Main Line Feast

Oktober-feasting at Rieker’s

In Germany, preparations are now in full force. Restaurants are readying beer and brats, stores are selling beautiful dirndls, and hotels are bracing for the five million revelers that descend on Munich for Oktoberfest. It’s the world’s largest fair and this year’s 16-day celebration is slated for September 22 through October 7.

Almost all of my family geneology originates from Germany ... in fact our relatives over there own this brewery, which we visited a few years ago. 

Go Global - Taqueria La Michoacana

“Are you talking about…? Yes, yes, I’ve been there, it’s the BEST Mexican place around.”

If there’s one ‘international find’ that I’ve bonded with people over – it’s got to be this one. Often times we can’t remember – nor pronounce – the restaurant’s entire name. But one thing is for sure – the food and experience here is so good that it remains well-ingrained in people’s memory.

And perhaps it’s because traditional-style Mexican restaurants continue to elude the Main Line. And when we find that authentic spot, we appreciate it all that much more.

Taqueria La Michoacana has been situated in Norristown for almost 15 years. Vibrant painted walls; a warm, hospitable staff, and most importantly a decent selection of cervezas, tequilas and genuine cuisine, make this one of the most authentic restaurants outside of Philadelphia.

Go Global - Taste of India

Let me confess that I’m in a five-year-long rut with Indian cuisine. And I’m enjoying every bite.

Taste of India was the first Indian restaurant we visited after moving back to the area from Washington, DC, where we lived next to an Ethiopian restaurant and were just steps from numerous ethnic eateries. Finding global cuisine on the Main Line,  you see, was essential to feeling at home again.

International Find - Vietnamese at Le Saigon

One of the wildest culinary trips of my life took place in the chaotic city that is Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. From steaming bowls of unidentifiable phở in the sweltering Ben Thanh Market to dodging motorbike traffic for street food and learning how to make rice paper wrappers, we experienced it all.

Exotic eats at Ben Thanh Market

Since the 36 hour trek to Asia only happens a few times in life – if at all – I knew I needed to seek a place for a Vietnamese fix here on the Main Line.

Enter Le Saigon. Originally located in Frazer, this Vietnamese restaurant has been at its Paoli location for 12 years. Owner Steven Wutram grew up with his family in Ho Chi Minh (formally known as Saigon).

Döner Bliss in Berlin (and Berwyn)

Bratwurst, Schweinshaxe and Schwarzwalter Kirschtorte were just some of the famous dishes we dreamt of eating during a recent trek through Germany. And, they were all amazing. But it was one unexpected dish that topped it all: the humble döner kebab.

Berlin is sprawling, bustling and very metropolitan. And just like New York City, you can walk into an unassuming place and have an unbelievable meal.

Versions of döner kebabs exist all over the world, but its meat, preparation and sauces all vary from region to region. Here, we are most familiar with the gyro. But in Germany, a large number of Turkish immigrants have shaped the immense popularity of the döner. Today it’s the country’s most popular form of street food.

Authentic döners in Berlin

Exploring Philadelphia’s Korean Cuisine

Appears in Foodservice Monthly, March 2011.

The local fervor for Korean cuisine has continued to bloom with the growing national trend. You’ve no doubt read about the Korean food trucks popping up in major west and east coast cities. Korean was the buzz on many of this year’s restaurant trend watch lists. And, the Plate magazine that arrived on my desk last month was dedicated to banchan, bulgogi and everything in between. And it’s no wonder this is our latest cultural food obsession.  Like other Asian cuisines, Korean food is bursting with fresh ingredients and a pleasing complexity of flavors.

I claim no expertise, but my intrigue has grown over the past few years. Several batches of homemade kimchi have been attempted (store-bought is still much better). We hosted a Korean barbecue cookout last summer and have our yearly tradition of celebrating New Year’s Eve at a Korean restaurant.

Last summer's Korean BBQ cookout. We used this recipe from the NY Times.

Weeknight Shrimp Tikka Masala w/Toasted Coconut Rice

I used to think cooking Indian food was out of my league and would require a gazillion spices. Instead of cooking it myself, we’d head to our favorite local dive or I’d buy a bottled simmer sauce.

And while those options are quite suitable, I’ve found a recipe for Shrimp Tikka Masala that debunks the stereotypes about cooking Indian cuisine. Originally torn from a Martha Stewart Living, this recipe can be jazzed up with toasted coconut rice and cucumber raita. Or, during the week when things get crazy (like today), I serve it with a much simpler mixed greens and garlic naan.

 

Philly Fare: My Fling with Vietnamese Cuisine

This past spring, I spent 36 hours flying to the chaotic culture-fest that is Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Our long-planned trip to Thailand was re-routed at the last minute, thanks to violent protests in Bangkok.

So in light of my current culinary fixation, I’m sharing my top five traditional Vietnamese dishes, and where you can find them in Philadelphia: