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Dear AHT: Best Burgers in Philly?
I highly recommend the Rouge Burger. Great location too! http://gastronomyblog.com/2007/05/08/rouge/
Xie Xie: An Asian Sandwich Shop (What a Concept)
I am so stoked about trying the Cha Ca sandwich when I head to NYC next month. The ice cream sandwich too. Can't wait to hear the story behind that one!
My Favorite Breakfast Meat: Chinese Sausage
ME! Chinese sausages are six-inch gems! I'm currently obsessed with making this Chinese Sausage and Cucumber Salad (http://gastronomyblog.com/2009/05/28/chinese-sausage-and-cucumber-salad/. Perfect summertime food, for sure!
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Recent Comments | Response to Comments
Customized Banh Mi Shell for MyTouch 3G Phone
Brilliant! And, of course, I want!
Dear AHT: Best Burgers in Philly?
I highly recommend the Rouge Burger. Great location too! http://gastronomyblog.com/2007/05/08/rouge/
Xie Xie: An Asian Sandwich Shop (What a Concept)
I am so stoked about trying the Cha Ca sandwich when I head to NYC next month. The ice cream sandwich too. Can't wait to hear the story behind that one!
My Favorite Breakfast Meat: Chinese Sausage
ME! Chinese sausages are six-inch gems! I'm currently obsessed with making this Chinese Sausage and Cucumber Salad (http://gastronomyblog.com/2009/05/28/chinese-sausage-and-cucumber-salad/. Perfect summertime food, for sure!
In Season: Basil
BASIL COOKIES! A little savory/sweet surprise: http://gastronomyblog.com/2009/07/02/basil-cookies/
The Secret Ingredient: Crème Fraîche
All three recipes look and sound fantastic (and easy). I like to make Orangette's Bouchons au Thon with creme fraiche: http://gastronomyblog.com/2009/05/17/bouchons-au-thon/
Eating Mice Can Be Rather Nice
Onedaylingers - skin off.
mongoose - you're completely right. It's impossible to really know the taste of mice given the meager amount of meat on their bones.
Dear AHT: Best Burgers in Philly?
I've eaten almost every burger on the board and think that Grace Tavern has the tastiest burgers of them all. Substitute the fries with the blackened green beans. They're sensational.
Customized Banh Mi Shell for MyTouch 3G Phone
That's cool...but I want one with bacon!
Xie Xie: An Asian Sandwich Shop (What a Concept)
Oh man, I'm so embarrassed that I haven't been here yet. Angelo is a sweetheart and a seriously talented chef. Great photos, Robyn!
The Secret Ingredient: Crème Fraîche
Thanks for the tip to use creme fraiche in mac 'n' cheese. I had some homemade stuff that needed to find a tasty home: http://eatcheapeatwelleatup.com/2009/09/08/you-fraiche-thing/
Xie Xie: An Asian Sandwich Shop (What a Concept)
I had the Vietnamese BBQ Beef and added a Vietnamese BBQ Beef salad, because the meat was sooo good and I was still hungry. You can have all the sandwich recipes in salad format, a nice touch that doubles the list.
My friend had the Fish Cha Ca La Vong: good, weird, definitely worth a try, but my vote goes to BBQ Beef. I will try the other sandwich on the list, I am in the neighborough. But definitely worth a visit and you have to spend some minutes at the soda fridge (you cannot believe what weird sodas and beers they stock... just pass the Pear cider, too sweet in my opinion).
About the name: I have been in Shanghai and they definitely say it like "shyey shyey" with the second "y" very shortened and the "e" accented.
Dear AHT: Best Burgers in Philly?
@ Buckethead - Thanks, I would have been driving for a while... ;)
Dear AHT: Best Burgers in Philly?
The place in Wynnewood is Elevation Burger, not Evolution Burger.
Xie Xie: An Asian Sandwich Shop (What a Concept)
Looks pretty interesting overall, but I hope that Sweet Glazed Pork dish looks bigger in person than on camera. That looks like a snack for $9.
