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Bryn Mawr’s Cerise BYOB Offers a Taste of Europe in the ‘Burbs
Photos, story by Cassie Hepler Ben and Elena Thomas, the chef and co-owners of Restaurant Cerise in Bryn Mawr offer an upscale, French feel on an otherwise quiet Lancaster Avenue. Multi-course tasting menus and prix fixe are the key at this BYOB with a large, well-stocked and convenient Wine & Spirits right across the street. Main Line’s dining scene gets a little more love through this husband and wife pair and a little more fresh herbs too from various staff gardens. The feel of a French bistro minus the sidewalk patio culture, it offers the Main Line’s affluent and sometimes sophisticated audience a place to escape – and drink as many bottles as their bellies…
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Brooklyn Brewery Invades Bing Bing Dim Sum for Philly Mash
Photos, story by Jae Rich The time has returned for the 4th Annual Brooklyn Brewery Mash Up and Philly beer lovers couldn’t be more excited. Through the end of August, The Brooklyn Brewery swept through the city of Philadelphia to celebrate its annual beer event that consisted of an entire weekend lineup of bites and booze. From South Philadelphia to the eclectic streets of Northern Liberties, beer connoisseurs were sure to get their fix of amazing exclusive and rarest crisp beers. For those unaware, the Brooklyn Brewery’s Philly Mash is a weekend-long cultural festival exploring vibrant communities in cities around the world through food, music, art and beer. The Mash is…
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National Honey Bee Day Buzzes Over to Sofitel
Story, photos by Deja Cromartie Explore Philly was on the scene to celebrate National Honey Bee Day and savor the delectable honey produced by Sofitel’s rooftop bee hives with the Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild. Sofitel and Liberté Lounge take their advocacy for the freshest ingredients to a whole new level – the Fifteenth Floor, as a matter of fact. The hotel and restaurant lounge plant an annual seasonal rooftop garden and provide a home for 100,000 honeybees that yield ingredients for Liberté Lounge’s menu. We had the pleasure of meeting the beekeepers from the Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild as well as sample honey from the Sofitel hives and other hives around the…
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Miss America 2017 Contestants Enjoy Lavish Buffet at Showboat Hotel
Photos, story by Lou Perri The 52 Miss America 2017 contestants walked the boards to get to Showboat Hotel and enjoy a buffet dinner created by Tim Kuhlman, general manager and an excellent chef. The 52 pageant contestants dined in style as servers sliced into Filet Mignon, pepper crusted Ahi Tuna, a spinach and strawberry salad, roasted fingerling potatoes, mixed vegetables and assorted pastries to end a wonderful meal. Kuhlman told Explore New Jersey he selected entrees from various Showboat menus and fit dietary selections for the young ladies.
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Instacart Delivers Grocery Service to South Jersey Doors
Serving over 400K residents, Instacart is launching its one-hour grocery delivery service in South Jersey, its first service area in the state of New Jersey. Local residents can now order from their favorite retailers like Whole Foods Market, Costco (no membership required), Petco, and ACME Markets and have their groceries delivered straight to their doorsteps in as little as one hour. The launch will initially serve 20 zip codes, including Cherry Hill, Mount Laurel, Collingswood and others, reaching approximately 408,592 local residents. You can now order from your favorite stores and get groceries delivered to any address in the following zip codes: 08002, 08003, 08030, 08033, 08034, 08035, 08043, 08052, 08053,…
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Capofitto: Pizzaria and Galeteria, A Philadelphian’s Summer Nights Dream
Story, photos by Brittany Harlow Located on the 200 block of Chestnut Street, in the heart of Old City, among majestic and historical architecture, cobblestone pathways and a cornucopia of nightlife you may come across the small but mighty Capofitto, Pizzeria and Gelataria. Should you for whatever reason, not come across it naturally in your stroll, seek it out. Philadelphia popularly boasts one of the oldest and largest Italian neighborhoods in the country, so it may feel easy to dismiss each Italian restaurant as one of the same. This of course is a severe injustice and grave dining mistake. Capofitto is unique itself, for its incredibly light alternative fair. At the…
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Ocean Prime’s 5 and 10 Happy Hour Might Just Lead to Delicious Dinner
Story, photos by Deja Cromartie Often known as the official date spot in my circle of friends, Ocean Prime is switching things up a bit to cater the millennial on the go who might want to wind down after a long day of work. 5 & 10 is a happy hour menu featuring bites, beers, and bubbles for $5 & $10 bucks. That wasn’t a typo, for $5 you can taste 13 beers. If beer isn’t your thing, the cocktails are $10 and they also offer bottles of bubbles for half off on Mondays. As a cocktail type of girl, I was excited to experience the delicious cocktails that Ocean…
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The Great Chefs Event Combines Food, Fashion and Charity Deliciously
Photos, story by Deja Cromartie The Vetri Family restaurants and Vetri Community Partnership brought together more than 40 chefs from around the world to the city of Philadelphia for an amazing dining experience that benefited Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and Vetri Community Partnership. There were also a few surprises such as the burger king, chef Bobby Flay serving his delicious burgers to guests and a custom gin drinking station that provided a show to guests that waited for their beverage. The food was amazing and there was something to try for everyone. There were so many options it was hard to make it around to each table. However, it was…
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Creative Chef at Atlantic City’s Cuba Libre is an Artist in the Kitchen
Photos, story by Lou Perri Exploring several of Atlantic City’s Cuba Libre‘s summer fare recently, this explorer met with the very creative senior chef, Kevin Couch, who oversees the chain’s kitchens inside the Tropicana. Chef Couch proves to be a master creator of his selected entrees, including the signature plate, Seafood Paella, seen here, on a bed of Saffron long grain rice, features an assortment of mussels, clams, large shrimp, and a split Maine lobster tail. A roasted piquillo salad also comes with this delectable masterpiece. Baby octopus gives this dish another artistic touch. The new summer specialties include a grilled artichoke heart, with salt cured tomatoes and feta cheese…
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Chef Luke Palladino’s Restaurant Palladino’s on Passyunk Spring Tasting Menu Blows Writer’s Mind!
Photos, story by Brittany Harlow Kicking off the spring season, we were invited to attend a media tasting dinner at Palladino’s in East Passyunk. No stranger to Luke Palladino’s mad skills, he was actually one of our first stories for Explore-Philly.com when he opened the restaurant. The event was arranged to introduce the new spring menu, as Palladino’s subscribes to the concept of being completely house made, as well as working with a seasonal, rotating menu. Throughout the evening, Palladino’s staff demonstrated their sincere engagement with their East Passyunk neighborhood, located just an arms throw from the Italian Market. Palladino’s on Passyunk has only been located in this neighborhood for a little over…