his pickled herring, which reminds me of my childhood. Since no party is complete without a raw bar, trays filled with cherrystone clams and oysters on the half shell, along with strong homemade horseradish, arrived from The Oyster House, 1516 Sansom St.
Bite-size burgers from The Devil’s Den, 1148 S. 11th St., and bite-size lamb burgers from Kennett, 848 S. Second St., magically took their place along with soft summer rolls from Nam Phuong, 1100 Washington Ave., with a peanut sauce, and crispy spring rolls from Le Viet, 1019 S. 11th St.
Omelette stations were all the rage for home parties years ago. Glenda and I love French omelettes made to order. Chefs from Kraftwork, 541 E. Girard Ave.; The Sidecar Bar & Grille, 2201 Christian St.; and Dante Espresso Bar and Cafe, 1615 E. Passyunk Ave., were busy cracking eggs, filling them with each guest’s requests for Vermont cheddar, wild mushrooms and so forth, and turning them out onto hot plates.
Day by Day, 2101 Sansom St., provided miniature potato latkes topped with smoke salmon and a hint of crème fraîche, while The South Philadelphia Tap Room, 1509 Mifflin St., and Supper, 926 South St., sent homemade bagels for those who want a bagel, nova and a schmear of cream cheese. The homemade cream cheese came courtesy of chef Eli Kulp from High Street, 308 Market St. He included tiny pumpernickel bialys and white fish salad.
Glenda asked my favorite pizza makers to prepare miniature pizzas. Marc Vetri came through along with the chefs from Birra, 1700 E. Passyunk Ave. Four cheese pizzas, wild mushroom pizzas and homemade sausage pizzas kept the guests happy.
Chef Townsend Wentz knows I loved his choucroutte when I first tasted it at McCrossen’s Tavern, 529 N. 20th St. Now he has his fine restaurant at 1623 E. Passyunk Ave., and filled the big pot with sauerkraut, sausages and all kinds of pork. Speaking of pork, chef Lee Styer of Fond, 1537 S. 11th St., made his signature pork belly and included some braised Brussels sprouts.
Chef Paul Martin from Mamou, 102 S. 13th St., who was born and raised in Lafayette, La., made me happy with his fried oysters and chicken and sausage gumbo. He also brought small fried shrimp po boys.
Ah, fried fish. It is getting harder and harder to find a first-rate fried seafood combination anywhere in the city. Anastasio’s, 911 Christian St., fries up shrimp, flounder, scallops and whatever is fresh, and serves it with lemon wedges and tartar sauce.
Glenda kept track of the desserts, which keep me smiling and will bring smiles to my guests. Individual hot chocolate soufflés from Wentz, the best bread pudding in the city courtesy of chef Bobby and miniature cannoli from pastry chef Jessie Prawlucki at Fond, (she also bakes the site’s superb breads), rounded out the sweet table.
These were some of the dishes I enjoyed this past year. A number of new South Philadelphia restaurants will be open soon. I look forward to reviewing all of them. ■
Noord chef/owner Joncarl Lachman’s pickled herring would be included on the party menu.
File Photo
Chef/owner Townsend Wentz has earned high marks for his menu.
File Photo
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