I really, really want to try that ice cream sandwich. The shade of the caramel center is a dead-ringer for those thousand-year-old eggs.
Dear AHT: Best Burgers in Philly?
"The Burger" @ Serrano's on 2nd is pretty tasty as well. And I have to also agree with Jessward about the Johnny Brenda burger. That is quite tasty also. I have yet to try the Evolution or the Sketch burger. This is a great post. I can't wait to do some Philly burgering again.
Dear AHT: Best Burgers in Philly?
I'm on a mission to convince people that the best burger in Philly doesn't look like any burger they've ever seen before - it is the Chapli Kabob at Kabobeesh in University City. Well worth expanding your horizons for (sadly no bacon available though).
http://burgatory.wordpress.com/2009/01/02/philadelphia-pa-kabobeeshs-chapli-kabab-burger-yes-or-no/
Dear AHT: Best Burgers in Philly?
I love Philly burgers but being a Jerzee girl my favorite burger is actually in Atlantic City. Gallagher's pub is an offshoot of Gallagher's Steakhouse located in Resort's casino on the dining level. The Gallagher burger is juicy, cooked to order and you can choose from an array of toppings. My husband laughs at me when I eat one because all I say after my burger arrives and I bite into it is ummm, ummm, ummm. You cannot talk to me til I am done. It is worth the ride,although we are usually already downa shore anyway.
Dear AHT: Best Burgers in Philly?
While I'm not a vegetarian and I'm known to eat beef burgers, I have to give it to National Mechanics for their Veggie Burger. Yes, a veggie burger is my favorite burger in Philly. Filled with finely shredded fresh vegetables like carrots, broccoli, and zucchini (among others), it's a burst of vegetable goodness in your mouth. And it's quite sizable. So you will be sated. Comes with their yummy hand-cut steak fries, too.
Dear AHT: Best Burgers in Philly?
Best burgers I've had in Philly, no contest, are at a super cheesy looking place called Copabanana. Great fries too. I always go to the location at 40th and Spruce, but there are 2 other locations. I've tried the burgers at Parc, Butcher & Singer, Good Dog and other famous and popular burger spots, and as far as I'm concerned, none compare to Copabanana.
Dear AHT: Best Burgers in Philly?
For me, the best burger in Philadelphia, without question is Barclay Prime pub burger. (NOTE: Not the kobe sliders. The pub menu burger - happens to be a couplet of mini burgers.)
Dear AHT: Best Burgers in Philly?
How has no one said the burger at Noble American Cookery yet?
Grass-fed, topped with a big slice of beet, sauce gribiche, some lovely cheese and for one single dollar extra, a twice-fried, chopped BACON WAFER.
The beet ketchup that comes with the fries is also worth the visit. Truly magical.
Dear AHT: Best Burgers in Philly?
You all need to stop in and try Sketch Burger in Fishtown. I like a lot of these places on the list but Sketch's is definitely better than some of these.
How one can narrow it down is a mystery to me though. This town has no shortage of burgers.
Let's get as big a list of cheese steaks, because frankly the pickings are slim.
Dear AHT: Best Burgers in Philly?
South Philly Taproom has a good grass-fed burger..
Diner style I go for Little Pete's (17th & Locust, 24 hours) all the way. Snow White Diner (19th & Chestnut) also has a decent burger, on Craig Laban's list a few years ago, not sure if it still holds up.
Also check out Nick's Charcoal Pit on Snyder for a Char-Grilled burger on a kaiser roll covered in bacon and cheese whiz.
Dear AHT: Best Burgers in Philly?
My two favorites are the Royal Burger at Royal Tavern (angus, bacon, gouda, long hots, caramelized onion, spicy mayo), which I believe I've seen on AHT before, and the Kelly's Burger from Grace Tavern, the simplest, most delicious bacon cheeseburger in all the land.
Dear AHT: Best Burgers in Philly?
Mitch Prensky's burger at Supper was an unexpectedly awesome discovery at brunch one Sunday. One of the best burgers I've tasted in a while. Also fond of the burger at McCrossen's Tavern. It's unfancy, unfussy, well-constructed, plus good fries.
Dear AHT: Best Burgers in Philly?
Standard Tap and Royal Tavern are my favorites. The Khyber does a small version of the RT burger for just a few bucks, which is great because then you have room to try other things. Standard Tap has the best fries in the city, in my opinion. Greasy but crispy with bits of peel left on.
I like the Good Dog burger with cheese on top, not inside. The temperature of the cheese stuffed one turns me off if they cook it medium and I just don't like burgers cooked more than that.
For Pete's Sake also has an excellent burger. And Coco's on jewelers row has really good kobe burgers - get them with the salad instead of fries and order a $3 mountain of freshly fried potato chips sprinkled with blue cheese and scallions to share with your table.
Dear AHT: Best Burgers in Philly?
I'm a purist - just burger and bun - so many of the city's 'best burgers' don't stand up under that scrutiny (Monks, this means you - I've never had a good burger there, and I found the Good Dog one pretty disappointing). But nothing has topped the Varga Bar's burger for me - I like Pub & Kitchen too, but the Varga offering is in another class. I heartily second Jess's suggestion about Evolution for California-style burgers - they even outdo In n Out.
In the burbs, TJ's in Paoli has the best, with Teresa's Next Door in Wayne very close.
Dear AHT: Best Burgers in Philly?
As a California style lovin' burger eater, PYT and Evolution Burger (just outside Philly in Wynnewood) come closest to those delightful west coast burgers. My favorite gourmet pub burgers are at Pub & Kitchen and Johnny Brenda's. Also a nod to SquareBurger for cranking out a simple but tasty burger and to Butcher and Singer for their weekday lunch deal.
Dear AHT: Best Burgers in Philly?
@orchidgirl: If you love Monk's, the wait at The Belgian Cafe (21st and Green in Fairmount) is much shorter--same yummy mussels, burgers and fries!
I also love the burgers at The Belgian. Though last time I went, I ordered medium-well takeout for a picky friend and it came back more medium-rare. Picky friend was not happy.
Dear AHT: Best Burgers in Philly?
If you're ever on the Main Line, check out George's in Wayne...George Perrier (of Le Bec Fin fame) has a casual bistro there. Check out the black angus burger with gruyere and caramelized onion on a brioche bun....::drools::
Dear AHT: Best Burgers in Philly?
I like tommy's adult milkshakes a little more than the burgers...
Recent Posts
Bo La Lot - grilled meat wrapped in betel leaves
Posted by Cathy Danh, July 1, 2008 at 6:27 AM
Snapshots from Vietnam: Saigon Crab Shack
Posted by Cathy Danh, April 30, 2008 at 10:30 AM
Snapshots from Vietnam: Chillin' in Saigon
Posted by Cathy Danh, March 28, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Snapshots from Vietnam: Cháo Lòng, Awfully Good Offal
Posted by Cathy Danh, March 20, 2008 at 2:00 PM
Snapshots from Vietnam: Bánh Cóng
Posted by Cathy Danh, January 29, 2008 at 9:45 AM
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About Cathy Danh
Website: http://gastronomyblog.com/
Location: Saigon, Vietnam
About: Cathy Danh is spending her Odyssey years in Saigon, Vietnam where she works as a copy editor and writer. She aims to eat five-a-day and avoids trans-fats like the plague.
Favorite foods: Bananas, caramel, peanut butter, Golden Grahams, Vietnamese sandwiches, bo kho, thit kho, muscadine cobbler, blueberries, hot fudge sundaes, papperdelle, fresh bread, marmalade, runny eggs
Last bite on earth: Toro straight up.

Brilliant! And, of course, I want!