Unbreaded

Tucked away between 11th and 12th on Locust is Iron Chef Jose Garces’ latest Philadelphia endeavor, the Garces Trading Company. We’re truly amazed that in just four short years the man has been able to open up six restaurants in our lovely city, with a seventh already on the way in the Cira Centre. Unlike his previous projects which follow more of a traditional restaurant theme, GTC is a one of a kind, pioneer establishment in this city.

Featuring a long list of their own lines of coffee, cheese, house-made charcuterie and meats (the Village Whiskey burger blend is available to-go), oil and vinegar and house-baked breads, GTC is part gourmet market/deli and dine-in cafe with the addition with a very unique, State Store inside the building. Despite the clumsiness of Pennsylvania’s restrictions on wine and liquor, GTC’s special arrangement allows patrons have the ability to buy a bottle of wine and consume it on premises as if it were brought in like a BYO.

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R2L is serving up some of the city’s most inspired and delicious sandwiches from their perch high above the city in Liberty Two – a location that happens to overlook South Philadelphia.  The symbolism is not lost on the menu, as Chef/Owner Daniel Stern has created food that “walks the fine line between traditional and modern, where the old school things that people grew up on also grow up.”  Old school sandwiches like cheese-steaks, burgers, lobster rolls and the Reuben are transformed by Stern into unbelievably decadent, yet unpretentious finger-foods.

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Midtown Village’s modern Asian restaurant Sampan started offering a delicious lunch menu last week. “Our variety of banh mi sandwiches, noodles and salads are perfect for a fast, affordable lunch,” says Chef Michael Schulson. We had the opportunity to stop by and try all six brand-new delicious banh mi.

Schulson came to Philadelphia roughly twelve years ago and along his many stops to try out the local fare he happened upon the banh mi sandwiches available at a few Vietnamese restaurants and bakeries along Washington Avenue in South Philadelphia. Drawing from these sandwiches as inspiration, he created several of his own using fresh and exotic ingredients to bring about intensely robust flavors. Influenced not only by Vietnamese cuisine, Sampan’s “Banh Midtown” are truly a representation of not only pan-Asian cuisine but domestic offerings such as the cheesesteak and meatball sub. Schulson and his banh mi were recently featured on the NBC’s Today Show and The Philadelphia Inquirer cited Sampan’s version as “one of the wonders of the sandwich world.”

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• We’re still perplexed by David Ansill’s move to Ladder 15, but don’t let it fool you, he’s pulled out all the stops for the new menu. Head over on March 16th at 8pm to celebrate these new items with free appetizers including Korean tacos and the OMFG Burger 15 that’s topped with short rib, mushrooms, caramelized onions, truffle jus and served with a side of bone marrow. [Phoodie.info]

• A new Philly food blog has gone live, dubbed a “gastronomical adventure between two friends.” They dive right in at Q.T. Vietnamese Sandwich to check out the new sardine banh mi. [i love pork buns]

• Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook have reopened Xochitl with dramatic renovations to the space and Lucio Palazzo as Executive Chef. Head over on Thursdays from 10pm-1am for half-off the entire menu including the Carrillada de Cerdo Tacos (braised pork cheek) and Milanese de Pollo Torta.

• Meal Ticket’s Felicia D. does it again, this time working the grill at Jim’s Steaks on South Street. There’s something about the clang of a metal spatula on a hot griddle… [Meal Ticket]

We’ve just discovered why sous chef Ann Suk Miller’s Korean Short Rib Tacos are much talked-about. Under the guise of an unpretentious name, they’re now on special at Meritage in Philly’s Graduate Hospital area, having found their way from the now-closed Ansill in Queen Village. The practicality in the dish’s name is where the simplicity stops. The tacos are extraordinarily delicious.

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While many of us are unfortunately unable to attend this year’s 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, we can still participate in competition and Canadian-esque celebrations. Five local bars in five neighborhoods (Smiths Restaurant and Lounge, the Kite and Key, the New Wave Café, the South Philly Bar & Grill and the Swift Half Pub) are participating in selling $3 bottles of Vancouver’s Molson Canadian throughout this month in the “Barstool Olympics” with proceeds to benefit the Fraternal Order of Police Survivors Fund.

The Barstool Olympics is the brainchild of Smiths Restaurant executive chef and owner, Brendan Smith. “Last year was a particularly hard year for the Philadelphia police and we are honored to be able to support them through a little friendly neighborhood competition,” says Smith. “We encourage everyone to visit one of the participating Barstool Olympics bars during the 2010 Winter Olympics to root for the USA, drink some Molsons and raise funds for the families of fallen officers. Adds Ken Brownell, owner of South Philly Bar & Grill, “We’d also like to thank our partners, the Molson Coors company and Origlio Beverage for their support and generosity.”

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For a few months now we’ve been privy to Peter McAndrews’ and Nathan Baynes’ plans to introduce an Italian Market location of their wildly successful Paesano’s Philly Style. Last week word spread that the shop was nearing an open. Hastily, lunch plans were made for that Friday. However, those plans had to regretfully be postponed. Today, after impatiently waiting for five very long days, we were able to stop into the new location on the northwest corner of 9th and Christian, on their first day open to the public.

Following in the footsteps of the first shop on Girard Ave., the owners of Modo Mio have once again impressed us with a little bit of sandwich heaven. Generously, heaven has added four new angels on its menu: The Liveracce, Bolagnese, Meatloaf Parmesan and Pesce Fritti. Aside from new sandwiches, Minestrone soup and a Chopp salad will also find their place as fixtures. With the new location comes a larger kitchen and a dining area that will allow customers to sit down, and enjoy every breathtaking bite.

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• Meal Ticket video maven (and Unbreaded foodie crush) Felicia D. visits Supper to take a look at Mitch Prensky’s DIY bacon wrapped hot dog kit, the perfect Super Bowl snack. [Meal Ticket]

• Favorite under $10 food blog Midtown Lunch has opened up shop in Philadelphia and bites into the po’ boys at Beck’s Cajun Cafe in the Reading Terminal Market. [Midtown Lunch - Philadelphia]

• We took a sneak peak at Noah Bernamoff’s Montreal-style Mile End deli in Brooklyn a few months ago, now GutterGourmet takes a look at the recently opened shop. A sandwich dubbed the “Ruth Wilensky” has been added to the menu, which features pastrami pressed on an onion roll. [Always Hungry]

• Bread Gloves, ’nuff said. If any of our readers are bakers, we expect you to hook us up with a pair of these! [Daily Fork]