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Grace used to hold the Philly top spot for me too. But calling a burger the best in Philly isn't saying much.

But I recently had the burger at Village Whiskey, and it is not just the best burger in Philadelphia -- it is easily one of the best burgers I've ever had. Get there. Now.

I think Mozza is great. But I actually like the taste of the Pizza at Bottega Louie better. It seems more classic NY pizza then trendy Mozza and is much cheaper!

I buy chinese food containers as packaging for the Ukrainian eggs I make, but they also make great take along containers. They have the advantage of being biodegradable (and the little metal handle doesn't need to biodegrade) while being sturdy and reasonably water proof for gloppy mixtures. I've even removed the handle and opened up the box into a bowl and microwaved to warm, not hot. They cost about 8 cents apiece in boxes of 500, but you might be able to split an order with a co-worker.

@dbcurrie... I don't know about the scientific reason for why it tastes good the second time around. But here's why it tastes good to begin with if you brown your short ribs first.

The Maillard reaction occurs when the denatured proteins on the surface of the meat recombine with the sugars present. The combination creates the "meaty" flavor and changes the color. For this reason, it is also called the browning reaction. The Maillard reaction occurs most readily at around 300° F to 500° F. When meat is cooked, the outside reaches a higher temperature than the inside, triggering the Maillard reaction and creating the strongest flavors on the surface.

The Short ribs also contain a lot of connective tissue which break down in the slow and long cooking process of braising and add body or mouth feel to the juices.

@ BananaMonkey -Might I suggest that if you do reheat them, (I would love them cold) place them in zip top storage bags and bring a pot of water to a boil. When it reaches the boiling point, shut the heat off and place the bags of short ribs in the water to heat until desired temp is reached.

And perhaps most importantly, if you want them to be tender and juicy... @derosa said something very key. DO NOT TAKE THEM OUT OF THE BRAISING LIQUID TO COOL.

Enjoy!

At the restaurant where I work, I constantly make zabaione for the Tiramisu dessert. It is difficult having to whisk that delicious zabaione into mascarpone cheese and whipped cream, but in the end, worth it, when customers say it's the best Tiramisu they ever had.

BTW, Gina, I love your cookbook, the recipes, the stories, your voice. I also look forward to your next book because the other day I made the farfalle with zucchini and gorgonzola - it was heavenly! Amazing how the tastes and textures all blended into something more than the sum of its parts. Thank you!

You don't lose the fond if you brown in a skillet first, then deglaze and add everything to the slowcooker. Then it can cook SUPER low and slow for a million hours (or, like, 12.)

How excellently timed! I made zabaglione for the first time last night on a whim, and it was incredible! I first encountered the flavor of zabaglione in gelato, but in its unadultered state, it was heaven. I used a Giada recipe that called for Marsala and also folding in melted semi-sweet chocolate, and chocolate zabaglione is one of the most decadent things I've ever eaten. Thank you for this article and its great information, I look forward to making this again and again, hopefully perfecting it.

The place in Wynnewood is Elevation Burger, not Evolution Burger.

This is so being added to the post-move list of culinary projects I want to take on in a few weeks, and feels like it would be a more unique dinner option than most. Thanks!

Beautifully written! You convinced me to try this.

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/

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.

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.)